Ep 5. The Cost of Living

The Cost of Living is the fifth episode of season three of the epic television series Lost, which originally aired on October 25, 2006. The episode is directed by Jack Bender and written by Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof.

This episode of Lost focuses on three of the show's most enigmatic characters - Eko, Locke, and Ben. We learn more about Eko's past as a drug lord in Nigeria and see how his experiences have shaped him into the person he is today. We also see flashbacks of young Ben, offering insight into how he became one of the Others.

The episode opens with Eko hunting for food in the jungle. He comes across a wounded boar and is about to kill it when he sees a vision of his dead brother, Yemi, warning him not to harm the animal. This vision sets off a series of events that will change Eko's life forever.

Meanwhile, Locke is still grappling with the revelation that the hatch - the source of his obsession - is a dead end. He is feeling lost and without purpose, but that all changes when he comes across Ben in the jungle. Ben is bleeding badly and tells Locke that he was attacked by an unknown assailant.

Ben leads Locke to a secret location where we see that he is being held captive by the mysterious group of people known as the Others. The Others have their own doctor - a brilliant surgeon named Juliet - who is tending to Ben's wounds.

Locke is conflicted about what to do. On one hand, he wants to rescue Ben from the Others. On the other hand, he realizes that the Others might be his only way to find a new purpose on the island. Locke decides to stay with the Others, thinking that he can manipulate them to further his own goals.

As all of this is happening, Eko is having a spiritual experience unlike anything he's ever experienced before. He sees visions of Yemi and the Virgin Mary, and he is convinced that he is being given a divine mission. Eko sets off on a journey to find out what this mission entails, and along the way, he meets a young boy who claims to be a messenger from Yemi.

Eko soon discovers that the boy is not what he seems, and is instead a dangerous manifestation of his past. Through a series of flashbacks, we see Eko as a drug lord in Nigeria, making tough decisions and using violence to maintain his power and save his brother's life. We also see how the plane crash on the island changed him, leading him to renounce his violent ways and seek redemption.

As Eko and the boy continue on their journey, the stakes get higher and higher. Eko is forced to confront his past and contemplate what his future might hold. Meanwhile, Locke's relationship with the Others becomes more complicated, as his motives are called into question and he begins to realize that he might not be the master manipulator he thought he was.

The Cost of Living is a powerful and thought-provoking episode of Lost that showcases the show's ability to combine action, drama, and spirituality in innovative ways. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as they watch Eko and Locke navigate the dangerous situations they find themselves in, and will undoubtedly be left with even more questions about what exactly is going on on the mysterious island.