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Jackandbenbond

Ben: "Two days after I found out I had a fatal tumor on my spine, a spinal surgeon fell out of the sky." ("The Cost of Living")

Coincidences, often wildly improbable coincidences, occurred frequently in the plot of Lost. The characters discusses coincidence, sometimes in the context of destiny, or religious faith.

Many of the apparent coincidences, particularly character connections, turned out to result from the characters' common bonds as candidates to protect the Island. The show included some apparent coincidences, such as frequent appearances of the Numbers and other recurring motifs, for thematic reasons. This article lists other plot-related coincidences and instances of the characters' specifically referencing coincidence.

Season 1[]

  • Hurley played the Numbers in the lottery and won ("Numbers"). Later, Hurley crashed on the same island where the Numbers originated. ("Pilot, Part 1")
  • When discussing Charlie's addiction, Locke used a moth in its cocoon as a metaphor for the need to struggle to become strong enough for life. Later that day, a moth led Charlie and Jack to escape the collapsed cave. ("The Moth")
  • Haddad told Sayid "Perhaps it's not happenstance that you and Essam met at the Mosque. Perhaps it is fate." ("The Greater Good")
  • While airborne, Hurley read a comic book featuring a polar bear. He landed on an island to which scientists had brought polar bears. ("Exodus, Part 2")  ("Pilot, Part 2")
  • Charlie, a heroin addict, kicked his habit. Shortly thereafter, he discovered that there's a huge stash of heroin on the Island. He was Catholic; the heroin was hidden in Virgin Mary statues. ("Exodus, Part 2")
  • Locke said "Do you think we crashed on this place by coincidence?" ("Exodus, Part 2")

Season 2[]

  • Bernard turned on his handheld radio, which he only did for "a few minutes a day." In the few minutes that he spent in the drug smugglers' plane before he fell to his death, Boone broadcast an signal, and Bernard heard it. ("The Other 48 Days")
  • While reinserting the missing piece of the Orientation film Locke said "Here's the missing piece right back where it belongs. What are the odds?" And Eko replied "Don't mistake coincidence for fate." ("What Kate Did")
  • Eko and his brother Yemi both ended up crashing on the Island, though years apart. ("The 23rd Psalm")
  • Dave told Hurley, "Whoa, wow, awesome, dude! What numbers did you play? Leonard's number, right -- from the hospital? What a coincidence." ("Dave")
  • After Ana Lucia told Christian that she stopped being a cop, Christian responded: "What a coincidence, I just stopped being a doctor." ("Two for the Road")
  • After Michael makes it back to camp, Locke said "So, it was just a coincidence that he came wandering out?" ("Two for the Road")
  • After a casual meeting, Libby gave Desmond a sailboat, the Elizabeth, which her late husband named after her. Desmond (marooned) and Libby (crashed) both later end up on the same island. During Libby's funeral, the Elizabeth coincidentally appeared. If Libby hadn't died then she would have recognized the boat and Desmond would have recognized her. ("Three Minutes")

Season 3[]

  • Locke said to Desmond: "Don't mistake coincidence for fate." ("The Cost of Living")
  • Christian Shephard often told Jack a metaphor for the futility of trying to change one's fate, when he says "That's why the Red Sox will never win the World Series". The footage that Ben shows Jack on the Hydra television to prove their connection to the outside world just happened to be of the Red Sox winning the World Series. ("Outlaws")  ("The Glass Ballerina")
  • Ben learned he had spinal cancer. Two days later, Jack, a spinal surgeon, crashed on the Island. ("The Cost of Living")
  • Cassidy was conned by Sawyer and then worked a con with Kate. ("Left Behind")
  • Locke learns that his father is the same man who conned Sawyer's parents. ("The Brig")

Season 4[]

  • Ana Lucia's former partner ended up questioning Hurley at the police station. ("The Beginning of the End")
  • Locke survived the shot from Ben because the kidney which was supposed to be there was removed. ("Confirmed Dead")
  • Dan was from Essex, Massachusets. Charlotte was from Essex, England. ("Confirmed Dead")
  • Both Ben and John were born prematurely to a woman named Emily. ("Cabin Fever")
  • The key to Hurley's Camaro was on a rabbit-foot key chain, as was the key to the van on the island. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")

Season 5[]

  • Ben and Carole Littleton hired the same attorney in Los Angeles. ("The Little Prince")
  • Desmond arrived at the church seeking Eloise Hawking at the same time Ben, Sun and Jack did. ("This Place Is Death")
  • Jack and Desmond unexpectedly ran into each other in Los Angeles for a second time. ("This Place Is Death")
  • Frank, who was supposed to have been the pilot of Oceanic 815, is the pilot of Ajira 316. ("316")
  • Sayid murdered a man inside the Oldham Pharmaceuticals building in Moscow then later Oldham forced him to take a drug on the island during his interrogation. ("He's Our You")
  • Sun decided to wait for Locke in Ben's house, in Alex's room. ("Dead Is Dead")
  • Daniel told Chang and Miles that it is not just a coincidence that the adult and young Miles are both on the island at the same time. ("The Variable")
  • When preparing to lie about their identities to get accepted into the DHARMA Initiative back in 1977, Hurley asked what would happen if people started asking questions, such as the current president's name. Later, on their way to the beach, Chang asked a series of questions, culminating in asking the president's name. ("Namaste") ("Follow the Leader")
  • Sawyer, Kate and Juliet came ashore at the place where Rose and Bernard had established their hidden camp. ("The Incident, Part 1")

Season 6[]

  • David Shephard played the same piece of music on the piano that Daniel Faraday played. ("Lighthouse")
  • Jack told Locke that he might be mistaking coincidence for fate. ("What They Died For")

Names[]

Some names are given to two or more characters. Some notable coincidences:

Many characters are also named David or Tom.

See also[]

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