One of the biggest mysteries from season 5 of Lost was the presence of Jeremy Bentham, who he was, and how he fit into the story. From the very first episode of Lost, which aired in 2004, the series established itself as a mysterious puzzle, and plot threads involving the Smoke Monster and the DHARMA Initiative kept fans guessing throughout. By the arrival of the show's fifth season, it had answered some questions, but it also continued to pose new and intriguing complications that grew richer as the lore of the island became more fleshed out. Characters themselves were often mysteries, and Jeremy Bentham was one such example.
Before playing a part in season 5, the corpse of Jeremy Bentham was presented in Lost season 3, episodes 22 and 23, "Through the Looking Glass," though only a name was given. Following Lost's big "Not Penny's Boat" moment, the identity of Jeremy Bentham was given less priority than the twisting plots of the show's fourth season that saw the Oceanic Six back in society. However, Lost, season 4, episode 14, "There's No Place Like Home," finally switched its attention back to the mystery of the dead man in the casket and finally revealed his shocking identity. Far from being a newcomer, Jeremy Bentham was someone close to home.
John Locke Is Jeremy Bentham
Left to stew over the big reveal that John Locke was Jeremy Bentham at the end of season 4, viewers were soon given answers as his plot took center stage in season 5. In Lost season 5, episode 5, "This Place is Death," Locke found himself trapped in a well after a time flash severed his rope, he was then instructed to reunite the island's Oceanic Six, and convince them to return. The workings of the mysterious Jeremy Bentham had been discussed in seasons 3 and 4, but his actual flash forward wasn't fully fleshed out until Lost season 5, episode 7, "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham."
Locke turned the island's wheel, which moved it and also sent him back to the mainland at the same time. That reveal paid off events from earlier seasons and started "Jeremy Bentham" on his quest to get the Oceanic Six back on the island. He soon failed to convince any of the survivors to return and attempted to end his own life before being stopped by Ben Linus. In one of the worst things Ben Linus ever did, he killed Locke and staged his death to look like it was self-inflicted, using the grief of the death as a motivator to get the Oceanic Six to return to the island.
Why Ben Killed Locke/Bentham In Season 5
Though his motivations remained mysterious for a while, Lost season 6, episodes 17 and 18, "The End," finally shed light on why Ben Linus killed John Locke in season 5. Though it was partly because he needed Locke's corpse to recreate the original plane crash as accurately as possible, it was also because he was extremely jealous of Locke's standing among the Others. Ben was shown throughout Lost to be covetous of the position, and he had previously ousted Charles Widmore from the spot. In the end, both were being used by fate to allow the events that needed to happen to come to fruition.