Libby Smith (original) (raw)
Elizabeth Smith, better known as Libby, was a tail-section survivor of Flight 815. She was a self-proclaimed clinical psychologist, who dropped out of medical school sometime during her first year. To the general public, Libby was considered one of 8 people who initially survived the plane crash. But her early death meant she never became a member of the infamous Oceanic Six.
In actuality, Libby survived over 2 months on The Island. She reunited with the middle section survivors after 48 days. Over 2 weeks later, [Hurley](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") planned to surprise her with a picnic date. She postponed their intended date to trek to The Swan. To Hurley, she stated her intention was obtaining picnic blankets needed for the occasion. Sometime that evening (or in twilight hours the next day), she was abruptly shot. This event was then credited with what "cancelled" the date.
A competent and caring woman who acted as a support figure, Libby was reserved about her own life, giving out little information when asked, or avoiding answering the questions altogether. She walked in on her shooter Michael, after he fatally shot Ana Lucia. Dr. Jack Shephard was unable to do anything due to her substantial blood loss. To end her prolonging pain, he euthanized her via a heroin overdose on day 65.
At the press conference following Oceanic Six's rescue and recovery, Jack did not explicitly reference Libby's legal cause of death as he did with fellow survivors Boone and Charlie, whose legal deaths tied in with their actual deaths (albeit under different circumstances). At Kate's trial, Jack stated a six month pregnant Kate tried saving hers, and later Charlie's life. She was legally declared deceased in Membata, Indonesia by 28 September 2004, a week after the initial crash.
In the flash-sideways, Libby was reunited with [Hugo Reyes](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes"). They, alongside those most important to Jack, moved on.
Before the crash[]
Background[]
Libby was a resident of Newport Beach, California, where her boat was docked. It is implied she has an affluent background. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
According to Libby, she trained as a medical student, but dropped out after one year. Eventually she became a clinical psychologist instead. ("The Other 48 Days")
The erroneous conclusions she draws from [Hugo](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") and Claire's mental health conditions suggest she possibly lied about this profession. ("Maternity Leave") ("Dave") She may or may not have been influenced from being assessed by mental health professionals herself to claim this occupation. ("Dave")
Libby claims she did a year of med school before dropping out. ("The Other 48 Days")
While trying to mend Donald's leg, she comforted him during his concern that his leg was bad. She referred to a time she went skiiing in Vermont stating: "I was on this run, going pretty fast. I was racing this cute ski patrol guy... I went off this mogul, lost my edge, and, bam! Snapped my left leg".
The element of surprise used when telling the story is to prevent Donald from anticipating when she twists his leg to reset the bone. This action, observed by Ana Lucia, made her wonder if Libby was a doctor herself but she was not. It is uncertain whether she had more medical experience than she claimed, however. ("The Other 48 Days")
The _Elizabeth_[]
Sometime in 2001, her hairstyle was a bob and her hair color was a light red color. Incidentally, she met a Scottish man in an American coffee shop who needed exactly what she could give him: [42](/wiki/42"42"),000andasailboat.Initially,shegreetedhimwhensheofferedtopayforhis[42](/wiki/42 "42"),000 and a sailboat. Initially, she greeted him when she offered to pay for his [42](/wiki/42"42"),000andasailboat.Initially,shegreetedhimwhensheofferedtopayforhis4 coffee, because he was using British currency. He thanked her for the generosity. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
Libby knows Desmond needs $42,000. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
The man, Desmond David Hume, initiated further contact when he remarked that he doesn't suppose she had $42,000 more. In a serious tone, she replied, "Depends on what it's for", suggesting she has an affluent background. Desmond smiled, but pretended he was joking. Libby quipped back, "No you weren't", before they both sat down at a coffee table together and got to know each other better.
A familiar widow confides in Desmond. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
Desmond confided that he needed the money as well as a sailboat to enter a sailing race. Observing the brochure he carried, Libby saw the name and identified Charles Widmore. But Desmond clarified he actually wants to win it for Penelope Widmore against Charles' wishes, who happens to be her disapproving father.
As coincidence would have it, Libby stated that her late husband was named David, Desmond's middle name; she inherited his sailing boat named after her that she wanted to give away. By her account, he bought it for a trip to sail through the Mediterranean. But he died just a month ago, before he could even set sail. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1")
Desmond declined her offer to take the boat. But Libby insisted he should take it, because she stated that "he'd want you to". For some reason, Desmond was eventually swayed to accept her request to take the sailboat after learning the sailboat's name was The Elizabeth, named after her.
It is inferred Desmond's change of mind towards Libby's request is part of his attempt to restore his honor from the shame of deserting Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Armed Forces. (Queen Elizabeth shares Libby's name). After he agrees, Libby smiles in satisfaction of his agreeing to her request. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1") ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 2")
Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute[]
Libby in Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute. ("Dave")
For unknown reasons, Libby became a patient at Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute. One inference made is that this was partially influenced by her husband's death, which led her to a dark place.
During her stay, she appeared incapacitated, quivering her mouth to speak words (presumably to thank the nurse who gave her the pill) but was unable to. She darted her eyes quickly and had jittery body language commonly associated with shock treatments.
At some point during her tenure, she observed several patients from across the room. Those patients she stared at were [Hugo "Hurley" Reyes](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") (taking a photograph with "Dave", Hurley's seemingly imaginary friend), Leonard Simms who sat in front of Hugo, and an unidentified third male patient.
Moments after she observes Dr. Brooks getting Hugo to pose with Dave for the snapshot, a female nurse delivered Libby a pill. She then started to smile, but appeared unable to verbalize a response to the nurse. ("Dave")
In this appearance, she was also far more dishevelled. Her brunette hair was undyed, and it had grown out from the light-red bob she wore after giving the boat to Desmond. She appeared incapacitated in some form. A nurse then gave her medication and addressed Libby by her name. She stared blankly into space, emotionally and mentally traumatized in some manner. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1") ("Dave")
While on the Island, Hurley suspected he "knew her from somewhere". She claimed it was from the flight but he insisted it was somewhere else. Before her untimely death, Hurley wondered whether he would remember where he knew her from or not if he got drunk enough. The remark made Libby slightly emotional and uncomfortable. ("Fire + Water") ("Two for the Road")
The circumstances surrounding her release are unknown. ("Fire + Water") ("Dave")
Libby interrupts Eko's argument with Charlotte Malkin. ("?")
Australia and Flight 815[]
For unknown reasons, Libby travelled to Sydney, Australia. After her stay, she booked a flight aboard the fateful Oceanic Flight 815. ("Everybody Hates Hugo") ("?")
Sometime before she boarded the plane, Libby intervened briefly during a conversation that was escalating into a heated argument between Eko and Charlotte Malkin in the Sydney Airport. She asked them if everything was alright, though she mostly directed the question at Charlotte who she was looking at.
Both Eko and Charlotte were silent. After a pause, Charlotte gave a light nod. It is left ambiguous whether Charlotte and Libby had familiarity with one another beyond this simple interaction. When Libby leaves, she hovers behind Eko, and walks off, and Charlotte later walks off in the same direction. After this, it is presumed Libby left them so that she could board Oceanic Flight 815. ("?")
Libby on the beach after the tail-end of Flight 815 landed in the ocean. ("The Other 48 Days")
Libby somehow knew Hurley was the last to board the flight despite being seated in the tail section, while he was seated in the fuselage. ("Exodus, Part 3") It is implied she used the knowledge of his late entrance to tell Hurley this is where he knew her from, having stepped on her toe when heading to his seat. But this is unambiguously not the case; she once again lied to deter from the fact that he knew her from Santa Rosa, something she does not want him to recall (for unknown reasons). ("Fire + Water") ("Dave")
The whereabouts of her stylized silver cross necklace worn just before her flight are left unknown. Why she was not seen wearing it on the Island just after the crash is also left unexplained. ("?") ("The Other 48 Days")
On the Island[]
Days 1-43 (Season 2)[]
Libby along with Zack and Emma on the beach. ("The Other 48 Days")
The tail-section of Oceanic Flight 815 crashed just off the coast of the Island. Libby got herself out of the water and used her limited medical skills by attending to injured survivors, quickly emerging as their resident medic. ("The Other 48 Days")
By her own admission recalling the event, she claimed Mr. Eko was the one who brought Donald, a very badly injured man to her. ("Dave")
When Libby is first seen after the crash, this is where Ana Lucia observes Libby tending to Donald's broken and infected leg. She and Ana Lucia discussed their professions. Libby told her of the time when she broke her leg skiing in Vermont. Eventually, Donald passed away, as Libby was unable to save him, making him the fourth casualty of the tail-section survivors. ("The Other 48 Days")
Libby tends to Donald's injured leg after the crash. ("The Other 48 Days")
Libby later recalled these events tearfully to [Hurley](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes"), the same man she was secretly familiar with from Santa Rosa that also boarded the same flight as her—in an effort to convince him that she was real. (However, it was technically Nathan and Goodwin who buried Donald, as she and the others watched). She further stated that she "buried a lot of people". ("The Other 48 Days") ("Dave")
On the first night of the survivors staying at camp, Libby was present when three tail-section survivors were kidnapped by the Others. Following this, Ana Lucia emerged as leader of the Tailies. In this role, she grew emotionally close to Libby, often looking to her for advice or support.
On Day 7, Libby approached Mr. Eko, who stopped speaking on Day 2. She attempted to greet him. He shunned her and refused to acknowledge her presence. He also rejected her offer of chicken. Libby initially states, "You haven't said a word in a week" (but it has been 4 full days, so it was possibly just an exaggeration to get him to communicate with her).
Eko ignores Libby's plea that he was "just defending" himself. ("The Other 48 Days")
She tells him, "Hey, it wasn't your fault you know. You were just defending yourself". Ultimately, it remains ambiguous whether her comment refers to Eko killing his would-be abductors from the first night, or the altercation at the airport with Charlotte Malkin. (And Eko's interpretation of the remark may also differ from the event Libby recounts).
During this same encounter at the beach, he briefly looked over in the direction of her neck, where her cross necklace should be—now evidently missing—and looked away. Then Libby frowningly observed Eko inscribing scripture on his stick. This visual clue may suggest the latter (his heated attitude towards Charlotte about the claimed interactions she had with Yemi). ("The Other 48 Days") ("?")
"Libby, watch the kids". ("The Other 48 Days")
One week later, a second attack and mass kidnapping took place. Many of the Tailies, including the children, Zach and Emma, whom Libby had become emotionally close to, were also taken.
After this event, the group, under the command of Ana Lucia, moved further inland, to escape from the semi-frequent attacks. Due to this kidnapping, Libby told Ana Lucia of her belief, that one of the members of their group hadn't actually been on the plane. She was one of the people who encouraged Ana to throw Nathan into the tiger pit after it was suspected he was the impostor. ("The Other 48 Days")
21 days into the group's survival on the Island, Dr. Burke remarked to the leader of The Others that those from the tail section's list of good people had already been recruited, so Goodwin should return. This implies the Others considered Libby a bad person, for indiscernible reasons, much like Nathan. Ana & Eko, with backstories as killers, being reduced to "bad" is somewhat understandable. Meanwhile, Bernard & Cindy may be exempt as they were people who were not registered passengers of the tail-section. ("The Other Woman")
"This is our life now, get used to it," Ana Lucia proclaims. ("The Other 48 Days")
After Nathan's mysterious disappearance, the group became very wary of staying exposed on the beach. They moved cautiously across the Island, eventually discovering the Arrow station and setting up their camp at this location. Inside, they discover a chest, in which Libby found a glass eye.
Later, Ana and Goodwin left the station in an attempt to get a signal on the radio found inside the Arrow. When Ana arrived back without Goodwin, Libby curiously inquired of his whereabouts. Ana then told the group, it was Goodwin who was the spy for The Others, making it evident to the others, she had killed him.
When Bernard received a transmission on the radio they had found in the Arrow, he communicated with the person on the receiving line. Libby appeared excited, but as she smiled, Eko glared at her for unknown reasons. Boone told Bernard he was a survivor of Oceanic Flight 815. Ana turned the radio off, assuming it was the Others trying to trick them into giving away their location. Bernard tried to argue with her, as he thought there might have been other survivors but Ana dismissed him, saying, "This is our life now, get used to it." ("The Other 48 Days")
Days 44-65 (Season 2)[]
Libby and Cindy recover the unconscious Jin from the ocean. ("The Other 48 Days")
Libby was with Cindy when she saw Jin wash up on the shore. They recovered his unconscious body from the ocean and carried him to Ana Lucia and Eko, who assumed he was one of the Others. After also discovering Michael and Sawyer, her group put all of them into the tiger pit. Ana Lucia, posing as another captive, entered the pit and ascertained, rather dubiously, they were also survivors of Oceanic Flight 815. ("The Other 48 Days") ("Orientation")
After releasing Jin, Michael and Sawyer from the tiger pit, Libby and the group trekked back to the Arrow station. During this time, Libby introduced herself to Michael in a friendly manner. She told him the tail-section survivors had numbered 23 initially; however, when they arrived at the Arrow station, Michael realized there were only five left (Ana Lucia, Eko, Libby, Cindy and Bernard). ("Everybody Hates Hugo")
Libby reveals to Michael where "they come from." ("...And Found")
After the tail survivors decided to go to the middle section survivors' camp, Ana ordered Michael and Libby to gather some fruit. While searching for fruit with Michael, Libby joked, Ana Lucia had trust issues. When Michael suggested they go further into the jungle to look for more fruit, Libby immediately stopped him, saying that's where they come from. She then returned to the station without Michael, and warned the group that he had run away in search of his son, Walt. ("...And Found")
When Sawyer's bullet wound from the Others' raft attack became infected, Libby used her knowledge of psychology to persuade him it wasn't as bad as he thought, similar to what she had done with Donald. Unlike Ana Lucia, she was willing to help construct a stretcher to transport Sawyer in the hopes of keeping him alive. When they were lifting this stretcher up a steep cliff, Cindy disappeared without a sound. Libby expressed great fear when they heard the Whispers right before Ana Lucia shot Shannon, as the two groups of survivors paths' collided. ("Abandoned")
Libby and Ana Lucia argue over the approach taken against a vengeful Sayid. ("Collision")
Libby's loyalty to her leader was tested after Ana accidentally shot and killed Shannon. Libby protested that dealing with a vengeful Sayid wasn't the right option as Sawyer's life hung in the balance. It wasn't until Ana put her at gunpoint she complied and tied up Sayid, disgusted and feeling betrayed by her fellow survivor. Libby, along with Bernard, then decided to leave Ana Lucia alone with Sayid, not agreeing with her actions. She was then united with the middle section survivors. ("Collision") Libby later attended Shannon's funeral along with most of the survivors, without Ana. ("What Kate Did")
After integrating herself with the middle section survivors, Libby took a liking to Hurley, who had helped her to build her own shelter at the beach camp as an act of kindness. Later in the Swan station, Hurley revealed his attraction to Libby during a discussion with Charlie about whether he had a chance with her. ("The 23rd Psalm") ("The Hunting Party")
Libby smiles at Hurley, on her way to do laundry. ("Fire + Water")
Hurley's crush on Libby was addressed further when he asked Sawyer about the tail end survivors, in particular Libby. Sawyer perceptively asked if Hurley liked her, but Hurley denied this and left, clearly embarrassed. Libby began to bond with Hurley and engaged in playful flirting while they were building shelter and doing the laundry together. In their first scene speaking to one another on-screen, "Papa Loves Mambo" by Perry Como is heard playing in the background.
Head-hurting Libby avoids Ana, and instead approaches Sun and Jin. ("The Long Con")
During this time Hurley commented that Libby looked familiar. She was somewhat evasive about this, hastily replying with a story about how he stood on her foot after boarding the plane. This was probably a lie she had constructed for unknown reasons, most likely because she was trying to conceal their time together at the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute. Evidence of this is the fact she was in the tail section of the plane, where Hurley would not have passed through to get to his seat. ("Fire + Water")
Libby was later seen at the main beach camp on the night [Sawyer](/wiki/James%5F%22Sawyer%22%5FFord "James "Sawyer" Ford") took control of the guns. She approached Sun and Jin prior to Sawyer's announcement of this conquest. This is presumably because of Sun's attack, which resulted in a head injury. Coincidentally, Libby was also suffering from a headache during the same timeframe.
After she hovered around her estranged former leader Ana Lucia for a moment, she chose not to approach her. Instead, Libby trudged forward to approach the Kwons, greeting several crash survivors along the way. During Sawyer's speech, she folded her arms and frowned in disapproval. ("The Long Con")
headache, avoiding Ana Lucia altogether. Instead, she briefly acknowledged some other fellow survivors along the way. During Sawyer's speech, Libby looked angry at Sawyer as he remarked, "You wanna torture me don't you?" to Sayid. ("The Long Con")
Libby helps Claire to recover the memories of her time with the Others at The Staff. ("Maternity Leave")
After seeing flashes from her memory of the week in which she was abducted by the Others, Claire decided to go to Libby and ask for her help, aware of her skills as a psychologist and ex-med student. Claire and Kate informed Libby about Ethan and the circumstances of her abduction. Libby treated Claire and helped her regain her repressed memories through a form of meditation. The two sat meditating for some time until Claire suddenly began to scream, having visions of Ethan and the Staff station. Libby tried to calm Claire down, but she was unsuccessful. Kate rushed to Claire's aid and interrogated Libby, thinking, she had tried to hurt her instead. Claire asked Libby to help her uncover more memories. Libby refused due to Claire's previous reaction. This led Claire on her journey with Kate and Rousseau to the Staff station. ("Maternity Leave")
Libby reveals to Jack Sawyer's poker tournament. ("Lockdown")
Libby later approached Jack and told him a sea urchin had stung her on the hand while she was in the water. When she asked for his help, he told her she should use some Neosporin. She replied the going rate was too high as Sawyer had hoarded all the medicines and was making people pay for them in favors. Jack challenged Sawyer to a game of poker in order to win supplies back. Along with Hurley and Kate, Libby bemusedly watched the card game showdown between Jack and Sawyer from a distance. ("Lockdown")
Libby and Hurley started to do regular exercise together across the beach, helping them bond as a potential couple. While exercising one day, Hurley confessed to her about having an eating disorder. He showed Libby his private stash of food in the jungle. Despite his initial hesitation, and with encouragement from Libby, Hurley agreed to Libby's proposal and they destroyed all the stash.
Libby learns of Hurley's problem. ("Dave")
Shortly after however, they learned of the mysterious food drop from Sun and Jin. At the drop site arguments started over the food and Libby suggested that everyone should only take what they needed. She saw Hurley run from the drop site into the jungle. Later, she questioned him about what happened, but he was evasive saying, he didn't "want to talk about it". ("Dave")
Hurley and Libby's first kiss. ("Dave")
Later that day, Libby heard of Sawyer and Hurley's fight and went to Hurley's tent. She found him packing his bag and he told her he was leaving the beach in favor of the caves. They had a minor argument where she tried to talk him out of it, but he left the beach camp nonetheless. Libby followed Hurley all the way to a cliff top, where she approached him as he was dangerously close to the edge, which scared her.
When she confronted him he claimed to believe the current moment and everything that had happened since the crash of Flight 815 were all created by his imagination. Furthermore, he believed Libby and everyone on the island to be figments of his imagination. Libby tearfully recalled having to bury people (possibly meaning her husband David and the numerous tail-section survivors). She told Hurley she was insulted by what he had said. Hurley began to see her point of view and she explained everything she felt for him was real. They then had their first kiss and headed back to the camp on a high. When he turned away from facing her, Libby gave a scowling look as she remembered in her mind her time at Santa Rosa, observing both Hugo and Leonard Simms together. ("Dave")
Libby does not support Bernard's idea for the S.O.S sign to achieve rescue. ("S.O.S.")
After this event, Libby was present at Bernard's speech about making an S.O.S. symbol in the sand. She did not have faith in what he had to say and vehemently opposed it without verbalizing her feelings. Standing next to her, Hugo disputed Bernard's idea verbally by mentioning to Bernard that they already built a raft to try and leave. Libby gently nodded in agreement, despite not being part of this experience herself. Bernard's wife Rose also undermined his idea quickly. Later that day, Libby was no-where to be seen and neither was [Frogurt](/wiki/Neil%5F%22Frogurt%22 "Neil "Frogurt""), who was implied to be an intended participant in the S.O.S sign being built. That night, however, she was re-seen again sitting with Hugo, repeatedly shutting her eyes and laughing cartoonishly as Hugo attempted to provide humor with a hand joke. ("S.O.S.")
Libby warns Ana Lucia not to do anything stupid, after their prisoner attempted to murder her. ("Two for the Road")
Libby approached Ana Lucia about the cut she had on her forehead. Ana first joked and said she cut herself shaving, but then she confessed they had a prisoner in the Hatch, who attacked and tried to kill her. Libby, knowing of Ana Lucia's aggressive and violent nature, warned her not to do anything stupid. ("Two for the Road")
Hurley decided to take Libby for a nice picnic - to the same location Sayid had taken Shannon the night before she died - on their first official date. However, he ended up leading her around in circles in the jungle due to him apparently getting lost. Libby eventually proposed they stay on a secluded part of their own beach and she would go and get the blankets from the Swan while he gets wine from Rose and Bernard.
Michael shoots Libby. ("Two for the Road")
At this point, Hurley and Neil had a minor argument over their vying affections for Libby where Hurley stated he had a date with her. ("The Adventures of Hurley and Frogurt")
Upon entering the Swan, it had now become nighttime. She witnessed Michael, whom she didn't know had returned from his time with The Others, having just murdered Ana Lucia. She exclaimed his name in shock, and alarmed by Libby's sudden appearance, Michael shot her twice in the abdomen, through the blankets she had collected for her date with Hurley. ("Two for the Road")
With her last breath, Libby warns Jack of Michael. ("?")
Jack, Kate, Eko, Locke, and Sawyer returned to the Swan after being lied to by Michael. He told them the imprisoned Other had shot and killed Ana Lucia and Libby and shot him in the arm. Libby regained consciousness and coughed up blood, and it was discovered Libby was alive and in deep shock saved momentarily by the force of the bullets being stopped by the blankets. Jack battled to save her life with Hurley at her side as he apologized for forgetting the blankets. When it became clear she wasn't going to survive, Jack gave her heroin from Sawyer's stash to numb the pain. She eventually succumbed to her injuries and died, much to everyone's devastation. Before dying, she uttered "Michael" to warn the survivors who shot her, but this was misinterpreted as asking if Michael had survived. She died with a look of shock on her face, as she realized the others had misunderstood what she was trying to say. ("?")
Post-death[]
Hurley recounts his friends' capture at Libby's grave. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
Libby was buried in the graveyard along with Ana Lucia, but their funeral was interrupted by the return of Desmond on the Elizabeth, the very boat she had given him years ago. ("Three Minutes")
When Michael later confessed the murders to Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley, he pleaded that killing Libby was an accident. Hurley pointed out had Michael even had time to contemplate his action, he still would have killed Libby to protect his secret. Later that day, Michael left the Island with Walt. However, sometime after leaving the Island, Michael did something that put a stop to his and Walt's relationship, because he told Walt of his terrible crime. In New York City Tom suggests he's been told his son can't bear to look at him because he 'knows he is a murderer.' Michael neither denies or accepts this claim. ("Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1") ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Shortly after her death, Hurley visited Libby's grave to confess his fears and troubles, and he laid a dead flower down for her. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
Appearing to Michael[]
Michael imagines a dead Libby as his nurse. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Off the Island, Michael still felt guilty for the deaths of Ana Lucia and Libby, and after an attempt at suicide, Michael ended up in the hospital. While regaining consciousness, Michael had a vision of Libby, dressed as a nurse and bringing him extra blankets. The vision was holding the blankets against her stomach, notably similar as to how Libby had been when he had shot her. She explained how he ended up there and when Michael recognized her voice, he panicked and started to scream. Libby vanished and Michael woke up and realized it was all just a dream. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Libby warns Michael not to push the button. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Libby appeared once again when Michael was on the freighter, which he boarded to atone for his sins on the Island. Just as he was about to set off a bomb supplied by the Others he began to hear the same music that was playing during his first suicide attempt. When the music faded, the Whispers were heard and Libby appeared very briefly and told Michael not to push the button before disappearing once again. Despite Libby's warning, Michael pushed the "Execute" button, but it did not destroy the Kahana instead presenting him with a note saying 'Not Yet'. ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
When Michael later received a phone call from Ben tasking him to compile a list of people aboard the freighter who were 'innocent.' Michael tried to counter Ben by asking if Ana Lucia and Libby were innocent, to which Ben replied, "You killed them, Michael. No one asked you to." ("Meet Kevin Johnson")
Being mentioned[]
According to the official story of the Oceanic Six, Libby was one of the three people who survived the crash but died later, along with Boone and Charlie. According to Jack, she did not survive long after the crash. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")
When Hurley had a vision of Ana Lucia, just before she disappeared, she nonchalantly told him, "Libby says hi". ("The Lie")
When asked how he was cursed, Hurley told Jacob, "That's why the plane crashed, my friends died—Libby, Charlie. Now they visit me, and I can't make it stop". ("The Incident, Part 2")
Hurley visited Libby's grave, and explained his thoughts and fears while laying down flowers for her. He said, he wished she was there to talk with him, and revealed that she had never actually visited him after her death. Ilana then came over and asked Hurley whose grave it was, to which he explained and told Ilana of her death by shooting. Ilana then apologized for Hurley's loss.
After Hurley received help from the deceased Michael, he asked Hurley if he ever does see Libby again to tell her he is very sorry. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
Flash sideways[]
In the flash sideways world, Libby had recently checked herself into the Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute for what her psychologist termed "issues with reality."
While on a field trip to Spanish Johnny's, Libby spotted Hugo Reyes sitting alone at a table. Hugo first assumed that Libby was his blind date, Rosalita, but she corrected him saying, she knew him from somewhere, to which Hugo responded that they had never met. Dr. Brooks then approached Libby and told her it was time to go. Hugo followed them outside and watched as Libby was driven off in a Santa Rosa Mental Health Institute van.
Libby kisses [Hurley](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes#Flash%5Fsideways "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") on their first date. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
Hurley later visited Libby at the mental institution to find out more. She asked if he remembered anything else, but he said no. Libby told him that she'd had dreams she was in a plane crash and ended up on an island. She thought that he was with her there as well. Hurley then asked if she was allowed to go on day trips and leave the institution. Libby said yes, because she was there voluntarily, and was very pleased when Hurley asked her on a date.
Libby and Hugo moving on in the church. ("The End")
Hurley then took her to a picnic on the beach. Noticing something off, Hurley asked Libby what was wrong, to which she replied that it seemed like this was the date they never had. Hurley asked her why she was here with him, to which Libby said she liked him, and then proceeded to kiss him. Hurley then began to experience brief flashes of images from his life on the Island with Libby. Upon hearing Hugo confess these flashes, Libby was happy, because it meant she wasn't crazy. ("Everybody Loves Hugo")
Libby was last seen at a church with Hurley and the rest of the reunited group as they were enveloped in a white light and "moved on." ("The End")
Behind the Scenes[]
Deleted scenes[]
- "Everybody Hates Hugo": Sawyer is visited by Libby in the pit. She is unseen but asks if he was really on Flight 815, then she throws him some water to take better care of him while he is isolated from Jin and Michael.
- "Everybody Hates Hugo": She glares at Ana Lucia with harshness upon receiving pink meat for dinner time.
- "Collision": She told a tied up Sayid that deep down Ana Lucia was a "good person".
- "The 23rd Psalm": Libby told Claire she was wearing her shirt but told her to keep it.
- "Fire + Water": Libby claimed she specialized in marriage counselling. She also told Hurley she was married several times, 3 in total if the annulments count. Hurley informed Libby he was a millionaire lottery winner in return. She was unfazed, and Hurley was pleasantly surprised she believed him (after Charlie previously did not). She casually remarks, "Why would anyone lie about something like that?"
- "The Whole Truth" (unseen): She had an interaction with Jin.
- "Two for the Road": Libby and Hurley are on a run discussing what they miss; she abruptly leaves to speak to Ana Lucia about "Henry Gale" in the Hatch. When Hurley suggests going there, she states there is a prisoner, so it is a buzzkill. (This evidently contradicts her eventual decision to go there in need of blankets in the episode).
Missing backstory[]
The producers stated that they intended to fill in the missing pieces of Libby's backstory posthumously. The plan was to show how she went from giving the sailboat to Desmond to her stay in Santa Rosa. This is discussed at length in a Season 3 interview. Executive producer Carlton Cuse mentioned it would be answered in Season 4, while series creator Damon Lindelof discussed and elaborated on what her planned backstory entailed:
| “ | There’s really one significant missing piece to Libby’s story. We saw in the season finale last year that she met with Desmond, she gave him his boat, and we know that her husband died — and then we know that subsequent to that, she spent some time in a mental institution, the same one as Hurley. The question the audience wants answered is, How did she get from A to B — from Desmond to the mental institution? We know the answer to that question, but the only way to tell that story is through another character’s flashback, and that character would have to be another character on the show who is not among the beach dwellers. | ” |
|---|---|---|
In September 2007, Watros booked a recurring role to reprise her role for multiple episodes in the fourth season. But the WGA Writer's Strike (2007/08) halted production after her first appearance in the season in November.[1] Prior to the commencement of the season, Lindelof responded to a fan question at San Diego Comic Con, and remarked he was not "barking up the wrong tree" with the online speculative guess that Libby was a member of the DHARMA Initiative.[2]
They later stated several scripts went awry in Season 5 because Cynthia Watros allegedly did not want to participate at that point. Lindelof attempted to revised her backstory in a mundane fashion, by suggesting her stay at Santa Rosa occurred within the month of David's death, and Desmond's sailboat was given within that one month timeframe ending.[3][4]
For Season 6, Cuse remarked: "It's impossible to tie up every loose end, and we don't really consider, honestly, Libby's story is incredibly tangential to the principle action on the show. For us, the focus of the final season really has to be on the main characters and what would generally be acknowledged as the most significant mysteries."[5]
Trivia[]
- Elizabeth is one of 13 main characters to not have their name appear in a soundtrack title.
- Libby's surname was never explicitly referenced in the series despite numerous teases. The flight manifest from the German 108minuten.de website listed her full name as "Elizabeth Franklin". The manifest is an expanded and partially corrected version of the manifest from the Lost: The Untold (2006) website. The Comic Con 2009 panel memorial video lists her surname as Smith. This is also listed in the Lost Encyclopedia (2010).
- Both versions of the flight manifest, material for the Comic Con panel, and the 2010 Encyclopedia contain numerous details that contradict information stated or revised on the show itself, meaning they may not be considered canonical.
- Franklin could be her maiden name and Smith could be considered her married name.
- Libby's total episode count is 23, as of "The End".
- Libby died on her 17th appearance (in the Season 2 episode "?").
- The day Libby died (Day 65) also happened to be Thanksgiving Day, 2004.
- Libby was the seventh former main character to appear in Season 6.
- Libby appeared in 5 episodes after her death: "Three Minutes" as a corpse (although was covered); "Live Together, Die Alone, Part 1" in a flashback; "Meet Kevin Johnson" as an apparition; and "Everybody Loves Hugo" and "The End" as her flash-sideways counterpart.
- Libby is one of only eight members of the main cast who have not been given their own centric episode, the others being Charlotte, Frank, Penny, Pierre, Christian, Eloise, and Ilana. However, the last few moments of the episode "Dave" showed an approximately thirty second flashback that was seen from Libby's POV; this is Libby's only centric flashback. She also had an on-Island flashback along with the rest of the tailies in "The Other 48 Days".
- There are two episodes of the series to add characters to the main cast other than season premieres. In both episodes ("Everybody Hates Hugo" and "The End") Libby was added to the main cast.
- Libby has never met Walt, Ben, Daniel, Charlotte, Miles, Richard, Ilana, Lapidus, Pierre, the Man in Black or Eloise, as far as we know. However, she has met the rest of the fuselage-survivors and Desmond in L.A. prior to the crash. Though she did meet Boone, Juliet, Penny, Christian and Shannon in the flash-sideways world, she never met them while she was alive. She may have also met Ben since they were both at church.
- It's possible that Ben passed her when escaping from the Swan, and he was fully aware of her death, but she was severely injured and wouldn't have had any interaction with him.
- Libby may have seen Shannon when she was shot by Ana Lucia.
- Even though they met prior to the crash, Libby and Desmond never knew of each others' presence on the Island. Desmond left the Island before Libby and the tailies joined the mid-section's camp, and Libby died before he returned during her funeral on the boat she gave him.
- Desmond would know of Libby's time on the Island eventually though, in the afterlife, as he orchestrated the reunion and awakenings of Libby and Hurley.
- Libby was the fourth main character to be killed.
- Libby was the second main character to die in an episode centric to another character, following Boone.
- Libby was the seventeenth character to ever have a flashback.
- In each time frame she appears in, Libby has differently colored and styled hair; When she met Desmond, her hair was fairly short, and a light red. While she was in Santa Rosa, it was long, brown, and unkempt. On the Island, it was shorter, blonde, and wavy.
- Libby states she was a medical student for one year before dropping out. She implies as she is re-setting Donald's broken leg that this one year in med school was where she learned how to perform this procedure, yet this is not something that one would ever learn until later in medical training.
- In a deleted scene from Season 2, Libby tells Hurley that she has been married three times, though whether this is true or not is unclear given her uncertain history.
- Libby is, along with Eko, Ana Lucia, Nikki and Paulo, one of only a few main characters to never appear in a season premiere.
- Libby, Sun, the Man in Black, Christian, Eko and Ilana are the only main characters who don't have any lines in their first episode.
- Libby is the only main character to never have appeared in an odd-numbered season.
- Libby was the third female main character and third major death in Season 2.
- She was also the third main character to die caused by gunshot. First was Shannon, the second was Ana Lucia.
- Libby was killed after Michael shot Ana Lucia. Her death was seen as an accident. This scene is similar to the murder scene in Fyodor Dostoevsky's "Crime and Punishment" in which the main character is forced to murder the half-sister of his first victim when she inadvertently walks in on the situation. Wikipedia sums up the plot of the work: "The murder is also commit to test Raskolnikov's hypothesis that some people are naturally able and have the right to murder", which is a concept several characters on the show deal with (Eko, Ana Lucia, Locke, etc.) Ben was reading the novel "The Brothers Karamazov" while he was locked in the armory. This is another novel by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
- Libby, Boone and Juliet were the only main characters who had an accident or brutally injured in an episode then died in the next episode.
- Libby, Nikki and Paulo are the only main characters to debut and die in the same season.
- Libby is one of four main characters to die in a DHARMA station. The others are Ana Lucia, Charlie and Juliet.
- Libby is one of the few main characters whose name wasn't seen on either Jacob's cave wall or the Lighthouse wheel, the others being Ana Lucia, Paulo, Richard, Frank, Christian, Eloise, Penny, Bernard, Rose, and Ilana.
- Last words: "Michael??"
- Witnesses of death: Hurley, Jack
Unanswered questions[]
| Unanswered questions |
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| Do not answer the questions here. Keep the questions open-ended and neutral: do not suggest an answer. More details... |
For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Libby Smith/Theories
General[]
- Was she a candidate?
- Why was she in Australia?
- Was she at Santa Rosa voluntarily like her flash-sideways counterpart?
- How did she lose Cindy on the hillside when she was right ahead of her on the short climb and carried her belongings? Why did she react so slowly to Ana Lucia calling Cindy's name repeatedly after this when Ana Lucia first acknowledged her absence?
- Why did she roll her eyes looking at Jin behind his back when they were formally reintroduced after he regained consciousness?
- Why did she yell at Eko to stop with subduing Sayid, when he was going to kill Ana Lucia?
- How did she know what Jin's wife looked like shortly before they reunited if she wasn't able to plead a case for Jin not being an Other when she found him in the water?
- Why was it so important for her to act repeatedly evasive to Hurley about their shared time at Santa Rosa, to the point where she needed to lie to him about where his familiarity with her was?
- Why did her expression change behind Hugo's back after she seemed to be encouraging him that he could change?
- Why did she opt for a trek in the jungle all the way to The Swan for blankets instead of a nearby tent at the beach?
- If she was a clinical psychologist, 1) why does she incorrectly view memory repression and dissociative amnesia separately? 2) why does she refer to Hurley's near-suicide (partly inflicted by the torment of his imaginary friend whom she was secretly aware of) as "some sort of panic attack"?
- What is the implication behind the extreme timeframe gaps of her planned picnic, the discovery of her ultimately fatal attack, and Hurley finding out about her death shortly before dusk in the subsequent calendar day of their planned date?
- When telling Eko he was just defending himself, was this about the Others he killed or yelling at Charlotte, and/or did Eko interpret her remark differently?
- Where did her silver cross necklace go between the airport and the crash?
- What is the significance of Eko recalling it via flashback memory in relation to his story about betrayal and divine retribution to Locke?
Characterization[]
- What made Libby certain right away that a total stranger (Desmond) wasn't being humorous about needing £42,000 & that he'd lied about it being a joke?
- What inspired Libby's optimism of Emma and Zack being alive when (correctly) guessing that Eko and Jin had saw them with The Others in the jungle?
- Was Libby looking out for Ana Lucia's safety or showing disloyalty when manners-checking her for not addressing Michael by name? (Immediately before doing so, Sawyer—whom she believed was his friend at this point—loudly whispered to Michael in front of Libby that Ana Lucia needed a slap.)
- Why was Libby so slow to react to and/or ignore Ana Lucia's concerns about Cindy when she was the last person ahead of her upon climbing the cliffside?
- Why did she criticize Ana Lucia's poor judgement in an effort to join Bernard to go to the fuselage camp based on Nathan's tiger pit fate? This was a decision she directly contributed to and influenced through multiple discussions.
- What made Kate repeatedly prone to doubt/suspicion with Libby? i.e Libby's method/ability to help Claire; Kate's slightly prolonged and scowl-faced inspection of Libby when she approached both Hurley and Kate about their use of binoculars to observe something (which turned out to be a card game).
- Why did she exaggerate the time-length of Eko's silence (4 full days having passed) by saying it had been "a week" when she asked him about it?
- Was she simply being friendly to Eko when she approached him about his silence or trying to figure out whether or not he was personally shunning her since the crash due to the airport incident?
- Why did she claim Eko brought Donald to her—as if he had done so personally—when this was evidently not the case?
- Eko was busy with and took Zack away after Ana Lucia tended to Emma; Ana was also the first person shown to aid him on-screen, with her having to pause helping him to save and assist Emma; Libby only acknowledged Donald once Eko left Emma and Zack with Cindy and went directly back to the ocean to retrieve bodies.[6]
- Why did Libby go from reacting in a more measured and composed way when Ana Lucia admitted the camp's prisoner (Ben) tried to kill her, to becoming very emotional at the prospect of Ana Lucia declaring her intentions to harm Ben in retaliation?
- If Libby was honest about seeing Rose & Bernard pour wine from the pallet, why did Hurley feel the need to go inside their unattended tent and steal a full bottle of it (which propelled Frogurt to confront Hurley about it to kickstart their talk about Libby)?
- Why did Frogurt imply to Hurley that Libby had multiple romantic suitors pursuing her (and possibly vice versa)?
References[]
- ↑ September 20, 2007, TV Guide: "Exclusive: Lost Resurrects Libby!". Archived from Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Official Lost Podcast/August 2, 2007
- ↑ July 6, 2009: 'Lost' Producers Answer Question of Libby's Unresolved Story. From PopMinute.
- ↑ Video, July 3, 2009: "Exclusive - Team Darlton talk 'Lost'!"
- ↑ https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/34653900.html
- ↑ While off-screen, Donald was one of the injured recovered by Eko as implied by Eko's dream. But there is no indication he personally brought Donald to Libby. Because this would ultimately produce a convoluted timeline where she would have to abandon his help and leave him in agony screaming at first for unknown reasons then remember him again later.
| v • d • eMain characters |
|---|
| Ana Lucia • Ben • Bernard • Boone • Charlie • Charlotte • Christian • Claire • Daniel • Desmond • Eko • Eloise • Frank • [Hurley](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") • Ilana • Jack • Jin • Juliet • Kate • Libby • Locke • The Man in Black • Michael • Miles • Nikki • Paulo • Penny • Pierre • Richard • Rose • [Sawyer](/wiki/James%5F%22Sawyer%22%5FFord "James "Sawyer" Ford") • Sayid • Shannon • Sun • Walt |
| v • d • e[Elizabeth "Libby" Smith](/wiki/Elizabeth%5F%22Libby%22%5FSmith "Elizabeth "Libby" Smith") | ||
|---|---|---|
| Portrayed by Cynthia Watros | ||
| Flashback episode | "The Other 48 Days" • "Dave" |  |
| Flashback characters | Douglas Brooks • Susie Lazenby • [Hugo "Hurley" Reyes](/wiki/Hugo%5F%22Hurley%22%5FReyes "Hugo "Hurley" Reyes") • Leonard Simms | |
| Items | The Elizabeth • Libby's necklace | |
| See also | Santa Rosa Mental Institute • Tailies • Oceanic Flight 815 |
