Updating the LOST Big Board

Though I could probably expand this list to the Top 150, there's plenty of people that you don't want to see in the power rankings. To keep it at 90, I had to kick out a few people (like Kate's parents) and bring on the season 5 heavyweights like Radzinski and Ellie. As you can see, the number in parentheses is where they used to be, and the cells are color-coded with the season in which we first meet them. Below you will find further justification for the Top 10.

Notable jumps - LaFleur climbs 49, Pierre Chang goes up 45
Big drops - Kate (-20), Penny (-17)

10. Frank Lapidus - He fell back a few pegs, but through no fault of his own. He's still a helluva pilot (even without the sweet beard) and I still have to say he's the most trustworthy guy on the entire Island. The rebooted timeline will probably have him flying (and landing) 815. If Andy's lucky, maybe we'll catch another glimpse of his chest hair this season.

9. Mikhail Bakunin - He's been dead since the Season 3 finale, and that's why he's dropped down this list. I've heard whisperings that he may return this year, but even I don't care so much about that. The way his story ended was perfect and they should just let him be.

8. Christian Shephard - Out of anyone in the Top 10, this guy has the most potential to jump forward. What is his role in the reboot? Is he even dead? WHEN WILL JACK MEET HIM ON THE ISLAND!?!? HAS HE BEEN THE MAN IN BLACK?!?!? All these are awesome questions, and his pep-talk for Jack while operating on angelhair pasta showcase his father-of-the-year qualities.

7. Juliet Burke - Hottest chick in the whole cast. She was so close to leaving the Island 3 times (on the sub in Season 3, on the freighter in Season 4, on the sub again in Season 5), it breaks your heart that she met her end at the bottom of a drill hole. How many people in this world can beat the shit out of Kate, talk down stubborn Jack, and soften up asshole Sawyer? Only one...

6. Daniel Faraday - He was the only one with answers this past season, and he kept the stupid audience up to speed on the rules of time travel. His backstory episode in Season 5 is one of the most underrated in the show's history. I loved seeing the relationship he had with his mother. Was she pushing him so hard so he could fulfill his destiny and get murdered on the Island, or was she pushing him so hard so that he could find the solution to prevent it? I loved how sad and broken he was after testing the machine on himself (and Widmore's appearance was solid). Only one other person on this list put in less work to get this high.

5. Desmond Hume - In the history of LOST, how many people have had a happy ending? Sun and Jin are still separated (and for the reboot to pre-815, they might be back to hating each other). Lafleur couldn't save Juliet during the Incident, Jack and Kate's engagement ended in misery, Charles was banished from the Island for having an affair while with Eleanor, Nadia was hit by a car and died in Sayid's arms, Charlie died after finally setting things right with Claire, etc. etc. etc. But Desmond made it off the Island, married his long lost love, had a kid, and is probably living happily ever after.

4. Jacob - Biggest buildup of any character? Check. Biggest delivery of any character? CHECK! Coolest theme music? CHECK! How could a guy with one episode of screen time crack the TOP 5? He has been instrumental in getting everyone to the Island, and even when he is stabbed to death, he still gets the last laugh on Locke/Man in Black... "they're coming..."

3. Jack Shephard - People have often criticized Jack of being stubborn, headstrong, and impulsive, but no one else gets results like the Doc. Locke (before he died) was a clueless puppy. LaFleur maintained the status quo, but couldn't manage things when the Doc roared into town. Jack was able to get the team back to Island after Locke failed. Jack got his people to the freighter whereas Locke and Sawyer allowed the Barracks to be overrun. How cool would it have been that, when Ben and Locke enter the temple at the end of Season 5, that Jack is sitting in that chair as Jacob? It would be awesome, and that still might happen in Season 6...

2. Ben Linus - Ben briefly held the number one stop because he owned Season 3 and 4, and most of season 5. But Ben couldn't match wits with reborn Locke (and can we really blame him? You try outsmarting a god), and so he's back at number 2. His murder of Jacob represented exactly what the Man in Black was referring to when he spoke with him... humans manipulate, corrupt, and destroy. It will be interesting to see how Ben is handled in the rebooted timeline. Will he continue to be meek and submissive, or will he go back to cracking skulls, Linus-style?

1. John Locke - Locke had a little bit of help getting back into the top spot, but he still dominated Season 5. He got off the Island, had one of the best flashbacks of the series (Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham), was reborn, outplayed Ben and Richard, and pretty much became the most powerful man on the Island. His only weakness was his Dad and Helen, and gladly both are dead. Season 6 better be all showdown between Locke and Jack, and here's hoping Locke prevails.