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Lost: Will Ben Get Away With It All?

Actor Michael Emerson shares a little insight into Linus' season-six prospects...

By Jennifer Godwin Jun 16, 2009 10:11 PMTags
Lost, Michael EmersonABC/MARIO PEREZ

As the clock ticks down to the series finale of Lost, it's time to begin imagining how it will end for our heroes (and villains).

We just caught up with Benjamin Linus himself, Mr. Michael Emerson, at the True Blood premiere, where he appeared with his wife, Carrie Preston (she plays flame-haired Merlotte's waitress Arlene on the HBO drama), and he assured us Ben is still in the game. In fact, there is every possibility that Ben will get away with all his dastardly deeds in the end...

Amid much discussion of which characters will be back for season six, Emerson's Ben seems virtually guaranteed to return: "My feeling is that [Ben] will have a role to play in the next season," he told us. "And I hope he survives until almost the end at least."

Speaking of that end, when asked about how Ben might fare in a final Island-destroying scenario, with maybe a volcano exploding and everyone clambering about a rescue vessel, Emerson said, "Ben is a great man for the secret exit. Ben always has an escape, I think. It may be a piece of wood, floating on the ocean. Or it may be a rope, or a secret door. Or, you know, an Ecuadorian passport and a plastic bag, something like that. He's probably going to survive."

As for his prospects during these last 17 episodes, Emerson says, "I don't know what Ben's ultimate station will be," or if Ben may could ever again be grand Island pooh-bah, but Emerson that Ben is not yet out—even though he may be very, very down: "Ben's become such a cringing little follower, hasn't he? 'Who is that guy who looks like John Locke?' [That guy]'s sort of taking things over, and what can Ben do except sort of mope along and follow orders? Although [Ben] did have a moment of angry violence there in the finale. I was sort of proud of him for that. I mean, he's looked all these years for a proper father, hasn't he? And this guy [Jacob] says, 'What about you?' I would have stabbed him, too."

Got any Michael Emerson love to share? Post in the comments and/or vote for him in the Best Baddie and Drama King categories of Tater Tops!