When the Nightmares Started

Last week, Ben asked Widmore, "When did you start sleeping with a bottle of scotch next to your bed?"

His response: "When the nightmares started."

I think the "nightmares" Widmore spoke of is the same type of visions that haunt Jack, Hurley and others throughout Lost. And I think Ben knows they happen, which is why he asked the question. Ben must know that they are a sort of side effect of having contact with the island.

Perhaps everyone has these visions, but some are worse than others. Some of the castaways may be experiencing them and not even realize it. It's only the traumatic ones, like Jack seeing his dead father, that garner attention. Then flip that with Hurley, who seems to have embraced his visions of Charlie after first fearing them.

Clearly Jack fears his father and always has. I think the visions of dad will continue to haunt him until he embraces his father and comes to a reconciliation with him. Remember, Lost started off focusing on people's past, and many of the castaways have rectified their previous actions. Jack still has never done that. He never embraced his father. We only got a first glimpse of that last night when he talked about his father being a good storyteller. Yet, Jack ultimately divulged into pills and booze, just like Widmore last week.

Jack's haunting past is effecting his present, exemplified in his insecurities. He has loved Kate for so long and he finally has her, which we already know he will lose her. Jack's redemption is likely going to be saved for the series finale, so we will have two more seasons of a self-tormented, whiny Jack. Thank goodness there are more characters to enjoy.

Ultimately, Jack's desire to return to the island, as shown in the first flashforward at the end of last season, may be the same as Widmore's desire to find the island:

To make the nightmares stop.