What They Really Died For. A Look at Key Deaths From a Writing Standpoint by Robert Lee

Boone – Boone had to die so John Locke could mature as a character. Up to this point John had only played war games at work with a colleague during his lunch hour. Boone’s death made the ‘war games’ real for the first time. A decision John made led directly to the death of another person. His death also led directly to the emotional collapse of his sister.

Shannon would have been a great Hitchcock character. She is a person that we have all met at some point. She is the person who buries her fear, frustration, and lack of ability to adapt deeply, behind a thin veneer of self-indulgent actions and an air of arrogance. Shannon died in the story so we as the audience would feel the total polarization of the two camps from flight 815. The Tailies were fighting for their lives, while Sayid and Shannon were going on a romantic picnic. Her death added a tension to a meeting that could have been so joyous.

Leslie Arzt – Leslie was very simply a red-shirt. What is a red-shirt? A Red Shirt is a term from Star Trek:
From Wiki: Redshirt is a slang term for a minor stock character of an adventure drama who dies violently soon after being introduced in order to dramatize the dangerous situation experienced by the main characters.
He was introduced so he could die. They only gave him real character later.

The best Leslie Arzt Screen capture EVER is right here!!! http://ialwayshaveaplan.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/arzt.jpg

Mr. Eko, while a new and interesting character, seemed like filler while Jack had more important things to do than debate philosophies with John Locke. Eko, and his preacher stick, had no place in the story after the freighter storyline was conceived.

Charlie – Charlie had to die so the audience could understand the power of fate, purpose, and destiny in the Lost universe. It is clear now that if the universe wants you out, then you are out. It was also the beginning of Claire’s descent into crazytown.

Charlotte – Charlotte had to die so Daniel could change his mind with regards to his “Whatever happened happened” mantra. The loss of the woman he loved made him look within not for a scientific formula to resurrect her, but hope. He placed faith in science, and faith in variables. It was a bit of a reach, but it did pay off to some degree. His actions in the past, detonating Jughead, led to the sideways timeline and Charlotte once more being counted amongst the living.

Daniel Faraday – Daniel had to die to illustrate how much of a bitch time travel can be…
And sometimes that bitch can also be Daniel’s mom Eloise… When she shoots him…

Sun and Jin – Died to pave the Way for Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley. Their death fuels the rage that the remaining castaways feel as they walk towards the end of the show. It gives them a reason to pull the trigger.

Sayid died to re-establish the grey zone again. This show has always been very grey in terms of right and wrong. Sawyer kills, but is considered a good guy. Jack is a pill popping alcoholic doctor. John Locke is a philosophical leader apple crate preaching about the ‘goodness’ of the island, yet stabs Naomi in the back, arranges his father’s murder, etc. etc.… Sayid desiring redemption brought back the ‘moral grey’ in this season that has been all about black and white/ good and evil. Of all of the Castaways, Sayid has strove for redemption with the most vigor, even as he committed more and more wrong.

And Last, but not least at all, Eloise the Rat – Died to foreshadow what was to come, with the castaways becoming unstuck in time.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy the Finale tomorrow!

As before – I have the same entry on my blog, but with amusing pics to assist in illustrating my point (if I have one), over at http://ialwayshaveaplan.wordpress.com/2010/05/22/what-they-really-died-for-a-look-at-key-deaths-from-a-writing-standpoint/