In many ways, Jack Shephard was the face of Lost. From the moment he woke up in the jungle, ran out onto the beach, and began pulling passengers from the fiery plane wreckage, it became clear that Jack was a leader and a hero. As the show continued, Matthew Fox did an excellent job at portraying these admirable traits, while also demonstrating Jack's insecurities and how he felt vulnerable.
As Jack and the rest of the characters developed, the showrunners sneaked in many hidden details that made Jack's journey even more compelling. Some of these details related to Matthew Fox's life, along with literary references, unexpected connections to other characters, and hints of how Jack's story could've been drastically different.
He Was Supposed To Die In The Pilot Episode
Jack was originally supposed to die in the pilot episode and Kate would've gone on to lead the survivors. It would've been a bold move, but there was concern that it would make the audience feel angered and betrayed after getting invested in the heroic and likable character.
Jack's planned death was given to Oceanic 815 pilot Seth Norris instead. Instead of dying in the first episode, Jack went on to become one of the show's most central and well-developed characters.
The Role Was Intended For Michael Keaton
When the showrunners revealed that Jack was almost killed off in the pilot episode, they also revealed that the role was originally meant for Michael Keaton.
Once it became clear that Jack would live far beyond the pilot episode, Keaton was no longer a feasible option. He was too much of a high-profile star with many other film and television projects already in the works.
Jack Could've Saved Shannon's Father
Jack met his ex-wife Sarah when she was rushed to the hospital after a terrible car crash. The other person in the car crash was Adam Rutherford, who was Shannon's father. Jack chose to attend to Sarah's injuries while Shannon's father was left in the hands of an intern. Jack saved Sarah's life and they even fell in love, but the intern failed to save the life of Shannon's father.
However, Adam Rutherford's life might've been saved if Jack attended to his injuries first. Shannon's life and overall attitude would've been quite different if her father survived. Everything in her life began unraveling after her father's death as her stepmother mistreated her and Shannon grew increasingly bitter.
All The Jack-Centric Episodes In Season 3 Were Titles Of Books
The season 3 Jack-centric episodes were titled "A Tale of Two Cities," "Stranger in a Strange Land," and "Through the Looking Glass." These are all famous novel titles written, the first of which was written by Charles Dickens, the second by Robert A. Heinlein, and the third by Lewis Carroll.
Each of these iconic titles took on new meanings as Jack learned more about the Others in the present and struggled with his identity in the flashbacks and flashforwards.
He Played His Own Theme Song
Michael Giacchino is the masterful composer behind the music in Lost. Giacchino composed themes that were attached to specific characters and these themes would play during pivotal moments.
While most of the main characters had their own musical theme, Jack was the only one to ever play his theme in the show. When he stayed with the Others at the Dharma Barracks in season 3, Jack played his theme on the piano when Kate came to rescue him. It was truly a meta moment for the show.
Matthew Fox's Tattoos Became Part Of Jack's Backstory
The flashbacks in the season 3 episode "Stranger in a Strange Land" showed the story behind Jack's tattoos. The tattoos contained a deeper meaning than fans realized as they further complicated Jack's struggles with his identity and purpose.
Matthew Fox had the tattoos before he even began filming for Lost. The showrunners found a way to incorporate his tattoos into Jack's backstory, but it might not have paid off as "Stranger in a Strange Land" was poorly received by most fans.
He Completed His Crosswords Puzzles In Pen
A shot in the season 3 episode "A Tale of Two Cities" showed Jack reaching for his beeper, and underneath it was a crossword puzzle filled out in pen. This is a bold move even for the most enthusiastic of crossword aficionados.
In comparison, John Locke was seen trying to complete a crossword puzzle in season 2, but he did his in pencil and grew frustrated as he kept needing to erase his mistakes. The juxtaposition between how Jack and Locke approached their crossword puzzles might seem like a small thing, but it said a lot about their confidence or lack thereof.
The Truth Behind Jack's Flying Lessons
In the pilot episode, Jack had a line about taking flying lessons. Some fans thought this could foreshadow Jack saving the group by piloting them off the Island at some point.
This was never the plan, though, as showrunner Carlton Cuse said the line was only included because actor Matthew Fox had taken up flying in his own life.
Jack And Hurley Took The Same Anti-Anxiety Medicine
Getting back to civilization wasn't everything Jack thought it would be. He kept seeing hallucinations of his dead father and at one point asked a doctor to give him a prescription for clonazepam.
Clonazepam is the same anti-anxiety medication that Hurley used to take. When Hurley's imaginary friend Dave appeared on the Island, Hurley even asked Sawyer if he had the medication in his stash.
Jack Appeared In More Episodes Than Any Other Character
Jack was once destined to die in the pilot episode, but he went on to appear in more episodes than any other character. He was also the first character to appear in 100 episodes.
As fans continue to look back on Lost, Jack will always be one of the first characters to come to mind. This detail makes it even more fitting that the show began with Jack's eyes opening and ended with his eyes closing.