Penelope Widmore
From Lostpedia
Portrayed by Sonya Walger
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Penelope Widmore, aka "Penny" or "Pen", is the daughter of Charles Widmore. In "Live Together, Die Alone" we discover that she is in love with Desmond, but her father didn't want this relationship to continue. Due to a brief interaction with Charlie, she knows there are survivors of the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.
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Before Desmond's disappearance
In 1994, Penelope Widmore met Desmond at a monastery in Scotland, where Desmond had lived as a novice, but had recently been 'fired' from the order. Penny arrived at the monastery to pick up a shipment of Moriah Wine purchased by her father. Upon meeting Desmond, she convinced him to travel with her to Carlisle to deliver the wine. ("Catch-22")
Penny dated Desmond for two years, eventually moving into his flat, because he was apparently too proud to move into her larger one. After she moved in, Desmond met with her father, and was offered a job in the administrative department (which Desmond refused) at the Widmore Corporation, but was denied Mr. Widmore's blessing to marry Penny. Penny was pleased he was "spared the miserable existence under the employ of Widmore Industries", but was unaware of Desmond's request for marital blessing, so Penny decided they should celebrate. ("Flashes Before Your Eyes")
Desmond still planned to propose to Penny despite her father's refusal to give his blessings, but suddenly changed his mind after a street vendor took a photograph of the couple Desmond could not afford. He felt unworthy of Penny and unable to properly care for her, telling her that she deserved better. During the split up, Penelope called him a coward. ("Flashes Before Your Eyes") Desmond then enlisted in the Highland Light Infantry.
When Desmond was transported back in time to 1996, he called Penny claiming he was in trouble and needed help. She said she was trying to get over him, had moved to a new place, and did not want to speak to him. She then changed her phone number. However, Desmond managed to obtain Penny's new address from her father (who gave it to Desmond because he was convinced Penny would tell Desmond herself that she did not want to see him anymore) and came begging to speak with her. She agreed to see him. Desmond explained that all he wanted was her new phone number, and he would not call her until Christmas Eve eight years in the future. Confused and hurt, she reluctantly gave him the number and forced him out of the apartment. ("The Constant")
Despite the breakup and Desmond's strange behavior, Penelope still loved him and never gave up on him. She placed a love letter in Desmond's copy of Our Mutual Friend before he was sent to military prison for as yet undisclosed reasons. However, he wouldn't find it until much later, after the accidental death of Kelvin, roughly three years after he shipwrecked on the island. While Desmond was in prison, he wrote many letters to Penelope; however, her father had intercepted all of these letters before they reached her. As a result, according to her father, she got over Desmond and became engaged to someone else. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
Her father's version of the situation was called into question when Penny tracked him down in the U.S. She asked him why he never wrote to her, and whether he ever had a chance to read his beloved book. When Desmond asked how she found him, she replied that "with enough money and determination, you can find anyone". Desmond informed her that her father told him about her engagement, which she didn't deny and only replied they hadn't yet set a wedding date. When Desmond implored he'd be back in a year, she responded, "what if you were back right now?", but Desmond ended the conversation by telling her emphatically that he'd be back in a year after he won her father's boat race to get his honor back. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
After Desmond's disappearance
Soon after Desmond crashes on the island, Penny begins searching for him. At some point she manages to learn about the island, but the extent of her knowledge, and where it comes from is unknown. ("The Constant")
Three years after Desmond's disappearance, after the discharge and the detection of an electromagnetic anomaly by the two Portuguese-speaking men at the listening station, Penny is notified by telephone at 3:05 a.m., her local time, that they 'found it.' The callers refer to her as "Miss Widmore", seemingly indicating she was not married. On her nightstand is a copy of a similar photograph of her and Desmond as the one that Desmond carries. ("Live Together, Die Alone")
Not long after, a helicopter crashes offshore of the Island, and a parachutist lands in the jungle. Desmond's flashes convince him it is Penny, but it turns out to be Naomi instead. A book Naomi is carrying has a copy of the photo of Desmond and Penny inside. ("Catch-22"), and Naomi claims that, although she has never met Penny herself, Penny hired Naomi Dorrit's company to investigate the coordinates of the anomaly, which appear to be in the middle of the ocean. ("The Brig")("Through the Looking Glass")
After Charlie turns off the signal jam at The Looking Glass, a button lights up telling Charlie there is an incoming transmission. He presses the button, and Penny appears on-screen, but her response to Charlie's question if she is "on the boat" is "What boat?" When Charlie clarifies and mentions Naomi, Penny seems confused and replies, "I am not on a boat; who, who's Naomi?" As she asks how he got this frequency, she hears Charlie shout for Desmond. She smiles as Charlie says he's OK, but before she can speak with him, Charlie is forced to lock the door before the room is flooded. Desmond shouts her name as the door closes, but it is uncertain if Penny hears him. Charlie assumes Naomi has been lying about Penny hiring her company, so before he drowns, he writes a message on his hand for Desmond, "not Penny's boat".
On Christmas Eve 2004, Desmond, on the freighter, phones Penny at her London flat in front of a Christmas tree. She is ecstatic to hear from him, now having proof she "isn't crazy". She tried to tell him she knows about the island, and she vows she would find him, but their connection is garbled and the full message isn't understood by Desmond. They profess their love for each other just before the rigged phone on Desmond's end runs out of battery power. ("The Constant")
Some time before October 2005, Penny's father has hidden her from Ben, who wants to kill her in retribution for the murder of his own daughter, Alex. Wherever Penny is, Charles believes even Ben will not be able to find her. ("The Shape of Things to Come")
Trivia
- In Homer's Odyssey, Penelope was the faithful wife of Odysseus. She waited for him for twenty years while he was lost at sea and thought by many to be dead, resisting the advances of 108 suitors who tried to marry her. Because of this, she is often used as a symbol of marital fidelity.
- Also in Homer's Odyssey, Poseidon was the God of the Sea. He hated Odysseus and used his powers over the ocean to hinder Odysseus' attempts at returning to Penelope, his wife. Charles Widmore does not want Desmond to be with Penelope, and "controls the sea" with his freighter, Kahana, which resides off the coast of the Island. It's possible that Charles Widmore is a Poseidon figure in that he controls the sea around the Island and is hindering Desmond's attempts to be with Penelope.
- In Greek mythology, Penelope is "the weaver of dreams" (a reference to her using her weaving and un-weaving of a tapestry to ward off suitors). She is also a bringer of visions and a muse of artistic expression.
- Also in Greek Mythology, Odysseus had to beat Penelope's father, Icarius, in a footrace in order to win her over. Desmond tried to prove himself and win Charles Widmore's approval by competing in Charles Widmore's race around the world.
- Penelope Widmore, as played by Sonya Walger, does not appear in the original version of Desmond's photograph as seen in "Man of Science, Man of Faith" and "Orientation". The woman appearing in the original version was claimed by some fans to resemble Arlene Stewart, who attempted to adopt Claire's child, but it was later revealed to be a continuity error that was corrected before a later re-airing of that episode and before the DVD release.
- The area where she is from—Knightsbridge, U.K., is a wealthy district of Central London where Lucy Heatherton is also from.
- In another Greek myth, Orpheus travels to the Underworld to rescue his wife who had previously died after a fatal snake bite. Hades, God of the Underworld, agrees as long as Orpheus travels to the normal world (with his wife in tow) without looking back to see her. However, at the last minute he looks back and sees her for the last time falling back into the Underworld. This is similar to Desmond's second chance to re-live his life and live again with Penelope, but as a result of the Universe's ability to course correct (as suggested by Ms. Hawking) this is impossible.
- Penelope is of Greek origin, and its meaning is "weaver". From "pene". Mythology: Penelope, wife of Odysseus, fended off suitors by weaving during the day and unraveling at night a tapestry she said had to be completed before she would wed another husband. The name has come to signify a loyal, capable, and clever woman.
Unanswered questions
| Unanswered questions |
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- For fan theories about these unanswered questions, see: Penelope Widmore/Theories
- Why is Penelope having the crew of the listening station look for magnetic disturbances in relation to her search for Desmond?
- Why did The Looking Glass receive a transmission from her?
- Why was the freighter crew under orders to block her incoming calls?
- How does she know about the Island?
- IS Penelope working for or against her father? (She did get the call about "finding The Island" after The Discharge, but the Freighter crew has orders to block all of her calls.
- Is there any significance to the ring Penny is wearing on her right ring-finger during the phone conversation with Desmond?
- Where has her father hidden her? Why does Charles think Ben won't find her?
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| Centric episodes | "Live Together, Die Alone" • "Flashes Before Your Eyes" • "Catch-22" • "The Constant" | |||
| Flashback characters | Auctioneer • Bartender • Billy • Brother Campbell • Marvin Candle • Delivery man • Derek • Donovan • Eloise • Daniel Faraday • Ms. Hawking • Mr. Hollister • Kelvin Joe Inman • Jimmy Lennon • Libby • Man wearing red shoes • Brother Martin • Master Sergeant • Charlie Pace • Partridge • Photographer • Physics student • Receptionist • Ruth • Sergeant • Jack Shephard • Soldier • Suited guard • Charles Widmore • Penelope Widmore • Young man | |||
| Items | Letters (Desmond) • Letter (Penelope) • Lightning Rod • MacCutcheon Whisky • Our Mutual Friend • Photograph • Satellite phone | |||
| See also: Main Characters | ||||
