Lost TV Series: Top Fifty Characters RANKED!

Lost's biggest asset is its phenomenal cast of characters, and with over a hundred characters, a top 10 or 25 simply wouldn't do this show justice. So, today, I, Brighton Nelson from The Reel Ranker, decided to share with the world my fifty favorite characters of the show. Let's Sawyer James and get it on.

50. Tom Friendly

As the loyal sidekick to Benjamin Linus introduced in Season 3, Tom is a traditional lackey in every way of the word. However, he does get a few moments to shine throughout the show! My favorite part of this character is his overly ironic name—he's anything but friendly. Tom may not be a character that comes to mind when you think Lost, but in a show with seemingly hundreds of characters, Tom still stands out as a pretty memorable one.

49. Mrs. Reyes

Hugo's mom is one of the kindest parents on Lost, but, to be fair, that's not saying much. However, the bar is unequivocally low, and Hugo and his mom certainly have their issues. Nevertheless, something has to be said about one of the few women on this show that actually attempted to be a half-decent mother. Hats off to you, Mrs. Reyes. Kudos.

48. Mr. Reyes

While Hugo's dad originally returns to the family to leech off of Hugo's winning lottery numbers, he eventually grows to become a loving father again by the end of the show's runtime. While he didn't get as many scenes to show this redemption as I would've liked, Mr. Reyes is a great side character, and with him this low on the list? It goes to show how strong this show's characters are.

47. Charlotte Lewis

Charlotte is one of the new additions in the hectic Season 4, but she's a rather boring and stagnant character. So why is she even on this list? Her character helps strengthen another Season 4 star, Daniel Faraday. As the love interest for Daniel, the viewer starts to see how special of a person Charlotte is, even if her on-screen characterization is cut short. Ultimately, while Charlotte wasn't a necessary inclusion to the Lost roster, she certainly helped flesh out the show.

46. Bernard Nadler

Like Charlotte, Bernard is nothing too special on his own—in fact, the majority of what Bernard does pisses me off. However, as Rose's significant other, his inclusion in the show leads to some of the show's most tender, emotional, and underrated moments. While I mainly like Bernard for his bolstering of Rose. he's still a pretty solid character on his own.

45. Ethan Rom

I swear this streak will end eventually but, again, Ethan isn't too special on his own. However, as a plot device to introduce the conflict surrounding The Others? Ethan is a very interesting character that gets better the more you reflect on the show after seeing his role in the full picture of the plot.

44. Sarah Shephard

Surprising... the streak hasn't broken yet. Sarah is Jack's wife for a while but divorces him due to his necessity to "fix everything" instead of devote his time to his family. On paper, this sounds like the plot for a corny, break-up movie, but the emotional core of this storyline reveals so much about Jack as a character. At first, Jack really is just the basic protagonist who saves everyone. However, due to his storyline with Sarah (and later Kate), we see that Jack can work miracles and fix people in the most absurd circumstances, yet he can't fix himself and his relationships, as, in his life, they are the most broken things of all. Due to Sarah's influence in Jack's flashbacks, Jack goes from a ho-hum, basic protagonist to a deeply layered character with many interesting plotlines.

43. Liam Pace

The streak? Yeah, it's still going, don't act like you are surprised. As Charlie's brother and fellow member of Driveshaft, Liam is a complicated character that strongly influenced the story of his beloved brother, Charlie. Liam's inclusion to Lost allows Charlie to be a deeper, more distraught character. Due to Liam's actions, Charlie unfortunately gets into some bad habits that he has a hard time getting over. However, Liam is able to make changes and succeed in staying drug-free, but his younger brother couldn't do the same—in essence, Liam ruined his life. Nevertheless, by the end of the show, Charlie is able to become a more resilient, enduring, and kind character due to the struggles Liam put him through, and in the end, it makes Liam an interesting character on Lost and a necessary part of Charlie's story arc.

42. Nadia Jazeem

The hot streak continues! Nadia stands as a pretty interesting character on her own, but as somebody who is so important to Sayid, Nadia is able to bring out the man who Sayid truly is: a man dedicated to his country and the people he loves. It was heartbreaking to root for the reunion of Sayid and Nadia for so long and see them finally reunite, just for it to all crumble by another inevitable tragedy in the life of Sayid when Nadia becomes human roadkill. The story of Nadia is equally triumphant and gut-wrenching, making her a character that adds sparkle to the backstory of Sayid.

41. Yemi

Yemi is like Nadia—he stands as an interesting character on his own. He is the brother and friend of Mr. Eko, and his flashback sequences shed so much light on the powers of friendship, grief, repentance, long-suffering, and divine worship. Mr. Eko, while not on the show for long, was one of my favorite characters due to his flashbacks revolving around Yemi, making him a strong character. All-around, Yemi is a great character.

40. Jae-Young Lee

Sun's story arc is a very intriguing one! Her husband, Jin, who's been scarred by working for Woo-Jung Paik, simply isn't the most supportive husband, so Sun turns to Jae-Young Lee for comfort and partnership. However, it all goes sideways after Woo-Jung finds out about their secret English lessons and their, well, sleeping together. This leads to a sad series of events which in Jae-Young commits suicide. While I don't condone cheating on your partner, Jae-Young's kindness and lovingness foils Jin's initial personality and reflects Jin's personality and growth by the end of the show, making Jae-Young a character necessary to the story arcs of Jin and Sun.

39. Vincent

As a constant companion to Walt, Michael, Shannon, Bernard, and Rose (pretty much in that order), Vincent represents the theme of life, new beginnings, and moving on that is so deeply engrained in the themes of the show. He juxtaposes the constant death of the series by always being there to support everyone and, honestly, he also works well as an excuse for people to randomly run off into the jungle to stumble upon new things. Ultimately, Vincent isn't a deep character (obviously, he's a dog), but he serves a rather fun and important purpose during the show's runtime.

38. Leslie Arzt

Leslie randomly becomes an important character in the season finale of the first season because he allegedly understood the ocean and dynamite more than anyone else. He says some humorous things and adds a lot of levity to the situation. That is, until he suddenly dies by blowing up. This moment is rather shocking, but Hurley plays it off to great comedic effect. However, that isn't the end of his story. His story continues in Season 6's "flash-sideways", starring as a school teacher who participates in a scandal for lab equipment and a new parking spot. In the end, Arzt is probably the least important character on this list, but he is an ironically hilarious character, scoring him as an above average Lost character.

37. Pierre Chang

As the mysterious man who introduces the watcher to the Dharma Initiative, Pierre Chang's an iconic character shrouded in mystery during the first few seasons. However, by Season 5, he becomes less of an enigma, and he even gets a few good moments with his son, Miles Straume. While his presence on the videos was more than enough to make him interesting, his appearance in Season 5 put the nail in the coffin that Chang is a sick character.

36. Walt Lloyd

Walt's relationships with his father and John Locke are some of my favorite moments in the first season, and with him being more of a looming goal in Season 2, Walt is the fuel behind some of Season 2's biggest moments, changing the whole vibe of what goes down in the last arc of the season. As the only one who gets off the island with a fully-known fate, Walt signifies the end goal many of the cast believes that they want, even though Walt was really the only one with a chance of a normal life off the island (until the afterlife, of course). Ultimately, Walt is a really solid character, whether he's actually present or being used as a season-long McGuffin.

35. Richard Alpert

I know Richard is more beloved than 35th place by many Lost viewers, but to me, he isn't that interesting. While his backstory, moral questioning, and presence as an immortal guardian to the leader of the island are very interesting, outside of his rich lore, he has an absolutely boring personality and not too much of a screen presence (even though I think Néstor Carbonell is a very solid actor). However, surrounding the mediocre is a constant veil of mystery and enigma, so Richard deserves to rank in a decent-enough place on this list.

34. Rose Nadler

In essence, Rose is just Bernard with a little extra. She has way more personality and backstory, even though her story on the show is pretty much the same. Her backstory, however, cements the mysterious healing powers of the island, and her eventual decision to stay on the island due to this revelation was an intriguing plot point that stood to show the viewer that, in some ways, being stranded on the island wasn't the worst thing after all. As the show progresses, more and more people align themselves with this opinion, billing this choice as a complex, yet entirely believable juxtaposition to those who desperately want to leave the island. It's super cool. Merci, Rose, merci.

33. Daniel Faraday

Daniel's role in the show contributes greatly to the insanity and narrative perfection that is Lost's fifth season. As the only character on the island who really has a grip on the time-traveling situation, Daniel is an anomaly, and has a weird personality to boot. However, behind all the nerdy, sciency stuff is a guy with a big heart, as he shows with his immense love for Charlotte. He'd likely rank a bit higher if it weren't for his premature death but, ultimately, he's a pretty epic guy.

32. Aaron Littleton

As Claire's baby, Aaron adds layers to the show that I didn't initially expect to see! Even though he (naturally) has no personality contributions to most of the show, he was able to massively impact the characters of Claire, Kate, Jack, Charlie, and honestly? Everyone on the island. Having Claire originally want to give him up for adoption before the events of the series, all the way up to when she goes insane during Season 6 (due to following the questionable demand to leave Aaron behind as requested by the Man in Black disguised as Christian Shephard), Aaron makes her grow so much as a person. Charlie and Kate are also heavily impacted by Aaron's influence, as their relationship to Aaron makes them become much more mature and parent-like characters. As a whole, even though he's a baby or toddler the whole show, his influence leads to a plethora of incredible emotional moments.

31. Shannon Rutherford

Shannon drove me insane at first. I'm sure that's not an uncommon belief and, in retrospect, she is still pretty annoying. However, her relationships with both Boone and Sayid made her into a much deeper character, which made her early death all the more heartbreaking. The actress playing Shannon perfectly depicted the equally irritating and lovable character that Shannon was meant to be, which solidifies her as a very memorable character of the show.

30. Ana Lucia Cortez

As the appointed leader of the tail section of the plane, Ana Lucia ruled with an iron first and a prideful personality. Basically, Ana Lucia is a more morally-questionable version of Jack, leading by brute force instead of stern compassion. Her memorable (albeit short) stint on the show led to many interesting events, such as Shannon's emotional death and the brutal murders executed by Michael. She may not be the most original character, but her ruthless leadership and no-BS personality certainly made her a standout character.

29. Miles Straume

I hated this guy with a passion in Season 4—so much so that I would've confidently called him my least favorite character on the show. While I still wouldn't call him a personal favorite, he wins the award for most improved. He soon becomes the Robin to Sawyer's Batman in the final two seasons, growing into his own as a character. His abilities to talk to the dead are intriguing, and so is his backstory with his father, Pierre Chang. Good job, Miles, I don't hate you anymore. A commendable deed on your part.

28. Alex Rousseau

As the biological daughter of Danielle Rousseau and the "adopted" daughter of Benjamin Linus, Alex adds a lot of spice to the third season of the show as a hero, regardless of her unusual upbringing. Her eventual reunion with her mother is very heartwarming, and her shocking death soon after is so sad, as she spent so little time with her mother. However, Alex shines the most in the "flash-sideways" scenes of Season 6, where she has a close bond with Benjamin Linus in a much more profound and much less strained circumstance. These scenes also double down on the genius of Linus's character, as well as showing Danielle as the encouraging, loving mother she always wanted to be. Ultimately, Alex was a great character all around and deserves to be a beloved character on Lost.

27. Frank Lapidus

Frank's DGAF personality makes him one of the biggest highlights of the sixth season for me! While the show could've easily recycled him and secretly revealed that somebody like Benjamin Linus could fly a plane, having Lapidus stick around as a Season 6 star was a treat. With a name like Lapidus and a wingin'-it personality, he's a character that stands out a lot.

26. Eloise Hawking

As the mother of Daniel Faraday, Eloise is very much like him, but a whole new level of intriguing. Her mysterious understanding of the island and the lives of the people related makes her an absolute enigma—and I love it. She kicked off my favorite season, Season 5, with a bang. Her actions in helping the Oceanic Six return to the island was a very interesting place to take the plot and, due to Eloise, Lost gained more sci-fi and divine elements! Ultimately, Eloise is an incredibly intriguing character and one of the better characters on the show.

25. "Man in Black"

As the main antagonist of Season 6, the "Man in Black" is one of the weaker villains the show has to offer. Since he takes over John Locke's body, he's basically just a worse John Locke with average villain motivations. However, with John Locke stealing the show, a worse version of him can still carry the boats... I think the "Man in Black" deserves this high of a score. Besides, his backstory episode and appearances as Christian are intriguing as well. So he isn't all that bad! An above-average Lost character, but a below average Lost villain—it's a high bar.

24. Christian Shephard

Father to Jack Shephard and Claire Littleton, Christian has an intriguing storyline and is one of the few characters featured in every season. He dies at the very beginning due to alcohol abuse, however, he is featured prominently in both flashbacks and as a vessel to the Man in Black. Unlike many parents in the series, Christian isn't a complete loser of a parent—just a partial loser. He was distant and authoritarian toward Jack, but it is shown time and time again his love for him. Christian makes a stupid decision, developing an extramarital relationship, yet, wile he's hated by his daughter (justifiably), he still obviously cared for her, as he anonymously payed for many of her life expenses. His difficult relationship with Jack reflects on Jack when he is a parent and husband, making Jack into a much more complicated, layered protagonist instead of a typical defacto leader archetype. Christian may have lived a pathetic life, but unlike many antagonistic characters on the show, Christian is somebody that most people can sympathize with to some degree, making him one of the more intriguing and morally-gray characters of the show.

23. Jacob

Starting as a name that Benjamin Linus seems to pull out of his derrière to cover up his tyrannical actions, Jacob finally appears as a real character in the sixth season, and his purpose is revealed: he is trying to recruit worthy individuals to succeed him as the guardian of the island. Jacob's mysterious, yet looming presence, in conjunction with his backstory, make him an interesting character that finally helps the viewer get some answers. In the end, Jacob is an unforgettable Lost character, even though he only appears in a couple of episodes.

22. Danielle Rosseau

With an interesting backstory as a scientist that came to the island before Oceanic Flight 815 and a tragic story about her daughter, Alex, Danielle is an awesome, mysterious character. Like Alex, she also shines a ton in Season 6, where she and Alex are finally united! In the end, Danielle is a great character that added tons of flair to the show!

21. Charles Widmore

Slightly more intriguing than the "Man in Black", Widmore's inclusion is what makes Season 4 and some of Desmond's flashbacks so intriguing. Widmore is more of a behind the scenes character, pulling the strings type villain, but after being revealed by Charlie's "not Penny's boat" sacrifice, Widmore instantly became terrifying. His purpose being revealed over Season 4 built up tension very well in a season that could've ended up as a "blah" without him. He's not nearly as in your face as the "Man in Black", but that certainly plays to his advantage.

20. Woo-Jung Paik

As a menacing side antagonist with a terrifying screen presence, Paik's presence on the show deeply enriches the backstory of the Kwon's to make it my favorite set of flashbacks in the show. While he is basic on paper, the terrific acting and influence on the mental health of Jin makes Paik stand out as one of the most notable and well-acted characters on the show. What an incredible side villain that, quite frankly, we didn't deserve.

19. Boone Carlyle

Boone is originally billed as main character during the first season of Lost, but he dies near the end of the season. His death precursors the themes of life and death that is a big part of the show, with his death and Aaron's birth happening simultaneously. His "sacrifice to the island" and his sacrifice to his stepsister (and true love) makes him such a wacky and interesting character. His sacrifice to try and save an islander out at sea and his sacrifice to help Locke hunt and discover the mysteries of the island made him an underrated leader and all around influential guy. Boone's death is felt for the rest of the show, causing tons of character development for Locke, Jack, Shannon, and more. Ultimately, Boone is an incredible character, but he can't realistically place higher on this list.

18. Mr. Eko

I originally expected Lost to be the last show to be talking about destiny, religion, and divine intervention, but I couldn't be more wrong. Mr. Eko's influence on Lost makes the show really start to come into its own. HIs backstory as a priest, drug dealer (kind of), and as a brother to Yemi are all really interesting, and his influence makes Locke become a very interesting character. Mr. Eko, however, is religious, while Locke is more spiritual toward the island in an animism sort of way. Mr. Eko is a character I always loved, and his eventual death made me very sad, as I am sure he would've ranked much higher if he was featured in the show for longer.

17. Elizabeth "Libby" Smith

While Libby doesn't exactly have an interesting story, her personality and lovingness toward Hurley makes her one of the most likable characters on the show. I missed their dynamic the minute she was killed off by Michael... she never deserved this! Her dynamic with Hurley was adorable, and it was heartbreaking and shocking to see her killed off so quickly being introduced. If they got a bit more time together? They'd be my favorite couple of the show! Unfortunately, that was not the case.

16. Anthony Cooper

As the awful father of John Locke who pushed him out of a building and paralyzed him, as well as conned him into a kidney transplant, Anthony Cooper is one of the most hateable characters of all-time—he makes Dolores Umbridge look like a holy being! Not only does he ruin his son's life, but also Sawyer's life, as he was the one who's actions led to the death of his parents. Anthony Cooper is the second best villain on this show, and he was so cruel, well-acted, and well-written that he has to place just outside the top fifteen of this list.

15. Sun-Hwa Kwon

While Sun is my least favorite character of the main cast, she's still a fantastic character. She's definitely flawed, lacking trust and devotion at first but gaining it more and more throughout the show. Her friendship with Michael at the beginning of the show was interesting and, the more the viewer gets to look into her past and see what she's gone through, the better she gets as a character. Her complex relationships with her husband, father, and her secret lover are all interesting, and she's got a screen presence that is equally menacing and feminine. Ultimately, while I really like Sun, she shares a similar story to Jin and, in my opinion, his side of their story is much more interesting. We'll get to him much later on this list.

14. Jack Shephard

As the pseudo-main protagonist of the show, Jack starts as a pretty bland, basic hero, but he grows into his own by the end of the show. By showing his strained relationships with his family and romantic partners, Jack eventually becomes a much more broken and more human character. He has a lot of strengths, yet has an equal amount of weaknesses, making him an interesting leader and protagonist. He isn't my favorite of the main cast, but he's still a very good character.

13. Claire Littleton

Claire is a reluctant young mother that is just so lovable! However, she doesn't just hang around and do nothing! She and Charlie have a beautiful partnership and her care for Aaron makes her such a strong and inspiring woman. Her hardcore turn to feral, gun0slinging mother in Season 6 just made sense for Claire, and her backstory is heart-wrenching, with her loser of a boyfriend ditching her and leaving her as a single mother. She also is revealed to be Jack's brother which, while underdeveloped, made sense to further develop Christian Shephard's character, as well as build out the complex character web of the show. Claire may not be as deep or unique as many other characters in Lost, but she's one of the most lovable, placing her high on this list.

12. Charlie Pace

While his story meanders in the middle of his arc, Charlie is still a great character all-around! His backstory with the band Driveshaft, his relationship with Claire, his interesting friendship with Desmond, and his struggle to overcome his drug addiction. If he was as good as he was at the end of Season 3 during the whole show, I'm sure he would place much higher on this list, but some of his decisions are just annoying and irrational at times. Nevertheless, his noble sacrifice during the finale of the third season is one of the best moments of the entire show, and it's great to finally see him get a happy ending in Season 6. In the end, Charlie is a great character that lands just outside the top ten of this list.

11. John Locke

Starting as the main caretaker and hunter for the island, John Locke eventually seems to become obsessively "one with the island" in a spiritual and divine way. This makes him an interesting loner character that always has some crazy thing going on with his character, and he's always unpredictable. He also has one of the best backstories of the series, with his evil dad and suffering through his depression, heartbreak, and paralysis in various ways. His divine approach on life is important, as it marks an important transition into the more mysterious and sci-fi elements of the show. Consequentially, this makes John Locke one of the best characters in Lost.

10. Penny Widmore

As the highest ranking character who I wouldn't identify as a member of the main cast, Penny's love and care for Desmond is an absolute highlight of the show—"The Constant" is one of the highest-rated and most critically-acclaimed episodes on the show for a reason! As more and more is discovered about Penny, the more beautiful the couple's reunion is in the show. The "not Penny's boat" scene is still chilling on every rewatch, and the sincerity in her voice every time she brings up looking for Desmond is so sweet. Penny may have a small-ish role in Lost, but as Desmond's other half and supportive partner, she pushes her way into my top ten.

9. Kate Austen

Kate is a hardcore, epic girl boss criminal through and through. She killed her abusive stepfather to save her mentally-clouded mother from any more physical harm. While Kate could've handled the situation much better, the show makes it pretty easy to understand why she would've done such a thing, making me question if she should've ever been arrested in the first place as, really, is seemed to be an act of defense. Kate's actions show time and time again that she isn't the ruthless killer that the government believes she is, and she shows her kindness, devotion, and care for others incredibly often. One moment, she's an awesome motherly figure and the next she's going wild putting six bullets into a random dude's head. It's just great. Her relationships with Jack and Sawyer are rather interesting, as her love triangle with them is deep and ever-changing, and the plotline with her taking care of Aaron after he was abandoned was intriguing and unexpected. Not only did it develop her character, but Claire's as well, as she was blaming The Others for the kidnapping the whole time when it pretty much was Kate the whole time. In the end, Kate's awesome personality and morally-gray decisions make her one of the most unique characters on Lost.

8. Hugo "Hurley" Reyes

Hurley is a very hilarious and dependable guy that nobody takes seriously (even though he's pretty much always right). As the kindest and most relatable character of the show (in my opinion), Hurley is a character that I feel is impossible not to love. While Hurley is constantly regarded as physically and mentally unwell, his devotion and kindness towards everybody makes him the most lovable character of the show. Outside of just being an epic guy, Hurley is one of the few characters with a supernatural power, presumably bestowed to him by the island—the power to see the dead. He also eventually takes Jacob's place as protector of the island, a moment that beautifully displays that Jack was willing to accept that Hurley wasn't just a goofball, but an underrated leader. Having Hurley any lower on this list would be an absolute crime—he's just too iconic.

7. Michael Dawson

Originally, Michael seems like he'll be a lead character for the entire show but, in the end, he is only important for the first two seasons and the final episodes of the fourth. However, in that time, he is one of the most deep and morally-gray characters of the show. In the first season, he wanted very little to do with his son. He wanted to be his dad for years, as displayed by the flashbacks, but by the time he got a chance, he and his son barely knew each other and couldn't relate to one another—they were always at each other's throats. However, throughout the first season, they form an incredible father-son bond that turned everything around, and they decide to try and leave the island together on a raft. Unfortunately, as they try to escape the island, Walt is kidnapped and, as his father, Michael does all he can throughout the second season to save him. This is where Michael truly starts to shine as a deep anti-hero. He stops at nothing to save his son, causing him to understandably side with the kidnappers and kill fan-favorites Libby and Ana Lucia in cold blood. This tragic series of events truly challenges the ideals of right and wrong and, honestly, I still don't know where I stand on Michael's decisions. Should Michael have saved his son or done the honorable thing? Would he have failed as a parent if he had done the "right thing"? And if I ever become a parent, would I have done what Michael did? The fact that I am questioning Michael's actions and seeing both sides of the argument makes me confidently say that Michael is one of the show's best written and most captivating characters. For that, Michael Dawson deserves a high place on this list.

6. Juliet Burke

Juliet is one of the later additions to the series, but she immediately becomes not only a main member of the cast, but one of the best members of the main cast. Juliet's complex presence on the island and her love triangle makes her like Kate, but better and more nuanced. She may not be as much of a girl boss, but her quiet temperment and calm personality makes her a lovable and understandable character, even when she feels forced to be on the wrong side of the war. the twist of Juliet ending up with Sawyer was an absolute shocker at first, but it ended up becoming a beautiful and nuanced relationship that had a lot of influence on Sawyer's life and demeanor. Ultimately, Juliet is one of the best characters on Lost—no questions asked.

5. Desmond Hume

While Desmond doesn't top my list as he does for many others, he still deserves a top five spot on this list. First of all, he just oozes charm and likability. Secondly, his relationship with Penny is beautiful and inspiring, and is my favorite relationship of the show. Thirdly, he has an epic ability to see the future on top of being perhaps the most lovable character on the show! Desmond also starts as a very interesting character, as his endless clicking of the button helps stop the frightening implications of catastrophic electromagnetic events. He also has an interesting relationship with Penny's father, Charles Widmore, who absolutely hates his guts. Desmond is a fan-favorite and often a #1 pick for the best Lost character for a reason—he's amazing. He just didn't captivate me as much as the next four characters on this list...

4. Sayid Jarrah

Like Michael and Kate, Sayid is an awesome, morally-gray character that I can't help but love. Sayid may have formally been a military torturer for his country, but, like Kate, he finds a way to balance his hardcore demeanor and his kind side to make for an endlessly compelling character. To draw comparisons, Sayid is basically the Jack Bauer of Lost—he is rough and tough, but full of heart when he is allowed to be. He may not be as much of a fan-favorite as the last few characters I've mentioned, but he's certainly a personal favorite of mine.

3. Jin-Soo Kwon

Most people find Sun to be the better of the Kwon couple, but I couldn't disagree more! He's got all the backstory of Sun, plus more of his own dark story with Sun's father His brokenness caused by Sun's dad starts to corrupt the Kwon marriage, a heartbreaking story that, quite honestly, made me feel much more bad for Jin than for Sun. While Jin is easy to dislike at first, his love for Sun shows more and more throughout the runtime of the show. Jin also speaks almost no English at the beginning of the show, and it's so satisfying to see him learn more and more as the show progresses! He also builds awesome bromances with Sawyer and Hurley, and, for some reason, Jin is just so unbelievably epic for that. He's such a good friend to them, even when they aren't really the nicest to him. I freaking love this guy, what more needs to be said?

2. James "Sawyer" Ford

With an incredible backstory as an orphaned conman, Sawyer would already be one of my favorite characters. However, his hilarious nicknames and gunslingin' cowboy-isms make him seem like a more battle-hardened version of Shawn Spencer from Psych. But his backstory and personality aren't all that is going for him. His adorable relationship with Kate is fantastic and, somehow, him and Juliet in Season 5 are even better. By Season 5, Sawyer is at his best, as he is more mature and kind, yet equally epic and funny, too. With a great backstory, personality, two romances, and nuanced character growth, Sawyer is the penultimate character on this list.

1. Benjamin Linus

Not only is Benjamin Linus easily my favorite character on Lost, but he's also one of the best-written and well-acted characters of all time. His villainy is literally the most intriguing stuff I've ever seen—there's a reason Season 3, the least critically-acclaimed season, is my second favorite: it's because Benjamin Linus is talking for like half of it. I could literally watch a spin-off show where Benjamin Linus just confused the heck out of people for 40 minutes an episode and still be enjoying myself plenty. Linus is not only a great villain, but also, a great anti-hero who eventually has some heroic and heartwarming moments. Yet again, as this show loves to do, Linus shows that everything isn't exactly black and white. Every time Linus is on the screen, he easily steals the show. Benjamin Linus isn't just the best character in Lost, but one of the greatest fictional characters of all time. And nobody will ever change my mind about that.

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