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Adetokumboh McCormack (in the guise of Yemi)
Tania Raymonde (in the guise of Alex)
The Man in Black
The Smoke Monster
Cerberus
The Black Smoke
John Locke
Yemi
Alex Rousseau
[[:Category:{{{Images}}}|Images]]
The entity known as The Man in Black (also known as the Monster, the Smoke Monster, Smokey, Jacob's Nemesis, Cerberus and the Security System) is a mysterious inhabitant of the Island that appears to be antagonistic to Jacob. Like Jacob, the Man in Black appears to have lived on the Island for centuries prior to the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
The Man in Black, who has currently taken on the form of Locke, has claimed to once have been a normal man who experienced betrayal and lost someone he loved, while thus far his chief goals appear to be to bring about Jacob's death through a "loophole" and to go "home". Although he currently appears as Locke, his first chronological appearance was as an unnamed middle-aged man dressed in black.
The Man in Black also has the ability to appear as a cloud of black smoke moving about the Island. He has also been known to take on the form of the deceased, and most recently has taken on the appearance of John Locke. According to Ilana, since Jacob's death, this is the only human form the Man in Black can assume. In his guise as Locke, the Man in Black has openly admitted his identity as the black smoke to several people, including Ben, Sawyer, and presumably Claire.
Contents
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On the Island
Early life
Much of the Man in Black's early history, including his origins, are unknown.
The person in the form of Locke claimed to Sawyer that he was once a man, and knows how it is to "feel joy, anger, fear, and experience betrayal", and also that he knows "what it is to lose someone you love". ("The Substitute") He told Kate that he once had a mother, who was "crazy" and gave him issues that he is still trying to get over. ("Recon")
Ancient times
The Man in Black appears to have some connection with the ancient inhabitants of the Island, who built a chamber for him beneath the Temple. Among the many hieroglyphs in this chamber was an engraving of the Man in Black (in his Smoke Monster form) facing what appears to be the Egyptian god Anubis, indicating that the inhabitants of the island once held the Monster up as a deity or god of some sort. Beneath the engraving was a large stone vent giving his Smoke Monster form access to the underground chamber. ("Dead Is Dead")
The ancient inhabitants seem to have also devised a method of summoning the Man in Black, which involved draining a small pool in a hidden chamber located beneath the present-day Barracks. The hieroglyphs on the door covering this chamber, which translate as "to summon protection", further suggest that the Smoke Monster served as some form of guardian. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
19th century
Sometime during the 19th century, the Man in Black, in the form of a middle-aged human male in period clothing of a dark tunic and dark grey trousers, joined Jacob one morning on the Island's beach near the statue of Taweret to watch an approaching ship. After turning down Jacob's polite offer of a meal ("I just ate"), he initiated a short conversation with Jacob, claiming that Jacob had brought the ship to the Island. The Man in Black expressed a negative view of humanity, stating that the presence of humans on the Island would only end in fighting, destruction and corruption as it always had, a view which Jacob disputed. The Man in Black then stated his desire to kill Jacob, promising that he would one day find a "loophole" which would allow him to do so. Jacob appeared unperturbed, displaying his willingness to wait for him by stating "Well, when you do, I'll be right here." The Man in Black sarcastically told Jacob it was nice talking to him, and then departed from the beach. ("The Incident, Part 1")
DHARMA Initiative
It is unclear how much the DHARMA Initiative knew of the Man in Black and his origins, although the construction of the sonar fence around the Barracks suggests that they were at least aware of his existence on the Island. In the Barracks video, shown to new recruits arriving on the Island, Pierre Chang explained without elaboration that the fence was built "to protect us from the Island's abundant and diverse wildlife." ("The Man Behind the Curtain") ("Namaste") While the house of the DHARMA Initiative's Island leader, Horace Goodspeed, was built over the entrance to the summoning chamber of the Man in Black (as well as over a secret entrance to the Tunnels), it is unclear whether the DHARMA Initiative understood the significance of the chamber or its purpose. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
The blast door map, begun by Stuart Radzinsky and Kelvin Inman in the Swan, contained a number of cryptic references to "Cerberus activity" and noted several "Cerberus vents" at various locations around the Island, which likely referred to the Man in Black and his subterranean pathway of tunnels. ("Lockdown")
1988
Exactly what happened to the science team beneath the Temple is unknown, but two months later, in early 1989, Jin found the bodies of Lacombe and Brennan near Rousseau's camp on the beach. He then witnessed a confrontation with a hysterical Rousseau holding Robert at gunpoint. Rousseau claimed Robert was not himself, that he and the other members of the team were sick and had been "changed" by the "Monster." Robert claimed it wasn't a monster at all, but a security system charged with guarding the Temple. Convincing Danielle to lower her weapon, Robert attempted to shoot her with his own rifle, but Danielle had previously removed the firing pin. Danielle responded by shooting Robert in the head. ("This Place Is Death")
After the crash of Oceanic Flight 815
Days 1-44 (Season 1)
After the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 on the Island, the Man in Black would come to be known to the survivors as the "Monster". On their first night on the Island, he began to rampage through the jungle, waking the survivors. Loud, machine-like sounds were heard coming from the jungle while trees were seen being knocked over. Rose commented that it sounded familiar to her, despite being from the Bronx, New York. ("Pilot, Part 1")
The next day, attempting to retrieve the transceiver, Jack, Kate and Charlie ventured into the jungle to inspect the cockpit of the crashed plane. The pilot was found alive, but he was abruptly pulled out of the front of the plane by the Man in Black in his Smoke Monster form. The pilot was later found dead, high in a tree, his body appearing bloodied and mauled. The Man in Black then pursued Jack, Kate, and Charlie through the jungle, but disappeared when the rain stopped. During the chase, they hid in the roots of a banyan tree, which appeared to repel him. His roars were also heard from the beach. ("Pilot, Part 1")
Three days later, Locke was in the jungle hunting for boar when he got his first close-up look at the Man in Black's Monster form. As it approached him from above, Locke stood his ground and faced it. Locke escaped unharmed and had some kind of spiritual awakening as a result. He initially told Michael that he did not see it, but later told Jack, "I've looked into the eye of this Island... and what I saw was beautiful." ("Walkabout") However, Locke would later claim that the entity he saw a "beautiful bright light," making it unclear that what he had seen was the Man in Black in his Monster form. ("The Cost of Living")
On day 6, while Jack was chasing an image of his father, the noises made by the Man in Black in his Monster form could be heard as Christian appeared among the trees. Following Jack's discovery of the caves, Arzt attempted to dissuade Hurley, Sun, Jin, and Michael from moving there. As Arzt told them about seeing Jack chase after his father, they heard the same roar in the jungle, prompting Arzt to change his mind about moving to the caves. ("Arzt & Crafts")
Nearly three weeks after Locke's encounter, the Monster form of the Man in Black appeared to Boone in a hallucination brought on by a drug that Locke applied to his head. In Boone's vision, the Man in Black chased after Boone and his sister, Shannon. When he began chasing them, he appeared to shoot out of the ground and could be seen for a split second. The two escaped his first attack unharmed, but the Monster eventually returned to attack them again. This time, he caught Shannon, who was lagging behind Boone, and lifted her off the ground. Boone, already a distance away from Shannon and the Monster, was unable to do anything but watch in horror. Boone later found Shannon dead, mutilated, and covered in her own blood. The Monster's actions in Boone's dream appeared to be consistent with its behavior outside of the dream, even though Boone had never encountered it. ("Hearts and Minds")
Three weeks later, on their way to the Black Rock, a group comprising Rousseau, Jack, Locke, Hurley, Kate, and Arzt was chased by the Man in Black in his Smoke Monster form, in the Dark Territory. They hid behind some large trees where Rousseau declared they were "safe". Jack asked Rousseau what had chased them and she referred to him as a "security system". Jack asked her what it did and she told him, "Its purpose is that of any security system; to protect something." Kate then asked what it protected and Rousseau replied, "the Island." ("Exodus, Part 1")
Later the same day, while carrying the dynamite from the Black Rock back through the Dark Territory in order to blow open the Hatch, the group was chased again by the Man in Black. He first appeared as a small wisp of smoke witnessed by both Jack and Kate, moving swiftly through the trees a short distance away. This was followed by the usual noises and explosions coming out from the ground and the uprooting trees. ("Exodus, Part 3")
After his past encounter with the Man in Black, Locke was confident he would not be harmed and decided to approach the black smoke instead of running away. However, this time the Man in Black did attack Locke and knocked him to the ground. After looking up in horror, Locke stood and started running frantically. He was then "grabbed" by the black smoke and dragged across the ground by his left foot. Jack was able to grab Locke by the arms as the Monster attempted to pull Locke into a hole in the ground. Locke told Jack that everything would be all right and told him to let him go. But Jack refused, ordering Kate to get the dynamite from his backpack and throw it down the hole. When she did so, there was a large explosion and Locke was released. The cloud of black smoke was then seen dissipating as it retreated from the group. ("Exodus, Part 3")
Day 50 (Season 2)
Six days after attacking the group in the Dark Territory, Charlie and Mr. Eko encountered the Man in Black. Eko first saw the Man in Black briefly as a quickly passing wisp of black smoke, the same form Jack and Kate had seen previously. Later, while Charlie was in a tree, a variety of noises were heard surrounding Eko, as he turned in circles trying to identify the sound. The familiar noises of the Man in Black's black smoke form were heard and he appeared, uprooting trees in his wake. Charlie was alarmed at the sight and urged Eko to run, but Eko stood his ground. As the Monster hovered just inches before Eko's face, several images from Eko's past flashed within the cloud, almost like lightning, coincident with clicking noises the Monster made. The Monster then narrowed and shrank himself dramatically as it receded back into the ground. ("The 23rd Psalm")
Days 71–82 (Season 3)
Three weeks passed without an encounter, until the Man in Black manifested himself as Yemi, Eko's dead brother. It appeared before Mr. Eko several times, and told him that it was time for him to be judged. While Eko made his way to the Beechcraft—Yemi's final resting place—the Man in Black appeared as slithering wisps of smoke circling Eko from a distance. To test Eko, the Man in Black appeared as figures from Eko's past who exclaimed that it was time for him to be judged. When Eko rested at a riverbank, the Monster crept up over his shoulder and seemed about to envelop him when Eko saw its reflection in the water and stood up sharply. The Monster pulled back quickly into the jungle just as Locke burst out of the foliage looking for Eko. ("The Cost of Living")
Later that day, Eko found the crashed Beechcraft and again encountered the Man in Black, as Yemi, who asked Eko to confess his past sins. Eko proclaimed that he was not sorry for anything he had done, nor did he seek forgiveness from Yemi. "Yemi" replied, "You speak to me as if I were your brother", then turned and disappeared into the jungle. Following him into the jungle, Eko encountered the Man in Black as the familiar cloud of black smoke, which had expanded to over 40 feet in height. It seized him with a fist-like like appendage and proceeded to repeatedly slam Eko into trees and the ground, mortally wounding him. The Man in Black disappeared when its noises and the sound of the attack alerted Locke and the rest of his group, who were nearby in the Pearl. Moments later, Eko died in Locke's arms after whispering his last words. When asked what he said, Locke replied, "He said, we're next." ("The Cost of Living")
Nine days later, after Nikki threw a spider on Paulo, the chattering noises of the Man in Black's smoke form were heard as a large group of spiders appeared and bit Nikki. Both Nikki and Paulo were paralyzed and mistaken for dead. They were accidentally buried alive, which ultimately resulted in their deaths. After much speculation, these noises, and the subsequent spiders, were confirmed to have been manifestations of the Man in Black in the Official Lost Podcast of March 21, 2008. ("Exposé")
The next day, Kate and Juliet were handcuffed together in the jungle. They begin physically fighting each other and just after Kate injured Juliet, they heard the Man in Black in his Monster form. They stopped fighting and ran, as the Monster began chasing them. Juliet pretended not to know anything about the Monster and the two hid from it in the roots of a banyan tree. While they were behind the roots, the Monster looked upon them and emitted a series of intensely bright flashes of light directed towards the two women, then retreated and left them alone. ("Left Behind")
The Man in Black appeared again the next day as three small clouds of smoke. The smaller pieces then quickly joined together to form one large cloud and begin chasing Juliet and Kate once again. This time, before running, Juliet unlocked the cuffs, producing the key from her pocket, where she had been hiding it from Kate the whole time. She ran to the other side of the deactivated sonar fence and urged Kate to join her. After Kate reluctantly did so, Juliet activated the fence using an electronic keypad. The Monster tried to follow, but was repelled by the sonar fence, as if he had hit an invisible wall. He then split into three smaller clouds and retreated back into the jungle. The Monster screeched when he was repelled. Juliet remarked, "We don't know what it is, but we know that it doesn't like our fences." ("Left Behind")
Day 97 (Season 4)
While the Barracks were under siege by Martin Keamy and his team of mercenaries after they killed Ben's daughter Alex, Ben was able to call the Man in Black through a secret room in his house. The Man in Black appeared as a single, long, fast-moving black cloud that ran parallel to the ground. He proceeded to attack the mercenaries while Ben and Locke's group escaped from his house. While only one of the mercenaries was seriously injured in the Man on Black's attack, he caused a great deal of confusion and panic amongst his victims, who fired upon him in vain. Keamy grimly described the Monster as "a black pillar of smoke". During the attack, he tore a tree's roots out of the ground. The Monster appeared larger than previously seen in this form, forming a black cloud that swirled around all of the mercenaries. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
At some point after residing with Christian Shepherd in the cabin, Claire Littleton came to know the Man in Black enough to consider the latter her "friend" and recognize him in different human forms. She credits him with helping her survive in the jungle from attacks by the Others for the next three years, however the true nature of this relationship and how it came about is currently unclear. ("Lighthouse")
After the crash of Ajira Flight 316
2007 (Season 5)
Shortly after the emergency landing of Ajira Airways Flight 316, the Man in Black appeared in Locke's form in the water near the survivor's beach camp on Hydra Island. He introduced himself as "John Locke", and when questioned, he appeared to have the memories of the real Locke and told Ilana that he remembered dying. He later found Ben in the makeshift hospital set up in the Hydra station and informed Caesar that Ben was the man who had killed him. ("The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham"). The Man in Black waited at Ben's bedside until Ben awoke, welcoming him back to "the land of the living". ("Whatever Happened, Happened")
Some time shortly afterward, Sun and Frank heard the distinctive noises of the Man in Black's Monster form in the bushes as they approached the Barracks from the submarine dock. Frank asked what made the noises, and Sun said it was probably an animal. ("Namaste")
Back on the Hydra Island, Ben found himself truly surprised to find Locke alive. However, to appear innocent, Ben stated that he expected Locke's resurrection upon his return to the Island. Secretly, however, Ben had already begun planning to murder Locke once again, beginning by manipulating the survivors of Ajira Flight 316 and casting suspicion upon Locke. After a confrontation in which Caesar was killed, Ben and the Man in Black both traveled to the main Island in one of the outriggers where they met Sun and Frank. Once there the Man in Black convinced Ben to summon the Monster from the secret room beneath his house. During this time, the Man in Black disappeared briefly into the jungle. Upon returning, the Man in Black stated that he knew where the Monster resided and led Ben and Sun to the Temple. Upon entering the complex of tunnels beneath the Temple, Ben accidentally fell through a weak section of floor into a lower chamber. The Man in Black left Ben briefly to get something to help get him back up. However, the Man in Black did not do so, instead, it transformed into the Monster, and traveled down into the tunnels to confront Ben.
After hearing the familiar sounds of the black smoke, Ben watched in horror as it emerged through the vent and surrounded him, with Ben's memories of Alex flashing throughout the smoke. Weeping, Ben acknowledged that Alex's death was his fault, and the Monster, seemingly satisfied, retreated. However, he soon returned, transformed into the guise of Alex, and informed Ben that he knew of his plan to kill Locke again. He demanded Ben's firm dedication to follow Locke's leadership, or it would "destroy" him. Shaken, Ben promised to do as he was told, and the Man in Black vanished, returning to the form of Locke and returning to above the hole that Ben had fallen through, having fetched some rope. Ben managed to leave the Temple - telling the Man in Black that the Monster had let him live, ignorant of the fact that Locke and the Monster were the same being and had decieved him. ("Dead Is Dead")
Leaving the Temple, the Man in Black took Ben and Sun to the Others' camp where they met with Richard Alpert. Richard greeted the Man in Black (whom he believed was Locke) with awe, commenting that there was something different about him, which the Man in Black attributed to his newfound purpose. Leaving Sun behind temporarily, the Man in Black, Richard and Ben departed on an "errand" into the jungle. Arriving at the fallen Beechcraft, the Man in Black gave Richard instructions in regards to the real time-shifting Locke who staggered, wounded out of the jungle moments later. The Man in Black's instructions were to help remove the bullet from Locke's leg and to tell him that he had to leave the Island and bring back all the people that left by dying. ("Because You Left") After the time-shifting Locke moved on, the Man in Black demanded to be taken to Jacob, surprising Richard and Ben by inviting all of the Others to come with him. Afterwards, he announced, something will have to be done about the other Ajira passengers. As they set out along the beach, the Man in the Black secretly told Ben that he intended to kill Jacob, to Ben's shock. ("Follow the Leader")
Continuing on their trek to visit Jacob, Ben revealed to the Man in Black his encounter with Alex below the temple, still unaware that he was speaking to what he referred to as the Monster. The entity seemed quite pleased and then revealed to Ben that it was his wish that Ben be the one to kill Jacob. Later, Richard inquired how Locke had come to be alive again which the Man in Black attributed to Jacob and claimed that he wished to thank Jacob personally for the intervention. At a final stop at the long abandoned beach camp, the Man in Black continued his discussion with Ben. Ben revealed that he, in fact, had never met Jacob as leader of the Others. The Man in Black, attempting to turn Ben against Jacob, pointed out that in spite of all of Ben's loyal service to Jacob and the Island, he had contracted cancer, his daughter was killed and he was ultimately banished. The Man in Black then posed the question, "Why wouldn't you want to kill Jacob?" as a final means of convincing him. Continuing onwards, the group finally arrived after dark at the foot of the destroyed statue of Taweret. Despite Richard's objections, the Man in Black insisted on seeing Jacob immediately and that Ben would accompany him inside. ("The Incident, Part 1")
Entering through the hidden door in the base of the statue, the Man in Black told Ben that killing Jacob wouldn't be easy, but once accomplished "things would change." The two entered, finding Jacob waiting for them. Jacob immediately recognized the Man in Black as his old enemy, calmly realizing that the Man in Black had found his "loophole." The Man in Black stated, "You have no idea what I've gone through to get here." Jacob addressed Ben, telling him that he had a choice: he could do as the Man in Black asked, or he could leave. An emotional Ben asked why Jacob had been ignoring him all these years. Angered at Jacob's apathy, Ben lost his temper and brutally stabbed Jacob twice in the chest. Falling to the floor and spitting blood, Jacob told the Man in Black, "they're coming." Looking somewhat startled, the Man in Black kicked Jacob into the fire pit at the center of the room, setting his body ablaze and killing him. ("The Incident, Part 2")
2007 (Season 6)
Ben, shocked at his actions, stared into the fire as the Man in Black cleaned the knife used to stab Jacob. He then ordered Ben to go outside and fetch Richard, though he would not tell Ben why he wanted to see Richard. Ben finally consented, though upon exiting the statue, he discovered that Richard already knew that the Locke inside the statue was an impostor, due to the fact that several survivors of Ajira Flight 316, including Bram and Ilana, had carried the real Locke's body to the statue.
Despite Richard's objections, Bram soon followed Ben into the statue with three other armed men. Bram confronted the Man in Black, and was shocked when the latter revealed that Jacob was dead. Realizing that Bram and the men were Jacob's "bodyguards", the Man in Black gave them permission to leave. Instead, Bram and his men opened fire on the Man in Black, apparently striking him several times, leaving a bent bullet on the ground. The Man in Black then disappeared behind a pillar, transforming into the Smoke Monster and entering through the doorway, throwing Bram and his men around the room and killing them all, though Bram temporarily repelled the Monster by surrounding himself with a circle of ash. Ben, who had been cowering in a corner, watched the Monster exit through the same door it had come in through. Ben turned around to find the Man in Black, returned to Locke's form, standing behind him.
As the Man in Black moved the bodies of those whom he had killed, Ben questioned him over his identity. The Man in Black stated that he did not like being called by the pejorative term of "monster". He apparently had access to the deceased John Locke's memories, and stated his contempt for Locke's feebleness. The Man in Black even had access to Locke's last thought, which was "I don't understand." The Man in Black did, however, state some admiration for Locke's ability for the latter to to see how pathetic his former life was, and how he never desired to leave the Island. However, the Man in Black stated that his intent was completely different from Locke's: he wanted to go home.
The Man in Black then exited the statue, approaching Richard and telling him that it was good to see him "out of those chains." Once Richard realized that he was the Man in Black, the latter knocked Richard unconscious. After announcing his disappointment in everyone surrounding him, the Man in Black proceeded to pick up the unconscious Richard and carry him away from the statue. ("LA X, Part 2")
After offering Richard a chance to join him, which Richard declined, the Man in Black continued on to the Barracks, traveling in his Smoke Monster form, where he met with a drunk Sawyer. After convincing Sawyer to journey with him to find out why the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 were on the Island, the two set off for a cliffside cave. On the way, they both encountered a mysterious boy, who warned the Man in Black privately that killing "him" would be breaking the "rules." Upon the Man in Black's return, Sawyer coerced him to state his identity. The Man in Black assured Sawyer that he was once a man prior to his entrapment, but he no longer knew what it was to be free.
The two, after a dangerous climb down the cliff face, arrived at the cliffside cave.
Later that day, he arrives at Claire's camp in the jungle, and meets Claire and a shocked Jin. Jin naturally assumes it is John Locke, but Claire corrects him that it is not. Both Claire and the Man in Black smile warmly at each other, and she identifies the Man in Black as her friend. ("Lighthouse")
Later the next day, the Monster's noises were heard by Ben near the graveyard, at which point the Man in Black appeared and offered him a place in his group who were all going to Hydra Island. He claimed that he had gone back to the statue to look for Ben but he had already left and stated that he wanted to leave Ben in charge of the Island once he and his group left. Somehow, without touching it, he unlocked the shackle that Ilana had placed around Ben's leg, and he also told Ben where he could find a rifle to use to defend himself against Ilana. The Man in Black then left; but as it turned out, Ben did not join his group after all, choosing instead to stay at the beach camp with Ilana's group. ("Dr. Linus")
The Man in Black and his followers arrived at the shelter Claire was residing. After being questioned by Cindy, he explained that the Black Smoke was what killed the Temple Dwellers, He then reassured his followers that they would be safe with him. He took Sawyer aside and told him that he was the "smoke thing" and that he had to kill them or risk being killed himself. He then asked Sawyer to go to Hydra Island on one of the outriggers and perform some reconnaisance, in order to determine if the Ajira survivors had hostile intentions. Returning to the camp, the Man in Black broke up a fight between Claire and Kate, after Claire attacked Kate for taking Aaron off the island. The Man in Black explained to Claire that Kate had no choice and was only doing what she could to make sure Aaron was safe. Later, the Man in Black went to speak to Kate, He explained that he told Claire that The Others had taken Aaron so she would keep on going, Kate asked him where he had sent Sawyer, so he offered his hand and told her to come with him and he'd show her.
The Man in Black sat down with Kate and explained that Sawyer was simply checking up on the Ajira survivors over on Hydra Island. The Man in Black explained that his mother was crazy and because of that some things didn't turn out the way they could have, he also claimed that he had some issues that he had never quite fully gotten over. The Man in Black explained that now Aaron had a crazy mother also. Later on, Sawyer returned to the island and informed the Man in Black that he had encountered Charles Widmore and that he convinced Widmore that he'd lead the Man in Black into a trap over on Hydra Island. The Man in Black thanked Sawyer for his loyalty and they both left the beach to rejoin the camp. ("Recon")
Non-canon appearances
Lost: Via Domus
In the video game, Elliott encountered the Monster several times. Most of the encounters are in the jungle and all occur almost exactly like Jack, Kate, and Charlie's encounter after visiting the cockpit. ("Pilot, Part 1")
The standard encounters happen in the jungle, where the small wisps are first seen, followed by the Monster's signature loud noises. Elliott then runs until he finds banyan tree roots, where he hides until the Monster retreats. On one of these occasions, the Monster attacks Beady Eyes on a tree-fort-like scouting post where he was shooting at Elliott as he ran past in the jungle. ("A New Day")
The Monster also attacks Elliott within the caves, but he is saved by Locke before the Monster can get to him. ("Via Domus")
Later in the game, the Monster chases Elliott the distance between the Swan station and the sonar fence. The Monster finally catches up to Elliott, but doesn't harm him. Instead, it hovers in front of Elliott for some time, and then leaves. ("Whatever It Takes") This encounter is almost identically to Eko's encounter with the Monster. ("The 23rd Psalm")
The Monster then leaves and is not seen again in the game. ("Whatever It Takes")
Signs of Life
In the semi-canon Lost novel Signs of Life, Locke, Charlie, Hurley, Jeff, and Michael encountered the Monster while on a boar hunt several weeks after the crash. The group heard the Monster traveling towards them after several hours of unsuccessful hunting and were forced to flee further inland from the Beach Camp.
Locke led the group to a small cliff, which they scaled in the hope of avoiding its oncoming path. Hurley, the last to climb, nearly fell into the Monster's path after sliding several feet down the side of the cliff, moderately scraping the front of his chest and stomach in the process. He managed to regain his grip only moments before the Monster reached the cliff base.
The group discovered a large underground tunnel shortly after reaching the clifftop, where they hid until the Monster moved on. They did not see the Monster during the encounter, although they did speculate briefly as to its nature. ("Signs of Life")
The Lost Experience
In what appeared to have been a "red herring", DJ Dan's podcast on June 14, which was part of The Lost Experience, fielded a call from a scientist worrying about nanotechnology; miniature machines, also known as nanites, that can carry out tasks. The caller suggested that with an electromagnetic field, the machines could work together to form a "storm cloud" that could actually think.
This clearly was a reference to the Monster, but the theory had already been discredited by the producers in the July 31, 2006 podcast, and again in the first DJ Dan Live Broadcast. In this case, it was probably nothing more than an inside-joke.
Lost: The Mobile Game
In the Lost: The Mobile Game for iPods and mobile phones, there is a level where Kate tells you to stop the Monster by taking some dynamite and blowing-up the vent where it is coming out of, in order to save Sawyer.
Victims
The Man in Black has killed many people and has indirectly led to the deaths of several others.
Direct
Single
These are single victims killed in direct encounters with the Man in Black's Monster form.
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| Picture | Name | Episode | Manner of death | Information | ||||||||
 | Nadine | "This Place Is Death" | Unknown | Attacked by the Monster after venturing into the Dark Territory with the rest of the Science Expedition, her body fell from the treetops after the Monster uprooted a nearby tree. | ||||||||
 | Montand | "This Place Is Death" | Arm ripped off | Attacked by the Monster after venturing into the Dark Territory with the rest of the Science Expedition, he was dragged into a hole in the Temple wall by the Monster, losing an arm in the struggle. Although he possibly survived the attack, he presumably died from the injury, as his body was seen when the castaways brought Sayid into the Temple. | ||||||||
 | Seth Norris | "Pilot, Part 1" | Unknown | Killed by the Monster in "Pilot, Part 1", after explaining to the Survivors that they were a thousand miles off course, and that he had planned to land in Fiji. He was ripped from the cockpit and his body was later seen in the treetops. | ||||||||
 | Mr. Eko | "The Cost of Living" | Slammed into trees and the ground | Killed by the Monster, after its several appearances as Yemi. It seemingly attacked Eko for refusing to confess for his past sins. | ||||||||
 | Mayhew | "The Shape of Things to Come" | Slammed into trees or the ground | Attacked by the Monster after Ben summoned it, as a revenge for his "daughter's" killing by Keamy in "The Shape of Things to Come". Died a few days later from severe injuries. | ||||||||
 | Unnamed Ajira passenger | "LA X, Part 1" | Slammed into ceiling and floor | Attempted to shoot the Monster in John Locke's form. Was thrown into the ceiling and floor of the Statue of Taweret. | ||||||||
 | Unnamed Ajira passenger | "LA X, Part 1" | Thrown against another member of the party | Attempted to shoot the Monster in John Locke's form. Was slammed against another member of Bram's party. | ||||||||
 | Unnamed Ajira passenger | "LA X, Part 1" | Thrown against another member of the party | Attempted to shoot the Monster in John Locke's form. Was slammed against another member of Bram's party. | ||||||||
 | Bram | "LA X, Part 1" | Impaled on a wooden stake | Attempted to shoot the Monster in John Locke's form. Created an ash circle to protect himself, but the Monster used indirect means (collapsing the ceiling) to push him out of the circle and then hurl him through Jacob's tapestry. | ||||||||
Mass
These are mass groups of victims killed by the Man in Black's Monster form. The exact numbers of victims in these incidents are unknown.
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| Picture | Name | Episode | Manner of death | Information | ||||||||
 | The Temple Others | "Sundown" | Thrown against various pillars and walls | The Others at the Temple were given the opportunity to join the Man in Black. Those who refused were massacred at sundown. At least 9 dead individuals are seen. | ||||||||
Indirect
These are victims who were killed indirectly by the Man in Black.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picture | Name | Episode | Manner of death | Information | ||||||||
 | Nikki Fernandez | "Exposé" | Paralyzed and buried alive | Paralyzed by a Medusa spider after hearing the Monster's sounds when she threw a real Medusa spider onto Paulo. The other survivors found her in her paralyzed state and, assuming she was dead, buried her alive. | ||||||||
 | Jacob | "The Incident, Part 2" | Stabbed by Ben | Unable to kill Jacob himself, the Man in Black worked for over a century to find a "loophole," ultimately manipulating Benjamin Linus to stab Jacob to death in the Statue of Taweret. | ||||||||
Abilities
The Monster
The Man in Black's most notorious ability is that of shapeshifting into a giant dark cloud, often described as looking like smoke. Referred to as "the Monster" by most characters, it appears immune to conventional weaponry, but was repelled on one occasion by dynamite. ("Exodus, Part 3") While seemingly intangible, the Monster can grasp and manipulate objects with a tremendous application of force - capable of uprooting enormous fully-grown trees, knocking down walls and slamming victims into the ground. The Monster makes a variety of biological and mechanical sounds -- two of the most distinctive being a mechanical clicking and a loud high-pitched warning or alarm call. It appears the Man in Black is somewhat limited in movement in this form -- and cannot ascend high enough above the ground so as to pass over the sonar fence.
The Monster has also shown an ability to somehow read and display images from an individual's past within itself. ("The 23rd Psalm") ("Dead Is Dead")
The Monster can be summoned from a secret room beneath Ben's house ("The Shape of Things to Come") -- although apparently it does not always come when called. According to Locke, it is often found in a chamber beneath the Temple. ("Dead Is Dead")
Forms of the Dead
Throughout the series, the Man in Black has displayed an ability to take on the form and perfectly mimic individuals who have died on and off the Island. In this form, he also seems to retain their memories. In one instance he comments on Locke's last thoughts as he was dying. ("The Substitute") In Season Two, the Man in Black took the form of Yemi and tried to make Eko repent his sins. Much later in Season Five, he took the form of Locke - using his appearance to gain the trust of the Others and manipulating them into taking him to Jacob. During this time he also temporarily took on the form of Alex so as to manipulate Ben into killing Jacob.
In the past the Man in Black once took on the form of a Medusa spider so as to paralyze Nikki. He may have taken on other forms throughout the series as well - although these are unconfirmed.
According to Ilana in 2007, the Man in Black is now unable to use anything but his Locke and Monster forms for unknown reasons.
Immunities
The Man in Black is immune to bullets in both his Monster and human forms. Bram and his men shot him, but the bullets dented and fell away without harming him. Sayid stabbed him with a knife, but he did not bleed and did not appear to be wounded. Regardless, he claims he can be killed, using this as justification for destroying the Others at the Temple.
Other
The Man in Black somehow released Ben from his shackles without physically touching them. ("Dr. Linus")
The Man in Black has shown an unusual awareness of time. Using memories of the deceased John Locke, he brought Richard to exactly the right place and moment to meet a time-shifting Locke and set his plan to con the Others into thinking Locke was their leader into motion. ("Follow the Leader") His nemesis Jacob has also been known to exhibit precognitive abilities or an unusual perception of time.
Weaknesses
Sonar fence
The DHARMA Initiative's sonar fence repels the Man in Black in his Monster form. When Juliet activated the fence, the Monster slammed into the invisible barrier, screeched, and took off into the jungle. ("Left Behind") When Charles Widmore arrived on Hydra Island, his men began setting up a portable series of sonar pylons, presumably to repel or trap the Man in Black. ("Recon") It is unknown if the Monster could employ indirect means of bypassing the fence - such as using a tree to knock down the pylons.
Ash circles
Ash circles have been known to repel the Man in Black. The cabin that allegedly belonged to Jacob was surrounded by ash, and Bram attempted to use an ash circle to repel the Monster. This worked briefly until the Monster used a rock to knock him out of the circle and kill him. The Others at the Temple also used ash circles to protect themselves, but after Dogen died, the Monster was able to enter.
Banyan trees
On several occasions, characters have hidden in thickets of banyan trees, which seem to repel the Monster. Kate hid in a thicket after the Monster killed the pilot. ("Pilot, Part 1") In his hallucination, Boone and Shannon hid inside one while the Monster chased them. ("Hearts and Minds") Later, Rousseau claimed hiding in banyan thickets could protect someone from the Monster. ("Exodus, Part 1") When Kate and Juliet were chased by the Monster, they hid in a banyan thicket. A Monster-perspective crane shot looms in front of Juliet behind the branches. Juliet reacts to several bright flashes of light just before the Monster leaves. ("Left Behind") The Monster, in the form of John Locke, is able to approach Kate as she sits in a banyan grove. ("Recon")
Forms
The Man in Black has taken on a number of different forms while interacting with the characters throughout the series. He appears to be able to take on the appearance of the deceased, perfectly mimicking their appearance, voice and memories so as to manipulate others. The entity appears capable of changing from human to monster form at will.
This list denotes individuals and creatures seen in the series that have been confirmed to be the Monster. Note that a number of other deceased characters have appeared occasionally throughout the series (such as Christian Shephard), along with characters that weren't yet deceased but nonetheless appeared on the island despite also being off of the island (such as Walt, whose likeness stood above the DHARMA Mass grave speaking to Locke despite having already escaped the island), although their connection to the Man in Black is unconfirmed.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Picture | Name | First seen | Last seen | Information | ||||||||
 | The Monster | "Pilot, Part 1" | "Sundown" | The most recurring form of the Man in Black is that of a black cloud, described as looking like smoke. Known as "the Monster," it has violently killed many characters and spared others. The Monster can generate images of a character's past within itself and create various biological and mechanical noises. | ||||||||
 | The Man in Black | "The Incident, Part 1" | "The Incident, Part 1" | The Man in Black appeared as an older man wearing black clothing when he spoke to Jacob on the beach outside the Statue of Taweret. It is unknown if this is his main form, or simply another deceased character whom he is impersonating. The Entity told Sawyer he was once "A man ,just like you." and knows how it is "To feel joy, anger, fear and experience betrayal." His claims, if true, suggest that his form as The Man in Black is his true one. | ||||||||
 | Yemi | "The Cost of Living" | "The Cost of Living" | The Man in Black impersonated Yemi in order to manipulate Eko. He first appeared inside Eko's tent, somehow setting it on fire. Eko then ventured into the woods, being stalked by the Monster and other visions. Eventually, Yemi contacted him at the Beechcraft and requested he atone for his sins. When Eko refused, the Man in Black retook his Monster form and killed Eko. | ||||||||
 | Alex Rousseau | "Dead Is Dead" | "Dead Is Dead" | The Man in Black took the form of Alex in the tunnels leading to the Temple when Ben went there to be judged. After being surrounded by the Monster and shown images of his past, Ben was greeted by Alex, who violently demanded that he follow John Locke's every word or she would kill him. Ben agreed, unaware Locke was actually the Man in Black as well. | ||||||||
| | John Locke | "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham" | "Recon" | The Man in Black has most recently begun impersonating John Locke, whose dead body was returned to the island on Ajira flight 316. The Man in Black used the Locke form to get Ben to kill Jacob. This deception was unaware to any of the characters "Locke" encountered until Ilana showed Locke's corpse to Richard and the Others. The characters are now aware of this impersonation, but only Richard has indicated he knows the true identity of the Man in Black. According to Ilana, this is the only form that the Man in Black can currently take, excluding his black smoke form | ||||||||
Names
The entity has been known by several names to both fans and characters of the show, both as the smoke monster and as the Man in Black. In the season 6 episode the entity has been called "Him", "You know who", "My friend" (by Claire), "Lighthouse", "Sundown", etc.
As the Monster
Referred to simply as "The Monster" or "The Smoke Monster" by the survivors, the Monster appears to be known by other names as well. The DHARMA Initiative appears to refer to it as "Cerberus", however, according to Ben, the Others have no name for it at all. The entity's black smoke form is most commonly known to fans as "Smokey." Rousseau and Robert referred to it as the "security system." (This is possibly a reference to the cult TV series The Prisoner, which had a balloon monster which played that role.)
As the Man in Black
After the entity's first human appearance in "The Incident, Part 1", the character was given several nicknames by the fan community, including:
- "MIB", an acronym for Man In Black
- "Esau"; in the Bible a character named Jacob has a brother named Esau. [1]
- "Flocke", a portmanteau word of the words "Fake" and "Locke". Coincidentally, Flocke is the name of a polar bear in the Nuremberg Zoo.
- "Mock-Locke", as in, not the real Locke. Two words that rhyme.
- "Un-Locke", a name coined in reference to the character's similarities to a figure in the novel Perelandra, used subsequently in TV Guide.[2]
- "Samuel", often used as a reference to the character's initial casting call.
- "Man in Black" (MIB), name used by ABC.com in episode synopses and on the Internet Movie Database. This nickname has also been endorsed by Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse. [3]
- "Jacob's Enemy/Nemesis", in relation to his antagonistic role to Jacob.
- "Smocke", a portmanteau word of the words "Smoke" and "Locke" in reference to the revelation that the Man in Black and the Smoke Monster are one and the same.
- "Locke Ness Monster", references the mythical Loch Ness Monster of Loch Ness, Scotland. Used by Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse in their February 22, 2010 Podcast
Trivia
General
- The Man in Black has a name that is significant to the show, but the name is presently unknown even to Titus Welliver, who portrayed the Man in Black in "The Incident, Part 1".[4]
- The original appearance of the Monster was the first major plot twist of Lost and changed how the viewers and characters perceived the Island. ("Pilot, Part 1")
- The alleged appearance of the smoke monster swooping down and causing the turbine explosion was officially debunked by the producers. ("Pilot, Part 1")
- The entity, in the form of the black smoke, has been seen or heard by all the main characters except Daniel, Desmond, Ana Lucia, Charlotte and Libby. Locke, Jack, Kate, Charlie, Eko, Juliet, Jin, Ben, Sawyer, Claire, Hurley, Miles, Sayid, Frank, Sun, and Ilana have had "close encounters" with it. Michael, Walt, Shannon, Boone, Nikki, and Paulo have all heard the Monster but not seen it. Richard has not been shown encountering the monster, but given his familiarity with the Island and the Man in Black, he undoubtedly has.
- In its human forms, the Man in Black has met Sawyer, Sun, Eko, Ben, Frank, Ilana, Richard, Claire, Jin, Sayid and Kate.
- Richard Alpert took notice of a picture that a five-year-old Locke drew of a man being attacked by a cloud of whirling black smoke. Many fans have speculated that this was meant to be a drawing of the Monster. ("Cabin Fever")
- Cerberus is also the common name for dog-faced water snakes, a genus of water snakes in the Colubridae family.
- Cerberus in the Greek Mythology was a multi-headed hound which guards the gates of Hades, to prevent those who have crossed the river Styx from ever escaping. Robert claimed the monster wasn't a monster at all, but a security system charged with guarding the Temple.
- In the May 26, 2006 Official Lost Podcast, the producers said, "There's a good chance that you guys saw the Monster this year Season 2, but just didn't realize you were looking at the Monster." Gregg Nations later stated that the appearance of the Monster was after the episode "The 23rd Psalm" and likely in the second half of the season.
- As described by Danielle Rousseau, the entity may have some connection to the Sickness. ("This Place Is Death")
- When the entity appeared in human form, his shirt and Jacob's shirt are contrasted. Jacob wears a light colored shirt, while his nemesis wears a dark shirt. (Dark and Light)
- In November 2009, executive producer Damon Lindelof stated that, regarding the scene in "Pilot, Part 2" where Locke explains to Walt the premise of backgammon using the concept of light and dark, he and fellow co-creator JJ Abrams had planned for those two sides to eventually be personified by two individuals (in reference to Jacob and the Man in Black). [1]
- The casting call described the entity's 1800's appearance as "Samuel. Any ethnicity, 40s-60s. A corporate raider looking to take over his next company. Powerful, devious and obtuse. He has a cunning intellect and a strong sense of danger. May lead to recurring. Looking for someone very interesting and very special for this role..."[5]
- After his death, in speaking to Hurley, Jacob describes the Man in Black as "an old friend who became tired of my company."
- The Man in Black evidently has a streak of sadism, as shown in the brutality of its attacks as the Monster, and the apparent amusement it expressed at John Locke's confusion about his own murder.
- The Man in Black has yet to have a flashback or flash-sideways thus far. All of the flashes in episodes featuring him focus on the deceased Locke instead of him.
Cultural references
- Forbidden Planet is a classic sci-fi film based on Shakespeare's The Tempest and was mentioned by writer David Fury when describing the Monster. Its storyline features many similar themes to Lost: a mysterious location, geographic isolation, immense power sources, ancient civilizations, hidden underground facilities, an invisible monster, a stranded crew of explorers, lost scientific expeditions, and deadly psychic powers. The howling noise frequently made by the smoke monster in 'Lost' is strikingly similar to noises made by the monster from 'Forbidden Planet'.
- The Tempest is a play written by William Shakespeare, that tells the story of the sorcerer Prospero and his daughter Miranda, who are stranded on a mysterious desert island that has mystical properties. Prospero raises a storm, or tempest, which causes a passing ship containing his enemies to run aground. Using magic, spirits and a man-beast creature named Caliban, he separates and manipulates the survivors of the wreck for his own purposes. The play ends with Prospero restored to his former glory.
- The Tempest is also the name of a DHARMA Initiative station that stores a deadly toxic gas. It is unknown if there is any connection between this station and the Monster.
- The Tempest is a play written by William Shakespeare, that tells the story of the sorcerer Prospero and his daughter Miranda, who are stranded on a mysterious desert island that has mystical properties. Prospero raises a storm, or tempest, which causes a passing ship containing his enemies to run aground. Using magic, spirits and a man-beast creature named Caliban, he separates and manipulates the survivors of the wreck for his own purposes. The play ends with Prospero restored to his former glory.
- In Stanisław Lem’s sci-fi novel Invincible, people find monsters in a form of black clouds on a distant planet. The clouds turn out to be swarms of insect-like micro-machines, a new form of life, born through evolution of autonomous, self-replicating machines.
- When the Monster approached Mr. Eko, the sequence resembled the extension of the long column of water from the moon pool in the movie The Abyss. ("The 23rd Psalm")
- In Dane Cook's "Rough Around the Edges" tour, he references the Monster, calling it a "Smokey Dragon", and wonders why no one ever thinks about it when they go into the woods. (Outside references to Lost)
- The Outer Limits episode 18 from season 4 was called "Monster" and featured a man named Ford Maddox, who through government experimentation was capable of unconsciously conjuring up a murderous, smoke-like creature using telekinesis.
- In Dante's Inferno, Cerberus inhabits the Third Circle of Hell, where he torments the gluttonous. Cerberus is described as "black" and as a "great worm".
- Actually Cerberus is described as in the Greek mythology. The following was taken from The Divine Comedy Inferno - Canto VI: Cerberus, monster cruel and uncouth, With his three gullets LIKE A DOG is barking Over the people that are there submerged. Red eyes he has, and unctuous beard and black, And belly large, and armed with claws his hands; He rends the spirits, flays, and quarters them
- In the anime xxxHolic, the main character Watanuki Kinihiro is plagued by a living black smoke, which follows him around. This black smoke is revealed as "lost spirits", stuck between the living world and the dead. Black Smoke also follows and moves around characters who lie, or who are happy in their own ignorance. Paralleling LOST, some characters see this smoke as a "beautiful thing", while others are fearful and run from it. The smoke also has the ability to grasp on to, and move characters.
- The British television series Sapphire and Steel (specifically the second "assignment", in the railway station) features an antagonistic, amorphous, shadowy entity known as "The Darkness", the appearance of which is frequently heralded by incoherent whispers. This creature has a particular affinity for the spirits of people killed before their time, and causes them to appear before the living to serve its agenda. Other LOST-like traits displayed by the Darkness include time manipulation, psychokinesis, mind possession, and the creation of apparently solid delusions / hallucinations.
- Doctor Who: The Face of Evil, from the original BBC series (1976), is set in an alien jungle "haunted" by invisible, roaring, psychic entities that hunt down and kill intruders. They are kept at bay by a security fence of sonic disruptors.
- Cerberus’ three heads relate to the threefold symbol of the baser forces of life. They represent the past, the present and the time yet to come.[2]
- In book of Holy Quran it is foretold a kind of punishment in the day of judgment, it is mentioned in the 44th Surah of AlDukhan (The Smoke) verse 10-11:"Then watch thou for the Day that the sky will bring forth a kind of smoke plainly visible, enveloping the people this will be a penalty grievous".
- Similarities with the Edimmu in Sumerian Mythology are striking.
- In William Golding's novel Lord of the Flies, one of Lost's major influences, survivors on a deserted island live in constant fear of an entity they dub "The Monster". Unlike on Lost, the "Monster" in Golding's work is a figment of the survivors' imaginations, and fear of this monster is a major driver of the story. Also, interestingly enough, the survivors mistake a corpse hung up on a tree by a parachute for this monster, much in the same way Naomi was caught in a tree upon landing on the Island.
- ABC's recap of "The Incident, Part 1"[6] refers to him as the Man in Black. In Stephen King's The Stand and Dark Tower series, "the Man in Black" is a name used for an antagonist also known as Randall Flagg or Walter o'Dim.
- The late country singer Johnny Cash had "The Man in Black" as his nickname.
- In the game "The Legend of Dragoon", the main character makes numerous references to the Black Monster, a creature who initially appears shrouded in black smoke.
- The smoke monster has been compared to the white weather balloon called Rover in the 1960s television series The Prisoner in that both act as a sort of protector and ominous presence.[7]
- The "ticka-ticka" sound of the monster before and as it appears is very similar to scenes in the movie The Right Stuff where occasionally a mob of photographers and journalists will comically appear climbing over fences or reaching through windows at astronauts' homes where the wives of the Mercury Seven sit idly by watching the coverage of the latest mission on television. There is a distinct "ticka-ticka" noise in the background, made up of cameras snapping and what sounds like typewriters typing at a constant rate, that increases in volume as the mob increases in size and "attacks", much like the monster's sound increases as it nears and grows to attack.
Explanations
- Hurley and Paulo both questioned whether the Monster was a dinosaur. (Lost is filmed on many of the same locations used by Jurassic Park.)
- Hurley also said the Monster could be just a "pissed off giraffe". This is an ongoing inside-joke between the producers and writers, as noted in the Season 1 DVD commentary. ("Numbers")
- There is considerable discussion about the entity's relation to judgment of the characters, especially with regards to Eko's two encounters. In the November 6, 2006 Official Lost Podcast, the producers said:
| “ |
Carlton Cuse: Well then, he might be a manifestation that the Island has generated. Perhaps an incarnation of the Monster? Damon Lindelof: That's interesting. I would assume that that's sort of a theory that people are tossing around. Um… there's several manifestations in that episode. All of them seem to have come from Eko's memory. So, could one assume that when they last faced off, that all those flashes that happened in the Monster cloud, that it was sort of "downloading information" that it might want to use at a future date? | ” |
- David Fury had this to say about the Monster in an interview with Lostpedia:
| “ |
Metaphorically, the Monster was just the great unknown threat, the imminent danger around the corner that potentially haunts us all… Some thought of it as a monster of the id, much like in Forbidden Planet-- that maybe it appeared differently to everyone who saw it. The most tangible thought, as explained later by Rousseau, was that it functioned as a security system set up by the Island’s creators/early residents... For Locke, clearly, the Monster was the "soul" of the Island that was responsible for his "miracle." (LP Interview:David Fury) | ” |
Sound effects
In the form of the black smoke monster, the entity releases several distinct noises.
- The howling sound is usually in concert pitch A. The frequency of this pitch is 440 hertz. In music, "A-440" is the standard to which musical instruments are tuned.
- In the voice-over commentary for "The 23rd Psalm" on the Season 2 DVD, producer Bryan Burk confirmed that one of the Monster's sound effects is the receipt printer from a NYC taxi cab. You can hear the sound at this link
- This was reaffirmed in the May 21, 2007 Official Lost Podcast, but it was clarified that the mythology of the Monster is unrelated to the cabs and was just a matter of sound effects. This sound effect was heard in the following scenes:
- When Locke punched some numbers into a counting machine, right before the first commercial ("Walkabout")
- As the Monster flew by Kate and Jack ("Exodus, Part 2")
- Before Nikki gets bitten by the Medusa spider, as was confirmed on the Season 3 DVD commentary for that episode ("Exposé")
Production notes
- Some viewers believed that the The Twins (Others) could be amongst the entity's manifestations, but this was officially debunked in an interview with Damon Lindelof. He said they hired the twin stunt men to be guys on the Others' boat, but they were never meant to become important to the storyline. Damon Lindelof said, "We can tell you, sitting here now that twins have nothing to do whatsoever with the mythology of the show." ("Exodus, Part 2")
- In the production building on the Disney lot where the Lost production has been housed, Cerberus is the name of the safety and fire protection system. The three-headed dog logo can be found all over the grounds.
Producer's favorite fan theory
In February 2007, Damon Lindelof opened a question on Yahoo! Answers about the nature of the Monster. The answer he and Carlton Cuse liked the best was given by user ar233. Out of over 8000 submitted answers, the winner was:
| “ |
I think the Monster was originally a highly advanced security system designed to separate participants in the experimental DHARMA hatches. I think it was an effect that was designed to frighten people (smoke, noise) if they strayed too far from their experiment location. (A bit Wizard of Oz-like.) However, the electromagnetic force has mutated it—in the same sense as Desmond experienced time travel and can now see the future after exposure—and made it malevolent and able to physically grab things in its force (Eko, the pilot, Locke). So in theory it may be able to be deactivated, if they can find the control room for it (which would be another hatch somewhere yet undetected). | ” |
The producers' explanation as to why they picked that answer was:
| “ |
We were amazed at the imagination and prodigious creativity applied to answering the question, what is the Monster? We have chosen our favorite answer. Not that's it's the right answer. Sorry, but we can't really give away the ultimate secrets of the Monster quite yet. The answer we selected might be somewhat right, totally right, or completely off-base. But we liked it and found it very cool and intriguing. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write in. We loved reading your thoughts, and thanks for watching! -Carlton and Damon | ” |
They later stated they were impressed by how close some of the responses came.
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
|---|
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: The Man in Black/Theories
General
- What are its abilities?
- How is it able to take on different forms?
- Does the entity require the presence of a dead body to take the form of the deceased?
- Why is the entity kept at bay by the sonar fence?
- How does a circle of ash provide a measure of protection against the entity?
- Are all the dead people reappearing actually the monster?
- How can the Man in Black be killed?
As the Monster
- What was the "beautiful" light observed by Locke during their first encounter?
History
- What is his origin?
- How long has has he been on the Island?
- Why can't he leave the island?
- If he was once a normal man, how and when did this change?
- What was the nature of the betrayal he experienced?
- Who was the person the Man in Black loved?
- How did he lose them?
- What is the nature of his relationship with Jacob?
- What is their point of contention?
- Why did he need a loophole in order to kill Jacob?
- What was the loophole?
The DHARMA Initiative
- How much did the DHARMA Initiative know about the entity?
- Why do they refer to it as "Cerberus"?
- What are the "Cerberus" references on the blast door map?
The Others
- What does Richard Alpert know of the entity?
- Why didn't Ben know about the true nature of the entity?
Recent Events
- Where was the Monster dragging Montand, and much later Locke?
- What happened to the science expedition beneath the Temple?
- Why did the Man in Black allow himself to be summoned by Ben in "Dead Is Dead"?
- Why does he want to go home?
- Why was the Man in Black seeking to recruit the Others?
External links
Videos
- YouTube video of Eko's first encounter with the Monster ("The 23rd Psalm")
- YouTube video compilation of the Monster's appearances (("Pilot, Part 1") through ("Exposé"))
- YouTube video of the Monster vs. the mercenaries ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- YouTube video Monster attacking the Science expedition ("This Place Is Death")
- YouTube video Monster judges Ben ("Dead Is Dead")
- Youtube video Man in Black turns into the Monster ("LA X, Part 1")
- Youtube video Monster point of view ("The Substitute")
References
- ↑ http://www.jayandjack.com/2009/05/18/lost-podcast-aac-ep-433-the-ee-saw/
- ↑ http://spoilerslost.blogspot.com/2009/05/getting-lost-from-tv-guide.html
- ↑ http://tv.ign.com/articles/106/1065321p1.html
- ↑ TVGuide.com interview - "Titus Welliver: Lost's Season-Ending Mystery Isn't Black and White". July 13, 2009. "Welliver: He has no name. He's just 'the man,' because they don't want to give anything away. I know that this character has a name and I know the importance of it; that's all that I know. TVGuide.com: So you don't know his actual name? Welliver: No — and I think they deliberately withheld that."
- ↑ http://spoilerslost.blogspot.com/2009/02/episode-51617-season-finale-casting.html
- ↑ http://abc.go.com/primetime/lost/index?pn=recap#t=162212&d=201648
- ↑ http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1550612_20250233_1150029,00.html
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