GROUP 2 ANALYSIS:
Group 2 features some of the most popular supporting characters on Lost, so I can only imagine how difficult it was for some of you to pick one of these five fabulous people. Two of them are on the newer side but with good points potential, two are old favorites that have been around since the beginning, and the last is one who has nothing but potential going for them.
Who could I be talking about? Well, you probably already know, but read on to be doubly sure:
REMINDER: Do not post spoilers in the comments section. I have gone 90% spoiler-free during the hiatus and will not reveal anything that I know, so please do not let anything that you know slip. Let’s respect the fans that have gone 100% spoiler-free.
DESMONDI like Desmond and I knew he was popular, but I had no idea that he would turn out to be the most selected character in Group 2. Appearing on just north of 44% of all Fantasy rosters, Desmond seems to be a powerhouse of potential. He’s only had three flashbacks so far and there is definitely room to grow for him in the cast.
Desmond is unique in that he is neither a Lostie nor an Other. He is a sort of third party on the Island and his story had run parallel to theirs up until now. If we see more of his time with Kelvin in the Hatch, he’ll be a lock for picking up Numbers points. If we see more of his past, he’ll likely pick up a few romance points for his relationship with Penny. And if we catch a glimpse of his future, he’ll likely score points with Penny and who knows what adventures he may take part in.
With the freighter people knowing who Desmond is, coupled with the fact that the freighter was not sent by Penny, you have to wonder what will happen to our mutual friend when ‘rescue’ reaches the Island. Whatever peril or reward may await him, I think he’s going to stick around for the long haul, being a consistent source of points all season long. It may depend on how he handles Charlie’s death and whether or not he still has flashes of the future, but I expect Desmond to be a major player in Season 4.
HURLEYHe’s one of the most beloved characters on the show and has been involved with several adventures. However, the big question mark on Hurley’s fate this season is how he will react to and handle Charlie’s death. Will it push him over the edge of sanity? Will he become reckless having lost one of the best friends he ever had? We’ll probably find out the answer to this very early on in Season 4, but it’s still a big risk; one that only 17% of you were willing to take.
In reality though, I don’t think Hurley is a bad choice. As crucial as he has been in the past for keeping everybody’s spirits up and for providing comic relief, I cannot imagine that Hurley would be killed off or devolve into a gloomy, hefty version of Sawyer. With Charlie dead, Hurley is the only character left that is able to lighten the mood when necessary. He’ll probably have to face more of his own demons (as all the Losties do) and we’ll probably see that sooner than later. We only had one Hurley-centric episode in Season 3, so I think his time to shine is coming up. He’s got the second-longest flashback drought among the main characters at the moment, but I don’t think his story is strong enough to carry the season premier. Some of his episodes have been a tad too light to envision him snaring the first episode of Season 4.
One thing that is always a mainstay for Hurley is the Numbers. While he seems to have broken away from their curse, you can bet that they’ll keep popping up. They already keep appearing all over the place, so Hurley’s relationship with the Numbers will continue. Some aspects of Hurley’s past still haven’t been revealed (such as the incident that pushed him over the edge and into Santa Rosa) and his future would certainly be interesting. What would he do with all that money he won? Hurley will get his time to shine early on and he will be a consistent source of points, but the specifics are still kind of vague for dear Hugo.
JULIETWith the death of Nikki and Paulo in the books, Juliet holds the title of newest main character still alive on the show. Her story has been dramatic and profound, but is there much left to it? Of all the main characters, I’d have to put Juliet at the top of my Death Watch list. She and Jack seem to have a little thing going on, so her absence from Jack’s flashforward is a little unsettling to me. Last hired, first fired seems to be a trend on Lost. Shortly after meeting all of the Tailies, they were nearly all killed off one by one. Bernard is the only one left at this point.
I don’t want to sound too negative, but Juliet does seem like a likely candidate for Boone Hill. She hasn’t become essential to any of the storylines but her own and really needs to see some depth added to her back-story or future-story in order to make the cut. If Juliet does stick around though, I think she will be a solid points earner. She’s not afraid to go exploring and put her life on the line and her little thing going on with Jack might just provide some romance points.
One other negative for Juliet is that she has proven to be one tough cookie. She can take it just as easily as she can dish it out, so she may be held back a little by this. Either way it goes, Juliet still got picked up by a good number of people, coming one roster selection shy of tying Hurley. Juliet is a risky pick for sure, but she could surprise us all. Besides, she’s not nearly as risky a pick as our Group 2 bottom feeder.
SAYIDAs popular as Sayid is in some corners of the internet, I was surprised to see him come in fourth for Group 2. Granted, his back-story seems to have little remaining (Enter 77 seemed a bit of a stretch to me) but he has a knack for going on adventures and discovering things. Over 14% of you remembered his exploring ways and put him on your Fantasy rosters.
Perhaps his quickness to action worked against him in the end. While he is popular and has done his share of exploring he has also displayed quite clearly a knack for roughhousing. Whether he’s torturing suspected Others or blowing them up at the beach, Sayid usually finds himself mixed up in the sort of things that aren’t conducive to a prosperous Fantasy team. Whether he’s getting hurt or laying the hurt on someone else, this is an unattractive feature that most people seem to have kept in mind when filling out their rosters.
Still though, Sayid has some potential. If he has a flashforward, I would expect him to seek out Nadia. Should a relationship start there, Sayid owners could find a sudden boost from the romance points. I really shouldn’t have been surprised to see Sayid selected in such low numbers. As a soldier, he’ll be the first one in line when it comes to defending his friends from whatever dangers may come at them next.
MICHAELSome have wondered why we put Michael so high up in the Fantasy groupings. Yes, if the producers were trying to get Michael to come back the Season 3 finale but failed, then there’s a good chance they may have squeaked him in for Season 4. But, his fate is still uncertain.
Should Michael come back, it’s likely he would play a large part in whatever action is going on at the time. He’d certainly have a lot of explaining to do. There is potential for a flashback showing what happened to him and Walt after leaving the Island, and there’s always the chance that he could get a flashforward. The possibilities truly are endless with Michael, but it all hinges upon whether or not he even comes back. Like I said, if he comes back, he’ll be a major player. That is why we put him in Group 2. It’s a big risk, and not very many of you were willing to take it.
Well count me among the 176 contestants who felt Michael was worth the gamble. If he comes back, it will mean a huge boost to a minority of teams, which could make him a spoiler and a game-changer. The only problem is that he probably won’t show up right off the bat, costing us a few points before we strike gold. Michael performed rather well in the Hiatus League (5th overall), so we can be hopeful that he’ll match these accomplishments if he returns this season.
Say it with me now: Only 24 hours left!
