Summary

• Michael betrayed his allies to save his son, making the painful choice to kill Ana Lucia and Libby.
• Harold Perrineau felt Michael never redeemed himself after committing the murders.
• The cliffhanger of Michael killing Ana Lucia and Libby was a twist based on complex character motivations.

Even after multiple viewings of Lost, some fans still wonder, "Why did Michael kill Ana Lucia and Libby?" Michael Dawson (Harold Perrineau) is one of the show's most tragic and he kills Ana Lucia Cortez (Michelle Rodriguez) and Libby Smith (Cynthia Watros) for a dark reason. Michael and his son Walt (Malcolm David Kelley) end up on the island after Michael gained custody when Walt's mother died of an illness, and while they have a fractured relationship, Michael loves his child and would do anything for him.

That includes attempts to find a way off the island, which meant striking a deal with consequences. From the beginning, Walt is an important character and he becomes a target for some of the dangerous enemies on the island. While Michael wasn't there for his son for much of his life, he becomes fiercely protective of him, killing his own allies for his son's sake. In season 2, the Oceanic 815 survivors think of Michael as a traitor because of his terrible actions, including the murder of Ana Lucia and Libby. These events stuck with Michael forever and changed him.

Michael Killed Ana Lucia & Libby To Help Ben Escape Captivity

Michael's Murders Were For The Sake Of His Son

Michael murders Ana Lucia and Libby because he negotiates with Ben Linus (Michael Emerson), who is being kept in the hatch. The Others kidnap Walt at the end of season 1 after attacking the raft Michael is attempting to escape on. In season 2, Michael knows that he must free Ben to get Walt back, a tough and necessary choice that he doesn't have much time to consider. Michael convinces Ana Lucia to hand over a gun when she is standing in front of the hatch's door and shoots and kills her.

When Libby appears, she scares Michael, and he accidentally shoots her as well. These are the worst actions Michael commits on Lost, and he betrays the other characters even more by allowing the Others to take Sawyer Ford (Josh Holloway), Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox), Hurley Reyes (Jorge Garcia), and Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly). While Michael kills people to save his son, and Lost makes it clear that he doesn't feel he has any other choice, it's hard for him to forgive himself. He never gets over the pain he has caused.

Both Michelle Rodriguez and Cynthia Watros appeared on Lost after their characters were killed off.

Harold Perrineau's Least Favorite Moment Was Michael Killing Libby & Ana Lucia

The Actor Felt Michael Never Redeemed Himself

Some feel that Michael fixes some of the wrongs of his past when he helps Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick), Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews), and Jin-Soo Kwan (Daniel Dae Kim) in a tense season 4 plotline. Michael pretends to be Kevin Johnson and saves his friends from a bomb on a boat and dies instead. However, Perrineau shared that he wanted his character to prove that he regretted his actions and help the other characters, and he didn't like that Michael murdered Ana Lucia and Libby. Perrineau said (via EW):

"I didn’t think he got to redeem himself, especially to the people who I feel like he wronged. I wanted Michael to go back and do something for them so that they felt like he really put out and that he did something to satisfy his own guilt and their anger..."

While Michael never forgets the impossible and difficult choice that he made, he doesn't appear in the last two seasons of Lost, and he could have done more to prove his devastation over his decision.

Michael Killing Ana Lucia & Libby Is One Of Lost's Best Cliffhangers

The Twist Was Based On Its Characters Rather Than The Larger Mystery

Lost was filled with twists that kept fans hooked and guessing what it all meant. However, the murders of Ana Lucia and Libby had a different impact on the show and made for one of the best cliffhangers on a show that was known for having great ones. Many of the most memorable cliffhangers on Lost were the ones that introduced exciting new questions into the series. These include the reveal of the flash-forwards with Jack off the island and the reveal that Penny did not send the boat to the island.

However, Michael killing off two key characters was just shocking storytelling. It was a twist, but not one that was based on the strange timelines or inexplicable weirdness of the island. It was one of the heroes of the show making a shocking decision based on complex motivations. The cliffhanger didn't come from what a new mystery meant for the story, but rather what would be the fallout of Michael's actions and how much further he would go.

Libby's Death Is Lost's Most Tragic

Libby's Death Added Heartbreak To The Shocking Moment

Michael killing Ana Lucia was the moment on Lost when the character turned down a dark path and showed how far he was willing to go to protect Walt. However, while the death of Ana Lucia made it a truly shocking moment, it was the death of Libby that made the scene truly tragic. Ana Lucia was willing to let Michael execute Ben, and while that is not to suggest she then deserved to die, it was a position she put herself in. However, Libby was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, with her death being senseless.

Libby was an innocent character who was not involved in the conflicts of the series and was shown to be a kind and caring person. She was even striking up a romance with Hurley which was endearing and made her even more likable. The show seemed to know that these aspects would make it all the more emotional when Libby died in such a tragic way. In fact, the only reason she was in the hatch was to get supplies for a picnic date with Hurley. It was the death of Libby that made it a harrowing decision for Michael.