Template:Infobox Lost character Walter Lloyd, better known as "Walt," is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Malcolm David Kelley.

Character biography

Prior to the crash

Walt is Michael Dawson's 10-year-old son (born August 24, 1994, named after Michael's father, Walter). Walt's mother was Susan Lloyd, a law student and future attorney, who rejected marriage with his father, a construction worker and part-time artist. His mother split up with Michael while Walt was still a baby, and moved with her son to Amsterdam for an international law job. Two weeks before Walt's second birthday, Susan told Michael that she and her boss, Brian Porter, are planning on getting married and that they will be moving to Rome, Italy, at the end of the month. A legal battle ensues between Walt's two parents. Several months later, they finally settle their dispute amicably and Michael accepts to let Susan keep Walt with her.

Eight years later, Susan dies in Australia due to a "blood disorder". Brian pleads with Michael to take custody of the boy and even gives him tickets for the flight to Sydney and back, plus extra money for travel expenses. Brian reveals that he had not wanted to be Walt's adoptive father, and that he is scared of the boy. When Michael arrives in Australia to collect Walt, he doesn't take too well to him. Michael spares Walt's feelings by telling him that Brian wants to keep him, but it is up to Michael and he has decided to take him.^[1]

After the crash

Soon after the crash, due to Michael's willingness to help others, Walt is left under the care of different people, most noticeably Sun. Walt is intrigued by Locke's hunting instincts, and constantly tries to sneak away with him, but to no avail. The next day, Walt sneaks away with Locke and Boone, and exhibits a natural talent in knife throwing. Michael soon arrives and is enraged, taking Walt away from them and forbidding him to see them. Walt takes Vincent, the dog, and leaves camp, heading into the jungle, where he encounters a polar bear. He is rescued by Michael and Locke.^[1]

Michael begins constructing a raft, and finishes it after a few days. However, Walt secretly sets alight to it, completely destroying it.^[2] Another day, Walt confesses to burning the original raft, explaining that he did not want to leave the island, but decides they need to leave.^[3] The next morning, Walt gives Vincent to Shannon before he leaves on the raft with Michael, Jin and Sawyer. That night, however, they encounter the Others, who kidnap Walt.^[4] Walt remains in captivity with the Others, but frequently appears to Shannon.^[5] In a mobisode it is revealed Walt posed a greater threat to the Others than they expected, as he had been doing something unspecified that frightened them so that they would not go in to see him. Ben responds to a particular situation with a blaring alarm and people in commotion, and Juliet suggests that Ben take responsibility and bring Walt back to Michael.

As Michael is entering the numbers into the hatch, he unexpectedly receives a messages from whom he believes is Walt.^[6] Michael is briefly reunited with Walt after he is brought to the Others' camp. Before being taken away, Walt hugs Michael.^[7] Later, Michael returns with Jack, Kate, Sawyer and Hurley, in an exchange for Walt and their freedom. Walt awaits in a boat, and the two sail off.^[8]

After the Island

In the island, Locke lies in a pit of dead bodies about to commit suicide in despair, an older Walt appears to him and tells him to get out of the pit, saying he has "work to do", allowing Locke to regain use of his legs again.^[9] Whilst off the island, Walt resides at his grandmother's house due to not wanting to speak or having anything to do with Michael after learning that he killed Ana-Lucia and Libby.^[10]

In "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham", Walt is shown to be living in New York City. He is visited by a wheelchair-bound Locke, who has returned from the Island. Locke does not ask Walt to return to the Island as he does with the rest of the Oceanic returnees, as he felt that the boy had been through enough already.^[11] In the episode, "There's No Place Like Home" after visited by Locke, Walt visits Hurley at the Santa Rosa Mental Institution with his grandmother. He asks Hurley why the Oceanic Six are lying and Hurley tells him that they're lying to protect the people left behind on the island. Walt is under the assumption that his father is still alive and living on the island. ^[12]

Development

A lot of children were seen for the role of Walt. They were narrowed down to the top three, with Malcolm David Kelley winning it, after the producers were impressed with his role in Antwone Fisher.^[13]

When originally cast, Walt was portrayed as a 10 year old boy, but after two seasons, Malcolm David Kelley no longer looked 10. While the first four seasons move slowly through time and only months have passed on the show, the actual filming has stretched over several years. The show's writers appear to have dealt with this at the end of the second season by sending Michael and Walt away from the island toward supposed rescue. In his brief appearance at the end of Season 3, Kelley is noticeably taller and older with a deeper voice. This fact is acknowledged by Locke in Confirmed Dead. In the season four episode, "Meet Kevin Johnson", Malcolm David Kelley makes a brief uncredited cameo as Walt in the episode's flashbacks. Make-up and CGI was used to make Kelley look younger and more like a ten year old.^[14]In the season four finale, "There's No Place Like Home", Walt appears in a flash-forward, but this scene is set about three years after the plane crash, so Kelley's older appearance is not a problem. When asked about the production difficulties associated with Walt and possible appearances of the character in the fourth season, co-creator Damon Lindelof stated, "We've always known Malcolm was going to grow faster than we could shoot the show. And we planned for it. Trust us. Please trust us. You'll see [Walt] again. But you're gonna have to be patient. Sorry."^[15]

Malcolm David Kelley returned as Walt again in the episode "The Life and Death of Jeremy Bentham," when Locke visited him in New York where he was attending 11th grade. Kelley has stated a willingness to return to the show again, including possibly a full-time stint in season six.^[16]

References

• Walt Lloyd at Lostpedia
• Walt Lloyd at Lost Wikia