Approaching Lost

Lost - Character Profile - Jack Shephard

by Nikki on November 23rd, 2007

Lost
Character Profile
Jack Shephard

Actor: Matthew Fox

On Flight 815: Jack was bringing his father’s body back to the U.S.

Profession: Spinal surgeon

Prior to the Crash:
Jack followed his father, Christian Shephard, into a career as a surgeon. During his time at St. Sebastian Hospital in the Los Angeles area, Jack miraculously saves a woman, Sarah. He and Sarah soon marry but Sarah leaves him for another man.
Jack suspects Sarah of being involved with his father and accuses him of sleeping with Sarah. He also informs the medical board that Christian has been operating while under the influence.

Jack heads to Thailand to recover. There he meets Achara, a mysterious young woman with a unique gift of seeing a person’s true self. He is banished from Thailand and heads back to the U.S. Meanwhile Christian goes on a drinking binge in Australia and dies. Jack goes to Australia to search for him. He is flying back with his father’s body when Flight 815 crashes.

After the Crash:
After the crash of Flight 815 Jack becomes a leader, as much as he despises the role. He has some conflict with the other strong personalities - Locke, Sawyer, Sayid, etc. He often finds himself helping out with wounds and illnesses, being the only doctor among the Losties.

Jack finds himself attracted to Kate but has to compete with Sawyer. There is also a little bit of romance with Ana-Lucia before she dies.

Jack is captured by the Others and forced to live in a small room with a glass wall. He learns about the Others and their contact with the outside world. He reluctantly forms a relationship with Juliet, one of his captors. She later persuades him to remove a tumor from Ben’s spine and Jack is released. An outcast from her group, Juliet leaves with Jack to live on the beach with the Losties. Jack is very protective of Juliet.

After the freighter people arrive the Losties split into two camps - Camp Locke and Camp Jack. Jack believes the freighter people are there to help and he tries to work with Charlotte, Daniel, Miles, and Lapidus. At one point he kisses Juliet.

Off the Island:

Jack is part of the Oceanic 6.

Jack testifies in Kate’s trial. He says that there were only eight survivors of the flight and only six made it off the island. He wants to have a relationship with Kate but she wants him to come see baby Aaron and Jack appears hesitant.

Jack also visits Hurley and plays basketball with him. Hurley apologizes. “I’m sorry I went with Locke. I should have stayed with you … I don’t think we did the right thing, Jack. I think it wants us to come back.” Jack interrupts. “We’re never going back,” and he walks out. “Never say never, dude,” Hurley replies.

At a later time we see Jack and Kate living together with Aaron. Jack is very hesitant about being a father-figure to Aaron. He is working successfully back in the medical profession. Jack talks to Hurley who says that Charlie left him a message. “You’re not meant to raise him,” he says. He also tells Jack that someone will be visiting him. Jack proposes to Kate and she accepts.

At the office Jack sees his father. He then asks a fellow physician for a prescription to help him sleep. He begins drinking and taking the drugs. He and Kate get in a fight. Jack wants to know where Kate went and she says that she had to do something for Sawyer, but she can’t tell Jack what it is. He gets angry and leaves.

Sometime later Jack attempts to commit suicide, but stops in order to help save a mother and son.

He desperately wants to get back to the island, and begs Kate to meet him. In a car he tells her that they “weren’t meant” to leave the island and that they have to go back. She disagrees and begins crying. She says that “he’ll be waiting for me” and gets back into her car and drives off. A passenger jet soars off overhead as Jack yells after her “We have to go back!”

Key Character Relations:
Ana Lucia - They met in the airport before boarding. She also worked as Jack’s father’s bodyguard.
Claire - They are half-siblings.
Desmond - They met off the island while running in the stadium.
Kate - They are engaged off the island.
Sawyer - Indirectly. Sawyer met Christian in a bar and bought him drinks.
Shannon - Jack saved Sarah’s life instead of Adam Rutherford (Shannon’s dad).

Image used with permission from Newscom

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