Hankering to know all the mysteries of the Island? Well, you've been watching the wrong damn show! All of Lost's questions were answered years earlier on the Star Trek series. Learn that Jin is an alien and Locke had hair!


The cast of Lost is a prolific bunch, and many of them have collected a paycheck (or two) guest-starring on the sundry Star Trek series. Sure, these may have just been side gigs to put the fish biscuits on the table, but - like the most ardent Losties - I prefer to look into things with the eye of a drunken insomniac archivist. In my opinion, the Lost actors' Star Trek roles constitute a shadow mythology ripe for the gleaning - common sense, narrative consistency, and canon be damned.

The notion that Lost and Star Trek occupy the same mythos isn't that far-fetched. Both universes place a high premium on time travel and teleporting. Hurley's, like, the evolutionary antecedent to the Salt Vampire or the Tribbles. Lay your apprehensions aside. All your questions will be answered...in the final frontier.


1.) Terry O'Quinn is John Locke is Admiral Erik Pressman (Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Pegasus, 1994)

On this episode, Admiral Pressman - Riker's former commanding officer - accompanies the Enterprise to investigate an interphase cloaking device in his old vessel, the Pegasus. Unbeknownst to Picard, Pressman wants to activate the cloaking device again, even though the usage of such a device violates Starfleet law.

How This Ties In With Lost: Pressman wants a cloaking device that will allow him to phase through solid matter and force fields. The Man In Black cannot phase through Charles Widmore's sonar barriers. It looks like Smokey/Fogcke wants this device to elude Widmore's team. But wait, how's he in the future? Obviously he's commandeered Jacob's Peeping Tom Lighthouse.

G/O Media may get a commission Subscribe and Get Your First Bag Free Promo Code AtlasCoffeeDay20

Also notice that Picard and Pressman discuss Riker's "candidacy." Some of you may think that they're talking about Riker's candidacy for First Officer, but you're just not looking hard enough. We're getting a Jonathan Frakes cameo on the finale. You heard it here first.

Apropos of nothing, Pressman/Locke also appears on the same episode "Captain Picard Day" makes it's first (and only) appearance. Captain Picard Day is June 16. The first and second season of Lost were released on Blu-Ray June 16, 2009. This is not a coincidence.

2.) Daniel Dae Kim is Jin is Gotana-Retz (Star Trek: Voyager, "Blink of an Eye," 2000)


Gotana-Retz comes from a planet in which time moves differently from the rest of the galaxy. In an attempt to visit the Voyager, he becomes unhinged from his time frame and must return to his home planet.

Oh, and he also sings a little ditty about the Voyager. If you wish to remember Jin as a bad-ass slapping people and scowling like a lunatic, do not watch this clip. It will absolutely eradicate those memories.


How This Ties In With Lost: Gotana-Retz is unstuck from time. Jin was unstuck from time. Gotana-Retz is wearing a space suit - Jin could have easily [SPOILERS] yoinked some hyperbaric diving suit from the submarine. Gotana-Retz asks for Tureena. Tureena rhymes with Sun. Gotana-Retz = Jin. Case closed.

3.) Alan Dale is Charles Widmore is Praetor Hiren (Star Trek Nemesis, 2002)

In Nemesis, Praetor Hiren declines to hear Shinzon of Remus' proposal for peace with the Federation. Hiren tells Shinzon's emissaries to go back to "that black rock they came from!" Shinzon's cabal is less than impressed and melts the Romulan Senate with a thalaron radiation bomb.

How This Ties In With Lost: Dude, the Romulans built the Black Rock. Holy shit. Also, Charles Widmore is an alien. Did you ever notice that Charles Widmore is an anagram for "I'm Earl Chowders?" Earl Chowders sounds mighty Romulan to me. Hell, my own name sounds Romulan to me.


4.) Titus Welliver is The Man In Black is Lt. Maxwell Burke (Star Trek: Voyager, "Equinox," 1999)

Lt. Maxwell Burke has trapped a nucleogenic organism on his ship, The Equinox. After overthrowing the original captain and engaging the Voyager, Burke is disintegrated by the irked lifeform after its containment cell is breached (it happens around 8:40).

How This Ties In With Lost: The notorious Man In Black is also the villainous Maxwell Burke. The Man In Black wants to keep the castaways from ever leaving the Island; Burke wishes to keep the nucleogenic lifeforms trapped as well. Also, Kate is not a Candidate, but she is a nucelogenic organism.


These weren't the only actors to appear on both shows. Here are some more Lost Trekkies:

- Sam Anderson is Bernard Nadler is "Assistant Manager" (Star Trek: The Next Generation, "The Royale," 1989)


- Kevin Tighe is Anthony Cooper is Henry Janeway (Star Trek: Voyager, "11:59," 1999)

- Fionnula Flanagan is Eloise Hawking is a ton of Trek roles.

- April Grace is Bea Klugh is Transporter Technician Hubbell on both ST:TNG and DS9.


Thanks to Ian MacAllen for the awesome research.