Nikki Fernandez

The Actor: Kiele Sanchez

Flashback Episode: "Expose"

Introduction: Nikki Fernandez was one of the middle section survivors from Flight 815 and is first introduced in 'Further Instruction'. She had spent most of her time on the island trying to recover the $8 million diamonds she and Paulo had stole from Zukerman, her staged lover, before the crash. She recieved a Medusa spider bite that induced a deathlike paralysis and she died after being buried alive alongside Paulo.

Who she is: Nikki is one of the 48 original survivors of the Middle section of Oceanic Flight 815.

Hails from: Seems like California as she is an actress.

Who she was before: Nikki was an aspiring actress and had a guest role as Corvette on the t.v. show "Exposé".

Who she is now: Nikki is first seen wandering through the wreckage of Flight 815 desperately looking for Paulo, She finds Dr. Arzt mistaking him for Paulo only to walk away when she discovers it's not him. She is even questioned by Boone for a pen in which she ignores him and walks off. Nikki soon finds him staring out at the Ocean only to ask him about their bag.

Over the next few days she spends her time with Paulo searching through luggage in hopes of finding their bag. They are approached by Ethan Rom who suggests they search in the jungle.

Nikki approaches Arzt as he is studying his many species of insects, one in particular is the Medusa Spider, he tells her that the pheromones are so strong that if the lid were to open spiders from all over the island would come looking. She manages to work him over by asking him if he had any idea were her bag may have landed, he draws her a map and with Paulo she treks into the jungle.

While trekking through the jungle they argue over her methods to get the map and end up stumbling upon the Drug Smugglers Plane. Paulo chooses not to explore it so they continue on only to find the Hatch for the Pearl Station. Nikki doesn't let Paulo go down since he wouldn't explore the plane and they continue on.

A few days later Nikki and Paulo stumble upon Shannon and Arzt arguing with Kate over the guns that were in the Marshall's Case. Nikki asks Kate were she found the guns and they are off again; this time to the Waterfall. After another argue we learn that the bag actually contains diamonds worth 8 million dollars. Nikki convinces Paulo to go diving for them only for him to lie and tell her there was nothing but dead bodies down there. As she leaves he dives back down.

Nikki Later volunteer's herself to go off to the Pearl Station with Locke, Sayid and Desmond. (Much to Paulo's Disappointment.) Once there she offers up the idea that the other monitors at the Pearl might monitor other, as yet undiscovered stations, which leads Locke and Sayid to tinker with some wires until the eye-patch dude shows up on a monitor, on "The Cost of Living."

She then later attends Mr. Eko's Funeral.

Nikki is one of the survivors Hurley tries convincing to witness the car he discovered in the jungle. Only to be lead away when Paulo tugs at her shorts. "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead."

Nikki and the other survivors are seen putting together a ping pong table only to be interrupted by Sawyer who's pretty upset with everyone taking back his things. She replies saying they were never his to begin with only for him to snap back questioning who she is - this is in "Enter 77."

Paulo discovers Nikki on the beach upset about missing Thanksgiving, he comforts her and the pair finally come to an agreement about the diamonds, she finally realizes they may never get off the island and as Paulo leaves, Nikki discovers that he has been hiding the Diamonds from her all along. She first goes to Sawyer demanding a gun, after that failed attempt she takes Paulo out into the jungle and demands he give her the diamonds, as he continues to lie she takes out the Medusa Spider and throws it at Paulo. Since he was bitten on the neck he is immediately paralyzed and she takes the diamonds.

Since she released the spider it's pheromones attract many more and she herself is bitten. Nikki immediately flees the scene and quickly buries the diamonds before she herself is paralyzed. She stumbles upon Hurley and Sawyer but it's too late. She tries to tell them she's paralyzed but Hurley hears it as "Paulo Lies".

Everyone assumes that the two have been killed by the monster, and after the discovery of Paulo's Walkie Talkie they are also accused of working with the others. At their funeral Sawyer empties the diamonds onto the two and begin to bury them. Just as the dirt hit's their bodies Nikki wakes up only to be buried alive alongside Paulo.

Why she was in Australia: She was filming a guest starring role in the television show "Exposé."

Connections before the Island: Nikki and Paulo ran into Boone and Shannon at the airport before the flight.

Big secrets: Nikki and Paulo worked together and killed Mr. Zuckerman for a stash of diamonds he had worth 8 Million Dollars. The rest of the survivors accidentally buried her alive with Paulo.

Theories: Even though she was buried alive there is a slim chance she could still be alive and could be brought back next season. (Just as the words of Mr. Zuckerman.)

Trivia: Although her character has been on the island from day one, her first appearance was in the Episode "Further Instructions"

Questions:
Q:Will we see a Nikki Centric Episode anytime soon?
A:Yes! The episode aired March 28th and was titled "Expose".

Q:Will we see Nikki again?
A:Given that she was buried alive, it's unlikely we will see her on the island. But it is always possible she could show up in someone's flashback.

Q:I just saw a clip of Nikki Stripping... What in the?
A:That was a role her character was playing on the television show "Expose".