Season 4-6

Season: 1–6, Episodes: 19, Faction: The Island

Overview

Dr. Christian Shephard was the son of Ray Shephard, the father of Jack Shephard and Claire Littleton, the husband of Margo Shephard, former lover of Carole Littleton and the grandfather of Aaron Littleton.

Prior to having his license stripped for performing surgery under the influence of alcohol, he was the Chief of Surgery at St. Sebastian Hospital. After being fired, Christian left for Australia with Ana Lucia where he died as a result of an alcohol-induced heart attack. After the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, his coffin was found but Christian’s body was mysteriously missing. Despite his death, Christian has subsequently appeared and spoken with people both on and off the Island. The Man in Black, able to take on the form of the deceased, claimed he had been impersonating Christian after his death.

Post-Death (On the Island)

4×10 – Something Nice Back Home

   

He appeared to Claire in the jungle and convinced her to abandon Aaron and follow him into the jungle. (“Something Nice Back Home”)

4×11 – Cabin Fever

   

He appeared in Jacob’s Cabin and instructed Locke to move the Island. (“Cabin Fever”)

6×13 – The Last Recruit

   

Years later, when confronted by Jack, the Man in Black would admit to using Christian’s form when leading Jack to the caves, claiming that he was trying to help the survivors. (“The Last Recruit”)

After the rescue of the Oceanic Six

4×12 – There’s No Place Like Home, Part 1

   

Ten months after the crash, and some time after the rescue of the Oceanic Six, Jack could finally give Christian Shephard his funeral, although he claimed he was unable to properly bury his father, presumably because the body had disappeared on the Island. (“There’s No Place Like Home, Part 1”)

4×10 – Something Nice Back Home

   

Christian appeared to Jack twice after the departure from the Island. First, Jack caught a glimpse of Christian as he walked by in the hospital (although this might just be someone who looked like his dad). The second time also occurred at the hospital, while Jack was working late hours and went to check a beeping fire alarm. Christian said Jack’s name from a nearby sofa, but one of Jack’s co-workers appeared and Christian vanished. Believing this to be a hallucination, Jack requested a prescription for clonazepam. (“Something Nice Back Home”)

5×05 – This Place Is Death

   

Locke falls into a cavern below the a well after time traveling that appears to be the frozen wheel room and has suffered a compound fracture to his shin. Christian Shephard appears and chides Locke for allowing Ben to turn the wheel, when Christian told Locke to do it. He tells Locke that he must find everyone who left the Island and take them to Eloise Hawking. When Locke asks about Richard’s statement that he would have to die, Christian responds, “That’s why they call it a sacrifice.” ? He instructs Locke to fix the frozen wheel saying it’s off its axis. Locke struggles around a corner, where he witnesses the wheel rocking back and forth and emitting flashes of greenish-yellow light. Hieroglyphs are visible in the background. Locke pulls the wheel back into alignment as Christian says to say “hello” to his son. Locke asks who his son is as the room is engulfed by light. (“This Place Is Death”)

5×07 – The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham

   

Sometime later, Jack sat at the bedside of John Locke, who had been in a car accident. After failing to convince Jack to return to the Island, Locke revealed that Jack’s father had told him to say “hello” to Jack. Jack was shocked to hear this, and when he told Locke that his father was dead, Locke replied, “Well, he didn’t look dead to me.” (“The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham”)

3×23 – Through the Looking Glass, Part 2

   

Over the next month, Jack had begun refering to his father as if he were still alive. Jack presented a pharmacist with a prescription for oxycodone, claiming it was written by Christian Shephard. When the pharmacist said she’d need to call his office, Jack stumbled away, telling her not to bother. Later, a drunk and distraught Jack told Dr. Hamill to “get my father down here… and if I’m drunker than he is, you can fire me.” (“Through the Looking Glass, Part 2”)

6×02 – LA X, Part 2

   

In the flash sideways world, Christian had shared a relationship with Jack similar to that of their lives, though the two had a photo from a Thanksgiving gathering alongside Jack’s son, David. As in his life, he had been found in Sydney, dead in an alley. Jack traveled to Sydney to claim the body and take it back to Los Angeles for a funeral, though when Oceanic Flight 815 landed on Los Angeles, the coffin had been lost. (“LA X, Part 2”)

6×05 – Lighthouse

   

As Jack waited for the coffin to be found, he and Margo Shepherd, Christian’s widow, found the latter’s will, which mentioned Claire Littleton, though her relationship to Christian wasn’t mentioned in the document. (“Lighthouse”)

6×17 – The End

   

Christian’s coffin was eventually found by Oceanic, though Desmond Hume had it delivered to him at a church. Jack was taken there by Kate, and found the coffin at an office. Jack touched it and, with his memories awakened, opened the coffin only to find it empty. Christian then entered the office, and explained to his son that he had died and that this reality had been created by him and his former friends in order to find each other and “move on” together. Finally reconciled, the two shared a hug.

   

After Jack reunited with his friends at the church’s nave and sat with Kate at a pew, Christian emerged and briefly patted his son on the shoulder. He then opened the church’s doors, allowing a bright light to engulf all those present as they crossed over to the next stage in their afterlives. (“The End”)

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