'Lost' in the Numbers: 42 most important characters

Before “Lost” unspools what will hopefully be an otherworldly final season next week, it’s time to look back. But because “Lost” is so dense, sprawling and complicated, it’s not good enough to just throw together a “best episodes” list. Oh no. Instead, here are six lists, one for every one of the Numbers – 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42 – that should sufficiently prep you for the final 18 hours. Finally: The 42 most important characters.

With more than 90 characters who have appeared in at least three episodes, the “Lost” cast is beyond massive. And it looks as if most of them will return in season six – even the dead ones. Thus, here are the 42 most important characters and their current status.
 
1. Locke: Man of faith, believes in the island’s powers, former short-term leader of the Others. Status: “Dead”

2. Jack: Man of science, appointed leader, realizes error of his island-leaving ways. Loves Kate. Status: In 1977 with DHARMA.

3. Sawyer: Con man asshole-turned-concerned, helpful, reliable friend. With Juliet, loves Kate. Status: In 1977.

4. Kate: Murderer, fugitive, someone who never stays put. Loves Jack and Sawyer. Status: In 1977.

5. Ben: Former member of DHARMA, long-time leader of the Others. Manipulative mastermind. Status: In 2007 on the island.

6. Jacob: Supernatural entity that seemingly controls everything related to the island. Status: Human form stabbed by Ben in 2007.

7. Man in Black: Supernatural entity who rivals Jacob and his good deeds. Status: In a Locke-a-like meat suit. 

8. Hurley: Everyone’s friend, comic relief and former lottery winner who is scared of the Numbers. Status: In 1977.

9. Sayid: Former member of the Iraqi army, tortured torturer and lover of women. Manipulated by Ben to kill. Status: Bleeding out in 1977.

10. Juliet: Fertility doctor who turned on the Others to follow Jack. Likes Jack, with Sawyer. Status: Severely injured at the bottom of the soon-to-be Swan station hole by a bomb.

11. Desmond: Three-year Swan inhabitant, consciousness time traveler, frequent user of the word “Brotha.” Status: In 2007, trying to avoid any more conflict.

12. Jin: Domineering-turned-loving husband, father of a child he’s never seen. Status: In 1977.

13. Sun: Quiet but strong woman who will do anything to find her husband. Status: In 2007 on the island.

14. Faraday: Physicist who came to island on the Freighter, led the survivors during time travel and left the island in the 1970s. Status: Killed by past-version of his mother.

15. Charlie: Drug addict rock star who overcame his addiction to help Claire raise Aaron. Status: Dead after sacrificing himself so his friends could leave the island.

16. Claire: Aussie woman who gave birth to Aaron on the island. Status: Unknown after cavorting off into the jungle with her “dead” father Christian.

17. Richard: Seemingly ageless wonder who is fine with his number two spot among the Others. Status: Being ageless in 2007 on the island.

18. Miles: Cracking-wise fireball who can talk to dead people. Status: In 1977.

19. Michael: Father to Walt, murderer of Ana Lucia and Libby, tried to redeem himself by subverting action on the Freighter. Status: Killed in Freighter explosion.

20. Ana Lucia: Tough cop, leader of the tail section survivors. Status: Killed by Michael.

21. Eko: Drug kingpin pretending to be a priest who actually became a priest. Muscle of the tail section survivors. Status: Killed by the Smoke Monster.

22. Widmore: Ostracized Other trying to get back to the island, father to Penny and financier to the Freighter mission. Status: Off-island in 2007.

23. Eloise Hawking: Time travel liaison, island-finding minx who pushed her son Daniel into a life that she knew would end with her killing him. Status: Off-island in 2007.

24. Ilana: Mysterious woman with connection to Jacob. Has unknown intentions as of now. Status: On the island in 2007.

25. Bram: Ilana’s cohort who tried to convince Miles not to work for Widmore. Status: On the island in 2007, carrying Locke’s dead body.

26. Charlotte: Island-born Brit who spent her life trying to get back and did on the Freighter. Status: Killed by time travel.

27. Lapidus: Supposed-to-be pilot of Oceanic 815, hero to the Oceanic Six and pilot of their return flight to island. Status: On-island in 2007.

28. Rose and Bernard: Older couple who overcame island separation. Status: Building their lives away from the island craziness in 1977.

29. Libby: Tail section survivor, former patient of the mental institution also attended by Hurley. Status: Killed by Michael.

30. Rousseau: French woman who crashed on island in 1988 and survived her team’s deterioration into insanity and Ben stealing her daughter. Status: Killed by Keamy’s team.

31. Alex: Rousseau’s daughter, raised by Ben. Status: Killed by Keamy.

32. Walt: Son of Michael, has various unknown “abilities.” Status: Alive in 2007 and living with his grandma.

33. Boone: Over-eager 815 survivor who romantically loved his step-sister Shannon and idolized Locke. Status: Killed by falling drug plane.

34. Shannon: Primadonna 815’er who fell in love with Sayid before seeing visions of Walt. Status: Killed by Anna Lucia. 

35. Penny: Wife of Desmond, daughter of Widmore and rescuer of the Oceanic Six. Status: Off-island in 2007.

36. Pierre Chang: DHARMA lead scientist, star of many Orientation films, father of Miles. Status: Nursing his injured arm in 1977.

37. Christian Shephard: Drunk father of Jack, died in Australia before the crash but has appeared numerous times to various characters on the island. Status: Working as Jacob’s representative.

38. Anthony Cooper: Father of Locke, con man who indirectly killed Sawyer’s parents and culprit in Locke’s paralysis. Status: Killed by Sawyer.

39. Keamy: Hired by Widmore to capture Ben, but raised hell in the process. Status: Killed by Ben.

40. Aaron: Claire’s baby born on the island and raised by Kate off the island. Status: In 2007 with Claire’s mother.

41. Radizinsky: DHARMA scientist, asshole and main proponent of the Swan station’s construction. Status: Unknown condition in 1977.

42. Arzt: 815’er who became annoyed with being on the outside of the A-Team’s plans. Status: Killed by dynamite stick.