Richard Alpert
From Lostpedia
Portrayed by Nestor Carbonell
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Richard Alpert is one of the Others who originally belonged to the group of Island inhabitants called the Hostiles. In the outside world, he presented himself as a doctor and recruiter for the Mittelos Bioscience Corporation. Richard has been seen in the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1990s, and in 2004 looking exactly the same age.
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Before the crash
Off the Island
Richard was present at the hospital soon after Locke's birth (in 1956), observing him in an incubator through a window. A few years later, he visited Locke while Locke was in foster care, and gave Locke a test. Laying down a baseball mitt, a book, a vial of sand, a compass, a comic book, and a knife, he told Locke to pick which ones belonged to him. Locke initially took the vial of sand and compass, which pleased Richard. Once Locke picked up the knife, however, Richard claimed that this was the wrong answer, and left hurriedly.
About eleven years later, Richard contacted Locke's science teacher at Cowin Heights High School to offer Locke a chance to attend a science camp in Portland sponsored by Mittelos Laboratories, but Locke refused to attend. ("Cabin Fever")
As one of the Hostiles
A young Ben encountered Richard in the Jungle, and asked if he was a Hostile. Richard questioned whether Ben even knew what that term meant, and asked Ben why he was out in the jungle alone. Ben responded that he was looking for his mother. When Richard enquired whether she was somewhere on the island, Ben replied that Richard wouldn't believe him. Ben explained that, although his mother died when he was born, he had seen her on two different occasions.
Richard informed Ben that his people would be looking for him, and urged him to return to his home. Ben became upset and said that he hated it there, and pleaded with Richard to take him along with him. Richard acknowledged that it might be possible, but that Ben should think about it carefully, and "be very, very patient". ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Years later, Richard participated in the Purge with a grown-up Ben. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
As part of Mittelos Bioscience
Introduced to Juliet as "Dr. Alpert," Richard worked with Ethan Rom to recruit Juliet to come work for them at their facility, which he claimed was located near Portland. However, he said later that the facility is "not quite" in Portland. ("Not in Portland")
Juliet later met Richard and Ethan at a Herarat Aviation air terminal. In a V.I.P. passenger lounge, she knowingly drank a glass of orange juice that Richard mixed, which included a "considerable amount of tranquilizer". ("One of Us")
On the day that Flight 815 crashed, Richard was in Miami filming a live broadcast of Juliet's sister and nephew in a public park (the date is illustrated by Richard filming a Miami Journal newspaper header). Although Richard is not seen or heard over the video broadcast, Ben (wearing headphones) identifies him by name twice, and tells him to get back to the Island because they might be having some new visitors soon (referring to the Flight 815 Survivors). ("One of Us")
After the crash
Season 3 (Days 80-90)
When Locke was hiding in Ben's room after infiltrating the barracks, Ben tells Richard to fetch "the man from Tallahassee". Richard later accompanies Ben to escort the now-captured Locke to a room in which Locke's father, Anthony Cooper, is held captive. ("The Man from Tallahassee")
About a week later, after Locke fails to execute his father at Ben's request, Richard confronts Locke privately. Richard explains that Ben knew Locke would not kill Cooper, and that Ben is trying to embarrass Locke in front of all the Others so that they will not continue to think that Locke is "special". During their conversation, Richard questions Ben's leadership, reasoning that Ben is wasting time with his work on the pregnant women rather than pursuing the other more important reasons that they are all on the Island. Richard informs Locke that murdering his father will speed up the process, and suggests that Locke recruit someone willing to accomplish the task if Locke isn't up to the job. Richard gives Locke Sawyer's file, encouraging him to read it to discover why Sawyer would be willing to kill Cooper. ("The Brig")
A day or so later, Richard asks Ben if he should take the recorder back to the Staff station for Juliet. Ben becomes alarmed, saying he thought Richard had already completed this task, realising that his tape recorder is actually missing. Later that day, Richard is present when Locke arrives at the Others' camp with his father's body, and when Locke claims that Ben is taking him to see Jacob. ("The Man Behind the Curtain")
Richard questions Ben upon his return from the trip to see Jacob, seemingly concerned by Ben's claim that Locke had an "accident" on their trip. ("Greatest Hits")
When Ben leaves the Others to intercept Jack and the other survivors before they get to the radio tower, he orders Richard to escort the remaining Others to the Temple. ("Through the Looking Glass")
Name reference
- The real-life Dr. Richard Alpert (aka Ram Dass) is a noted psychologist and Hindu spiritualist. In 1963, he was dismissed from Harvard University for his research (in collaboration with Timothy Leary, Aldous Huxley, Allen Ginsberg and others) into psilocybin, LSD-25, and other psychedelic chemicals. He later traveled to India, where he was given his Hindu spiritual name "Ram Dass", which translates as "Servant of God". Alpert wrote of his experiences in an unusual tome entitled Be Here Now, and founded the Hanuman Foundation. See Bio and Wikipedia entry. Damon Lindelof confirmed that the character of Alpert was indeed named after a famous person. [1]
- Richard Alpert's colleague Aldous Huxley wrote a book called Island, which has been referenced in Lost, most specifically with regard to the Pala Ferry; Pala is a Utopian island in Huxley's book.
Trivia
- Richard is of Old German origin, and its meaning is "powerful leader".
- Richard is the only living Other known to have belonged to the Hostiles.
- He is the only Other known to be off the Island at the time of the crash.
- In the Season 3 DVD commentary for "The Man from Tallahassee", Richard Alpert is described as someone who is not interested in leading the Others but is very influential in finding and selecting a leader. In the commentary for "The Man from Tallahassee", he is described as being similar to a Panchen Lama choosing the next Dalai Lama. He and Ben keep each other in "check" by having the power to pick/veto each other's replacement on the Island. Ben's role would be to pick the next Panchen, should the need arise. This keeps the two in a sort of balanced power relationship. They are allies, yet they have some measure of control over the other should one get out of hand.
- In The World of the Others, Alpert is described as one of the "#2" leaders to Ben, a consigliere.
- Season 3 DVD audio commentary confirms that Ben's line to Richard in "The Man Behind the Curtain", "It's a birthday present. You do remember birthdays don't you?", was written to be deliberately ambiguous.
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Richard Alpert/Theories
- Where did Richard come from?
- How did Ben achieve a higher ranking than Richard in the Others' hierarchy?
- What was his motivation for giving the information about Sawyer to Locke? ("The Brig")
- What was Richard's role in organizing the Purge?
- Is he really a doctor? If so, when did he become one?
- Why does he appear not to age?
- What reason does he have for trying to recruit Locke?
- How does he get off the Island before he could have had access to the DHARMA submarine?
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centric episodes | "The Man Behind the Curtain" • "The Shape of Things to Come" | |||
| Mobisodes | "King of the Castle" • "Room 23" | |||
| Flashback characters | Richard Alpert • Annie • Marvin Candle • Casey • Dharma Rep. 1 • Horace Goodspeed • June • Olivia Goodspeed • Emily Linus • Roger Linus • Mike • Opal | |||
| Flashforward characters | Bedouins • Ishmael Bakir • Iraqi merchant • London doorman • Sayid Jarrah • Noor "Nadia" Abed Jazeem • Narjiss • Charles Widmore | |||
| Items | Ben's diary • Ben's maps • Ben's painting • Ben's photo • Ben's passports • Ben's tape • Tape recorder • X-ray • DHARMA parka • Telescopic baton | |||
| See also: Main Characters | ||||
| ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flashback episodes | "Not in Portland" • "One of Us" • "The Other Woman" | |||
| Mobisodes | "The Deal" • "Operation: Sleeper" • "Room 23" • "The Envelope" | |||
| Flashback characters | 26-year-old woman • Airport guard • Richard Alpert • Mikhail Bakunin • Edmund Burke • Julian Carlson • Rachel Carlson • Diana • Tom Friendly • Henrietta • Benjamin Linus • Morgue employee • Ethan Rom • Sabine • Sherry • Goodwin Stanhope • Harper Stanhope | |||
| Items | Tape • Tape recorder • Test Drug • Carrie • Juliet's list | |||
| See also: Main Characters | ||||
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flashback episodes | "Walkabout" • "Deus Ex Machina" • "Exodus, Part 2" • "Orientation" • "Lockdown" • "Further Instructions" • "The Man from Tallahassee" • "The Brig" • "Cabin Fever" | |||
| Flashback characters | Matthew Abaddon • Adam • Richard Alpert • Autumn • Jimmy Bane • Bobby • Cindy Chandler • Father Chuck • Eddie Colburn • Anthony Cooper • Crystal • Eddie (security guard) • Emma • ER doctor • ER nurse • Florence • Frainey • Francine • Gellert • Government worker • Helen • Helen (phone operator) • Jan • Bea Jones • Noor "Nadia" Abed Jazeem • JD • Kid • Kim • William Kincaid • Benjamin Linus • Lizzie • Emily Annabeth Locke • Mrs. Locke • Detective Mason • Melissa • Michelle • Mike • Moderator • Randy Nations • Nurse • Nurse Margaret • Physical therapist • Detective Reed • Shannon Rutherford • Security guard • Mrs. Talbot • Peter Talbot • Tom • Travel agent • Waiter • Warren • Sheriff Williams • Zach | |||
| Items | Backgammon • Compass • Crossword Puzzle • Knife • Trebuchet • Wheelchair • Whistle | |||
| See also: Main Characters | ||||
