Soooo, Ben has this stick and if he pushed the button on the end of it he can pull the old Obi-Wan mind trick. What the? !?

Does anybody know what it was that Ben had behind his back in several scenes. The black thing that looked like it had a button on the end of it? I haven't started re-watching the episode yet, so I hope it wasn't something obvious and I'm just being a ditz. It seemed like they focused in on it for a moment just before the desk clerk agreed to let him to upstairs. Is it some mind control tool? :confused: Or was he just going to whack the guy over the head with it if he didn't let him pass?

Ok, I just posted about this at the exact time you did! I thought since there were no other threads on it, it was somehow explained in the show and I just had a blackout and missed it.

I *thought* he was pushing a button on the end of it to change minds or something too. Ben's turning into James Bond.

Without re watching the episode my initial thought was some form of taser.

I thought it was a silenced pistol.

It was an extending cudgel/baton.

I thought it was just like a billy club or something similar to what cops carry.

It was the same thing he beat Sawyer with.

Ok, thanks for the opinions! I need to rewatch also, because the first time through I thought he was actually persuading people to change their minds with it, but an extending club of some sort sure makes a lot more sense.

I'm not sure what you're referring to. Did I miss something?

it was quick, but they definitely showed him push the button, then un-push it. and it resulted in instant cooperation from the doorman. crazy!!

OMG. I thought it was some kind of Jedi mind trick too!

He pushed the button because he was about to extend his baton and rough the guy up when he went to call and see if the people were expecting Ben. When the doorman decided to trust Ben, he saw the beating was unnecessary.

He pushed the button because he was about to extend his baton and rough the guy up when he went to call and see if the people were expecting Ben. When the doorman decided to trust Ben, he saw the beating was unnecessary.

No- it really seemed that his attitude change was too abrupt. That button did something to make the guy let him through.

No, the guy looked at Ben and saw a little dude in a nice suit and figured he wasn't up to any trouble...

Ok, thanks for the opinions! I need to rewatch also, because the first time through I thought he was actually persuading people to change their minds with it, but an extending club of some sort sure makes a lot more sense.

It sure makes more sense, but at one point, I thought that Ben used it to change the guy's mind at the hotel. It really reminded me of a Jedi mind trick...but we all know how the writers love Star Wars.

...at one point, I thought that Ben used it to change the guy's mind at the hotel. It really reminded me of a Jedi mind trick...

Lol, I thought he was just getting ready to club the guy with it but....

Ben was getting ready to whack that dude upside his head and stash him, Sam Fischer splinter cell style, then go handle his business. It's an extending baton, or should I call it, in Darlton's obvious nod/homage to Daredevil, his "billy-club"...(<>..<>)

Lol, I thought he was just getting ready to club the guy with it but....

Well, I thought that too, at first, then the guy just changed his mind, and that is what popped into my head :)

Its a regular ASP baton used by LEO's around the world. As others have said, Ben was about to whup the guy with it, but when the guy decided against pressuring him he decided against it.

Its a regular ASP baton used by LEO's around the world. As others have said, Ben was about to whup the guy with it, but when the guy decided against pressuring him he decided against it.

Yup, what he said.

It's the same whup-stick that he pulled out of his jeans pocket at the beginning, right, with the 2 guys in the desert?

He pushed the button because he was about to extend his baton and rough the guy up when he went to call and see if the people were expecting Ben. When the doorman decided to trust Ben, he saw the beating was unnecessary.
exactly

It vaguely made me think of the object laying next to Jack
in the jungle when he woke up after the crash. That was the topic
of great discussion, way back when.

For more info on Ben's expandable baton, check out the Wiki subsection on law enforcement clubs: [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Club_%28law_enforcement%29#Expandable_batons ]

P. S. Is there a merit badge for this?

Yeah, I used to have one of this when I was trucking in L.a. Never left the truck without that bad boy

I rewatched the scene and I conceed- you are ALL CORRECT!!
The doorman dude did change his mind very quickly, but I don't think the Force was involved.

(For some reason, Ben at the end of the episode reminded me of Luke syywalker at the beginning of Return of the Jedi- this was a very Star Wars-y episode for me)

He reminded me more of Capt. Willard talking to Col. Kurtz

How do you say: "You want to go home and rethink your life" in Arabic?

Ben's Majic Stick (]http://bp1.blogger.com/_Hxnvg45zlCw/SBF2Q0i_tuI/AAAAAAAAAw8/L-BYEwLYG5c/s1600-h/4x09-00048.jpg)

Ohhh, so that's what was up in those shots! I didn't see the stick at all -- to me, it looked as though Ben was desperately crossing his fingers for luck, hoping he wouldn't have to resort to a "plan B" of some kind, then uncrossing them when it became clear he had bluffed his way through the situation! Ha!

- mnw

Didn't Ben use the baton on Sawyer way back in early Season 3?

Yes, he did

It kinda looks like the weapon used by The Master in the Doctor Who serials.

I was reminded of something Maxwell Smart in Get Smart would carry around.

It is an ASP collapsible baton. Many cops carry them as previously stated. And yes, they hurt.

When I saw it, I immediately thought it was what he used for time travel and it just happened to be handy as a weapon too. Although it being a collapsible police baton works too. :)

That silly black "stick" was my obsession of the week. I, too, was thinkin there was some Jedi mind trickery involved. I appreciate the intelligent people who are trying so hard to set me straight, but I still think there is something more to it than just a "club". Am I just being stubborn. I don't know why else they would focus on it so much last night. Several times they showed Ben touching that black thing and then getting his way. Coincidence? I think not.

It was badass is what it was.

http://www.copquest.com/21-1000.htm

I think he actually flashed it to the doorman as an implied threat, and the doorman let him go up to avoid a beating of his own.

Watching the episode again. We never see the stick after Ben shows it to them. I think it has the same sound effect as Locke's knives. We hear the sound effect and a movement and Ben has the gun. Ben leaves his parka behind.

You can see it extents but there are only 1-2 frames that show the extended mode.

Took a cap:

http://img123.imageshack.us/img123/973/batonml8.jpg

That silly black "stick" was my obsession of the week. I, too, was thinkin there was some Jedi mind trickery involved. I appreciate the intelligent people who are trying so hard to set me straight, but I still think there is something more to it than just a "club". Am I just being stubborn. I don't know why else they would focus on it so much last night. Several times they showed Ben touching that black thing and then getting his way. Coincidence? I think not.

It isn't a coincidence. It is simply that while Ben always tries to talk his way out of trouble first, he is ready - as shown by him getting a firm grip on his weapon during these conversations - to resort to violence if things don't go his way.

Ben leaves his parka behind.

Yeah, I wonder if anyone of importance will end-up with it. At any rate, some guy named Halliwax is in big trouble with the buduins(?). ;)

That silly black "stick" was my obsession of the week. I, too, was thinkin there was some Jedi mind trickery involved. I appreciate the intelligent people who are trying so hard to set me straight, but I still think there is something more to it than just a "club". Am I just being stubborn. I don't know why else they would focus on it so much last night. Several times they showed Ben touching that black thing and then getting his way. Coincidence? I think not.

Seriously get a grip, i know the theories are important but this is stupid. It's a Cosh and you have to press the button to extend them. The focus by the directors on Bens hand about to press it was to imply he is lying about who he wants to see. Hence he'd be prepared to use force to get what he really wants. It's an audience POV shot not a mind mending trick.

or so it would appear.... jk

That silly black "stick" was my obsession of the week. I, too, was thinkin there was some Jedi mind trickery involved. I appreciate the intelligent people who are trying so hard to set me straight, but I still think there is something more to it than just a "club". Am I just being stubborn. I don't know why else they would focus on it so much last night. Several times they showed Ben touching that black thing and then getting his way. Coincidence? I think not.

There is nothing more to it than a stick.

It is called a Totschlager, or a blackjack in English, however you choose. It breaks bones when you hit someone with it (google it, but the results are vague, or try German Wikipedia, if you want).

It is illegal to use it in The States, planet Europe has a different opinion, thank god.

I have one in my possession. But this is not the point.

The point is the following, and we have discussed this already : Okay, so Ben's got some exceptionally important off-Island business which includes god-knows-what in order to protect the many...Yet he does NOT carry a gun, or a knife, for that matter! The only thing he has on him at all times is a TotSchlager. This clearly implies that Benjamin is not harming and would not severely harm or murder anyone unless ABSOLUTELY necessary.

Think about it. This is an important detail.

He'll get someone else to do the killing for him.

Ok, thanks for the opinions! I need to rewatch also, because the first time through I thought he was actually persuading people to change their minds with it, but an extending club of some sort sure makes a lot more sense.

I don't know why I thought that was so funny! Out of everything this show has done or implied ... idk ... it's been a long week! :biggrin:

Being on the recieving end of Ben's Persuation Stick sure would change my mind in a hurry!