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He soon found [[Michael]] after he ran out of the jungle, and brought him back to [[the Swan|the Hatch]], where he and [[Kate]] tended to Michael's wounds.
 
He soon found [[Michael]] after he ran out of the jungle, and brought him back to [[the Swan|the Hatch]], where he and [[Kate]] tended to Michael's wounds.
[[Image:Jack Sawyer.jpg|thumb|left|[[Jack]] and [[Sawyer]], before being captured by [[the Others]]]]
+
[[Image:Jack Sawyer.jpg|thumb|left|Jack and [[Sawyer]], before being captured by [[the Others]]]]
 
Determined to regain control, Jack went with [[Locke]] and [[Kate]] to retrieve the rest of the [[guns]] from [[Sawyer]] after [[Michael]] announced a plan to take on [[the Others]]. He pulled a gun on Sawyer and burned the manuscript he'd been reading, in an attempt to get him to comply. Sawyer revealed to him how [[Ana-Lucia Cortez]] got his [[guns|gun]] {{crossref|2x22}}.
 
Determined to regain control, Jack went with [[Locke]] and [[Kate]] to retrieve the rest of the [[guns]] from [[Sawyer]] after [[Michael]] announced a plan to take on [[the Others]]. He pulled a gun on Sawyer and burned the manuscript he'd been reading, in an attempt to get him to comply. Sawyer revealed to him how [[Ana-Lucia Cortez]] got his [[guns|gun]] {{crossref|2x22}}.
   

Revision as of 04:32, 22 February 2007

Jack Shephard is a spinal surgeon and the de facto leader of the middle section of survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. He has control issues and trouble dealing with situations that he cannot fix. However, his attitude of solving problems through reason has given him the ability to function well in crisis.

Before the crash

Jack Shephard is the son of Christian and Margo Shephard. When he was young, he was beaten up because he wanted to help his friend, Marc Silverman. His father later told him that he "doesn't have what it takes" to be the kind of guy who is a hero for others. ("White Rabbit").

After graduating a year early from Columbia University medical school (faster than anyone else, according to Juliet in "A Tale of Two Cities"), Jack worked at St. Sebastian Hospital as a neurosurgery resident in the same field as his father, who was an attending physician in that department. A little more than three years before the crash, he operated on a car crash victim named Sarah, whose spine had been damaged in the accident. Jack was convinced that surgery would not alleviate her paralysis and told her truthfully about it, despite his father's warnings that he should try giving hope to his patients occasionally. After the operation, Jack was sure that it was a failure, but he soon learned that Sarah could miraculously move her toes and regained feeling in her legs ("Man of Science, Man of Faith").

Jack Sarah

Jack and Sarah, on their wedding day

Jack and Sarah married a little over two years later, but the marriage was strained under the pressure of the different work schedule that Jack and Sarah had, which caused them to see little of each other. Jack and his father later worked on a patient named Angelo. His daughter, Gabriela, said she came to Jack to help because she had heard of the miracle he had "performed" on Sarah. He told Gabriela that the situation was different, but agreed to help her father. Angelo died of heart failure a few months later on the operating table after Jack successfully removed a tumor, and on the way back to his car, Jack met Gabriela. They ended up kissing, but Jack told her it was not the right thing to do. Jack confessed to his wife what happened and she, in turn, told him that she had been cheating on him because of his workaholic tendencies and his compulsive obsession for fixing things. Despite his honesty, Sarah then left Jack ("The Hunting Party").

As Jack and Sarah began to proceed with their divorce, Jack began to believe that his father had been having an affair with Sarah. Jack barged into his father's AA meeting and attacked him after it was said that he had been sober for 50 days. After Jack was arrested, Sarah bailed him out saying that his father called her drunk. Jack continued to probe Sarah for information regarding the new man she was seeing. Sarah, reluctant to give up the information, never told Jack his name ("A Tale of Two Cities").

1X05 JackAirport

Jack explaining to Chrissy why is it so important to load his father's body onto the plane.

Two months before the crash, Jack's father operated on a pregnant woman while under the influence of alcohol, and when a nurse told Jack of this, he relieved his father and took over the surgery. He was unable to repair the damage, however, and the woman died. Christian pressured Jack to sign a report saying the woman was beyond medical assistance, but Jack later learned that the woman was pregnant at the time of her death and revealed that his father had caused the fatal damage by severing the woman's hepatic artery ("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues").

Jack apparently has a half-sister in Australia, of whom he appears to be unaware of, though in "The Hunting Party", it was implied that he knew his father had been cheating on his mother. His father traveled to Australia to visit his daughter. Jack searched the hotel where he was staying but eventually found his father in the morgue, after he had died from a massive heart attack brought on by alcohol poisoning. He decided to take his father back to the United States, though he had trouble getting the casket on the plane because he did not make proper arrangements through a funeral home. ("White Rabbit").

Just prior to the flight, Jack had a conversation in an airport bar with Ana-Lucia Cortez, who was also on the same flight, and they promise to have another drink on the plane, which never happened ("Exodus, Part 1").

On the plane, Jack was seated in seat 23B next to Rose, and spoke with her while her husband Bernard was in the bathroom. When the turbulence started, Jack assured her that everything would be alright, but the tail section of the plane then broke off ("Pilot, Part 1").

Jack later recollected to Kate that he lost consciousness while speculating on details of the crash. Jack also revealed that he had taken flying lessons.

On the Island

Season 1

Jack Pilot

Jack after the crash, running in the jungle towards the beach

After waking up in the jungle, Jack ran to the sound of screams from the beach. He began helping pull survivors from the wreckage of the plane. Jack saved Rose via CPR, when her heart stopped, and saved Claire from being crushed by falling debris ("Pilot, Part 1").

Jack reluctantly accepted the role of leader on the Island. He sought out the cockpit, searched for the transceiver, and found both. He made the decision to burn the fuselage, thus cremating the passengers who didn't survive when the bodies were attracting wild boars. Jack euthanized Edward Mars after a botched "mercy-killing" attempt by Sawyer ("Tabula Rasa").

On day 7, Jack saved Boone from drowning after Boone failed to rescue a drowning woman, Joanna. After returning Boone to the beach, Jack swam back out to save the woman but failed to get to her in time. Later, Jack derided himself in front of Kate for being unable to rescue her ("White Rabbit").

As Jack dealt with the disparity of the survivor's situation, he began to see visions of his father on the Island in "Walkabout" and "White Rabbit", although it is not known whether this vision was real or hallucinatory. ("Walkabout")  ("White Rabbit")

He later found his father's coffin in the caves, but not the body. The caves that Jack discovered quickly led to division between the survivors and Jack. Those who sided with Sayid and Sawyer refused to leave the beach in favor of the freshwater and shelter of the caves. Still, Jack succeeded in moving a large group of the survivors from the beach to the caves. Jack and Locke's views on how to handle situations differed and often led to fights between the two. However, Jack was grateful to Locke after he was saved from almost falling down a cliff.

Jack Kate Charlie

Jack, unable to let Charlie go

When Jack became trapped by a cave-in, the survivors began a rescue attempt led by Michael. He was eventually rescued by Charlie, who was the only one with no attachment and small enough to go in and rescue him ("The Moth").

In his search for Claire and Charlie, Jack is confronted by Ethan before finding an almost dying Charlie, whom Ethan hanged in a tree. Unable to let Charlie go, Jack ignored Kate's pleads and kept on trying to revive him by continuously pounding on his chest, until Charlie was finally was able to breathe.("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues").

Jack's next challenge came on day 40, when Locke brought a badly injured Boone to him. He wanted to amputate Boone's leg, but had a last-minute change of heart when Boone awoke and told him not to; prior to this, Sun had tried to stop him. Jack replied with "Don't tell me what I can't do." Jack took the failure of letting Boone die hard, and held Locke responsible for Boone's death. Even after Locke explained what actually happened, this (combined with the fact that Locke was keeping the Hatch a secret) caused Jack to distrust Locke, and he has had trouble trusting Locke ever since ("Do No Harm").

On day 44, Jack set out along with Kate, Rousseau, Locke, Hurley, and Arzt to get dynamite from the Black Rock to blow open the Hatch ("Exodus, Part 1").

On the way back, Jack and Kate kept Locke from being pulled down into a hole by the "Monster" ("Exodus, Part 2").

Season 2

Jack Hatch

Jack entering the Swan

When Kate was taken in the Hatch by Desmond, Jack went down in the Hatch to help her, where he met Desmond for the first time since they met in Los Angeles ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")  ("Adrift").

The discovery of the Hatch made the tension between Jack and Locke grow even more intense. He had a very hard time letting things go and relying only on faith alone, as opposed to Locke, and more recently, Mr. Eko, who rely on faith. Jack let the Countdown Timer run out to pressure Locke into giving him the combination to the arsenal so he could stop Sayid from torturing "Henry Gale" ("One of Them").

Jack competed with Sawyer for Kate's attention, and shared a passionate kiss with her in the jungle. ("What Kate Did")

He continually tried to "one-up" Sawyer, and threatened to withhold antibiotics from him, mere days after he'd been shot by Mr. Friendly and was recovering from an infection. After Sawyer took the medical supplies, Jack won them back from him in a poker game ("Lockdown").

Jack led an expedition to find Michael after he ran off. He offered Ben, known as "Henry Gale" at the time, to the Others in a trade for Walt; they did not accept, but rather devised a plan of their own ("The Hunting Party").

He soon found Michael after he ran out of the jungle, and brought him back to the Hatch, where he and Kate tended to Michael's wounds.

Jack Sawyer

Jack and Sawyer, before being captured by the Others

Determined to regain control, Jack went with Locke and Kate to retrieve the rest of the guns from Sawyer after Michael announced a plan to take on the Others. He pulled a gun on Sawyer and burned the manuscript he'd been reading, in an attempt to get him to comply. Sawyer revealed to him how Ana-Lucia Cortez got his gun ("Three Minutes").

They rushed back to the Swan when they learned Ana-Lucia was alone in the Hatch with Michael and Ben. While working to treat the mortally wounded Libby, Jack sent a reluctant Kate to go with Sawyer so she could find out where the stash of guns and heroin were located. ("?")

On day 65, Jack set out along with Kate, Michael, Sawyer and Hurley to find the Others, despite being warned by Sayid that Michael had been compromised. Jack devised a plan with Sayid, allowing Sayid to scout the Others camp before Jack got there. After Sawyer shot and killed one of the Others that was following them, Jack confronted Michael about his betrayal in front of Hurley, Sawyer, and Kate, revealing that he had been given a list by Ms. Klugh of their names ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1").

After releasing Hurley, Michael and Walt, the Others took Jack, Kate, and Sawyer to the DHARMA station the Hydra.

Season 3

3X01 JulietJack

Jack taking Juliet hostage in the Hydra.

After having his blood taken, Jack was put in a room that was once used as an aquarium for sharks and dolphins. Here, Jack met Juliet, an Other who had been assigned to interrogate him. ("A Tale of Two Cities")

Later Jack attempted to break out by grabbing Juliet as she was bringing him food. He threw her down on a table of sorts, stripped her of her taser and held a sharp piece of shattered plate to her throat. Jack dragged her out into the corridor of the Hydra and told her to open a door, which she then told him she can't open it and if she did they would die. He then unlatched the door himself and the door flew open and torrents of water began to flood the room. Jack and Juliet managed to close the door and Jack pushed a yellow button on the wall that drained the room of the water. Jack was then knocked unconscious by Juliet. ("A Tale of Two Cities")

Jack woke up again in the room and with Juliet looking through a window, sitting at a table outside the room. After Jack finally decided to cooperate, Juliet revealed that she has a file containing details on every aspect of Jack's life. When Juliet asked Jack what he wanted to know about Sarah, Jack simply asked "Is she happy?" ("A Tale of Two Cities")

Jack was later interrogated by Benjamin Linus who revealed his real name and the fact that he was born on the Island. Ben noted the date and the events that have occurred since the plane crash. He then proved that the Others have contact with the outside world by showing Jack news footage of the Boston Red Sox winning the World Series. Jack was then offered a trip home if he cooperates ("The Glass Ballerina").

JackTransfer3x04

Jack being transported to the operating room.

When Colleen was brought back with a gunshot wound, Juliet, being unable to stabilize her, demanded that Jack help save her life. While washing up outside the makeshift operating room, Jack saw X-rays on the wall, but was told that they weren't hers. Quickly after starting work on Colleen she went into cardiac arrest, but when Jack asked for a defibrillator he was told they didn't have a working one, so Colleen died. After leaving Jack handcuffed to the gurney with the body for a time, Juliet came back looking distraught that she couldn't save Colleen. Jack said she couldn't have done anything more, that the patient was dead before she got on the table. When Juliet asked if he's saying that just to comfort her he replied sardonically that he doesn't care about her comfort. He then revealed that he had figured out from the X-rays he saw that he was brought there to perform a spinal surgery on one of the Others and demanded to know who it is. ("Every Man for Himself")

Despite not knowing, Jack ran a bluff on Ben, asking him about the symptoms associated with the tumor. His guess was right as Ben confronted Juliet about it during Colleen's funeral. Ben learned he had been conned by Jack (who was only making an educated guess about the X-Rays). Ben later told Jack that he had a whole plan to break Jack, and make him want to save Ben, but that was destroyed when Jack figured out the job the Others wanted him to do. Later, Juliet snuck a message to him via videotape indicating that Ben was a liar, dangerous, and some of the Others wanted him dead. She suggested he kill Ben while in surgery, and promised to protect him. ("The Cost of Living")

When Ben returned to ask Jack about the surgery, Jack inquired about the operating room and equipment, then scoffed at the idea of performing the operation, saying he doesn't trust Ben or the Others. When Ben expressed disappointment in Jack's decision, Jack retorts that he won't be disappointed for very long. Juliet responded by bringing in Kate, who informed Jack that the Others will kill Sawyer if he doesn't operate. Later, Jack gets a message over the intercom telling him to try the door. It's unlocked, and Jack is able to make his way to a weapons locker where he picks up a pistol, then to a monitoring room where he saw Kate and Sawyer sleeping together. ("I Do")

Jack Operation

Jack blackmailing the Others, during Ben's operation.

Ben confronted Jack, and Jack lowered the gun and tells Ben he'll do the surgery the next morning. He forced Ben to agree once more to keep his word, and Ben agreed. The next day, Jack started the operation, but then deliberately cut Ben's kidney sack. He told the Others that Ben will die unless he repairs the damage, and demanded one of their transceivers. He forced Pickett, who was about to execute Sawyer to turn his transceiver over to Kate. Jack told her that she has an hour to get away, and to repeat the story he told her when they first met after the crash once she has gotten free. Kate stubbornly refused to leave, but Jack told her to "run". ("I Do")

Juliet called Jack's bluff, and sent additional others to find Pickett, and hunt down the escaped prisoners. She authorizes the use of deadly force if needed. Jack proceeds to repeat Juliet's hidden video message in front of Tom and a semi-awake Ben. Jack agrees to give Juliet three minutes with Ben, during which Tom introduces himself to Jack. After the conversation, Juliet tells Jack to finish the surgery and repair the damage to Ben, and she will help Kate and Sawyer escape. Jack finishes the surgery, and gets the story back from Kate over a transceiver. While he nicked Ben's artery during the surgery, he used the same fear recovery tactic from the story to save Ben's life. He also tells Kate not to come back after him. ("Not in Portland")

Afterwards, Jack demands Juliet give him answers as to what Ben told her during the three minutes. Juliet confessed she had been on the island for 3 years, 2 months, and 28 days, and Ben promised she could finally go home if his life was saved and she helped Kate and Sawyer escape. She also tells Jack he'll go back to the cage until "they" decide what to do with him. ("Not in Portland")

Interests/Trivia

  • Jack has the most socialist viewpoint amongst the losties, in economic terms. Sawyer holds the opposite (capitalist) viewpoint.
  • As de-facto leader, Jack has resorted to some extreme measures to protect the crash survivors. This includes sanctioning the torture of Sawyer (who he believed to have Shannon's asthma medication), setting up the ambush of Ethan Rom, holding Ben hostage to trade for Walt, engaging in a risky attempt to recover Walt, and holding Ben's life hostage during surgery to allow his friends to escape. He apparently learned enough about cons from Sawyer to pull one on the Others when they least expected it.
  • Learned to play poker, spot cheating, and sleight-of-hand, in Phuket, Thailand.
  • Has taken some flying lessons.
  • Has a tattoo on his left shoulder that translates to: "Hawk in the expansive sky" or "Eagles high up cleaving the sky"
  • Has another tattoo on his left forearm that appears to be a large number 5 with a compass dial around it. The five may represent when he conquered his fear during an emergency by "letting the fear" in, but only for five seconds. ("Pilot, Part 1")
  • Jack did not have the tattoos at time of his separation from Sarah; it has not yet been indicated when he got them.
  • Uses a pen to complete crossword puzzles--a rare practice even amongst crossword enthusiasts, which shows his confidence/intellect. (Crossword Puzzle)
  • The character of Jack as the de facto leader of the survivors was intended to be killed off in "Pilot, Part 1" by Cerberus/The Security System, with Kate taking over as leader. However, ABC executives and advisor's to producers convinced the writers and producers to keep him alive. They reasoned that killing him off, while a novel idea, generated feelings of betrayal, bewilderment, and anger in the audience. Instead, the Pilot was written in and killed in Jack's place. Fox's portrayal of Jack as such a likable and noble character that audiences can relate to only helped solidify his survival and importance on the show.
  • Michael Keaton was originally cast to play Jack when the script called for the death of the character; it was his body, not the pilot's, that was to be found by Kate and Charlie in the tree at the end of the "Pilot, Part 1".
  • The first episodes of seasons 1, 2, and 3 featured Jack's flashbacks.

Additional casting

See also