Tailies

The term "Tailies" refers to the survivors who sat in the rear section of Oceanic Flight 815; it was originally coined by Hurley in "Fire + Water". The tail section tore off and crashed on the western side of the Island, unlike the middle section, which crashed farther south.

Initially, there were 21 verified survivors of the group. Two of which—1 stewardess and 1 passenger—were not originally seated in the tail-wing but ended up there during turbulence. A man whose presence aboard the flight remains unverified may be the 22nd survivor. Counting the only known mole of the group, Goodwin, this totalled to 23 group members overall.

The group was led by Ana Lucia Cortez for 4 8 days. By that time, there were only 4 people left. This group is antagonistic to the Others.

On the Island[]

TailiesBackground — The Tailies sit on the beach. ("The Other 48 Days")

On their first night on the Island, three of the tailies were taken by an attack party of the Others. At the same time, two of the Others were killed by the tailies. The tailies decided to remain on the beach to keep a signal fire burning for possible rescue parties. Four of the tail-enders died of their injuries in the subsequent days. Two weeks after the crash, the Others struck again and nine more of them were taken, including the children, Emma and Zach. Two adults of these nine later joined the Others, as is apparent by their later appearance as part of the Others background (#8 and #9). One of the Others was also killed. They then decided to move into the jungle.

Nathan tigerpit — Nathan is held prisoner. ("The Other 48 Days")

On the 15th day, after the tailies had traveled for three days, they made camp next to a small stream. Nathan was held prisoner in a makeshift pit and starved by Ana Lucia, who believed he was the spy. After Ana Lucia threatened to start cutting his fingers off, he was freed by Goodwin who broke his neck after he escaped from the pit. After the disappearance of Nathan, the tailenders started moving again.

On the 27th day the tailenders discovered, and moved into, the abandoned DHARMA Initiative station, the Arrow. In a box they discovered a radio. Goodwin, accompanied by Ana Lucia, took this radio to higher ground to get a signal. However in the meantime Ana Lucia confronted Goodwin, killing him in the struggle that followed. According to Ben, Goodwin liked Ana Lucia and advocated that she be considered "worthy" (presumably of becoming an Other).

Udders — The Tailies menacingly approach Jin, Michael and Sawyer. ("Adrift")

On the 45th day, the tailenders captured Sawyer, Michael and Jin (mistaking them for Others) when these three washed up on shore. They first held the captives in the pit and then brought them to the Arrow station.

When the existence of the main survivor's group was revealed, the tailies decided to trek across the Island, staying close to the shoreline and carrying a wounded Sawyer. Shortly before arriving at the main camp, Cindy disappeared, and in the confusion Ana Lucia accidentally shot and killed Shannon.

In the end, when the tail-end and the middle section survivors were reunited, only four tailies remained: Ana Lucia, Mr. Eko, Libby, and Bernard. After the murders of Ana Lucia and Libby, and Eko's death in "The Cost of Living", Bernard remains the only tail section survivor that is neither dead nor captured (and was in fact only in the tail section to use the restroom). Five of the "taken" tailenders joined the Others: Cindy, Emma, Zach, and two tailies background (#08 and #09).

Juxtaposition[]

The Tailies have a recurring theme of juxtaposing the middle section survivors, dubbed by the writers as the "Fusies", in name comparison.^[1]

General[]

The Tailies find an above-ground Dharma station. The Fusies found one underground. ("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues") ("...And Found")

Ana Lucia[]

Like Kate, Ana Lucia is a tough woman with a secret violent past. But while Kate is a criminal, Ana Lucia is a cop.
Like Kate, Ana Lucia shows romantic interest in Jack on the day of the crash. ("Pilot, Part 1") ("Exodus, Part 1")
Like Kate, Ana Lucia killed an inebriated man who traumatized her and harmed her relative to a greater extent. (In Ana's case, it was her unborn baby, who was also killed; in Kate's case, her mother, who was domestically abused). Both backstories are told consecutively in "Collision" and "What Kate Did".
Unlike Kate, Ana Lucia's mother is shown pulling strings for her in her police misconduct because she was her daughter. Meanwhile Kate's mother gave her up to the authorities, despite being her daughter.
Like Jack, Ana Lucia emerges as the leader to the plane crash survivors. But while Ana rises to the role instinctually, Jack develops into the role reluctantly. ("Pilot, Part 1") ("The Other 48 Days")
Like Jack, Ana Lucia worked under their parent before the crash and had a contentious relationship with them.
Like Jack, Ana Lucia claims she is not a savage when it comes to resolving the manner involving a difficult member of the camp. Unlike Jack, she states she will be "tomorrow" when she intends to cut Nathan's finger off, while Jack simply states "Not yet". ("Confidence Man") ("The Other 48 Days")
Like Jack, Ana begins to assume leadership after she saves the life of a near-drowning victim, an elder sibling to someone else. Later, they make a failed promise to keep that same older sibling safe, which haunts them later on (in Jack's case, Boone dies; in Ana's case, Emma is abducted).
Like Sayid, she decides to torture and interrogate a member of the camp who is providing difficulty for their situation on the Island. ("Confidence Man") ("The Other 48 Days")

Eko[]

Like Jack, he emerges in a suit. But while Jack is pure science, Eko is pure faith. ("Pilot, Part 1") ("The Other 48 Days")
Like Jack, Eko grievously has an outburst at a woman following their gate check-in. The outburst revolves around a dead family member (in Eko's case, his brother Yemi; in Jack's case his father Christian). Following this, both end up on an Island, where the same dead relative haunts them as apparitions. ("Walkabout") ("?")
Like Mr. Locke (by Walt), Eko refers to himself as "Mr. Eko". In a play on words, he is also a spiritual echo and foil to Mr. Locke.
Like Mr. Locke with Boone in Season 1, Mr. Eko gains a de facto acolyte in Charlie Pace in Season 2. ("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues") ("The 23rd Psalm")
Like Mr. Locke, Mr. Eko is a "man of faith". But for Locke it is secular, while Eko emerges as a man of religious faith. ("Exodus, Part 3") ("The 23rd Psalm")
Like Eko, Sayid has an early childhood experience of killing that proves to an elder that they're worthy of a rite of passage, in contrast to their respective brothers. ("The 23rd Psalm") ("He's Our You")

Libby[]

Like Hurley, Libby is helpful and friendly with a purported history of mental illness. But while Hurley blurts out secrets & struggles to lie, Libby frequently lies without igniting any suspicion.
Like Kate, Libby is secretive with a mysterious backstory, and emerges as a key team player for the group as the leader's lieutenant/lance.
Like Jack, Libby is the medic for the group, claiming "one year of med school" has helped her in this regard for her skills. Unlike Jack, she is not a doctor and thus her help is limited in the long run. However, both Ana Lucia, and Sawyer ask her if she is a doctor. ("Abandoned") ("The Other 48 Days")

Cindy[]

Like Claire, Cindy is an Australian woman who unexpectedly becomes a mother on the Island. Claire who was giving her baby up for adoption before crashing, while stewardess Cindy adopts Tailie siblings, Emma & Zach when they assimilate into the Others' society. ("The Other 48 Days") ("LA X, Part 2")
Unlike Claire, Cindy is the very last person from her camp to be ambiguously “taken” by the Others, following her camp’s mass-raid. Meanwhile, Claire was the very first (of just two) people from her camp to be abducted by an Other in a plot that was not supposed to happen. ("Abandoned") ("Raised by Another") ("One of Us")

Bernard[]

Bernard and Rose are a married couple separated during the crash. The usually cynic Rose is certain Bernard is alive, while the optimistic Bernard searches for Rose’s body. ("Walkabout") ("The Other 48 Days") ("S.O.S.")
Like Hurley, Bernard is the fun-loving, grounded one of his respective camp.

Nathan[]

Like Sawyer, Nathan is the sardonic contrarian to the group's authority and leadership protocol. Both men become prisoners prepped for torture-interrogation. In reverse uno, Sawyer is tortured while Nathan is spared. And while Sawyer must endure the pain, Nathan is murdered before it even begins. ("The Other 48 Days") ("Confidence Man")
Sawyer’s provocations are intentional; a self-loathing need to be the villain. While Nathan's are unintentional, as far as the story permits.
Nathan is a red herring, whose suspicious behavior reflects that of the mole Ethan Rom, with a similar-sounding name. Both men claimed to hail from Canada. ("Raised by Another") ("The Other 48 Days")

Emma & Zach[]

Like Boone and Shannon, Emma and Zach are a sibling duo. While the former pair bicker brattishly as unsupportive young adults, the latter pair are reserved, mature and supportive young children.
The younger sibling’s concern for the older one is contrasted between the Tailies and Fusies. For the Tailies, Zach yells in distress when he fears his older sibling Emma will drown. Meanwhile for the Fusies, an absent Shannon, the younger sibling to Boone who has almost drowned, is more concerned about obtaining bug spray for a scratch she has received. ("White Rabbit") ("The Other 48 Days")

Members[]

The group were picketed off in at least two known raids (Day 1, Day 12) that were completed by Day 14 at the latest. The first raid was to dismantle the manpower of the camp. Those left behind, if not given exceptional reasons, 3 weeks after the crash were considered "bad people".

The Strongest (4)[]

Mr. Eko (Deceased) / Determined "bad" by virtue of killing 2 Others in self-defense.
Blonde guy (Unknown, taken on Day 1)
Curly haired one (Converted, taken on Day 1)
German man (Unknown, presumed deceased, i.e the whisper saying "Ich weiß nicht" before Ana Lucia shoots Shannon. Taken on Day 1)

The "Bad" Ones (4)[]

Ana Lucia Cortez (Leader, Deceased) / Declared "bad"
Libby (Lieutenant, Deceased) / Declared "bad"
Bernard Nadler (Merged) / Uncertain; not originally seated in the tail-section. May not qualify.
Cindy (Converted) / Uncertain; not originally seated in the tail-section. May not qualify but taken or left later anyway.

Died from Injuries by Day 5 (4)[]

Pam's husband (Presumed deceased)
Unnamed woman heard yelling several names (Presumed deceased)
Unidentified
Donald (Deceased, fourth to die from injuries)

The Kids (2)[]

Zack (Converted)
Emma (Converted)

The "Good" Ones (9)[]

Nancy (Unknown): Taken on Day 12. Never seen again. Name said by Cindy.
Eli (Unknown): Taken on Day 12. Never seen again. Name said by Libby.
Jim (Unknown): Taken on Day 12. Never seen again. Name said by Libby.
Eric (Unknown): Taken on Day 12. During the second raid, an unnamed woman was heard yelling his name.
Cole (Unknown): Helped try to catch chicken with Goodwin on Day 7.
Ogie (Unknown): Helped try to catch chicken with Goodwin on Day 7. Spoke with Older Lady while Ana Lucia spoke about bacon.
Older Lady (Unknown) played by Candy Muir: Possibly the one to yell "Killing me!".
Younger Brunette (Unknown, presumed deceased) played by Julia Summo: Possibly the one to yell "Killing me!". Badly injured.
Unnamed Man (Unknown)

Others (2)[]

Nathan (Deceased) / Uncertain; declared "bad" by omission. (Presence on Flight 815 is unverified so possibly a second Other).
Goodwin (Deceased) / N/A; mole.

Trivia[]

Of the three Taillies who are main characters (Ana Lucia, Libby, Eko), two of them (Ana Lucia & Libby) are killed in the second season, and one (Eko) is killed early in the third season.
Despite this, Bernard, who recurs sporadically throughout the series, survives the series finale. During which, he is promoted to honorary main character status.
In general, the Taillies fared far worse on the island than their mid-section counterparts. It is left unknown why the raids were not performed on the mid-section survivors, except that Ethan would not provide the list to do so (for unknown reasons). ("Maternity Leave")
- One inference attributes this to their smaller numbers and closer proximity to The Others. Though this closer proximity is never stated in-dialog.
- Another inference attributes Ethan going rogue due to his investment in Claire, as Juliet states. ("One of Us") His personal backstory explores this further in a mobisode released between Season 3 and 4. ("Jack, Meet Ethan. Ethan? Jack")
Interestingly, the number of passengers originally intended to survive in the middle section was 22 (the 14 main characters, plus Rose and the 7 original background cast members), the same number of survivors in the tail section.