The episode is also a profound study of the loss of innocence. We see a young, innocent Ben Linus who wants nothing more than to escape his abusive father. On the other side, we see the adult survivors grappling with the decision to save his life. Jack Shephard, formerly the moral compass and savior of the group, refuses to operate on the dying boy, driven by his frustration with the island and his belief that destiny will take its course.
Ultimately, it is Kate and Sawyer who take the young Ben to the "Others" to be healed, fully aware that doing so will strip him of his innocence and seal his dark fate. Conclusion Lost_5x11_Quel_Che_E_Stato_E_Stato_ITA_DVDRip_X...
At the heart of this episode is the scientific and philosophical rule established by the character Daniel Faraday: "Whatever happened, happened." This concept suggests that time is a closed loop. The survivors who have been flashed back to the year 1977 cannot change the past because their actions in 1977 already contributed to the future they just came from. The episode is also a profound study of