Horace Goodspeed was a mathematician in the DHARMA Initiative. Little is known about him so far except that he was present in Oregon on the day that Benjamin Linus was born, helped Ben's father to get a job on the Island, and was killed during the Purge. However, on the DVD commentary track for "The Man Behind the Curtain" Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse describe Horace and his companion Olivia as factoring significantly in the future "game plan" for Lost.
Off the Island
Horace greets Roger and Ben on the Island.("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Before he came to the Island, Horace was driving with his wife Olivia 32 miles outside of Portland when he came upon Roger Linus carrying Emily Linus on the side of the road, right after Ben had been prematurely born. He wanted to take Ben's dying mother to the hospital, but she died before he had the chance to.("The Man Behind the Curtain")
On the Island
Horace Goodspeed is killed during The Purge.("The Man Behind the Curtain")
As part of the DHARMA Initiative, Horace was involved in bringing Roger and Ben to the Island roughly ten years after Ben's birth. His DHARMA jumpsuit identified his role as "Mathematician". He also wore the Arrow logo. After a shootout with the Hostiles, Roger confronted Horace, demanding that he be paid more for such a dangerous job.
At some point during his time with DHARMA, Horace designed and built the cabin that is now inhabited by Jacob. ("Cabin Fever")
Horace was in the Barracks at the time of the Purge; he died while sitting on a bench. Ben discovered his body after coming back from having killed his father and showed his respect by closing Horace's eyes, a respect which Ben didn't pay to any of the other deceased. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Post-Death
Horace appears in Locke's dream. ("Cabin Fever")
Approximately 12 years later, Horace appears to Locke in a dream, chopping wood to build a cabin for himself and Olivia. His appearence references the Myth Of Sisyphus in that Horace Goodspeed is seen cutting down a tree, only to have that tree reappear uncut, which he then cuts down again in a seemingly repetative loop, much like Sisyphus, who as punishment from the gods, must push a boulder up a hill only to have the boulder roll back down for him to push again in a eternally repeating loop. ("Cabin Fever")
John Locke finds the blueprints for Jacob's cabin on Horace's body in the mass grave for the DHARMA Initiative.
Unanswered questions
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Horace Goodspeed/Theories
- What was the connection between Horace's position as a mathematician and his apparent posting at The Arrow?
- Why did neither Horace nor his wife look concerned with the fact that Emily was bleeding?
- Why does Jacob now inhabit the cabin he built?
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