If you were watching TV back in 2004, you probably remember the absolute chaos that was the Lost pilot. It was the most expensive thing ever put on a small screen at the time, costing about $14 million just to crash a plane on a beach in Hawaii. In the middle of that wreckage was Ian Somerhalder. He played Boone Carlyle, a guy who looked like he stepped straight out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog but spent most of his time trying—and failing—to be a hero.
Honestly, it’s wild to think about now. Before he was the smoldering, neck-snapping Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries, he was just Boone. The "helper." The guy who desperately wanted a seat at the adult table but kept getting sent to the kids' section.
But there’s a lot about the Lost TV series Ian Somerhalder era that people actually forget. It wasn’t just a stepping stone. It was a brutal, humbling, and weirdly prophetic start to one of the biggest careers in TV.
The Sacrifice the Island Demanded
Let’s be real: Boone was kind of a mess. He was a rich kid who ran his mom's wedding business, which isn't exactly "survivalist" training. He had this deeply complicated, borderline-creepy obsession with his stepsister, Shannon. He spent the first few weeks on the island trying to save people from drowning (he didn't) or finding pens for emergency surgeries (he did, eventually).
Then he met John Locke.
That was the turning point. Boone became Locke’s "Padawan," helping him hunt for a mysterious metal hatch in the ground. He thought he was finally part of the "A-Team." But the island is a jerk. In the episode "Do No Harm," Boone climbed into a Beechcraft plane stuck in a tree to use the radio. He actually succeeded—he made contact with the tail-section survivors—but then the plane shifted. It fell.
Boone didn't die instantly. That’s what made it so gut-wrenching. He lingered. Jack Shephard tried everything, even a primitive blood transfusion, to save him.
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Why did they kill him off?
It wasn't because Ian Somerhalder was a bad actor. Far from it. Showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse have since called his death a "narrative imperative." They’d spent months telling the audience that "no one is safe," but they hadn't actually proven it yet. By killing the young, handsome guy everyone expected to be the romantic lead, they broke the "TV rules."
Somerhalder has admitted that losing the job was a "tough pill to swallow." He was the first actor cast in the series and the first main character to be killed off. Talk about a roller coaster.
The Weird "Damon" Shift in Later Seasons
Even though Boone died in Season 1, Ian Somerhalder kept popping back up. Lost loved a good hallucination or flashback. He appeared in Season 2, Season 3, and eventually the big series finale in Season 6.
If you go back and watch his Season 6 appearances in the "Flash Sideways" universe, something is... different.
Fans on Reddit and old forums have pointed this out for years. In Season 1, Boone was earnest, slightly insecure, and a bit of a "himbo." By the time he returned for the finale in 2010, Ian had already been playing Damon Salvatore for a year.
The "Boone" we see on the plane in the final season has a certain swagger. The eyebrows are more active. The smirk is more dangerous. He feels less like the wedding-planner-turned-survivor and more like a vampire who just stepped off a private jet. It’s a fascinating bit of "actor bleed" where his new, massive role clearly influenced how he played his old one.
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Life After the Crash: From Hawaii to the Farm
The Lost TV series Ian Somerhalder experience changed him in ways that had nothing to do with acting.
While filming in Hawaii, he got obsessed with the environment. He spent his off-days working on reef conservation and soil health. It wasn't just a celebrity hobby; it became his life’s work. After The Vampire Diaries ended, he basically walked away from Hollywood.
He didn't want to chase awards anymore. Instead, he moved to a farm with his wife, Nikki Reed (who, ironically, was in Twilight). These days, he spends his time:
- Running the Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF).
- Producing documentaries like Kiss the Ground and Common Ground.
- Raising his kids and tending to cows and horses.
He’s even admitted that he wasn't always the most professional on the Lost set. He’s told stories about showing up late because he slept through his alarms or complaining about the craft service food. He calls it his "humble pie" era.
The Boone Legacy
Was Boone a hero? Locke thought so. At the "Booneral" (yes, fans actually called it that), Locke called him the best of them.
Boone’s death triggered the massive rift between Jack (the man of science) and Locke (the man of faith). That conflict drove the entire show for the next five years. Without Boone’s sacrifice, Jack wouldn't have become so obsessed with "fixing" everyone, and Locke wouldn't have felt so much guilt.
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If you're looking to revisit his journey or understand his impact, here’s how to handle it:
Watch the "Locke and Boone" arc specifically.
Focus on the episodes Confidence Man, All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, and Hearts and Minds. It’s where you see the real meat of his character development before the tragic end.
Look for the "Easter Eggs" in his return.
When he returns in Season 3 as a hallucination in the sweat lodge, pay attention to how he guides Locke. It’s one of the few times the show actually gives Boone the "all-knowing" power he always wanted.
Compare the performances.
Watch a Season 1 episode and then immediately skip to the Season 6 premiere. The difference in Somerhalder’s screen presence is a masterclass in how much a single hit show (The Vampire Diaries) can change an actor's "vibe."
The Lost TV series Ian Somerhalder era was short—only 25 episodes or so—but the show wouldn't have been the same without him. He was the "first blood" that proved the island was dangerous, and he used that momentum to become one of the most recognizable faces in television history. Not bad for a guy who started out just looking for a pen.