The classic TV series LOST premiered 20 years ago, in 2004. This week, we're doing a deep dive into the speculative astrology behind some of the most beloved (and in some cases, reviled) characters in television history.

I loved LOST, even the much-maligned ending, which really wasn't that bad if you consider the series as a whole. There's an excellent article here about Why it's wrong to judge LOST on the ending. If LOST hadn't been such a wild success, we would never have had epic ensemble fantasy shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones... are we sensing a pattern with dropped balls in the final season(s)? Anyway, it's not too late if you've never seen it... LOST is just as great today as it was 20 years ago. There are spoilers below.

Listen to the Starzology episode: The Astrology of LOST

Whether you watched the series when it aired on ABC, or you're like me and you watched it on DVD, then again on streaming in the mid-2010s, then again as "comfort viewing" during the pandemic, you may still need a refresher on who's who, so I'm including cast photos courtesy of IMDB and brief character bios courtesy of the excellent resource, Lostpedia.

Jack (Matthew Fox: Cancer)

Libra sun, Pisces moon, Virgo rising

A spinal surgeon who becomes the plane crash survivors' de facto leader. Before the crash, his obsessive personality wrecked his marriage and his relationship with his father. On the Island, though, the survivors sought his guidance during many crises and missions, and he united them until they cooperated and formed a society.

Although he becomes an almost immediate leader on the island, Jack's pre- and post-island emotional life make him one of the hottest messes of all the castaways. His obsessive nature, perfectionism and self-doubt scream Virgo rising, while his dark, addictive inner child says Pisces moon and his core self, always seeking balance and perfection, suggests a Libra sun.

Kate (Evangeline Lilly: Leo)

Sagittarius sun, Scorpio moon, Gemini rising

Before the crash, Kate spent years fleeing the law after killing her abusive father. On the Island, she became an integral member of the survivors' society, forming strong bonds and eventually romantic relationships with Jack and Sawyer and also becoming close with Claire and Sun.

Kate is an adventurous, complicated, tortured soul with good intentions, who puts on a different face for everyone she befriends (or beds) on the island. She is always chasing after someone or charging off on her own, a true Sag sun, but her complicated emotions and capricious Gemini rising are always getting her in trouble. Scorpio moon for all that family drama and being one of the few castaways with an actual murder to her credit.

Sawyer (Josh Holloway: Cancer)

Scorpio sun, Taurus moon, Aries rising

On the Island, Sawyer used his skills as a confidence man to accomplish various ends. He hoarded material possessions to leverage power, and his acts of rebellion led him to become the most hated survivor on the island. Sawyer developed a romantic relationship with Kate, which sparked a rivalry with Jack, and he later became fully committed to Juliet.

Like Daryl on The Walking Dead, Sawyer starts off on the wrong foot with just about everyone on the island, in true Scorpio fashion. Whether he's hoarding supplies, making passes at Kate, or making fun of Hurley, he's not here to make friends! At heart, he's stubborn, enterprising and loyal (Taurus moon) and in the past and alternate timelines, he's a brave and moral natural leader with mad, bad, boyish good looks (Aries rising).

Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell: Aries)

Cancer sun, Capricorn moon, Scorpio rising

Juliet was a medical fertility specialist who was recruited to the Island by Richard Alpert. On the Island, she tried to solve the fertility problems, but was unsuccessful. After the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, Juliet was sent as a mole to the survivors' camp. However, she betrayed the Others and chose to stay with the survivors.

The baby doctor (Cancer) with a complicated past (Cap moon) who we're not sure if we can trust (Scorpio rising) until she finally puts in the effort to win the castaways over with her skills, strength and calm, coolheaded badassery... and eventually, the love of Sawyer.

Jin (Daniel Dae Kim: Leo)

Taurus sun, Capricorn moon, Virgo rising

Knowing no English, Jin initially isolated himself and Sun from the other survivors, and when he found out that she had secretly learned English, he felt betrayed and briefly left her. He later learned English and involved himself more in group activities. His time on the island restored his marriage, which his violent, corrupt job working for her father had nearly ruined.

Earthy from crust to core, Jin is hard-working, loyal, determined and utterly devoted to Sun, as well as to his eventual, hard-won friends on the island (Taurus). At first, he seems like a controlling prude trying to keep Sun modestly covered up (Virgo rising, Cap moon), but he finally comes around and their love story is one of the most heart-wrenching roller coaster rides throughout the show.

Sun (Yunjin Kim: Scorpio)

Virgo sun, Cancer moon, Libra rising

Before the crash, Sun and Jin's marriage suffered because Jin oppressed her and they couldn't conceive. She strayed and almost left him. On the island, she initially pretended to speak only Korean, but was helpful, caring, sociable and brave, eventually forming notable relationships with Kate and Hurley. She and Jin reconciled after it was revealed that she was pregnant.

Modest and mousy at first, Sun comes out of her shell and takes over gardening duties on the island, then takes over her father's business empire in the alternate timeline. Virgo with Libra rising. She's a sensitive, devoted mother and a compassionate friend, Cancer moon.

Hurley (Jorge Garcia: Taurus)

Cancer sun, Taurus moon, Pisces rising

Before the island, he won the lottery, but due to a series of unfortunate incidents, he believed himself to be plagued with bad luck. On the Island, Hurley was typically happy-go-lucky and kept the spirits of his fellow survivors up. He was also a voice of reason in the group and used his common sense to solve difficult situations.

Watery Cancer sun with Pisces moon, Hurley is one of the emotional touchstones among the castaways, with voracious appetites and an acquisitive yet deeply practical Taurus moon.

Charlie (Dominic Monaghan: Sagittarius)

Pisces sun, Leo moon, Scorpio rising

Charlie was the bassist and songwriter for the rock band Drive Shaft. He was addicted to heroin, but kicked the habit on the island. He also suffered from self-doubt before the crash, but he formed new relationships, including a friendship with Hurley and a romantic relationship with Claire.

Complex, dark and addictive Scorpio rising is what we first see of sensitive, poetic lost soul Charlie. His deeply troubled, self-obsessed yet ego-bruised Leo moon is the perfect metaphor for a creative, sensitive performer drowning in a sea of heroin and self-doubt (Pisces). He redeems himself many times over before breaking our hearts when he literally drowns to save his friends.

Claire (Emilie de Ravin: Capricorn)

Cancer sun, Scorpio moon, Pisces rising

Claire flew to Los Angeles at the coaxing of a psychic to give up her unborn child for adoption. On the Island, where she began an inconsistent relationship with fellow survivor Charlie. One of the Others kidnapped her, and she suffered amnesia after the escape. She later gave birth to her son, Aaron.

All water, this one... After giving birth on the island, then losing her baby, she loses her mind and becomes volatile and mentally unstable. Deep, conflicted emotions and attachments to other Pisces-archetype characters like Charlie and Jack.

John Locke (Terry O'Quinn: Gemini)

Sagittarius sun, Pisces moon, Aries rising

Confined to a wheelchair before the flight, Locke miraculously found himself able to walk once he arrived on the Island. He comes to believe his special destiny is to protect the miraculous place. In service to this cause, Locke became a "Man of Faith,” sparking an increasingly tense rivalry with Jack who is in contrast a "Man of Science.”

Adventurous, independent, truth-seeking Sag with an innocent, optimistic, open-minded to a fault Aries rising. The deep pain and betrayal in his past (Pisces moon) drive him to seek out the hidden meaning and mysteries on the island.

Sayid (Naveen Andrews: Capricorn)

Capricorn sun, Libra moon, Scorpio rising

A former Iraqi Republican Guard torturer, a courageous man and a competent leader, Sayid maintained a conservative manner which reflected his strength and spirituality. Before the island, he spent much of his life searching for his love, Nadia, and trying to atone for his past. On the Island, his skills and leadership played a key role in the group's survival.

He's one of the most capable, pragmatic and hard-headed of the castaways (Capricorn) with Scorpio rising speaking to his secretive past as a military torturer, and the broken heart of more than one lost lover (Libra moon) who just wants to redeem himself or die trying.

Desmond (Henry Ian Cusick: Aries)

Sagittarius sun, Libra moon, Aquarius rising

Before coming to the Island, Desmond's life seemed to be defined by failure. He was fired as a monk, broke up with his girlfriend Penny and was regarded with contempt by Penny's father, Charles Widmore. After crashing on the island, he had a number of unusual experiences with electromagnetism, sending his mind repeatedly through time.

Striving, idealistic, adventurous and complicated, Desmond is the quintessential Sagittarius with a romantic, determined, dedicated Libra moon. With Aquarius rising, he's on a quest for the truth despite how unbelievable and unlikely it seems at first, and his bizarre connection with the island and his quirky manner of speaking gave us some of the show's most memorable reveals and one-liners ("See you in another life, brother!").

Penny (Sonya Walger: Gemini)

Libra sun, Virgo moon, Virgo rising

Before he became stranded on the island, Penny was the long time girlfriend of Desmond. After he went missing in 2001, Penny began searching for him hoping he was still alive. Due to a brief interaction with Charlie, she knew there were survivors of the crash of Oceanic Flight 815 and she funded an expedition to find them.

Practical, steadfast and loyal to Desmond, Penny is the "constant" and her Libra sun is rooted in wise, pragmatic, detail-oriented, driven Virgo, going to the literal ends of the earth for the man she loves and not giving up until she finds him, in this life or the next.

Ben (Michael Emerson: Virgo)

Aquarius sun, Scorpio moon, Gemini rising

A long-time resident of the Island and the former leader of the Others. Though often a calm, eloquent antagonist, Ben's insecurity and jealousies sometimes brought out a petulant, reckless side. He was an expert manipulator, a liar and a murderer, and he served as a main adversary for much of the series.

Complicated, sneaky, duplicitous and dangerous, Ben is one of the smartest and most devious characters in a cast filled with complicated, duplicitous people (Aquarius/Gemini). He's ingenious and driven, adept at turning people against their best interests to do his bidding. It all comes from a deep sense of betrayal and loss, of course (Scorpio moon), which keeps us from ever being able to truly write him off as simply evil.

Listen to the Starzology episode: The Astrology of LOST

References for LOST fans

LOSTpedia

Why it's wrong to judge LOST on the ending

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