Eko

Mr. Eko is a Nigerian warlord who assumed the role of priest during a drug running operation.

Before the crash

As a kid, Eko and his family were raided by guerrillas. One of the guerrillas brought out one of the older Nigerian villagers and tried to force Eko's brother Yemi to shoot him as a form of recruitment. Yemi was unable to do so, thus angering the smugglers. But before they could kill the young Yemi, Eko took the gun and shot the unarmed man at the behest of the Nigerian guerrilla members to spare his brother. As a result, Eko was recruited into the guerrilla group instead.

Years later Yemi had become a Catholic priest, while Eko started on the road to become a leader of a criminal organization. Eko's businesses were primarily drug running (primarily out of the country). And by that time he had taken the name of "Mr. Eko" as his feared name. The last drug running job of Mr. Eko's was a plan to use Virgin Mary statues to hide drugs inside. He came to his brother Yemi to sign papers for him to appear like an actual Priest to aid in the drug run. However, despite Mr. Eko's attempt to convince him, Yemi refused. Eko leaves only to return a second time. He explains that his friends are going to hurt Yemi and his church goers despite Eko's leadership. Yemi buckles to the pressure and signs Eko and his friends as priests.

Later Eko and two smugglers, Goldie and Olu, readied their Beechcraft, which Eko planned to use for his operations under the cover of a Catholic missionary flight. The Nigerian Army was called in by Yemi and besieged the plane. Yemi attempted to get Eko to reconsider his life and his drug run and to come back with him. Eko refused as the military besieged them. Gunfire broke out between the Nigerian Army and the smugglers. Yemi attempted to stop the fighting but was shot in the crossfire. Eko desperately attempted to save his brother. Goldie helped drag Yemi onto the plane; however, he turned on Eko and kicked him off the plane and back onto the runway. Thus Eko was left behind. When addressed as a priest by the soldiers, he pretended to be just that and was not arrested.

After the Beechcraft plan failed and his brother never returned, Mr. Eko continued to live as a priest, under the persona of "Father Tunde". For a brief time he served in a small parish in England (though it is unclear as to when) before going to Australia. There he worked in a Catholic church, still under his false priesthood. Life continued as such until Eko's forger, Caldwell, appeared to him telling him that he has a fake Australian passport listing his name as Oduduwa Ulu with a date of issue of April 16, 2004. and a flight to Los Angeles ready. But this meeting is interrupted when Eko's monsignor asks him to investigate a miracle happening that occurred to a girl named Charlotte Malkin. Her mother and her doctor had claimed that Charlotte drowned in a river and came back to life. He first visited Dr. Ian McVay who played a recording that occured during a investigation of her dead body. The recording sounded like a real enough resurrection that Eko pursued the Malkins themselves. However, Charlotte's mother, Joyce Malkin, explains that this is a bad time to visit. At that time Charlotte's father, Richard Malkin (who was also Claire's psychic) comes out to explain that he is adamantly opposed to the idea of the miracle and tells Eko that there was nothing supernatural about anything involving his daughter. Eko tells him he will report that there was no miracle, and leaves for Los Angeles. +

While at the airport, Charlotte found Mr Eko despite her father's opposition. There she tells Mr. Eko that she has a message from Yemi. She claims that Yemi believes in Eko's faith even if Eko does not. And that things would make sense to Eko soon. From that point Charlotte was interrupted by Libby, who was a stranger to Eko at this point. Charlotte left the airport, and Eko boarded the tail-section of the doomed flight.

First 70 Days on The Island

Eko was one seated on the tail-section of Flight 815 when it broke in mid-air. He survived the collision into the ocean and was one of the few people that were able-bodied enough to save other survivors. In the first night on The Island Eko and the tail-section encountered The Others, who has come to abduct them. During this process Eko managed to kill two of the assailants with a strong rock.

The next morning Eko began to construct a walking stick, and took a vow of silence. He left the charge of leadership to Ana-Lucia and often hung in the backlines. Forty days later he ended his silence when he found Ana-Lucia crying to herself. When she asked why he decided to speak again he told her pointed out that it took forty-days for her to cry.

During his silence many of the survivors had been captured and now only 9 remained. Soon Eko and the remaining survivors had discovered salvation but finding a DHARMA station called The Arrow. The interior of this station was bare except for a small crate. Inside Eko showed a great interest and joy in the discovery of a humble and worn Bible.

Eko and the tailies lives wouldn't stay this way for long. When Cindy discovered Jin alive on the shore it was evident that something was about to change. While discussing wither or not the Korean man was one of The Others, Jin made an escape attempt. Eko and the tailies chased him to the shore where the discovered Sawyer and Michael, who has just come ashore from the disastrous raft attack. Eko rushed in and knocked Sawyer over the head with his stick, then took him, Jin, and Michael to a pit and dropped them inside. Still unclear as to wither or not the three hostages were Others or not, Ana-Lucia constructed a plan. She asked Eko to hit her and throw her in the pit so she could appear as one of them to extract information. When it was clear that neither Sawyer, Jin, nor Michael were Others they were released and Eko apologized for the hasty action.

Later on, when Michael suddenly left to find Walt, Eko extended the olive-branch by aided Jin after their friend. Along the way both he and Jin would encounter the Others again. However, there would be no violence as long Eko and Jin maintained cover in some bushes until The Others passed. Once The Others were far out of range Eko would explain that The Others leave no footprints and cannot be seen unless they want themselves to be seen. Once his analyzing of the Others was finished He and Jin would find Michael. Eko then took them back to the main group, who left to find the mid-section's camp.

Along the way Sawyer was struck ill by an infection in his shoulder. He was carried along the way to the camp until the collided with the mid-section and Ana-Lucia accidentally killed Shannon and took Sayid hostage. At that point Eko took no heed to Ana-Lucia's leadership ability's and, despite Lucia's orders, left to take Sawyer to see the doctor of the mid-section's camp. There he would find Jack and Kate playing golf. Jack would rush Sawyer to The Swan where he would attempt to treat him for the infection.

Later, upon learning of the Virgin Mary Statues, Eko contacted Charlie to take him to the plane. Along the way Eko would discover the dead body of Goldie. He would remember here that this man saved his life when he kicked him off the plane. Smiling to himself, Eko would ironically thank Goldie. But this sense of irony would turn to dread when he realized Then, sensing something strange afoot, he tells Charlie to climb a tree. At that point The Monster would come out of the jungle and face Eko. Eko, motionless, stared at the black smoke while it confronted him and flashed images from his past (See gallery below). It then moves on showing some form of clemency that he did not show The Pilot. Later Eko and Charlie would find the Beechcraft of Eko's past that fate had brought to The Island. Eko would go inside and find his brother, Yemi, dead. There he would break down in tears and weep over his body. At that point he would set the Beechcraft on fire and recent The 23rd Psalm.

Days later, when Eko returned home, he was confronted by Claire who asked what made a person worthy of heaven. Eko explains that after Jesus' baptism by John The Baptist, John claimed Jesus was cleanse of his sins (See Eko's Theology below). At that point he would baptised Claire and Aaron.

Later Eko would find Locke there and get a private meeting with him. There he would tell Locke the story of King Joshua and revile that Eko had a part of the Swan Orientation Film. The two would watch the film together. After that Eko spent his time cutting down trees to use in constructing a Church that he was inspired to bring to The Island. He would also enlist Charlie, a Catholic himself, to aid in the construction. Later Eko would figure out the presence of Henry Gale being in the Hatch while it was kept secret from other crash survivors. He would get Jack to allow a private meeting in which he told Henry Gale that he killed two of The Others and asks for his forgiveness. At that point Eko cuts two small tufts of hair off of his beard with a large knife and gives them to Henry Gale, which signifies him passing his sins of killing the two "Others". By telling someone what he has done, his sins are forgiven.

Time passes for Eko with a sense of normality until he is inspired by dream of Yemi, as Charlotte Malkin had told him. In the dream Yemi is surrounded by the interior of The Swan, but everywhere there are symbols of ?s. Yemi then tells Eko to ask Locke about the ? on his map and that Locke would need help in "regaining his faith". When Henry Gale was set loose by Michael, Eko would use the opportunity to talk to Locke.

While out pursuing Henry Gale, Eko confronts Locke about the ?. Locke denies knowing anything until Eko takes a more direct approach. Locke and him pursue the map's guidance until they come to the Beechcraft once again. Eko would camp here until he was given further guidance by the powers that be. The next day Locke wakes Eko and explains that Yemi spoke to him also. However, he makes the point to say it was nothing more then a dream and remains cynical toward his fallen faith in The Island. Regardless, Eko obeys the command to climb the cliff given by the dream. There he would overlooked the vastness of the Island and see that a ? was engraved in dirt around the Beechcraft. The two would move the Beechcraft and found yet another DHARMA station called The Pearl. Inside Eko would find another orentiation film. The film, which devastates Locke, would have an inverse effect on Eko. Eko would be inspired to fulfill the job that Locke claimed was meaningless. Eko would push the button.

The two men, one of faith, the other fallen from his faith, would leave to return to The Swan. Eko decided to bring back souvenirs from The Pearl because he believes that the objects that he has found are extremely important. At that point Eko takes charge of The Swan and moves inside. This makes Charlie unhappy and puts a rift between them and ends construction of The Church. Later Locke tells Eko that it is time to let The Timer run to 0, because it is a meaningless experiment. Eko says he disagrees and will continue to push the button. Locke is angered by this and attempts to destroy the computer. Eko beats Locke up and throws him out of The Swan, and continues his calling to push the button.

The Next Day Eko would be called out of the Sawn's computer room and be locked out by the Blast Doors, this being the act of Desmond and Locke. Eko would try to coax Locke out of his mission to seek the truth behind the countdown, but this would be all for naught. Eko would rushed to the beach to enlist Charlie's help. Charlie, despite their rift, would aid Eko is taking some of the Black Rock dynamite. They would try one more time to coax Locke and Desmond out, but eventually would light the dynamite in an attempt to blow down the Blast Doors. This attempt would backfire and not harm the doors at all, but would harm Eko. Charlie would find the priest wounded and asleep under some rumble. However, Charlie would manage to get Eko to come to. Eko would awaken to the power of The Swan at work. Everywhere the affects of the magnetism would be evident. Eko would command Charlie to leave The Swan and would then go back to find Locke. At that moment the fail-safe key would turn. Wither Eko survived the fail-safe is unclear. Eko may have died in the Episode Live Together, Die Alone along with John Locke and Desmond.

Trivia

According to an interview (ref) with Bryan Burk, Mr. Eko was originally named Emeka, which was changed to Eko at some point prior to Season 2.

Theories and thoughts

Name could also be homonym of Eco, like Umberto Eco who wrote Foucault's Pendulum which is about guys who work in a publishing house who for entertainment create alternative histories, ultimately they are caught up in the reality of their own fiction
Name could also be homonym of "echo", as he seems to reflect (like sound does) the nature of his surroundings.
- Just a regular village boy when in the village.
- Becomes a hardened criminal when recruited by the thugs.
- Adapts to life as a priest when he stays in disguise.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje came up with the idea, not the writers, to inscribe Scripture on his stick; therefore, the Scriptures 'probably aren't very significant'. (Source)
Could be related to Ms. Klugh
- Unlikely, as Ms. Klugh has an American accent. On the other hand, accents can change as a person picks up the accent of those they live with.
Could have come into contact with Charlie before the crash while he was serving in England
In the black smoke, the second picture from the left could be Ms. Klugh.
Could represent the Yin to Locke's Yang (like the yin-yang/swan logo). They both are men of faith and are drawn together. They are also both present at the demise of Swan station.

Gallery

On non-ABC sites

If you visit the website http://oceanicworldair.com you will notice Mr. Eko's name with a link attached at the bottom of the page. If you click on it it leads you to this site: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagos
Also, at the same website, pretend like you are booking a flight. It directs you to a chart of Oceanic flights. There is a link at the bottom concerning Oceanic Air 2009 copyright. Click on it and it will take you to an interesting picture and verse.
On the chart of Oceanic flights, if the airport code EKO appears, there are several different links:
- A link to Eko's staff
- A link to a verse titled The Road Not Takenby Robert Frost.
Please note that the oceanicworldair site has been proven to be non-ABC.
If you visit the website http://www.oceanicworldair.com/flights.htm and click on the number 1 from the column "stops" of flight 164, you will see this image: [1]
If you click the lower left-most X on the previous website, you will be taken to this seating chart: http://oceanicworldair.com/Flight213_SeatingChart.htm

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Eko

Contents

Before the crash

First 70 Days on The Island

Trivia

Theories and thoughts

Gallery

See also

On non-ABC sites

Fan Feed