Ben must once again choose between power & Alex

Ben goes to Principal Reynolds office to make his play to become principal. He presents him with the emails describing Reynolds an the nurse's inappropriate actions. Ben tells him that he wants his job. More specifically, he wants Reynolds to resign and recommend to the school board that he take over as principal.

Then things get sticky. Principal Reynolds shows Ben an email from Alex asking him to write her a recommendation for Yale. He tells Ben that if he continues with his plan, he will "torch" Alex's future.

In this scene, Ben is once again presented with the option of choosing what is more important, Alex or his own ambition and power, just like when Keamy killed Alex in season 4. Reynolds even uses the word "torch," which is what Keamy was going to do to the island.