John Locke
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"John" redirects here. For other uses of "John", see John (disambiguation). "Locke" redirects here. For other uses of "Locke", see Locke (disambiguation). John Locke was a survivor of Oceanic Flight 815. A disabled wheelchair user at the time of the flight, Locke miraculously found himself able...
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Lostpedia
"John" redirects here. For other uses of "John", see John (disambiguation).

"Locke" redirects here. For other uses of "Locke", see Locke (disambiguation).

John Locke was a survivor of Oceanic Flight 815. A disabled wheelchair user at the time of the flight, Locke miraculously found himself able to walk once he arrived on the Island. He, Rose, and Walt were the only survivors who wanted to stay on the Island, believing his special destiny was to protect the miraculous place. In service to this cause, Locke became a "Man of Faith", sparking an increasingly tense rivalry with Jack who was in contrast a "Man of Science".

Locke grew up in foster care, but later in life, he met his father, who conned him into giving him his kidney under false pretenses of love, ruined his relationship with his girlfriend, and finally pushed him out of a window, breaking his back and confining him to a wheelchair. Locke spent the next four years of his life paralyzed from the waist down and looking for his purpose in life. He was then told to attend an Australian Walkabout, after which he found himself aboard Flight 815.

On the Island, he served as a friendly, caring mentor, giving Boone (his protégé for a brief time) a purpose, helping the young mother Claire with her pregnancy and newborn son, helping Charlie with his demons, teaching Walt skills and eventually helping repair the strained relationship between him and his father.

When Locke discovered a Hatch on the Island, he was determined to open it, believing his purpose lay inside. He briefly lost faith in the Island after making a mistaken presumption about the nature of the hatch, but his faith was renewed shortly thereafter. Locke then set off on a new quest - to join the Island's native inhabitants. He became their leader, taking the position from Ben Linus, trying meanwhile to protect the Island from new invaders. Once he assumed leadership and Ben departed the Island, it began dangerously flashing through time. The flashes stopped once Locke himself left the Island.

Upon returning to the outside world, Locke, now under the alias Jeremy Bentham, unsuccessfully attempted to convince those who had left the island to return to it. Depressed after failing his mission, he attempted to commit suicide, only to be stopped by Ben right before being strangled to death by him. No one attended his funeral.

After his death, a dark entity capable of impersonating the deceased permanently took the form of John Locke, for a time fooling many of those on the Island (including Ben). In the flash sideways world, Locke dealt with his guilt for what he'd done while alive and came to terms with his limitations, before moving on with his fellow survivors.

Before the Island[]

Childhood[]

John Locke was born to Emily Annabeth Locke and Anthony Cooper on May 30, 1956. His mother was 15 years old when an unknown driver hit her, forcing an early delivery. Three months premature, John survived numerous illnesses; his nurses called him a miracle. John's mother, Emily, ran out of the hospital ward upon learning that John was to be let out of his incubator for the first time and that she could hold him. Emily said she couldn't do it, possibly referring to having to raise a child. While John's grandmother discussed adoption with a nurse, Richard Alpert smiled at baby John from an adjoining room.

John soon entered foster care. At one point he had a foster mother named Florence, a foster sister named Melissa, and an unnamed foster brother with whom he played mousetrap. In 1961, when John was five, Richard visited him, saying he ran a "school for very special children" like John. He noticed John had drawn black scribbles attacking a stick figure. He laid several items on a table and and asked John which already belonged to him. John picked a knife and Richard left in a hurry, saying John was not ready to join his school. ("Cabin Fever")

Another of John's foster sisters, Jeannie, fell from monkey bars and broke her neck fatally. Jeannie's mother blamed her own negligence for Jeannie's death, but when a Golden Retriever took up residence in Jeannie's bedroom, she believed that Jeannie's spirit had returned to say the accident had not been her fault. Five years later, she died and the dog vanished forever. ("Outlaws")

As a young child, Locke joined the Cub Scouts, eventually becoming a Webelos - where he learned skills such as identifying birds and tying knots. ("Hearts and Minds")

Teenage John's love of science attracted bullying. In 1972, Richard approached a teacher who once freed John from a locker with a Mittelos Laboratories "summer camp" invite. John turned it down, favoring sports over science. When the teacher said John could not do those things, John responded with "Don't tell me what I can't do." ("Cabin Fever")

Adulthood: Before paralysis[]

In 1993, while working as an assistant manager in a superstore's toy department, Locke noticed his mother Emily stalking him. She told him he was "immaculately conceived," paving the way for his special "destiny," but an investigator discovered John's living father's identity, and a medical record of his mother's psychiatric problems.

Acting on the information, Locke visited his father, Anthony Cooper, who invited the eager Locke on hunting trips, where the two appeared to bond. On one visit, Cooper was on a dialysis machine and revealed his kidney failure. Compassionately, Locke soon offered his kidney, and before their surgery he called their encounter an act of fate. When Locke awoke post-surgery, Cooper was gone.

The traumatized Locke was visited by his mother, who confessed his father had arranged their earlier meeting and all subsequent events to con him into giving away his kidney. Enraged, Locke drove to his father's house, but the guard denied him entry. ("Deus Ex Machina")

In 1995, Locke then joined an anger management group where he trivialized members' problems by comparing them to his own. He started a relationship with another member, Helen Norwood, who appeared to understand his frustration. Locke was also in the habit of parking outside his father's new, gated residence. At one point, his father confronted him and told him to go away. Locke nevertheless continued this stalking, until Helen caught him and made him promise to get over Cooper. ("Orientation")

During this time, he started a home inspection company called "Welcome Home". He happened to inspect a house for Nadia, the childhood sweetheart of Sayid. ("Lockdown") Concurrently, Locke and Helen were living together, and he was preparing to ask for her hand in marriage, but suddenly, Cooper faked his death. After attending the internment, the couple were visited by several gangsters Cooper had conned. Cooper revealed himself to Locke and asked his son's help in retrieving money from an account. Locke agreed for $200,000. Helen discovered his involvement, arriving at the scene of Locke delivering the money. In desperation and in the face of Helen's outrage, he proposed, which she rejected, leaving him on bended knee and in devastation.

In 1996, Locke joined a commune of farmers (including Mike and Jan) in Humboldt County, California who secretly grew and sold marijuana. He invited Eddie, a hitchhiker into this "family," not knowing he was an undercover police officer. Locke learned Eddie's true identity, but could not bring himself to shoot him. When arresting the commune's occupants, Eddie seemed to notice Locke but did not approach him. ("Further Instructions")

Adulthood: Paralysis[]

Having been conned by his father and rejected by the woman he loved, Locke entered a state of depression, began therapy, and started receiving government assistance. In 2000, he was approached by Peter Talbot, whose mother was engaged to Anthony Cooper. Suspicious, Locke contacted Cooper, threatening to expose him as a conman. Cooper initially agreed, but later had Peter killed. Cooper denied responsibility and said Mrs. Talbot had called off the wedding. When Locke asked to verify this information, Cooper directed to a phone in front of a glass window. As Locke reached for the phone, Cooper pushed him out, dropping him eight stories, breaking his back, and paralyzing him from the waist down. ("The Man from Tallahassee") He appeared dead until Jacob approached him and touched his shoulder. Locke gasped and opened his eyes. ("The Incident, Part 2")

In the hospital, Locke felt unable to enter his wheelchair, and broke down in tears at the sight of his immobile legs. ("The Man from Tallahassee") In rehab, an "orderly" named Matthew Abaddon told him to go on a walkabout, even though John could not walk. ("Cabin Fever")

Before Flight 815[]

Sometime after his injury, Locke worked for a box company, where he was treated poorly by his boss, Randy. Locke attempted to re-enact his failed relationship with Helen with a phone sex operator who went by the same name. He invited her on a trip to Australia, but she declined, destroying his fantasy and ending the "relationship." ("Walkabout")

Locke had stubbornly refused to allow his disability to affect the way he lived his life. He eventually decided to take Abaddon's advice and go on a walkabout tour in Australia to give himself a challenge. ("Cabin Fever") However, when he got there, the travel agent denied him access, because of his paralysis. He was left heartbroken, abandoned, and alone, as he watched the other people happily leave. ("Walkabout")

With no other options, he prepared to return to California aboard Flight 815. Much to his embarrassment, he had to be carried on to the plane by flight attendants. He was seated at the end of the row, in seat 24D. He briefly encountered Rose at the airport, not knowing that later he would share a knowing moment with her about the healing properties of the Island. ("Exodus, Part 3") ("S.O.S.")

On the Island[]

Days 1–44 (Season 1)[]

After the the crash of Flight 815, Locke was shocked to discover that he had regained his ability to walk. At first, he walked gingerly, unable to comprehend what was happening. However, within seconds, he was running to Jack's aid. Being able to walk again profoundly affected Locke, who, due to his self-expressed outlook as a "Man of Faith", believed that it was his destiny to be on the Island, and that everything was happening for a reason. ("Pilot, Part 1") ("Exodus, Part 2")

Locke was the first survivor to see the Monster; he was out tracking boar after separating from Michael and Kate, and the Monster came through the trees and appeared in front of him. ("Walkabout")

The next day, Locke saved Jack from falling off a cliff. The two conversed about Jack's possible hallucinations, and Locke compared the situation to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He also said that everything on the Island is happening for a reason. Lastly, Locke told Jack, "I looked into the eye of this Island, and what I saw...was beautiful." ("White Rabbit")

While checking out the caves, Jack and Kate found two bodies which Locke called "their very own Adam and Eve." Later, Locke and Charlie talked about Charlie's heroin problem. Locke offered Charlie his guitar in exchange for his drugs, and Charlie handed over the heroin. ("House of the Rising Sun")

Soon after this incident, Locke was responsible for beating Sayid unconscious and destroying his makeshift radio equipment which was being used to discover the origin of the distress signal. Locke kept this behavior a secret for a long time until he eventually admitted to Sayid what he had done. ("The Moth") ("The Greater Good")

During a trail hunt around the Island for the recently abducted Charlie and Claire, he threw a flashlight towards Boone, which he failed to catch and landed on a metal surface under the soil. This led to the discovery of the hatch, an event which would turn out to be pivotal in the lives of the survivors of Flight 815. He kept it secret from the rest of the castaways, and wanted Boone to do the same. However, Boone was not quite as strong-minded as Locke; he was prepared to tell all to Shannon, his sister. Locke drugged Boone, to stop him doing so and to convince himself to give up all other attachments. ("All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues") ("Hearts and Minds")

It was with Boone, also, that he discovered Claire, after her escape from the Staff. Locke showed his caring side when he built a cradle for Claire as a birthday present, out of materials he found on the Island. ("Special") ("Numbers")

Later, when the first raft was burnt, Locke gave a rousing but dishonest speech to the group blaming the Others even though he suspected Walt. He was eventually able to get Walt to confess to him. But Locke did not tell anyone else in the camp that Walt was responsible for burning the first raft. ("...In Translation")

But Locke still wanted to get into the Hatch. After spending a long time trying to think of a way to get into it, he constructed a trebuchet in a failed attempt to shatter the Hatch door's window and ended up becoming injured when shrapnel from the mechanism got lodged in his leg. Following this event, Locke had a vision. In it, he saw a Beechcraft crashing, as well as his mother pointing in its direction, and a blood-stained Boone. Also, he was confined back in his wheelchair, unable to move. The dream also mentioned a woman from Boone's past who had died from a fall. ("Deus Ex Machina")

This dream was a sign, because, with Boone, he managed to track the plane to its resting place in the canopy. His legs had appeared to steadily cease to function, reducing him to a crawl. This meant that Boone was required to climb up to the plane. Unfortunately, though, the plane tipped and fell, nose first, to the ground, and Boone was mortally injured. Locke returned to the camp with Boone's injured body, but fled back to the Hatch without telling Jack the true nature of Boone's injuries. Because he did not know the real problem, Jack was unable to save Boone, who died. ("Deus Ex Machina") ("Do No Harm")

At the Hatch, Locke explained that the Island told him what it wanted, and what he was to do next. He begged, and sobbed, pounding the door with his hands. After he did this, a light appeared in the window, before disappearing just as quickly. This seemed to re-affirm Locke's faith. ("Deus Ex Machina")

Locke returned to the camp at Boone's funeral, still wearing a shirt stained with Boone's blood. He was confronted violently by Jack who demanded some sort of explanation. He was calmed down however, and soon after, he told everybody about the Hatch. However, the death of Boone and his numerous deceptions cost him much of his credibility. Jack never fully trusted him again.

When Jack, Kate, Hurley and Rousseau traveled to the Black Rock to recover dynamite to blow the Hatch open, Locke was also part of the team. During this trek, Locke was seized by the "Monster" and was almost pulled into a pit by its smoky tendrils. The "Monster" was only repelled by Kate throwing dynamite into the pit, which caused the "Monster" to flee. During this event, Locke had asked Jack to allow the "Monster" to pull him in; he believed nothing would happen. ("Exodus, Part 1") ("Exodus, Part 2") ("Exodus, Part 3")

When they eventually reached the Hatch, armed with the dynamite, Locke was the one who lit the fuse, despite Hurley's protests. The Hatch door was blown open, and Locke and Jack stared down into the Hatch wondering what could be inside. ("Exodus, Part 3")

Days 44–67 (Season 2)[]

Upon entering the newly opened hatch (discovered to be the the Swan Station of the DHARMA Initiative), Locke was briefly held captive by Desmond, the operator of the station. When Desmond fled, Locke continued his job of entering the Numbers and pushing the button, which he believed was extremely important. He believed the button was so important he helped establish a rotation of the castaways for pushing the button, so it could be done efficiently. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith") ("Adrift") ("Orientation")

Later on, he discovered that Charlie had been hoarding heroin-filled statues from the Beechcraft, upsetting him because he considered it a breach of trust. Shortly after, he severely beat Charlie following Charlie’s kidnapping of Aaron, instigated by a series of delusions and subsequently became quite close to Claire in a fatherly manner (and made Charlie jealous of his good relationship with Claire). ("Abandoned") ("Fire + Water")

On day 49 following the crash, Locke was passing Paulo on the beach as Paulo appeared to be burying something (the diamonds). He provided some more words of wisdom about the Island, stating that "things never stay buried", and offering some advice on where to bury whatever he was burying further inland or up the beach, due to beach erosion. ("Exposé")

Due in part to the subtle manipulations of Ben Linus, who had been captured by the castaways while masquerading as "Henry Gale", Locke found himself at odds with Jack for "leadership" of the group and the role of decision-maker. He initially believed Ben's assertion that he was not one of the Others and called on Ben’s help when his leg was impaled by a blast door during an impromptu lockdown in the Hatch. He consequently promised to protect Ben from the other survivors. While he was impaled he discovered a hidden map drawn of the Island on the blast door. ("One of Them") ("Lockdown")

Following the revelation of Ben's deception, Locke was thrown into a state of self-doubt when Ben claimed that he never pushed the button and that nothing happened, though his faith in the Island's abilities was bolstered a bit with a conversation with Rose, who made it clear that she was also aware of the Island's healing properties. ("S.O.S.")

Shortly after Ben's escape from the Swan, Eko had a dream in which Ana Lucia and his brother Yemi told him to help Locke and to go to the "question mark". Eko asked Locke to help him find the escaped prisoner, but later in the jungle he told Locke that they are really in search of the "question mark." Locke refused to tell Eko what the question mark is, so Eko knocked him out with a headbutt. When Locke awoke, he showed Eko his sketch of the blast door map, and Eko decided that they must find the question mark as shown on the map. Then, they arrived at the Beechcraft in which Boone died. Locke mocked his past ideas and implied that he still blames himself for Boone's death. ("?")

That night Locke had a dream involving Yemi and Eko climbing the nearby cliff. He told Eko about it, and Eko climbed the cliff. When he got to the top he saw a question mark in the salted ground below. Originally, it was a circle but some of the grass had grown back and now resembled a question mark. Realizing that this was a sign indicating that the plane was on the spot where something was hidden, the two men dug under the plane and found another hatch.

The new hatch was another DHARMA station called the Pearl, containing a film which suggested that the act of pushing the button was nothing more than a psychological experiment. This information (along with Ben's false claim that he didn't push the button and nothing happened) shattered Locke's faith in the Island, while due to Eko's dream, Eko took away the opposite belief - that pushing the button was essential. ("?")

Later that day, Locke witnessed Charlie hurling the remaining heroin statues into the ocean. He also finally ripped off the splint supporting his leg, having fully recovered from his injury in the Swan station. ("Three Minutes")

Locke became determined to prove that the button was meaningless. He entered into a partnership with the returned Desmond who triggered a lockdown that shut Eko out of the Hatch, intending to wait until the countdown ended on the assumption that nothing would happen. While waiting for the timer to run out, Desmond read printouts from the Pearl and realized that the whole thing was legitimate due to a systems failure he remembered causing two months ago. When he then attempted to push the button, Locke smashed the computer in protest. As the countdown ended and the electromagnetic energy beneath the station began to build up, Locke spoke only three words—"I was wrong"—to Eko, who had made his way into the computer room. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 2")

Days 68–91 (Season 3)[]

After the implosion of the Swan, Locke woke up in the jungle with no voice. He made his way back to the beach and, with Charlie's assistance built a sweat lodge on the site of Eko's church. There he underwent a vision quest where he was reunited with a vision of Boone.

Boone took Locke on a vision quest through an airport where he saw many of the people on the Island, continually telling Locke he must "clean up [his] own mess." Locke soon realized that what Boone was trying to tell him was that he had to save Mr. Eko, since it was his opposition to Eko that caused the Hatch to implode. After his vision, Locke was able to speak again and convinced that Eko was carried off by a polar bear somewhere. Together he and Charlie found and rescued Eko.

After Hurley told them about Jack, Kate and Sawyer's capture, Locke made a speech declaring his intent to rescue them. Locke's later behavior cast doubts as to whether anything he said in the speech was honest. ("Further Instructions")

Locke, Sayid, Desmond, Nikki and Paulo then went after Eko to the Pearl station, to see if there was any opportunity to watch any other stations on the monitors, and perhaps locate Jack, Sawyer and Kate. They got signals on one of the monitors, and it showed a one-eyed man in a DHARMA suit (later revealed to be Mikhail Bakunin), in a room which contained a computer and other electrical equipment. The man understood they were watching, and turned the camera off, right before Locke said "I guess he'll be expecting us" - meaning he would find this possible station.

After that Locke, Desmond, Sayid, Nikki, and Paulo heard the Monster and went out to find Eko who had been attacked by the Monster. Eko died in Locke's arms after telling him "You're next". ("The Cost of Living")

Locke decided to bury Eko at the spot where he died. When Nikki asked why, Locke explained that there had been a lot of deaths and the other survivors could not take another one. Locke explained that he believed the "Monster" killed Eko for a reason, and that he wanted to find out what that reason was. Locke retrieved Eko's Jesus stick from the jungle in order to place it as a marker on Eko's grave. When the group buried Eko, Locke looked at Eko's stick and took special note of one particular bit of scripture carved on it: "Lift up your eyes and look north. John 3:05." Locke interpreted this as a message to himself and determined to go north on a bearing of 305 degrees. Though skeptical, Sayid accompanied him, as did Kate and Danielle. ("I Do") ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")

The compass bearing eventually led the team to the Flame station, where the group met Mikhail Bakunin, who initially claimed to be the last member of DHARMA Initiative, but was soon revealed to one of the Others. Locke quickly became absorbed in a computer chess game at the station, even leaving the subdued Mikhail unguarded to play it. Locke won the game and unlocked a sequence of commands. He entered "77" into the computer, ostensibly in response to an incursion by the "hostiles"; as a result soon after the team left the Flame with Mikhail as prisoner, the entire facility exploded. ("Enter 77")

Locke continued with Sayid, Kate and Danielle (with prisoner Mikhail in tow) toward the Barracks. When they encountered the sonic barrier, Locke decided to test it by pushing Mikhail between the posts. Mikhail thanked Locke and then got wounded by the sonic waves. Locke's decision to test the fence without consulting any of the other members of the expedition, which resulted in Bakunin's apparent death (it is not yet known whether or not Locke intended this to happen and could potentially have alerted The Others of their approach), and created tensions with them, particularly Sayid, who considered Mikhail his prisoner.

This tension was heightened even further when they discovered that Locke had sneaked some C-4 out of the Flame (even though he claimed that he had no knowledge of it beforehand, which was why he entered 77 into the computer). It became clear to everyone else that Locke was not trustworthy, had repeatedly lied to them, and had taken actions by himself without consulting the rest of the group which had resulted in destructive and fatal consequences. ("Par Avion")

At the Barracks, Locke went off to look for Ben leaving Kate and Sayid to rescue Jack by themselves.

Having found Ben, and seeing him for the first time since their last talk in the Swan Station, Locke confronted him. Ben revealed that he knew everything about Locke including how he ended up in a wheelchair. Locke asked Ben about the submarine that he had heard about from Mikhail, but was interrupted by Alex, whom he held as a hostage in Ben's closet as Richard Alpert came in to tell Ben that the Others had captured Kate and Sayid. After Richard left, Locke ordered Alex to retrieve the bag Sayid was carrying. Ben discussed Locke's former paralysis with him, asking him "Did it hurt?". Locke interpreted this as a reference to the fall that broke his back. Upon learning that Locke had been to the Flame, Ben realized that he may have brought the C-4 with him in the bag, and that he planned not to escape on the submarine but to blow it up in order to ensure that nobody could ever leave the Island.

Once again Ben started to manipulate Locke in a number of ways. First, he falsely took Locke into his confidence and told him that the submarine was important to his position as leader thus encouraging Locke to blow it up. He then started to share information about the Island with Locke, knowing that it would motivate Locke even further. Ben asked Locke to imagine a "magic box," that could make any of his wishes come true. Locke sarcastically responded to Ben that he hoped it would be big enough for him to wish himself a new submarine. Ben gradually shared other information with Locke. He told him that the submarine would be departing in a few hours and that it would not be able to come back. He explained that the only thing Locke would accomplish by destroying it would be to keep Jack on the Island. As a result Locke went through his plan and destroyed the submarine, after which he was soon captured by the Others.

Ben eventually revealed to Locke that destroying the submarine was a dream come true for him. That he wanted to keep Jack on the Island but had no way to do it by himself. He described Locke coming out of the jungle within hours of Jack leaving as the answer to his dreams. Ben arrived with Richard, and the two freed Locke, bringing him to a concrete door. Ben told Locke that he was special because of his relationship with the island and that Ben wanted to help him to know more about it. Ben told Locke that when he earlier asked about whether or not "it hurt," he was referring to if it hurt knowing his own father tried to kill him. He also told Locke that he believed he destroyed the submarine because the Island was the one place his father could never reach him and to cut the Island off from the outside world made this more certain. Ben then asked if Locke was ready to see what was in the box, and opened the door, revealing a bound and gagged Anthony Cooper. ("The Man from Tallahassee")

Locke was soon after released from captivity and decided to join the Others on a journey to an unspecified location. He went to say goodbye to Kate, who was held in the game room at the Barracks. After Kate told him he could not trust the Others if they promised to take him home, Locke responded that he did not want to go home. He then told Kate that he had made a strong case for her to stay with the Others but "forgiveness was not one of their strong suits". He left the Barracks along with all of the Others. ("Left Behind")

Accompanying the Others, Locke made way to the ruins, where Cooper was being tied to a large pillar. Cindy revealed to Locke that the Others were very "excited" about him being there, and that they have been waiting for him. Later, Ben told Locke that he was special and the minute he arrived, Ben began to feel pins and needles in his previously numb legs, but to show his commitment (and in turn have Ben reveal the island's secrets), Locke had to kill his father. That night Ben brought Locke to the pillar, giving him a knife and taunting him in order to try to make him kill Cooper in front of the rest of the camp. Despite his father's responsibility for ending him up in a wheelchair, Locke did not have the will to kill him. Consequently, Ben announced that he was not who they thought he was. Richard gave a file to Locke the next day, saying that Ben was trying to make him seem weak, and suggesting that there may be another way to kill Cooper.

Later, Locke read a file on another survivor inside the Black Rock. He went back to the beach camp for Sawyer and told him that he had kidnapped Ben, and that he wanted Sawyer to kill him. Locke took Sawyer to the Black Rock and led him inside to the brig, where Sawyer was locked inside by Locke, and discovered it was not Ben whom Locke was holding captive, but Anthony Cooper. After Sawyer discovered that Cooper was the original Sawyer who conned his parents, he brutally murdered him out of vengeance. When Locke entered the brig and found his father dead, he thanked Sawyer for killing him. Outside the Black Rock, Locke revealed to Sawyer that Juliet was a mole, and gave him the tape as proof. Locke then picked up Cooper's body and walked to the Other's camp. ("The Brig")

Having delivered his father's body to the Others, Locke demanded to be initiated into the secrets of the island. After some wrangling, he convinced Ben to take him to see Jacob. When he and Ben reached Jacob's cabin, Locke initially could not see or hear Jacob, but as he was about to leave, Locke heard a voice say "Help me", which was presumably Jacob's, following which there was a bout of poltergeist-like behavior with the furniture and Ben was tossed around the cabin. Seeing all that, Locke quickly left the cabin. The next day, Ben led Locke to the open grave of the DHARMA employees who were killed in the Purge, and then shot Locke in the abdomen, knocking him into the pit. After learning what Jacob had said to him, Ben walked away, apparently leaving him to die in the mass grave. ("The Man Behind the Curtain") However, the bullet went through Locke's body where his kidney once was (by Locke's own estimation). ("Confirmed Dead")

Locke woke up sometime later in the grave, unable to move his legs. Despondent and in pain, he was about to shoot himself with a gun he found on one of the corpses, when suddenly Walt appeared on the edge of the pit, telling him that he could move his legs and that he had work to do. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1")

Locke reached the radio tower just as Naomi was making the call to her ship. He threw a knife at her, hitting her in the back. Jack picked up the phone, and Locke asked with him not to contact the ship. Jack refused, and Locke threatened to kill him, but was ultimately unable to. Locke told Jack that he was not supposed to do this. After Jack used the phone to call the ship, Locke walked away from the tower looking extremely disappointed with Jack's decision. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 2")

Days 91–100 (Season 4)[]

Locke found Hurley screaming for help after he discovered Jacob's cabin. Hurley told Locke about Charlie's death and the general situation. Locke stated that if they allowed Jack to contact the people on the boat, then Charlie would have died for nothing.

When Locke and Hurley reached the cockpit where the other survivors were meeting, Sayid argued with Locke about his true intentions, mainly about the fact he blew up the submarine. As the radio tower group arrived at the cockpit, Jack sneaked up on him, knocked him to the ground, grabbed the gun and aimed at Locke's head. Locke assured Jack that he would not shoot him, any more than he would shoot Jack. However, Jack pulled the trigger in anger only to discover the chamber was empty. Jack began to beat Locke and was pulled off him by the rest of the survivors.

Locke informed everyone that the people coming to the Island were the bad guys, and that if they wanted to live they needed to come with him. His intentions were for them to go to the Barracks, as the Others abandoned them. Jack argued, saying that Locke was insane and only crazy people would leave with him. Though many people were loyal to Jack, some chose to leave with Locke: Hurley, Claire, Ben, Danielle, Karl, Alex, Sawyer, and a few other minor survivors. Locke and his group then left the cockpit to go to the Barracks. ("The Beginning of the End")

Before going to the Barracks, Locke told his group that they had to take a "detour" to a cabin. He was surprised when Hurley made a comment suggesting that he saw the cabin (in a place it was not supposed to be). He explained to Sawyer that he was told to go to the cabin by Walt, who also told him that the people on the freighter were bad and that Naomi needed to be stopped. When pressed, Locke said that he did not question what he was told because Walt saved his life. He informed the others about being shot and left for dead by Ben. Sawyer did not believe that Locke would heal so quickly from being shot, so Locke showed him the wounds from the bullet going right through him, and said that he probably would have died if he still had a kidney in that area.

A short time later, Locke told Sawyer that they could not kill Ben because he had information about the island they needed. A skeptical Sawyer warned Locke that Ben probably already had a plan to undermine the survivors. Locke's group then found Charlotte in the jungle. When she revealed that she had a transponder so other members of her team could find her, Locke told her that they did not want to be found, and tied the transponder to Vincent to ensure that they would not be tracked. He took Charlotte hostage, but Ben took a gun from Karl and shot her (though she turned out to be wearing a bulletproof vest). Locke told Sawyer that he was right about Ben, and was preparing to shoot him (despite protests from Alex and Claire), when Ben offered him information). Locke demanded to know what the monster was, to which Ben replied that he did not know, but started instead reciting information about Charlotte and the rest of her team. Ben told Locke that they were a threat, and revealed that they came to the Island looking for him, as well as the fact that he has a spy on the boat. ("Confirmed Dead")

Later that day Locke and his faction found the circle of ash, but Locke was unable to locate Jacob's cabin. When Hurley asked if they could let Charlotte go, Locke argued, threatening him and stating that he was the leader. They then journeyed to the barracks, where Locke's faction tied up Hurley and put him in Juliet's closet. He then captured Sayid and put him in the gameroom with Ben. He later went into the gameroom to talk with Sayid, and traded Charlotte, whom he had been unsuccessful in questioning, for Miles. ("The Economist")

The next day he made breakfast for Ben, but Ben belittled him so badly that Locke withdrew the breakfast tray, shattering it against the wall. Kate came to Locke's house later, asking to see Miles. Locke refused, stating that he was not running a democracy. Later, Sawyer went to his house, and offered to play backgammon. Sawyer then revealed to Locke that Kate was planning to break Ben out. They ran to see if Ben was with Miles, but Miles was gone. They intercepted Kate and Miles down in the basement, and Locke told Kate to return to her house. He then banished her from the group, and told her to leave by morning. Locke later questioned a strung-up Miles in the boathouse. He introduced himself by name and said that he was "responsible for the well-being of the island." Locke then shoved a live grenade in Miles' mouth and left him, telling him to "enjoy his breakfast". ("Eggtown")

Locke later revealed to Claire that he had made no progress in trying to get Miles to speak up, and Claire asked to speak to Miles herself, only to be denied by Locke. Locke then took Ben another meal only to be taunted once more. Locke kept his cool this time however, and ultimately the two made a deal for Ben to tell Locke everything he knows about the Freighter, in exchange for his freedom. Locke agreed after Ben claimed to have visual evidence, and Ben went on to show Locke that the owner of the boat was Charles Widmore, and also revealed to Locke that his "man on the boat" was Michael. Locke held up his end of the bargain as well, as Ben was later seen walking into his own house freely. ("The Other Woman")

Locke held a meeting at his house to inform everyone of everything he knew about Ben and the crew of the Kahana. He made Miles confess that his team was traveling to the Island to find Ben, and Ben revealed in turn that Michael was his spy on the freighter. After the meeting, Sawyer confronted Locke and demanded to know why Miles wanted $3.2 million from Ben. Locke replied that he did not consider this to be an important issue, apparently believing that Ben did not have access to such a large amount of money. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")

While playing a board game with Sawyer and Hurley, Locke answered a phone call. The voice on the other side repeated "code 14-J" over and over. After deliberating over what to do, Locke and Sawyer went to tell Ben what had happened, which left Ben grabbing a hidden gun and yelling "They're here!". Ben led Locke back to his house and told Locke if he wanted to live, Ben was his best chance, and that Ben needed Locke to survive the attack. Once inside the two began to block off the door. When Ben brought everyone outside to see the Monster attacking the mercenaries, he told Locke he had to say goodbye to his daughter and that he would catch up with him. When Ben reunited with what remained of Locke's group, he told them that they had to go to Jacob, at which point Sawyer decided he had had enough with the "wackos" and was going back to the beach, along with Claire and Miles. Locke argued that they were going to keep Hurley, to which Sawyer agreed, saying if Locke got Hurley hurt Sawyer would kill him. Locke, Ben, and Hurley then set off to visit Jacob. ("The Shape of Things to Come")

After walking the whole day, Locke decided to make camp. At night he had a strange dream, in which Horace Goodspeed asked Locke to find him, commenting that Jacob has been waiting for him for a really long time. After that Locke made his way to the mass grave, where he found Goodspeed's corpse. In his pocket Locke found a map to the cabin, which he immediately followed with Ben and Hurley, successfully. Both refused to enter the cabin though, and Ben told Locke that his (Ben's) time as the leader was over and Locke's time had begun. Inside the cabin, Locke found Christian Shephard and, much to his surprise, Claire, who seemed to act very strange to him. Christian, speaking on the behalf of Jacob, said to Locke that all minor questions he had would very soon not matter since the freighter people were already on the way back, and convinced Locke to ask the only question that really mattered. Locke asked "How do I save the Island?" and by the reaction of both Christian and Claire it was clear that he asked the right question, as the answer turned out to be that Jacob wanted Locke and his group to move the Island. ("Cabin Fever")

Locke, Ben, and Hurley then moved on through the jungle to the Orchid station, the only place, according to Ben, where they could move the island. When Ben found a hidden case at a rock formation, Locke insisted that he open it himself. Locke looked through the binoculars he found inside, while Ben communicated with someone with a mirror.

Locke questioned Ben about who he was talking to. Ben refused to tell Locke, and they continued on. The three then reached the Orchid, where they found that Keamy's team had made it there first. Ben gave Locke very specific instructions on what to do once inside the station (involving finding a secret elevator to the real station), handed him his telescopic baton, and then surrendered himself while Locke and Hurley looked on helplessly. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")

An hour after Ben surrendered himself, Locke attempted to follow Ben's directions, but was unable to enter the station due to his limited botanical knowledge. Jack then appeared, confronting Locke. Locke tried to talk Jack into staying on the Island, believing that Jack had brought there for a reason, but Jack was adamant about going home. As a result, Locke told Jack to lie about everything that happened since the crash to protect the Island, but Jack argued that it did not need protection. On the other hand, Locke still believed it was a place where miracles happened, despite Jack's disbelief in such things. Ben then appeared, and accompanied Locke into the elevator which led down into the Orchid. Upon arrival, Locke had many questions, which Ben answered by instructing Locke to watch the Orchid Orientation video. As Locke watched the video, Ben began throwing all metal objects into a "vault," despite the fact that Edgar Halliwax instructed viewers of the tape specifically not to put any metallic objects in it. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 2")

Soon after, Keamy arrived in the station, wounded but not killed from being shot by Richard. Locke confronted him, looking for a peaceful solution to the conflict. However, Keamy admitted he was never one for negotiation and earlier warned Ben that his dead man's trigger would set off 500 pounds of C-4 on the freighter, killing a lot of innocent people. Ben then attacked Keamy, to Locke's protest, stabbing him in the heart repeatedly. Despite Locke's attempts to save Keamy, (Locke cared for the people on the freighter who would die as a result of Keamy's death, not Keamy himself) Keamy died, triggering the freighter to explode. Ben then turned on the vault, causing an explosion from within. Ben then put on a parka, instructing Locke not to follow, because whoever moved the island could never come back. He instructed Locke to go back to The Others' camp and take his place as their leader. Locke did so, and was welcomed by Richard. Before this, Ben apologized to Locke for making his life so miserable. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 3")

Time flashes (Season 5)[]

After the white flash, Locke found that the Others had vanished, and rain had replaced the clear weather. Locke witnessed the Nigerian Beechcraft plane crash onto the Island and ran into Ethan, who shot him in the leg. Another flash took him to 2007, where Richard cleaned his wound and instructed him to leave the island. This mission would be a sacrifice, said Richard - Locke had to die. The next time shift took Locke to 1954, where Locke saved James and Juliet from two men and when Locke realized the attackers were Others, he killed one and he let one go. He then tracked him to the Others' camp and spoke with Richard, convincing him to monitor young Locke off-island. ("Because You Left") ("The Lie") ("Jughead")

Another flash came, and Locke led the survivors toward the Orchid to fix what was the matter. Several flashes occurred on the way, and Locke saw himself banging at the Hatch, paddled in a canoe from others with guns and finally ran into a time-traveling Jin. Jin convinced Locke not to try to fetch Sun. Locke descended into a well that stood at the Orchid site, injuring his leg when another flash severed his rope. A man below confirmed Locke had to die and directed him toward the frozen wheel. Locke turned it, stopping the flashes and vanishing from the Island. ("The Little Prince") ("This Place Is Death")

Post-Island (Season 5)[]

As Jeremy Bentham[]

After turning the wheel, John Locke was transported to Tunisia in 2007. Left unable to move from his leg injury, John was finally picked up that night by local representatives of Charles Widmore. Locke was taken to a field hospital where his compound fracture was painfully reset--eventually passing out from the pain. Upon regaining consciousness, Locke found himself face to face with Widmore himself. Widmore confided in Locke that he too had been "exiled" from the Island by Ben, and this was how he knew where to find him. Widmore assumed that Locke was exiled by Ben as well, but Locke corrected him, saying that he left voluntarily, to bring his friends back to the Island. Locke questioned why Widmore should want Locke and the others back on the Island. Widmore said that there was a war coming and if Locke was not back, the "wrong side" was going to win. Later, during the daytime, Widmore and Locke sat outside the hospital and Widmore told Locke that he would help him find the Oceanic Six. Promising to do whatever necessary to keep him safe during the course of his mission, Widmore gave him the alias Jeremy Bentham and left the services of Matthew Abaddon at his disposal.

With Widmore's resources, Locke began contacting those who had previously been on the Island: Sayid, Walt, Hurley, and Kate. He failed to convince any of them to return to the Island, other than Walt, whom he did not ask. He and Abaddon then visited Helen's grave. While there an assailant brutally gunned down Abaddon, and Locke fled in terror. He crashed his car and awoke in Jack's hospital. Jack, far from pleased to see him, dismissed Locke's claims that they should return to the Island, and of their destiny, with increasing hostility. When Locke mentioned Jack's father, Jack countered that his father was dead, and severely warned Locke to leave him and the Oceanic Six alone.

Death[]

A month after he visited Jack, Locke entered his hotel room at the Westerfield Hotel with a bag containing a new extension cord. Having failed to convince any of the Oceanic Six that he visited to return to the Island, Locke intended to commit suicide. He wrote a final note to Jack, hoping that if he could convince him, then all the others would follow Jack to the Island. Locke then tied the extension cord around the base of the radiator in his room and looped it through a rafter and around his neck. Just as he was preparing to step off the table supporting him, Ben entered the room and convinced Locke not to kill himself, exclaiming that he had no idea how important he was. Ben revealed, confirming Locke's suspicions, that he had killed Abaddon -- Ben claiming that he was doing so to protect him. Ben was able to finally convince Locke to save himself when he told him Jack bought a plane ticket to Sydney -- that he was not a failure. With new hope, Locke told Ben about Eloise Hawking. Upon hearing this name mentioned, Ben abruptly strangled Locke to death with the extension cord. ("The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham") According to the Man in Black, Locke felt confused while Ben was strangling him, and his last thoughts were "I don't understand." ("LA X, Part 1")

Post-death[]

Off Island[]

After murdering John Locke, Ben carefully posed him to make the death appear to be a hanging suicide, cleaning the room of any fingerprints or forensic evidence. As he left the room he said, solemnly "I'll miss you, John." ("The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham")

Jack first learned of John's death from a newspaper article on a flight home from Singapore. The news devastated him, and he spent several days trying to call Kate to go to the funeral with him. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1") When John was later laid out for a viewing at a funeral home, in the name Jeremy Bentham, Jack was the only person to attend. ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 2") Later that night, Jack broke into the funeral home to look at John's body, and was startled by Ben who was also in the room. As Jack left Locke's coffin, Ben mentioned that if Jack wanted to return to the Island he would need everyone to come too, including John's corpse. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 3").

Later, in a motel room, when asked by Jack if John was actually dead inside the coffin, Ben did not answer. Ben kept John's coffin and body at Simon’s Butcher Shop under Jill's care. ("The Lie") Jack later turned up to take the body, putting a pair of his father's shoes on John. He checked the coffin on Flight 316 claiming he was a friend of the deceased. The coffin and body were on board the plane when it crashed back upon the Island. ("316")

On Island[]

Upon Flight 316's landing on the Hydra Island, The Man in Black posed as a resurrected Locke and infiltrated the Others, assuming leadership. After leading Ben and Richard to the Beechcraft airplane to give the real, time-skipping John Locke the compass, he returned to the Others' camp and led them, along with Sun and Ben, to the statue of Taweret with the purpose of having Ben kill Jacob. When Ilana arrived at the remains of the statue, she emptied the contents of her large crate for the Others to see. Inside was the body of the real John Locke from the plane's cargo hold. Meanwhile The Man in Black, still in John's form, had Ben kill Jacob for him. ("Follow the Leader") ("The Incident, Part 2")

Having succeeded at killing Jacob, the Man in Black instructed Ben to get Richard so that they could "talk." Richard refused to speak with the imposter, showing Ben the real John's body. ("LA X, Part 1") Ben now knowing of The Man in Black's betrayal, unwillingly returned to the statue and witnessed the killings of Bram and his men. The impersonator then revealed to Ben that he was indeed "the monster." He later informed Ben of how confused John had been at the moment of his death (His last thought apparently being "I don't understand.") and of how pathetic and broken John was before coming to the island, though he admitted that John's wish to remain on the island was admirable. The great irony was that the Man in Black wanted what Locke didn't: he wanted to go "home." ("LA X, Part 2")

Before Ilana's group left the statue, Sun said they needed to bury John.

While Ben, Ilana, Frank, and Sun brought Locke’s body to be buried at the survivors' grave site, Ben asked Ilana why she brought John's body to the statue. Ilana responded that she needed to show the others what they were up against. Ben then asked why the Man in Black wouldn’t just change forms again, and Ilana replied that the Man in Black was now stuck in Locke’s form.

At the survivors' burial ground overlooking the sea, the group dug a grave and put Locke's body in it. Ilana asked if anyone wanted to say anything, and Ben, with some reluctance, said that he knew John, that John was a "believer, a man of faith," and that he was "a much better man than [he] will ever be". He added that he was "very sorry [he] murdered him," which took Sun and Ilana by surprise. ("The Substitute")

Some time later, the Man in Black explained to Jack that he had chosen the body of Locke, because Locke was stupid enough to think he was on the Island for a reason and that he pursued that idea until it got him killed. He added that John Locke was not a believer but a sucker. ("The Last Recruit")

Before going to the submarine the Man in Black asked Jack to reconsider his decision not to leave, explaining that whoever told him to stay had no idea what he was talking about. Jack said, "John Locke told me I needed to stay," and pushed him off the dock and into the water. ("The Candidate")

While lowering Desmond down to the Source, the Man in Black asked Jack if it reminded him of the time that the two had argued about pushing the button in the hatch. Jack accused the Man in Black of disrespecting the memory of John Locke by wearing his face and stated that the real Locke was right about almost everything, but the Man in Black still believed the real Locke was wrong and assumed Jack would realize that once the Island was destroyed. When Desmond unplugged the Source, the Man in Black realized that he made himself mortal and was punished for underestimating Locke (as well as killing Sayid, Jin and Sun) when Kate shot him in the back and Jack kicked him off the cliff to his death. ("The End")

Flash sideways[]

John Locke was paralyzed, after accidently crashing a plane he was flying. At some point, Locke became engaged to Helen Norwood, and they were living together. Locke's reason for traveling on Oceanic flight 815 did not change.

Oceanic Flight 815 and LAX[]

On the flight, John read a safety brochure. Boone, sitting nearby, told him that the brochure would not be of any use if the plane went down. The two shared their reasons for flying: Boone was in Australia to get his sister out of a bad relationship, but she didn't want to come back with him; Locke said he went on a walkabout for ten days in the Australian outback. Impressed, Boone said he would stick with Locke if the plane went down. ("LA X, Part 1")

Upon arrival in Los Angeles, Locke discovered that Oceanic Airlines had misplaced his case of knives that had been checked in as baggage. While filling out paperwork for the lost luggage, he met Jack Shephard. Jack told Locke that Oceanic lost his father, meaning his coffin. Locke replied that Oceanic had lost Jack's father's body, but not his father. Jack inquired about Locke's paralysis, and John told him that his condition was irreversible. Jack retorted that nothing was irreversible and offered Locke a free consultation, giving him his business card. ("LA X, Part 2")

As a substitute teacher[]

When Locke returned home, the wheelchair lift on his van malfunctioned. He tried to get down one his own and fell out of his wheelchair, triggering the lawn's sprinklers. His fiance, Helen, brought him in and asked how about the conference he supposedly attended for work. Locke lied and told her it went well, then professed his love for her. ("The Substitute")

Later, at work, John's boss Randy confronted him about what Locke actually did on his company-paid trip to Australia. Locke tried to lie to him but was caught. Randy fired him. At his car, Locke was blocked in by the person parked next to him; he was not in a handicapped spot. Enraged, he slammed the rear of the other car, which activated the alarm. Its owner, Hugo Reyes, came out of the building. After a minor argument, Locke told him that he had just been fired by Randy. Calling Randy a "huge douche", Hugo gave him the number of a temp employment agency he owned. ("The Substitute")

At the temp agency, Locke refused to take a banal standard personality test. He met with the agency's manager, and asked to be given a job as site operator for a construction company. The manager, Rose, suggested that this would be a poor fit for him, and asked John to "get real." Locke asked what she knew about reality, at which point she revealed she had terminal cancer. Locke considered her words and ended up taking a job as a substitute teacher.

The next day, at Washington Tustin High School, Locke subbed for a physical education class and a health class, then went to the faculty lounge for lunch. There he met Ben Linus, a history teacher who made quick friends with John. ("The Substitute") Later, when he overheard a conversation between Ben and a fellow teacher, Locke suggested that Ben become the school principal. Ben asked, "Who's going to listen to me?" Locke raised his hand and replied, "I'm listening." ("Dr. Linus")

Sometime later Desmond Hume deliberately ran down John in his car while John was crossing the school's parking lot in his wheelchair. Ben, who witnessed the incident, ran over to John and shouted for someone to call an ambulance. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")

Locke, accompanied by Ben, was brought to St. Sebastian Hospital. As Locke's gurney was wheeled inside, he passed by a wounded Sun, who appeared to recognize Locke and be frightened of him. Once inside, Locke was prepped for surgery, and Jack was called in to operate on him. ("The Last Recruit")

The surgery was a success, and Jack also took a look at the cause of Locke's paralysis. After the surgery, Jack went to visit John in the post-surgical care unit, where John, still groggy from his surgery, muttered, "Push the button" and "I wish you had believed me." Once Locke awakened, Jack informed him that he believed Locke was a candidate for a new surgery with minimum risk that could help cure his paralysis. However, Locke declined the surgery, and Helen arrived, relieved that he was okay.

As he was leaving the hospital, John passed Jin and was then approached by Jack, who wanted to say goodbye. Jack explained that he had visited Locke's father, and Locke was not pleased. Locke admitted blaming himself for putting his father into a vegetative state. He told Jack that he had come to accept his paralysis as punishment for causing his father's condition. Jack again tried to convince Locke to get the surgery, but Locke laughed lightly and said goodbye. Jack called after him, saying, "I wish you had believed me." Locke paused briefly before leaving as if he recognized what Jack had just said. ("The Candidate")

Locke returned to the school and was welcomed back warmly by his co-workers. He wheeled into the teachers lounge and found a bloody-faced Ben, who had been in a fight with the same guy who ran Locke down. He told Locke that while he was being beaten he "saw" something. Ben told Locke that the man, Desmond, had told him that he was trying to get Locke to "let go," not to hurt him, and that for some reason he believed Desmond. ("What They Died For")

Surgery and awakening[]

Later, John stopped by Jack's office. He remarked that he and Jack were on the same flight from Sydney, how of "all the doctors in Los Angeles," Jack happened to be the one to treat his injuries from being hit by a car. John went on to tell Jack that, earlier that day, the same man who had run him down in the car beat up one of John's co-workers, and the co-worker said that he wasn't there to hurt John, but to help him "let go." He added that maybe this was all happening for a reason, and Jack was "supposed" to fix him. Jack suggested that John was "mistaking coincidence with fate." John replied that whatever it was called, he was ready to get out of his wheelchair. Before the surgery, he says to Jack that, regarding the findings of his father's coffin, he hopes it brings him peace. Jack replies that if he can fix Locke it will be all the peace he needs.

After the operation, Locke revealed to Jack that he could feel his legs again. Wiggling his toes, he is overcome with memories of his life on the Island. He asked Jack if he saw the same vision, but Jack just says that he needs to get to his son. Locke tells Jack that he has no son, and he hopes someone can do for Jack what Jack just did for him.

As John approached the church where everyone is gathering, he passes Ben sitting outside. Ben tells Locke that he isn't ready to go inside yet. Ben tells Locke how deeply sorry he is for killing him, he wanted what John had. Locke asks "what did I have?" but says to Ben that he forgives him. Ben then tells Locke that he thinks he no longer needs to be in his chair. Locke warmly agrees and gets up, walking into the church after exchanging a goodbye with Ben. When Jack arrived, Locke walked up to Jack, saying "we've all been waiting for you." He sits in the pew adjacent to Jack and Kate at the front just before Christian Shephard allows the light to engulf the church allowing them to all move on. ("The End")

Name reference to philosopher John Locke[]

John Locke (August 29, 1632 – October 28, 1704) was an English philosopher. Locke is considered the first of the British Empiricists, but is equally important to social contract theory. John Locke, the philosopher, met prominent English politician, Anthony Cooper, in 1666 at Oxford. Locke persuaded Cooper to undergo an operation for his liver infection that saved his life. In LOST, Anthony Cooper came to Locke with a kidney problem and Locke donated his own kidney to save his life.

More about the philosopher: His ideas had enormous influence on the development of epistemology and political philosophy, and he is widely regarded as one of the most influential Enlightenment thinkers and contributors to liberal theory. His writings influenced Voltaire and Rousseau, many Scottish Enlightenment thinkers, as well as the American revolutionaries. This influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence. Locke's theory of mind is often cited as the origin for modern conceptions of identity and "the self", figuring prominently in the later works of philosophers such as David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Immanuel Kant. Locke was the first philosopher to define the self through a continuity of "consciousness." He also postulated that the mind was a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa"; that is, contrary to Cartesian or Christian philosophy, Locke maintained that people are born without innate ideas. [1]

"Tabula Rasa," the title of a first season episode, is the name John Locke gave to the philosophical position that human beings are born without innate knowledge. It translates to "Blank Slate." It is also important to note that the concept of tabula rasa, as understood by John Locke (the philosopher), emphasizes that man "authors his own soul". It contradicts the character of Locke, who has a preoccupation with being the "chosen one", which encompasses fate, destiny and having your future already written for you.

Philosopher John Locke's 1693 publication "Some Thoughts Concerning Education", offered his lobby for not binding babies in swaddling. In contrast, John offered Claire advice in season 2's episode 6 "Abandoned," on the advantages of wrapping Aaron in swaddling.

The philosopher John Locke had ideas concerning leadership. In his opinion, no one is destined to be a slave or a leader. Rather, anyone can gain the properties required for leading. However, if one wants to overthrow the current leader and become the new leader, it cannot be done without exterminating the current leader.

Main article: Philosophy

Life experiences[]

Locke had at least one significant life experience in common with virtually every key plane crash survivor or island inhabitant.

Jack: lost their loves because of their failure to let go of their obsessive behaviors; both see their fathers on the island; both attempted suicide after leaving the Island

Kate: planned and ultimately responsible for the deaths of their fathers

Sawyer: had their lives severely damaged by Anthony Cooper

Hurley: abandoned by fathers; both of them are "special"; worked a series of dead end jobs, both were the employee of Randy Nations, coincidentally Locke is ultimately employed by a company Hurley owns

Sayid: when forced to question their loyalties (Sayid, to the Republican Guard, Locke to the commune), commit betrayals

Charlie: got rid of their demons on the island

Jin: embarrassed about their parentage, unwanted by their mothers

Sun: manipulated by their fathers

Claire: abandoned by fathers who wanted no part in raising them; their fathers appear on the island

Shannon: denied their fair share of their fathers' wealth

Boone: conned by a relative; were sacrificed for the benefit of the island

Michael: injured in an accident requiring a lengthy period of rehab; have both attempted suicide after leaving the island

Walt: singled out in childhood as "special" by the Others

Rose: healed by the island, and decided to never leave

Nikki: plans someone's death, but manipulates someone else into carrying it out

Paulo: frequently smokes cigarettes but quits at the behest of his girlfriend

Eko: had lengthy encounters with the smoke monster; involved with illegal drug trade

Ana Lucia: required psychological counseling to deal with their anger issues

Libby: both helped complete strangers, seemingly pure of heart

Desmond: initially embarked on a physical adventure challenge but did not accomplish their goals; humiliated to their face by father-figures

Ben: born prematurely to a mother named Emily, but not raised by their mothers; Both have been chosen by the Island to protect it; Richard visits them both at a very young age; Both of them are special; Both planned the death of their fathers; Both have been/are leaders to The Others; Neither wanted to leave the Island, but were forced to do so anyway, via the frozen wheel

Juliet: actively recruited under false pretenses by Richard Alpert for Mittelos to do work in "Portland"

Charlotte: Both were searching for where they came from; were shot by Benjamin Linus with the intent of killing them

Miles: Grew up without knowing father, mother avoided giving answers.

Daniel: Both were manipulated by their parents; recruited by Charles Widmore to carry out a specific task; killed by a leader of the Others.

Ilana: visited by Jacob when severely injured/ailing.

Richard: Left the Island to try and convince other people to come to it, but failed on their initial attempts.

Frank: Returned to the Island on Flight 316, but did not buy a ticket for the flight (Locke was dead, Frank was the pilot).

Jacob: Both were murdered by Ben; both considered leaders of the Others.

Man in Black: Both had crazy mothers; both lost loved ones in their lives; both are portrayed by Terry O'Quinn.

Trivia[]

Locke's total episode count is 101 (as of the final episode "The End"), and his death occurred on his 79th appearance.

However, some of his appearances, consist of both his flash sideways counterpart, and also the Man in Black, who has been mimicking his form since Season 5.

Locke only appeared in archive footage in "Across the Sea" - from a scene in "House of the Rising Sun".

He is the fifth most-frequently appearing character behind Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer.

Not counting the epilogue, Locke has the final line in the series: "We've been waiting for you".

Locke became the fifth and last character to appear in 100 episodes, after Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer.

Locke was the only main character to die in America.

Locke was the eleventh main character to be killed.

Locke was born in 1956, but Everyday (The Buddy Holly song playing at the beginning of "Cabin Fever") was not released until 1957.

Locke was the fourth character to ever have a flashback.

When Locke's first flashback in "Walkabout" cuts away, the "whoosh" sound does not accompany the transition. Instead, it is the sound of a printing calculator. This sound is very reminiscent of a sound the Smoke Monster makes and a possible allusion to the relationship Locke has with the Smoke Monster later in the series (i.e. the Smoke Monster takes on Locke's form in Season 5). The sound of the monster was in fact taken from a NYC taxi receipt printer.

Locke holds the record on the show for the most flashbacks, 16.

He is one of only two characters to have a flashback postmortem, the other being Naomi. He is also the only character to have a post-mortem flash sideways episode dedicated to him.

He also holds the record for most post-mortem flashbacks and appearances.

Locke along with Sun and Jin are only characters who were credited as main cast in all six seasons but did not make appearances in all Season 1 episodes.

Locke has met all of the main characters except Frank, Pierre, Eloise and Ilana.

Ironically, both Frank and Ilana were two of the four people at Locke's funeral, despite never meeting.

Locke managed to see Daniel for the first time across a large field on the island in "Jughead", even though they had both been on the island for ten days.

The Man in Black under the guise of John Locke has met both Lapidus and Ilana who originally believed him to be the real Locke.

Locke also met Penny in the flash-sideways timeline.

See also Last meetings of John Locke.

Locke was also aware of Eloise Hawking and Pierre Chang, the latter of whom he saw in the DHARMA Orientation videos.

Seasons 1, 2 and 3's nineteenth episodes have all dealt with a crash survivor discovering about Locke's paralysis.

In "Deus Ex Machina" (1x19) Boone finds out about it.

In "S.O.S." (2x19) Rose finds out about it.

In "The Brig" (3x19) Sawyer finds out about it.

John has a habit of injuring his legs, and has done so in every season before he died except the fourth.

In "Deus Ex Machina" from season 1, his leg is damaged by metal shrapnel, and later in the episode, he loses function in both legs. However, the paralysis disappears as suddenly and mysteriously as it had appeared.

In "Lockdown", his leg is crushed during the Lockdown procedure inside the Swan.

In "The Man Behind the Curtain", he is shot by Ben, and loses function in both legs. Just as in season 1, the paralysis disappears unexplained.

In "Because You Left", he is shot in the leg by Ethan Rom and in "This Place Is Death", he falls down a well on his way down to the Frozen Wheel, and fractures his leg.

Locke's seat number was 24D.

Locke was seated directly behind Rose and diagonally across from Jack.

The only plane survivors that discovered Locke's previous paralysis were Rose and Sawyer. It's likely that all of The Others knew about it, based on Cindy's comment that they were all 'excited' by him.

Locke, like Kate, is a Gemini.

Locke saw Jeff Hadley's art exhibition in Sydney in the book Signs of Life.

The name of the actor who played the Sleestak leader in Season Three of the 1970s TV show Land of the Lost was Jon Locke.

Locke's actions brought about the destruction of two DHARMA stations on the Island, the Swan and the Flame.

Locke likes Twinkies and dogs. As a teenager, Locke claimed his favorite hobbies were sports, fishing and cars. ("Cabin Fever") ("Walkabout") ("Par Avion")

While working as a Home Inspector he met Nadia, Sayid's lost love, inspecting her house. As it is seen in Locke's car door, his company phone number was 714-555-0116 ("Lockdown")

In "The Man from Tallahassee", Locke says, "For all you know, I was a commander in the Navy." Actor Terry O'Quinn had a recurring role as the CAG (Commander, Air Group) of a US Navy aircraft carrier on the television show JAG. His character's name was Admiral Thomas Boone.

Locke is the 3rd character to have three flashbacks in one season. Jack and Kate were the first two.

The Walt apparition, when Locke is injured in the DHARMA grave, admonishes him that he has "work to do". It is reminiscent of a scene from the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Shining, when Jack Nicholson's character is scolded in the restroom of the ballroom in the Overlook Hotel that he still has "work to do". ("Through the Looking Glass, Part 1")

A common nickname for people named John is "Jack" (John F. Kennedy was often called Jack). Locke's polar opposite on the series is named Jack.

In the DVD commentary for "The Man Behind the Curtain", the producers describe Locke's relationship with Ben as being a multi-chapter showdown for who will be the "Master of the Island."

His bald head, besides O'Quinn trademark, is a reminiscent of the look of Marlon Brando's Colonel Kurtz in the movie Apocalypse Now. Locke is called "Colonel" in his past job and "Kurtz" by Sawyer (Nicknames). The movie is an adaptation of Conrad's Heart of Darkness, and also is set in the jungle.

On an episode of The Colbert Report, in a segment called "Cheating Death" there is a fictional check made out to Jeremy Bentham.

After turning the wheel, Locke appeared in the Sahara around 2007. This means he skipped three years, and so in the present 2007/2008 time period he is still 48, despite being born in 1956.

The box company where Locke used to work was owned by Hurley.

After telling Desmond that he worked in a box company previous to coming to the Island, Desmond on a few occasions calls him 'Box-Man'.

The band .moneen. has a song on the album "The Red Tree" called "Don't Ever Tell Locke What He Can't Do."

Both Locke and his father were strangled to death, in a very similar fashion.

Locke is one of four characters to "move on" in the flash-sideways without being part of a couple. The other three are Boone, Christian and Aaron.

John is one of 22 main characters to have their names appear in a soundtrack title.

The picture Locke drew as a five year old is very similar to the scene where the Monster rushes out of the Heart of the Island in Across the Sea.

Last words: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, why, you know her?"

Witnesses of his death: Benjamin Linus

Paperwork[]

In one case paperwork pertaining to Locke shows his first name to be "Johnathan" (a form of "Jonathan"), which is actually a name completely unrelated to the name "John", the name his mother specified on the day of his birth. In reality, Jonathan is a form of the name "Nathan". John in its origin language Hebrew is Yochanan, while the name Johnathan in Hebrew (no relation to the name John) is Yonatan. John means "The Lord is Gracious" and Johnathan means "The Lord Has Given; Gift of God".

John's firearm license states that his birth date is November 15, 1946 and his driver's license has his birth date as March 30, 1956. Since he himself stated his birth date as May 30th, 1956 in "Jughead", the date from his firearm license is entirely wrong, and the driver's license states the wrong month. This could have been a production error, or possibly the firearm license was a forgery, meaning Locke was illegally in possession of the weapons.

The passport provided by Widmore for Jeremy Bentham states his birthdate as February 15, 1948, over eight years before he was born. However, since this was a fake for the purpose of his mission, it is entirely likely it was purposefully incorrect, as Widmore would have had access to the information of his birthdate.

John is bald in the driver's license photo, but at this point in his life he still had hair (or at least most of it). This could have been a production error, or maybe the character shaved his head before getting the photo taken. Alternatively, John could have applied for another driving license with a more updated photo on it, something normally only done after a major change in appearance.

On the gun permit/paperwork: his address is 25164 Franklin St, San Francisco 94099; his height is 5' 10"; his weight is 175 lbs.; his social security number is 553-45-2651; and his California employer account number is 625-4412-9.

A social security number decoding website reveals that the number [[1]] would have been issued in California in 1977, when Locke was 21 years old.[2]

The social security death index[3] returns no results for [[2]], indicating that, if the number was issued, the holder is living.

The log shows three hand guns, five shot guns (totaling eight) and four rifles.

Analysis of his Application for Disability Insurance shows:

John's mailing address as 168 San Juan St #201, Tustin, CA 92780.

The form also indicates that John ran a one-man business that involved "telephone sales." However, this is contradicted by the listing of three general partners—despite the organization type being marked as "individual" and not a "general partnership."

Kevin Tighe, the actor who played Anthony Cooper, is under 8 years older than Terry O'Quinn, despite how he was playing the father of Terry's character.

Additional casting[]

In the Season 4 episode "Cabin Fever", two actors played younger versions of Locke:

Charles Henry Wyson played Locke at age 5. The casting call referred to the part as Five-year-old boy. Caucasian, green eyes, sweet, shy, tentative and smart. Has to take a test and becomes nervous about passing. Nice Co-star.

Caleb Steinmeyer played Locke at age 16. The casting call referred to the part as Teenage boy. Plays as 16 or 17, Caucasian, green eyes. Angry, a little nerdy, defiant and rebellious. There's a lot more to this kid than meets the eye. Tries to fight back against older, stronger boys but is pushed into a locker. Nice Co-star. [4]

Unanswered questions[]

Unanswered questions

Do not answer the questions here.

Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer.

For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: John Locke/Theories

What is the explanation for the photo he drew as a boy that has an uncanny resemblance to the smoke monster?