10 Best Lost Plot Twists

Few shows have featured as many gripping twists and turns as Lost, which had legions of fans on the edge of their seats thanks to its compelling characters and thrilling plot. While the show’s ending may have been rather disappointing, Lost was unmissable when it was at the top of its game, showcasing superb scripts, performances and direction.

Given that mysteries and secrets played such an important role in Lost’s appeal and success, it’s hardly surprising that some of the show’s best moments were centred on rug-pull plot twists that sent the story and characters in captivating new directions. Some of these revealed shocking information about the nature of the Island, while others gave startling insights into key players, or subverted expectations by breaking the show’s usual “rules”.

A few of the developments resulting from these twists may not have lived up to the promise of the initial moments themselves, but these game-changing events in Lost's history still represent incredible storytelling triumphs, which helped to secure Lost's place as one of the greatest TV shows of all time.

So, grab a seat on the DHARMA van, and let’s begin…

Lost worked hard to conceal the Others’ true nature and power during its first two seasons. By depicting them as lacking in technology, dressed in tattered clothes and living in tents, it encouraged viewers to believe that the Others led a primitive existence, and were therefore fairly evenly matched against the castaways.

There were hints that there might be more to the Others than met the eye, such as the discovery of Tom’s fake beard in the Staff station, and Walt’s warning that they were “pretending” in a flashback. But none of these were sufficient preparation for the first glimpse of the Others’ true home: a luxurious compound complete with electricity, homemade muffins and a book club, in which Juliet was introduced going about a seemingly everyday life back in the “real” world.

The appearance of Ben and the sight of Oceanic 815 disintegrating in the sky revealed that Juliet and her neighbours were actually the Others, confounding expectations and raising numerous questions about the nature of their civilisation.

This revelation that the Others were in fact miles ahead of the castaways in terms of resources heightened the threat they posed, getting Season Three off to a great start and contributing towards the build-up to all-out war at the season’s conclusion.