Created by J.J. Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber, Lost follows the passengers of the doomed Flight 815. The flight crashes on a mysterious island, and the survivors of the crash are left to face supernatural forces, battle their inner demons, and discover the island's secrets. The series garnered a vast viewership with elements of science fiction, mystery, adventure, and drama. It left a lasting impact on its viewers with its complex narrative winning numerous awards, including an Emmy for "Outstanding Drama Series" in 2005.
Over the years, Lost fans have debated which characters they loved and could not stand. With their intricate backstories, a few of these complex characters might have triggered some viewers the wrong way. Whether it was due to their questionable morals, irritating personalities, or misjudgments, here’s a list of the top 10 most hated characters in Lost.
Warning: This article contains major spoilers from the series Lost. Also, the piece reflects the author's opinion. Reader's discretion is advised.
Top 10 most hated characters in Lost
1. Ana Lucia Cortez
Portrayed by Michelle Rodriguez, Ana Lucia was one of the most hated characters in Lost. This former LAPD officer was introduced in Season 2. Her unborn child had died at the hands of a suspect who took a shot at her. She ended up killing him, of course. However, her harsh and aggressive nature towards the other characters was not received well by many fans. She was even more disliked when she shot and accidentally killed Shannon. Her skilled and tough display did not help her either. Instead, it garnered more dislike for the character.
2. Michael Dawson
Harold Perrineau played the role of Michael Dawson in Lost. He was a father who only worried about his son's well-being. He was so concerned about his son, Walt, that he almost became desperate and made morally questionable decisions. He even betrayed the other survivors. Fans just could not look past his decision to murder Ana Lucia and Libby in cold blood for his son's safety. The reasons behind his actions as a father, especially his focus on his son’s safety, are understandable. Yet, those actions coming at the expense of others rubbed the fans of Lost the wrong way.
3. Nikki Fernandez and Paulo
Season 3 saw the introduction of Nikki, played by Kiele Sanchez, and Paulo, played by Rodrigo Santoro. If the Lost fanbase almost immediately disliked any characters, it’s them. According to some fans, these characters felt more like fillers of the show. Their background story did not seem convincing and was unrelatable to many fans. Perhaps the writers got a whiff of this and abruptly wrote them out of the show. Their storyline was widely regarded as one of the weakest in the show, and their characters were two of the most hated.
4. Shannon Rutherford
Maggie Grace played Shannon in Lost, who was the step-sister of Boone. Her self-centered attitude, helplessness, and lack of contribution to the survival efforts of the group made her widely disliked by the fanbase of the show. Her death at the hands of Ana Lucia in Season 2 did not help her case, despite it lending a certain amount of depth to the otherwise entitled character in the series. Fans did not like how she kept manipulating Boone. This brief character left a lasting impression on the fans of Lost, although primarily a negative one.
5. Jack Shephard
Matthew Fox’s character as Jack Shephard in Lost was one of the divisive characters of the show. He was both loved and hated by the fans of the show. Viewers could hardly relate to his bouts of self-righteousness and stubbornness. He was crucial to the group’s survival, but his need for control, inability to listen to others, and impulsiveness made him controversial. His personality flaws and internal struggles were vital to the show's development. However, they were also why he was regarded as one of the most frustrating characters and one of the most hated in Lost.
6. Kate Austen
Portrayed by Evangeline Lilly, Kate Austen is another complex character in the show Lost. However, she has undoubtedly garnered widespread dislike for herself since she is on this list. Kate Austen is one of the most polarizing characters in Lost. Some show viewers found her resourceful, but others saw her indecisiveness and constant love triangle drama with Jack and Sawyer as annoying and exhausting. She was one of the show's main characters, but her actions left viewers doubting her intentions.
7. Benjamin Linus
Benjamin Linus, played by Michael Emerson, was another complicated character in Lost. He was the manipulative leader of the Others. His cunning ways made him the viewers’ favorite character to hate. They disliked him for his ability to lie, manipulate, and betray others for his advantage. He also harmed the other characters and caused the deaths of several characters in Lost. He was widely regarded as one of the show's most hated characters due to his cold and calculating behavior.
8. Claire Littleton
Claire, played by Emilie de Ravin, was a pregnant woman stranded on the island. However, she became less likable as her storyline progressed in the seasons. Her erratic behavior and obsession with her "squirrel baby” made the fans of Lost view her as one of the more frustrating characters. The character’s transformation did not sit well with many fans, leaving them with mixed feelings about her character.
9. Boone Carlyle
Ian Somerhalder played the role of Boone in Lost. He was Shannon’s step-brother and one of the first characters to die on the show. He was not a popular character, as fans did not like that he was overprotective of Shannon and was not an efficient survivor. Fans of Lost did not care about Boone's death as they believed the character did not contribute much to the main storyline. His attempts to help others were often in vain, and he also had no significant character development. This left the viewers of the show feeling indifferent towards him.
10. Charlie Pace
Portrayed by Dominic Monaghan, the character Charlie Pace was not well received by the viewers of Lost. Fans were annoyed by his lack of responsibility and his jealousy. Although his obsession with Claire and his struggle to overcome his heroin addiction were central to his storyline, his behavior made him a controversial figure. Despite this, he had a redemptive arc in the series when he drowned to save his friends. But that certainly does not take away the fact that he remains one of the divisive characters in Lost.
Lost can be streamed on Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu.
For more updates and detailed coverage, stay tuned to Soap Central!
