Sayid Jarrah is one of the leaders of the Middle Section that survived the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. Though initially treated like an outsider by the group, especially Sawyer, he is one of the most proactive, least ego-driven members of the group.
Before the Crash
In Iraq
The son of a celebrated Iraqi hero, Sayid Hassan Jarrah was born on 1969 in Bagdad. At one point he attended the Cairo University, but it was the period he spent serving as a military communications officer of the Iraqi Republican Guard that was crucial in the development of many of his skills that later proved very beneficial on the Island. However, this period also is the source of his most tormenting memories.
The breaking point of his life occurred in the events of the first Gulf War, when Sayid was an officer at the age of 23. His base was captured by the US forces during the Desert Storm operation, after which his captors discovered that Sayid was the only English speaking member of his unit. Ostensibly, to find the location of a US pilot captured earlier by the Republican Guard, Sayid was delivered to Sargent Sam Austen, who used him in communicating with his commanding officer Tariq. Sayid attempted his best to evade this task out of loyalty, in spite of the repeated humiliations he received from Tariq during the process including accusations of being a disgrace to his father's memory. Observing this reluctance, CIA operative Joe Inman conspired to gain Sayid's full cooperation by showing him a video of his home village being attacked by nerve gas in an offensive that Tariq had ordered. After watching, the shocked Sayid reluctantly agreed to help, not knowing what awaited him: He was given a torture kit by Inman, with which he extracted from Tariq the location of where the missing pilot's body was located. At the end of the War, handcuffed Sayid was transported on the back of a US military truck where he encountered again Sam Austen, who held a photograph of the young Kate. In the middle of no where,Inman released Sayid, explaining that the Iraqi regime was back in power, which gives Sayid a chance to use his new "skills". As Sayid replied, condemening what he was forced to do, Inman whispered in Arabic that it will be of use in the future, and abandoned him in the desert with a large sum of money.
Joe Inman pushing money into Sayid's pocket before releasing him
After being released, Sayid returned to the Iraqi Republican Guard, swearing he would never contribute in a torture again. However, he was soon promoted to the intelligence division, where he was tasked with the interrogation of rebels and military prisoners. On his duty, he was reunited with a childhood friend and love, Nadia, captured for taking part in an insurgent group against the Iraqi regime. Forced to interrogate her, he spent the little time they had togather trying to help her instead. But when he was ordered to execute her, Sayid shot his superior, Omar, on a confrontation, and as a cover story he shot himself in the leg so Nadia could escape with his gun.
In England
Sometime later, Sayid left the Republican Guard and Iraq. He was picked up later in London, England by members of the CIA and ASIS, who had been following his movements. In exchange for information on the current whereabouts of Nadia, he was recruited to infiltrate a terrorist cell in Sydney to recover 300 pounds of stolen C-4 explosive. His handlers in this operation were Agents Alyssa Cole of the CIA and Robbie Hewitt of the ASIS.
In Australia
Sayid was tasked with infiltrating a terror cell that Essam, his college roommate from Cairo University, was involved with. Essam, now in Australia, was eventually assigned to be the martyr on a terror operation with the stolen C4 explosives, but began to have doubts which he expressed to Sayid. Sayid was ordered to convince Essam to go through with the mission, so that the intelligence officers could locate and take possession of the missing explosives. Just before the mission was to begin, Sayid revealed his true role to Essam, and offered him time to escape. However, Essam was already unstable and became so distraught at this final betrayal over a woman, and immediately killed himself in front of Sayid.
CIA Agent Cole informed Sayid that Nadia was living in Riverside, California, working as a lab tech. He was given a ticket for the Oceanic Flight on September 21, 2004 but he decided to stay in Australia an extra day, so that he might arrange a proper Muslim burial for Essam's body. In the airport the following day, Sayid first met Shannon in the waiting area of the Sydney airport, when he asked her to watch his bag for a moment. She reported him to airport security as an "Arab man" who had left his bag unattended. After interrogation, and presumably communicating with ASIS, airport security released him with apologies, and he successfully boarded Flight 815.
During the flight, Sayid sat in the last seat in business class with his hands underneath a blanket, and never got up (according to Sawyer).
On the Island
Season 1
After the crash, Sayid became one of the first targets of blame for the survivor's misfortune. He was suspected as a terrorist and as the US Marshall's prisoner by Sawyer. Sayid's contributions using his military background soon proved him to be a vital member of the group.
Sayid trying to pick up a signal
Using his experience as a communications officer, Sayid repaired the transceiver recovered from the fuselage. He then led the expedition along with Kate, Charlie, Sawyer, Shannon and Boone to find high ground to receive a signal. Sayid used the transceiver to pick up the looped French distress signal. With the help of Shannon, they discovered it has been on a loop for 16 years.
Later, Sayid attempted to locate the origin of the signal, using triangulation. With the help of Shannon, Kate and Sawyer, he set up three signal towers. However, when he began to pick up the signal he was knocked out and his equipment smashed (in Pilot, Part 2). Locke later admits to being the one who did this in The Greater Good.
When Sawyer falls under suspicion for hoarding Shannon's asthma medicine, Sayid and Jack determine that they should use any means necessary to get the information from him. He then tortured Sawyer and caused severe injury to his arm. This became the first and only time Sayid's intuition about the truth has been wrong.
Haunted by memories of his time as torturer, Sayid felt guilty and left the survivors' camp to explore the island. While exploring a cable he found on the beach, he was captured and tortured by Danielle Rousseau deep in the jungle. Rousseau revealed that she was the one who recorded the taped transmission. When questioned about the photo of Nadia he carried, Sayid told Rousseau that Nadia was dead, even though she was alive the day before the crash. When he escaped, Sayid stole Rousseau's maps and notes and brought them back to camp. On his way back, he became the first member of the group to hear the whispers (see Sawyer, Shannon, Charlie).
Sayid in Rousseau's hideout
Back at camp, Sayid enlisted Shannon to help translate the markings on Rousseau's maps and notes. Shannon reluctantly agreed but has trouble at first and becomes frustrated with Sayid and herself. During their work on the maps, Shannon and Sayid began to fall in love.
When Shannon attempted to shoot Locke because she felt he was responsible for Boone's death, Sayid stepped in at the last minute and caused her to miss. As a way of repairing their rocky relationship, Sayid built Shannon a new tent to live in, and they had sex in it later that night. When Sayid returned after stepping out for a moment, Shannon told him that she saw Walt. He concluded that she must have fallen asleep and had a nightmare but Shannon insisted and left him.
Season 2
Sayid later caught up with Shannon in the jungle as she searched for Walt with Vincent. When they both saw Walt in the jungle together, Sayid told Shannon that he believes her and he loves her. As Shannon ran toward Walt, she was shot once in the chest by Ana-Lucia Cortez, who thought she was one of The Others. Sayid rushed to her side and held her as she died in his arms. He buried Shannon the next day and left a string of prayer beads on the cross at Shannon's grave.
After the accident, Sayid spent some time talking with Ana Lucia. Sayid was given a chance to kill her but refused to. A few days later, he took the radio found by Bernard and given to him by Hurley and fixed it to pick up a radio broadcast. However, it has only worked that one time.
In the hatch, Sayid was the first person to notice the magnetic anomaly coming from the walls (in Hearts and Minds). Rousseau led Sayid to a trap in which she caught a man claiming to be Henry Gale. When Sayid tortured the mysterious man in the hatch, he became convinced that he was one of the Others, although Jack was skeptical. During the interrogation of the fake Henry, Sayid nearly shoot him but was stopped by Ana Lucia. Sayid went with Ana Lucia and Charlie to find the balloon that Henry Gale described, only to find the body of the real Henry Gale.
At the end of the episode One of Them Sayid seemed to be trying to recruit Charlie for something. He began building a house of some kind since Charlie made a (possibly facetious) reference to a dining room table.
When Michael returned and began planning for his return trip to retrieve Walt, Sayid became suspicious. He was the first to suspect Michael may have been compromised by the Others. At Libby and Ana Lucia's funeral he brought this to the attention of Jack.
As part of his plan, Sayid set out on the sailboat with Jin and Sun around to the other side of the Island. He told Desmond that he doesn't know how to sail, which was why he brought Jin and Sun. While sailing, Sayid prayed to Allah on the boat while Sun and Jin look on. Soon afterward, they spotted the Four-Toed statue on the shore.
When Sayid reached the Others camp he found it deserted. He opened the Door hatch and found a wall of solid rock.
Season 3
After a day of sailing around looking for Jack and the others, Sayid comes up with a different plan. He knows that his friends have been captured so he plans to set up a signal fire to attract the Others. Sun realizes his plan and so does Jin. Sayid and Jin decide to cooperate in the ambush and order Sun to hide in the boat. The Others never show up to the spot where Sayid was waiting and instead went straight to the boat. By the time Sayid and Jin found this out, it was too late and the Others had gotten away with the sailboat.
Name
- Sayid (Arabic: سيد ) is a common arabic name meaning 'Master' or 'Lord' (Also often used in the arabic language as an honorary title for addressing respected people and those of higher positions, much like 'Sir' or 'Mr.' in english). However, Sayid, as pronounced in the show, sounds more like the arabic name spelled Said (Arabic: سعيد ) which ironically means someone who is happy / cheerful and lucky in life.
- The names Sayid / Said hold a striking link to Palestinian-American Literary Theorist, Critic and Philosopher Edward W. Said (Arabic: إدوارد سعيد ) who wrote Orientalism. Orientalism is about colonization and how the colonizers of new land start to call the original habitants "The other".
- Jarrah (Arabic: جراح )originally meaning a 'Cutter' or a 'Wounder' in traditional arabic, is currently the typical Arabic translation for 'Surgeon', which consequently relates to the profession of both Jack and Christian Shephard.
Faith
Sayid is of Muslim faith, though how devout is uncertain. On the Island, he is seen practicing a number of Islamic rituals occasionaly or taking faith-inspired actions, including:
- During the events of the Walkabout, he suggested the burial of the deceased bodies from the Middle Section and opposed Jack's practical decision to burn them along with the fuselage. He felt that neither he nor Jack had the right to make such a decision which may disregard the wishes and religious beliefs of the deceased.
- After torturing Sawyer in the Confidence Man, Sayid departs on a journey of redemption. This action parallels the 40-day vow of silence taken by Eko, one of the main influential characters in the island's faith dilemma.
- While hanging up in Rousseau's trap in Solitary and thinking that he will be left there before she freed him, he is heard saying the Shahadah (The last words a Muslim says before his death if able to).
- He prayed on the deck while travelling around the Island with Jin and Sun in the sailboat.
- He left prayer beads at Shannon's grave.
Whether Sayid's faith will play a role in the coming events in the Lost storyline, and complement that of Locke or Mr. Eko, is still a matter of question.
Trivia
Sayid seen on the TV in Sam Austen's office
- Sayid can be seen on the TV in the background of the U.S. Army Office where Kate's father works in the episode What Kate Did.
- In the beginning of the 2nd season finale, when everybody is running down the beach to the boat, you hear him say: "Perhaps it's Desmond." However, the DVD captions read, "Perhaps it's them".
- The name of Sayid's father, Hassan, as well as his own birth date and location were all obtained from his passport details as seen via The Oceanic Air Website
Unanswered questions
- Why, after years of searching for Nadia, and travelling on Flight 815 to be reunited with her, did he fall in love with Shannon so quickly, and seem to forget about Nadia?
- Based on his conversation with Rousseau while he was captured by her, Sayid claimed that Nadia is dead, and that she died because of him. Maybe he really believes or knew somehow that Nadia is already dead and he was only travelling to LA to confirm it and claim her body.
- Note, however, that one of the Deleted Scenes from the Lost: The Complete First Season DVD box set includes Sayid telling a shop assistant that the yellow tie that he's buying (just before he boards the plane) is for a "Nadia".
- He could have been buying the tie because he was actually going to Nadia's funeral. This can be backed up by the fact that when Charlotte (which was the name of the shop assistant) asks Sayid what the occassion is that he's buying the tie for he said, "It’s… I’m going to see a woman." If you notice, it sounds like he's starting to say something but then stops himself, he may not have wanted to say that the girl he was going to see was dead either because he didn't want to dwell on it or he was just being polite and didn't want to make her feel bad for asking about it.
- Actually it is not a weird thing for a survivor who saves himself from a terrible plane crash to fell apart from his emotions and fall in love with a beautiful woman who seems desperately alone and seemed incapable by everyone.
- If Nadia was indeed dead as he claimed to Rousseau, how did he obtain this information?
- According to Nadia's note on her photo, translated to: "If you do not see me in this life, then you will in the next", should we expect a reunion between both of them on the Island much like that of Desmond and Jack who had exchanged a similar phrase earlier ?
Gallery
| |||||