Anthony Cooper (Lost)

Template:Infobox Lost character Anthony Cooper is a recurring fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Kevin Tighe. Anthony is a professional con artist and is the father of John Locke. He is currently a captive of The Others on the island.

Fictional character biography

Prior to his arrival on the island

Template:Spoiler Cooper is an avid outdoorsman, enjoying hunting, fishing, and scuba diving, among other things. Cooper impregnates Emily Locke; however, she tells him that she is not going to have the baby before leaving him. Over a year later Emily comes back with the news that she has put their son, John, up for adoption. Years pass without Cooper even trying to seek his son. However, in his older years, his kidneys fail, and he needs a transplant. Emily comes back asking for money once again, and Cooper agrees to help her if she finds John for him. When he meets with his son for the first time, he extends an invitation to go hunting, which John, who never knew his father, accepts. The next few weeks Cooper and John bond over hunting, and it seems as if they have forged the father-son relationship John has always hoped for. Then Cooper tells John of his kidney failure, and Locke immediately donates his kidney to his father. Upon waking up after the surgery, however, Locke discovers that Cooper has left, going back to his home. When John tries to visit his father he is denied access, and realizes that there was no bond between them; Cooper is simply using his son for a kidney.

Unable to let go, John continues to park outside Cooper’s house, even after Cooper has moved. Cooper eventually meets with his son for the first time since the surgery, and tells him that people get conned all the time, and to get over the incident, saying “And John, don’t come back. You’re not wanted.”

Later, Cooper cons two men out of $700,000. Afraid they might kill him, Cooper fakes his death, then enlists his son’s help to get the money from a safe deposit box, promising him $200,000. When John delivers the money, he rejects it, saying that he did not do it for the money. John then tells Cooper about Helen, and how he is planning on proposing to her. Just then, Helen appears at the door and slaps Cooper for not letting John find peace and put his past behind him after finding out about his father's death. She then confronts John about his promise to let go of Cooper, and rejects his proposal. Cooper then leaves John with only the slightest bit of sympathy for his son and what he has done to him in his face.

Sometime later, Cooper begins another con with a woman, Ms. Talbot. Locke, having been visited by her son, confronts him, and tells him to end it. Cooper vows to, but in reality continues, and it is assumed that he kills her son. Locke storms into his penthouse, demanding to know if Cooper is the murderer. Cooper denies this, but moves Locke to a vantage point, shoving him out the window to fall eight stories and break his back, causing Locke's paraplegia. Cooper then disappears, presumably to Mexico.

After his arrival on the island

On the island, Ben leads Locke to a small room under the barracks where he keeps "the man from Tallahassee," who is revealed to be Cooper, tied to a chair and gagged. The story behind this has not yet been explained.

Apparent connection to Sawyer

An interesting connection between Sawyer and Anthony Cooper is displayed through the Season 2 Lost DVD Bonus disc, prompting one to wonder about Cooper's own past and connections to James "Sawyer" Ford. Cooper often refers to cons in season two, specifically in reference to long cons, one last con, and telling his son "You think you're the first one to be conned?". In Lockdown Cooper mentions that he needs to con people to survive, which gets him in trouble to the point where his life is in danger. Anthony also is very guarded, living with 24 hour security and surrounded by weapons in his home. Anthony's age places him in his 30s to 40s when James Ford was a child, meaning he could be the elusive Sawyer. TV Guide's Michael Ausiello confirmed that a line of dialogue was cut from "Lockdown" to make the link between Cooper and Sawyer more subtle.

According to the promotional text for some upcoming episode, Sawyer and Locke have a common nemesis on the island. Anthony is set to appear in this episode.