The thread title is the question:
What brought Sun to LA just 70-some hrs before Ben will need her?

That's NOT a coincidence!

I can only think of one reason, well two but the second seems too complicated. And this goes contrary to what many of us have been led to believe is the case... Sun is working with Ben. Yes, with Ben. Just in the same way that Ben first convinced Sayid to work with him. I've always thought that Sun is really out to get Widmore, not working with him, but I also figured that she'd be equal out to get Ben, but perhaps Ben got to her by telling her that Jin is still alive, that the Islands took the freighter wreckage with them and that he survived, but that she and the other O-6 need to return or else Jin and all those left behind will be in serious danger. Sun may have thought that she's never believe Ben, but if he could convince Sayid then I believe he could've done the same with her.

And part of her being in LA might not only be to be ready to leave with the others, but perhaps part of her mission is to convince Kate. Sun was talking to Kate about her having done what needed to be done, that she didn't blame Kate because of that. Now I won't be surprised if the next thing she says to Kate is that again she'll need to do what has to be done, and that's GO BACK!

I don't think Sun is working with Ben because there is a shot in the promo for future episodes in which Sun is holding a gun on Ben.
I think she is absolutely serious when she says she wants to kill Ben. As to how there all in L.A. within whatever 70 hour deadline Ben is working in, that's one of those coincidence or destiny questions the show often raises. But the island is pulling at them trying to get them to come back so perhaps whatever influence it has is at work.

Personally I think she is there to kill Jack, maybe once she sees how far he has fallen she'll figure he's been through enough and leave him alone, but that is a big maybe, maybe she will kill Kate so that Jack will feel the pain she does, Jack being in love with Kate, I'm shocked at how my thinking of Sun has changed in 3 days. I never thought I would think something like that about her, at least not a murderer.

Personally I think she is there to kill Jack, maybe once she sees how far he has fallen she'll figure he's been through enough and leave him alone, but that is a big maybe, maybe she will kill Kate so that Jack will feel the pain she does, Jack being in love with Kate, I'm shocked at how my thinking of Sun has changed in 3 days. I never thought I would think something like that about her, at least not a murderer.
I could definitely see that because grief and rage will drive a person do insane things.

"I'm shocked at how my thinking of Sun has changed in 3 days. I never thought I would think something like that about her, at least not a murderer." (Caforrest2047)

Yet technically, Sun is a murderer. On Desmond's boat when Sayid, Jin and herself are staking out.

This quote isn't exact but, "you're a good person Sun, you won't shoot me..." BANG!

What brought Sun to LA just 70-some hrs before Ben will need her?
The short answer to that (or, rather, my opinion of the short answer) is:

Because the Island wanted her to go to LA...

Just like the Island wanted Juliette's husband to get killed by a bus...

Just like all the Losties on Flight 815 ended up on that particular flight...

Just like the Island wouldn't let Michael shoot himself...

It's also possible she's a double agent pretending to cooperate with Ben but really working with Widmore.

She blames 2 people for Jin's death. One is her father. Is the other one Ben, Widmore or Jack?

Widmore: It was his guys and his boat that Jin blew up on.
Ben: Responsible for pulling "the dead man's trigger." Not sure if she knows that or not. If Locke visited with her, that might be the only way she would know.
Jack: He was the one telling her that couldn't go back to pick him up.

I'm still not sure how Sun even knew that Ben left the Island, unless Bentham told her.
I personally am hoping Sun is working for Ben, and that the spoilery thing mentioned above is because she is being watched.

While I'm not sure I want Sun working for Ben outright, I do hope that she is playing Widmore. If she was willing to blame, Kate, Jack and Ben, then she can't not blame Widmore, who was the one who sent the freighter, packed it with explosives, and sent mercenaries to ruthlessly murder innocent survivors, not to mention Danielle, Alex and Karl. It would be sweet if we find out that Sun has it out for Widmore as well, since it shows she really is smart.

lets face it
it is probable that she ends back on the island- right?
the show really needs her there.
so if she is out to kill ben (and jack?) the only way she can accomplish this may be to go to the island again
or maybe at some point, ben tells her that jin is alive on the island....????

While I'm not sure I want Sun working for Ben outright, I do hope that she is playing Widmore. If she was willing to blame, Kate, Jack and Ben, then she can't not blame Widmore, who was the one who sent the freighter, packed it with explosives, and sent mercenaries to ruthlessly murder innocent survivors, not to mention Danielle, Alex and Karl. It would be sweet if we find out that Sun has it out for Widmore as well, since it shows she really is smart.

When I said that she could be working for Ben, I meant reluctantly, as with Sayid. Working with Ben because perhaps he told her that he could get her back to the Islands and if she went back that she could save Jin. As we now know, Sayid isn't happy that Ben had talked him into to working with him, and I'm sure that if Sun is working for Ben that eventually she'll feel the same way, but in the time being she's also content to work with Ben if it also works into her getting revenge against Widmore.

When I said that she could be working for Ben, I meant reluctantly, as with Sayid. Working with Ben because perhaps he told her that he could get her back to the Islands and if she went back that she could save Jin. As we now know, Sayid isn't happy that Ben had talked him into to working with him, and I'm sure that if Sun is working for Ben that eventually she'll feel the same way, but in the time being she's also content to work with Ben if it also works into her getting revenge against Widmore.

Back last season when we found out that Sun had bought controlling interest in Paik Industries,I suspected Ben could have backed her financially and that she was working with Ben. But she sure seems like she wants revenge on him now!

Hard to say at this point who she is really going after Ben or Widmore. I think she is consumed with grief and is angry at them all. She told Hurley at Jin's funeral,she was glad the rest didn't come and she was not present at Christian's memorial nor Nadia's funeral. I think like Hurley she hates "the Lie".
She was ceratinly using Kate's guilt to torture her at that hotel in LA.

Back last season when we found out that Sun had bought controlling interest in Paik Industries,I suspected Ben could have backed her financially and that she was working with Ben. But she sure seems like she wants revenge on him now!

Hard to say at this point who she is really going after Ben or Widmore. I think she is consumed with grief and is angry at them all. She told Hurley at Jin's funeral,she was glad the rest didn't come and she was not present at Christian's memorial nor Nadia's funeral. I think like Hurley she hates "the Lie".
She was ceratinly using Kate's guilt to torture her at that hotel in LA.

Yes, I think you're right on with most of that. But you're wrong about one thing, it was Hurley who said he was glad that no one else came. It really seemed like a very strange thing for him to say, and I've often wondered about why he said it. Imagine saying to someone (a widow and new mother) that you're glad no one else came to pay their respects... very strange indeed, unless he knew that she felt the same.

I would not be surprised if Sun was out to kill just about anyone because she is very cunning, and deceitful. She had a plot where se was to run away from her husband. She had an affair, and she killed her lover. (Ok I know that Darleton confirmed that he commited suicide, but he had the pearls that he was giving Sun in his hand when he hit the car.)

I have never trusted Sun she could be working for Ben or Widmore, but either way it would be to serve a purpose of her own.

I would not be surprised if Sun was out to kill just about anyone because she is very cunning, and deceitful. She had a plot where se was to run away from her husband. She had an affair, and she killed her lover. (Ok I know that Darleton confirmed that he commited suicide, but he had the pearls that he was giving Sun in his hand when he hit the car.)

I have never trusted Sun she could be working for Ben or Widmore, but either way it would be to serve a purpose of her own.

Lest we forget that this is the grown up version of the litle girl who let her Father fire the maid, rather than admit her own guilt.
Intead of what? Face a simple punishment or a spanking.
Plus her father knew and let her go through with it, nurturing her ruthlessness rather than teaching her the value of empathy.
Guess it serves him right that she turned that ruthlessness on him.

I believe it's an elaborate set up for Widmore....al la a Ben manipulation......She blames 2 people for Jin's death. One is her father. Widmore: It was his guys and his boat that Jin blew up on.

I've said before that Sun will be crucial to the storyline, as her having left the island is essentially the reason for her survival. Pregnant women die on the island! So the irony is that if Desmond had not saved Charlie long enough to have unjammed the Looking Glass device and put into play what was necessary to free the O6 from the island, Jin would have survived and Sun would ultimately have died as a result of her pregnancy.

She has ultimately, as a result of having left and therefore survived, amassed an enormous amount of power through the controlling interest in Paik Industries. I also found the exchange between Sun and Widmore in the holding room at the airport to be fascinating. She has experience in dealing with megalomaniacs in that she's dealt with her own father throughout her life. Therefore, is it possible that she is merely humoring Widmore in order to eventually turn on him?:)

I've said before that Sun will be crucial to the storyline, as her having left the island is essentially the reason for her survival. Pregnant women die on the island! So the irony is that if Desmond had not saved Charlie long enough to have unjammed the Looking Glass device and put into play what was necessary to free the O6 from the island, Jin would have survived and Sun would ultimately have died as a result of her pregnancy.

She has ultimately, as a result of having left and therefore survived, amassed an enormous amount of power through the controlling interest in Paik Industries. I also found the exchange between Sun and Widmore in the holding room at the airport to be fascinating. She has experience in dealing with megalomaniacs in that she's dealt with her own father throughout her life. Therefore, is it possible that she is merely humoring Widmore in order to eventually turn on him?:)

Excellent points, cordelia524. Yes indeed, if the O-6's leaving is what someone wants to change or "course alter", it could be because as a result of that leaving Sun became powerful, when otherwise she would've probably died on the Island. That's a really great observation... And now there's not only Sun and her power, but also Ji Yeon, for who knows what ultimate effect she also might have.

Ben tells Jack that he can never leave the island once he goes back... would Sun leave Ji Yeon behind or take her with?

I also think Ben was lying about not having seen Locke/Bentham.

Ben tells Jack that he can never leave the island once he goes back... would Sun leave Ji Yeon behind or take her with?


I really think that that is something between Ben and Jack; I'd be very surprised if the rest of the O-6 have that idea. The question is, will Jack tell them? And you're right... Would Sun leave Ji Yeon in order to try to save Jin, again assuming that Ben has told her that if she goes then she can save him?? Or, will she take Ji Yeon with? I doubt that she will, but will Ben give her that option?