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Sharkattack

Octagon logo found on the tail of the shark

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Sharks have played a subtle, but present role on Lost. A shark with a distinct DHARMA Initiative logo on its tail attacked Sawyer and Michael when they were on the raft. ("Adrift") A shark with a DHARMA Initiative logo was seen swimming near the four toed statue when the island was submerged in the flash sideways world. ("LA X, Part 1") The DHARMA Initiative experimented on sharks and dolphins in the aquarium that Jack was imprisoned in the Hydra. ("A Tale of Two Cities")  (The World of the Others) The blast door map makes reference to a selective breeding program for Carcharodon carcharias (The Great White Shark). There have also been references to sharks in The Lost Experience.

The attack[]

When Sawyer and Michael were drifting in the ocean on pieces of wreckage after the destruction of the second raft, the two men heard pounding on the remains of the raft. After seeing a distinctive fin they quickly realized they were being followed by a shark, possibly attracted by Sawyer's bleeding. When the men later decided to board one of the raft's remaining pontoons, the shark attacked. Michael however fired Sawyer's gun several times and was able to injure the beast, which quickly broke off its attack.

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Orionsbelt logo

Unknown logo

Unkown logo shark

Unknown shark logo from "LA X, Parts 1 & 2"

At one moment, a glimpse of the shark's tail underwater was seen. The Shark had an unknown DHARMA logo on its tail, indicating a connection to the DHARMA initiative. In the Swan Orientation Film, one of the topics listed as being studied through the DHARMA Initiative is zoology, which may account for the shark. It should be noted that this logo is very likely the normal DHARMA logo.

In the flash-sideways timeline, a shark with a DHARMA logo inhabits the area around the sunken Island. ("LA X, Part 1") Whether this shark is intended to be the same shark as in the original timeline is unknown.

Controversy[]

Initially there was controversy about the DHARMA logo on the shark's tail. It was rumored to have been put on the shark by the graphical department without sanction from the production team. However, in the bonus material on the Lost season 2 DVD ("Lost on Location" featurette for "Adrift") the production team have confirmed that the appearance of the logo on the shark was in fact intentional, just not intended to be visible that easily.

Sharks in the Hydra[]

Juliet mentioned to Jack that the room in which he is imprisoned was used for sharks and dolphins. It contains chains and a crude 'operating' table. It is part of an aquarium.

Sharks in the The Lost Experience[]

Shark-closeup

A close-up of the shark carcass, featured on DJ Dan's site

DharmaShark

Image:DharmaShark.jpg

The DJ Dan conspiracy site has a photograph of a shark carcass allegedly found off Australia's Great Barrier Reef. A DHARMA logo is pictured on the tail of the shark carcass. It is The Swan Logo. DJ Dan's podcast of June 8 indicates that the shark was discovered by a listener, who took the photograph and sent it to him.

In the clues released by the hacker Persephone on June 7 another shark carcass was seen. Accessed via the Institute for Genomic Advancement page on the The Hanso Foundation website (now offline), the clues consisted of several pictures of a tropical forest and a beach. On this beach a shark was visible. On close-up this shark was branded with the Swan logo as well.

 	LOST_EXPERIENCE_Shark_Video 	 			  


Other references[]

  • Walt mentioned on the Island that "...[they could] be eaten by a shark."
  • Note 12 of the blast door map notations says "Carcharodon carcharias selective breeding facility?". Carcharodon carcharias is the Latin name for the Great White Shark. See Season 2 DVD full map image on the blast door map page, in the 12 o’clock position.
  • In "The Beginning of the End", in Hurleys Mental institute, there is a picture of a shark drawn on a blackboard.
  • In "Worth A Thousand Words" Elliott finds a dead shark. This shark has the same DHARMA logo as the one seen in "Adrift". It is most likely they are the same shark.
  • In "LA X, Part 1" the shark swimming in front of the statue in the underwater opening scene, has the DHARMA Initiative logo on its tail.

Trivia[]

  • On the April 24, 2008 podcast, answering a semi-related question regarding a time distortion effect, Damon and Carlton joke that the shark was born in 1805, making him 203 years old, and how Ezra James Sharkington is an old-fashioned name.

External links[]

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