The Diplomat's Allison Janney Was A Key Part Of Lost Despite Only Appearing Once

Fans of "Lost" are very familiar with the cast that carried the show through its six mind-bending seasons. Everyone had a part to play in getting from the island to the mainland, then back to the island, then finally to a large church in what some consider one of the worst TV series finales of all time. But regardless of what you thought of the finale, it wouldn't have been possible without a one-episode appearance by actress Allison Janney, who recently collected her eighth Emmy win for her role on "The Diplomat."

The genius of "Lost" was keeping viewers in the dark about the island's many mysteries. As the show progressed, two of the biggest mysteries centered around Jacob and a black smoke monster that had the ability to take the form of people who had died. Finally in Season 6, viewers were starting to get some answers, and in the episode "Across the Sea," they learn the history of Jacob, the smoke monster, and the woman who raised them.

In the episode, Janney's character, referred to only as "Mother," helps a pregnant woman give birth on the island to two boys. One is named Jacob and the other isn't named at all. Similar to her role on "The Diplomat," however, it turns out Janney's character was more than she first appeared to be. She ends up killing the woman and cares for the boys herself, leaving the audience with even more questions, which is pretty much what "Lost" is known for.

One of the recurring questions watchers of "Lost" had was regarding the island's special properties. What was it that made the island so magical? Again, thanks to Allison Janney's character, fans got their answer — sort of. As the episode moves on, you see Janney's character raising the two boys and at one point in the episode leading them to a cave with golden light streaming out of it. She later explains the cave is the heart of the island and where the island gets its power from. It was the audience's first solid answer as to the magic of the island.

Eventually, one of the brothers, Jacob, grows up to be the protector of the island, while the other brother ends up killing Janney's character and becoming the black smoke monster when Jacob chucks him into the cave with the glowing light. Jacob buries the bodies of his brother and Janney's character next to each other, which are the same remains the main cast come upon in Season 1.

The episode was an unusual one for "Lost," as it was the only one in the series not to feature any of the main cast of characters in new footage. Thankfully, Janney's performance as the mother was brilliant enough to carry the episode and set the show up for its finale, an episode that truly broke the internet.