Benjamin Linus

Benjamin Linus is a main character from the TV series Lost.

Benjamin Linus was a long-time resident of the Island and a leader of the Others. Though often a calm, eloquent antagonist, Ben's insecurity and jealousies sometimes brought out a petulant, reckless side. He remained, however, an expert manipulator, a liar and a murderer, and he served as a main villain for much of the series.

Ben came to the Island a polite, quiet eight-year-old, the son of an abusive DHARMA Initiative janitor. He met the island's natives, who healed him after a prisoner he freed shot him, and he remained in touch as he grew and worked for the DHARMA Initiative. Ben eventually helped these "Hostiles" kill the Initiative members, and he later ousted and replaced their leader, Charles Widmore. As their new leader, Ben tried to solve the Island's pregnancy issues, and he raised an adoptive daughter as one of the Others.

In 2004, Ben developed cancer, but the crash brought a surgeon, Jack Shephard. After entering the survivors' camp as a prisoner under the name Henry Gale, Ben kidnapped Jack and manipulated him into operating. He also met John Locke, who threatened his leadership, and Ben's older rival Widmore meanwhile sent a ship to the Island to capture him. A mercenary from the boat killed Alex thanks to Ben's negligence. To protect the Island, Ben moved it, letting several survivors escape and leaving Locke as his successor.

He spent the next few years on the mainland, and though he failed to kill Widmore's daughter as promised, he eliminated much of the man's organization using Sayid, a survivor who escaped. He murdered Locke, who'd come to retrieve those who'd left, but he continued Locke's mission and returned the survivors to the Island. There, the monster judged him for Alex's death and took the form of Locke, convincing Ben to kill Jacob, the Island's protector. Confidence and power lost, Ben became the survivors' apologetic ally. Hurley became the new protector, and Ben served for years as his advisor.

After death, Ben was a teacher of his previous 'daughter', Alex. As his acquaintances from the Island moved on, he chose to stay behind to work out his issues.