‘Lost’: What Can Ben Tell Us About Season Four?

Among those blown away by Wednesday’s season finale of Lost was cast member Michael Emerson, who plays arch-villain (or misunderstood savior?) Ben. We caught the actor at last night’s Brittania Ball on the Queen Mary 2. Now that the episode’s aired, Emerson was able to be more forthcoming than he was when we interviewed him earlier this week — except that he’s just as flummoxed as the rest of us about what lies ahead for the Lost ones.

Now that the finale has aired, do you have any freaking clue what’s going to happen when you start shooting again?
No, because I didn’t know what the end of the episode was until I watched it. That was a secret scene with Jack and Kate — only Matthew [Fox] and Evangeline [Lilly] were given that text and it was shot in secret. I had to wait until last night to have this earth-shattering revelation: Now not only are we going to live in the present and the past, but also the future. And the little things they dropped made my hair stand on end!

Like what?
Kate and Jack got off the island somehow, but other castaways didn’t, and they’re sick about it. And who’s in the coffin? And who is Kate living with?

Sawyer?
Or is he dead or on the island?

Do you have sympathy for Ben’s character?
I have full sympathy. I believe he has a mission and an agenda that he hasn’t shared with us yet. The survival of the earth may depend on Ben’s work, so it justifies his ruthless behavior. Maybe I’m just fantasizing or deluding myself.

Is Naomi, the British woman who parachuted from above, really bad news?
She’s a messenger from the dark side. I think we can take Ben at his word. Whoever is on the boat that they just called mean them no good. As soon as we’re in season four, I think we’re gonna discover that everyone is in deep trouble. —Justin Ravitz