Jack's shirt from Season 1. Picture taken by Circeus in the ABC Commissary at Disney's MGM Studios
The China Doll Jack finds in White Rabbit with script page.. Picture taken by Circeus in the ABC Commissary at Disney's MGM Studios
Script page from White Rabbit where Jack finds both the China Doll, and his Father's coffin. Picture taken by Circeus in the ABC Commissary at Disney's MGM Studios
Jack Shephard, son of Christian and Margo Shephard, followed in his father's footsteps to become a spinal surgeon. He once attended to Sarah after a car crash, and in so doing allowed Adam Rutherford, who had also been in the crash, to die in the O.R. He eventually repaired Sarah's spine, despite the damage appearing irreparable. He later married Sarah, who left him for another man she had been seeing behind his back.
When his father performed surgery under the influence, causing the death of a young woman, Jack initially covered for his father by lying during the inquest. He later changed his statement after being informed that the woman was pregnant at the time of her death. Jack's exposure of his father's actions to the hospital board seemed like a betrayal to his father, causing a rift between the two men. Both of them wanted to make amends, and Jack went to Australia to make the first move toward reconciliation. However, this was not possible because he discovered his father had drunk himself to death. Jack was returning home with his father's body at the time of the crash.
Jack has control issues and trouble dealing with situations that he cannot fix. However, these are also attributes that lend him the ability to be considered a leader in a crisis.
Before the crash
- Apparently has a half sister in Australia, of whom he appears to be unaware.
- Made the conscious decision to save Sarah and not Adam Rutherford, which inadvertently led to the man's death.
- Met Desmond just after twisting his ankle while running stadium steps.
- Kissed Gabriela Busoni, the daughter of Angelo Busoni
- Angelo died after a lengthy operation that Jack performed against the advice of his father, and Jack blamed himself for Angelo's death.
- Learned to play poker, and spot cheating and sleight-of-hand in Phuket (Thailand).
- Has taken some flying lessons.
- Blames himself for his father's death.
- Has a tattoo on his left shoulder that translates to: "Hawk in the expansive sky" or "Eagles high up cleaving the sky" and another tattoo on his left forearm that appears to be a large number 5 with a compass dial around it. Jack did not have the tattoos at time of his separation from Sarah; it has not yet been indicated when he got it.
- Met Ana-Lucia at the bar in Sydney airport.
- Had a ticket for seat 23B on Flight 815, but moved to across to 23C to talk with Rose.
- On the plane, when he tried to go to the bathroom, he was stopped by a running Charlie.
- Because he was stopped by Charlie, he did not go to the bathroom and was able to buckle his seatbelt, which may have saved his life.
On the island
- First seen in the forest, away from the beach.
- Saved Rose via CPR, when her heart stopped.
- Reluctantly accepted the role of leader on the island.
- Made the decision to burn the fuselage, thus cremating the passengers who didn't survive when the bodies were attracting wild boars.
- Euthanized Edward Mars after a botched 'mercy-killing' attempt by Sawyer.
- Tries to solve disputes with reason, but not afraid to use guns or torture if necessary.
- Sanctioned Sawyer's torture but was opposed to Henry Gale's torture.
- Has a very hard time letting things go and relying only on faith.
- Saved Boone from drowning after Boone failed to rescue a drowning woman, Joanna. After returning Boone to the beach, Jack swam back out to save the woman but failed to get to her in time. Later Jack derided himself in front of Kate for being unable to rescue her.
- Found his father's coffin, but not the body.
- Discovered caves with fresh water supply for shelter.
- Succeeded in moving a large group of the survivors from the beach to the caves.
- Trapped by cave-in, rescued by Charlie.
- Tried but failed to save Boone's life.
- Held Locke responsible for Boone's death. Even after Locke explained what actually happened, this (combined with the fact that Locke was keeping the hatch a secret) caused Jack to distrust Locke.
- Competed with Sawyer for Kate's attention, and shared a passionate kiss with her in the jungle (episode?).
- Kept Locke from being pulled down into a hole by the Monster.
- Led an expedition to find Michael after he ran off.
- Has trouble trusting Locke, ever since Boone's death.
- Was trying to create an army with the help of Ana-Lucia.
- Let the Countdown Timer run out to pressure Locke into giving him the combination to the arsenal so he could stop Sayid from torturing Henry Gale, but doesn't know what happened when it ran out because he was opening the arsenal door at the time.
- In an ever increasing game of one-upmanship with Locke.
- Plays a similar game with Sawyer, but for different stakes.
- Threatened to withhold antibiotics from Sawyer, mere days after he'd been shot by Mr. Friendly and was recovering from an infection.
- Drank tequila with Ana-Lucia, mere days after she'd killed Shannon. (The tequila was leftover from Sawyer's stash, which he gave to Kate to bring to Jack in an attempt to save Boone.)
- Won his medical supplies back from Sawyer in a poker game.
- Offered the faux Henry Gale to the Others in a trade for Walt; they did not accept.
- Found Michael after he ran out of the jungle, and brought him back to the hatch. He and Kate tended to Michael's wounds.
- Went with Locke and Kate to retrieve the rest of the guns from Sawyer after Michael announced a plan to take on the Others. Pulled a gun on Sawyer and burned a manuscript he'd been reading, in an attempt to get him to comply.
- While working to treat the mortally wounded Libby, he sent a reluctant Kate to go with Sawyer so she could find out where the stash of guns and heroin were located. (In other words, killing two birds with one stone.)
- Is one of the four people Ms. Klugh orders Michael to bring to the Others.
- Sawyer revealed to him how Ana-Lucia Cortez got his gun. Sawyer also confessed to him that he is the closest thing that Sawyer has as a friend.
- Was warned by Sayid that Michael has been compromised but is uncertain whether or not to believe him. Devises a plan with him anyway.
- Heads off with Michael, Hurley, Sawyer, and Kate to "confront the Others."
- Confronts Michael about his betrayal in front of Hurley, Sawyer, and Kate, revealing that he kept that from them.
- Is captured by the Others.
Theories
- Jack's last name, Shephard, tells us that he's 'leading the herd'. Jesus is also called 'The Good Shepherd'.
- Jack and Claire are half-siblings.
- Jack's father, Christian Shephard, was seen visiting a blonde woman in Australia and asking to see his daughter, (maybe Claire's mother?). Ana Lucia accompanied him. Therefore Jack may have a half-sister in Sydney. She may end up meeting Jack or another character in a Sydney flashback, or she may end up being revealed as one of the survivors (Two For The Road)
- Jack has stolen Locke's mojo. Recently he has been enjoying a lot of luck, in each case, confidently predicted.
- The poker and lucky shot incidents indicate that he may have a James Bondian past.
- Jack may possibly be Alvar Hanso. Due to the fact that he has never been seen alone with an other, and no serious harm has come to him on his stay on the island. Jack is a good man witnessed by his sacrifice of immense amounts of blood to Boone to save his life. Alvar Hanso has been described as a "good man". Anytime he has been set back, it is easily explained. Like a fight with Ethan Rom where he couldn't win and used his wounds as proof that he had been bested. Ethan Rom may not have also known whom he was.
- Could still look so young because of all the scientific pursuits of the Hanso foundation.
- Euthanized Libby after she was shot by Michael.
- Is the Portugeuse Man at the end of S2 Jack's twin????
- Fascinating anagrams for Jack Shephard:
- Jerk Dash Chap - given his tendency to assume leadership, and his authoritative, sometimes-charming/sometimes-brusk & condescending personality.
- Jerks had Chap - given the events at the end of Live Together, Die Alone.
Trivia
- Jack may have been named after the stars of the two Stargate Television Series Jack O'Neill & John Shephard. This information was taken from the Uncyclopedia entry, so it remains as unconfirmed.