There are many mysteries on the 2000s drama Lost, and Kevin Johnson's identity is one of the biggest and most compelling questions. After Oceanic Flight 815 crashes, the survivors are stunned to find themselves on an island, and they form alliances and take care of one another while flashbacks reveal who they were before. There are several curious puzzles on the island, from the fact that John Locke can walk after years of using a wheelchair to the purpose of the DHARMA Initiative. The only thing that's clear is that this isn't a place that can be easily summed up.

While there are questions like who the polar bears are on Lost, the show also hides identities. For instance, in Lost season 1, the survivors hear "The French Woman" via radio signal and later learn she is Danielle Rosseau. Lost brilliantly crafts a mystery surrounding who Kevin Johnson is, and as he is the subject of an entire season 4 episode, it's clear that he changes the story and has a significant impact on the show's other characters, revealing even more about the effect that the island has on its inhabitants.

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Kevin Johnson Is Michael Dawson

Jin and Michael standing near a boat in Lost

Lost season 4, episode 8, "Meet Kevin Johnson," focuses on the identity of the titular character. Prior to this, season 4, episode 7, "Ji Yeon," reveals that Kevin Johnson is an alias that Michael Dawson is going by. Sayid Jarrah and Desmond Hume are on a freighter called the Kahana, which is owned by Charles Widmore. He is in charge of The Others on the island and is Ben Linus's enemy. Sayid and Desmond notice a man working on the boat and realize that it's Michael. The storyline includes a shocking cliffhanger and logical explanation, which makes it one of the show's best mysteries.

Since Michael had left the island with his son Walt Lloyd in season 2, Desmond and Sayid are speechless when they see him, and they realize that something sinister is happening. Lost excels at flashbacks and background, but it sometimes leaves some mysteries open-ended, like the polar bears. However, Michael's tragic arc is properly explained in this season 4 episode. After 67 days on The Others' side of the island, he returns home. Then he boards the freighter going by his new name, Kevin Johnson. Michael's alias is a harsh reminder of the magic surrounding this place and how no one knows what will happen.

Why Michael Returned To The Island

Walt and Michael looking surprised on the island on Lost

Walt was part of an important Lost storyline when he was captured by The Others, so why would Michael put himself in harm's way again? It's surprising to learn that Michael comes back to the island since he is able to go back to New York City. The survivors dream of their old lives and wish that they could eat real food or take a long hot shower. However, Tom, who took Walt, tells Michael that he can work on the freighter and help people. Tom's offer is a way for Michael to stop feeling pain over killing Ana Lucia Cortez and Libby Smith.

Michael is miserable in New York City and attempts to end his life twice. He learns that he will not be able to because that isn't what the island desires. While the reason why the characters' plane crashes and why they spend this time together isn't revealed until the series finale of Lost, Michael's storyline is an early hint that the island makes decisions for people and that it's impossible to go against it. It makes sense that after killing Ana Lucia and Libby to save Ben, Michael returns because he would do anything to stop seeing Libby's spirit and thinking about the wrong choice that he made.

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It makes sense that out of all the survivors, Michael would come back to the island. While everyone has a special connection to it, some of the characters have even more powerful ties to this place, including Locke and Jack Shephard. Because Michael doesn't believe that his time here is done, and he still has strong emotions that he is dealing with, the logical next step is for him to face his fears and his past and come back.

What Happened To Michael & Walt's Relationship?

Michael and Walt on a boat in Lost

Michael's murder of both Ana Lucia and Libby is the reason why Michael and Walt's father and son bond changes when they return to New York City. Like many of the difficult family relationships on Lost, Michael and Walt are not close before their plane crashes on the island. Walt had been living with his mother, Susan Lloyd, because she won full custody. Walt is devastated and doesn't want to see his father anymore, which leads to him moving in with his grandmother. This is heartbreaking since this is the second time that Michael has lost Walt, and any connection that they forged on the island appears to be gone.

As the father and son aren't in the church with the other survivors, Lost's epilogue shares a better ending for Michael. Hurley Reyes tells Walt that his father's spirit is on the island because of the crimes he committed. While it is understandable that Walt has trouble accepting what Michael has done, it's still a shame that there is no way for the characters to connect before Michael passes away. Since he sees Libby's ghost and then becomes a ghost on the island himself, it appears that Michael is destined to live out this sad reality.

Michael's arc proves that the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815 are put into fear-inducing and dangerous situations, and that they all make shocking, unexpected choices. His trustworthy nature causes him trouble, as he thinks that Ben is on his side when in reality, Ben is an opportunist who likes to lie to and manipulate others. Because Michael and Walt are missing from the church in the Lost finale, Michael's arc feels particularly sad as he is powerless to stop the destruction of his relationship with his son. His character is a realistic portrait of what happens when someone is punished for their mistakes by the person whom they love most.

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How Michael Was Redeemed At The End Of Season 4

Harold Perrineau looking surprised as Michael Dawson in Lost

In Lost season 4, episodes 12-14, "There's No Place Like Home," Sayid shares Michael's identity, and Michael is redeemed by allowing his former friends to live and siding with them instead of Ben and The Others. Michael stops a bomb from going off quickly and tells Jin-Soo Kwan to leave. When the bomb kills Michael, he feels that this is the right, natural order of events, since he has to atone for the deaths that he caused. Lost could have ended after season 4 because Michael's arc is wrapped up then, and the other characters are out of harm's way.

Michael's time on Lost is all about guilt, hurt, and frightening memories, and instead of listening to Ben again, he makes sure that the other characters will be alright. This is a powerful moment as it would be easy for him to think that because he is about to die, nothing matters and he can act however he wants. Instead, he sticks up for the other characters and wants them to have a chance to live. Michael's compassionate act gives Jin, Sayid, and Desmond much-needed hope for the future, something that hasn't always been possible given the unstable nature of life on the island.

While Michael doesn't become one of the final survivors on Lost, he shows inner strength in his final scene and is in full control of his narrative for the first time. Since he dies without knowing if his son will ever think positively of him again, he doesn't receive the closure that he is desperate for. However, it doesn't feel that his story could wrap up another way, as his entire arc is heavy, dark, and emotional, and a happier conclusion wouldn't feel natural.

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