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Template:Infobox Lost character Katherine "Kate" Austen is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost, played by Evangeline Lilly. She is the female leading character.

Fictional character biography

Before the crash

Born and raised in Iowa, Kate was the daughter of diner worker Diane and soldier Sam. As a child, she was taught how to track deer in the wild. She had also buried a time capsule beneath a large tree, along with her friend, Tom. Kate's parents divorced, and Diane married an alcoholic called Wayne, who would often abuse her. As an adult, Kate took out an insurance policy on her mother's home before blowing it up, with Wayne inside. She informs her mother of the incident and leaves. However, Diane calls the authorities, and Kate is arrested at a bus station by Edward Mars. As he is driving her to her arraignment, a black horse in the road causes Mars to lose control of the vehicle and crash. Kate steals the key to her handcuffs and flees. Kate travels to see Sam, who reveals that he was in Korea at the time she was conceived, meaning that Wayne was her biological father. Kate continues to go on the run, but is determined to find out why her mother handed her over to the police; under the alias of Lucy, she encounters an out-of-luck con artist named Cassidy Phillips. With her help, Kate manages to confront Diane in the diner restrooms. Kate learns that, despite Wayne's aggressive nature, Diane still loved him. Diane warns Kate that she will immediately call for help if she sees her again.

Kate flees to Miami, where she begins dating a police officer named Kevin, and eventually gets married. Kate receives a trinket that is supposed to be handed down to the first daughter of every generation, since Kevin has no sisters. After the wedding, Kate calls Mars and begs him to stop looking for her; he complies, under the condition that she finally settles down, something that Kate is not capable of doing. After almost becoming pregnant, and after Kevin buys two Oceanic tickets to Costa Rica, Kate confesses to him about her past as a fugitive and spikes his drink so that he would forget the conversation; she leaves behind the trinket before leaving. Since then, Kate has traveled around the country, using numerous license plates and hair dye. She learns that her mother is dying of cancer, and decides to visit her. At the hospital, she is reunited with her childhood friend, Tom, and dig up the time capsule. Tom agrees to arrange a meeting with Diane. As Kate is apologizing to her, Diane stays true to her word and starts yelling for help, prompting Kate to flee the hospital with Tom. A policeman opens fire on the getaway car, resulting in Tom's death. Kate flees the scene of the accident, leaving behind a toy airplane belonging to Tom.

Kate learns that the airplane is being stored in a safe deposit box in a bank in New Mexico. Under the name Maggie Ryan, Kate stages a bank robbery; posing as a photographer looking for a loan, she is caught up in the robbery as a hostage. The robbers, one of which is romantically involved with Kate, threaten to kill Kate if the manager fails to open the vault. Once inside, however, the robber exposes Kate's plan. Kate shoots him in the leg, preventing him from killing the manager, and gains access to the airplane. She eventually flees to Australia, where she is discovered by a farmer. Posing as a Canadian hiker named Annie, Kate works on the farm for three months. Saving her wages in a hole in the pantry, she attempts to sneak out. The farmer, catching her, offers her a ride into town the next morning; on the journey, however, Kate learns that the farmer has informed Edward Mars of her whereabouts in exchange for a $23,000 reward. Kate grabs the wheel, causing the farmer to crash in a field. Instead of fleeing, Kate helps the man out of the vehicle, allowing Mars to finally arrest her.

At the airport, Edwards explains to the security officer about Kate's past as a fugitive, and that he is carrying a case containing five guns. Boarding the plane, Kate is handcuffed and seated next to Mars, near to the tail section. As the plane hits turbulence, Kate prepares to ask for a favor (later revealed to ensure that the farmer receives the reward money). As the turbulence escalates, Mars is knocked unconscious. Kate steals the keys to the handcuffs and attaches an oxygen mask to Mars before taking one for herself.

After the crash

Season 1

Upon landing on the island, 27 year old Kate, discards her handcuffs and emerges from the jungle to encounter Jack, and agrees to sew up his open gash as he tells her a story from his early days as a surgeon. That night, the two decide to head inland and search for the cockpit. They are also joined by Charlie, and the three eventually discover the cockpit. Once inside, they recover a radio transceiver, but are sent fleeing when the "Monster" arrives and kills the pilot. Kate returns to the beach with Jack and Charlie, and later joins Sayid as he attempts to transmit a distress signal, along with a few other survivors. After Sawyer shoots and kills a polar bear, Kate is unanimously voted to keep hold of the gun. Upon returning, Jack tells Kate that he knows she is a fugitive. She examines the injured Marshall, only to be strangled. She asks Sawyer to kill him on her behalf, but Jack is the one who eventually does it. Later, after Jack discovers the caves, Kate decides to remain on the beach. She prepares to help Sayid locate the source of the looped distress call, but after Sawyer informs her of Jack being in a cave in, she abandons her post to help. She also extracts the truth of Shannon's missing asthma inhalers from him, revealing he doesn't have them.

Kate is often the sight of attention for Jack and Sawyer. When she discovers the Marshall's case, she and Sawyer fight to gain possession, but she eventually informs Jack, who confiscates it from her. She later informs Nikki and Paulo of its original whereabouts. Kate helps Sun with her garden, learning that she understand English. Kate continues to maintain a helpful attitude throughout the camp, as she joins the search party for the kidnapped Claire and Charlie, returning only with the latter. When Claire returns two weeks later, Kate also helps capture Ethan. Later, Sawyer seeks Kate's help in tracking a boar he claims to be constantly harassing him. Kate jokes about his predicament, but agrees to help nonetheless. She abandons him, however, after he exhibits aggressive behavior. Whilst in the caves with Jack, she is sent to retrieve alcohol when Locke carries a mortally wounded Boone. She becomes sidetracked when she discovers Claire in the jungle going into labor, and must deliver the baby without Jack's help.

Kate grows concerned over Jack's well-being, and drugs him in order for him to get some deserved sleep. However, Kate and Jack later discover that the key to the gun case is missing; they find Shannon holding Locke at gunpoint later in the jungle. After Rousseau arrives on the beach to warn the camp of the Others' imminent arrival, she takes Kate, Jack, Locke, Hurley and Arzt to the Black Rock, where they attempt to carry dynamite to the hatch discovered in the jungle. After the sudden demise of Arzt, Kate volunteers to carry dynamite in her backpack; she discovers that Jack switched her bag moments before handing it to her. Arriving at the hatch, Kate helps prepare the dynamite. Once the hatch door is blown open, she and the others peer inside.

Season 2

Despite Jack's objections, Kate and Locke descend into the hatch, Kate entering first. Once inside, she is caught by Desmond, and tells her to tie up Locke, until he reveals Kate's criminal past. Kate is tied up and locked in the food pantry, where Locke slips her a knife to free herself with. Kate crawls through the air vents and arrives in a room with a computer, where she overpowers Desmond after Jack arrives. She accidentally damages the computer in the crossfire, causing Desmond to panic and flee. When Jack returns, Kate is placed on a rota to enter the numbers into the computer. As she and Jack play golf one day, they encounter Mr. Eko carrying a critically injured Sawyer. When the rest of the tail-section survivors arrive, along with Jin and Michael, Kate decides to skip Shannon's funeral in order to care for Sawyer. However, her father, Wayne, is channeled through Sawyer and attacks her. Kate flees, where she encounters a black horse from her past. When Michael runs off in search of his son, Kate volunteers to follow him, only for her offer to be rejected by Jack. Adamant to help, Kate follows them from a distance, but gets captured, tied up and gagged by Tom. She is held ransom for the weapons from the armory. Sawyer sympathizes with her actions, while Jack gives her the cold shoulder.

Later, Kate finds herself a victim of a long con, conducted by Sawyer, in order to gain access to the armory's remaining weapons and the camp's medicine. When Claire's baby falls ill, Kate joins her on a trek into the jungle to seek Rousseau's help. The three head inland, where they discover the Staff station. Inside, Kate examines the locker room, where she discovers a box of theatrical props and costume, including a fake beard worn by Tom. Failing to find what Claire was looking for, Kate returns her to the camp. Sun confides in Kate when she learns that she is pregnant, who helps her come to terms with the sudden news. Later, Kate and Jack discover a mysterious and unnoticed food drop in the jungle. They return to the hatch, where hostage "Henry Gale" is exposed as an imposter. Later, Kate joins Jack on a trek back to where they encountered the Others. On the way, they fall for one of Rousseau's traps, and are momentarily caught in a net together. The two discover Michael stumbling out of the bushes in exhaustion.

Michael invites her to follow him to the Others' camp when he recovers, to which she accepts. However, upon learning that Ana Lucia has stolen Sawyer's personal gun, Kate, Jack, Locke and Sawyer rush to the hatch to find her dead, and Michael and Libby severely injured. Kate scolds Jack when he decides to find the escaped Henry, reminding him that Libby is in dire need of medical assistance. Kate helps carry the two bodies to the beach, where she comforts Hurley over the loss of Libby. The next day, Kate, Jack, Sawyer and Hurley join Michael as they head for the Others' camp. On the way, Kate and Sawyer kill two of the Others who attempt to ambush them, causing Michael to reveal his true reasons for bringing them along. They are then ambushed, gagged, tied up and taken to a pier. Kate witnesses Michael leaving the island with Walt, while she, Jack and Sawyer are taken away with the Others.

Season 3

Kate wakes up in a locker room, with Tom supervising her. She is forced to strip naked and shower, but is also forced to wear a dress as she accompanies Ben for breakfast. Ben forces her to handcuff herself. She is then placed in a cage opposite Sawyer. The two are forced to work for the Others, under the watchful eye of Pickett. When Sawyer rebels against the majority, Kate is held at gunpoint until he cooperates. Later, Kate climbs out of her cage and attempts to escape with Sawyer, until on one occasion she climbs into Sawyer's cage. The two have sex, unaware that they are being watched by Jack. Kate is then forced to watch as Pickett is about to kill Sawyer, in revenge for his dead wife. When Jack radios her via Pickett's radio, informing her that she has a head-start to escape, she and Sawyer locks Pickett inside the cage and run towards the beach. They encounter Alex, who gives them her boat in exchange for rescuing her brainwashed boyfriend, Karl. Upon arriving on the beach, however, they are held at gunpoint by Pickett, until Juliet arrives and kills him. Jack radios her again, and tells her never to return for him. However, Kate is unable to abide by his request.

Upon arriving back on the main island, Kate demands that she and Sawyer head back to rescue him. When arriving on the beach, she scolds Sayid and Locke for not bothering to rescue Jack. She heads into the jungle, with the two in pursuit, and finds Rousseau, who agrees to help her after learning of Alex's status. The four trek into the jungle, where they discover the Flame station. They are greeted by Mikhail, who poses as an innocent surviving DHARMA member, but is exposed as an Other. Kate and Sayid take him hostage, as well as Bea, found hiding in the basement. Upon leaving the station that night, Kate witnesses its destruction. The four, along with Mikhail, resume their hike, eventually coming across a set of sonar panel fences. Kate suggests climbing over them to avoid the sonic barrier, and the four eventually arrive at the Others' barracks, where Kate is appalled to see Jack bonding with Tom. Kate rushes in that night to rescue him, but is captured. She is gassed the next morning, and wakes up in the jungle, handcuffed to Juliet. The two constantly bicker as they are chased by the "Monster." They soon trap it outside the sonar fencing when Juliet unlocks the handcuffs. Kate finds Jack unconscious in one of the barracks, and apologizes for the trouble she caused. She returns to the beach with Jack, Sayid and Juliet.

Upon returning, Kate is still wary over Juliet. When Claire falls ill suddenly, Juliet explains to her and Jack about the deaths of pregnant women on the island. Kate grows concerned over the fate of Sun, and cautions her when she begins questioning Juliet. She also uses Sawyer for sex when she sees Jack alone with Juliet. Later, she discovers Sayid with a satellite phone. She learns of Naomi's arrival, and of Juliet's true purpose for being in the camp. She breaks Sayid's word, and immediately informs Jack of Naomi's presence. That night, during a camp discussion, Jack and Juliet admit to being dishonest. Kate is then shown their plan to deal with the Others' kidnap attempt the next morning. However, after Karl arrives to warn then of the Others' imminent arrival, Kate travels to the radio tower with Jack and the majority of the camp. She witnesses the backfire of Jack's plan, but presses on. They eventually encounter Ben and Alex in the jungle, to which Ben is taken hostage, while Alex is reunited with Rousseau. Kate arrives at the radio tower, where she witnesses Naomi's death. She watches as Jack makes contact with her freighter.

After the Island

In Through the Looking Glass, Jack and Kate leave the island sometime in the future. They agree to meet near the airport. Jack informs her of an unidentified person's funeral and she asks him why would she go. After Jack tells her that they need to return to the island, she leaves, saying that, "he's gonna be wondering where I am." Kate does not want to return to the island.

Behind the scenes

This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. Please relocate any relevant information into other sections or articles. (December 2007)

• In the original plot for Lost, in which Jack dies when the group finds the cockpit, Kate was to emerge as the leader for the survivors, motivating them to build shelter and begin considering life as permanent residents of the island.
• In the original description for Kate, she was a slightly older woman separated from her husband, who went to the bathroom in the tail-section of the plane. However, that idea ended up being used for Rose and her husband Bernard.
• Yunjin Kim originally tried out for Kate. The producers liked her but didn't think she was right for the part, so they wrote the role of Sun-Hwa Kwon for her.

2. Part 2

Commentary

• Lost Season 1 DVD (DVD). Los Angeles. 2004. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |crew= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |distributor= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)
• Lost Season 1 DVD (DVD). Los Angeles. 2004. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |crew= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |distributor= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help)

1. Lost: The Complete First Season (DVD) disc 7; bonus features

References

• Articles with trivia sections from December 2007
• Fictional con artists
• Fictional thieves
• Fictional arsonists
• Lost (TV series) characters
• Fictional characters from Iowa
• Fictional murderers
• Fictional escapees