Desmond Hume

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Desmond Hume

Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond Hume
First appearance "Man of Science, Man of Faith"
Centric
episode(s)		 "Live Together, Die Alone"
"Flashes Before Your Eyes"
"Catch-22"
"The Constant"
Information
Name Desmond David Hume
Former
residence		 Glasgow, Scotland, UK
Portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick

Desmond David Hume is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick. Desmond's name is a tribute to David Hume, the famous empiricist author and philosopher. Desmond was not a passenger of Flight 815. He had been stranded on the island three years prior to the crash as the result of a shipwreck. Desmond eventually leaves the Island with the Oceanic 6 and is reunited with his love Penny Widmore (Sonya Walger). He is currently in hiding from her father, Charles Widmore (Alan Dale).

Contents

[edit] Arc

[edit] Before shipwrecking

Desmond is originally from Glasgow, Scotland. Is a huge fan of the Celtic Football Club, After being engaged to a woman named Ruth (Joanna Bool) for six years, Desmond gets cold feet one week before the wedding. He passes out due to binge drinking and wakes up to find a monk named Brother Campbell (Andrew Connolly). Desmond decides to join the monastery, feeling a higher calling. Shortly after completing his vow of silence, he is assaulted by Ruth's brother. He meets with Ruth who chastises him for breaking her heart. Guilt ridden, he breaks into the monastery's wine cellar and starts to drink. As a result, Brother Campbell dismisses him from the order. Before he leaves, Brother Campbell asks him to perform a final service for the order, assisting Penny by loading a number of cases of wine into her car. The two feel an immediate attraction, and she asks for his help in unloading the wine in Carlisle.[1] Two years later, they move into an apartment together.

Desmond visits Penny's father Charles to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. While stating his appreciation for the bold gesture, Charles makes his disapproval of Desmond clear, saying he was not good enough for her. After being unable to pay for a photograph taken with Penny, Desmond believes he can't support himself nor Penny and, thinking she deserves better, breaks up with her. In an attempt to prove himself to Charles, Desmond joins the Royal Scots Regiment of the British Army.[2]After being imprisoned for an unknown crime, Desmond is dishonorably discharged from the army. Outside the prison, Desmond is greeted by Charles, who admits to confiscating all the letters Desmond wrote to Penny, and attempts to bribe him to leave her alone. Desmond travels to America, where he meets Libby (Cynthia Watros). She gives Desmond her boat when he reveals that in order to win his true love, he must win a boating race, funded by Charles Widmore. Before setting off, Desmond goes to train at a stadium in Los Angeles; where he is confronted by Penny, upset that he had not contacted her since getting out of prison. He asks her to wait for him for one more year, when the race would have ended. After he entering the race, his boat is caught in a ferocious storm, and he was eventually knocked unconscious.[3]

[edit] Prior to the crash

Desmond washes ashore on the island without his boat. A man named Kelvin Joe Inman (Clancy Brown) emerges from the jungle in a hazmat suit and takes him back to the hatch. Desmond watches as Kelvin inputs the numbers into a computer, claiming it is saving the world. Kelvin later explains that it releases an electromagnetic charge to prevent there being a large build-up of electromagnetic energy. He tells Desmond to innoculate himself with an unnamed vaccine every nine days, since he was out in the "quarantined" island, and might be infected. Three years pass, and Desmond desperately wants to go above ground, but Kelvin will not allow it, although he himself leaves for hours each day in his hazmat suit. Desmond catches Kelvin drunk one night in a secret crawlspace below the floor, dangling a key above a fail-safe mechanism. Kelvin explains that if the fail-safe mechanism was activated, the hatch would be destroyed, destroying the electromagnetic anomaly with it.

When Kelvin leaves one day, Desmond notices that Kelvin's hazmat suit has a tear on its leg. He follows Kelvin above ground, where he discovers Kelvin removing the suit and finding the air was safe to breathe. Desmond follows Kelvin to a cove, where he sees his sailboat in perfect shape. Kelvin had been leaving the hatch to fix the boat a little each day, planning to escape the island and leave Desmond behind. Kelvin startles Desmond, revealing he knew Desmond was following him, and then invites Desmond to escape with him. Desmond is too worried about the button to leave, to which Kelvin expresses his doubts about the validity of the button. Desmond becomes enraged that he may have spent three years of his life on the island unnecessarily and attacks Kelvin. They struggled, and Desmond accidentally smashes Kelvin's head on a rock, killing him. Desmond takes the key for the fail-safe mechanism from around Kelvin's neck and races back to the hatch, where the timer for the button has already reached zero and the computer is registering a system failure. A massive electromagnetic field builds up, attracting all metal objects to the sealed door inside the hatch, including Oceanic Flight 815. Desmond manages to stop it by inputting the code, which safely disperses the electromagnetic field, but not in time to prevent the plane crash.[3]

[edit] After the crash

[edit] Season 2

For forty-one days, Desmond lingers in the hatch. He gradually falls into a deep depression to the point of even contemplating his own suicide. As he opens up Our Mutual Friend, (Which he earlier stated would be the last book he would read before his death) he finds a note that Penny had hidden inside before he was sent to prison, telling him not to despair, as well as reminding him that she will always wait for him and that she loves him. Even more depressed now, he goes into a rage and makes a mess out of the hatch. As he collapses, Desmond then hears someone shouting from the top of the hatch. Unknown to Desmond, it is Locke (Terry O'Quinn) asking the hatch for help after Boone's fatal plane injury. When Desmond turns on a light to see who it is, Locke, thinking his prayers have been answered, quiets down. Desmond, similarly, considers the voice to be a sign that he is no longer alone, and regains hope.[3] When Locke, Kate (Evangeline Lilly) and Jack (Matthew Fox) enter the hatch, they accidentally damage the computer after a brief fight with a panicked Desmond. Convinced that the world is going to end, he tries to fix the computer, but is unable to. Desmond frantically flees the hatch. Jack catches up with him and Desmond tells him the code, and explains that it must be entered every 108 minutes.[4] Desmond makes his way back to his boat and attempts to sail to Fiji. However, his plans go awry.[3]

A drunken Desmond returns in his boat, having been unable to navigate away from the island, making him compare it and its waters to "a bloody snow globe" . Later he is confronted by Locke who tells him of another DHARMA station, the Pearl station, where he found an orientation film suggesting the button pushing was just an experiment. While Desmond wavers back and forth with his conviction on the button, he and Locke wait for the countdown to hit zero, to see what will happen. As the countdown reaches zero, Locke shows the printout he obtained from The Pearl. Desmond realizes that the date of the prior "system failure" was the same day as the plane crash, September 22, 2004. Desmond believes that his failure to push the button that day resulted in an electromagnetic field that pulled down Oceanic Flight 815. He is insistent that the button must be pressed, but Locke angrily reacts by destroying the computer. Desmond retrieves the key to the fail-safe mechanism, wanting to save Locke because Locke saved him the night he shouted at the hatch door. As Desmond uses the key, a bright white light envelops his face.[3]

[edit] Season 3

Upon turning the key, Desmond is sent back to 1996, where he relives the moments leading to his break-up with Penny. He remembers the island only after seeing Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) busking in the streets. He is told by a mysterious woman, Ms. Hawking (Fionnula Flanagan), that it is his destiny to be on the island. He is later knocked unconsious and wakens back in the present, amidst the hatch's scattered remains and completely naked.[2] Hurley (Jorge Garcia) clothes him, and Desmond mentions a speech Locke has made, without realising Locke doesn't make this speech until his and Hurley's return to the beach.[5] Upon returning to the beach, he then asks Claire (Emilie de Ravin) to leave her shelter for the day. When she refuses, Desmond constructs a lightning rod, diverting the ensuing lightning to strike it instead of her shelter.[6]

After Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) is killed by the monster[7], Desmond attends his burial with Charlie and Hurley. He leaves suddenly to rescue a drowning Claire in the ocean despite being in the jungle, too far to be aware of Claire's predicament. In an attempt to question him about his clairvoyant gift, Charlie and Hurley get him drunk, but Desmond retaliates before being interrogated. He informs Charlie that he has been doing everything he can to prevent Charlie's death, but it is inevitable.[2]

Several days later, Desmond experiences another vision of Charlie's death, and asks Charlie, Hurley and Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) to accompany him on a hike. That night, the four witness a passing helicopter, and its pilot bailing at the last minute. They trek inland, discovering various belongings of the pilot, including a photograph of Desmond and Penny, prompting him to believe that the pilot is Penny. Desmond prevents his vision from happening by rescuing Charlie from one of Rousseau's (Mira Furlan) traps. The four eventually find the parachutist suspended from a tree. Desmond cuts her down and removes her helmet. However, he is disappointed to find that it isn't Penny after all, it is a woman named Naomi (Marsha Thomason). She coughs out his name before passing out.[1] When Mikhail (Andrew Divoff) arrives, Desmond bargains with him to help them save Naomi in exchange for letting him walk away free. Mikhail agrees, and manages to tend to her.[8] The four return her to the beach soon after.

Desmond suggests informing someone about Naomi's arrival, and approves of Charlie's decision to tell Sayid (Naveen Andrews) over Jack. He tells Sayid about Naomi's mission to find him for Penny.[9] The next day, as Jack and Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) lead the camp into the jungle, Desmond experiences another vision of Charlie's death, but this time Desmond must let it happen in order for Claire to be rescued. He tells Charlie, prompting him to agree to swim underwater to the Looking Glass station. Desmond accompanies him, and follows the cable into the ocean. Desmond offers to take his place, speculating that he is supposed to be dying in Charlie's place, but is knocked out by Charlie.[10] Desmond comes to, only for Mikhail to shoot at him. Desmond swims down to the station and hides in a locker. After Mikhail kills the two resident Others, Desmond shoots him in the chest at close range, but is confused when he is unable to find his body minutes later. Charlie makes contact with Penny, and informs Desmond, but before he can enter the room, Mikhail appears outside the window and sets off a grenade. Charlie realises that he is meant to die, and Desmond is not so locks himself in the room. Desmond watches helplessly as the room floods, causing Charlie to eventually drown. Moments before drowning, Charlie writes on his hand with a marker informing Desmond that the boat is not Penny's.[11]

[edit] Season 4

Desmond makes his way back to the beach, where he warns the survivors there that the people on Naomi's boat are not who they say they are. When Hurley asks about Charlie, Desmond remorsefully breaks the news to him about Charlie's death. Despite his clear mistrust in the people on the boat, Desmond chooses to remain with Jack instead of going to the Barracks with Locke.[12] After questioning Frank (Jeff Fahey) about Naomi's picture of Penny, Desmond departs from the island to go to the freighter with Sayid and a dead Naomi.[13]

As the helicopter that Desmond and Sayid are being transported on flies through a storm, Desmond begins having perceptions of another reality of himself as a private in the British Army's Royal Scots Regiment. He begins flashing back and forth between present day on the freighter, and his life in 1996 before arriving on the island. Furthermore the shifting causes Desmond to lose all memories of the Island and Sayid, who is accompanying him on the helicopter. Sayid radios the island where one of the men from the freighter, Daniel Faraday (Jeremy Davies) explains that the shifting perceptions Desmond is experiencing are actually a form of time travel. He tells Desmond when he reverts to the memory of him in 1996, he must go to Oxford University and find the past Faraday, where Faraday was working on a time machine. Here Faraday tells Desmond he must find a constant, something or someone that is the same in both 1996 and 2004 that he can use as a reference point. He uses Penny as this "constant". Desmond realizes that in order to stop the timeshifting he must make contact with Penny on Christmas Eve 2004, the date he is on the freighter. In 1996, he manages to find an angry Penny who does not want to see him. He pleads with her to give him her phone number, and to not change it as he will phone it in eight years time, where she must pick up. When he reverts to the present, he makes the call with the help of Sayid. She answers the phone and tearfully tells him she has been searching for him and knows about the island, and that she loves him. On the island Faraday looks through his journal and finds a page saying that if anything went wrong, Desmond would be his constant.[14]

With Desmond's situation resolved, he and Sayid meet Captain Gault (Grant Bowler) only moments after witnessing a female crew-member, Regina (Zoë Bell), commit suicide by jumping off the side of the freighter with a chain wrapped around her body. The captain theorizes that his crew has been suffering from cabin fever due to the close proximity of the island and would turn the ship around if it weren't for a mysterious saboteur disabling the engines. Gault tells Desmond, much to his surprise, that Widmore owns the freighter and is trying to track down Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson). When being escorted to their new room, Desmond and Sayid see Michael (Harold Perrineau) on the ship, working as a janitor and using the alias, Kevin Johnson.[15] Desmond and Sayid later confront Michael in the engine room where he explains to them how he came to be on the freighter, revealing he is now working for Ben. Sayid blows his cover by taking him to Gault with Desmond, telling Gault that Michael is the saboteur.[16]

Not long after, Frank flies the helicopter back to the freighter with Jack, Kate, Hurley and Aaron on board. Sun (Yunjin Kim), Sayid and Desmond are the only people from the freighter who manage to get on the helicopter before the freighter explodes. Desmond is finally rescued along with the Oceanic Six and Frank by the love of his life, Penny.[17]. It is unknown if Desmond has been contacted by Jeremy Bentham, but Jack and Hurley both implied that Bentham had been making contact "with all of us that got off the island" in the month's preceding his apparent death.

[edit] Development

Desmond is named after David Hume, a Scottish philosopher who discussed the ideas of free will and determinism.[18] These ideas are reflected in Desmond's time travel where he meets Ms. Hawking, an old lady who explains that the universe has a specific way in which things must take place, anywhere that things go off course, the universe will correct itself.[2]

Cusick was originally hired for only three episodes in the beginning of season two, but he then returned in the finale and became a regular cast member from the third season.[19]

[edit] Reception

In 2006 Henry Ian Cusick was the only Lost actor to be nominated for an Emmy.[20] He lost out in the Award for Outstanding Guest Actor to Christian Clemenson from Boston Legal.[21]

Eric Goldman from IGN thought Desmond's flashbacks were "some of the more interesting flashbacks of the [second] season", finding Cusick's portrayal of Desmond as "likable" and "sympathetic".[22] IGN's Chris Carabott complimented Cusick's performance in "Flashes Before Your Eyes", particularly liking the chemistry between Cusick and Sonya Walger, as well as between Cusick and Alan Dale.[18] Maureen Ryan of The Chicago Tribune thought Cusick's performance in the fourth season episode "The Constant" was "especially spine-tingling".[23] Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly described Desmond's storyline as "the most emotionally satisfying character arc of season 4", feeling he deserved another Emmy nomination.[24] Critic Kelly Woo, from TV Squad, placed him on #1 on her list of "Seven new characters that worked".[25]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "Catch-22". Stephen Williams, Writ. Jeff Pinkner & Brian K. Vaughan. Lost. ABC. 2007-04-18. No. 17, season 3.
  2. ^ a b c d "Flashes Before Your Eyes". Jack Bender, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Drew Goddard. Lost. ABC. 2007-02-14. No. 8, season 3.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Live Together, Die Alone". Jack Bender, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse. Lost. ABC. 2006-05-24. No. 23, season 2.
  4. ^ "Orientation". Jack Bender, Writ. Javier Grillo-Marxuach & Craig Wright. Lost. ABC. 2005-10-05. No. 3, season 2.
  5. ^ "Further Instructions". Stephen Williams, Writ. Carlton Cuse & Elizabeth Sarnoff. Lost. ABC. 2006-10-18. No. 3, season 3.
  6. ^ "Every Man for Himself". Stephen Williams, Writ. Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. Lost. ABC. 2006-10-25. No. 4, season 3.
  7. ^ "The Cost of Living". Jack Bender, Writ. Alison Schapker & Monica Owusu-Breen. Lost. ABC. 2006-11-01. No. 5, season 3.
  8. ^ "D.O.C.". Fred Toye, Writ. Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. Lost. ABC. 2007-04-25. No. 18, season 3.
  9. ^ "The Brig". Eric Laneuville, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse. Lost. ABC. 2007-05-02. No. 19, season 3.
  10. ^ "Greatest Hits". Stephen Williams, Writ. Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. Lost. ABC. 2007-05-16. No. 21, season 3.
  11. ^ "Through the Looking Glass". Jack Bender, Writ. Carlton Cuse & Damon Lindelof. Lost. ABC. 2007-05-23. No. 22, season 3.
  12. ^ "The Beginning of the End". Jack Bender, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse. Lost. ABC. 2008-01-31. No. 1, season 4.
  13. ^ "The Economist". Jack Bender, Writ. Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. Lost. ABC. 2008-02-14. No. 3, season 4.
  14. ^ "The Constant". Jack Bender, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse. Lost. ABC. 2008-02-28. No. 5, season 4.
  15. ^ "Ji Yeon". Stephen Semel, Writ. Edward Kitsis & Adam Horowitz. Lost. ABC. 2008-03-13. No. 7, season 4.
  16. ^ "Meet Kevin Johnson". Stephen Williams, Writ. Elizabeth Sarnoff & Brian K. Vaughan. Lost. ABC. 2008-03-20. No. 8, season 4.
  17. ^ "There's No Place Like Home: Parts 2 and 3". Jack Bender & Stephen Williams, Writ. Damon Lindelof & Carlton Cuse. Lost. ABC. 2008-05-29. No. 13 & 14, season 4.
  18. ^ a b Carabott, Chris (2007-02-15). "Lost: Flashes Before Your Eyes Review". IGN. Retrieved on 2008-09-23.
  19. ^ Official Lost Podcast February 20, 2007.
  20. ^ "A Lost Cause?". Parade (2008-01-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-23.
  21. ^ "Here are the Emmy Winners". Entertainment Weekly (2006-08-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-24.
  22. ^ "Lost: "Live Together, Die Alone"". IGN (2006-05-25). Retrieved on 2008-09-24.
  23. ^ Ryan, Maureen, (March 19, 2008) "Lost is Back to Being an Unmissable Addiction", The Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on September 23, 2008.
  24. ^ "Who got snubbed on Emmy's Supporting Dramatic shortlist?". Entertainment Weekly (2008-07-01). Retrieved on 2008-09-23.
  25. ^ Woo, Kelly (2008-09-30). "Seven new characters that worked", TV Squad. Retrieved on 3 October 2008. 
v • d • e
Lost
Production Cast • Episode list • Music • Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Season 4 • Season 5
Main characters Ana Lucia • Ben • Boone • Charlie • Charlotte • Claire • Desmond • Faraday • Hurley • Jack • Jin • Juliet
Kate • Libby • Locke • Michael • Miles • Mr. Eko • Nikki and Paulo • Sawyer • Sayid • Shannon • Sun • Walt
Supporting characters Alex • Bernard • Christian • Ethan • Keamy • Rose • Rousseau • Tom
Groups Dharma Initiative • Hanso Foundation • Oceanic Airlines • The Others
Miscellaneous Awards • Find 815 • Lost Experience • Lost: Missing Pieces • Lostpedia • Lost: Via Domus • Mythology
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desmond_Hume"
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