Group 7 is our exclusive dead cast member grouping. Everyone in this group were either main characters or folk who have shown a knack for popping up in episodes after their demise. As with all of our LFL Character Groups this year, it is extremely hard to qualify good picks and bad picks for your Fantasy Team rosters because the Season 5 finale didn't give us any inkling as to what is coming next. So how can I possibly hope to speculate with any accuracy? I've got options. :-)
The major debate is whether the detonation of the bomb triggered a reboot or not. Frankly, the notion that five seasons of Lost will be erased and have been all for nothing annoys me, so I am firmly entrenched in the Whatever Happened, Happened camp. But since both options are still in play, it only makes sense to evaluate each League Character's potential for success based on each scenario.
With that in mind, let's get started! We'll work our way down through the characters from most popular to least popular.
CHARLIE PACE
Our favorite redeemed junkie was not only the most popular pick for Group 7 but he was also the most-picked character for the entire Season 6 LFL. Charlie appears on 53% of all Fantasy Teams. This makes his appearance vital to many. If Charlie doesn't show up at all or just very little, it opens the door for the other 47% of contestants to edge ahead in Group 7.
Whatever Happened, Happened: If our Lostie friends have always been responsible for The Incident, then Charlie still has a shot at showing up. He has appeared to Hurley on a regular basis (though we've only seen him once or twice), which bodes well for those who picked him. His appearances might be limited to Island Visions, which could be a boost for Charlie but also for Hurley, who is most likely to see him.
Reboot: This may or may not be a better scenario for those who picked Charlie. If Flight 815 never crashed, we'll probably see it land. This means we will probably see Charlie and other now-deceased Losties. But how long would Charlie remain a factor? His story got stale even by the tail end of Season 1 and his absence hasn't really been a detriment to the show. You also have to factor in actor Dominic Monaghan's involvement with the show Flashforward. As a main character on another show, his ability to show up on Lost is limited.
Grade: Even though Charlie will probably only show up in a very minor capacity, I still think he's the best choice from Group 7. He is a sentimental favorite and I think the producers know that most of us would like to see the bloody rock god one last time before all is said and done. His points potential is on the low side but still probably better than anyone else in this Group.
DANIEL FARADAY
Daniel is the latest main character to die. This puts him in a very awkward situation, especially considering the possibilities. Daniel appears on 25% of all Fantasy Team rosters. At once, he seems like the most logical person after Charlie to show up but I'm not convinced. He performed very well in Season 5, finishing in the top 10 and could have done better had he not disappeared for five episodes. Still though, dead is dead and it's hard for me to see a lot of potential for Daniel.
WHH: Well, Daniel is dead. I doubt they would bring Jeremy Davies back to play a dead body and Hurley never really knew Daniel well at all, so I don't see how Daniel fits into the WHH picture. Maybe if we see a flashback for Eloise Hawking or Charles Widmore, Daniel might pop up, but their back stories have been filled in pretty well I think.
Reboot: Seeing as I can't even fathom what a season long reboot story would be about, it's hard for me to place Daniel anywhere in the mix. His character was needed for all the weird Island physics and time travel stuff, all of which will be washed away by a reboot. He might pop up but it would be very fleeting.
Grade: Daniel is a make or break kind of pick. If he shows up, it might pay off. If he doesn't, you'll fall behind. This is true of all of these characters but Daniel wasn't on Flight 815, which is the logical starting point for a reboot storyline. I commend those of you who had the guts to pick him but I think you may have miscalculated. I'll put Daniel down as shaky for now. He's not a hopeless pick but I also don't think his points potential is marginal.
MR. EKO
I loved Eko while he was on the show. He was awesome. But I think his time has passed. Only 5% of you picked him for your Fantasy Team roster, which tells me most of you don't have confidence in our resident Jesus-stick toting priest. He fit when he was on but Seasons 4 and 5 weren't missing Mr. Eko at all. He was a total bust for the Season 5 LFL and I can't help but feel that he might do the same this year.
WHH: There is just no place for him here unless he appears to Hurley. Locke is dead, so I doubt he'll be getting many otherworldly visitors any time soon. Hurley and Eko played chess in the mental institution, so there is the faintest glimmer of hope.
Reboot: If you have Eko, you might as well pray for a reboot. If we see Flight 815 land, we just might spot the Tailies. Beyond a one-shot appearance though, I can't see how they would try to work Eko back into the story. He was remorseless for the way his life turned out on the Island and it seemed like he was trying to make up for his wrongdoings before the crash anyway.
Grade: I think having Eko on your team is a bad choice. His potential is severely limited. Actor AAA didn't like working in Hawaii much, so I doubt he has had a change of heart. If Eko does show up, it will be just a nostalgic thing for us fans. Don't expect the Eko awesomeness to return full force, if at all.
BOONE CARLYLE
Here is another character with little to no prior LFL data to go on. Boone was a bust in Season 5 and he's been pretty much off the radar since Season 3. That didn't stop 4% of you from picking him for your Fantasy Team roster though. Despite his absence, I do like his potential more than others in Group 7.
WHH: Boone won't get much mileage out of this one aside from paying a visit to Hurley or someone else via an Island Vision. With Locke dead, Boone won't really be needed to play Island guide anymore.
Reboot: This at least gives Boone a solid shot at showing up. If we see Flight 815, there's a good chance that we'll catch up with all the old Losties. Given how Boone's relationship with his sister got awkward before they left Sidney, there might be room for romance points but I wouldn't hold my breath.
Grade: I like Boone as a pick for your Fantasy Team. Ian Sommerhalder has been doing well on another show but he has always kept in touch with Lost's producers and has always been willing to come back for a one spot here and there. Even if there isn't a reboot, I think Ian will find his way back onto the show for one last hurrah.
ELIZABETH "LIBBY" SMITH
I supported her the last two seasons in a row and both times she was a bust (her cameo in 4x08 hardly counts), so this year I am coming out against having Libby on your Fantasy Team. Around 3% of you selected her and I think you'll be wishing you hadn't by the end of all things.
WHH: There is no room for Libby here. Her story is of no importance and has no bearing on anything going down on the Island.
Reboot: There's only the slimmest chance that she'll pop up if we see Flight 815 again. Beyond that, I don't see any reason to focus on her. Sure, her reason for being in the psych ward with Hurley is still dangling but would it really be that important to the show?
Grade: Bad. Bad. Bad. Despite actress Cynthia Watros doing nothing of note since Lost, she hasn't been willing to come back, leaving the producers to constantly sway back and forth on whether or not Libby's story will ever be fleshed out. I doubt it will.
SHANNON RUTHERFORD
Just a little less potential than Boone because she hasn't reappeared at all since her demise in Season 2. She was a bust last year but I'm willing to cut her a little slack. Around 3% of you picked her, so we'll see how this gamble pays off.
WHH: I really don't see the need for the Island to conjure up a Vision of Shannon. She was always rude to people like Hurley, although Miles would probably think she's hot.
Reboot: Most of her potential lies here for the same reasons as Boone. She was on the plane, so it's natural to assume that she would rear her blonde head if we see Flight 815 land. Given how unimportant her character was, I don't see the producers bringing her back for more than a guest spot in one scene. That adds up to points, but not many.
Grade: I'll mark Shannon as shaky. She was never very critical to the show and actress Maggie Grace has been making a lot of movies lately. She might peek in for nostalgia but little else.
CHARLOTTE LEWIS
Ms. Lewis struggled in Season 5 and her death part way through certainly did her no favors. I don't really know what to think of her chances this year. She's recently deceased and that really makes it hard to decide. Over 2% of you decided to risk it, so kudos.
WHH: Her death was part of trimming the fat and picking up the pace. I really liked her character but the show has accelerated since she died. It might be interesting to see where her body flashed to but that's about all we'd get out of her in this scenario.
Reboot: Charlotte being involved in a reboot doesn't make much sense to me. Might she still try to find the Island and cross paths with people? It's impossible to say.
Grade: There might be some potential either way, so I'm going to call her shaky at best. Actress Rebecca Mader patched things up with the Lost execs but I don't know if that means she'll reemerge on the show.
ANA LUCIA CORTEZ
Eep. We didn't even include Ana in the Season 5 LFL because we thought there was no way she'd be back. Sure enough, we were wrong. But one reappearance doesn't exactly make her a lightning rod for this year. Almost exactly 2% of you pickd her, which is probably the percentage of fans who absolutely adored her when she was on the show.
WHH: She appeared to Hurley once, so it could happen again. Not likely, but it could.
Reboot: We might see her getting off the plane and reunite with her mother, which would be cool because Ana was one of the few people who had a redemptive arc before the crash. Beyond this though, I got nothing for you.
Grade: While not bad, I think Ana is a poor choice. Right now she only seems to fit in for gimmicky or nostalgic points. Every point helps but there are also better options available.
MICHAEL DAWSON
Less than 2% of you went with Michael, which makes sense given his anticlimactic return in Season 4 and the actor's issues with the way he was dispatched yet again. Despite all this, I think he has a better shot at appearing over some of the characters picked higher than him.
WHH: There is very little potential for Michael in this case. He might appear to Hurley or maybe even to Sun but that's about it. He's dead after all.
Reboot: Some potential there, especially if the producers want to give us a happy ending to his fatherhood with Walt. Malcolm David Kelley's growth kind of hits the breaks on this though and I can't imagine them attempting to recast a younger Walt. Still, we might catch him at the airport.
Grade: I like his chances better than Ana Lucia's but he's still a shaky to poor choice. I understand diversifying your picks but Michael might be more of a shot in the foot.
NAOMI DORRIT
I have to give Naomi credit for popping up in Season 5 unexpectedly, so I have to keep her in mind for Season 6. Only 1% of you were willing to take a chance on her, so she could be a big boost or just a minor disappointment.
WHH: If we see some back story on Widmore, we might see her as she got involved with the freighter mission. Beyond this, more Miles flashbacks would be necessary for her to appear.
Reboot: I don't think she stands a chance if this is the case. If the past was changed, would there still be a freighter mission? I have my doubts. A reboot would wipe her potential away almost entirely.
Grade: Poor, but optimistically so. Unlike many of the others in Group 7, she benefits most from WHH and least from a reboot. We could be in for a stunner but I don't know how likely she is to still be a factor in the story.
DR. LESLIE ARZT
Hey, everyone has to at least have a shot! Less than half of a percent of you were feeling the Arzt vibe. I can't blame you but it does pain me to see Leslie as the least selected character in the LFL.
WHH: Really no potential unless someone has a flashback.
Reboot: Maybe a shot of him getting off the plane. He did help Claire with her luggage after all.
Grade: Bad but lovable. Arzt was annoying at first but he grew on me. His death is still one of the coolest in the history of the show. His coolness quotient probably won't help him get any points though.
OVERALL
Most of these characters would benefit more from a reboot but anyone from the freighter would stand a better chance if whatever happened, happened. I think we'll find out pretty early in the season which characters in this group will be in trouble. The good news is that you won't lose points for being absent this year. Here's how I think the characters will rank in Group 7 by the end of Season 6:
1) Charlie Pace
2) Boone
3) Daniel
4) Shannon
5) Charlotte
6) Michael
7) Naomi
8) Ana Lucia
9) Mr. Eko
10) Arzt
11) Libby
