Danielle Rousseau

Danielle Rousseau
Mira Furlan as Danielle Rousseau
First appearance	"Solitary"
Information
Name	Danielle Rousseau
Former residence	Europe, The Island
Profession	Scientist
Portrayed by	Mira Furlan

Danielle Rousseau is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Mira Furlan. She is a recurring on-island character who has appeared periodically throughout seasons one through three. She is named after French-Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau.

Fictional character biography

On the island, before the crash of Oceanic 815

According to Danielle's descriptions: When she and her crew shipwrecked on their route from Tahiti, there were six total who survived, including a pregnant Danielle. The rest of her team eventually died in an area she referred to as "the dark territory," including Montand, who lost his arm, Brennan, who "took the keys", and Robert, her lover whom she killed because he had "the sickness". Danielle eventually gave birth to a baby girl she named Alex. Alex was then abducted by The Others soon after. She changed the radio tower's transmission from repeating The Numbers (4 8 15 16 23 42) to a repeating distress signal that the survivors heard in "Pilot: Part 2." She had been on the island for sixteen years when the survivors arrived. It was said that Danielle will be having a flashback to show the story of her research ship in either the fourth, fifth, or sixth season, as well as show up in someone else's flashback.

After the crash

Season 1

Rousseau is first seen shortly after capturing Sayid in one of her traps, and holds him in her bunker. She tortures him with electricity, until he eventually convinces her of his identity and that he is not one of the Others. At first, Rousseau is reluctant to let him go, but after much persuasion, she allows Sayid to return to his camp, and cautions him to keep a close eye on the other survivors. Over two weeks later, she comes across a delirious Claire, who had been left in the jungle. Noticing that Claire's shouting is alerting the Others, Rousseau knocks her unconscious and carries her near the caves, in order for her to find her way back to camp.

Since releasing Sayid, Rousseau rigs her bunker with explosives, which detonates when Sayid and Jack discover it. She sees Charlie and Hurley and shoot at them, suspecting them of being Others. She holds Hurley at gunpoint, to which he asks her about the numbers. She explains that the numbers led her and her team to the island, and agrees that they are cursed. She gives Hurley a battery before leaving.

Early one morning, Rousseau arrives on the beach and warns everyone that the Others are coming. After being introduced to the hatch, she takes Jack, Kate, Locke, Hurley and Arzt to the Black Rock, an abandoned slave ship originally en route to a mining colony. She briefly informs them of the dynamite inside before returning to the beach. Upon arriving, she sends Charlie to find Sayid; upon his departure, she knocks Claire unconscious and steals her baby. That night, she reluctantly returns him to Sayid, upset that the Others did not come for the baby.

Season 2

Rousseau returns to the beach much later, and informs Sayid that she has caught one of the Others. She takes him to her trap, where "Henry Gale" pleads with them to let him go. As he is released, Rousseau shoots him in the shoulder with her crossbow to prevent him from fleeing. Later, Claire and Kate enter the jungle to find Rousseau. Rousseau joins them as they search for a cure for baby Aaron. They arrive at the Staff station, to find it completely ransacked. Disappointed that she has not found any trace of Alex, her long-lost child, she leaves them moments before the two head back to camp; Claire tells Rousseau that she believes her daughter helped her escape.

Season 3

Late one night, Kate, Locke and Sayid find Rousseau in the jungle. Kate persuades Rousseau to help her when she informs her that a girl named Alex helped her escape from the Others. The four head into the jungle, where they discover the Flame station. Rousseau refuses to approach the station, instead waiting outside for them. When the three return that night with Mikhail as hostage, Rousseau is adamant that he should he killed. Later, Kate questions Rousseau as to why she is not asking about her child's benefit, to which she explains that, having been separated for sixteen years, she does not wish to know as Alex will not even remember her.

When they arrive at the Others' barracks, Rousseau abandons the group; she watches from the bushes that night as Alex heads towards the submarine. Later, Rousseau is approached by Jack and Juliet, and the three concoct a plan to get rid of the Others. Rousseau enters the Black Rock, where she finds Locke sat outside the brig, and leaves with a case of dynamite. She appears later when Jack and Juliet announce their plan to the rest of the camp. Rousseau assists in rigging the targeted shelters with wire from the wreckage, only for the plan to fall awry when Karl informs them that the Others are coming earlier than expected. Rousseau leads the survivors to the radio tower, in order for them to contact Naomi's freighter. En route to the tower, however, they encounter Ben and Alex; Rousseau is finally reunited with her daughter, and the two tie up Ben. Rousseau watches as Jack makes contact with the freighter.

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