4

Image from the Jigsaw Puzzles

4 is the first of the Numbers. Below is a list of appearances on the show, by episode chronology.

4 is a very common number, and many of the occurrences could be coincidental. See article: apophenia.

Occurrences in the show

The doubling cube shows number 4 while Locke explains backgammon to Walt. (This changes to a 16 in the same scene.) ("Pilot, Part 2")
Boone's T-shirt had the number 84 on it (in the form of a Japanese kanji symbol). ("Solitary")

Hurley says Charlie shot Ethan 4 times. ("Homecoming")
Number 4 appears on a jersey of a rugby player shown on the television in the bar where Sawyer met Christian Shephard. ("Outlaws")
Leonard Simms was playing the game Connect Four. ("Numbers")
Martha Toomey told Hurley that Sam Toomey had been dead for 4 years. ("Numbers")
Sarah's PJs have the number 44 printed onto the left shoulder and back ("Do No Harm")

The Swan countdown timer at four minutes.

Kate counts to 4 before she notices light shifting as she's being lowered in to the hatch. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
The alarm sounds 4 minutes before the countdown timer expires, where the numbers must be entered. ("Adrift")
Libby tells Ana Lucia that Donald will be the "fourth one to go" if they don't help with his injury. ("The Other 48 Days")
The Blast Door map in the same episode features the expression "√16. √64. √225" beneath The Flame which evaluates to 4, 8, and 15. ("Lockdown")
The September 22nd System Crash occurred at 4:16. ("?")

The number of the locker that housed Kate's dress is 841. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
Eddie Colburn's Humboldt County Sheriff's Department ID number is 84023. ("Further Instructions")
Sawyer's prisoner ID number is 840. ("Every Man for Himself")
Munson's prisoner ID is 248 in a prison Sawyer is also in. ("Every Man for Himself")
Eko found his youth photo in chapter 4 of the Bible. ("The Cost of Living")
4:8:15 is carved into Eko's stick. ("The Cost of Living")

Season four of the TV show Exposé

4 chimes are heard while Desmond is inspecting the ring. ("Flashes Before Your Eyes")
Nikki had a role in the 4th Season of Exposé. ("Exposé")
Juliet said it was the 4th time her shoulder was dislocated. ("Left Behind")
Ben released toxic gas in the van at 4 in the afternoon, killing his father. The rest of the Purge ostensibly occurred at the same time. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Charlie claims he holds his breath for 4 minutes. ("Greatest Hits")
Charlie was the 4th person to pass Nadia on the streets. ("Greatest Hits")

Penelope Widmore's home address is 423 Cheyne Walk. ("The Constant")
Ben says he is going to see "Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick in 4E". ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Jack resuscitates Desmond after compressing his chest 4 times, attempting to revive him after the helicopter crash. ("There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3")
There are 4 Dogs (we can see) in cages as Sayid walks to meet Ben in the veterinarian's office. ("The Economist")

Zander is missing for 4 months before Cliff begins to search for him. (Bad Twin)
Cliff began his search for Zander on April 15th (4/15) (Bad Twin)

The central tenets of Buddhism are called the Four Noble Truths.
The object in the Connect Four game is to get four of your checkers in a row, either in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal way.
4 is a bad luck number in Chinese, Korean, and Japanese culture. It is associated as the death number.
Humans experience the world in 4 dimensions: length, width, height, and time.
4 gospels.
4 seasons.
4 elements (earth, water, air and fire)
4 horsemen of the apocalypse (war, famine, plague and death)
At the Passover seder every year, Jews ask 4 questions, drink 4 cups of wine, and discuss the story of the 4 sons.

Numbers

v • t • e

4 8 15 16 23 42: The Numbers • 4 • 8 • 15 • 16 • 23 • 42 • 77 • 108 • 305 • 325 • 815 • 7418880