Lost: Season 3, Episode 6

A few things in response to NELA, real quick. I'm still processing. :)

I don't think it's clear that he was bargaining only for Kate's release. I think "...and Sawyer" was probably implied, but Jack really doesn't have any idea what Sawyer's situation is, and it's not like he was going to be able to (or have any desire to) speak to both of them and assess both situations. He knows that Kate is with Sawyer, and if Sawyer is alive and able to escape with her, then so be it. If not, then so be it. I don't think there was necessarily any active effort to exclude Sawyer from the escape attempt. But clearly, Kate's well-being comes first and c'est la vie re: Sawyer, as far as Jack is concerned.

Who is Jacob, indeed.

Re: Benry leaving the island for sugery, well, I can think of a bunch of reasons, assuming Ben has lived his entire life on the island. No insurance? No currency (does currency exist on the island?) No accepted identity? No birth certificate or medical history? Having to answer questions about who he is and where he's from? Perhaps Ben really can't physically leave the island? Sure, there's plenty of evidence that they have access to outside INFORMATION, but maybe that's it.

Ben also said "Two days after I found out I had a tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell from the sky." So he had known about his problem for all of two days. Maybe he would have left the island to have the procedure done, but the doctor he'd have gone to anyway... well... came to him. For all we know, Jack is "The Best." And there have been indications that he might very well be.

I think the better question would be "Why not just be nice to Jack and crew from the start? If your goal, as stated, is to make Jack WANT TO help you, then why all the harassment and murder and imprisonment and such?"

Of course Ben will survive. Michael Emerson and Terry O'Quinn rule this freakin' show these days. But you're right in that Jack's "plan" sure seems like a crappy one. No way Jack (or Cuse/Lindelhof) lets him die, and Ben's gonna be one ****** off dude when he comes to. Assuming for a second that Ben ever had any intention of honoring his agreement to let Jack go home, and/or has the ability to actually get Jack off the island, Jack's little reneg while Ben was on the table surely qualifies a breach of contract. So I'm not sure what Jack thinks his endgame is.

He either really, REALLY trusts Juliet and her mutiny story, and intends to let Ben die, trusting that Juliet's cabal will protect him and leave the Losties alone, or he intends to finish Ben's procedure and fall on the sword for the sake of Kate's escape (with or without Sawyer.) But if it's the latter, it's a horrible plan because Jack knows full well that the Others can pretty much do whatever, whenever to the Losties. And they're not going to let Jack's doublecross go without swift and harsh reprisal on not just Jack, but all of them. Just a horribly thought out "strategy" on par with something Locke or Sayid would have come up with. Guh.