A handful of passionate thoughts from a newbie!..

Introduction

It all began with Vanity Fair and its Big Poll “Who Is the Most Handsome Man in the World?” There were Xavier Bardem and Johnny Depp and some cow-eyed vampire with a 27 inches waist. The last one has successfully won, and this fact alone is already alarming news, but still – there’s much more to think about.
The point is that true man’s beauty is usually expressed in its absence. The refined Roman Profile doesn’t necessarily imply leadership skills or wide-range personality; it only draws your attention away from them.
This is why every attempt to judge a man by his looks makes me want to change nappies to its author.

1.
No, it all began when I finally got my hands on LOST and saw Ben Linus (Henry Gale yet), who was asking very delicately, “You guys got any milk?”
The whole situation is, shall we say, not particularly good for him: three days in windowless cell, monstrous tortures, questionable future… he’s got a hole in his chest after all. However, this disheveled naughty boy, who risks to be killed in every moment, just sits quietly on the couch, and opens his mouth… In several minutes, two experienced hefty fellows feel themselves complete idiots.
This is it. From now and forward, this is exactly how every man would feel as long as he has something to do in one scene with Ben Linus. It drives men mad and makes them beat Ben up as often as possible. However, beatings do nothing to his image: Ben seems not to care about his face very much. What’s more, he provokes punches just to make aggressors feel even angrier... and more helpless.
After all, when the key moment comes, you won’t be too surprised to discover Ben is a skilled user of every possible weapon plus Matrix-style martial arts. You already know, it wouldn't be a sanctuary if he told everyone.
Sounds unusual, huh? LOST is nevertheless made by very smart people. Firstly, they mixed up a huge amount of different machos, from Scandinavian to Arabian. Secondly, they made us to drool over attractive bulked up semi-naked torsos. Then they suddenly put in the strange-looking middle-aged guy with eyes of pure schizophrenic, and it took this guy two seasons and a half to give the works to every single macho on the show.

…so it doesn’t look too unnatural when it all comes to Ben. Not Sawyer, true macho with dimples. Not hysterical Jack, who looks more like Pinocchio than leader. Not Sayid: his accent too strong, intentions too obvious. Not even Locke: he’s too busy fighting his own demons. In fact, everyone – sooner or later, this way or another – does just what Ben wants him/her to do.

3.
No, it doesn’t look unnatural at all. They sell us sex instincts under the “look it’s gorgeous, bulky, sleek and fashionable” flag for twenty years now. Civilized races keep depopulating, though. Why so? Because when it comes to the deed, everyone happens to have two hands, one mouth and standard set of genitals. Therefore, a woman with taste will discover what is really sexy about a man: not his lips or bum, but his power and mind and sense of humor - the last one is usually base case for such kind of people.

So? Whom did you immediately think of? Jack, maybe?

LOCKE: What's "code 14-J"?
BEN: Where did you hear that?
LOCKE: The phone rang. I picked it up. A voice kept repeating, "code 14-J".
[Ben jumps to his feet, opens up the piano bench, and extracts a shotgun]
BEN: We need to get to the other house. It's easier to fortify, and we'll have better position on the tree lines. How long did you guys debate amongst yourselves whether or not to ask me why the phone rang?
LOCKE: (Shrugging) Five minutes.
BEN: Well, so much for our head start.

Ben makes decisions so quickly and holds the situation so powerfully you want to elect him your own president. Loads of people around, different ages and races, quarreling, crying, shooting, wanting something, things happening 24/7… and there is only he who has to watch over it, to make it all work, to keep them all safe. How many times do I have to tell you, John? I always have a plan. Bring me The Brothers Karamazov, I’ll draw you a map.
He is Palpatine and Jason Bourne, Machiavelli’s Prince and agent 007, pitiless manipulator and devoted father. Oh, yes, and he has a breathtaking sense of humor – as no one else does. “How can you read? - My mother taught me”, “Do you mind if I ask you a question? - I'm a Pisces”, “Where did you get electricity? - We have two giant hamsters running in a massive wheel in our secret underground lair”…

Do I have to mention he plays Rachmaninoff in his spare time?

P.S.
I was preparing to go through bensanity all by myself when I discovered hundreds of girls writing on youtube and imdb “I want him to come to my house and eat my cereal”. I felt relieved and decided to go to the end by doing a test “Which LOST character are you?” –
- The answer was Juliet Burke. - and I haven’t slept a wink all night because of the idea that if we met each other, Ben Linus – striped shirts, messenger bag – would give me a privilege to be his.