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"Dear Mr. Sawyer, You don't know who I am but I know who you are and I know what you done. You had sex with my mother and then you stole my dad's money all away. So he got angry and he killed my mother and then he killed himself, too. All I know is your name. But one of these days I'm going to find you and I'm going to give you this letter so you'll remember what you done to me. You killed my parents, Mr. Sawyer." (episode transcript)

In 1976, eight-year old James Ford wrote the letter at his parents' funeral. His pen ran out of ink, and Jacob introduced himself and gave him a working pen. After he left, James' uncle Doug arrived and read what James was writing. Uncle Doug told him he shouldn't seek revenge but move on because, "What's done is done." He made James promise he wouldn't finish writing the letter. James agreed, but later finished the letter despite his uncle's advice. ("The Incident, Part 1")

James took up the name "Sawyer" at the age of 19 and became a confidence man himself. He began to carry the letter with him at all times in the event he ever met the real Sawyer. ("Confidence Man")

In 2004, after receiving information from his old partner Hibbs on the whereabouts of the real Sawyer, James traveled to Australia to confront the man. Sawyer shot Frank Duckett and began to read the letter as he laid dying. However, Duckett denied being "Sawyer" and claimed that Hibbs had a grudge against him for not paying his debt. ("Outlaws")

Shortly after, James boarded Oceanic 815 to return to Los Angeles. However, the plane crashed on the Island. Still carrying the letter, James read it over on his first day on the Island. ("Pilot, Part 2")

Several days later, Sawyer explained the story behind the letter to Kate after reading it. ("Confidence Man")

When Locke incarcerated his own father Anthony Cooper in the Black Rock, he brought Sawyer to meet him. Sawyer discovered that Cooper was the original "Sawyer". Sawyer gave Cooper the letter and forced him to read it. Cooper read part of the letter, but refused to finish it. He then tore it up, prompting Sawyer to murder him. ("The Brig")

Trivia[]

  • Sawyer's letter is included as a prop in the Sawyer action figure. In this version, the phrase "you had sex with my mother" is changed to "you slept with my mother".
  • Evangeline Lilly revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 01/14/10 that she took home the original copy of Sawyer's Letter used in "Confidence Man" after filming only for it to burn in the same fire that took her house. 1

See also[]

  • Letters - disambiguation page listing other letters in Lost
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