4 - Jack Shephard

On the online blog herzvertrauen.de it says: "The number 4 stands for actions and deeds and embodies doing." It is assigned characteristics such as power and prestige, work and decisions, but also lack of perspective, sudden mood swings and inconsistency. People assigned to this number are reliable, team players, energetic, cautious, adaptable and no dreamers.

Jack is a doctor by profession and defines himself through his work. In LA he works a lot and long hours, therefore he is hardly ever at home and neglects his ex-wife and Kate. As a doctor, power and prestige are no strangers to him. He also often takes on the role of the leader, especially at the beginning. The people around him even ask him to and call him their leader directly. He re-takes this role when the Oceanic 6 are rescued. It‘s Jack who tells their story. He makes the decisions and is adaptable.

Jack is a doer, he always wants to get things done and can never sit around inactive. He feels the urgent need to fix things and can never let go. Kate even has to drug him so he rests after he gave Boone too much of his blood because Jack still wants to get things done. When he and Kate are searching for Charlie and Claire after Ethan took them, she can barely keep up with him and he keeps going even after they lost the trace.

"Live together, die alone" – Jack Shephard already coined this sentence in the first season of LOST. It reflects his ability to work in a team and his reliability. He takes care of the people around him, as a doctor, but also as a friend, e. g. when Rose sits at the beach all alone in the beginning or when Juliet joins the group.

Jack proves that he's not a dreamer right from the start with his decision to move into the caves, as no one will come to save them. He is also the man of science (as opposed to the man of faith, John Locke). Hard facts and logic are what keeps him going in the beginning, even though this changes throughout the series.

Jack can't maintain his relationships, neither with Sarah, nor with Kate. Especially the failure with Kate shows him his missing perspective. He starts drinking and regrets having left the island. Also, he often becomes abruptly very angry and impulsive and changes his mind from one moment to the next, showing his inconsistency and mood swings. One example is Boone’s funeral when he suddenly attacks Locke because he thinks John has killed the boy by lying to Jack.

So Jack seems to be the perfect number 4. Who’s next?