Episode title meanings

Fanon
(Fan created content. Distinct from hoaxes and parodies)

This article shows the titles and meanings of the titles in each episode.

Note: This article contains fan analysis of the TV show, Lost. Unless marked otherwise, all content should be considered subjective and non-canon.

Season One

"Pilot, Part 1"

• This is the first part of the pilot episode of the show.

Locke discovers he can "walk about."

"Pilot, Part 2"

• This is the second part of the pilot episode of the show.

"Tabula Rasa"

• "Tabula Rasa" is a philosophy developed by John Locke, which can be translated to a "blank slate," much like Kate (and every other survivor) gets upon coming to the Island.

"Walkabout"

• John Locke, in a flashback, tries to go on a walkabout in Australia, but is restricted by his paralysis.
• On the Island, he then discovers that he can walk about, literally.

"White Rabbit"

• Jack sees his father, which could be a dream, much like the main character in Alice in Wonderland sees a white rabbit. Both Jack and Alice follow their "rabbits."

"House of the Rising Sun"

• This is a reference to Sun's name.
• It is also a reference to the song by the Animals in which a narrator is tied to a great burden, much like Sun is to Jin.

"The Moth"

• Locke references the struggle that a moth must go through to get out of a cocoon, and how it is necessary to the moth's survival.
• Charlie later sees a moth in a cave, which helps him find an escape from the cave-in that he and Jack are trapped under.

Sayid finds Danielle Rousseau, who has been solitary for sixteen years.

"Confidence Man"

• Sawyer was a confidence man in his past.

"Solitary"

• Sayid is solitary as he roams around the Island.
• He encounters Danielle, who has been solitary for sixteen years.

"Raised by Another"

• Richard Malkin warns Claire that her baby must not be raised by another.

"All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues"

• Jack has daddy issues, as he turned in his father for drinking on the job.

"Whatever the Case May Be"

• Sawyer spends much of the episode wondering what exactly is in the case he found that Kate wants so much.
• Flashbacks feature Kate's attempts at retrieving the contents of another case, a safety deposit box in New Mexico.

"Hearts and Minds"

• Boone must overcome his heart and his mind when faced with a task by Locke, and must overcome his love for Shannon.

Kate and Sawyer find out that they are both outlaws.

"Special"

• Walt is called special multiple times by Locke.

"Homecoming"

• Claire returns to the beach camp after two weeks in captivity, therefore making it a homecoming.

"Outlaws"

• Kate and Sawyer spend time together, and find that they have something in common: they're both outlaws.

"...In Translation"

• Sun reveals she can speak English, making Jin alone, and lost in translation.

"Numbers"

• Hurley finds out that the Numbers 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42 bring him bad luck.
• The Hatch is discovered to have the Numbers embossed on it.

"Deus Ex Machina"

• In theatre, a "deus ex machina" is a plot device such as Boone becoming injured. This device became the catalyst for Locke's loss of faith in the Hatch, which was then restored and strengthened when Desmond turned on the light.

"Do No Harm"

• Do No Harm is a doctoral oath that is relevant to his surgery on Boone.

"The Greater Good"

• Essam's group claims that the suicide bombing is for "the greater good".

"Born to Run"

• Kate will always be on the run, as shown by the flashbacks in this episode.

"Exodus, Part 1", "Exodus, Part 2"

• This episode chronicles the journey, or "exodus" of the survivors aboard the raft.
• The "exodus" of the survivors from the beach camp to the caves.

Season Two

"Man of Science, Man of Faith"

• This title comes from dialogue between Jack and Locke in "Exodus, Part 2" when Locke refers to Jack as a man of science and himself as a man of faith.
• The title also refers to Jack's flashback in which he changes from a man of science to a man of faith, after succssesfully operating on his future wife.

"Adrift"

• Michael and Sawyer are adrift in the ocean on the wreckage of the raft.

"Orientation"

• Locke and Jack are shown an orientation film. They are also oriented with the Hatch.

"Everybody Hates Hugo"

• Hurley is afraid that everyone will hate him if he is in charge of the food.

"...And Found"

• Sun loses her wedding ring and later finds it, making it Lost...and found.
• Eko and Jin find Michael after he leaves to search for Walt.

"Abandoned"

• Shannon is abandoned in her flashbacks by her stepmother.
• On the Island she feels abandoned when Sayid doesn't believe she saw Walt.

"The Other 48 Days"

• This episode deals with what happened on the other side of the Island for the 48 days the tail section remained out of contact from the beach survivors.

"Collision"

• The two groups of Oceanic Flight 815 survivors finally meet violently (or collide).

"What Kate Did"

• The episode reveals what Kate did to warrant being a fugitive.

"The 23rd Psalm"

• Eko recites Psalm 23 when confronted by the Monster.
• Eko becomes a priest, personifying the psalm itself which relates to believing in the leadership of the Lord.

"The Hunting Party"

• Locke, Sawyer and Jack are the hunting party who go searching for Michael.

"Fire + Water"

• Charlie sets a fire, in order to take Aaron to the water, to baptise him, as he wishes to save the baby from danger.
• The title also references the biblical quote by John the Baptist of being baptized by fire and water.

"The Long Con"

• In flashbacks, Sawyer pulls a "long con" (meaning a sustained con, where you make the other person think the idea is theirs, when really it is yours) on Cassidy.
• On the Island, Sawyer long cons Jack, Kate and Locke in order to get the gun stash.

"One of Them"

• Rousseau describes "Henry Gale" as "one of them", meaning the Others.

"Maternity Leave"

• This episode details, through flashbacks, what happened during Claire's pregnancy, after being taken by Ethan; having time away from a job or place is having "maternity leave".

"The Whole Truth"

• Sun pledges to tell Jin the whole truth about her pregnancy.
• Locke enlists Ana Lucia's help in getting "the whole truth" from their prisoner in the Swan.
• Ana Lucia tells Sayid the whole truth about her personality: that she gave up trying to get people to like her because no one ever does.

"Lockdown"

• Describes the event which leaves Locke and "Henry" stranded in the Hatch.
• Refers to Locke becoming injured and pinned under a blast door.

"Dave"

• Refers to the character who is a hallucination of Hurley's.

"S.O.S."

• Bernard attempts to build an SOS sign; also, in flashbacks, Bernard's desperation to cure his wife's cancer leads him to Isaac of Uluru (it can be said that he is giving an SOS to Isaac).

"Two for the Road"

• The phrase "two for the road" often means two things have gone away. In this episode Micheal kills Ana and Libby, making them "two for the road".

You have three minutes to speak to your son.

"?"

• Eko and Locke set off to find the ?.

"Three Minutes"

• Bea Klugh gives Michael three minutes to talk to Walt.

"Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1"

• Live together or die alone is a common phrase said in Lost.

Season Three

"A Tale of Two Cities"

• Damon Lindelof explained that the "two cities" are the societies of the survivors and the Others.

"The Glass Ballerina"

• In flashback a young Sun breaks a glass ballerina and lies about it. Later, she lies about her affair with Jae Lee.

"Further Instructions"

• Locke builds a sweat lodge to await further instructions (which he receives from Boone).
• In the episode '?' Locke asks Eko what they are going to do next, Eko replies that they are going to wait for Further Instructions. Locke now needs Further Instructions to save Eko's life in this episode.

"Every Man for Himself"

• Sawyer repeats "every man for himself" several times.

"The Cost of Living"

• Eko claims he did what he needed to do to live and because the Monster didn't like it, he died.

Well, actually we're not quite in Portland.

"I Do"

• "I do" is said in marriages much like Kate's and Kevin's.

"Not in Portland"

• Richard originally says Juliet will be working in Portland, but later says it's not in Portland.

"Flashes Before Your Eyes"

• Because of the implosion of the Hatch, Desmond now experiences flashes where he can see the future.

"Stranger in a Strange Land"

• In flashback Jack is a stranger in Phuket.
• On the Island Jack is stranger within the Others.

"Tricia Tanaka Is Dead"

• After a meteorite destroys Mr. Cluck's, Hurley tells his mom Tricia Tanaka is dead.

"Enter 77"

• Entering 77 in the Flame computer will make the station explode.

"Par Avion"

• "Par avion" is French and literally means "by airplane" but also translates as "air mail". Claire uses birds to send a message so the survivors may be rescued.

"The Man from Tallahassee"

• Ben tells Richard to bring him "the man from Tallahassee" (a code name for Anthony Cooper).

"Exposé"

• The show Nikki is guest staring in is called Exposé.
• Through flashbacks, the viewer is "exposed" to what Nikki and Paulo have been doing during their time on the island.
• Charlie exposes to Sun how she was used in the long con that he and Sawyer performed.

"Left Behind"

• The Others leave Juliet behind with Kate when they leave the Barracks.
• Kate feels left behind by her mother in flashbacks.
• Left Behind is a book series chronicling the fictional story of humans who are "left behind" after the secret rapture. This possibly foreshadows the Oceanic Six, who will be raptured from the Island, leaving behind the others.

"One of Us"

• Through flashbacks, we see how Juliet became one of the Others, or, in their eyes, "one of us".
• Because Juliet has been left behind, Jack considers her "one of us".
• This episode title is opposite to "One of Them", because of the difference of how the Losties accepted Ben in "One of Them", and Juliet in "One of Us"

"Catch-22"

• A catch-22 is considered a lose-lose situation.
• Desmond goes through a catch-22 when deciding to let Charlie die so Penny will arrive or save Charlie and possibly change the future.
• Naomi, the parachuter, has a copy of the book Catch-22 in Portuguese.

"D.O.C."

• D.O.C. stands for "date of conception".
• The D.O.C. of Sun's baby is determined.

Charlie's greatest hits

"The Brig"

• Anthony Cooper is held in the brig of the Black Rock.

"The Man Behind the Curtain"

• Locke accuses Ben of making up Jacob and being "the man behind the curtain", a reference to the titular character in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.

"Greatest Hits"

• Naomi tells Charlie that a "greatest hits" album for his former band, Drive Shaft, was successfully released following his disappearance on Oceanic Flight 815.
• Charlie makes a list of the five greatest moments of his personal life, his own greatest hits.

"Through the Looking Glass, Part 1"

• A looking glass is often referred to as a fortune telling device, and this episode reveals that flashforwards will give glimpses of the future to the viewers.
• Taken from Lewis Carroll's second "Alice" book, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.
• Desmond and Charlie literally go 'through' the Looking Glass.

Mobisodes/Webisodes

"The Watch"

• The title is a reference to Jack's watch, given to him by his father, before the complication of their relationship.

"The Adventures of Hurley and Frogurt"

• The name of this mobisode is a reference to the two main characters in it: Hurley and Neil "Frogurt".

"King of the Castle"

• This title refers to the chess game that Ben and Jack are playing, and alludes to the power struggle between the two characters on the Island.

"The Deal"

• This mobisode is named after the deal Michael and the Others have, aswell as the one he and Juliet have.

"Operation: Sleeper"

• Operation:Sleeper is a reference to the, so called, sleepers, a.k.a the terrorists who live undercover a normal life, until they are contacted to take action. Juliet is a sleeper because she infeltrated the Losties with a minor task, to discover who is pregnant, but also waits for further instructions, the beach raid.

"Room 23"

• A reference to the Others' Hydra Location, Room 23.

"Arzt & Crafts"

• A reference to the phrase Arts and Crafts, and to the specific pronunciation of Artz's name.

"Buried Secrets"

• A reference to Sun's attempt of buring her secret identity a.k.a. her new passport.

"Tropical Depression"

• The title implies that the mobisode is dealing with weather conditions, but it is really all about Arzt's mood.

"Jack, Meet Ethan. Ethan? Jack"

• This mobisode depicts Jack and Ethans' first meeting each other.

"Jin Has a Temper-Tantrum on the Golf Course"

• The title is a reference to Jin's brakedown on the golf course, after loosing a game.

"The Envelope"

• Ben's X-ray was kept in the envelope which is the center of the happenings of "The Envelope".

"So It Begins"

• A reference to the timeline of the mobisode. It takes place moments before the first scene of the show (Jack opens his eyes, revealing where he is): "So It Begins" the show.

Via Domus

"Force Majeure"

• In military terms, force majeure refers to an event that happens to a boat or aircraft that allows it to enter normally restricted areas without penalty.

"A New Day"

• A possible refernece to the fact that "A New Day" is the next chapter a.k.a. the New Day' of the Via Domus tale.

"Via Domus"

• A reference to what was inscribed in Elliott's compass. 'Via Domus' is latin for 'The Way Home'.

"Forty-Two"

• A reference to Zoran Savo staying at Suite 42. Also a reference to the final number of the Numbers series in Lost: 4 8 15 16 23 42.

"Hotel Persephone"

• The name of this episode is the name of Hotel Persephone, which is the hotel where Lisa and Elliott track Savo.

"Whatever It Takes"

• A reference to Elliott's will to escape the Island.

"Worth A Thousand Words"

• A reference to the proverb: "A picture is worth a thousand words"

Season Four

The arrival of Daniel Faraday signals the beginning of the end of the survivors' time on the Island.

"The Beginning of the End"

• The episode is the beginning of the end of the series, as it is the first episode of the second half of the 6-season series.
• With the understanding that some of the survivors get off the Island now explicit, the episode also signifies the beginning of the end of the survivors' time on the Island.
• It could also mean the deaths of the survivors, the end of Ben's control of the Island, or both, as referenced by Ben in "Through the Looking Glass, Part 1".

"Confirmed Dead"

• The passengers and crew of Oceanic Flight 815 are confirmed dead by a television news report.
• Matthew Abaddon reassures Naomi Dorrit that Oceanic 815 has no survivors.

"The Economist"

• Elsa's boss, and the person whom Sayid is searching for, is referred to as being "an economist".
• Sayid himself could also be interpreted as an economist on the Island, when he strategically trades Miles for Charlotte to get off the Island.

Locke makes Ben eggs.

"Eggtown"

• At the Barracks, Locke cooks eggs for Ben's breakfast.
• Sawyer worries that Kate may be pregnant, that is, carrying a fertilized egg.

"The Constant"

• Daniel Faraday explains to Desmond Hume that in order for creatures experiencing time-travelling consciousness to survive, they must anchor themselves to a "constant"—something beloved and familiar present in both times being traveled to.
• Desmond must make contact with his "constant"—long-lost love Penelope—in order to become stuck in time again and to survive.
• Faraday finds a note in his journal that Desmond is his constant, should anything go wrong.

"The Other Woman"

• Juliet is the other woman in Goodwin and Harper's marriage.
• Juliet is the other woman in Jack's life on the Island, besides Kate.
• Juliet is the other woman is Ben's life, after a previous love whom Harper says Juliet looks just like.
• Juliet is literally an Other woman.
• Harper, an Other woman appears for the first time in this episode.

Sun's baby is named Ji Yeon.

"Ji Yeon"

• Ji Yeon is the name of Jin and Sun's daughter.
• It is also Korean for "heavenly patience," which Jin and Sun have used in relation to the pregnancy and getting rescued.

"Meet Kevin Johnson"

• Michael is given his alias by Tom in a flashback, and is told to "meet Kevin Johnson."

"The Shape of Things to Come"

• When Ben's daughter Alex is executed by Charles Widmore's mercenary Keamy, Ben gives himself the new mission of destroying Charles Widmore's organization and taking vengeance on Widmore personally by finding and killing Penelope Widmore, giving thrust to the continuation of Ben's story arc.

"Something Nice Back Home"

• Bernard asks Jack if he wouldn't rather be anesthetized and "dream of something nice back home" during his appendectomy.
• In a flash-forward, Jack has something nice back home—a happy life with Kate and Aaron.

"Cabin Fever"

• Locke, Ben and Hurley are preoccupied with finding Jacob's cabin.
• "Cabin fever" is defined as "distress or anxiety caused by prolonged confinement in a small or remote place".
  • The survivors of Flight 815 have been confined to a small, remote Island for over three months; Jack, in particular, is anxious to leave.
  • The crew and passengers of the Kahana have been confined to the ship, and Captain Gault suggests Martin Keamy may be crazed and distressed by the effects of a mysterious cabin fever.
  • An anxious teenage Emily Locke sought an affair with an older man after being confined to her house by a domineering mother.
  • John Locke was confined to small spaces throughout his flashbacks:
    • The preemie John Locke was confined to an incubator.
    • The 5-year-old John Locke was stuck inside an inhospitable foster home on a rainy day.
    • The 16-year-old John Locke was locked inside of a school locker, no one responding to his distressed shouts to let him out.
    • The adult John Locke was confined to a wheelchair and inside a hospital by his paralysis.

"There's No Place Like Home, Part 1", "There's No Place Like Home, Part 2"

• "There's no place like home" was the magic phrase uttered by Dorothy to awake from her dream and "return" to Kansas in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. In flash-forwards, the Oceanic Six return from the seemingly magical Island to resume their normal lives.

Season 5

"Because You Left"

• It's a refernce to Ben's explanation to Jack, about why all the bad happend on the Island, : "Because you left, Jack".

"The Lie"

• A reference to the Oceanic 6's lie.

"Jughead"

• The episode revolves around a Hidrogen Bomb called Jughead.

"The Little Prince"

• Refers to Aaron, which is the youngest relevant character (As Ji Yeon is not relevant to the storyline yer)
• The Little Prince is a book by french author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Both Danielle's expedition being french and their ship's name being Besixdouze are references to the book.