Lost season 2 introduced the intriguing, quickly popular character of Mr. Eko, but his tenure on the show ended up being much shorter than planned. Played by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Mr. Eko was one of the survivors in the tail section of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815 after it crashed down onto the mysterious island at the center of Lost's story. Boosted by a fascinating backstory and a captivating performance by Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Mr. Eko quickly became a fan favorite.

Eko seemed poised for a long storyline as Lost progressed, but to the shock of many, was killed off early in season 3, in an episode titled "The Cost of Living." Eko was essentially beaten to death by Lost's infamous smoke monster, eventually dying in the arms of John Locke (Terry O'Quinn). While his exit episode was a good one, that didn't change the fact that fans weren't ready to say goodbye to such an interesting character so soon after meeting him.

Related: Lost’s Volcano Could’ve Changed The Ending (For The Better)

It turns out that the Lost creative team wasn't ready to let Mr. Eko go that quickly either, but real-life circumstances surrounding Akinnuoye-Agbaje intervened. Unlike with the surprise deaths of other tail section characters Libby and Ana Lucia though, Mr. Eko's exit had nothing to do with a DUI charge.

Why Lost Killed Mr. Eko So Early (& What The Original Plan Was)

Mr. Eko on LOST

Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof has said publicly that Mr. Eko's arc was originally planned to span four seasons, which likely would've meant he'd have survived until at least some point in season 5. Considering how popular the character became, fans certainly wouldn't have minded if that happened. The problem was Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje had been reluctant to sign on for the role, and had not made a long-term commitment to the show. Between seasons 2 and 3, the actor approached showrunners Lindelof and Carlton Cuse with a request he be written off the island. They managed to get him to stay a few episodes longer, but agreed to write him out not too far into season 3.

Akinnuoye-Agbaje hated living in Hawaii, where Lost was filmed and all the cast members had a residence, and wanted to return to his native England. Recasting the character of Mr. Eko wasn't really an option, as a lot of the part had been tailored to Akinnuoye-Agbaje based on his initial performances in the role. It's unclear what exactly the 4-season plan was for Mr. Eko, but Lindelof has said that some of their ideas for the character were shifted over onto others, including John Locke. Adding insult to injury for fans, Mr. Eko became one of the only major characters not to appear in Lost's series finale, as Akinnuoye-Agbaje and producers reportedly couldn't agree on money.

More: Lost: Everything That Changed From The Original Plan