Tom Friendly

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Tom Friendly, often called Tom, Mr. Friendly, or Zeke, is a fictional character on the ABC series Lost. He is a high-ranking member of the Others, a group that lived on the mysterious island long before the crash of Oceanic Flight 815. The actor who plays him is M. C. Gainey.

Tom first appears in the season one finale, Exodus: Part 2. He arrives with Others in a motorboat, wearing a fake beard, and helps kidnap one of the survivors. Over the next seasons he appears many times as a leading figure among the Others. In the season two finale, Tom and the Others ambush the survivors, knock Jack, Kate, and Sawyer unconscious, and transport them to a distant island.

In season three, Tom oversees a medical operation led by Ben Linus. He becomes distrustful of Juliet at times and shifts his loyalty when Ben’s leadership is challenged. Flash-forwards in season four show Tom leaving the island and tracking down Michael in Manhattan. He convinces Michael to work for Ben and plans to use him to sabotage a freighter that could bring trouble to the island.

Tom takes part in the plan to move the Others toward the temple and joins a raid on the survivors’ beach camp. In the season three finale, Through the Looking Glass, he helps carry out Ben’s orders to shoot hostages. However, the plan goes wrong, and Sawyer eventually kills Tom as payment for taking Walt off the raft. Juliet buries Tom and his team in the jungle.

Naming and personality details
- For a long time, Tom was shown with a fake beard and was referred to as “bearded man” and then “Mr. Friendly” before viewers learned his name in the season two finale.
- The character is sometimes called “Zeke” by Sawyer.
- The producers have said Tom’s name is Tom Friendly, and they hinted at his sexuality after a later episode where he kisses a man named Arturo. This storyline was acknowledged by the show’s creators.

Character notes
- Tom is often described as friendly, with some critics calling him sarcastic or bright.
- He is shown to be loyal to Ben Linus, though his trust can be tested.
- The actor, M. C. Gainey, joined Lost mainly to work again with producer Carlton Cuse and has said he didn’t always know what was coming next in the show.