'Lost' Glossary

Image credit: Lost: ABC

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S
SAWYER'S STASH
Stuff scavenged from the wreckage by swindler-in-a-previous-life James ''Sawyer'' Ford (Josh Holloway) — shaving cream, flashlights, magazines, books, lots of mini liquor bottles. The booty led to his torture when he was suspected of hoarding Shannon's inhalers, but it also bought him a spot on the escape raft.

T
TAILIES
Fan jargon for the folks in the back of the plane, who crashed on the other side of the island. Kidnapped Jin, Sawyer, and Michael (Harold Perrineau). Of the 23 who survived the impact, only a handful remain (presumably because of a mysterious illness, or the Others, or both), including Ana Lucia (Michelle Rodriguez), who had a preflight flirt with Jack; Bernard (Sam Anderson), husband of Rose (L. Scott Caldwell), who's among the original survivors; seemingly friendly Libby (Cynthia Watros); and Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who has Lockean survival know-how.

U
U.S. MARSHAL
The official who tracked Kate (Evangeline Lilly) across the globe for three years after her still-unknown crime, catching her in Australia. Was escorting her back to the States on the doomed flight.

V
VINCENT
Walt's cute yellow Lab — and fearless jungle explorer — is the lone animal survivor of the crash. His care was entrusted to Shannon (Maggie Grace) when Walt left on the raft.

W
WALT
Michael's young son, raised abroad by his mother, who married another man shortly after his birth. Walt (pictured) awkwardly reunited with his construction-worker/struggling-artist father in Australia after Mom died — and after Stepdad begged Michael to take the peculiar boy. Walt may possess reality-warping powers (see: polar bear, suicidal bird). Currently in the custody of the Others — as far as we know. Anyone seen Dr. Moreau?

X
X-FILES Oft cited by Lost's producers as an influence. (Also see: David Lynch's Twin Peaks, Mark Burnett's Survivor, Aaron Spelling's Fantasy Island.) Like Chris Carter's cult crossover, Lost explores a conflict between reason and faith through two characters: Jack and Locke. Maybe one day, they'll even kiss.

Y
YIN-YANG
The interdependent relationship — and inherent conflict — between opposites is one of Lost's many Big Ideas, underscored through recurring black-and-white motifs. (See: backgammon, the Dharma Initiative logos, the stones found with the ''Adam and Eve'' skeletons.)

Z
ZOOLOGY
Lost's isle is teeming with wildlife: Pillaging packs of pigs. Furious polar bears. And, of course, a man-eating ''monster.'' We know the Dharma Initiative included zoology research, and we've spotted a Dharma-branded shark. Hmmm...

—Jennifer Armstrong, Jeff Jensen, and Dan Snierson