In "Meet Kevin Johnson" we learn from Tom you cannot kill yourself if the Island doesn't want you to:

Quote:

MICHAEL: Go away! (Michael turns to walk away.) TOM: I got some bad news for you, amigo. You can't kill yourself. The Island won't let you! MICHAEL: (Panting) What'd you say? TOM: No matter how bad you want to, no matter how many different ways you try, it won't happen. (Tom hands the revolver back to Michael.) MICHAEL: Give it a shot if you don't believe me. You got more work to do, Mike. When you figure that out, I'm in the penthouse at the Hotel Earle.

I was always confused about Ben's tumor. But now in the light of the fact that the island won't let you kill yourself... wonder if the island WAS TRYING to kill Ben... and that is why Ben looked so shocked to learn that he had a tumor? Is Ben worried that the Island is going to try and replace him now with someone else? Possibly John? Something made the Island be angry with Ben - even the episode title where we first begin learning about his tumor is intriguing "The Cost of Living."

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