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Paulo was one of the middle section survivors of Flight 815. Before the crash, he and Nikki Fernandez murdered Howard L. Zukerman and stole his diamonds. They spent most of their time on the island searching for these diamonds to the exclusion of almost everything else. He eventually found the diamonds, but hid them from Nikki, for fear he had outlived his usefulness. Nikki later found out he had the diamonds, and threw a female Medusa spider at him, which bit him and induced a death-like paralysis in Paulo. He subsequently died as a result of being buried alive while paralyzed, unable to save himself.

Before the Island

Originally from Brazil, Paulo was working for Zukerman in Sydney as his personal chef for a short time before the crash.

Paulo as a chef

Paulo as a chef

Unknown to Zukerman, Paulo was also working alongside Nikki Fernandez to steal his diamonds, which were worth roughly $8 million. Nikki acted as Zukerman's mistress, and she had an affair with him for this very purpose. She then convinced Paulo to poison the food Zukerman had asked him to prepare. Once Zukerman had died from the poison, they stole the diamonds from a safe hidden behind a painting.

After killing Howard Zukerman, Paulo and Nikki bought tickets out of Sydney to escape suspicion, and start a "new life" together after they had sold the stolen diamonds. Sitting in an airport restaurant, Paulo read a newspaper story to Nikki about Zukerman's death which says that the police believed the cause of death to be heart failure, and the two embrace in excitement. Shannon and Boone suddenly interrupt the celebratory kiss they share with squabbling over whether to try to get a seat in the restaurant or not. After observing the two fight (and assuming they were a couple), Paulo and Nikki promise each other that they will never end up like that.

On the Island

Season 1-2 (Days 1-68)

Paulo Crash

A severely shell-shocked Paulo after the crash.

When the plane crashed on the island, Paulo was, visibly, severely shell-shocked. He stood next to the beach staring straight out to the ocean, while most of the other survivors around him panicked. Nikki later found Paulo, and, rather than acting concerned for his safety and wellbeing, she frantically asked him if he knew where the diamonds were. Paulo had trouble understanding how she could be thinking of that, of all things, and he told her that he did not know where they were.

Six days after the plane had crashed, Nikki was still arguing with him about the diamonds and where they could be. Ethan Rom, who had infiltrated their camp, approached Paulo and Nikki and asked them if he could help them find any missing clothing. Nikki rejected his offer of help when Charlie caught Boone with the camp's stolen water. It looked like Boone was about to be mobbed when Jack intervened, and Paulo and Nikki silently witnessed Jack's Live Together, Die Alone speech.


Nikki convinced Paulo to search for the diamonds with her, and they headed out far into the jungle, and found the downed Beechcraft. They also came across the unhidden Pearl station, but Nikki held Paulo back from exploring inside when they opened the hatch, deciding that it was too dangerous.

During the events of "...In Translation": Kate had told Nikki earlier about how she found the gun case in the waterfall, so Nikki lead Paulo there next. Paulo dove into the lake and discovering the bag containing his nicotine gum and the diamonds. When Paulo resurfaced, he lied to Nikki and told her that he did not find the diamonds. After she left, he dove again to retrieve the bag.

Paulo digs

Paulo burying the diamonds.

Paulodive

Paulo dives to retrieve the diamonds.

During the events of "What Kate Did": Now in possession of the diamonds, Paulo realized that Nikki only was with him because she needed his help to find them. In order to stay with her, Paulo decided to hide them rather than keep them. He first attempted to bury them on the beach, but Locke approached him and told him about the tide coming in, and that nothing would stay buried on the beach for very long. He convinced Paulo to bury it somewhere that would not be washed away.

During the events of "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1": After the Discharge, Nikki went haywire, and became hysterical, so that Paulo had to calm her down. As a result of her breakdown, she began to question her past behavior towards her fellow survivors, and decided that herself and Paulo needed to take a more active role in the events, being more part of a team.

Taking Locke's advice, he traveled back to the Pearl, where he discovered a lavatory and hid the diamonds inside the toilet tank. When he was about to leave, he saw Ben and Juliet watching the video feed from the Swan station and discussing how to persuade Jack to perform surgery on Ben's tumor. After Ben and Juliet leave, Paulo emerged and discovered a walkie-talkie. Scared after the incident, he returned to camp and did not tell anyone of what he had discovered. ("Exposé")

Dead Eko

Nikki, Paulo, Desmond and Sayid watch as Locke checks Eko's body ("The Cost of Living")

Season 3 (Days 69-81)

Paulo was sleeping against a tree when Mr. Eko was brought back to the survivors camp. He listened to Locke's speech along with Nikki, Charlie, Hurley and Claire. ("Further Instructions")

Paulo turned to the camp's golf clubs to drive kiwis into the ocean. He lent Desmond a five-iron, his least-used club. Paulo was having trouble with accuracy and distance, and Desmond gave him some advice on stance and positioning. ("Every Man for Himself")

Several days later, he joined a party to the Pearl, along with Locke, Desmond, Nikki, Sayid and Eko. Nikki, who had given up on finding the diamonds, saw it as a chance to become more included in the "core group" of survivors. Paulo tried to talk her out of it. He joined the group in order to retreive and hide the diamonds again, so that she would never find the bag.

Paulodies

Paralysis begins to set in.

At the Pearl, Paulo discreetly entered the bathroom while the other survivors worked on the computer. He removed the diamonds and put them down his pants, then flushed the toilet and emerged from the bathroom, leaving everyone with the impression that he had just used it. When the sounds of the Monster were heard, Paulo and the rest of the group ran out to find a dying Eko. ("The Cost of Living")

Paulo, Nikki, Desmond, Locke and Sayid were the only survivors present at Eko's small funeral, where Locke discovers a sign on Eko's "Jesus stick". ("I Do")

Once back at the camp, Paulo was preparing a meal when Hurley tries to convince everyone to investigate the car he found in the jungle. Paulo wasn't interested in any more adventures, and he turned Hurley down. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")


A while later, Paulo is seen carrying one of Sawyer's magazines. Sawyer called him "Zorro", and the two engaged in a short verbal altercation, which Sawyer ultimately loses when he realizes that Paulo was using the magazine for bathroom reading material. ("Enter 77")

Roughly a week later, Nikki discovered his nicotine gum, and realized that he knew where the diamonds were. She cornered him in the jungle and confronted him about it. Paulo tried to explain, but Nikki was beyond reason. She threw Dr. Arzt's sample Medusa spider on his neck, and it bit and paralyzed him. He tearfully tried to explain what he had done, but Nikki wouldn't hear it. She triumphantly found the diamonds in his pants.

Normal expose-promo21

Paulo and Nikki, paralyzed. ("Exposé")

Nikki was about to leave when the sounds of the Monster surrounded them. Paulo, who, at this point, was only able to move his eyes, saw many Medusa spiders approaching Nikki. They were males attracted by the pheromones of the female that bit Paulo. He tried to warn her, but his efforts went unnoticed. One crawled up her leg and bit her. She panicked, and quickly buried the diamonds and left Paulo behind.

Happycouple

Paulo and Nikki in their graves. ("Exposé")

The other survivors discovered Nikki and assumed she was dead. Jin, Hurley, and Sawyer went looking for Paulo, and they found his paralyzed body in the jungle. Assuming they were both dead, they tried to piece together what had happened. They discovered Juliet's walkie-talkie in Paulo's tent, and juggled with theories of them secretly being in league with the Others, or them being killed by the Monster. When they found the bag of diamonds, they decided that Nikki and Paulo had murdered each other in order to get them.

The rest of the camp held a brief memorial service, and they placed Paulo and Nikki in a double grave. They were filling it up just as Nikki opened her eyes. She was covered with dirt, so no one was able to tell she was awake. They both died after being buried alive. ("Exposé")

Post-Death

One day after their tragic, accidental demise, Hurley stated the deaths of Nikki and Paulo as one of the reasons for him persuading Sawyer to take a leadership role within the group of survivors. ("Left Behind")

Trivia

  • Paulo was the twenty-third character to ever have a flashback.
  • Paulo's episode count so far is 7. Paulo died on his 7th appearance.
  • Paulo has never met Juliet, Ben, Daniel, Charlotte and Miles. However, he has met all the main characters along with Desmond.
  • Paulo along with Nikki were the sixth and seventh main characters to be killed.
  • Paulo and Nikki where noted by the producers to be the most universally despised characters known to the show, due to their sudden appearance in "Further Instructions".
  • A deleted scene introduced Nikki and Paulo in alternative way: Claire is taking care of Aaron when she hears some weird noises coming from Jack's tent. She starts to call Jack's name, and when she opens the tent she sees Nikki and Paulo having sex there. This scene was deleted from "Further Instructions".
  • A deleted scene from "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1": After the Discharge, Nikki went haywire, and became hysterical, so that Paulo had to calm her down. As a result of her breakdown, she began to question her past behavior towards her fellow survivors, and decided that herself and Paulo needed to take a more active role in the events, being more part of a team.
  • Paulo is a common name in Portuguese-speaking countries, like Brazil (the actor is Brazilian).
  • Paulo and Eko are the only main characters not to make an appearance after their death.
  • Paulo is the Portuguese equivalent of the name Paul. In the New Testament, Paul was not one of the original disciples of Jesus, but was called to become an apostle later. This led to slight contention between himself and the original disciples that was later resolved, but much contention between scholars centuries later - this parallels Paulo's involvement in the show, as he was not an original cast member but later was fleshed out and it was shown how he connected to the rest of the characters.
  • Paulo is the Portuguese translation of Paolo, name of one of the "lustful" sinners in the classic Inferno by Dante Alighieri. He and his lover, Francesca are condemned to the Second Circle of Hell, where Francesca informs Dante of how she and her husband's brother (Paolo) committed adultery and died a violent death at the hands of her husband. Many scholars have discussed the fact that in the entire Canto, Francesca is the only person to speak - Paulo does not even speak once. The souls in the Second Circle are those overcome by lust and are blown about to and fro by a violent storm, without hope of rest.
    Paulo breakfast

    Paulo serving the fatal meal.

  • Paulo was a very accomplished chef; he was referred to as "Brazil's Wolfgang Puck".
    • This was most likely a nod to Rodrigo Santoro, who plays Paulo. In real life, he is referred to as "Brazil's Tom Cruise."
  • Nikki and Paulo are buried in a different way to any other survivor. Boone, Shannon, Ana-Lucia, Libby and Scott were all buried in single graves, while Paulo was put in a double-grave with Nikki.
  • According to an Entertainment Weekly article, Nikki and Paulo were originally supposed to be part of a longer story arc, with one episode having its flashbacks devoted to Nikki's fictional TV show, Exposé, to end with a surprise twist (presumably revealing that those "flashbacks" were merely part of a TV show Nikki was acting in). Faced with the negative fan backlash to the two characters' abrupt introduction, the producers decided in December 2006 to trim down the story arc and kill off the two characters in a single episode.

Unanswered questions

Unanswered questions
  1. Do not answer the questions here.
  2. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer.
For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Paulo/Theories
  • What is his last name?


Survivors (Main Characters) vte
AaronAna LuciaBernardBooneCharlieClaireDesmondEkoHurleyJackJin

KateLibbyLockeMichaelNikkiPauloRoseSawyerSayidShannonSunWalt

Template:Nav-NikkiPaulo

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