Desmond Hume

Desmond David Hume is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost portrayed by Henry Ian Cusick. Desmond's name is a tribute to David Hume, the famous empiricist philosopher. Desmond was not a passenger of Flight 815. He had been stranded on the island three years prior to the crash as the result of a shipwreck. Desmond eventually leaves the Island with the Oceanic 6 and is reunited with his love Penny Widmore (Sonya Walger).

Desmond Hume
Lost character
Henry Ian Cusick as Desmond Hume
First appearance"Man of Science, Man of Faith"
Last appearance"The End"
Created by
Portrayed byHenry Ian Cusick
Centric
episode(s)		"Live Together, Die Alone"
"Flashes Before Your Eyes"
"Catch-22"
"The Constant"
"Jughead"
"Happily Ever After"
In-universe information
Full nameDesmond David Hume
SpeciesHuman
GenderMale
OccupationDHARMA Initiative worker
Assistant of Charles Widmore (flash-sideways)
SpousePenny Widmore
ChildrenCharlie Hume
NationalityScottish
Former
residence		Glasgow, Scotland

It appears that Desmond was the "package" that Charles Widmore (Alan Dale) was talking about on Hydra Island. It was later revealed by Charles Widmore that Desmond was Jacob's "fail-safe", meaning that in case the Man in Black killed all of Jacob's candidates, Desmond would then be used to destroy the island.

Desmond was one of the show's most popular characters. In 2006, Cusick's portrayal was nominated for an Emmy. In 2007, a two-week-long tournament-style competition for Lost's best character, with over 6,000 voters, hosted by The Washington Post voted Desmond the winner.[1]

Development

Desmond is named after David Hume, a Scottish philosopher who discussed the ideas of free will and determinism.[2] These ideas are reflected in Desmond's time travel where he meets Mrs. Hawking, a woman who explains that the universe has a specific way in which things must take place: anywhere that things go off course, the universe will correct itself.[3] Cusick was originally hired for only three episodes in the beginning of season two, but he then returned in the finale and became a regular cast member from the third season.[4]

In the episode "The Constant", Desmond appears in two ways. In 1996, Desmond has short hair and no facial hair and, in 2004, Desmond has long and untamed hair with a full beard. Cusick did not cut his hair; it was hidden by "really talented hair and makeup folks", according to Carlton Cuse. All freighter scenes were shot before Cusick shaved most of his beard for the 1996 scenes. A fake beard was glued onto Cusick for the episodes "Ji Yeon" and "Meet Kevin Johnson" while his beard grew back.[5] Desmond is often distinguished by his cheery attitude and his habit of referring to people as "Brother".

Henry Ian Cusick was not named a regular cast member in the press release for season six,[6] but he is one and was credited as such in the episodes.

Reception
Actor Henry Ian Cusick at the Tenney Theatre in Honolulu for a "Honolulu Theatre for Youth" fundraiser.

In 2006, Henry Ian Cusick was the only Lost actor to be nominated for an Emmy.[7] He lost out in the Award for Outstanding Guest Actor to Christian Clemenson from Boston Legal.[8]

Eric Goldman from IGN thought Desmond's flashbacks were "some of the more interesting flashbacks of the [second] season", finding Cusick's portrayal of Desmond as "likable" and "sympathetic".[9] IGN's Chris Carabott complimented Cusick's performance in "Flashes Before Your Eyes", particularly liking the chemistry between Cusick and Sonya Walger, as well as between Cusick and Alan Dale.[2] Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune thought Cusick's performance in the fourth-season episode "The Constant" was "especially spine-tingling".[10] Gary Susman from Entertainment Weekly described Desmond's storyline as "the most emotionally satisfying character arc of season 4", feeling he deserved another Emmy nomination.[11] Critic Kelly Woo, from TV Squad, placed him at #1 on her list of "Seven new characters that worked".[12] Penny and Desmond's relationship has been received positively by critics. In Entertainment Weekly, Alejandro Garay wrote, "One of my favorite episodes of 2008 was Lost's 'The Constant.' It was a beautiful episode that made us fans fall in love with the show even more. The creators managed to build momentum with smart narrative, by using the romance card to develop such a complicated topic as time traveling.[13] Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune praised Penny and Desmond's phone call in "The Constant", saying "a classic Lost moment" in Desmond and Penny's phone call.[14] Verne Gay of Newsday called it an emotional release, "I actually cried when Penny and Desmond finally... connected" and "there wasn't one, single, solitary false note".[15] Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly named the phone call between Desmond and Penny the best moment of the season excluding any moments from the then yet-to-air season finale.[16]

Erin Martell of AOL's TV Squad said that "The Constant" strengthened her love for Desmond and Penny's story, saying "my heart won't break if none of [Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Juliet] end up together [but] if Desmond and Penny don't reunite, I will be devastated."[17] Jay Glatfelter of The Huffington Post said Penny and Desmond had "the best love story on the show and dare I say on television today".[18]

Karla Peterson of The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote that "[I was] almost as touched and relieved by the[ir] reunion as Desmond and Penny are".[19] Ben Rawson-Jones of Digital Spy wrote that "a refreshing shift in Lost's tone enabled loyal viewers to have their hearts warmed by the long distance smoochfest between Desmond and his beloved Penny".[20]

IGN's Chris Carabott praised the on-screen chemistry of Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond) and Sonya Walger (Penelope), stating that "their on screen chemistry makes the love between the two characters real and makes their inevitable breakup that much harder to handle".[21]

References
  1. "'Lost' Madness Explained". The Washington Post.
  2. Carabott, Chris (15 February 2007). "Lost: Flashes Before Your Eyes Review". IGN. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  3. Jack Bender (director); Damon Lindelof & Drew Goddard (writers) (14 February 2007). "Flashes Before Your Eyes". Lost. Season 3. Episode 8. ABC.
  4. Official Lost Podcast February 20, 2007.
  5. Mitovich, Matt Webb, (March 6, 2008) "The Secret Behind Desmond's Close Shave", TV Guide. Retrieved on March 9, 2008.
  6. Fordis, Jeff (19 November 2009). "ABC Announces the Premiere of the Sixth and Final Season of Lost, with a Special All-Night Event on Tuesday, February 2". ABC Medianet. Archived from the original on 29 April 2010.
  7. "A Lost Cause?". Parade. 25 January 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  8. Slezak, Michael (25 August 2006). "Here are the Emmy Winners". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  9. "Lost: "Live Together, Die Alone"". IGN. 25 May 2006. Archived from the original on 14 January 2009. Retrieved 24 September 2008.
  10. Ryan, Maureen, (March 19, 2008) "Lost is Back to Being an Unmissable Addiction Archived 21 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on September 23, 2008.
  11. "Who got snubbed on Emmy's Supporting Dramatic shortlist?". Entertainment Weekly. 1 July 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2008.
  12. Woo, Kelly (30 September 2008). "Seven new characters that worked". TV Squad. Retrieved 3 October 2008.
  13. Alejandro Garay, "Long Lost Love," Entertainment Weekly 1030 (January 16, 2009): 2.
  14. Ryan, Maureen, (March 19, 2008) "Lost is Back to Being an Unmissable Addiction Archived 21 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine", Chicago Tribune. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  15. Gay, Verne, (February 29, 2008) "At Least it was a Bloody Military Dream Archived 2008-05-03 at the Wayback Machine", Newsday. Retrieved on March 9, 2008.
  16. Jensen, Jeff, (May 29, 2008) "The 15 Best Moments of Season 4", Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on June 6, 2008.
  17. Martell, Erin, (February 29, 2008) "Lost: 'The Constant'", TV Squad. Retrieved on March 9, 2008.
  18. Glatfelter, Jay, (February 29, 2008) "On Lost: 'The Constant'", The Huffington Post. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  19. Peterson, Karla, (February 29, 2008) "My Constant Archived 2008-08-29 at the Wayback Machine", The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  20. Rawson-Jones, Ben, (March 2, 2008) "S04E05: 'The Constant'", Digital Spy. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  21. Carabott, Chris (15 February 2007). "Lost: Flashes Before Your Eyes Review". IGN. Retrieved 23 July 2008.
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