Lost - Character Profile - Desmond Hume
Lost
Character Profile
Desmond Hume
Actor: Hery Ian Cusick
On The Island: Desmond was stranded on the island and lived in the Swan Station.
Profession: Previously a set designer for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Prior to the Crash:
Desmond dated Ruth for six years. They were engaged but Desmond was afraid of being married. He woke up on the street after a night of drinking and Brother Campbell, a monk at a monastery in Eddington, Scotland, offered him help. Desmond decided to join the monastery as a novice monk. After a run-in with Ruth and her brother, Desmond began drinking the wine produced at the monastery. Brother Campbell said he should leave. It was then that Desmond met Penelope Widmore (Penny). They flirted and she offered to take him back to Carlisle with her.
Penny and Desmond began to date and fell in love. Desmond was offered a job by Penny’s father, Charles Widmore. Desmond revealed that he had come to ask Penny’s hand in marriage. Widmore was not in favor of the arrangement.
Desmond began having some flash-forwards to life on the island and was able to predict some future events, including a soccer match. He purchased a ring for Penny but ultimately told her that he wasn’t good enough and threw the ring into the Thames.
Sometime around 1996, Desmond joined the Royal Scots Regiment. During this time he connected with his time-traveling self from 2004 on the Freighter. He was instructed to meet Daniel Farady at Queens College. There, Daniel told him that he needed to find a “constant”, which for Desmond was Penny.
Desmond had to find Penny, so he took 2 days leave to visit her. He asked for her new phone number but said he wouldn’t call her for eight years. She was upset but gave him the number.
Desmond reached the rank of a lance-corporal but was then dishonorably discharged and forced to serve time in the Southway Garrison military prison for failing to “follow orders”. While there he tried to send Penny letters, but Widmore intercepted them. Widmore tried to bribe Desmond to stay away from Penny. Desmond declined and entered himself in a world sailing race, sponsored by Widmore.
Desmond went to America to enter the race but had no financial backing or a boat. He met Libby and she offered up her late-husband’s boat. Desmond accepted the offer. As he went to depart, Penny approached him, saying that she had finally found him. Desmond asked for her to wait for him and he left.
During the race Desmond’s boat was hit by a storm. Desmond was knocked unconscious and he fell off the deck. He washed up on the shore of the Island and was dragged into the Swan Station by Kelvin Innman.
On the Island:
Kelvin told Desmond that the outside air is contaminated and Desmond may have been exposed. He gave Desmond a vaccine and told him to inject himself every nine days. He also taught Desmond to push the buttons.
Desmond lived in the station for three years while Kelvin wandered outdoors in his biohazard suit. Desmond noticed one day that there was a tear in the suit, leading him to think that everything was a lie. Desmond followed Kelvin and found that he had repaired Desmond’s sailboat. Desmond confronted Kevlin and they fought. Desmond slammed Kelvin against a rock and he died. Desmond went back to the station and the countdown had reached zero. Desmond stopped the system, but unbeknownst to him, the actions caused the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
After the Crash:
40 days after the crash Locke opened the hatch. Locke and Kate later came into the hatch and Desmond held them at gunpoint. Desmond later fled the station and told everyone that they would die. He tried to sail off the island but was unsuccessful. Jack, Sayid, and Sawyer swam to the boat.
Desmond was approached by Locke with the mission to let the Swam’s countdown end. Desmond felt compelled to use the fail-safe key and turned the switch. The station imploded.
Desmond survives the implosion and begins predicting future events. He continually saves Charlie from death – first from lightning and then from drowning. Charlie is suspicious and thinks there is an ulterior motive but Desmond finally explains and fears that are only so many times he can cheat fate before it catches up with Charlie, and causes his death.
Desmond has a vision surrounding people coming to the island. He gathers some of the Losties to orchestrate the vision because he feels that Penny has finally found him. Unfortunately it is the Naomi that comes parachuting in.
Desmond has another flash where he sees Charlie flipping a switch and drowning. But this action results in Claire and Aaron being rescued on a helicopter. Desmond tells Charlie and Charlie volunteers to swim to the Looking Glass station. Desmond goes with him. Ultimately Charlie dies, but not before telling Desmond that it is not Penny’s boat.
Desmond returns to the beach to warn the survivors of Charlie’s message. Desmond then joins team Jack in an attempt to contact the rescuers. Sayid finds Naomi’s picture of Desmond and Penelope, leading Desmond to join Sayid and Lapidus on the helicopter ride to the Freighter.
On the flight Desmond becomes “unstuck” in time and he shifts back and forth between 1996 and 2004. Desmond speaks to Daniel, who tells him to find him in 1996. Desmond searches for a phone to call Penny. She says that she has been looking for him for the past three years. They say that they love one another and the phone battery dies
Off the Island:
We do not yet know if Desmond makes it off the island.
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POSTED IN: Desmond Hume, Henry Ian Cusick
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