"because, destiny, John, is a fickle b.*tch"

[D-Roc]

My jaw dropped when I heard those words come out of Benjamin's mouth - this is what it must be like for a parent to hear their child swear for the first time.

I was shocked..but not disappointed..it shows that Ben's human and considering what he's been through he has every right the question the merits of destiny.

A man as loyal and committed as Ben, to be treated this way by destiny is understandably heart-wrenching..and that's the thing..Ben seems to believe that this is the way it was supposed to be.

yet, to conflict that, he earlier exclaimed that Charles has changed the rules..which suggested that he changed the fate of Alex..and of course Ben.

But perhaps this is where we have our distingtion between destiny - a willing version of fate..and fate..a predetermined outcome.

Ben seems to believe that he was THE promised one..that he was the 'chosen one' - yet in reality it seems that the island was merely biding it's time for Locke..keeping tabs on him and never quite giving up on him. Was Ben a stop-gap..a go to guy for when the island needed a version of Locke? Was this what happened to Walt - the island thinking it had another special one, only to discover that he wasn't quite what it was looking for?

I guess it's quite sad when someones impression of destiny is infact only a rung on the ladder of fate.

But to accept that disppointment is defeatest, no? To accept your fate when it doesn't meet your expectations is surely giving up and admitting defeat?

Is this the difference between ben and Locke?

Whereas Ben accepts his fate..Locke never gives up..even when he says:

"I can't "walkabout" anything. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a cripple"

he doesn't mean it..he licks his wounds, he bangs his fist and he may throw a few dishes..but he never gives up.

"Don't tell me what I can't do!!"

here here John..here here.