Michael Dawson
From Lostpedia
- "Michael" redirects here. For other uses of "Michael", see: Michael (disambiguation)
Michael Dawson is one of the middle section survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. He had parental issues with his son, Walt, but the two bonded during their time on the Island, and attempted to escape by building rafts. After Walt was kidnapped by the Others, Michael ventured a rescue, but was captured himself. He shot dead Ana Lucia and Libby in order to release Ben Linus from captivity, and caused the capture of Jack, Sawyer and Kate, when he made a deal with the Others. After leaving the Island on a motor boat with Walt, Michael returned to Manhattan, but racked with guilt, he became estranged from Walt and turned suicidal. Ben and Tom arranged for Michael to go undercover as a saboteur on the freighter Kahana, posing as a deckhand named Kevin Johnson.
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Before the crash
Before crashing on the Island, Michael Dawson was a construction worker and aspiring sketch artist. He lived with his girlfriend Susan, herself an aspiring lawyer, and the happy couple were soon expecting a new arrival in their lives. Named after Michael's father (Walter Dawson), Walt was born to them on August 24. However, not long after, Susan and Michael's relationship broke down, and when she was offered an impressive job prospect overseas, Susan took Walt with her, leaving Michael without any access to his child. ("Special")
In the hospital, Michael drew Walt a cartoon designed card, a tradition he had apparently kept to for many years. While recovering, Michael was visited by Susan, who told him she had paid for all his medical bills. Michael challenged her motives, and she admitted that she wanted him to sign all custody for Walt over to her, as well as allow Brian Porter, her new husband, legal parental rights over their son. Michael challenged this idea wholeheartedly, and initiated arbitration over Walt's custody. ("Special")
During a legal meeting, Susan's lawyer told Michael that "for someone who wants to retain his paternal rights so badly, you don't seem to know much about your son." This idea would later echo Michael's relationship with his son, as he was never around as Walt grew up. He then fought for his right to be Walt's legal guardian, as he was his biological father. He later met his son in New York, where he gave him a stuffed polar bear. He ultimately accepted the fact that Walt would have a better life with Susan and Brian, and said his goodbyes. ("Adrift")
Losing custody, Michael remained in America, but was contacted by Brian Porter many years later, who told him that Susan had died from a rare blood disorder. Brian insisted that Michael have custody of Walt back, and while Michael thought that this was due to him not caring about his son, Brian said that Walt was somehow different. In Australia, Michael was reunited with Walt, telling him that he would now be taking care of him. Walt asked about Brian's dog Vincent, and Michael told him Brian had said he could keep him. ("Special")
Together, they boarded Oceanic Flight 815, with Michael unsure if he could handle having a son in his life. Before he boarded the plane, he called his mom, expressed his insecurity, and asked her to take care of Walt. Her ultimate answer was irrelevant, for the plane crashed, making it impossible for her to watch over Walt. ("Exodus, Part 2")
On the Island
Season 1 (Days 1-44)
After the crash of Flight 815, the new relationship between Michael and his son was tested. Walt had only really known Michael for a matter of weeks, and did not yet respect him, or for that matter consider him his father. Much of Michael's time would be dictated by trying to build a connection with his child. ("Pilot, Part 2")
Early on during his time on the Island, Michael was particularly in conflict with Jin, who became jealous of his friendship with Sun (indeed, Michael was the first to learn her secret that she could speak English, and the two nearly kissed when Michael was comforting her). The two men also fought when Jin found Michael wearing the Rolex watch Jin had been entrusted with by his father-in-law. ("House of the Rising Sun")
Michael also became jealous, but in this case of the bond Walt formed with Locke, so much so that he accused John of having improper motives in befriending his son. However, it seemed that Michael simply wanted Walt to engage with him on the same level as he did with other survivors, and after he saved Walt from an attacking polar bear and showed him the drawings he had made for him every year, their relationship seemed to grow. ("Special")
So much was Michael's will to take Walt away from the Island, that he began to build a raft. After his first construction was burnt down, Michael gained the help of an unlikely ally, Jin, to aid him in his new design. ("...In Translation")
Dr. Arzt informed Michael that Monsoon season was approaching and that they needed to launch the raft soon. However, Arzt later revealed to Michael that he made the story up, just to get them to launch the raft as soon as possible. ("Born to Run") ("Tropical Depression") On that same day, Michael suddenly fell ill. It was later revealed that Sun tried to make Jin ill by contaminating his water bottle, but that Michael had accidentally drank from the bottle. Michael recovered quickly and continued the build the raft. ("Born to Run")
He and Jin became strong friends, and managed to build a sturdy boat able to carry up to four people. With the boat complete, Michael, Jin, Sawyer and Walt cast off in search of rescue. However, they were intercepted by a boat belonging to the Others, and in the chaos that followed, Walt was taken, and the raft was blown up by a petrol bomb. ("Exodus, Part 2")
Season 2 (Days 44-67)
Before Michael and company have time to collect themselves, they are knocked out and carried to a pit into which they are dumped. Michael and Jin give Sawyer a boost to the top of the pit, but someone sticks a knife in the pit which makes Sawyer fall. Then their captors drop in a girl who is unconscious. When the girl finally wakes up, she reveals that her name is Ana Lucia and that she was also on Oceanic Flight 815. Michael is discouraged when Ana Lucia claims she hasn't seen Walt. In an interesting turn of events, Ana grabs Sawyer's gun, punches him and then is pulled out by an ally of hers. ("Orientation")
Ana Lucia returns and points the gun at Sawyer, forcing Jin and Michael to climb out of the pit. When Sawyer refuses, Ana closes the cover of the pit. Later, Sawyer is given a second chance to come out, which he takes. They all realize that they were on the same plane. Michael introduces himself to Libby, Libby says that 23 people from her group survived. Michael is surprised when they enter the Arrow and only a few people are present. Later in the episode, Michael tells Bernard that his wife, Rose, is safe. ("Everybody Hates Hugo")
Ana Lucia decided that they were going to journey back to the middle-section survivors' camp. Michael chatted again with Libby, before he ran away, in attempt to find Walt. Jin and Eko soon pursued him and convinced him to come back and that they'd get Walt back together. ("...And Found")
Sawyer says a few choice words about Michael, not knowing that he had returned. When Sawyer's condition gets worse, Michael offers him help, but Sawyer refuses. Michael later questions Ana Lucia for being so paranoid about the Others. Ana Lucia tells Michael about the Others kidnapping twelve of her fellow survivors, to which Michael replies, "They took my son." When Sawyer collapses, Michael insists that he'll help Sawyer. He then instructs his fellow survivors on what they need to do to make a stretcher. While carrying Sawyer, they all hear the whispers. Michael then witnesses Ana Lucia accidentally mistaking Shannon for an Other and shooting her. ("Abandoned")
Sayid, who is also present at the scene, attacks Eko despite Michael's pleas. Sayid is quickly knocked out, and Ana acts hysterically, pointing her gun at Michael. Michael gets up to get a tied-up Sayid water. Ana points her gun at Michael and orders him to sit down. Michael claims that he's just bringing him water. He then tells Sayid about the raft, about Ana Lucia, and about his determination to get Walt back. Ana sends Michael to camp to get ammunition and other supplies for her. He leaves the Tailies and runs into Sun in her garden. Sun brings him to Jack and informs him about Shannon's death. Michael offers to bring Jack to Ana, but Eko who is also present takes Jack instead. Later on, Michael is reunited with his fellow survivors. ("Collision")
While all this was going on, Ben and Juliet met in the Pearl station to discuss their plan to use Michael to eventually lure Jack, Kate and Sawyer to a remote location where they would be taken captive. That same day, Michael was contacted by someone claiming to be Walt on the swan computer. ("Exposé")
That same day, while in the hatch, Michael discovers the blast doors. He asks Locke about it, who doesn't know anything either. Locke tells Michael about the Swan Orientation Film and offers to let Michael watch it. Eko asks if he can watch it too. Locke does not object. He shows Michael and Eko the film and then explains the shifts to Michael. Michael investigates the computer. He soon notices that the monitor says "Hello?". Michael types back "Hello?". When "Who is this?" appears on the monitor, Michael replies, typing "This is Michael, Who is this?". To Michael's surprise, "Dad?" appears on the monitor. ("What Kate Did")
The next day, Michael continues to communicate with "his son" on the computer. "Walt" tells him that he's OK and that he's alone. Jack enters when Michael was about to type something. Jack tells Michael that he will do everything in his power to get Walt back and that he can't imagine how tough it is to Michael. Michael thanks him and Jack leaves after glancing at the computer screen. ("The 23rd Psalm")
The next morning, Michael asks John if he can borrow some guns for target practice. Michael drops a box of bullets on the ground. When Locke bends down to get them, Michael knocks him out with the butt of his gun. He then walks over to the computer and gets instructions from Walt on where to find him. ("Three Minutes") By this time, Jack found Locke lying on the ground in the closet. Michael tells Jack that he's going after his son. Jack tries to convince Michael otherwise, but is unsuccessful and Michael locks them in the closet. ("The Hunting Party")
Michael runs through the jungle until he comes across Pickett urinating. Michael corners him, but is soon attacked by Tom, who takes his rifle. Michael flees with Pickett firing shots at him. Tom orders Pickett to stop and throws a bola that trips Michael. They put a bag over his head and gag him. ("Three Minutes")
At night, when Tom removes the hood off Michael's head, Michael's first reaction is to spit on him. Tom warns him not to do that again. Danny and Tom leave to talk to Jack, Locke, and Sawyer, Alex uses this as an opportunity to ask about Claire's baby. When Tom and Pickett return, Alex is forced to knock Michael out with a gun. ("Three Minutes")
They then take a long hike to the Decoy village. When Michael first arrives, Pickett takes a blood sample from him. Michael then encountered Ms. Klugh, who asked him a number of questions about Walt's upbringing. Michael was unable to answer any of the questions asked. After being kept as a prisoner for almost a week, Michael was briefly allowed to see his son. In the emotional reunion, Walt was once again pulled away from his father after hinting that the Others aren't who they claim to be. Michael is left in tears, when Ms. Klugh approached him. She offered Michael a deal: if he released the Other who had been captured by his friends, as well as bring Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley to them, they would release Walt. A devastated Michael agreed, but added that if he did what they asked, he wanted a boat. She agreed. ("Three Minutes")
Shortly after, Juliet came in to see Michael, and told him that he can have the boat he requested. She commented that Walt is very special, and that she's glad he will be able to leave after Michael complies with their deal. Juliet assured Michael that they will honor their end of the bargain, as she let him know of her own deal that she made to save her sister. Michael asked why she would do that if she couldn't be with her, and Juliet asked, "Wouldn't you do anything to save Walt?" ("The Deal")
Michael was next seen running through the jungle and finally collapsed in front of Kate and Jack. ("S.O.S.") They brought him back to the Swan. After Michael regained consciousness, he told them that he wasn't captured and knew where the Others lived. ("Two for the Road")
When he was alone in the hatch with Ana Lucia, he offered to kill Henry Gale for her. He then turned and shot Ana Lucia. He turned around to see Libby staring at him and panicked, shooting her as well. With Ana Lucia dead and Libby slowly dying, Michael freed the Other known as Henry Gale. He then shot himself in the arm to convince the rest of the survivors that he was another innocent victim who simply got unlucky. ("Two for the Road"), ("?")
Michael then rallied the survivors requested in order to "rescue Walt", insisting that he do it "his way", and refused help from Sayid who was by far the most qualified for a rescue attempt. While many of the survivors fell for the story, Sayid did not, and confided in Jack that he believed Michael had been "compromised". Although Jack had his doubts, he agreed that only Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley should go on the mission. Before leaving however, Jack secretly issued Michael a gun without any bullets. ("Three Minutes")
Out in the jungle, Michael and his team encountered a large bird that swooped down on them. Michael attempted to shoot it by reflex and realized that his magazine was empty, and when Jack offered to reload the weapon, Michael realized that Jack was suspicious of his motives. The team was scouted by two of the Others, one of whom Sawyer killed. The surviving Other ran from the group, which made all but Jack and Michael fearful that the Others would find out their plan. Jack then revealed that the Others have already been warned, explaining to the team that Michael had betrayed them. He apologized and pleaded for their understanding, but none of them could forgive him for his actions, particularly Hurley who forced Michael to admit his part in Ana Lucia and Libby's deaths. As the team moved through the jungle, they were ambushed by the Others at the capsule dump, all of them taken hostage. The group was moved to the Pala Ferry, where Henry Gale showed his authority as the apparent leader of the Others. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
He acknowledged that Michael kept his word, and returned Walt to him, along with the promised boat. Henry told Michael that by traveling at a compass bearing of 325, they would find rescue. Michael asked Henry how he knew they wouldn't tell people where they'd been, to which he replied that Michael wouldn't dare risk letting people know the lengths he went to in order to get his son back. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
Michael then desperately asked the question on all the survivors' lips: who the Others really were. With the ominous reply and grin from Henry that they are "the good guys", Michael and Walt started up the boat and departed from the pier. While Walt looked back at his friends still held captive, Michael kept his eye on the heading - leaving the Island with his son. Even after all he had had to do, in Michael's mind the two had finally come together once more. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
After escaping the Island
According to Michael, after following Ben's bearing of 325, he and Walt eventually came to "an island with people." He sold the boat the others gave him and boarded a cargo ferry bound for the United States. After arriving home, he and Walt presumeably told no one except Michael's mother who they were. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")
Michael attempts to kill himself by driving his car into a shipping crate. Michael wakes up in the hospital and Libby enters, however this appears to be just a dream. Michael wakes up again and a nurse enters and offers to call Walt, saying that Michael had a note taped to his chest addressed to Walt.
Sometime later, Michael goes to his mother's house, who is caring for Walt. Michael's mom doesn't understand why they showed up at her house two months after the plane crash, and why she can't tell anyone or call them by their real names. She also does not know why Walt is so distraught and having nightmares. Michael leaves her and goes to a pawn shop where he trades Jin's Rolex watch for a gun.
In a back alley, he is preparing to shoot himself when Tom approaches him. He tells him that he has a job for him, and realizes that the reason Walt won't see him is because Michael told him he killed Anna Lucia and Libby. Tom also informs Michael that Michael cannot kill himself even if he wanted to. Michael returns to a motel room and tries to shoot himself in the head, but the gun refuses to fire. Suddenly, a news report comes on TV announcing that the wreckage of Oceanic 815 has been found at the bottom of a trench in the ocean. Michael heads to Tom's hotel room where he finds him in the company of Arturo. Tom informs Michael that he will pose as a deck hand named Kevin Johnson on board the freighter, a ship commissioned by Charles Widmore, sailing out of Fiji.
On the freighter
Michael arrives in Fiji and encounters Minkowski, Naomi, and Miles as he boards the freighter. He receives one last call from Tom before he begins his "mission." There is also a crate delivered in his name to the boat. While at sea, he meets Frank Lapidus who informs him that the Oceanic 815 wreck at the bottom of the Ocean was faked. Later, he observes Keamy and other crew members using automatic weapons during a target practice session. He questions them, saying: "I thought this was a rescue mission" and is brushed off by the crew.
Later, in his room, he opens the package delivered to him. It is a briefcase filled with explosives. He takes the briefcase down to the engine room and prepares to activate it. Libby briefly appears to him and tells him not too do it, but she disappears and Michael shakes this off. He punches in the code, but the bomb doesn't detonate, it just pops up a flag that says "NOT YET."
Some time later, Michael is summoned by Minkowski, who tells him that Walt is calling from the mainland. Alone in the radio room, Michael discovers that it is actually Ben calling him from the island. Ben informs him that he is to remain on board the boat and disable the radio and the engines, stressing that some of the crew members are innocents and Ben does not kill innocents during a war. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Season 4 (Days 96-100)
Desmond and Sayid were being escorted to their new room by Ray, the doctor aboard the Kahana, until they spotted a large blood stain upon the wall of the new room. Ray proclaimed that it should have already been cleaned up and called out to Kevin, the janitor down the hallway. Kevin began to walk towards the room, and when is face was revealed to Sayid and Desmond through the shadows, they recognized him as Michael. Michael introduced himself as "Kevin Johnson", and proceeded to shake the hands of both Sayid and Desmond, who, while serious and confused, maintained their composure and kept Michael’s identity. ("Ji Yeon")
Michael was later seen on the exterior deck of the Kahana along with Sayid and Desmond observing the beating of two men by Captain Gault. Gault maintained that he wasn’t trying to hurt them, but instead trying to save them from sharing the same fate of Minkowski and Brandon. Gault then ordered Johnson to clean up after the scuffle. The people on the deck began to walk away, and while Michael was heading towards his cleaning area Sayid stopped him and asked him why he was on the ship. Michael simply stated that he was "here to die".
Afterwards, Michael was in the engine room with another man trying to fix the engines when Sayid and Desmond came down. They said that they where there to help with the repairing so Michael ordered the other man that was with him to go get a valve. When the man departed, Sayid pushed Michael up against a wall and demanded to know what happened to him from the time he left the Island to the time he made it to the ship.
After Michael finished telling Sayid how he got onto the freighter, Sayid grabbed Michael aggressively and forced him into the captain's room. There, Sayid told Gault that Michael is the one that destroyed the engine and communication rooms. He also revealed his real name, and proclaimed that he was a spy working for Benjamin Linus. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
When Keamy returned to the freighter with the wounded mercenaries following the attack on the Barracks, he questioned whether Gault had been the one to provide Ben with information about him. Gault took him to see Michael, who had been locked up following his outing by Sayid. When Michael admitted to giving Ben the information, Keamy tried to shoot him, pulling the trigger of his gun several times with no success. Instead, he knocked Michael out. ("Cabin Fever")
After this Frank enters Michael's cell and he asks him why he never told him he was a survivor of Oceanic 815. However, Michael tells Frank that it was because Widmore, Frank's boss, was the one who staged the wreckage. He then begs Frank not to take Keamy and his team back to the island because he thinks he will ruthlessly kill everyone. Frank reassures him not to worry and he helps him out of his cell. Once out, Michael and Frank both witness Omar strapping a device to Keamy's arm. ("Cabin Fever")
Trivia
- Michael was the tenth character to have a flashback.
- Michael's episode count is 42.
- Michael and Jack appeared in the most mobisodes, with five appearances.
- In the Bible, Michael is the only designated archangel and is also known as the great prince.
- Michael is the only one of the fourteen original main characters to not appear in Season 3.
- Michael's Oceanic plane tickets that he receives from Brian Porter are tickets for flights from Sydney to New York. He is the only character we know of that was on the plane but was not going to Los Angeles. However it can be assumed that he needed to board another plane to take him from Los Angeles to New York City.
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Michael Dawson/Theories
- Why is Michael unable to kill himself?
- How exactly did Michael and Walt get back to New York, what names were they using, and what was their cover story?
- Given the freighter crew should know almost everything about the Oceanic 815 passengers, why don't they recognize Michael?
- Given that only a few weeks passed between Michael leaving the island and his return on the freighter, and the fact that Michael's mom comments that he was only missing for two months, how was he able to become estranged from Walt, attempt suicide, recover from full-body trauma, meet with Mr. Friendly, secure passage on the Kahana, and travel aboard the freighter back to the vicinity of the island within such a short span of time?
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| Aaron • Ana Lucia • Bernard • Boone • Charlie • Claire • Desmond • Eko • Hurley • Jack • Jin Kate • Libby • Locke • Michael • Nikki • Paulo • Rose • Sawyer • Sayid • Shannon • Sun • Walt | ||||||
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| Centric episodes | "Special" • "Exodus, Part 2" • "Adrift" • "Three Minutes" • "Meet Kevin Johnson" | |||
| Mobisodes | "The Deal" • "Arzt & Crafts" • "Buried Secrets" • "Tropical Depression" • "Jin Has a Temper-Tantrum On the Golf Course" | |||
| Flashback characters | Alex • Andy • Arturo • Dagne • Walter Dawson • Naomi Dorrit • Female anchor • Finney • Gus • Hospitalized man • Martin Keamy • Bea Klugh • Frank Lapidus • Libby • Benjamin Linus • Lizzy • Susan Lloyd • Walt Lloyd • John Locke • Michael's mother • George Minkowski • Nurse (Meet Kevin Johnson) • Nurse (Special) • Omar • Danny Pickett • Brian Porter • Miles Straume • Tom • Vincent | |||
| Items | Comic book • List • Michael's bomb • Michael's passport • Rafts • Vincent | |||
| See also: Main Characters | ||||
