DHARMA logos
From Lostpedia
- For other logos used in Lost, see Logos
- For unofficial DHARMA logos, see Fan-made DHARMA logos
The DHARMA Initiative is represented by a series of distinct 8-sided logos, based on the traditional Taoist bagua or pa kua ("eight trigrams" in Chinese). One is believed to be a general logo, representing the Initiative as a whole. The other logos seem to be designed specifically for each of the various DHARMA Initiative activities, in particular for the stations on the Island. These station logos are spray painted on walls and printed on various items in the stations; they are also featured in the orientation films. For clarity, a "Logo" is defined here to be something painted or physically carved, while a "Graphic" is something shown in a video.
General Info
The logos are octagonal and the outer parts of the octagon are derived from the I Ching (below). Most of the logos also feature the word "DHARMA" across its center, except for the Hydra, the Pearl, the Flame and the Looking Glass logos that feature it below the center. The main differences between the logos lie in the circular central part, which contains a unique symbol for each station. Four of these symbols are drawn on the blast door map. With the exception of the Staff logo which has red in its central part, all of them appear in black and white. When the logo is painted on a wall, the outline seems to have gaps. However, this is probably due to the stencils used to spray paint the logos.
The logos are usually black on a white or neutral background, unless they are seen as a graphic on a video where the colors are inverted to a white logo on a black background. However, the Pearl logo is white on black background, even when it is presented outside of a video. For example, although the Swan logo is a black logo on white background, the colors are inverted for the Swan Orientation Video. On the other hand, the Pearl's logo is always inverted in color, even if not found on the video itself.
The logo is first seen on-screen briefly at the very beginning of "Man of Science, Man of Faith", when Desmond goes about his daily routine opening a red locker in the Swan station to grab a jet injector and a vial of the Vaccine to inject himself with it.
The Main Logo
- Seems to be the overlaying DHARMA Initiative logo, corresponding to the initiative as a whole and representing all DHARMA Initiative stations, tests, and activities.
- There is no image in the center of the logo.
- The word "DHARMA" is printed across the centered circle.
- Lettering is standardly white over the circle's black background.
Appearances
- On DHARMA products like shampoo, soap, bottled water, ketchup, and salsa from the Hydra station. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
- On the front of the DHARMA van. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead")
- On various food items from the Flame station. ("Enter 77")
- On the DHARMA cabling map in the bottom right corner. ("Enter 77")
- On some of the boxes, a boat, and garbage cans at the dock of the Barracks; colors inverted. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On the DHARMA welcome sign at the dock of the Barracks. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On the DHARMA jumpsuits of many DHARMA employees. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On the wall of the DHARMA admitting area; colors inverted. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On Annie's and other DHARMA t-shirts. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On Ben's and other DHARMA school uniforms (polo shirts). ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On some objects in the Orchid station. ("There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3")
- On the cue card used at the beginning of the Orchid Orientation film outtakes.
Non-Canon Appearances
- In Rachel Blake's first video. (The Lost Experience)
- In the intro video on disc 7 of the Season 2 DVD.
The Swan Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Swan
- The image in the center of the logo is a swan.
- The word "DHARMA" is printed across the centered circle.
- Image and lettering are standardly white over the circle's black background.
Appearances
- On red locker inside the Swan station. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- On DHARMA jumpsuits inside the Swan station (including Desmond's). ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- On numerous walls inside the Swan station. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- On the Swan computer inside the Swan station. ("Man of Science, Man of Faith")
- A 3D imprinted block jutting out of the wall inside the Swan station. ("Orientation")
- On the canister for the Swan orientation film. ("Orientation")
- In the Swan orientation film; colors inverted. ("Orientation")
- On Dr. Marvin Candle's lab coat in the Swan Orientation Film. ("Orientation")
- On many items (food and non) inside the Swan station pantry. ("Orientation")
- On the circuit breaker inside the Swan station. ("Orientation")
- Scrawled on the blast door map. ("Lockdown")
- On food items from the Dharma drop. ("Lockdown")
- On The DHARMA Initiative playing cards and matches. ("Lockdown")
- On the Pearl computer. ("?")
- On DHARMA beer in DHARMA van and in Roger Linus's Barracks home. ("Tricia Tanaka Is Dead") ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On the alcohol bottles in the Flame. ("Enter 77")
- On Dr. Marvin Candle's lab coat in the Barracks video. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On Roger Linus's uniform. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On Dr. Edgar Halliwax's lab coat in the Orchid Orientation Film.
- On the soda crackers box from the hidden case. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")
- On some food items in the Barracks. ("Eggtown")
Non-Canon Appearances
- On the sharks in the images published at DJ Dan's website and in a hack of the Hanso Foundation website.
The Arrow Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Arrow
- The image in the center of the logo is an arrow pointing upwards.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed across the centered circle.
- Image and lettering are standardly black over the circle's white background.
Appearances
- On some of the walls in the Arrow station. ("Everybody Hates Hugo")
- Scrawled on the blast door map. ("Lockdown")
- On Horace Goodspeed's jumpsuit; center colors inverted. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
The Staff Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Staff
- The image in the center of the logo is a red caduceus.
- Despite historical confusion with the Rod of Asclepius, the caduceus in recent history represents medicine or doctors.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed across the centered circle.
- Lettering is standardly black over the circle's white background.
- Image is standardly red over the circle's white background.
- This is the only logo which has thus far included any non-black-and-white coloration (in canon). In all appearances, the caduceus has been red.
Appearances
- In the Staff medical station. ("Maternity Leave")
- On equipment and supplies in the Staff. ("Maternity Leave")
- Scrawled on the blast door map. ("Lockdown")
- On the medical kit found in The Flame station. ("Enter 77")
- On the lab coat of a doctor in the DHARMA admitting area. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
The Hydra Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Hydra
- The image in the center of the logo is a six-headed hydra monster.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed in the upper-most line of the bottom hexagram design.
- Lettering coloration standardly follows this logo's hexagram lines: black on white.
- Image is standardly white over the circle's black background.
Appearances
- On an awning visible from the cages in which Sawyer, Kate, and Karl were held. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
- Inside the Hydra station. ("A Tale of Two Cities")
- On Jack's and Juliet's overalls during Ben's surgery. ("I Do")
- Above the door to the Hydra station facility. ("Not in Portland")
- On the collar of the polar bear skeleton in Tunisia. ("Confirmed Dead")
Non-Canon Appearances
- On Damon Lindelof's hat in the first official video podcast. This was shown before the "A Tale of Two Cities" episode.
- In the shopping section under DHARMA Collection at the ABC.com shopping site. It is colored in red.
The Pearl Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Pearl
- The image in the center of the logo is a white pearl filling the whole center circle.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed in the upper-most line of the bottom hexagram design.
- Lettering coloration standardly follows this logo's hexagram lines: white on black.
- Logo is stardardly seen with an inverted color scheme.
Appearances
- [Veracity debatable] On the t-shirts of the jumping-jack study group shown in the Pearl Orientation Video. ("?")
- On the Pearl's television screens behind Dr. Mark Wickmund in the Pearl Orientation Video. ("?")
- On a torn shirt found with skeletons in the polar bear's cave. ("Further Instructions")
- On a wall of The Pearl station. ("Exposé")
- On the DHARMA jumpsuit of Mike in the Barracks. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
- On Ben's map. ("Through the Looking Glass")
The Flame Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Flame
 |
- The image in the center of the logo is a flame.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed in the upper-most line of the bottom hexagram design.
- Lettering coloration standardly follows this logo's hexagram lines: black on white.
- Image is standardly white over the circle's black background.
Appearances
- Scrawled on the blast door map. ("Lockdown")
- On a wall inside the Flame station. ("Enter 77")
- On Mikhail's DHARMA jumpsuit. ("Enter 77")
- On DHARMA manuals in the Flame station. ("Enter 77")
- On the Flame computer once John wins at chess ("Enter 77")
- On Dr. Marvin Candle's lab coat on the Flame video. ("Enter 77")
- On the DHARMA cabling map. ("Enter 77")
The Orchid Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Orchid
- The image in the center of the logo resembles an orchid.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed in the upper-most line of the bottom hexagram design.
- The hexagram lines are black on white.
Appearances
- This logo appeared on Ben's parka when he was in the desert. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
- Was shown on "secondary protocol" that Martin Keamy was reading. ("Cabin Fever")
- A sketch of the logo appears in Daniel's notebook. ("There's No Place Like Home, Part 1")
- Was seen in the Orchid Orientation film ("There's No Place Like Home, Parts 2 & 3")
The Looking Glass Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Looking Glass
- The image in the center of the logo is a rabbit's head.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed in the upper-most line of the bottom hexagram design.
- Lettering coloration standardly follows this logo's hexagram lines: black on white.
- Image is standardly white over the circle's black background.
- "Alternate version" of this logo:
Appearances
- On the exterior of the Looking Glass station. ("Greatest Hits")
- On Sayid's schematic; alternate version. ("Greatest Hits")
- On Greta's jumpsuit. ("Through the Looking Glass")
- On the wall inside the station. ("Through the Looking Glass")
The Tempest Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Tempest
 |
- The image in the center of the logo is a wave.
- The word "DHARMA" is placed across the circle, below center.
- Lettering is standardly black over the image's white background.
- Image is standardly white over the circle's black background.
- This creates a pattern quite like a ying-yang.
Appearances
- On the exterior of the Tempest station. ("The Other Woman")
- In various places inside the Tempest station. ("The Other Woman")
- On Daniel's map. ("The Other Woman")
The Temple Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: The Temple
 |
- The image in the center of the logo appears to have a black altar with a white background (or possibly a black T) inside the center circle. It has not yet been seen clearly enough to form more than a speculative depiction.
- It is unclear if the word "DHARMA" appears on the logo.
Appearances
Unidentified Canon Logos
"Door" Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative "station": The Door
- Appears on the door of what was presumed to be a station but turned out to be a deception. The door had only a rock wall behind it and appears to be just a part of a facade encampment called the decoy village by the Others.
- The image in the center of the logo is a rectangle, with a horizontal line shooting through the center.
- Users of Lostpedia dubbed it "The Door".
- The rectangle appears to be a Golden rectangle which is a very important mathematical ratio appearing in nature.
"Sri Lanka Video" Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: Unknown
- This logo came with the Sri Lanka Video fragment on hansoexposed.com as part of the Lost Experience (appears when the code "FVH7N" is entered).
- No official name has been given yet.
- It is not clear yet whether this logo is also connected to a station or only to the "Sri Lanka" video.
- The image in the center of the logos is three circles, ranging in different sizes.
- Javier Grillo-Marxuach's blog after the Experience ended notes that the logo is supposed to represent a hydrogen atom, in reference to "The Watchmen" [1].
"Psychology" Logo
Associated DHARMA Initiative station: Unknown
- This logo appeared at the beginning of the DHARMA Initiative Psychology Test Orientation Video, released in the Lost Experience.
- It is not clear yet whether this logo is also connected to a station or only to the psychology test. (see below)
- Many LOST fans had formerly referred to this logo as "The Raven", due to the image's appearance, and alluding to the Edgar Allen Poe character, which drove a man to insanity. However, this was discontinued after the revealing of the real image on the logo (below).
- The image is a silhouette of Alvar Hanso, as revealed by Javier Grillo-Marxuach in his blog [2].
- It does not contain the word DHARMA
- This is one of three DHARMA logos with an inverted color scheme.
Unidentified Non-Canon Logos
Non-Canon Via Domus Logos
"Flash" Logo
- Appears in the trailer for Lost: Via Domus.
- It appears to be a lightning bolt emblazoned on a black background.
- It is not clear yet whether this is associated with a station or with the island's electricity supply.
- The word DHARMA does not appear in the logo.
- No official name has been given yet.
- This is one of three DHARMA logos with an inverted color scheme.
- This logo never appeared in the final version of the game.
"Fuel" Logo
- Appears on the fuel cans in Lost: Via Domus
- The word DHARMA does not appear in the logo.
Controversy about "Swan Backwards R" logo
This logo was originally thought to be a fake found on Retrieveroftruth.com (different from the real site Retrieversoftruth.com). Note the backwards R. It was later found (8/16/07) on ABC's lost store's "DHARMA GEAR" page. Seen Here.
The logo was still present as of 05/29/08, unchanged, even after new products were added to the ABC store. It is notable that the "fake logo" is placed, in the SAME photograph, next to the doors to the Swan, with the presumably real logo on said doors. See the "Promo Banner" picture.
This logo was believed to be fake, but its presence on the ABC site raises questions about its origins. As it has not appeared in the show itself, it cannot be considered canon.
The validity of this logo is yet to be confirmed, or if it was just an error by a web designer, and not a plot point.
The Logos' Origins
The octagonal diagrams with the line-symbols (called "trigrams") surrounding the center DHARMA Initiative symbols are derived from a fundamental philosophical concept in ancient China known as Bagua. In Chinese ba means the number 8 and gua means trigram, thus the term ba gua signifies the 8 trigrams. [3] The concept of bagua is applied not only to Chinese Taoist thought and the "I Ching", but is also used in other domains of Chinese culture, such as feng shui, martial arts, navigation, etc.
All DHARMA Initiative logos seen so far have the trigrams around the outside, each trigram consists of 3 lines that can be either:
- a straight line (for male; light; the odd numbers 1,3,5,...) or
- a line with a break (for female; darkness; the even numbers 2,4,6,...).
Eight combinations are possible.
The trigrams that surround the centre of the symbol are also identical to those found on what is believed to be the earliest recorded flag of South Korea.
I Ching
The I Ching (Pinyin for Chinese 易经, "Book of Changes" or "Classic of Changes") is the oldest of the Chinese classic texts. It describes an ancient system of cosmology and philosophy which is at the heart of Chinese cultural beliefs. The philosophy centers on the ideas of the dynamic balance of opposites, the evolution of events as a process, and acceptance of the inevitability of change. It also makes use of the Bagua concept.
The Bagua of the I Ching was one of the first examples of binary code, which later became the basis of almost all-digital programming today. Each individual trigram is made up of individual units of "kwae"--yin (divided dash) and yang (undivided dash). The 8 trigrams are the natural/elemental foundations for the 64 "hexagrams" (two trigrams combined) that make the I Ching in ancient Chinese philosophy.
A table of the eight possible trigrams and their related properties according to the I Ching:
| Trigram Figure | Binary Value | Name | Nature | Direction | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||| (☰) | 111 | Force (乾 qián) | heaven (天) | northwest |
| 2 | ||¦ (☱) | 110 | Open (兌 duì) | swamp (澤) | west |
| 3 | |¦| (☲) | 101 | Radiance (離 lí) | fire (火) | south |
| 4 | |¦¦ (☳) | 100 | Shake (震 zhèn) | thunder (雷) | east |
| 5 | ¦|| (☴) | 011 | Ground (巽 xùn) | wind (風) | southeast |
| 6 | ¦|¦ (☵) | 010 | Gorge (坎 kǎn) | water (水) | north |
| 7 | ¦¦| (☶) | 001 | Bound (艮 gèn) | mountain (山) | northeast |
| 8 | ¦¦¦ (☷) | 000 | Field (坤 kūn) | earth (地) | southwest |
Other attributes related to the trigrams.
| Trigram Figure | Korean Name | Attribute | Animal | Body | Family | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||| (☰) | Ch'ien, The Creative | Strength, creativity | Horse | Head | Father |
| 2 | ||¦ (☱) | Sun, The Gentle | Penetration, Following | Fowl | Thigh | Eldest Daughter |
| 3 | |¦| (☲) | Li, The Clinging | Brightness | Pheasant | Eye | Second Daughter |
| 4 | |¦¦ (☳) | Ken, Keeping still | Stillness, Stopping | Dog | Hand | Youngest Son |
| 5 | ¦|| (☴) | Tui, The Joyous | Pleasure, Joy, Attraction | Sheep | Mouth | Youngest Daughter |
| 6 | ¦|¦ (☵) | K'an, The Abysmal | Danger | Pig | Ear | Second Son |
| 7 | ¦¦| (☶) | Chen, The Arousing | Movement, initiative, action | Dragon | Foot | Eldest Son |
| 8 | ¦¦¦ (☷) | K'un, The Receptive | Docility, receptivity | Ox | Belly | Mother |
The King Wen sequence is the current sequence of the hexagrams in the traditional book and is also the same sequence used for the DHARMA Initiative symbol but turned inside out. There is another called the Later Heaven edition where the trigrams have a different arrangement.[4]
Trivia
- The yin-yang/religious motif is seen recurring throughout the show. The octagonal style of the bagua is also shown in "Not in Portland", in a lamp on Rachel's bedstand. Lost.cubit.net image
- During the opening titles of Cloverfield, a DHARMA logo is visible in the bottom-right corner of screen for moment.
See also
- DHARMA Initiative
- DHARMA Initiative orientation films
- DHARMA Initiative stations
- Fan-made DHARMA logos
- Binary Code (theory)
