Key Points from "The End"

EMAC is FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am FIRST on the LAST review. Lost will forever be in my heart. Farewell Fellow Losties <3

MIF !!

in!

Mapache is fourth!!!!!
Thanks Mac for some kick ass reviews all these years....
we sure as hell are gonna miss ya!

I HAVE to post for the final episode - you guys have been a wonderful source through the years.

I LOVED the finale and have to say that concluding the show by resolving the emotional and spiritual journeys of the characters we've come to love - rather than just answering all the empirical questions - that is just want the Doc ordered!

Great review and great video, Mac. Don't sell yourself short on your video skills; you did great. Reminded me a little of how Jack would have handled an interview (in a good way.)

my personal thought is that it was a great ending although so many questions still unanswered.... grrrr!

GRAA Mac. Thank you for everything over these past 6 years! I'm 21 now and this blog has been a part of my life since I was 16.

I haven't posted nearly enough, but my two cents:

Lost has also been a show about the characters. So for all the hubbub sure to be made about the unanswered science-y questions and so on, I would just like to make mention that the story of these characters' lives, particularly Jack's, has been a harrowing, amazing adventure. That, more than anything else, hooked me, and kept me hooked, on Lost.

Thank you everybody for everything.

Namaste.

Mac, thanks for all of your reviews over the years. First and last time poster.

First and last post I've made/will make - I've loved the reviews (quietly, since I never notice anything more than the hundreds of other comments) - just a note to say than you for explaining things, for screenshots, and for writing down 'best line's that I would otherwise have forgotten. GRAA Mac!

anybody else annoyed at the absence of micheal and walt???

GRAA Mac! What an amazing ride?! I'm sad to see it go.

What happened with Sawyer and Kate on-island, I think they let it this way for Skaters to believe they ended un together. NICE!!!

I've been reading Mac's recaps since I started watching the show mid-way through Season 2, and this is my first comment. Just had to say thanks. So ...

Thanks for providing some extra light in an often dark and confusing (but tremendously fun) journey, Mac.

Mac, I miss the show and this blog already, and I haven't even read your review yet. Much love to all on the Lost cast & crew, everyone in this great community and especially you, Mac. Not sure 'bout the finale, but no bitching here.

Wow, what an amazing end to the show. It doesn't even bother me to think about all the questions left unanswered, partly because I know there's a book or two in the works somewhere down the road. But also I don't care because of the amazingly emotional resolution for all of the characters. The "reunion" scene in the church was magical; I'm sure there was very little acting involved, if any. I was really trying to keep it together, but when Vincent lay down next to Jack, I just lost it. I never do this, but to paraphrase the Simpsons' Comic Book Guy: Best. Ending. Ever.

Well mac, I know for me,I found the Lost blog in season 4. My best friend who introduced me to Lost in the summer between seasons 3 and 4, tells me i should read these keypoints and he says it helps me understand each episode, and i remember him saying "yeah that guys fucking crazy he like puts up the keypoints like an hour after the episode, i think he just reads spoilers" lmao so i was like this guy is definatley a spolier reader lol but i read the keypoints since season 4 and ive always read the comments but i was always to scared to post aything cause you guys were so sharp and on point with everything i felt like a total loser compared to you guys. So when across the sea aired, i think, i read the keypoints and i was so motivated to say something i couldnt hold it in and i finally posted like two words lmao and it felt so good to participate, i was like SHIT why didnt post on here before its so fun! but im happy i got a few words in before it was all over and i got to become apart of you guys, it was so cool, you guys are the greatest and so resectful for an online community. i felt right at home being able to talk about LOST with people who actually care. Thanks you guys you guys are dear to my heart.

See ya in anotha life brothas

Haven't read the review yet, I am sure it is a GRAA, Mac!

It will definitely be different not having this blog when in need of something to entertain myself when I'm bored, to distract me from studying, to explain all the complex concepts of LOST to me, to distract me from annoyances/troubles, to read and become smarter, or even to make me happy when I'm sad.

Thank you Mac for everything, and thank you to all the regulars who made this experience an unforgettable one.

It has been a great six years. This blog has done so much for me. Lost has always been my "go to" thing or my "sanctuary". I have a lot of medical issues and had to go to the doctor 2-3 times a week during high school. This restrained my involvement in many things and social life to an extent. Watching LOST was something that kept me going and gave me something to look forward to in the week since I hated going to doctor appointments and especially doctors at that point (no offense). The blog gave me something to do throughout the week. A place to go to when I needed something to distract me or a place to be accepted.

I also feel like it improved my writing skills. It may not seem like it through my posts -- but writing is somewhat my forte now. In school at least.

Thanks again for everything. I'm glad we have the facebook group now so we can keep in touch and stuff.

Anyway... the finale kind of confused me. I understood it, I just don't know what to think about it.

I feel like people either absolutely loved it, hated it, or are too confused to have an opinion. I'm probably in the third group.

I just feel as though I came out of a really hard exam that I studied really hard for but didn't really know any of the answers to. You know, the feeling you get when you know you failed despite all the hard efforts put into it. That's just the feeling I have at the moment.

I really just don't know. It's not like I hated it... I don't know if I was disappointed or not... I'm just... confused.

In better words, I don't feel as though that episode was satisfying... I think.

Ok off to read Mac's review. Just wanted to put everything out there.

I can't believe it's all over. I am so sad I wasn't able to be here most of this season for all of the discussions.

This was a really beautiful way to end the series. I was really pleased with it because it was open ended.

I also had that thought about Flocke when he died. XD I also noticed a white rock on the ledge above him. =o hehe

I like how the Purgatory theme was present but not in the way we expected.

The end scene with Jack made me wonder if the white shoe we saw in the tree was one of the things that was shown in the pilot that was a key to the end? I believe that's what someone said before, that there were five items or something but I forget.

Thank you so much Mac for all your time and your insight and your good cheer. What a lovely community you created! By far the best LOST outfit on the internet and that is because your musings attracted a group of incredible people... oh hell, I'm just going to say it...a group of intelligent people. The absence of shipper nonsense alone sets Mac's crew apart from the rest!

Thanks for the memories!

I did like the Vincent/Jack scene though. It was nice that he didn't let Jack "die alone".

Hopefully after reading everyone's thoughts and Mac's review I will have a greater respect for this conclusion. I am somewhat indifferent at the moment.

This will also be my first and last post. But to cut to the chase, thank you. This has been a roller coaster ride for all of us over the last six years, and I can honestly say I enjoyed every minute...even Nikki and Paulo made us appreciate the great moments that much more. Although I have never commented before, I always appreciated your great reviews Mac, and the endless theories and ideas that the community would bring.

Namaste.

Thank you for fantastic recaps for six years.

I am also a first time poster, and just want to thank Mac for all the wonderful reviews over the years. Thanks to everyone who has posted, as I have gleemed much enjoyment reading everyone's crazy theories. Not to be sappy, but I have one question: am I the only one who thinks it is kind of sad that Sawyer and Kate will probably go one to live a full life without the ones the loved most??? Ok, one real question...... Did Desmond in the "real" world have any idea what was going on in the "post" life timeline?

I was deeply moved by this episode and by the time Vincent laid down next to Jack, I really teared up.
Perhaps it didn't add up to alot of the theories out these but the fact that the alt-timeline turned out to be a sort of way gate for the dead characters to work out their issues before moving on provided an awesome ah-ha moment for me. I loved the stain glass window in the vestibule with all the symbols of major spiritual beliefs. I loved the moments of realization as characters made the timeline connections and remembered their former lives. I loved the theme of redemption. But ultimately, it was Jack's story. Jack's test. Jack's journey. A very satisfactory ending to a great show.
thank you for your blog.

I have followed (lurked) on this site since I found it. Watched LOST since it came on, never missed one episode.

I am a 49 year old man, and honestly, from about 11:05 to the end, I cried, and cried like a baby. I was very happy the kids were in bed and the wife was outa town, as by the end, I was a wreck, a good kinda feeling wreck, but a wreck never the less.

Without a doubt, the ending, and the feeling of the moment that I found myself in, was well worth the time and effort that the creators, actors and all us who lived on the island for so many years with the characters who really we came to know deeply, worked so hard on.

Mac, thank you for the great work, I stopped in weekly.

Take care all.

Mac I gotta say the Lost experience was not complete without your recaps. I've been coming here since season two. I only posted a couple times, but was always thoroughly entertained by your many ways to react to the endless twists and turns (Personal favorite - HOLY MOSES ON TOAST).

As for the finale itself I have to say I'm emotionally satisfied, yet intellectually unfulfilled. It's 3AM and I'm still stewing over it. My inner geek died a little tonight. Yes, the metaphors and the symbolism, and the overarching message of the series is beautiful and was well done (the multi-faith stained glass window - nice). Excellent lessons for life - but not necessarily for a science fiction story.

The writers pulled one last long con with us and it was a doozy - taking the much derided purgatory theory from the early days.....and making the Sideways freakin purgatory. Those sneaky buggers. So I don't know if this empty feeling is simply because my beloved series has come to a conclusion, or if it's simply because so much island mythology was left by the wayside. Oh well...there's always the DVDs.

So one last time...GRAA MAC!!!!!!

Sorry, this was another snow globe an ending.

Good work on the blog through the years.

PS: I guess Jack's son goes "poof" and never was.

can someone help me...Were Richard, Frank and Miles in the church?

So basically if you were watching it more for the all the mystery and sci-fi parts of it like I was�. you feel screwed over like they just bs�d the whole thing.

But if you were watching it more for the character stories and relationships and back stories about their lives.. then you get nice closure and you�re happy with the ending.

Don�t get me wrong, I liked the characters as much as the next person, but there�s no way I would�ve kept watching this show without all the sci-fi island mystery. With just the character stories and their relationships to each other, the show would�ve been horribly boring. At least that�s what i think. That being said, they should�ve answered more questions and neatly wrapped the mysteries up as well IMO.

GRAA, Mac... and great video as well!! It's nice to know the impact was a two-way street.

@ Fish - 8
Cool! Someone is close to my age! Haha.

SO, as we see here they all meet in Heaven and "move on" together. That was a nice little ending for the characters of the show. I thought it was damn perfect for them all.
However, the writers simply shown us an ending where they die and go to heaven but what about all the stuff we've seen these oh, PAST 6 YEARS!! so basically ths is LOST in a nutshell.

We Watch these amazng characters go through tons of obsticles, find a hatch, survive on an island with crazy othr people, get thrown around in time leave and come back and fight a smoke monster! we see all of that and we're hit with all those mysteries and twists and science and unexplained things and we see them do all these things to simply, put all that stuff behind them and meet in heaven?
so we can all just ignore the past six years cause none of it lead up to the final moment. Jack could of died in season 3 and met up with everyone in heaven anyways and we could of gotten the same ending? so in essense none of the stuff weve seen mattered AT ALL cause no matter when jack died we would of seen that ending anyways. The ending wasnt about the island at all it was just about then all moving on to the afterlife together. Desmond was right none of that mattered at all.

One final thought.... Was the alternate timeline story even necessary???? Wasn't it simply a device to make the fan feel good that the characters they were so deeply involved with finally found ultimate happiness with each other? Did the main story work without this device????

Thank you Mac.

I feel like I just heard the best six year long story ever told. They done good.

Never has such an entertaining 2 1/2 hours left me feeling so empty. Where are the answers to the questions that I've pondered for so many years? It turns out that there were no answers. I spent countless hours trying to work out what the writers were thinking, and it was in vain. Why did Marvin Candle keep changing his name? Why did the Others want Walt? Why didn't the Others want anyone else on the island? Why could't women give birth? Why did Ben accuse Widmore, after Alex was murdered, of changing the rules? These are just a few of the questions that I expected to have answered. I am sorely disappointed that the wonderful writers didn't seem to have it all worked out in advance, as they promised. I'm really hurt that they would do this to us.

#28. Posted by: Dennis "PS: I guess Jack's son goes "poof" and never was."

We've got some sorting out to do, no doubt.

As you suggest, What about David? Locke told Jack, "You don't have a son."

Penny was in the church with Desmond; but she would be alive and well in the original time line. Though Christian told us that some died before and others died after so...I can buy that Penny was there with Desmond.

There's no reason to think that Ji Yeon and Aaron aren't alive and well in the original timeline, along with Walt...waiting to go to the island and take their turns protecting the Light.

@ Alvar_Hanso - 32

"Jack could of died in season 3 and met up with everyone in heaven anyways and we could of gotten the same ending?"

That is a absolutley PERFECT way to sum it up. Yes, I agree. Jack could of died in any of the seasons of LOST and we could of gotten the same ending.

So everything we were shown and all the mysteries we've been hit with were ALL for nothing really. Because they didnt really have any effect on how the show would end up. EVERYTHING on the islan could have never happened except the stuff from season 1 and we could of gotten the same ending.

and @ EMAC - Man your the greatest, you really think about these episodes. Your just as good as mac.

So I guess this is the ending we're given and now we must forget everything we've seen on Lost and watch them all just enter the light and DIE.

I liked how all the characters were in the church, did you notice how they were all laughing and just blowing everything off, it was like they were laughing at the audience. Like Locke came and hugged Jack kind of like he was saying "hey i know we argued alot when we were alive and didnt get along much and I know we stressed out over a hatch and coming back to the island and i took life oh so serious and worried about some stupid island but hey! now were dead, fuck all that and lets enter the light together, none of that stuff we stressed over on that dumb island made any sense anyways it was all some game it wasnt anything important." Yup thats what John Locke was thinking.

Hey, Mac--

Let's do a LOST type flashback story, shall we?

I've been a lurker on this LOST blog since you started. Found it on a Google search; wanted to find a place where people talked about this freaky new show I had just discovered.

I never posted. Not all these years. Not once. But I checked up on this place, and all the regulars, time and time again.

Why didn't I say anything? Guess I had nothing to say. Had other things to do. But I loved visiting here. This was always the first place I'd visit after LOST.

But I had to log on, at last, and write a little bit here, now, at the end of the show. Maybe it was a bit of mistiness after that great finale. Maybe it was a lot of showing appreciation for your excellent thank you video, to remind you that your hard work here was appreciated, even by the lurkers.

But mainly, it was LOST, once again, that was the key. After a finale that reminds us that we're only as important as the communities we help build, well...it'd just be anti-LOST of me not to show up here and thank you and the regulars and give you a huge, Hurleyesque hug of appreciation and even love.

So, thank you for the wonderful years. Thank you for wonderful commentary. Thank you all.

Namaste.

So let me see if I got this right?
The island was a real experience?
it was real...? they were not dead the whole time right? just the ALT period?

I have a hard accepting that they would leave us wondering forever "what the hell was the island"?

Okay so --- the so called ALT-world was actually a "purgatory"...a gateway for them to work out their issues or whatever? a way to prepare to move on.

Am I getting this right...I feel a little confused. The ending was awesome in more than one way but also disappointing in more than one way. I guess I wanted a "few" answers. It kind of feels like a "cheap shot" to leave it that way. Although wrapping up the characters and all that made me cry like a girl.

@ Mittlework

" Like Locke came and hugged Jack kind of like he was saying "hey i know we argued alot when we were alive and didnt get along much and I know we stressed out over a hatch and coming back to the island and i took life oh so serious and worried about some stupid island but hey! now were dead, fuck all that and lets enter the light together, none of that stuff we stressed over on that dumb island made any sense anyways it was all some game it wasnt anything important." Yup thats what John Locke was thinking."
LMAO Great stuff man. YOU really summed up LOST in a few words. Thats what LOST was ALL about. NOTHING. but I still love it. but that was a great piece of writing. Really captured what it all was.

AND DAMN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I WANTED TO BE FIRST!!!!!!!!!!

I am feeling dissatisfied a bit... It was an emotional ending but it was the sci fi that had me coming back again and again. They essentially ignored about 80% of the sci explanations. Overall it was entertaining but bittersweet. The fact that they were all dead for one, and that the true mysteries of the island are forever unexplained

As a dog lover, I found unfair the implication Vincent was not ready. He should have been in the church first, poor puppy!

I agree with foundbylost that the alt timeline was a fan feelgood scheme by the writers, but I must say it works into their ending idea and keeping the audience interested.

We could criticize the writers on many things left unsanswered. Nonetheless I feel that Lost was an original television experience that kept many of us glued to our TV's for five years!. I wish they would do that with more shows instead of just cancelling them. Fans will be loyal to their shows even if the endings are unsatisfying to many.

And the writing was very good to achieve what is this phenomena, combined with great acting and directing!

Here's the thing about the mysteries of LOST: It is exactly like that in real life. There are mysteries that astound us; we try to understand to no avail. We have to content ourselves with embracing the sublime mystery of it.

My 10 yr old granddaughter asked me just today, "Where was I before I was born? I try to think about it but I can't figure it out." I told her it is a mystery. I told her the different things people believe and I encouraged her to consider all of them but to keep in mind that the true nature of God is spectacular and beyond our understanding and that we are unwise to try to make God small enough to fit in our limited understanding instead of learning to open our hearts and minds to accommodate the Wonder Of It All.

That's what I believe, somethings can't be explained. So I am content with how the writers wrapped things up.

I think the finale answered many questions.
It seems that no one survived the original plane crash. It would be surprising if anyone were to survive a drop from such a high altitude without anything more than a few scratches. And the fact that they all died the first time around is certainly supported by the fact that in the final scene of the finale, we had a scene from the plane wreck with no one around suggesting they all died.
However, they were unable to move on to the other side this first time around because they all had unresolved issues shown in the flashbacks.
They had to sort these out first.
How, could they do this? Through the Island.
So the Island was purgatory in some sense (although the producers put a spin on this because, really, the sideways world was purgatory because it was the last stage before they loved on) and the various trials and tribulations they went through was an opportunity for them to resolve their issues from the first life (before the plane crash) so they could move on.
However, what happened in this �island life� was that some resolved their issues and moved on (Eko and his brother), some did not and got caught up on the Island unable to move (Michael) while others simply created new issues that had to be resolved before they could move on, such as Sawyer�s needs to find Juliet and Jin�s need to see his daughter etc
So these then had to be resolved in another life, the sideways world.
And now that they were and found peace they could all move on together.
Like a cycle of reincarnation hence the pictures of the Hindu Gods etc on the wall when Jack went to see the coffin.
So in my mind what the Island and what everything that happened on it concerned was trying to resolve issues before the first crash and when they were unable to do so, they had to be reincarnated in the sideways world to do so.

I am having a hard time going to sleep because it was sooooo emotional. Vincent lying down with Jack, the scene at the church...Beautiful. A great story. I am so sad to see it end.

Thank you Mac for this episode recap and for all of the excellent recaps over the past six years. You always had a lot of great insights and your summaries have always been filled with wit and humor.

I started watching Lost near the beginning of season two. I had just returned from a vacation to Sydney and so the premise of the show intrigued me. When I started to become interested in the show I did an internet search to see if there were any Lost blogs and was very fortunate to find filmfodder.com. Your recaps and this community has added so much to my enjoyment of this wonderful series.

The series finale will not satisfy everyone but personally I thought it was a great ending. I think the writers, actors, directors and basically everyone involved with this show did a fantastic job during the entire run.

Dear Lost,

Thanks for the really nice story about heaven. But I had been watching a story about a strange island.

What about the gaddam island?!

Thank you Mac! I loved the finale, I feel completely satisfied. pour one out for the dharma initiative.

Hi Mac,

I've been reading your reviews since the second season. Always loved being able to get your thoughts on an episode right after it aired, especially since your review was usually up by the time an episode was over (I live in the west coast). Just wanted to say thanks for all your awesome thoughts. Hopefully we'll find a new addiction in the upcoming years, although I don't think any show will ever come close to the quality of Lost. Thanks again.

Ash

Mahalo nui loa for your dedication and insights over the years. They've much enhanced my own Lost experience.

I share your feelings about this episode. I expect that there will be much (endless?) debate, but I feel completely at peace with this ending. There was a synchronicity to it.

Of course, I'm one of those people who doesn't require answers to all of life's questions. I got enough answers to feel very comfortable with how the writers chose to wrap their show. I'm sure that I couldn't have done it that well.

And my prediction of Hurley and Ben as the island's remaining residents was not all that far off the mark...

Also first time poster/long time lurker. Wanted to thank Mac and all for great reviews and comments over the past years. You've been the perfect accompaniment to Lost.

"The end" wasn't the end I was expecting. Initially it was not the end I wanted. I wanted answers - I didn't get 'em. I wanted to understand, with logic, why everything happened - I still don't. I was really angry ("I predicted this at the end of episode 1. I've been wasting 6 years..."etc. etc.) and felt cheated.

But I've had time to think about it. If I'd only watched to get answers, why was I sobbing at the end? Why did I get a knot in my throat when Juliette and Sawyer "remembered"? It was because I watched for the characters. ("rubbish" they say!). Sure, I'm not happy I don't know what the numbers really signified, or why Walt was special, or how (come on, I'm a scientist) there can be eternal life/smoke monsters/etc without a logical (or any!!) explanation. But if that's all it was about I would have turned off. If the characters were nobodies then the show woulnd't have the pull it had and we'd have all tuned into another sci-fi show.

So I've thought about "The End" and decided that there was no other way it could have come to a conclusion. I'm even kinda glad they didn't try answering the questions because now we can continue the Lost experience that we've had off show trying to figure it all out.

Thanks again Mac, and all. Hope to keep up on FB.

So that's what you look like!

OK . . for all the science nerds, it was inconclusive. But for HARD CORE ROMANTICS (like me) it was a perfect ending. True, a few somewhat "cheezie" hook-ups - but then, why did I keep swallowing the lump in my throat and wiping the blurriness from my eyes?

Because it was a great tale with a happy ever after ending - something we don't often get with modern story telling.

Thank you Mr. Slocum for pointing out the high points.

(To be fair - thanks to "Laffo" from season four for pointing out all the low points . . . )

Back later, I'm sure.

I was so touched and awed by the ending. The last scene of Ben, sitting there all alone. was so heartbreaking. The concept of loneliness, as Mac pointed out, tied all of the characters together and Ben is still alone but he is finally admitting and working on his own issues. I think the island experience was real and the alt universe was where the characters experience the lives they would have had, had they not been as flawed as they were. In the end, the bonds you make in life carry you into the afterlife as well, so the love you create stays with you.

GRAA Mac..Your reviews were a big part of the LOST experience. Without them, we would all TRULY be LOST!

I, too, want to express my gratitude to Mac and everyone who has shared their thoughts on this outstanding blog. My experience of this amazing show was exponentially enhanced by all of your insights and theories.

What I loved the most about the ending was, as Mac said, its openness to interpretation. Is it their afterlife? Is it their (our?) awareness that the potential for love is close by (even sitting next to us?) and that the light of day/goodness is right outside the door--whenever they/we venture forth into it? Did their island experience serve as the purgatory through which they got themselves on track to be able to live out the rich and fulfilling lives they were lacking on the original 815 flight? All of these (and more) ideas work and will no doubt be discussed and debated.

So, IMHO, Rhonda's unanswered questions (@#35), not to mention what about the C-4 that's sitting on the aloft Ajira plane, can be set aside in favor of a big satisfied sigh and smile when I think about how the writers were able to actually pull off "they all lived (or died) happily ever after" and it wasn't at all cheesy! (sorry davidrh).

A final note, I had been secretly hoping for a full-cast breakout dance ala Slumdog Millionaire during closing credits. Although the mood at the show's ending was incongruous with that, there's still potential for it in the DVD version. How about it, Darlton?!

Thanks again to Mac, blog contributors, and, most especially, to all who made this great show. See ya in another life, bruthas.

Thank you Mac. Thank you Lost. It's been quite a ride. I feel content with the ending, and I don't even care that some of the mysteries remain. I cried throughout the episode, and I love how each storyline was resolved in some way. I agree with Mac about the ending, but I'm looking forward to reading about others' take on it. I took the last scene to be that it didn't matter when they were or even if they were dead or alive. What mattered was their journey and the fact that they were together. They worked through their issues together and found peace. I could cry just thinking about it! I found the last scence incredibly poignant, moving, and sad.

This was such an amazing show that brought together such an intelligent, witty community. I don't think there will be another show like this.

WE'RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER BOAT !!!
Sad to see it end.. they should have opened a new can of worms at the end and screen flashed - Lost: THE MOVIE 2012

if they were all dead, why did the island/light need saving? what metaphor does the island represent?

Thanks, Mac! Another great series comes to an end, this one much more beautifully than TXF.

Love the storytelling, loved the acting. It was all quite beautiful.

Thanks, Mac! Great Review, As Always.

Can I be the first to say, Goodbye, Mac, and thanks for all the fish!

See you on facebook. Mac, thanks for the goodbye video. It's nice to see the man behind the curtain.

As much as I loved this show I have to agree with Rhonda ( post #35 )
We deserve MORE ANSWERS !!
When Widmore was bidding on the auction for the Back Rock painting they mentioned a cargo box from the actual ship was to go along with the painting and that it had NEVER been opened. So... what of it ??? No real answer for the numbers.. Walt's powers...the list goes on and on. The promised us resolve and did not deliver. The show became to diluted after season 3. But I still thnk it was the best TV series EVER.

Been here since season 3, found it in a ggogle search and stayed till the end. Just wanted to say "thank you!" for being here, now with you on Facebook...you are a genius in your writing skills. I wish you and your family the best...again THANK YOU!!!

I. Can. Not Speak.

OMG, i can't believe it's over. I have been w/Lost and Mac SIX years. And I am still crying over this last episode. I have loved and hated each character - except Sawyer, only love for that hunk. I have read and re-read the review and post for understanding and enlightenment. I have argued with ppl and delighted in the many views taken. I have gone to sleep thinking wth was that and woke up to come here to see what everyone else thought before i could even begin to comprehend some of the episodes. Remarkable that a TV Show has touched us all so deeply and been such a big part of my life. Now that it is over, i am LOST.

GRAA Mac. Must say, absolutely loved the ending. I went into it expecting (or hoping) for more answers, but completely forgot about that as the story unfolded.

Enjoyed lurking and occasionally posting her for years, and will miss it.

And will never...ever...forget Kate in that black party dress! Giggity...

Have been processing most of the night, wanted to unload a bit...

First of all, I thought it was a fine ending. Not the greatest ever (it'll be tough to top Six Feet Under) but far from terrible. Perhaps "fitting" is the best adjective. I'm looking forward to re-watching the series to see how it affects my perception of it and my satisfaction with the ending. I am, however, surprised at some of the reaction to it.

To those who say, "oh, so they all just died at the end, that's it?" Uh, yes, eventually, all the characters either died during the series or will die after it ended (spoiler alert: you'll die, too). The events of the island were real. The flash sideways was really just a separate little epilogue that they chose to run concurrent with the end of the island tale to keep us on our toes, to fake us out with a parallel reality storyline, and to be able to bring some closure to the islanders. It also did a nice job of helping show an idea of "what is heaven?"

Another point I'd like to clear up: if I'm not mistaken, the flash-sideways/purgatory was Jack's and Jack's alone. He meets those people at those ages with those relations because that's HIS perfect ending. Sayid is with Shannon because that's how Jack envisioned them happy--he knows nothing of Nadia. Aaron is a baby because that's how Jack remembers him at the most important moments of Jack's life. And, of course, he gets Kate. People who were not there to witness Jack's transformation on the island (Michael, Walt, Eko, Ana Lucia, etc.) were not relevant to him. Jack went through the back door of the church, and it was Christian who met him--this is Jack's transition to the afterlife. Everyone else's will vary.

To the people who complained that the finale was too character focused and ignored the sci-fi/"what is the island" stuff: did you watch last week? We got to see Jacob's and MIB's back-story and learned that the light was why the island was important and had to be protected. Everyone complained "where are my characters?" last week and bitched "where are my mysteries?" this week. Put it all together, folks. We've also spent six years with this island. It's a place that's a mix of fringe science and mysticism. It's a place where high levels of e-mag/wormholes/radiation exist side-by-side with immortals, protectors, and smoke monsters. Do you really need it spelled out explicitly? If so, here we go. The island is:

A) the garden of Eden
B) a rip in the space/time continuum
C) the gateway to hell
D) Pandora's box
E) Narnia
F) Middle Earth
G) the Tuat
H) Naraka
I) gateway to an advanced alien civilization
J) any combination of the above

Please choose whichever label it has to be for you to enjoy the series. The rest of us will be content to enjoy that the mysterious place is still a little mysterious, and that everything in life is not explainable. If it were, then what's the point?

As far as other "unanswered" questions, I'm not sure there's that much missing. I think the reason that women can't give birth has to do with the atomic bomb explosion, yes? Or the bomb negated the electromagnetic "incident" and then they could? My time travelling logic is a bit fuzzy. Or perhaps Jacob didn't want others to be born on the island like he was? A re-watching of the series will help solidify this, but there are plenty of reasonable explanations IMHO. I don't need to know where FMom came from--we saw her relevant part to the story and would only lead to where that person came from, etc.

That said, I do want to revisit the Walt/Aaron situation. Why were they so important early on, and irrelevant later? The fact that the actor playing Walt went through puberty seems of little importance on a show with time travel, the walking dead, and immortal characters. I'm interested to see if others have theories and other questions that need to be answered.

I will say there were certainly failures in the season finale, and all of season six, for that matter. Most of all, I didn't find it very exciting. I remember watching previous seasons, and the story themselves were intriguing, and the ending to each episode was a complete mindscrew that made me crave the next week. Just didn't feel that this season. The only time was when Flocke was approaching the temple, recruited Sayid, and we found Claire. I waited for an epic battle with dire stakes and shifting strategies and allegiances that never came. The rest was pretty meh. I would have liked to have seen a little more of the strategy involving Jacob and MIB's centuries of chess, and how the candidates were essential in finally reaching a conclusion. I'll also agree that there needed to be more detail in what exactly would happen if MIB escaped the island, so we were more invested in finding a way to stop him. I felt like I was watching rugby--I saw the action, and realized things were vaguely good or bad, but my loose grasp of the rules diminished my enjoyment. I also would have liked to have seen the setup for some future unrest on the island--a hint that Hurley and Ben become rivals ala Jacob/MIB, or spotting a ship off the coast. Instead, we learn that Hugo and Ben got along just fine, thanks (or is this another component of Jack's perfect ending?). All in all, a ride I'm glad I took, and look forward to taking again.

Wow, that was a lot longer than I expected--please have the patience to make your way through it, I think it's worthwhile...

Thanks Mac, loved your blog. Now I'll have to find some other interesting reading material while I have my lunch. L O S T has been a fun 6 year ride. Thanks again and see ya on FB.

PS... I SO predicted Jack's eye would be the last thing we saw.

Thanks Mac, for all your hard work. To echo everyone else, It wouldn't have been even close to the awesome journey without your organizing thoughts, your wit, and especially your gentle guidance through differing beliefs and personalities. You have a gift. I am one that is satisfied with the ending. Like life, there are just things that happen that you never discover why. What an amazing 6 years it's been!

Mac,
Thank you for the years of reiews and insight, but most of all for the place where we could all come together to talk about this phenomenon.

I enjoyed the ending. Are there unanswered questions? Of course! Do they really matter to me anymore? No.

I gotta say though, for a second when Kate told Jack -- I love you -- I really thought he was going to say -- I know -- but I suppose they had already reached the maximum amount of Star Wars references. (not to mention that is probably a line better suited to come out of Sawyer's mouth)

Awesome show, awesome blog. Thank you so much!

It seems to me that a "good" story teller has the (yes, enormous) responsibility to wrap up BOTH the characters' development AND the story line they exist in...while leaving one or two unanswered questions for the reader's development. However, these questions should be questions that are neither pivotal for the reader's acceptance of the story's ending nor threatening to the reader's own development as a result of experiencing the story.

These writers did not do this, in spite of (so far) several regulars' insistence that everything about the ending was ok by them. And because the writers did not do this, they should not be left off the hook by their audience, simply because they did half of their job so well.

I know, I know, it's just a tv show, but really...If they are going to step up to the plate to do it, they should damn well DO IT ALL! (We are so used to the razzle dazzle half stories of Star Wars, and so soon forget what makes Star TREK so watchable, even today.)

Mac did/does it for them. Thank you, Mac. Please consider making lots of money in this new field...I will follow your story line anywhere!

As for TPTB, they seem to me to be a little too full of themselves, and that they just didn't care in the end what happened to the stuff we were/are left holding in our heads as unanswered.
Watching you on JK last night, all I could think of was J. Brel's song "Cute, cute, cute in a stupidass way". (Funny, I don't think of Hemingway [fill in your blank] like that....)

That's what's wrong with "Flashforward" and "V". Been there, done that and it wasn't satisfying enough to keep me interested NOW with something "NEW" because I still feel so unsatisfied with the "old".

I will not follow either of you again.

NOTE TO NETWORKS: Viewers are not as stupid as you think we are. When we finally get something we can really bite into, WE REALLY BITE INTO IT. Don't water it down, delay the seasons, interrupt the series, lead into it with a "dancing" show (!!!!!) or otherwise F*** it up. We deeply resent it and our memories are looooooong.

Read "screw you ABC, screw your morning show, your sports coverage, and any new series. Cable really IS better.

And if you Lost viewers don't agree, it's ok, but consider this:
How many of you posters would have continued watching LOST for 6 years if Mac had not so generously supplied his great reviews and remarkable insights and even explanations of the story line?

Oh well. Sometimes a tv show is...just a tv show.

Namaste. I will miss all of you and your lovely, brilliant minds and your caring souls. I have hope in the future because of all of you.

Note to self: it's only a TV show!

OK, so why am I in such shock and awe, to borrow a phrase?

I spent the first hour sniffling 'cause I thought they were all going to end up in the alt-LAX-world, and everyone was finding eachother.

I spent the next hour sniffling 'cause I realized it was all going to be taken away from them, somehow.

Spent the last half hour crying, part-angry, part-happy, and part-grieving. Still too raw to decide if I'm satisfied with the ending.

This is only a TV show. And yet, like the various back-forward-sidewise timelines were to the characters, it sure feels real. Thanks to all of you.

Thank you Mac, thank you all who post, thanks for all the interesting links over the years. I look forward to your commentary.

Anybody notice that the coffin delivery guy and Locke's taxi driver were actors of no obvious significance??? =)

@mac - GSFRETCHWAE - (I have no clue what that stands for - I just picked a bunch of letters at random)
But seriously, thanks and appreciation for putting this together, for keeping it going, and for over 9 dozen awesome recaps! This was every bit a part of the LOST experience for me as the show itself.
One very touching moment which I'll always remember is that day - just before I stepped in to recap the Season 4 finale - when you handed me a drink, spewed some Latin verses, and said "You're like me now".

I'll have more to say on this particular episode and the show in it's entirety in the postings ahead. But for now, I just want to thank everyone - the regulars, the occasional posters, and those who just read along - for making the ride such a memorable one.

And I will help to keep the light from going dark forever on this blog by putting up some photo captions in the weeks ahead.
Namaste!

In one of Jack's flashbacks, was his wife ever pregnant, and did she lose the baby? Maybe this was Jack's son in the sideways flash.

I just finished reading your last review and watching your video and before reading any comments, I just want to thank you Mac for this forum. I found this forum around season 2 and started reading it religiously during season 3. Your recaps and all of the comments enriched my "Lost" experience. You guys helped point out to me things I missed and your speculations helped me to understand the show better. Thank You All!!!!

@ Mac:
I never realized that there was a video.... HA!
DAAANNNNGGG!!! that's you????
It was great to read your LOST reviews mac... helloooo FB

Like others on here, I am a first and last time poster. But I want to truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for this column.
Every morning after a new episode of "Lost", this was the first place I would come. I loved your insight, and I loved reading all the comments.
Part of me still can't believe it's over. And just as much as "Lost" was a part of my life for the last six years, so was this column. So thank you. For everything.

Did it matter what the Twilight Zone was? Just some weird place where people's issues got sorted out right? sometimes they came to realizations and moved on and sometimes not?
Or on Fantasy Island--anyone ever care what that island was?

That said I thought it was great that they continued to tantalize that there was something behind what the island was. The glowy water wasn't just some natural phenomena in a cave. There was architecture down there and a big cork! Things that were obviously made at some point by some one probably looooong before Fmom. And it's up to us to imagine who/what that might have been.
I find myself thinking about Eloise. Is she stuck? Does she have more work to do? If she realizes where she is, why doesn't she want Daniel to realize as well so they can cross overe together?
In a way MIB did make it off the island. I'm assuming he and Jacob are off somewhere in their own sideways world or maybe they both crossed over together at some point. Kinda surprised he didn't say thank you when he died as his curse was finally over.

Assuming Kate and the others on Ajira made it to safely and lived full lives after. Kate said "I've missed you so much" to Jack as if it had been quite some time since she'd last seen him on the island.
Also assuming Hurley was probably the last to die, him being agelss island protector and all. Wonder what finally drove him to find his replacement and who that person was...
I do feel bed that David never really existed except in Jack's imagination. That was one of my first thoughts after the show ended.
And does this confirm that the Christian we saw off-island likely was the ghost of Christian and so there were no inconsistencies with MIB not being able to leave the island? And all the other spirits we've seen off island had reached their enlightenment and showed up to play their role before passing on.
I really can't wait to watch this show from episode one again. I really think an awfull lot is going to tie together very nicely and make a lot of sense when viewed through what we know now. I think we got a lot more answers than it might initially seem...
Ultimately...it worked.

@67. Posted by: TheTeeto - Oh, it was ALL Jack. *facepalm* Thanks, that cleared up a few things for me. A lot of my disappointment last night came from the "it's the journey, not the destination" feeling I had. We journeyed for 6 yrs, I wanted to know what happened during the journey that I couldn't figure out. The whole "man in the box" thing messed me up - I still don't get the whole "kill your rotten daddy" theme. [Can I just interject that I loved my dad? He was a good guy & I don't understand why this show was so chockful of bad fathers. Maybe TPTB need therapy, not Aaron.]
I'm also disappointed with Smokey. Why kill the pilot in the pilot (sorry, had to) if your goal is to get off the island? TPTB had to know what Smokey was on Day 1.

@73. Posted by: jaybee - "Anybody notice that the coffin delivery guy and Locke's taxi driver were actors of no obvious significance???" - Yes, and did that bother you too? ;)

@mac - FYI - I found the forum on a Google search before I found your blog. That was just before Season 2 began. (I missed the first few episodes, so watched S1 on DVD.)

the locke/jack fight felt like the matrix because of the intense rainstorm + running at each other with fists at the ready - cf. the final fight scene in matrix revolutions

the MIB/jack fight felt like the matrix because of the intense rainstorm + running at each other with fists at the ready - cf. the final fight scene in matrix revolutions

Thanks Mac and everyone for enhancing the Lost experience with your insight and humor. My initial reaction was WTF...but as night turned to day and I have had time to ruminate I realize that in the end it really does come down to relationships and this was a fitting end to a wonderful journey..CHEERS!

First of all thanks to Mac and all the posters (both frequent and infrequent) that have made this blog such a wonderful place all these years (even those of you who stubbornly refuse to post any more). I really love this show and this blog has enhanced my experience better than anything else I found out there.

I really enjoyed the finale. I thought the on Island peril story was rivetting, especially the battle on the cliffside and Hurley's grief at losing Jack. I cheered when Frank showed up, and love that some people did make it off the Island.

I also really loved the concept of the sideways world. I never saw that coming, so I liked the surprise (oh best line nominee, Jack tells FLocke he's gonna kill him, and the how is a surprise!). But I also like the whole idea. Last week Jacob tells our candidates that when he brought them to the Island they were all alone. Christian tells Jack last night that they created this world so that they could find each other, because they needed one another, and the most important times of their lives were with each other. I just think that's awesome. I also don't mind Walt and Michael's absence given that explanation.

For those of you screaming for answers, well the writers have always told us that this is a show about characters. It's not what's in the hatch, but who? Not what is the monster, but who is the monster. We got a ton of answers in Across the Sea and Ab Aeterno this season, and last nights concept that if you pull the plug (as Desmond told Jack way back at the stadium, "you've got to lift it up"), the Island sinks. But the MiB also becomes mortal. And the plug can be replaced.

You might still ask, what is the light? You might as well ask what is God? There are some good theories out there, but no one knows the whole answer.

What is the Island? It's a place for second chances. It's the source of the Light, which is life. And it's worth defending. The fact that everyone on it has/will eventually die doesn't change that. The sideways was not contempereneous with Island events, because there was no "now" there. It was the past, the present, and the future, all depends on your perspective.

Damon, Carlton, all the writers, actors, and crew: thanks for an amazing show.

@ Mac. I can't thank you enough for all you've done. That goes out to all of the regulars here too! I have enjoyed this forum so much more than I can express. Listening to all of your theories, enjoying your humor and all of the discussions have made my Lost experience so much richer. I will treasure it!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....

one last time 'cause I can't believe it's over ;_;

I've been quietly reading since the beginning, and just wanted to thank you for helping me wade through all that is Lost. And to all the posters- thanks for the theories and humorous comments through the years. I will miss waking up the next morning to read the review and comments while I have my coffee.
Thanks again!

Ok bringing up Fantasy Island in my comment there just brought this to mind:
The Hurley/Ben era on the island is run like Fantasy Island. Mr. Hugo Roarke Reyes walks around in an enormous white suit and Ben Tattoo Linus rings the bell and calls out, "Boss, the plane, the plane--another plane is breaking up over the island!"

I only got to #34 before work so I'll be reading and posting later, but I must thank you all and Mac for making Lost more than just another TV show - more like a family.

BTW, did anyone notice how cute Mac is?

Did Miles and Richard Alpert use Widmore's boat to get Hydra Island? Wasn't that boat rigged with explosives by Widmore?

Did Miles and Richard Alpert use Widmore's boat to get Hydra Island? Wasn't that boat rigged with explosives by Widmore?

In the end the writers went with the easier emotional/spiritual resolution route that they knew the majority of casual viewers would want. What they fail to realize is that for at least the first 4 seasons this was a Sci-Fi oriented show with very interesting characters. They left too many unanswered questions that have already been well catalogued here. I cannot help but feel somewhat used and laughed at by the show. After all, "it's not about the island it's about the relationships." Forget the fact that for several years these characters went through an incredible array of fantastic adventures with said island. No, instead we get a warm fuzzy ending in a church with the world's major religions on a stained glass and our characters happily walking into the light.

@88. Posted by: glostover "BTW, did anyone notice how cute Mac is?"

Yes, but I didn't want to be the first to mention it. XD (Although I did tell undauntid a week or so ago that I'd take Mac over Josh Holloway, sight unseen.)
So, in the spirit of fine filmfodder raging hormone tradition: I rank Mac above Jack, Sawyer, Sayid & even Ben. Even though I'm a Phillies fan.

One final note: I also would like to thank Mac and all the other posters to this blog for making the last six years enjoyable. While we may not have always agreed, I value all of your opinions and they have added immensely to my viewing experience.

I would also like to thank Mac for creating a community of diverse opinions based on a shared experience of trying to find answers to burning questions. This blog in essence mirrors the conclusion of the series.

The ending did not surprise me because I had been in the vocal minority that the characters were dead from the beginning. That said, there is plenty of room to criticize how the story was wrapped up the by the writers. At least the Big Premise was clearly stated in the end.

Mac, thanks for all the hard work you have put into this! Thanks to all of the commenters as well! I've been reading for years, rarely commented, but this community has always cleared my head after an epi of Lost. The finale is no exception. I was feeling a bit...uneasy about it, but now with a clearer head, I can say that I am fully satisfied with the way they ended it. I think we got closure in the lives of the charcters. That's what the writers always said the show was about. It went out the same way it started, with lots of questions, mysteries, and ambiguity. That's the reason we love the show. As someone else pointed out, there is room for more story telling!!

I can't go without saying, I am fully satisfied and called it s long time ago that:

Hurleys The One!

Thanks everyone!

#28. Posted by: Dennis "PS: I guess Jack's son goes "poof" and never was."

My interpretation is that Jack had to resolve his relationship with his dad & David was the tool to do this.

Why didn't MIB/Flocke become a paraplegic when he became mortal. The power of the island was switched off, WTF?

Mac-Great job all these seasons!

I also completely agree with you on the concept of the ending. I'm so glad I'm taking a social construction class right now which makes the whole time/no time concept make sense (time is just an abstract social construction, right?)

I was a little confused on why some characters were not there until your recap reminded of what Eloise said to Desmond about Faraday. Makes sense now....though I feel like Faraday, Miles and Charlotte should have been a part of the end.

Definitely a show that always made my head hurt but I'll miss it!

I was so consumed that I forgot to thank you Mac for presenting this community to me and others. You always do a great job!

1st post like many others. Wanted to say thanks to Mack and all the other comments. You all have made this wonderful little show even better...So sad it is over. Loved it all and the ending..Reminded me of "Titanic"

I agree with a lot of you it was well acted and moving episode. I also agree knowing "everything" about the island isn't really necessary. I can even by in to the whole thing not really being about the island but being "one man's journey to salvation" or whatever, except, that the island was REALLY important for a big part of the show...

So what was the point of the island then? If this was just a show about Jack crossing over, couldn't it have just taken place in a cube farm, or the hospital?

Longtime reader, first time poster (better late than never, right?!), just wanting to say thanks for the great commentary over the years, Mac! I also appreciated the good nature and humor of the blog... The blog has been a great supplement to all of my Lost discussions with friends and co-workers - don't worry, I give credit where due.

(ps - I wasn't sure how I felt last night after the show was over, but after sleeping on it, I'm happy with the wrap-up as a whole.)

Does Miles finding a grey hair on Richard imply that after all this time Richard will finally begin to age and therefore die off island?

I kinda of knew all along that Hurley would end up being the Island protector. He was the kindest of the bunch and was always known for bringing people together. It would have been sweet to have a couple of additional scenes with hurley and Ben during their time in charge on the island.

I ll admit that I am completely satisfied with this ending. While I enjoyed the science fiction aspect of the show, I always gravitated towards the characters.

I think that the executed Jack's death perfectly. I mean, How genious was it to have him die in the same exact location/fashion from the pilot episode!?!?!?

Mac, Ive only posted on this blog on several occasions but I've visited on a weekly basis after every new episode. My biggest regret was not getting involved in the many great conversations regarding the mysteries of lost.

I have no idea where we go from here guy but it's safe to say that I am really sad to see the show end.

I am so tired and emotionally drained, and have so much left to sort through that season finale. But I am very satisfied with the ending!

I really don't even care that so many questions were not answered, and that even more questions came up last night. I don't much even remember what the questions were and it doesn't even matter anymore.

The characters were at their peak last night. I bawled when Jack and Christian hugged. All the emotions were so genuine.

Seeing that shoe and the ruins of the crash made me briefly think that maybe they all just died at impact of the crash, but then I realized no, the island was real.

I have really enjoyed this blog and have visited every week the morning after each episode since probably season 2 or 3. Thank you Mac and for all of the posters who together made this a wonderful forum.

After I ablsorb all of this, I'm going to rewatch the finale, and then rewatch the entire series with a new perspective.

Farewell and namaste!

Hey Mac,

I didn't post here often, but read faithfully, and want you to know how much you added to my LOST experience. Thank you, and I wish you the best.

Barbara

I have mixed feelings about this ending, just as I suspected. I'm not even going to go into the parts I liked or didn't like. Kind of pointless, now that it's over anyway.

This will be my last post on this fine blog, which I will visit again, but only as a lurker. Loved the show overall, it was one of a kind, and became a part of my life for several years. Don't think I'll ever invest as much into a tv show as I have with Lost. It has been a privilige to share the experience with you all. Special thanks to Mac ofcourse.

Namast� to you all (and I do mean ALL)

Wow... I thought the ending was truly beautiful. It didn't tie everything up in a pretty little bow, but if it did it wouldn't be lost. We still have lots to ponder and debate about what exactly it meant and what will happen. I personally believe that they were moving on to heaven. Hence the church and Christian Shephard opening the door to the light.

thanks mac for the wonderful reviews and thanks to LOST for 6 years of great storytelling.

This sucked.
I am so glad I quit wasting my time after a few episodes of season 5. I only spent my time reading this blog, which was faster, funnier, and more relevant. Its too bad that simple greed propelled this show as long as it had. They would have stretched it out another season with bullshit if they felt they could have pulled it off. The whole reason why such a love of "characters" developed with the fans was because of how long the show lasted and the great acting. Take away the mystery, polar bears, and dharma tapes. Make it just a show about people on the island - dead or not - and see if the ratings would have been anywhere NEAR what they were. TV is entertainment, but I don't feel being lied to is entertaining. Nor do I like "mystery" for its own sake. I watched to find answers to this show. I really thought I might learn more at the finale. I was dissappointed. This will happen again. But when I see it coming...the show with mysterious goings on ...will I allow myself to trust that there will be answers..or do refuse to enjoy it. The producers have burnt me like a bad cheating relationship that makes you shy to love again. If anything, it has taught me that life is more important than TV. I did right by my decision to bail in season 5. And all of you people that "loved" the finale. You can have it.

I thought the finale was excellent. I am okay with not having the answer to all the questions I have come up with over the years. I am okay with not fully understanding what the ending means, but I do know I was quite moved and very sad to see it all come to an end.

I loved being part of this community and having this forum to participate in on a weekly basis. Thanks, everyone, for keeping me intellectually stimulated and entertained. Thanks, Mac, for always doing an outstanding job and providing such an excellent place to philosophize on all LOST. I will really, really miss this place and miss my all time favorite show.

WGNABB! See y'all in another life!

Thanks, Mac and everyone! A little sad to see how this community tore apart towards the close, but nice to see the Losties find each other.

Anyone see Invention of Lying? That was about how we treat each other assuming there is no sacred mystery, LOST ended with the same humanist point but assuming there is a great sacred mystery (in the Pacific, no less). Grand story telling.

I happen to think they did a *fantastic* job of explaining the 5 1/2 seasons of this life. Haven't puzzled out the exact logic of the 1/2 season of ALTerlife, and I probably won't bother to. But it's been a great ride, on TV and this board.

OK, I'm going to write this before I read any of the posts so as not to be influenced by all you guys. I suppose I will not be able to resist the urge to chime in the debate, but for now, while the plot ended up being a bit ragged, it was not in tatters and, hopeless old romantic that I am, I am content.

GRAA Mac!
GRAA Mac!
GRAA Mac!
GRAA Mac!
GRAA Mac!
GRAA Mac!

Thanks Mac. Like season 3-6, the finale was aw-ight.......I've been critical of the acting from time to time, but last night's performances were phenomenal. Mac - thanks for years of entertainment and good luck to you.

MAC! I'm going to miss your reviews, as they always totally enhanced my Lost experience. You're a great writer, and the humor and intelligence you put into the reviews is what fostered this community and made it so great. None of us would have stuck around for so long if the reviews were straightforward and dry and uncharismatic... so thank you.

I used to post all the time in the early years, but in the later years I barely had time to read all the comments much less put up my own half decent ones. But I never missed a week of seeing what the community had to say.

I really loved the final episode and I'm okay with the spirituality of the flashsideways stuff. I felt satisfied at the end. Yet there is still an ache inside for wanting more answers that we'll never get.

Oh well. My overall Lost experience has been fantastic over these years, so I'm not complaining.

I'm fundamentally unsatisfied.

In the 70's, there were lots of shows that were basically 'acid trips of the soul'. You knew not to get too invested in objects or situations, because you knew they were all symbolic. But Lost never felt that way. We DID invest in what we saw. We believed that major issues (pregnancy problems, Walt's specialness, the Others, Egyptology, the whole Widmore thing, etc) would become clear. For me, the ending is cruelly abrupt - "It was all about "personal development/redemption". So why give us all those rich details when they were just minor props in the Losties' self-progression? It's the richness that led us to believe there was some importance to them. Why even give us 6 seasons?

I'm just fine with a show about characters struggling to achieve redemption & spiritual progression. But Lost implied that explaining the issues would feed the characters' emerging awareness. Then the issues just 'go away', and everyone happily moves on into the light. It feels a little trite and incomplete.

Thank you Mac. I've been reading this and very occasionally posting the random question/theory since season 1. It wouldn't have been the same without you.

Put me on the list of people who loved the finale. The one question that's perplexed me all season was what happened when the bomb went off, did it create the sideways world, and what did Juliette mean by "it worked"? At the end of the show I was still confused. Then I was laying in bed and figured that part out (mostly) and it put a big smile on my face. Juliet said "It worked" to Sawyer about unplugging the vending machine. So "It worked" wasn't in reference to the bomb, it was a bleed through like "Let's get coffee sometime." I can now rest easy with my own theory and let go and enjoy the woderful writing, acting, and plot that was lost all these years.

I'm 100% satisfied with how they ended the on-island story, and perhaps 60% satisfied with the Sideways ending. But the island story is much more important, so I'm very pleased with the finale.

First of all you're one handsome dude MAAC. I mean that in a non homo erotic way.

Did anyone notice that the "church" wasn't really a church. The glass behind Christian when he was talking to Jack had A Cross, a Jewish Star of David, a Ying Yang symbol, a Muslim symbol and a couple others like a wheel that I didn't recognize. It seemed this was the human church for everyone, no denomination. It is going to be debatable forever as to when they specifically died, but that is irrelevant. The show was about how each lonely character had to open up to others to find their way.

Must explain why Dharma existed. Aren't they about rebirth and alternate lives? I think those that let smokey in died and those that fought him succeeded. It was funny how Sayid's true happiness was with Shannon, but maybe that's because he never would have his Nadia, even in the ALT world where a lot of the guys were happy, Sayid never found his solace. From what I would bet, a lot died in the crash and a lot died in other ways. I think Ben wasn't ready because he still wants to be Number 1. He hasn't had that chance and needs to play it out.
I do agree that the Sawyer/Juliet meeting was nice but for some reason when Charlie realized Claire it made me smile like a fat kid in a candy store. When Jacob used that cork metaphor, he was actually being litteral. That cork is what is saving the island which is a metaphor for their salvation.

It was a great show and yes there will be a lot of holes to fill but all in all it was a great 6 years and I am deeply saddened by the end. it really makes me sad.

Thanks, MAC!! I have loved your blog.

I realized something reading through all the posts this morning. It seems that if you are a "man of faith" you loved the ending. And if you are a "man of science" you hated it.

I am a wo-man of science so I felt disappointed and cheated by the ending. I wanted answers!! I felt that so many parts of the series that I thought were so important turned out to be completely irrelevant to the end of the show. Dharma, the numbers, the big fuss over Walt, that temple, those lists, the cabin, nikki and paulo. What was the point of all of it?

I knew the ending was not going to be what I wanted at the start of Season 6. I will choose to remember the good seasons (i.e., seasons 1-4) and hopefully my bitter feelings towards the writers will pass.

MAC, thanks for everything. We owe you (and your wife) a lobster dinner or something! You are amazing.
I posted maybe in Season Two on the Forum that my husband's cousin was married to Evangeline Lilly (we knew her as Nichole Hone). She is more beautiful in person than on screen. The last we saw of her she was modeling in Vancouver and then shipped off to Hawaii for the pilot... end of marriage.
Anyway, I agree with you MAC that the finale was fantastic. The characters were phenomenal and we got to see them grow up these past 6 years... just think of the changes in Jack, Locke, Ben, even Richard. Wow.
Namaste, everyone.

MAC, thanks for everything. We owe you (and your wife) a lobster dinner or something! You are amazing.
I posted maybe in Season Two on the Forum that my husband's cousin was married to Evangeline Lilly (we knew her as Nichole Hone). She is more beautiful in person than on screen. The last we saw of her she was modeling in Vancouver and then shipped off to Hawaii for the pilot... end of marriage.
Anyway, I agree with you MAC that the finale was fantastic. The characters were phenomenal and we got to see them grow up these past 6 years... just think of the changes in Jack, Locke, Ben, even Richard. Wow.
Namaste, everyone.

Namaste Mac, you saved the best for last!

For me, the island was a true purgatory from the start--everyone on the plane died in the crash. The science fiction aspects, dharma, widmore, the others, jacob, MIB--are all real, but not in earth time. They can all be summed up into the island, which serves the single purpose of transforming selected characters. The alternate world is the gateway which tests the readiness of selected characters to move on to the next level. Some of the alt-world characters were not ready, but most were not even real (Jack's son, and probably everyone else who wasn't a selected character). The light leads to heaven, but it is destructive to anyone who has not been fully transformed.

First off - wow, just wow. At first I was like 'wtf? 6 years to lead up to THAT?" But after a while, it seems so fitting for this show. I liked it.

Thanks to Mac and everyone else- this is my second time posting, although I'm along time lurker.

#97. MozartIsNotDeaf "Why didn't MIB/Flocke become a paraplegic when he became mortal. The power of the island was switched off, WTF?"

Well, I think MiB just copied Locke's looks, not taken over his body and inherited his looks - remember Illiana and her comrades carrying around Locke's coffin and his body was in there?

@19 Silhouette asked:

>The end scene with Jack made me wonder if the white shoe we saw in the tree was one of the things that was shown in the pilot that was a key to the end? I believe that's what someone said before, that there were five items or something but I forget.

That tennis shoe was there in that tree, all new, in the Pilot episode. It�s one of the cheap shoes Jack pulled out of his luggage to put on his father�s corpse, back in Australia.

We didn�t know it at the time, but it was a hint that Christian�s body was no longer in the coffin.

Now here it is again in the finale, all weathered with time, showing us that Jack, and the show, have come full circle and he�s back in the same place where all of this started.

I have just discovered the answer to all the of the unanswered questions!!!

GREED!!!

@115, thanks for reminding me, I'd like to add the whole "can't have babies on the island" as another one of those random tidbits that never got resolved.

Thank you Mac and everybody....it's been a great trip. I sobbed like a girl also last night. And woke up this morning with my brain trying to put it all together.

Was I imagining things, but when Charlie's band was onstage - wasn't that Jacob in the back on the guitar?

Email from my friend... this is very well put, and funny:

I went in expecting to be disappointed, and boy was I ever. IMO there are two groups of people that watch Lost: those that watch it because they want to see what happens to the characters and those that are interested in the mythology of the island. I would imagine the character group was very pleased. The mythology group�not so much. Here is an imaginary conversation I was having with the writers of Lost last night:

Karl: You guys really didn�t explain anything did you?
Writers: It�s not about that. It�s about the characters and their journey.
Karl: So why can no one but Claire raise Aaron?
Writers: Karl, it�s about the characters.
Karl: So what about the questions you introduced in this episode? Who put that cork in? There were obviously carvings in it. And where were the rest of the island people that weren�t in the church? Could you at least answer these questions?
Writers. Characters Karl, it�s about the characters.
Karl: That�s kind of a cop out isn�t it? You guys introduced too many questions, and when you realized you�d never be able to answer them, you did this.
Writers: But Karl, Sayid and Shannon ended up together.
Karl: Sayid made out with Shannon for like two seconds. What about Nadia?
Writers: But Karl, Sawyer and Juliet! Wasn�t that beautiful??
Karl: I hate you

GRAA! Mac!
I am only up to 30 but wanted to say I LOVED the ending and cried most of the way through the epi. I had to respond to js because I wanted answer it and will come back when I have had time to read. SO many little Easter eggs!

#30. Posted by: js
So basically if you were watching it more for the all the mystery and sci-fi parts of it like I was�. you feel screwed over like they just bs�d the whole thing.

You konw, Now that they have left the ending a really wide doorway, I can make up reasons and come to conclusions and answer to the questions I have with my own mind.

I may not be right - or it may not be what you think - but it will be answers and a logical story.

Isn't this what Lost was all along?

I have come here week after week to read and surmise and think about what others thought about things that I missed. We argued over little details and yet the only conclusions I accepted were the ones where the smarter than I am posters actually wrote out a logical series of events. I think we can do that without D and C stating exactly who was who and what was what.

I have said before that I might not like it if the ending was such and such because I might think it is different.

Now I can do that. I can go back to the begining and follow all the info and clues we have and be RIGHT!

Because no one can say for sure I was wrong.
But I think there are miles and miles of discussion left available.

It's kind of like Science vs Faith.

In science we can back up our theories with the a multitude of facts. We did not get all the facts.

In Faith we have to use the few facts we have and go from there. The leap of Faith.

I am not a religious person, but consider myself spiritual and I am comfortable with the ending.

I really want to rewatch and see the interior of the cave of light again. Very interesting, but the story was going so fast. And how about Locke and John at the top of the "Light Hatch" really cool.

--- The Ultimate Betrayal ---
I'm very disappointed. "The End" was an unfulfilling ending that pandered to the church crowd. Much of what happened in this episode, especially in the context of recent episodes just didn't make logical, storytelling sense. Cuse & Lindelof just threw a bunch of random story techniques at us all season long for Shock and Awe effect which succeeds at confusing people but not in satisfying them. Also how does a happy, church-based ending complete with enveloping light come to such a dysfunctional group of murderous, duplicitous, and betraying people ?! I defy you to add up all the murders and relationship backstabbing that went on among that group of Oceanics in the church. Simply ridiculous. That wasn't an ending, it was cast wrap party.

I had saved every episode of season 5 and 6 on my DVR in the hope that the finale would be so good that it would inspire me to rewatch them all to see how the pieces fit together to make the end. But now, with this, I'm deleting every episode with no intention of watching anything LOST ever again. C&L betrayed us and I'll be content to never see another show of theirs. Namaste dudes.

I'd love to hear the conversation when Richard lands with Ajira. Sir who are you people. Well I'm Richard Alpert. When were you born sir. Oh 1822. What!!!!! Why do you have a backpack with 4 bars of C4? Umm yeah... about that.... The ending wasn't a THUD but wasn't a WOW! It was Meh! I can move on now. Did anyone think that when the rain started and Ben adn Miles were on the outrigger that they were going to get shot at by Juliette? I wish that scene happened.

So they who bunch of Islanders created this world to be able to find themselves according to Christian. YES!!!

Mac - great job on an uber-great show. Will miss this show, but am glad to have been watching since episode 1.

Namaste!
argo

POST # 129 IS AWESOME!

If you loved the finale to Lost, then you love the holy bible too. It also is a story without a definite ending and leaves many unanswered questions. Great cast, though....

For the last time, GRAA, Mac. Also, WGNTWTA.

Censoring lost. This is just too funny.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di3w1yV4Ehg&feature=player_embedded

Perspective is everything! I didn't start watching until Season 2 because I assumed LOST was a sci fi story and I don't enjoy sci fi. Only after a trusted friend assured me it was mysterious, but not sci fi and it had great characters did I tune in.

I've always watched for the characters. It wasn't about what they were in the middle of, but how they dealt with what they were in the middle of that fascinated me. For my viewing pleasure, it was the quintessential McGuffin. Eventually I discovered the McGuffin was The Great Mystery which is unexplainable. Cool.

Part of the queasy reaction to the series conclusion is that the writers did have an opportunity to wrap a science-sci/fi explanation into the layered after life premise.

I strongly believe that the characters were dead before 815 crashed; so it appears that the crash was the symbolic transportation of lost souls into purgatory setting created by the flashbacks (part truth, part individuals' dreams, part nightmares and fears) constructed by the comic book world mindset of Hurley and the bookish nerdy historian Ben. The island was nothing more than an after life simulation. The answer to all the island questions is "it does not matter." Everything was a illusory prop to get the characters to find their redemption and bonds.

In a mind over matter setting, the island world seemed totally real but it was not; it was like a spiritual maze. Once you realized you were dead, and accept it, and some one else helping your along the journey to the next level, then your soul can be "awakened" in the sideways world (which in itself is another waiting room in the after life for passing the maze) to "move on." One cannot pass on without a strong, pure, emotional bonds and finding your "soul mate" to share eternity.

whew. here in china I had to wait for ABC to post it to watch. glad to see the end. although it's strange that something that's been around so long is over, it also felt like it was it's time. and although, like many fans, there are many questions that are still unanswered, I feel a sense of contentment that there will be no more questions. thanks mac for all your helpful guidance along this journey. and all the other posters here as well.

Long time reader, first time poster. Fantastic blog. First thing I would read after watching the night before. Thank you for the time you took to do this, week in, week out.

@#122. Posted by: BenIsGlory

Yes, but he copied himself from Locke, meaning, the organs have to be manifested from Lockes body, resulting in being paraplegic, or worse, death.

Thank you again Mac!

@136, who was Boone's soul mate? And Locke? They are bachelors!

I am an atheist and a scientist and I loved the ending. I also like literature with Christian symbolism and ambiguous endings.

I gave up on getting answers a couple of seasons ago, so maybe that's why I couldn't care less about why Walt was special.

I was disappointed that they didn't show who was shot in the outrigger. They could have easily just stuck the scene in there and had Juliet shoot one of Widmore's redshirts. So that's just waht I'll assume happened and move on.

Mac - GRAA! Thank you for your dedication to this show and your wonderful and often humorous insight.

To TPTB and the cast, wonderful job, well done. I'm in the "satisfied" category. This show gave us six years of mind numbing excersie, unlike most of the junk food on TV today. I am grateful to have been inlightened by so many theroies about what LOST was about. Like life we don't always get answers to "why did this or that happen" so why should "The End" be any different? I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

To all who are a part of Mac's Flocke, thank you for your insights as well.

Namaste

And I am compelled to remind those of you who site What about Walt and his specialness as an unanswered question... I don't perceive that as unanswered at all! Walt is special and Hugo will need a replacement.

I guess I feel a little jipped. I mean, what was all that stuff w/ Dharma, and the twisting time changes. What did all of that have to do with the island's cork and light cave -- which was essentially the end-all-be-all to the island's story?

Whatever, the ending was pretty cool though with the group in the church with their loved ones (or most of their loved ones), and the last scene w/ Jack's eye closing (as opposed to the opening scene w/ his eye opening) -- overall pretty cool!

I also thought about watching all the episodes again. What if Mac takes one episode a week and rewatches and reviews it with our newly-gained knowledge/perspective?

First, I liked the last episode. However, let me see if I understand this.
If, at the moment you die, you are content with the way your life worked out, you go directly into the light to "move on" and do not have to spend time in an "alt-universe" to work on things before you move on? Also, you are on "call back" duty and have "pre-death" duty to help your friends and family move on?
WOW, can I just die and go to heaven because I was a good person, even if I had more things I wanted to accomplish?
Second, I agree with @115. I wanted more answers. I see a mini-series or a 2-hour movie in our future in a couple years to answer these or show how Kate, Sawyer, Frank, Miles, Claire and Richard got home and their life after. I know I want to know how they explain Ajira 316 landing after being considered crashed and missing so many pasengers and with one of the Oceanic Six onboard. All this while trying not to reveal info about the Island.
Great Job Mac!!! Looked forward and enjoyed reading your reviews.
Thanks

The more I think about the final the better it gets, was looking for a big bang or a major twist but this is just as good, something that makes you contemplate and think for yourself to find meanings. So in that light even those with negative comments on the final are correct, as it was said in the show they are not ready yet. And for those who need to know what the island is... if it helps the island is the source of all the midi-chlorians. Does that make it better? Thanks for the great reviews and helping in the appreciation of a great story as it is being told.

I realized last night I was pretty satisfied with the ending because it reminded me of an anime series called Neon Genesis Evangelion, one of my favourites.

It starts out as a mech show, a 14 year old boy has to save the world and is reluctant to do so, and progresses through his psyche in the form of depression, anxiety, guilt and worthlessness. He eventually comes to understand that how he reacts to things is by choice and that he can choose to be happy.

In the end, when he dies (because he is the catalyst for the end of the world in some interpretations) then we see what's in his head. Everyone talks to him, and he says 'this is the you that is in my head, just like there's a me inside of your head'. Which means that there are different impressions that people have of one another that are inside of us all, some are more true than others, depending on how well you know the person. And that's why I agree with a poster who said that that's why certain people were absent from Jack's mind as he was dying, since he wasn't as close to them (Nadia, Walt, Michael, Ana Lucia, etc).

Basically NGE ends with everyone congratulating the main character for realizing he has a choice to be happy and not depressed, and by then then whole mecha/end of the world issue isn't resolved (to some extent) because it's more about the characters.

So, I saw a lot of similarities between LOST and NGE, which I really loved even though a lot of the fans weren't satisfied with the ending of NGE.

It was like eating 1/2 a snickers bar (Not appolo bar because they did not mean a thing!). First I cried, then I screamed and I cannot repeat what I had to say.
Great acting, and expert screenplay. I don't feel cheated in any real way. Like in Gladiator... Are you not entertained? Ok you got me!

I have avery extensive LOST vidoe collection that I was going back to start from the beggining and re-experience the trip. I will not being that, as I have deleted all 52 Gb. Great to have participated with all of you. In the end, you all were the best part of the show.

Jack as the Core. The show ended and started with this show being mostly about Jack and him being the core. But after season 1, Mathew Fox started to whine about his salary when Lost was a success and then for the next few seasons the Jack character just blended in and wasn't the focus and then all of a sudden it ended with him being the focus. I know this is what the writers intended all along but they sort of just stuffed it down our throats.

I am emotionally ok with the ending, but like others the science part of me is feeling a bit disappointed. I guess it just all came down to the connections and love we find that is most important.

@undaunid - thankyou for your words regarding mysteries surrounding us and astounding us, I needed the reminder

I am really glad there are so many out there that find the "no-ending" so fufilling, that some are even begging for a sequel. I have no doubt in my mind that since GREED has driven a good story into a diluted "DALLASesque it was all a dream Patrick Ewing let's make some more episodes project", you will get what you want. Did it ever bother anyone that each Wednesday, we got about 5 minutes of true plot in an hour show? The rest being pure time fluff? Wow!

Mac
Reader for 5 years first post. Just wanted to say you did a great job here it was much needed to read your review after each episode to try to make some sense of it all.

The biggest disappointment would have been if they answered the questions and left nothing to debate. The best part of this show wasn't the show but was what happened afterwards. The discussions, the arguing, the debating, the predicting, all of it. If they took all of that away by giving us a final answer then they would have done a disservice to us all. The ended this show the way they started this show with one big WTF!

I used to think I didn't want to die before I saw the end of Lost. Now I think: give me a break. Life/death/love/heaven...where is the science, the philosophy? Why bother to name characters John Locke, Rousseau etc if you don't address ANY philosophical issues except the classic be a better person one. Why bring all that science/the numbers/the Dharma initiative into it if none of them have any relevance whatsoever?
Cheap and easy ending. Seriously pissed off...

I used to think I didn't want to die before I saw the end of Lost. Now I think: give me a break. Life/death/love/heaven...where is the science, the philosophy? Why bother to name characters John Locke, Rousseau etc if you don't address ANY philosophical issues except the classic be a better person one. Why bring all that science/the numbers/the Dharma initiative into it if none of them have any relevance whatsoever?
Cheap and easy ending. Seriously pissed off...

I used to think I didn't want to die before I saw the end of Lost. Now I think: give me a break. Life/death/love/heaven...where is the science, the philosophy? Why bother to name characters John Locke, Rousseau etc if you don't address ANY philosophical issues except the classic be a better person one. Why bring all that science/the numbers/the Dharma initiative into it if none of them have any relevance whatsoever?
Cheap and easy ending. Seriously pissed off...

AMAZING ending. Good job (both Lost and Mac)!

so... did they die during the first plane crash, or were they alive during their time on the island???

So this is it. The End. I have to say, at first I had a WTF? reaction to the finale, but after sleeping on it last night (trying) and some major watercooler discussion at the office today I realize we witnessed something truly amazing.

The finale did exactly what it was supposed to do. It has been the topic of discussion and theory between me and my interns for years now. We still have the option to debate and express our opinions on how the show ended, and how the characters have come "full circle" to redemption.

I would like to think that when it is my time to cross over to whatever there is wating for me on the other side, my friends and family are all waiting for me there at the gate, much like Jack's was.

Mac, a personal note of thanks to you for untangling some of the finer points of Island life (and making me look REALLY REALLY smart to those who did not follow LOST in depth) and for all the funny lines you have provided to keep me entertained at my desk (while on the clock...of course).

Also to DavidRH, ILBLXX, CrispySeaPlanes, RedNeckMan, CecilRose and all the other regular contributors, thank you for making everyone feel welcome and not "stupid" when comments were repeated, or nonsensical... Looking forward to joining you on Facebook!!!

First of all, thank you Mac for your wonderful insightfulness and dedication over the years. I watched the show from the first season and found your reviews in the second. Your reviews were a terrific companion to the show. I will miss them almost as much as the show itself.

I found the finale as satisfying as they could have made it and didn't feel that every single question needed to be answered. The writers answered enough that I too am ready to move on. But there will never be another show like this one; it was truly an experience.

#123. Posted by: Cecil Rose at May 24, 2010 10:46 AM - don't know if you noticed but as Christian Shepard is leaving the church, he is wearing (both of) the tennis shoes.

I've been enjoying reading through these comments all morning. I guess I land somewhere in the middle. Thought the ending was emotionally satisfying, but I'm REALLY frustrated at all the unanswered questions.

E.g., what did the numbers mean??? How did Locke's father end up on the island for Sawyer to kill??? What can't women carry babies to term??? That's big, important stuff to be left open-ended.

I was also really disappointed that Michael was left out of the finale & the ATL altogether. Probably more a casting thing than anything else, but still....

I was definitely moved by the ending, & *some* questions were addressed, so I can't bitch too much. I remember when BSG ended, though, & the common complaint was that all questions could be answered with the phrase, "God did it." I feel like this had the same sort of cop-out, but maybe a little more resonant. I'll be thinking about this one all summer; I think a lot of our opinions will be changing with time & reflection.

Thanks again for everything, Mac, & to the community here!

It ended where I thought it would and I am emotionally spent.

I've only posted here twice in six years but I wanted to thank you, Mac, for your always insightful, edifying and humourous recaps.

I also want to thank all of you who post regularly. I enjoyed your insights and perspectives as well. It made my journey with LOST that much richer.

I was confused at first, but now I think I like the ending. Definitely a unique ending to a unique show.

@32: We Watch these amazng characters go through tons of obsticles, find a hatch, survive on an island with crazy othr people, get thrown around in time leave and come back and fight a smoke monster! we see all of that and we're hit with all those mysteries and twists and science and unexplained things and we see them do all these things to simply, put all that stuff behind them and meet in heaven?

-Yes, I think this is exactly right. The Island (the Show, really), is a metaphor for LIFE:

Sometimes you think you know where you're headed in life, but sometimes you end up somewhere else, in a different direction or on a different path.

Some people try to fight their way back to their original path, and some people accept their new path and go with it.

Sometimes you don't always get along with the people you are around. Sometimes they are your friends. Sometimes there are bad people and they try to do bad things to you. Sometimes there are good people who try to help you out. Sometimes you don't know who you can trust or believe.

Sometimes bad things happen to good people. Sometimes things happen that you can't explain. Sometimes there are rules that you have to follow. Sometimes you have to break the rules.

Sometimes things happen for a reason. Sometimes they happen for no reason at all. Sometimes you think you're supposed to be with a person, but sometimes they end up with someone else.

All that matters in you life is the people you care about and the relationships you have with them. When you die, you can be with those people in a timeless place, where there is no "now", just an always.

If you let the evil win out over the good, then everyone you love and care about will cease to be - and your "church" where everyone gathers to move on, will be empty.

meh

Solid!

Thanks mac...well played sir.

@160 boharpe said:

>#123. Posted by: Cecil Rose at May 24, 2010 10:46 AM - don't know if you noticed but as Christian Shepard is leaving the church, he is wearing (both of) the tennis shoes.

As he was when sighted and followed by Jack on the island as well, letting us know (at least after the fact) that the vision was not literally real.

"so... did they die during the first plane crash, or were they alive during their time on the island???"

In other words... That shot at the end with all the airplane equipment etc... Couldn't that just be a shot of it all after all the islanders had left?

My vote for best line is when Christian said to Jack, "There is no now here."

I totally Jeared up when Vincent came scrambling out of the bamboo towards Jack.

Maybe I just don't get the whole concept of redemption. How can it be redemptive to kill your father, or force someone else to kill theirs, or to kill some people so they can bring other people someplace they don't want to go because you won't tell them wtf is going on? How is it redemptive to wander off and abandon your baby (after mysterious warnings that you must be the one to raise him) and kill anyone who won't give him back to you? Sounds more like Freudian psychoanalysis to me. So maybe that's what it was. Instead of having everyone sleep with their mother (OK, maybe Jacob did), they all killed their fathers. That's what the island is, it's Freud.
Well, I don't believe in Freud any more than I believe in an afterlife, so I'll stick to duct tape. Cuz it sticks on me.

I'm emotionally spent. What a remarkable end to an extraordinary show!

Mac, thank you for doing this blog. I rushed to read your recaps each week and enjoyed them immensely. Your humor and insights made the experience that much richer.

And thank you to everyone who posted regularly. I enjoyed your perspectives as well, and read them with great interest every week.

Namaste!

I know that some have expressed frustration over the lack of answers, but I feel like the writes absolutely nailed it. They found the perfect balance of providing a not-too-predictable end, answers to a number of outstanding questions and and left some things unexplained because they didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Plus this could be a cool bonus in the DvD pack.

I would like to send my thanks and support but am not exactly sure how to do so. I feel like they really hit the bullseye. What a show, what an ending. Wow...

MAC, thank you for your wonderful recaps and insight.
I didn't sleep well last night.
I hated the final episode and felt cheated of my time and interest in following this show for so long.
Many, many key questions were left unanswered. I feel violated.
The character development was interesting in the context of a larger plot......which was never resolved.
The "journey" is only fun if the destination is somewhere you will enjoy.

I think a lot of people might be ashamed to admit that they feel suckered but I don't. I have no problem in saying that I feel like a BIG SUCKER for expecting this show to be resolved in a reasonable manner. I was duped. This really was the "Looong Con".

This was a bad trip to a shitty destination.

TPTB have absolutely no credibility in my mind.

Mel

Wow. We�ve had double-posts before but #154, 155, 156 . . ? . .

I mean, JAKE3841 is seriously upset with the final episode, but . . .

Cindy is REALLY REALLY REALLY P.O.�ed!!!

:-)

@167 - I think it was the wreckage after everyone left. if everyone had died in the original crash, you'd probably see some bodies there. but everyone was gone.

Long time reader, 1st time poster. Thanks Mac for adding so much to my LOST experience. Hopefully there will be another show in the near future to draw you out of "semi-retirement" yet again!

GRAA Mac! I have been reading this LOST Blog at least since Season 2 and wanted to say a big "Thank You" for adding an excellant extra dimension to a truely great TV show that we will all miss dearly!!! I have tried to post on this Lost Blog previously but was not sure if they were actually ever added on since I was a late poster most times.

Finale & Facebook Notes:
1) I had been hoping that some time duing Season 6 we would all learn the origins of the 4 major ancient landmarks on the Island (FDW; lighthouse; temple & lighthouse). We did learn that the MIB was the designer of the FDW and the other 3 seem less important now that that the series is over but I would love to know if the 2 writers answered that question during the press conference with the fans last week.
2) I really hope both Terry O'Quinn (Locke)and Micheal (Ben)each win an Emmy for their respective roles in Season 6 of Lost!!!
3) MAC if I may make a suggestion, perhaps we can make the Facebook site you have created a means of following this great cast of actors going forward in their next projects and any possible Lost Reunions that may occur in the future. Nice way to support them going forward as a "Thank You" for 6 great years. Perhaps, we could even invite cast members and writers to keep in touch with us fans by posting news on that Facebook site about their upcoming shows & Movies?
3) My only critique for the Lost Finale was that it seemed like we were getting 2-3 minutes of commercials for every 2 minutes of the show by the last 30 minutes. It seemed like that was the big reason why they added an extra 30 minutes of air time, to sqeeze in more commercials. It was just getting a quite a bit maddening when you knew you were not going to see you favorite characters all together again!
4) I really know that this was a special TV Show because like a lot of people shown on the beginning of the Jimmy Kimmel "Aloha to Lost" show, the actors & writers managed to get tears streaming down my face with just about every reunion! Believe me, I am not a very emotional gut either! When it eneded, I really felt like I had just attended a large funeral for a large group of friends we had all gotten to know over the past 6 years. If that is not the ultimate compliment from a fan, I do not know what what else would be!

"Thank You" to all of the fellow contributors to this Blog over all these years. We have all enjoyed reading each others observations and theories about this TV show journey.

Finally, one last big "THANK YOU" to the cast, crew & writers of LOST for 6 great years!!! We all appreciate your hard work and what you have given all of us to enjoy. Nice to see that a very popular TV show with Spirituality at its core still has a place in this day and age!

Best Wishes for much Success to all in the future. Namaste!!!

I get the feeling that Lost is about reincarnation. Some Eastern scriptures say that people who do not resolve issues are continuously reincarnated until they have closure. So when the first Oceanic flight crashed, they did all die; but as they had issues before the crash (see the original flashbacks), they were reincarnated and somehow ended up on the island to resolve these. However, while some were able to resolve them and move on (Eko), other simply found new issues on the island � love (Sawyer and Juliet, Jack and Kate), children (Sun and Jin), that required them to be reborn after they died on the island so they could resolve these.
The sideways world represented this third world where they were all reincarnated, but this time able to move on as they accepted closure. This is supported by the pictures of the Hindu Gods on the wall at the end.

I'm sad to see so many people didn't take away from the show what the writers had hoped they would.

I'm a little bit science and a little bit faith, so the ending was poignant and beautiful for me. I got what I needed to form my own opinion about the Island and I definitely got what I needed emotionally.

Whether you enjoyed the finale, the writers have certainly given us all things to ponder for a long time.

I watched this show from the very first episode and it was 6 years well spent. I might as well throw out my TV.

I thought the final battle with Jack running down the mountain and Locke running up reminded me of the beginning of the final fight scene in Mission Impossible II.

@172 - Mel
I am with you, and you beet to the Loooong Con reference. But at least we did not have pay money for admission.

Notewoirthy that TPTB decided to leave out many characters with few exceptions (Boone, Hurley) that did not have True Love Interests from the final scene. So as long someone loves you truely, you make it.

Another question that will never be answered. Why would TPTB put Jacks body in the exact same place and position on the log in the river that Jacob found MIB. This is just the kind of reference, without explaination, that really chaps my hide.

But I still have to say, the acting was supurb!!!

First off, many thanks to Mac for all his efforts over these years. I can't believe it's all over.

Personally, I liked the ending. But I can see where some people did not. As has been mentioned, if you were more of a character driven watcher, then WOW! If you are a "what about the details" watcher, you might have had some let down, I can certainly see that.

One comment I would like to make is about the un-answered questions. I think some of them are answered, if you consider the facts. For instance, "Why can't women have children on the island?" has been posted by a couple people. My reasoning behind that was the island became "cursed" when the statue of Taweret (Egyptian god of fertility) was destroyed. I even said at the time the ship hit it, "Aha! That's why nobody can have a child!" and my explanation was accepted by those watching the show with me.

Is that explicitly stated anywhere in the show? No. Hell, I can't even *prove* I am right, it's just my theory, but I think it's an example of where there IS an answer to be had, if you can read between the lines. Sure, it's a mystical-magical-saywhatnow type answer, but at least you can "see it".

If you needed to see that statue built, if you wanted to know who created the area around the heartlight, if you just couldn't live without knowing the name of the smoke monster, or how he "worked" or any of the other questions I (and others) can come up with, then I feel bad for you for not getting your explicit answers, but this has always been a CHARACTER-DRIVEN show, and the fact that they didn't feel the need to break every single thing down to it's component atoms was ok by me. And I'm even a science guy, so believe me, I did have a few itches.

Great story. Great chapters. Great ending. Really, what more did you want?

I interpreted that the events on the island all happened....all the events occurred up to Jack dying, arija passengers lifting off, time-shifting all occurred. Jack died in the bamboo field, Locke was killed in his apartment by Ben.....Kate, Claire and Sawyer died sometime after Jack did. Hurley and Ben continued on the island. I have no clue about Desmond. The sideways reality was "a place you all created" - sounds like purgatory to me.

So many questions.....I really doubt there was a so called "Bible" where the entire series was outlined by Abrams/Lindelof while pitching it to Lloyd Braun - season 6 seemed so sloppy.

@144 bridge
"I also thought about watching all the episodes again. What if Mac takes one episode a week and rewatches and reviews it with our newly-gained knowledge/perspective? "

I second that motion. Just can't enough of Mac's reviews. :-)

Thanks Mac and all who posted here for the brain stimulating discussions over the last six years. LOST was great but what made it even better were the people who loved it.

P.S. Anyway to move post #108? Doesn't seem fitting that such a negative post about LOST be assigned such a sacred number.

Before I get too lost in my responses, I want to thank Mac for running this blog and to compliment him on his dedication to meeting deadlines and our expectations. And as far as Mac's overview of the whole shebang, I am in complete agreement. In addition to Christian's explanation to Jack, we had the mysterious "You WERE a great number 2" business indicating that while they were there in front of the church, what had gone on on the island was in the past.

I think that no one can live as two separate entities in the same time line. I think the only people living in two alternate universes were our Lost Main Characters. The people back in Alt Universe were either dead or still on the island. Desmond was special in that he could move back and forth but was never in the same universe with is alt self. And so, in order to avoid Kate et al running into Alt Kate when Ajira 316 returns, I believe that it Never returns. As soon as it leaves the island, it vanishes. It ends. And the people on the plane resume their lives in the Alt verse but with memories of their adventure in their minds. As long as Hurley and Ben remain on the island, their alt selves can continue their lives. But when they leave the island by dying or by doing a Jacob thing, they become their alt selves.

@ 140/karen: maybe soul mate was the wrong term; once you reconcile your past then you can move on; see post 177.

I would like to add my thanks to everyone else's, Mac. Yours is the only blog I ever needed to read about Lost, and no other site has made me laugh so much. SO thank you SO MUCH, and I'm looking forward to reading your review of the Lost movie when it comes out, cause you know it will...

I have been a long time lurker but I have to post for the finale. Thanks Mac for the recaps all these years. I always looked forward to reading the morning after Lost. This recap was the best and had me tearing up like I did last night. You have really helped put the finale into perspective. Namaste!

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!!!

Love it or hate it, you've got to respect the producers for creating this work of art that will continue to confound, frustrate, and tantalize viewers for years to come.

@67/TheTeeto
Your post makes a LOT of sense! The sideways world was Jack's perspective, and it differs for all. Jack drew all those important to him to gather when it was his "time"! It does not mean those not there went to hell, but it could mean that for some whom Jack believed deserved to go there. Also, perhaps no more answers were revealed because it ended when Jack dies and he didn't learn the answers either. The important thing was that Jack did in fact prevent the world from ending and evil escaping by killing MIB. I do wish we could have learned his name though.

There were 150 comments already. I haven't read them all as of yet (insert davidrh scream here), but I do intend to (so I hope that soothes the "angry beast"). However, I wanted to post this first.

@37: Mittlework
@40: Alvar_Hanso
Thats what LOST was ALL about. NOTHING.

No...Seinfeld was a show about nothing.
LOST is a show about mystery -- mystery of science, mystery of religion and faith, mystery of living, of life, and the leaving of it. There are some mysteries that simply cannot be answered, some that defy explanation -- conventional or otherwise, and some that have answers that are unsatisfactory or vague.

Thanks Mac!!!
All and all I expected more out of the 2 1/2 hour final but felt the ending was perfect. Bottom line, I've never felt anything close to that much emotion tied to a TV Series or Movie?

For all the grumblers, are you still upset because you don't know how the Cyclops got to his island and how come he has only one eye? Or how the sirens managed to turn Odysseus' men into pigs? I've likened the LOST saga to the Odyssey all along and have been happier for it.

I noticed that toward the end in the Alt verse, Alt Hurley seemed to be playing as big a role as Desmond in rounding people up. I ascribe this to Hurley being Jacob III, and like Jacob, can move back and forth between the island and the alt verse. And he doesn't do it by plane or sub, he does it by being able to control which of the two universes he chooses to be in. That island river flowing into the tunnel of light, even when mostly dried up and muddy looking, is some potent stuff.

I felt as if I should post -- my first and last. Throughout the seasons (I can't even remember how I found this site in the first place), it's been amazing reading through these reviews by Mac, as well as the countless comments from all you fellow posters. Everyone here added a dimension to the show, and will be greatly missed. (I know next Wednesday morning at work I'll visit this site out of habit... *tear*) From the bottom of my heart(light), thank you all for an amazing experience. And to Mac... thank you, thank you, thank you.

In regards to the finale: I loved it, and had to hold back tears when Vincent laid down next to Jack. I honestly don't have words to describe how I feel about the end, but I think the show mirrored my feelings in the final scene. Like Jack, laying down in the bamboo fields where it all began, I am content.

"See you in another life, brotha."

@144 - "What if Mac takes one episode a week and rewatches and reviews it with our newly-gained knowledge/perspective?"

I have a mental image of Mac coughing up his beer while reading this.

Or the sideways world was never real.
Once locke is dead the split in time caused by the bomb is stopped and those who exist in this other reality cease to exist.
Why bother showing the plane leaving the island? A symbol?Or the real survivors heading back to reality?
These writers are not clever enough to pull off what they tried to do.
Kid stuff as far as the thinking goes.

thanks, mac, for everything. you're my third favorite person right now after Damon and Carlton. I loved the ending, and as much as I've wanted answers to the mythological questions, somewhere in the middle of this season I stopped caring so much and tried to 'let go' myself, as darlton wanted us all to. I'm glad I did, because I wasn't disappointed with the finale at all. I'm lookig forward to talking about this show for years to come, and I seriously doubt I'll find something to love as much, ever again. thanks for helping shed light on the mysteries of the show and for adding so much humor. I've loved every minute of reading your reviews, and I'll e following you & your 'flocke' on this site and on fb as long as you're around. mahalo!

Hi all,
Looong time lurker, first time poster here. I have been following this blog since season 3, and this has always sort of completed the experience of Lost for me. So, I would like to thank Mac and every one on the Lost blog. You guys have been great.

GRAA Mac. Will miss ya!

My post is almost identical to #193. "couldn't have said it better"

My/First My last.

I've been reading since season 2. My co-worker told me about your blog. She followed you from the X-Files.

The aha moments for me was unbelievable and I going to miss all of this. The discussion, speculation kept me going. You all are so awesome.
I'm a going to miss LOST.

My tears flow. I thought they where dead at several points stuck in the in between but I didn't realize how I would feel once I finally really knew it was time for them to move on.

A lot too involved.

By the way, It was that an Ajira water bottle Ben gave Jack. I half expected Jack to do the chant of the Holy Water Jacob did. But I guess if it flowed into the light it was already magical.

@193. Posted by: August Paul
�For all the grumblers, are you still upset because you don't know how the Cyclops got to his island and how come he has only one eye?�
I, for one am not grumbling. I am disappointed about the substance. There are two parts to this show. On one hand we have the character arcs, and on the other we have the mystical island arcs. The half truth of the Answers: Remember this season�s advertised theme was all about the answers. While a lot of �Answers� were given, few of them corresponded to the questions that I was asking. I have to admit, I did not really care about Jack and Kate�s relationship. I was in the science camp. Here is my attempt at progress to the end.

I am going to think of the �real world�, as purgatory stage 1, the island as purgatory stage 2, and the sideways world as purgatory stage 3. And leave it at that. Our Losties are all selected from a pool of the dead to go to purgatory stage 1 because they died. Our Losties are put on the island, stage 2, because they need each other to work out issues. Some of our characters had to go back to stage 1 in the �real world� (Oceanic 6) because they were not ready to move forward. When they realized they were leaving nothing behind, they come back to stage 2 to finish up. Remember that Hurley is left in Purgatory stage 2 with Ben to continue on. So it only ends once, just not yet. How many other Stage 2�s were played out with previous island inhabitants. When all have graduated from stage 2, Desmond, who plays by his own set of rules across all three stages simultaneously gets enlightened to his job, and pulls them all together to remember, and move on. Children do not go to purgatory per say.
The final scene of the plane wreckage on the beach summed it up.

One other thing occurs to me as I reflect on the Snow Globe ending. If, as some are postulating, the people needed to fix, sort out, or otherwise get in touch with their own personal issues before they could "move on" (note that none of the "bad guys" which apparently include Widmore are in the church) what exactly did Christian Shepherd do to deserve to move on? He never shows a single good point in the entire series and is apparently bad enough that he could have his body used by MIB.

Mac you are the man, your insight has been great for the last 6 years I feel like we are friends,with the same sense of humor,your weekly lost blog will be missed, GO RED SOX,

Long time reader and infrequent poster.

Thanks for all the comments. They are always so insightful and help to clear up the fog sometimes.

Not a fan of the ending....but...

One thing that struck me was that all the characters had "worked things out" and had done "good" things and were ready to move on. So what about Christian? What good things did he do to deserve to be the "leader" of the bunch at the end? That kinda threw me for a loop.

Can I ask the haters what show they have been watching for the last six years?

Whether you liked season 6 or hated it, D&C told the story in the same consistent way they have always approached it. There is no long con here, no devious plan to sever the trust between creators and viewers.

Lost has always been two stories integrated into one- the story of the island and the story of the characters. The show has always been edited that way- the island events intercut with flashbacks, flash forwards, or sideways (which after last night, turns out to be the ultimate flash forward). The show has ALWAYS been fantasy and character study, science and spiritual.

The island mythology stands on its own, and IMO, is relatively complete. The island is the "source", whether you want to interpret that in a scientific way as some sort of massive EMF battery that powers our world, or in a spiritual way as some sort of cosmic consciousness.

The point of the Mother backstory is that there is no beginning and no end to the island, just cycles of guardianship. Just as Hurley took over for Jack who took over for Jacob who took over for Mother, there must always be a guardian of the Source. Showing Hurley and Ben's experiences as the new guardian and #2 was unnecessary and would have diluted the ending.

The guardian has full authority over the rules, determines who comes and goes, even holds sway over the forces of life and death on the island (including fertility?). Ultimately, that guardian identifies a new candidate, so that the guardian can pass on while the island still remains protected, and a new cycle begins.

Just as guardians and candidates are drawn to the island, so are others who will worship, study or exploit that energy, whether it be ancient Egyptians, scientists funded by industrial magnates, the U.S. Army, etc. It is up to each guardian to determine the threat level of each new arrival and to craft an appropriate response. While the Monster was perhaps the island's greatest threat, other more human driven threats may arrive all the time.

The story of the island over the last six seasons was one subset of its ancient story, like deciphering a mountain side by looking at one layer of sediment. Jacob created a "monster", and by doing so, put the Source- and the world- at risk. From that standpoint, last night neatly closed that cycle. Most of the questions posted here were either already answered (what are the numbers) or can be at least guessed at (fertility) or are inconsequential (who shot at who in the outriggers).

The second story line is the character arc, which again was completely resolved. We saw all of the character backstories which took place in our world between 1954-2004: all lonely, broken, "lost" people.

We saw them arrive on the island in 2004- I completely disagree with some posters who are suggesting that all of the Oceanic passengers died in the original crash. In fact, last night's episode made the exact opposite argument- that their experiences, tragedies and sacrifices on the island were real, and the most critical part of their entire lives. Their arrival was "not for nothing", but required to destroy the MIB and save the island.

It's not a coincidence that Jacob has an Old Testament name- the god who is distant, unknowable, and stands by idly while tragedy befalls even the chosen people. The Old Testament god demands sacrifices (see Abraham, Job) that are beyond the understanding of those asked to commit them. This is the core of the concept of faith.

The departure of the Oceanic 6 from 2004-2007 was real, as was their return in 2007: a voluntary act of free will to accept a predestined path, a very eastern spiritual concept. Lost has always mish-mashed Judeo-Christian themes with Eastern religion- the concept of kharma and dharma (righteous actions, the impact of our decisions, searching for the right path) has always been explicit in Lost.

This mish-mash happened again last night, as the character with the New Testament name- Shepherd, the son of Christian, voluntarily sacrifices himself so the island- and the world- can live. Lost has been extremely consistent for 6 years- focused on spiritual truth as not belonging to one particular faith or world view.

The small group of Ajira passengers who flew away in 2007 presumably lived their lives, had families, grew old, and eventually died. There was no need to show this in the series.

I hated the concept of the sideways world most of the season, because I thought it was a cheat to reset the world or create an alternate universe. The realization last night that the sideways world was an epilogue- a reality that our souls/minds create after we die to work through our issues, reconnect with lost loved ones, achieve awareness- again, all very eastern spiritual concepts- was mind blowing for me and very emotional- not just for the arcs of the characters, but because it forced me to reflect on my own thoughts of the afterlife, and how much my own family and children mean to me.

I have never been so immersed in a show in my life, and I am 47. I believe Lost will grow in stature as new generations come to it and meet it on fair grounds with no preconceived expectations.

I have a feeling this season finale was ghost written and directed by Tyler Perry, everything was solved by going to church

I've enjoyed reading Mac's insightful reviews and hearing the various viewpoints on this great show for many years (probably back to some time in season 2) without chiming in, but I want to throw in two cents that I think helps make everything -- even the unresolved questions -- make sense.

At the end, I think that the underlying lesson of the whole Lost journey is that every person has shortcomings and mistakes that require redemption, and that this redemption can only be achieved through (1) a true understanding of the others in our lives and wanting to help them be redeemed and achieve their destiny to the point of self-sacrifice (love) and (2) ultimately realizing that redemption and destiny, though individually pursued, are collective in nature and can only be achieved by letting go and relying on trust and faith in others. Everything else � science, religion, good, evil, chance, time � is secondary in nature, a means to this penultimate end of transcendent destiny. Thus, an understanding of the unresolved questions is secondary -- and quite pointless -- in the grand scheme.

For example, take Jack. Jack was a guy whose life was for a long time centered around knowing. He "succeeded" in life through knowing. Yet no matter how much he knew, he was ultimately unfulfilled. Even after he succeeded in getting everyone off the island, he wanted to go back because he didn't know the answer to the biggest question -- what's the point? In the end, he was even answering most of the mysterious questions correctly (e.g. that Flocke was playing them on the sub, that Desmond's plan with the heart of the island wouldn't work, and that Jack would kill Locke), but he had realized at that point that that knowledge didn't matter. He knew that these finite things didn't matter; that the point of life was not ascertainable through knowledge or faith, or even an understanding of good and evil or chance or even time. The answer transcended all of that.

The most amazing thing was that this transcendence was evident all through the 6 seasons of the show, but the transcendence didn�t really become clear until the end � really until the simple yet beautifully climactic final scenes at the church. I think that is what makes the ending of the Lost series truly profound -- I believe there is a transcendent truth that awaits each one of us at the end of our journey. Only when we "leave" will we all become enlightened through transcendence.

It is mind boggling to think that a television show was able to tell a story this profound. I feel like I just finished reading a novel that tells the story of everyman�s life, death, and salvation.

Next week at this time, I'll be experiencing my first Mac Attack. I will miss you terribly!

I am among the emotionally satisfied with the ending. LOST was, after all, a story....a story about Jack and his struggles to find peace. And, while we the audience have struggled to fnd answers to so many questions, I feel that the finale gave us peace, too. That being said, there is still a lot to ponder.

I already miss LOST. The writing, the production and, most of all, the acting - it was all masterful. I have never been so moved watching a tv show.

I look forward to reading all the posts. Thanks to all of you for providing such great insight.

Mizzed you nailed it. Scary that our posts are 3 minutes apart. We must be on the same island.

Mac,

Most sincere kudos on such a fine consistently entertaining recap for such an extended run. I doff-eth my chapeau.

Y�know, it�s kinda funny. I used to be pissed that they never answered anything. All these friggin� questions and so few satisfying answers. So then I asked myself�I says, �Self (cuz that�s what I call me), what�s with the frown?� And then after asking myself, �Huh?� and repeating my question to me, I came up with my very own set of answers for everything.

Ready?

Wanna know Ransomjackson�s unified theory of LOST?

It�s a doozy�

Here tis�

It just doesn�t matter.

Do yerself a favor, go watch Bill Murray in Meatballs, and repeat after me: It just doesn�t matter.

Takes a little work, but doggone if it don�t ice the cupcake.

Answer behind the Tawaret statue?

It just doesn�t matter.

Mystery behind why women can�t give birth on the island?

It just doesn�t matter.

Shannon�s bikini?

Okay, that one matters.

Egyptian markings? Waaaaalt�s specialness? Ana Lucia�s sneer? Hatches? Dharma? Widmore�s box?

It just doesn�t matter.

Why?

So glad you asked.

Because it�s television. And television exists to sell advertising time. Of which there seemed an inexhaustible supply last night.

So really�it all boils down to�were you entertained? Did you enjoy it? I know I was. If you can answer even 51% yes, then there you have it. In a nutshell. In that context, I enjoyed the whole show, acne, gingivitis, inconsistent science/legal/medical foofaraws and ill-advised sub-plots and all. Hell, I even liked Nikki. Paolo not so much. But Nikki rocked.

As they said at the end of The Truman Show, �What else is on?�

Namaste. See you in another blog, bruthuhs (and sistuhs).

RJ

PS � My most heartfelt congratulations to (missing friends) Alais and ealgumby on their impending doom�I mean nuptials. I hope you two crazy kids can really make a go of it.

I think the island experience was real for our survivors. They did crash, some of them did survive and they did some time skipping while they were on island.

How did the time skipping happen? Even if they tried to explain it to me, I wouldn't understand it. I read The Elegant Universe; my mind would reach overload and I would laugh out loud at the magnitude of it all. So I don't need an explanation of how the time travel thing worked because I know enough to know that I will never know!

Six of them (and Desmond) left the island for a while.

Aaron, Walt, and Ji Yeon are alive and well right now in 2010 in LA, NY, and Seoul.

Locke was murdered off island. The rest then returned to the island to take care of unfinished business.

Frank, Kate, Claire, Richard, and Miles made it to the nearest landing strip and then on to LA where they continued living their regular lives until they died. Kate tells us she missed Jack very much; implying that it had been awhile since she last saw him.

Hurley, Ben, Rose,Bernard and Vincent continued to live on the island. Maybe Desmond survived, maybe not. Maybe Rose died of cancer there, maybe not. Maybe they will use the sail boat to get back to civilization.

Hugo will run the island differently than Jacob did because Hugo is empathetic and truly kind. And Hugo already knows of three children who have ties to the island who will grow to maturity and be candidates for his job.

The alt-verse exists apart from the real world/original time line (which includes the island). I don't get the alt verse; I have to think about it. Whatever it was, I loved seeing the love and serenity among the people gathered in the church.

The Lostees were on the island to prevent MIB from escaping and/or destroying the island and to succeed Jacob as guardian. They succeeded in that and also in releasing all the whisperers who were stuck there.

They saved the world and learned something about themselves in the process.

I don't think they need a "soul mate" to move on. I do think they need to know love to move on. To love unconditionally and to be loved unconditionally has nothing to do with religion and it is redemptive; it can change our lives. Ben is working on that.

I don't believe in heaven or hell or purgatory. I don't believe in a God who cares about a 14 year old masturbating or the sexual orientation of people.

I believe we all come from The Something and we eventually return to The Something...every thing in between is the opportunity for growth and growth is progress.

Mizzed always manages to clearly put into words what I'm thinking. So I want to thank mizzed for all his/her great comments over the years.

Now that I have had a chance to kinda sorta digest last night's epic Lost finale, I can (finally) make a few coherent comments:

(1) Thnak You to all the posters here on this site. I am a better, more intelligent person because of all of you. Our debates, theories and general banter made my post-Lost mornings amazing. I will miss this community.

(2) My question: In the church scene at the end, why was Aaron there as an infant with Claire and Charlie? If everything that happneed happened (the crash. the island. the return. the years in-between) then why wouldn't Jack's "perfect vision" include Aaron as a toddler/3 year old? This was the age where they interacted the most...Jack helped to raise him. Maybe he never felt "right" about it and so in his "in between" he saw Aaron with Calire and Charlie instead?

205 - Mizzed. Nice wrap up, but I got the exact same feeling of reflection on my life after watching less the two hours of Robin Williams in What Dreams May Come!!

Again I am not sorry for hitching a ride on this one, just not completely satisfied. Although I do like my 3 stages of Pergatory theory for that; even all the holes in it.

Long time lurker, infrequent poster.

This is exactly why this Blog will be one of the most important part of my experience with Lost, the other being a show that my 14 year old and I have watched together for the last 3 years and no matter what was going on in our lives, detentions, arguments, we always sat down on Tuesday nights and watched it together.

#205. Posted by: Mizzed at May 24, 2010 2:36 PM

explained PERFECTLY for me what I thought and could not articulate.

Thank you, and it's making me cry all over again!

For the last 2 seasons or more I could really see that the writers had LOST it. Anyone could have predicted the ending seeing how diluted the show was becoming after season 4. Seasons 1-3 were PURE excellence. From then on the writers were obviously confused with how to wrap it up. They had NO answers for their own story. More characters were introduced that had no relevance. The show that once demanded my attention and captivated me was on a course that was severly predictable and I knew I would not be satisfied with the end. THE WRITERS PROMISED US THERE WOULD BE ANSWERS TO MANY OF THE QUESTIONS. THEY DID NOT DELIVER. Anyone can come up with thought provoking mysteries but it takes a truly great artist/writer to finalize a good ending.

#205. Posted by: Mizzed

You hit it right on the head! I totally agree with your take.

@205. Posted by: Mizzed
While I have enjoyed many of the posters at this blog over the years, I always look for Mizzed's comments as he/she has had IMHO the most insightful comments. I think Mizzed nailed it again on the finale. Thanks also to MAC for all of your hard work - It's been a great experience.

@180: It was Jack's perfect ending, not everyone's. Jack was placed the same way as MIB because he got spit out of the hole just like MIB.

@80, @190 Thanks! I thought my post way up there at #67 was sure to be...ah...misplaced. Glad you liked it, I know it was a little intimidating in length, but it just spilled out like that! I think realizing it was Jack's ending helps put the season in perspective. It helped wrap up one character, while hinting at what happened to the others. I think you have to view that flash sideways as a epilogue separate from the island tale that dealt only with Jack and gave his story some purpose/finality. It's also fun to think about what other's journey's may be like. Jack needed to polish up a few things before he moved on--he needed to find peace with Locke, the man he replaced as a man of faith; he needed to bond with his lost kin Claire; and he needed to solve his daddy issues, and did so by becoming a good father himself. I'm guessing a character like Claire would have a totally different ending, as I'm sure she would include Aaron and would want nothing to do with her time on the island (though Kate may still play a part in her future). All in all, I would have preferred a little more on island battle, but I'm still pretty satisfied. I hope those that hated it let it simmer for a while, perhaps rewatch it, and reconsider.

If I'm not mistaken, the point of the final shot of the crash is not only to bring things full circle, that everyone was gone and it was over, and to show that Jack ended up where he began, but also to reinforce the fact that the bomb DIDN'T work and the plane did indeed crash. The incident happened as well and is the reason that women cannot have children on the island (not the destruction of the statue a 100 or so years before).

I hate that people want the entire history of the Lost universe spelled out for them--where would it end? Isn't seeing Jacob and MIB's origins enough? The island seems to be pretty old and has attracted visitors for all of time. Who cares when the Egyptians got there and built a statue? Why do you need to see that happen? Makes no sense to me.

Finally, just to be clear; the chosen protector basically makes up whatever rules they want for the inhabitants of the island, right? FMom declared that neither child could leave or hurt each other, so those were the rules when she was there. When it was Jacob's turn, he made the rules about not being able to be killed directly and not harming the candidates, yes? And Hurley got to set up his rules?

I was right all along... We always needed a bigger boat

I have read this site and all the comments for years and I have never posted. I will miss Lost and I will miss this site. I think that I will be lonely without Lost. Im sure thats a pathetic and sad thing to say but I've really been trying to figure out what my feelings are about Lost. I think for a lot of us it's not just a tv show. I was waiting for all these answers to questions that I had about the show and its like I was waiting for the answers to the meaning of life. Of course nothing is going to be the "right" answer. I thought about it all night, I had Lost dreams, I got up this morning and made coffee and came here and looked for more answers. I have come to the conclusion that in Lost, as in life, you don't get all the answers. Thats it. I am just going to have to deal with it. I think that is for me the ultimate philosophical answer to the entire Lost mystery. We don't get to have all our questions answered. I think once you understand that, you can move on. So, having said that, I loved everything else! I loved the characters and I loved the acting! Wow! Some really exceptional work. Now what? The Bachelorette? Yeah,right! I guess I'll have to work on my own life or find a good book to read. Or, better yet, get the entire box set and maybe a Dharma jump suit and watch the whole thing all over again.That'll work! Bye everyone, I've loved reading all your smart, funny, insightful comments. I will miss you. I kinda wish we could all hang out more.

2221. Posted by: constantine780 - Actually, I'm going to start watching Dexter. One of my friends has it on DVD. The bad guy pretends he's a good guy, and kills other bad guys, but he knows perfectly well that he's a bad guy too. I can handle that. ;)

Max and everyone thanks for the posts. I have looked forward to reading this after every Lost episode. In terms of the finale, the last half an hour killed it. Like others, i was disappointed with last night's finale. I felt we were owed many more answers than received. The white light seemed forced and a weak end to a dynamic series. It's doubtful to me, the writers had any sort of plan how the series would end.
Regardless, I disagree that Oceanic folks died in the inital plane crash. In the final scenes, Christian told Jack that some of the people in the church died before him and some died well after him. So Kate Sawyer, Hurley (?) continued living after him and everyone else in the church died before him.

@205 - Mizzed - and those who follow.

Agree with some, found other parts of the post interesting, found the openning reference to "Haters" a bit of a simplistic characterization, which not typical of your style.

But I must ask what show wre you all watching for the past 6 years? I don't mean to be disrespectfull here, but to deny the fact that TPTB built a two part show, as you mentioned, and only addressed one part fully and left 90% of the other up to interpretation is disingenuous. They built a great show with a fantastic and undeniably captivating story. The characters were loved and hated. Acting was beautiful. I just want the other half of the cake. The part with icing. That does not make me or those who wanted similar, "Haters". The fact I am still here with all of you today, is a testiment to my love for the show, the journey, and all of you that I shared it with.

I do have one question that people keep assuming is the truth - a few commenters have stated that the 3 kids that had ties to the island (Aaron, Ji Yeon and Walt) will be next in line to replace Hurley.

Why? That makes no sense to me. According to that logic, then Jack and Hurley wouldn't have been the protectors - it should have been given to Miles b/c he was born on the Island.

I agree with most of the positive comments, the reasons why you could consider the ending a good ending. But I'm still just not happy. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I'm pretty pissed.

@213 Again, I believe this was Jack's perfect ending, and his perfect ending would be that Claire raise Aaron, thus his infant status. Christian was merely his guide and has his own journey to take to redemption.

So, the smoke monster was created BECAUSE Jacob broke the rules? Is that right?

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?

A: It was time to move-on.

@227 - I was wondering about the smoke monster thing - when Jack was down there, I was waiting for him to become a smoke monster himself.

After reading these posts, I now believe that they never survived the crash. I didn't really understand the implication of the plane on the beach at the end, but now I realize that since it was untouched, then none of our Losties survived. I don't know how much I like that, although I did think this final episode was beautiful.

A great story DESERVES a great ending. We did not get that. Glad I fast forwarded through the advertising in the final seasons.

#227. Posted by: TheTeeto �@213 Again, I believe this was Jack's perfect ending, and his perfect ending would be that Claire raise Aaron, thus his infant status. Christian was merely his guide and has his own journey to take to redemption.
So, the smoke monster was created BECAUSE Jacob broke the rules? Is that right?�

I am not sure about Jack�s perfect ending. If so there is no reason for anyone else�s story arc to converge in the sideways world. According to TPTB, some things do not need to be explained because they are not important. So it is not certain whether Aaron has any meaning at all.
Furthermore, the smoke monster really has no meaning to the story because there is a little smokie in all of us; just as there is a little light in all of us. IMO The island is a place where you work out issues of conflict with yourself. In the end we all must battle our demons and deliver ourselves from them. We must have the capacity to forgive not only those who have caused us pause, but forgive ourselves. (Sound familiar?)
Oh Damn!! Now I can�t be disapointed at TPTB.

I reasoned myself into a corner!!!!

@230 You need to either reread these posts or re-watch the finale. They definitely survived the crash, and it's not open to interpretation.

@233. Posted by: TheTeet

Absolutely open to interpretation. This may not be convienient, but they left it wide open.

See post 201 for an example

Oh I forgot. It really does nt matter whether the losties survived the initial crash of flight 815. the story arcs still don't change, the people don't change, and in the end it all is the same. So survived, not survived, already dead before plane crash... makes no difference to the story.

@80: hurling
@73. Posted by: jaybee - "Anybody notice that the coffin delivery guy and Locke's taxi driver were actors of no obvious significance???" - Yes, and did that bother you too? ;)

I was thinking afterwards, that they should have gotten Abaddon to fill those roles.

@98: Stacey I was a little confused on why some characters were not there until your recap reminded of what Eloise said to Desmond about Faraday. Makes sense now....though I feel like Faraday, Miles and Charlotte should have been a part of the end.

Eloise wasn't ready to move on. She wanted to enjoy the "time" with Daniel by letting him run free with what he wanted to do (his music), not with the life direction (science) she imposed on him. Similarly, Daniel and Charlotte weren't ready either. They never flashed when they met each other in Altverse.

*******

I have to say that there was so much in this finale that I will spend a very, very long time trying to process it all. Answers and questions lead to more questions.

Was any of the island life "real" other than the actual crashing of Oceanic 815 and Jack and the dog landing on it?
Was there a crash of Ajira 316 on the same island?
Did Jacob/MiB ever truly exist?

Were all of these events simply a mechanism for Jack to become "ready" by having his mind generate the entire series as the means for him to reach the ending in order to "move on"?

Option 1: The entire show was simply a "flash" in Jack's mind's eye after the Oceanic crash. All the flash forwards, flashbacks, flash sideways to get him to become at peace with himself so he could move on. Everything was a trick in his mind. All the characters were merely constructs in his mind by which he could "defend his life" and prepare himself to move on.

Option 2: The island and its mythology did exist. Altiverse was the "purgatory". Jacob really was the gatekeeper to the golden flush -- life, the universe and everything. (My initial thought on seeing the phallic plug was 'Holy Crap! The writers/creators/producers were just F$%#ing us the whole time!')

I think it is mainly Option 2 with a bit more color commentary.

My reasoning for this is based on what AltChristian had said about everyone being in the church (I even saw Michael there...but not WAAAAALLLT!) because this group of people had the greatest impact on shaping one another's lives (or words to that effect), so it made sense that they would all move on together, once they all came to that "understanding". The church was in a place of timelessness (some died before you, some long after). Either all the characters were figments of Jack's imagination, or they all existed and survived the initial Oceanic crash in the first place. For them to have had such a shping effect and impact on one another's lives, I think they must have all survived the Oceanic crash. Ajira really did bring everyone back to the island. Frank did get the "survivors" of those subsequent events off the island. Jack had his epic throw down with Flocke, and ultimately died in the bamboo field not far from where he'd landed from the Oceanic crash after putting the cork back.

I think Jacob as gatekeeper finally came to terms with himself over his brother's death so he was able to move on as well.

@ Jack's Eko - 44
That makes so much sense but now I am confused. I haven't really read all the posts yet (sorry everyone). So was the plane in the last scene the original flight or Frank/Sawyer/Miles/Ricardos/Kate?

Mac, our deepest gratitude and thanks for the hours and hours of effort you put into this blog. My family and I always looked forward to your insights, humor and wit and we feel a big void approaching next Wednesday morning! Thanks to all of the contributors who shared their theories and helped us understand various aspects of the story. We loved the last episode...the acting was incredible! Not knowing all the answers is fine with us. A great story and a great six-year ride. All the best to you and your family Mac!

So, are you ignoring when Christian says "It all happened"? I mean, unless you're saying that you choose not to believe anything in the show, and in your opinion, it was about magical gnomes that steal your underwear at night, they made it crystal clear that the island happenings were real. The Losties came to the island and returned to the island to defeat Flocke and replace Jacob, that's it. The purgatory aspect of the show was only Jack's flash sideways epilogue that occurred after he died in the bamboo years after the crash.

the most important time Jack spent in his life was with these people. if they all died in the original crash, then that couldn't be true, since they didn't know each other before it crashed.

also, christian said they all died at different times. this also means they couldn't have all died in the crash.

christian said those people were real and everything that happened to them was real. so everything on the island was real, not purgatory.

they did not die in the original plane crash. if they did, it would be interesting, and i'd have no problem with it. but this theory has been directly refuted.

#224. Revelation: "I don't mean to be disrespectfull here, but to deny the fact that TPTB built a two part show, as you mentioned, and only addressed one part fully and left 90% of the other up to interpretation is disingenuous."

Therein lies the rub!

It is all perception. You perceive it one way and I perceive it another way entirely. There were things that I perceive as inconsequential that went unanswered. You perceive those things as being substantial and requiring explanation.

As far as the use of "haters" ...
I (for one) do not include your posts in the category of "haters".

But I do agree with Mizzed's observation that there are posts today which focus exclusively on bitching and moaning about being duped by TPTB. I wouldn't characterize them as "haters"....I call that sniveling.

The bottom line is that I perceive something that you do not perceive. That doesn't make my conclusion disingenuous anymore than it makes your conclusion short sighted.

It is exactly what you think it is and oddly enough, it is exactly what I think it is too.

@233

Of course it's open to interpretation...wasn't that the point?? I don't think anyone can really say that something is not open to interpretation. I am not sold on that theory, but after reading some of the posts, I saw that final scene with the plane in a new light.

What I need help on is this, if they were in fact "dead," what was all the flash forward stuff...Ocenanic 6, etc. Now I'm rethinking all of this.

Also, being at work and not being able to really be on the computer (I'm a 5th grade teacher), I've only been able to read 100 or so posts. I know, I know AAAAAAAAAAAARRGHHHHH.

One more long time lurker coming out to say thanks. My LOST experience would not have been the same without your reviews, Mac. Thank you. I wonder how many other people out there are like me - faithful readers who never commented. I wish there was a way to leave a tally mark to show how many lives have connected here!

Okay, now I'm imagining Mac sitting in a cave with hundreds of names and numbers all over the walls... Heh.

@241. Posted by: undauntid
Now that I agree with 100%

#225. Posted by: benIsGlory

I didn't say Aaron, Ji Yeon and Walt are next in line as guardians.

I said that Walt's specialness, which was stressed to us, might have been stressed to illustrate to us that the guardianship will pass on again and Walt might be a candidate one day. And the other children are simply children that Hurley knows and so they will enter into his consideration because they have connections to the island. That is something Hurley has that Jacob did not have, an intimate connection to the rest of the world and its inhabitants. Hurley flew to Korea to meet Ji Yeon. He has a personal connection to her as he does with Aaron. Do you seriously think Hurley will not visit them from time to time?

@240. Posted by: BostonSteve

Nope. Not refuted completely. They all could have been dead prior to the flight, and were selected to be on the island because they were flawed, needed each other. they all could have died at different times before arriving.

Why is an afterlife less real then life itself? isn't "real" a relative term here. BTW, IMO, LA X still stands for Life after Death.

We may agree to disagree, but then thats the beauty of the show. Keep on thinking about it. I know I will.

@242. Posted by: JG - I offer one humble explaination in post 201, not much but made me feel better.

I agree that the afterlife still could have been "real." I like the idea too that they could have been dead before the flight. I'm torn about all of this!!

@Revelation, how would the whole flashforwards be explained then??

I don't like when people completely shut down other people's ideas and act as if they know 100%. None of us know for certain. I love that everyone has a different take on this, but I know that I don't have all the answers! :)

@246:
if they did die PRIOR to the flight, as you suggest as a possibility, then that would also refute that they died IN the original crash.

JG - I never intended to shut you down. I know as little anyone else about all this. I just noted one possible situation where your scenarion would not necessarily be the only answer. Please I hope theres no hard feelings at this point. I am sorry if I came as arrogant.

@249. Posted by: BostonSteve

That was my guess. IMO The plane crash was a metephorical event to symbolize travelling from one stage of existance to another.

I'd have no problem with the Island being an afterlife, or purgatory. But haven't we seen evidence contradicting this? what about people on the Island communicating with the mainland? And what about when the O6 leave the island for 3 years? Everyone off island remembers them when they come back. What about all the flashbacks, which lead up to them getting on the plane?

@#205 Mizzed

I've been reading comments about the finale all day - some I agree with and others I don't, but I absolutely love the way you've expressed your thoughts on the show. You've put into words some of what I've been thinking but have been unable to put into words. Your recap has made me think about the sideways world in a new light. Thanks!!!!

I feel way better about the ending now.

undauntid said it well in post 43. -- Some things can't be explained... they just have to be accepted. It's like if someone asked if there was really a god or where we all came from. Everyone has theories, everyone has beliefs. But nobody knows for sure. To an extent it was good that there was no "definite answer", but yes, I still would have liked questions answered (such as, Widmore, and the rules). Some things are just "beyond our understanding". We spent 6 years avidly watching this show... loyal to it, and not losing hope. There was no "satisfying ending" regarding the mythology.

Part of me just feels as though the writers should have timed everything out better. Everything seemed smushed in the finale. It was brilliant the way they had Desmond remember, and even Locke. I am not a fan of the way Sayid/Shannon, Sawyer/Juliet, and especially how Sun/Jin remembered. I mean, it was cool that they remembered through the ultrasound and stuff... but the whole "remembering how to speak English" thing was annoying.

I feel like the "standing around" time could have been utilized in previous episodes. I do love the show, and I love it for everything it gave me, but I don't know. Many feel as though this show is "slow" because of all the "standing around"... but actions speak louder than words, so maybe it wouldn't have been the same without it.

Flocke's death was also very abrupt. I understand there was that whole he didn't think he'd lose his immortality or whatever, and Jack was able to kill him blah blah blah... but since he was such a morbid/villainous character from the first episode of the series, they should have made his death a bit more epic. I was just waiting for the "epic fall" type thing.

I also didn't like how they TOLD us everything as opposed to SHOWing it. Once again, actions speak louder than words. The first 5 seasons they did such a great job of "showing" us everything... nobody explicitly said it. Telling is a "easy way out" and LOST is better than that. I didn't like the conversation with Jacob in the previous episode for this same reason. There was no need for Christian to "explain" everything to Jack. It seemed understood at that point. There were so many ways it could have been shown so the viewers understood. A great example of this would be when Charlie wrote "Not Penny's Boat" on his hand and held it up to the glass for Desmond. That scene would not have been as awesome if he TOLD Desmond through conversation. It wouldn't have had the same effect.

The bigger message at the end seemed to be the important part... and that's what made everything alright.

Nothing mattered. All the mythology... none of it. I don't feel like I wasted my time speculating about it. My boyfriend asked me while I was venting last night/this morning about it if I feel as though I wasted 6 years of my life for nothing. The answer is no. Speculating on these things that didn't end up mattering did so much for me. Like I said earlier, part of me is glad there are no definite answers.

I also agree with Mac and like that the "hidden reoccurring theme" was loneliness. Sad that Ben sat all alone outside that church.

I didn't dislike it. I still don't know though. I definitely feel better about it though. Sorry if I sound like a hater. I have a great respect for TPTB. They are brilliant. It is what it is... whatever happened, happened. These past 6 years have been amazing... completely worth all my time. I don't regret one moment of it. I just still feel a bit empty. Maybe it's because I don't go for "mushy" things. I like action/suspense/thriller. It's painful for me to watch chick flicks which is why the romantic stuff tends to annoy me... but it's imperative to the show.

The more I think/talk about it, the more I am satisfied. My best friend (the Dramatic Writing major) decided she was very disappointed though. Maybe everything she criticized about it is just running through my head. I don't know... sorry for the ramble. My head is just all over the place right now.

@252. Posted by: BostonSteve

This may not be an adequate defense of my theory,but here is all I can think of.

IMO - The life on the mainland is only one stage of pergatory. time is not of the essence in this, so flash forward is kind a fuzzy thing. All losties "Lived" in stage 1 prior to the flight. Fligt 815 delivers them to phase 2 pergatory. Some are not progressing and go back to phase 1. when they are ready they return to phase 2 (the island). Some are ready and go to phase 3 (Sideways world) Some need to return to phase 2 to help others that still need them. All end up in stage 3 at some point. Some still need an extra push, those who don't move on to stage 4...

A little week, but it's all ive got. just one possible explaination. I am sure its not waterproof, but it made me feel better.

@255 - no need to defend your theory. i have no problem with it.
i was merely stating (back in post 240) that they did not die in the original plane crash.

I was also hoping this episode would make me cry... or even tear, for the first time in 4 years. I guess I just don't have a heart.

Maybe I needed to watch it alone. We made this awesome LOST cake... and we put Dharma labels on our water bottles, beer bottles, vodka bottle, and soda cans.

I just wish I had a jumpsuit. I actually wanted the Radsinsky Swan Station one because it was black.

It still hasn't hit me that it's all over.

@254, I completely agree about leaving things unsaid. Back in Season 5 my husband and I said that very thing - so much was included in the dialogue, whereas before it was just expressed by the scenes and made you think about it. I liked that so much better.

And also, Aaron can't be a candidate because apparently he's dead, right? That's why he was in the church with everyone else. He's dead.

JG in Post #242:
It�s ok, no screams here.

Being trapped in a room with 5th Graders is enough
torture for one afternoon . . .

Only thing worst.

Being trapped in a room with 5th Grade Beginning
Band students!!!

@258 - the people in the church all died at different times. Everyone dies sometime. Aaron wasn't going to live forever. It's possible he grew up and was a candidate, and it's possible that he even was the protector for some time.

This brings up an interesting point though. I didn't really believe that the sideways world was unique to Jack, and that everyone else had their own little "purgatory". The fact that we saw so many story arcs in that timeline suggested (to me, anyway) that it was for everyone. So why, then, would Aaron be an infant at the end? It would make sense to Jack, since he only knew him as a baby. But that's not very fair to Aaron, right? I mean, everyone gets to move on but he has to remain a baby? That's no fun! Perhaps it was just Jack's transition then.

@Revelation: I wasn't referring to you! It was another poster that got my goat! :)

also, since age and time didn't matter at the end, why not have teenage Walt there?

Thanks davidrh! Not to mention that it's about 95 degrees in my classroom, and I was observed by my principal and 6 of her bosses!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHH

I've never wanted to be on the receiving end of that!!

Mac, thank you so much for making this exchange of thought possible. It has been a great help in filling in some of the blanks and it has been great fun to read and to contribute from time to time.

I believe my understanding of what happened in the sideways world is consistent with what Mac and others have described with some slight differences. I too believe that everything "happened" in the mortal existence of the characters during all six seasons, other than what happened in the Sideways world, which represents an after death experience in a place where time is not what we know it to be.

However, I believe Christian Shephard said something about all the characters "making" the Sideways world becasue these relationships were the most important relationships of their lives. This was a place of their making with the objective being that they could see the ones with whom they had developed the strongest bonds before moving on to whatever is next. While I do see some aspects of "purgatory" (e.g., Anna Lucia isn't ready yet), I viewed it more as a spirt world Class of Lost "reunion".

I also think the Sideways is a place about love. Some of those staying behind don't necessarily need fixing, they need more time to develop relationships and enjoy one another becasue of the ways in which they were cheated during their mortal existence. E.g., Ben. It sounded like he served as a faithful number 2 to Hurley and redeemed himself prior to death. However, Ben and his daughter always had a very dysfunctional relationship becasue of his position as leader of the Others and it was cut short when she was murdered. Now Ben can have some of that time back, to be with Alex and to love her and Danielle (thank goodness Russo looks so much better in the Sideways). He could leave if he wanted to, but he's in no hurry. He wants this time.

Similar for Daniel Faraday/Widmore and his mum. Hawking was so busy doing what she had to for the sake of the island all those years, including sacrificing Daniel, she how gets a do over and can spend some time with him being a loving family and Daniel can have the chance at love with Charlotte that he never had the chance to more fully develop. He is tasting of the fruits of life he missed.

So while I see some aspects of purgatory I see more emphasis on reunion and opportunities to have back stolen time.

When Jack enters the church, it is very non denominational, there's Christian symbols but also Jewish and Buddhist, etc. What I took from it all was a story where life continues after death and that we will have an opportunity to see our dearest loved ones after we've all passed on. This seems in keeping with the theme of the island and its light representing life and what good is life without love? For many of us who consider ourselves to be spiritual in some sense, this is what we are hoping for in our own existence. So this series ended giving us a message that what we want is out there waiting for us. What an uplifting note to end on!

@67 - While I like your idea of this being a Jack specific purgatory, I respectfully disagree. Ben, Daniel, etc. are staying on to further their relationships with loved ones, which isn't very Jack specific. While I believe we saw the reunion at the end through Jack's perspective, it belonged to all of them. After they all died, regardless of whether it was before Jack or after Jack (we don't comprehend time in the afterlife), they found themselves on the plane from Autralia to LA with their memories covered by a veil that allowed for the Sideways to unfold as the veil was removed by one individual after another.

The introduction of the Sideways was so brilliantly camoflauged by introducing it following the detonation of a nuclear bomb, which made it very easy to mistakenly interpret as an alt verse that resulted from the explosion. I didn't see this ending coming.

I would have appreciated it if Kate's time with Sawyer had triggered a bear cage flashback. That would have been hot!

Is MIB/Flocke an island ghost now, like Michael? How about Jacob? Seems like they both did some pretty bad stuff at one time or another. Being a ghost on the island...now that sounds like "purgatory"!

Only complaint was cracking runway as plane took off at the end. After wathching the movie 2012, I never want to see another cheesy last micro second runway crumbling behind a plane escape again.

What a fantastic show! What a fatastic blog! Thank you all for making this so much fun!

I haven't read all the comments and I'm not going to. (Don't worry, Davidrh, I'm not going to repeat or ask the same questions as everyone else.
I just want to say thanks to Mac, Davidrh, Cecil Rose and all the others who post and comment each week. Y'all have helped me understand this show a little better. And ALWAYS made me laugh.
I'm not going to spend a lot of time reading comments on the last epi because I don't want the people who didn't like it to take away my joy. Sure, I didn't have all my questions answered, but that's ok. This epi was full of heart and sacrifice for friends that I was moved to tears (ok, sobs) more than once.
Thanks again. See you all in another life.

RE: Mizzed at post 205 - you have nailed what I personally believe 100%.

Also, early in the posts, someone mentioned that it was sad not to see Vincent with everyone at the gathering for Jack prior to his "next step." (Jimmy Kimmel's joke about "not all dogs go to heaven was off the mark, that was not heaven) Vincent, being a dog, would never end up in the same place as us poor humans, dogs do not have issues to work through like us humans (they are more pure), so they are automatically passed on to the "next phase" of their own being.

Also, in my mind, #1 and #2 plus Desmond, probably still have some stories to tell... As they were there at the end of things, for Jack, but they obviously had many experiences together after we saw them last (on the very real tangible island that of course actually existed). The respect and camaraderie in that brief exchange was real, carried weight, and gave me shivers.
In real life: I think economics could play into it, Hurley and Ben could probably be persuaded to do more work in the Lost Universe, as, as far as I know, agents are not knocking down their doors with offers for TV and Movie work. Heck, Mr. Eko did not appear in The End due to real life Economics (or so I hear)...

@ Kathy - 75
That was a flashforward in the season 3 finale. She was pregnant with another man's baby. We saw this when she visited Jack in the hospital since she was his "emergency contact". David was Juliet's.

My PVR didn't record an hour and a half. From Des going down the rabbit hole to Locke going to the church I saw nothing.

I thought "what the Hell? This sucks."
But now watching it all and knowing not everyone is dead at the end has affected my viewing.

It is a great ending. Enough characters and some spawn are left for the movie (but mini-series would be better.) They did not bother to answer any real questions but perhaps in the future.

I am amazed how sad it is that the show is done. I can only think how well a show is done to create that feeling in viewers.

The online community was great. Learned more about everything and anything that was remotely connected to the show.

Thanks Mac and his readers for being on the ride, I enjoyed it.

Oh, and I thought Vincent was smokey. So wrong there. Boy that dog is tough.

The more I think about it the more glad I am that they preserved the mystery and magic of Lost at the end. I am one of those who watches tv/movies for some escape. I have enough banal mundane answers come and go in real life...many unsatisfying. It's nice to go toa place once a week for an hour where you can believe in magic again. I wish the island did exist--Smoke Monster and all. I'd love to visit it for real. But it's good enough it existed as this piece of fiction and stimulated our imaginations for the past 6 years.
Six years wasted? I doubt any of us truly lived and breathed only Lost 24/7 for 6 years. 20 or so of viewing for 6 years and a few hours reading/posting for each episode? Time wasted? I think not! Loved every minute of it and would do it all over agin in a heartbeat.
Let the mystery live. Let the magic continue.

BTW -- The Smokey Target commercial was awesome! Ha! (and the keyboard one!)

why did Daniel have to die again? what purpose did that serve?

Re @#205 Mizzed and #207 Ben

Great analyses! Thanks. It's people like you (and undauntid and BostonSteve and revelation and welh and CrispySeaPlanes and others that made this the MENSA of LOST blogs.

About MIB, does no one out there feel sorry for this guy? Wasn't he pretty much a victim? Okay, he developed a mean rage that would have seriously challenged Jack NIcholson in Anger Management. But before that, he just wanted off the island. And he was thwarted at every step by Fmom. Killing her, which was somewhat understandable, is what led to Jacob's revenge for which this poor guy became, well, a monster. And, yes, he was a BAD monster, but do we have no sympathy at all for him?

And, I'm somewhat disappointed that no one came out in support of my early-posted (#55) idea of a full-cast breakout dance on the DVD. I was sorta hoping we'd start a wave to make it happen (like the Betty White hosting SNL thing).

Namaste everyone.

@236 Gumbo maintained:

>>@80: hurling
@73. Posted by: jaybee - "Anybody notice that the coffin delivery guy and Locke's taxi driver were actors of no obvious significance???" - Yes, and did that bother you too? ;)

>I was thinking afterwards, that they should have gotten Abaddon to fill those roles.

But Matthew Abaddon was (a) dead, and more importantly (b) simultaneously sending a force to invade an alternate world and also leadin a force to defend said alternate world. (Click my name for a recap of the Fringe finale)

#121. Posted by: Loz
For me, the island was a true purgatory from the start--everyone on the plane died in the crash. The science fiction aspects, dharma, widmore, the others, jacob, MIB--are all real, but not in earth time. They can all be summed up into the island, which serves the single purpose of transforming selected characters. The alternate world is the gateway which tests the readiness of selected characters to move on to the next level. Some of the alt-world characters were not ready, but most were not even real (Jack's son, and probably everyone else who wasn't a selected character). The light leads to heaven, but it is destructive to anyone who has not been fully transformed.

You see? :) Loz can use what he/she saw and heard and come to his/her own logical conclusion. Not what I think happened, But it fits. If they told us the island was Cecil's space ship, Neither Loz nor I would be happy. Cecil would , though.

#167. Posted by: yaya
"so... did they die during the first plane crash, or were they alive during their time on the island???" In other words... That shot at the end with all the airplane equipment etc... Couldn't that just be a shot of it all after all the islanders had left?

I am pretty sure someone said the island was real. I think it was real. I am still working on the sideways world. I think that was a flashforward to a time after Jack actually died on the island. Where he had to connect to his island past to find peace.

#169. Posted by: hurling
Maybe I just don't get the whole concept of redemption. How can it be redemptive to kill your father, or force someone else to kill theirs, or to kill some people so they can bring other people someplace they don't want to go because you won't tell them wtf is going on?

I would think coming to grips with the fact that one can do such horrible acts and still find self worth or honestly forgive oneself is the redemptive part. Hence Ben not ready to move on.

#205. Posted by: Mizzed
#207. Posted by: Ben
Thank you Mizzed and Ben. That's what I have been trying to say. And I still will go back and try to make the Blast door map work, And try to figure out exactly where MIB started to take over. Just my own curiosity. And there is plenty of info to work with .

You Know, the only thing that bothered me was the "church" I know they were trying to connect a lot of people with diversified religious backgrounds. But It could have been a field or a meeting room in a hotel, a lecture hall or a funeral parlor. But it doesn't really bother me.

I think it is cool that Hurley, The character that represented us, the audience, is now the protector of good. A shout out to us all to be better than we are and leave the world a safer, better place.

@274: if they all died in the original crash, how do you explain Christian saying that they all died at different times?

Also, the reason they chose the church instead of a field or hotel or whatever is because that is where Jack was supposed to hold the funeral for his father; a funeral that never got to happen.

@117: ALEX_ANGEL
It was a great show and yes there will be a lot of holes to fill ...

I only saw one big ass giant cork and that was already being used.

*******

@115: ebk
I'm just fine with a show about characters struggling to achieve redemption & spiritual progression. But Lost implied that explaining the issues would feed the characters' emerging awareness. Then the issues just 'go away', and everyone happily moves on into the light. It feels a little trite and incomplete.

I'll grant you that some of the resolutions were trite and incomplete. However, I don't believe that LOST implied that it would explain all the issues, or even any of those issues. So I will have to disagree with you on that. I think it raised issues: why do some people have birth/pregnancy issues that others don't have? Why do those who conceive on the island not complete their terms on island (nameless Other women)? Why can some (Claire, Claudia) who conceive off island succeed in their births on island? Why can some who conceive on island (Sun) succeed in their births off island? Some of these issues simply cannot be explained. Why do some pregnancies in women over age 35 result in Down Syndrome children, while others don't? While there is more concrete scientific explanation for this last question, there are still loopholes, or exceptions.

�There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy.� (Hamlet)

I think the producers went to great pains to not say explicitly that the "light" at the end of the church was "heaven". They said simply it was "moving on". They tried not to pigeonhole themselves into a singular religious philosophy, but chose something broader and more generic that can relate to many religions, beliefs, systems of faith, mythos, etc., both individually and simultaneously. There are different philosophies. Some have overlapping principles or concepts that are in common with one another.

Similarly, I think there are many cases where life isn't simply an either/or. Good and Evil are not so clearly black and white. Too many shades of gray. Is there a difference between murder and self-defense when both actions result in a death? Is it always wrong to lie?

*******

@202: Dennis
One other thing occurs to me as I reflect on the Snow Globe ending. If, as some are postulating, the people needed to fix, sort out, or otherwise get in touch with their own personal issues before they could "move on" (note that none of the "bad guys" which apparently include Widmore are in the church) what exactly did Christian Shepherd do to deserve to move on? He never shows a single good point in the entire series and is apparently bad enough that he could have his body used by MIB.

All the people in the "congregation" were influential in Jack's coming to terms with himself. Many of them were islanders. Christian was perhaps the single most important person who shaped Jack's growth and development, be it for wanting to not to turn out like his father, or to come to some kind of acceptance of what his father's passing truly meant to him. We see Jack constantly tormenting himself by his father's death.

@32 and @37:
"Jack could of died in season 3 and met up with everyone in heaven anyways and we could of gotten the same ending?"

I don't agree with this. Christian told Jack that the island was the most important time in his life. Before the island, Jack and all the survivors were alone and lost. They needed this island to find their purpose and their soulmate/destiny. If Jack died in season 3, perhaps Jack and Kate would not be moving on together. Same with Sawyer and Juliett and so on. I wish Locke had a soulmate.

I think it would have also been amazing if Jacob presided over the survivors' moving-on ceremony as though his entire game of bringing them to the island was for the purpose of the last scene. As it stands now, they seem completely unrelated.

So posters...help me understand. Here are my questions and I'm not sure there is even an answer....

When Jacob brought the survivors to the island, was it only to find a new candidate and/or to prove his point that people can be good when given free will and choice...Or in the end, did he pick these people because they were the perfect combination of desperate loners who would finally figure it out, allow the island to fix them, allow purgatory to really fix them, find their soul-mate/destiny and move on? Seems to me like the alt timeline has nothing to do with Jacob or the island.

Does everyone in the world have a purgatory? Does everyone have to come to the/an island? Are our survivors the first to ever experience this and move-on to the afterlife? Does this open the door for human beings to now move on with more ease? Has anyone before them succeeded in moving-on? Did Jacob and the island help them?

I loved the show and was satisfied. But we all know that when the show was first written, the island was purgatory and the fans figured it out. Anyone agree that the alt timeline was thought of pretty late in the game as a way to get a purgatory without the island being purgatory (even though many religions would consider Michael's...and others'...souls being trapped a form of purgatory) and that is why the inconsistencies are mounting pretty quickly? Perhaps this very blog and the internet and the global community dimsantled the original Lost storyline so severely that season six tried to correct for it too late? That being said - it was a beautiful ending and I truly believe that the last scene was envisioned before the pilot was shot...but how we got there?!?

@275/ BostonSteve

As the driver of the "They're All Dead Bandwagon," I wrote a long time ago:

Throughout the show, there have been tiny, glossed over facts about the main characters lives which could be the sole reality in a complex afterlife test. If you believe that the characters are dead, it is possible that they were dead before the plane crashed on the island. (The plane crash as a metaphor for passing onto the next plane of existence.) For example:

Hurley could have died in the porch collapse;
Kate could have died in the house explosion she set;
Sayid could have died during the Gulf War;
Jack could have died in drug overdose or beating during his odd Thailand beach trip (which does not fit properly into career time line);
Locke could have died at birth;
Sawyer could have been killed by his father in a murder-suicide;
Charlie could have died the rocker drug OD;
Eko could have died during his drug wars;
Claire could have died in auto accident;
Ben could have died at birth in the woods;
Ana Lucia could have died after being shot as a police woman;
Rose could have died of cancer; and
Michael could have died as result of being hit by a car.

A favorite line of mine:

Frank: " In case you forgot, I'm a pilot"

#275. Posted by: BostonStev

Also, the reason they chose the church instead of a field or hotel or whatever is because that is where Jack was supposed to hold the funeral for his father; a funeral that never got to happen.

Right. Thanks, I forgot.

Thinking about the moving on event.

Remember Jack was upset about not finding his dad's body and having the proper funeral. Maybe that's what is the final thing he had to do to be able to move on.

@273: Cecil
But Matthew Abaddon was (a) dead, and more importantly (b) simultaneously sending a force to invade an alternate world and also leadin a force to defend said alternate world.

Thanks Cecil! I have Fringe (and Flash Forward) on dvr so I can watch it ...later. I enjoyed his rendition of Low Spark of High Heeled Boys in Brown Betty.

Yes, Abaddon was indeed dead. Weren't they all in the altiverse? That's why I thought it would be fitting for him to help people (and coffin) get to where they needed to be at the church.

Thanks to you and Mac, and undauntid, welh, davidrh, Mizzed (205 post was terrific), ealgumby and Alais (mazel tov on the impending nuptials) whose absence this season was saddening to me as I found their comments helpful to my own interpretation of the show, and the many other posters for making this such an accessible and interactive community.

Best Line nominee:
"So doc, what'd ya bring down from the mountain after your talk with the burning bush." -- Sawyer to Jack.

The whole Rose-Desmond conversation:
Bernard says maybe 5 words, Rose tells Des that she's sorry Bernard talked his ear off.
We built this place in the 70s and lived in it a few years. Then the sky flashed again, so who knows when.
Hope you don't think I'm being rude, but I'm going to have to ask you to move on.
We got tired of all the drama.

And I knew Vincent was going to tell someone that someone fell down a well.

@278/welh - That's a great list but you forgot a biggie:
Locke SHOULD have died when he got thrown out the window.
;)

More questions that may or may not have an answer, but there are people here a lot smarter that I...So please chime in:

I love the idea that when the plane crashed, everyone died and that the island is purgatory #1 and the alt timeline is purgatory #2...kind of like at a bar when you leave a dirty glass and the bartender washes in two different disinfecants before rinsing.
But Jacob brought the plane to the island. If this is true, is he resposible for the crash? Did he put all these people together with the intent of killing them and introducing them to purgatory? Or were they already dead before the original plane crash? And Jacob decided this group would figure it all out?

Next, what if Desmond was not the constant, Purgatory two would never have finished, right? Without Desmond, these characters would never have gotten closure and their enlightenment. The real transformation happened on the island, but who would have shown them.

I love the poster who suggested that the alt timeline was Jack's and jacks alone. What if everything was Jack's? The island. The alt timeline. The characters all working together like a movie or a play simply to move Jack along on Jack's journey to the afterlife?

Just really caught up on the posts.

@Mizzed 205

Very eloquently stated.

I need some time to digest all of this!

it felt almost weird watching the final ever episode of LOST then reading macs great review & watching his video,
im gonna re-watch now so i can get my head around what happened in the finale.

@277. Stevew: "When Jacob brought the survivors to the island, was it only to find a new candidate and/or to prove his point that people can be good when given free will and choice"

I took everything Jacob said at face value, so Yes. LOST the series showed us one snapshot in the history of the Island, the era of Jacob. And Jacob never fully understood the Island - no one could ever understand the Great Mystery, though some people over millennia figured out how to harness the hybrid spiritual-physical energy.

So the ALT-epilogue derived, not from Jacob, but from the ultimate nature of the cosmos, just as the Island did.

thanks for your time over the years Mac.

I liked this episode; it pulled at my heart strings revisiting all the happier moments.

However I agree with other posters that, throughout the show as a whole, the writers have largely cheated in the way they've kept people hooked over the years. When questioned they even promised that they had answers but just got bored after the hooks had served their purpose.

Twin Peaks had a similar style (and equally beautiful and ethereal) ending but David Lynch had the rug pulled from under his feet mid season; an excuse the Lost writers do not have.

I've really enjoyed the whole thing throughout but I think over the coming weeks I'll be defending the show rather than wholeheartedly championing it as I was hoping to be able to do.

R

@282 Gumbo responded:

>Yes, Abaddon was indeed dead. Weren't they all in the altiverse? That's why I thought it would be fitting for him to help people (and coffin) get to where they needed to be at the church.

Point well taken about everybody being dead in the altiverse. I hadn't really thought about the characters who weren't part of the island group - were they the souls of real people working on their own paths to redemption, or just cardboard connstructs of the losties doing their own working out?

Anyway, the more important point about Abaddon (Lance Reddick) was actor availability - what with him working every week on Fringe there just may not have been time to fly him to Hawaii. Elizabeth Mitchell seems to have managed, but perhaps that was in part due to the long hiatus in the "V" telecasts.

>Thanks to you and Mac, and undauntid, welh, davidrh, Mizzed (205 post was terrific), ealgumby and Alais (mazel tov on the impending nuptials) whose absence this season was saddening to me as I found their comments helpful to my own interpretation of the show, and the many other posters for making this such an accessible and interactive community.

Aw, shucks...

@224/revelation: "found the opening reference to "Haters" a bit of a simplistic characterization, which not typical of your style."

Please don't take that expression personally- it wasn't directed at you, but was in response to some of the following comments..

@30: "you feel screwed over like they just bs�d the whole thing", @39: "It kind of feels like a "cheap shot" to leave it that way"

@72: "I will not follow either of you again." @108: "This sucked." @118: "hopefully my bitter feelings towards the writers will pass."

@127: "I hate you" @129: "The Ultimate Betrayal" @154: "Cheap and easy ending. Seriously pissed off..." @172: "I hated the final episode and felt cheated of my time and interest in following this show for so long."

These are not debates on the meaning of Lost or of the final episode- if they don't reach the level of hate, they certainly arrive at the intersection of bitter and angry.

IMO only, these views represent a fundamental misunderstanding of what the entire show was about, not just last night. Anyone angry about last night's resolution should have probably dropped off around the time of the Oceanic 6.

Lost was a big, messy Meaning of Life, Love and Death type show, wrapped in a chewy mythological, fantasy coating. The ending was never going to be some neat and tidy explanation like aliens, mental hospital experiments, a six season long extended dream sequence, nanobots, Stargate, Eden, Atlantis, or frankly- even Purgatory.

I believe the show went to great lengths to explain that the stakes were real: that they did in fact, survive the crash of the Oceanic plane, did make it off the island back to the real world, and did decide to voluntarily return.

Believing that they were always dead dramatically reduces the impact of not only the first five seasons, but also would cut the heart out of the season 6 reveal that these characters we care so deeply about will reconnect, whether in this life or the next.

We can and I hope will debate about the meaning of what we have experienced the last six years. But the argument that some have made that D&C do not care about what is likely to be their life achievement, and would dilute their six year project by out and out lying to their audience about whether or not the characters have been dead for the entire series- that I don't understand.

GRAA Mac...can't believe it is the last!

@271. Posted by: BostonSteve...why did Daniel have to die again? what purpose did that serve?

> maybe that was his mother's way of releasing him so that he could be a musician and spend time with her in the Alt world?

I was hooked from the first moment of the very first episode and never
L O S T that addiction.

I think they should have gone a few more seasons. It ended too soon. I am missing it already. RIP L O S T.

Mac, I think it goes without saying, but GRAA. I will try to view your video this evening. You have been our "leader" and host throughout the past 6 years and no amount of "thank you"s really will say enough about your dedication and ability to cultivate such a great group of people.

Of course, it goes without saying that this place would never have been what is was without the fantastic group of people we have had here. I'm going to miss our daily banters as much as I'm going to miss the show itself. All of the abbreviations, the frenetic off-the-wall banter, the humor, the highly intelligent theories and diagnosis of every episode, the camaraderie, the screams from davidrh... We are a unique group, one you rarely find on these boards and which I've cherished being a part of. I'm proud to be one of Mac's Flocke, and proud to be able to call so many of you friends even though we've never met in person. We've shared so much of ourselves, poured our hearts out to one another with our thoughts and actions and general silliness, even watched some of our group grow over the years (ilovebenjaminlinusxx - it's been a pleasure) or even fall in love and get engaged as recently as this past month (ealgumby and alias_longthought).

Overall, I must say this episode was satisfying but I share the sentiment of many that we were sold a bag of goods when it came to getting answers to more than we really got, or we were deliberately misled. But I digress from my love fest...

What saddened me as I watched the show end was not that there was no more story to watch, but that there was no more story to SHARE. That, my friends, says something about this show, and about everyone here. I hope we don't all disintegrate back into our own worlds from which we came now that Lost has shown its last images. Here's to still having many of you around 6 years from now to continue to recall the "good old days" with and to perhaps make more together.

@205 Mizzed

Well said! Thank you for putting in an intelligent, concise way what my brain was still trying to wrap itself around.

I should qualify my statement in the previous post by saying it was a great episode. Where it left me wanting was the "science" side, as many have already mentioned, leaving the "faith/love" side with all of the good stuff.

Mizzed, you took the words tight out of my mouth!

Also, I just want to say I loved Sayid's "confessional" during the JKL alternate endings!

Goodbye Mac !

I will miss feeling of impatience waiting for the next LOST episode, and for reading your comments ...

Time to remember being part of this awesome experience, and let go the unanswered questions :)

Greetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina!

Carlos

Just finished watching Raiders of the Lost Ark for about the 5,000th time. Classic right?
But then I start turning my Lost trained eye looking for answers like:
How did the builders of Tanis know that the city would be consumed by the desert, that they needed to build a map room and a headpiece to a staff to help people locate the buried Well of the Souls in the future?
Does this ruin the enjoyment of the movie? Of course not. We accept it in the midst of the exceptional entertainment it is. Just like Lost. Some things just are the way they are. There's a giant cork that turns the light on and off? Who put it there? Why is it there? How does it work? It just is.

Wow--300 in less than 24 hours...crazy!

301st! Woo-hoo!

@Crispy - How come the Professor could build a set for Jimmy Kimmel & have it delivered, but he couldn't get the castaways off the island???

The End for Jack could not have come in the plane crash unless he changed his clothes on the way down. On the other hand The End could have been the plane crash because he arrived at the church dressed much the same way he was on the flight. In the time between the drink with Anna Lucia and the reunion with his father, I'm guessing Jack got a little lost.
Thanks for all your hard work Heathcliff, glad Christian was wrong about that never winning it all thing.

#257. ilovebenjaminlinusxx___ The only thing that made me cry was when Vincent came to Jack at the end and lay down beside him. But I am a sucker for man�s best friend and it just touched me deeply.

#262. Posted by: BostonSteve: �also, since age and time didn't matter at the end, why not have teenage Walt there?� ___ Because Walt wasn�t a big part of Jack�s growth? But I can�t figure out why infant Aaron was there�unless Jack needed to reunite Clair with the baby he took from her.

A few people questioned Christian�s �right� to move on. Remember that Christian has been dead for several years by the time Jack died. Christian has gone through his process. He had to be there for Jack�s transition for his own sake and for Jack�s sake. And I think this isn�t about God deciding whether or not Christian is worthy of heaven, it is about whether or not Christian feels he is ready to transition. When you don�t believe in hell, it is easy to accept that.

#272. Lost in Ra'anana ____ Thank you for your kind words!

#276. Posted by: Gumbo: �Why can some (Claire, Claudia) who conceive off island succeed in their births on island? Why can some who conceive on island (Sun) succeed in their births off island?�
____Both Claire and Claudia gave birth very soon after arriving on the island. Sun left the island very early in her pregnancy. I always figured that the same property of the island that caused accelerated healing and the immune system to go into hyper drive was what caused women�s bodies to �attack� the foreign body and cause the mother�s deaths. I think it began after one of the �incidents�.

#277. Posted by: Stevew: �Seems to me like the alt timeline has nothing to do with Jacob or the island.�
Right! Jacob was not divine, he was just a guy, just like Hurley. He just had a unique job on a unique island for a while. We saw him struggling with his own mistakes towards the end. His candidates were charged with cleaning up the mess Jacob made; Jack died cleaning it up. Jacob will work through his own stuff before he moves on. And my belief is that everybody does what our Lostees did. You don�t need an �island� you can go through the process of self discovery at a diner in downtown Boise or digging ditches in Penjamo, Mexico. You can begin the process this very moment if you are so inclined. Or you can wait until life kicks your legs out from under you and you begin the process in a desperate attempt to find meaning in your suffering.

Thanks for your years of service - always lurker - Thanks for the explanation of time - now it all makes sense.

Just want to say thank you for all your hard work... your insights and ability to articulate them. I was very emotional at the end of "The End" and your summary helped me fine tune what it was that touched me so. I'm glad you'll be leaving the blog up. I plan on watching the complete series from the beginning and will look forward to referring to filmfodder. Thank you again. I hope that at some point there will be another series that is worthy of your attention but in the meantime, there is so much to keep me busy reviewing Lost, it's mysteries and clues. BTW, gee whiz, you are cute! Peace.

i just had a re-watch & enjoyed it,
i see from a few posts in here that not everyone was impressed with the final installment of their LOST experience,
perhaps some of us had our expectations of the final� set so high- it would never live up to what we wanted it to be.

This blog has been as important as the actual show for me. Thanks to you Mac and everyone involved. Each of you has contributed so much to the LOST experience.
And I LOVED the finale. Brilliant. Metaphysical love story outlining the importance of connection. Just like all of us.
Namaste.

#282 Gumbo: That�s mighty fine company to be in. Thank you.

#285. Posted by: Steve: �I love the idea that when the plane crashed, everyone died and that the island is purgatory #1 and the alt timeline is purgatory #2..� ____ But Christian flat out tells Jack that the island was real and their experiences were real and their experience on the island was the most important thing in their lives. What bothers me about the idea that the Lostees were dead when they arrived at the island is that people resist the concept that it was really rather ordinary. People go through the same process as the Lostees did every day, admittedly not in so dramatic a fashion or mystical a setting, but it is safe to say that right now somewhere on this earth more than a few people are having revelations about why they do what they do and laying down all their baggage and making a profound change in their life. That is precisely why I love LOST, because it was about ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

#288. Posted by: LockeBox: �So the ALT-epilogue derived, not from Jacob, but from the ultimate nature of the cosmos, just as the Island did.� ___Nicely said in a nutshell!

the music last night was hauntingly beautiful,powerful and fantastic show. Thank you Mac I've been a follower from the beginning!

@309
No doubt you are correct about what Christian tells Jack - I guess what we have to decide for ourselves is what "real" is (what the definition of "is" is...Bill Clinton). To me, "real" means that it really happened and really will determine the rest of Jack's life although perhaps it was not "physically real" on an actual island, but real as in the consequences are real. I honestly don't know. But I appreciate your point of view.

I heard an amazing theory and I never thought of it before today. But one person believes that the Oceanic really crashed and everyone on the plane really died and in that instant, that nano-second before death, the energy of the collective souls that were dying were cast onto this island; this purgatory 1. And from this energy is created purgatory 2 or the alt timeline. Perhaps every human must endure various tests when they die, then more tests before moving on, but because these characters died at the same moment, they went through everything together. Perhaps the others and dharma were all characters in this purgatory or going through a purgatory of their own on this island.

The theorist suggests that most of the people on the flight die in the air, thus the closing shot of a beach with wreckage but no sign of life as in the pilot episode. And that Jack is thrown from the plane, that the opening of Jack's eye in season one and the closing of Jack's eye last night happen instantly as he sees his whole life and purgatory flash in his mind before death. And that the Ajira flight is only Jack's mind finally at peace that there are people leaving the island as he found his purpose and destiny.

Who knows?

X-Files ended in 2002. Lost starts in 2004. You think we are waiting another two years for the next wonder show?

Haiku fini.

The End Has Arrived.

Journey? It's Just Beginning.

Man's Best Friend Died Too.

After all these years, and wonderful times, how fitting that we all gravitate here,
to this amazing blog led so well and graciously by mac,
celebrating a show that turned out to value Community and Connection above all else.

I found this quote by Rilke in a book I was reading the other day, and thought of us all. I�d like to share it, as a way of thanking all of you, especially mac, for the ride:

�Live your questions now.
And perhaps even without knowing it,
You will live along some distant
day into your answers.�

Looking forward to seeing you all in that Church someday!

First, thanks to Mac for all the reviews. I know I could have never spent the time it took to get them up as quick as you did.

I haven't read all the comments but personally the ending was ok with me. It didn't solve everything, left somethings up in the air but essentially brought things to a close. Most of the last season was disappointing to me because of what I considered (and still consider) lazy writing with the alt/side timeline but the ending at least made sense of that. If you run out of ideas it is better to call it a day then continue to drift along until you are put out of your misery. (See the last 8-9 years of ER)

I enjoyed reading and debating the regulars and the not so regulars. I read the blog early on and became a regular poster seasons 2-5. This season I just didn't have the time in order to properly answer or ask questions that came up. Reading 200 posts before you can say anything usually didn't leave many stones unturned. I love the show but I'm glad that it is over.

See you all in another lifetime.

#311. Steve,
I think purgatory is far less interesting than living breathing human beings stuck on an island and confronted with situations that force them to work their issues out.

Moreover, I think making them all dead is an unnecessary contrivance because the same essential truth can be told in a less complicated and more compelling way. More compelling specifically because it shows us that we don't have to die to evolve. It illustrates to us that we too can be the change we want to see in the world.

Great blog. Great show. Great ending. 1st post, active reader.

I thought they had gone off the rails. I was ready to be let down supremely. I was not.

They told the story of the island, the end of Jacob and MIB. The end of war on the island. The escape of those still left who wanted to leave. And in a way they told us what happened to the characters after the show ended.

Fantastic. And I thought there was no way it could end so well. That's why they make the big bucks!

Thanks Lost for the great show. Yeah, it had a flaw or two, but those were not, ultimately, in not explaining every single magical thing.

Thanks Mac for the blog that was not only nearly the equal of the show but was fantastic enough to inspire constant conversations on the show that were also interesting.

Mac- thanks for all your writing - I faithfully followed your blog for the last 3 years. You were right on.

I thought this last show was perfect and would not have changed anything.

Well here are my thoughts on last night�s epi.

Hope this doesn�t turn out to be too long.

I still cannot figure out if these people died before the crash, at the time of the crash or after. There are good arguments for each being the case. I really wish that D&C would have at least told us that much as to be able to better resolve the show.

And so because of that I cannot figure out if I think the island was real or not, again excellent arguments for each being true. If it�s real then we need to answers to all the strange stuff on the island. But if it�s not real then we just accept that it�s a twilight zone type of thing and let that part go.

So, those two things I am having a hard time with�.when did they die and was the life on the island a �real� experience�a true living experience. I feel a little cheated by D&C that they did not give more answers. I always felt that they kept it under wraps so they did not give anything away�but now I wonder if they kept it that way so people would speculate forever! It just feels a little unfair.

They did a really good job with this epi and they did with them all. The entire show was amazing. The acting, the characters, the strange stuff was fun, the science, the faith, the love, the music it was all wonderful.

I also thought that it was unfair that Ben and Widmore were able to move on after all the things they had done that were evil to people. I felt they should be whispers like Michael who I don�t think did anything as horrible has Ben and Widmore did (he was guilty of protecting his son and did redeem himself on the freighter to help them all). So I thought that was crap!

Here are the things that I think I did get out of the end�.

Everyone has a number! And when that number is called your time is up! Death and life always have YOUR number.

The story was about the life, purgatory and afterlife of Jack. (which is hard for me to subscribe to, I do not believe in purgatory).

It was always about him. It started and ended with him.

Christian called the time on the island �his life� and that time he spent with those people was the most significant time of his life. So I would guess to say the island was not purgatory it was life. But it�s hard cause I can make good arguments to the contrary�this is why I say it was unfair they left it so open ended.

At the time he moves on to his afterlife those people are there to help him, they are as he remembers them, whether young or old. They created that together to help each other move on. Any person not there was not significant to Jack�s life and therefore did not need to help him during purgatory or enter the afterlife.

When Jacob was dead his rules were dead and did not affect Richard anymore he was then aging�getting grey hair.

The light on the island is a metaphor---the light within each one of us. It is to be protected not wanting it to be invaded by evil.

MiB did not need a name because he has one�.is was called EVIL.

Aaron could only have been at the church because he was dead.

This was the funeral Jack never got and needed to have, to say goodbye to his father and friends.

Uncorking the island made MiB immortal and was able to be killed.

Eloise didn�t want Desmond messing around with things because she did not want Daniel to �remember� and leave for his afterlife. She wanted time with him that she never got the first time around (in real life). She did get her wish for a time because he and Charlotte did not flash on their love and life. BUT it won�t last long because they were feeling their connection.

So I guess that is about all I have. I wish they would have made the story a little more concrete so we only had a little to speculate on NOT the entire show!

THANK YOU MAC for all you did for us. I will miss you guys , you made me laugh and helped me understand the show some times although I guess we never understood anything and still don�t.

OH and post number 108 should have been a nice one! God I hope I don�t land on 360 and be a bummer! I would suck.

See you guys on Fringe.

Mac for president.

I really thought this was going to end as a story purely about redemption, and the opportunity to live life the way it was meant(to love and have faith in others). The Island was a special place where people who have not lived the life they are capable of are given one last chance to get on the right path. If they succeed, they are then thrown into the alt timeline for good, which is life the way it was supposed to happen for each one. They go back and forth between the timelines until they earn the right through their actions on the Island to stay in the alt timeline(happiness in LIFE). A special gift was then given to these people, whether it was from Desmond or the Island or Jacob, to remember the events of the Island which caused their redemption. This brings them together, as they were always meant to be together. I call it the "Quantom Leap Island Theory". I would have enjoyed this story of ultimate redemption in LIFE much more than trying to figure out when everyone died on the way to the final destination in the afterlife.....

it's funny how many people missed the symbols and pictures in the church. this wasn't a single religion church (how much trouble would they be in for that, hey?) but instead, a place of mixed religions... and a donkey wheel. not just a cross, but the star of david, the yin yang, a buddhist symbol, etc. so many of you were so disappointed with this ending, but what ending would have satisfied everyone?! darlton were put in a hard place, granted, by their own doing, to try and fit all the broken pieces together for us to see the whole picture... how can they possibly have an episode that satisfies all of the fans they've gained over these years? sure, i still have a bazillion questions, like, what's the deal with walt? (saying it now makes me think they were experimenting to see if he could be the weapon that desmond ended up being...) how did alvar hanso first come to the island, if he did at all, where did psycho lady that raised jacob come from, where did she get her powers, was she the first or were their others before her? where did all the ancient writings and hyroglyphics (sp?) come from? WHAT IS THE ISLAND? yeah, lots of questions that ten-fold every time i ask one. but seeing charlie and claire and sawyer and juliet back together made me forget all that for a little while. anyway, it seemed obvious to me that this seasons alt timeline was all, for lack of a better term, purgatory. and because of the idea of it, it doesn't matter WHEN in their lives those people died - it's that everyone dies at some point. and there is no NOW anymore, there just IS. everything that happened on the island, strange and confusing as it was, all HAPPENED. this was their lives, but we were always following jack, and when he died, we saw what happened next. I wish those of you who are angry with the ending would remember how much fun this journey has been, and how much joy it has brought you. i've never been this invested in a show, and i've never had this many questions leftover after it was finished, but it was still fantastic.

Mac, i've been reading your reviews for over four years now, and it's been a fantastic compliment to the viewing of LOST. thank you all for your insight and wonderful theories. it's been a pleasure.

GRAA Mac! As always, and for the last time now... I'm getting a bit melancholic here...

I hope I will get around sometime to read all your comments from the last few weeks guys, and from this week, but it won't be soon. I only got to see the finale today, and already there are 320 posts. Wonderful, but too much for me right now.

There are many things that can, may, should, and will be said about this episode and the show as a whole. I missed some things, liked others, but all in all I'm quite content right now. So no commenting for now, just savoring the moment.

For all of you who want just a little bit more Lost and haven't done so already, go to ABC's website to check out the last Lost Untangled and glean what lessons we learned from Lost.

And on that note, does anybody know if there's a way to view Jimmy Kimmel's Aloha to Lost online from Canada (so not via ABC's site, nor Hulu)? I wonder if or when I will get around to reading your answer to that. Or it might remain unanswered like all those Lost mysteries. ;)

I have to hand it to the writers. After all those speculations about the Island being purgatory early on in the series, did anybody ever suspect that the Alt world actually was? Probably someone did, this show gave rise to so much speculation, the weirdest ideas have been named over the last six years.

It was fun!

Thank you Mac for the character-centric review - great instincts and reactions as you've always had. And yes, you are videogenic!

Just watched recap & The End online; it's late (very!) so comments later after I've caught up.

LOST Untangled has a great finale, as well, including a recap song!

Mac,

My sincere thanks to your excellent recap every week for the past 6 years. Among all the recaps out there, yours is always the first that I read right after I watched an episode. I enjoy the humor you added.

Again, many thanks and best wishes!

Regards,
Jack

Just a quick comment, Mac.

Me and my gf Gioh started reading your blog since season one, and so we did till the end of this great show.

LOST made TV history? It's not for me to tell.
For sure, it was an amazing journey, and we are both glad we had such a nice, funny and competent guide along with us.
From the early weird schemes, to the spiritual ending, you never let us down.

Wish you and your family a bright future, Mac. And thanks for everything

Hello everyone

This is my first post on here so I'll start by thanking all of you, Mac in particular, for adding so much to my Lost experience. It would not have been the same without this blog. I started watching Lost in January this year (haven't done much else since then) and stumbled upon this blog somewhere in the second season.

As for the finale, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. The writers' biggest triumph, for me anyway, was that they hardly answered a single question and I didn't even care. With everything going on with these characters, it suddenly didn't seem that important why that bird screamed Hurley's name or what the numbers really were. They (the writers) made me realize that whilst the story and the mystery has been extremely exciting, it would have been nothing without the depth of these characters that we've come to know and love. Without the characters, I would not have watched the show. I was in tears doing much of the finale, I must admit that (Jack and Kate's goodbye followed by Sawyer and Juliet's reunion followed by Jack and Kate's reunion followed by that very moving conversation between Jack and Hurley outside the heart of the island. I rarely cry during movies but that bit was almost unfair!). Do these moments not mean so much more than a simple �so that's how it works� reaction?

They also managed to throw in a few twists (wouldn't really have been a Lost finale without them). I didn't really realize how much of a main character Jack was before the final episode. It's always been his journey. His transition from Man of Science to Man of Faith. It was beautiful to end the show with him lying next to Vincent just like when it all began. I've always been behind Jack and have had a hard time understanding why so many people seemed to almost hate him.

The biggest twist was obviously the alternate universe being some sort of purgatory/afterlife. I didn't see that coming but ultimately I'm okay with it. It made for a beautiful conclusion to the characters' story and it was the closest thing to a happy ending we could come without it being cheesy. And boy did these characters deserve a happy ending. By the end of the day, what matters is that they are together. Where, when or how this happened are mere details. Some people think that this renders everything that happened on the island pointless. I do not believe this to be true. Let's not forget that they did stop MiB and hereby presumably saved every living person in the world. I only have one complaint: Sayid ending up with Shannon. I think we've been led to believe that Nadia meant a lot more to Sayid than Shannon ever did. Anyway, I guess this was the only way to wrap up Shannon's story. Or maybe it was Sayid's punishment for falling to the dark side.

As for the answers, I don't really think I need that many. Sure I would have liked to know why and how Walt was special, what the numbers truly were (because having Jacob assign these numbers to the candidates didn't explain the mystery surrounding the numbers), who decided the rules and how and who the heck dropped those DHARMA supplies during season two. But even though we don't know everything, we do know a lot about the island. We know about DHARMA, we know about The Black Rock, we know about The Others and we know about Jacob and his nameless brother. I actually like the fact that we've gotten firm answers regarding DHARMA, The Black Rock and The Others but when it started to get divine, it also became blurry. Some things it life just can't be explained. Why is the island the most important place on earth? It just is. Jacob probably didn't even know, yet he faithfully protected the heart of the island which he probably didn't know what was either. Like his �mother� said: Every answer will simply lead to another question. They tell us it's the heart of the island and we ask them what it does. They show us that it keeps the island in place and we want to know how.

For me, the most important thing was knowing that what happened on the island was important. I believe it would have meant disaster had MiB escaped the island. And I believe the heart of the island is also the heart of the earth and that protecting it is crucial. I guess that makes me a man of faith.

I'm so sad that I'll never be able to watch a Lost episode for the first time again but I'm also relieved that the show got the conclusion it deserved. Thanks for the ride.

Namaste.

I've been reading since season 2 and thanks for everything, its made me quite the oracle when it comes to lost theories.

I'm sad today as its all over, like losing a friend. But will forever be remembered by all of us as the greatest show on earth.

I was so so happy that Hurley was the "Jacob" at the end and he knew it when he took over the mantle from Jack. Wasnt there an ep called its all about hugo? well it was. Hugo was the the audiences character that asked the questions we needed to ask. So therefore it was the audience that became the island protector, a sweet touch from the writers to say that our journey deserved to be justified.

i hope thaty sometime in the future somethnig similar will come to pass.

With all the side-flash stuff and the audience realisation that its gods waiting room was fantastic. They were all happy. It touched me, i lost my mother recently and hope that where ever she went she was happy.

Thanks Mac its been emotional.

Mac

I did not post often but was here and read all since the beginning. I cannot thank you enough for what you did.
This show had me hooked when I saw the opening scene of the crash on the island in Sea.1. Anyone who walked away from this show at that point missed out on one of the best shows ever. I will have to say second to the SOX rolling through the Yankees on their way to the World Series. Even Ben and Jack were impressed.
Again THANK YOU

I can certainly understand how different people can have different interpretation of the episode, even if I thought it was very straight forward apart from the credits. I can also understand that some fans were disappointed by the episode, even though I loved it. But there are a couple of things I don't understand. The first is people citing season three as the glory days of Lost writing. For me, the first half of that season was wildly uneven. It started off well with A Tale of Two Cities, but went downhill quickly. TPTB didn't have an end date yet, and were filling the show with filler characters like Paolo and Nikki and filler episodes about Jack's tattoos. For every great episode like Flashes Before Your Eyes, we were saddled with mediocre ones like Par Avion. And I love bear cage sex as much as the next guy, but I found most of the Hydra Island stuff trying. Of course the season got better, we got the fantastic Man Behind the Curtain, and ended with the excellent Through the Looking Glass.

The second thing I find it difficult to comprehend are all the posters who feel "violated" or that they have been conned, burned, lied to, sold a false bill of goods, etc. What show have you people been watching for the past six years?!? Lost never promised you ANY answers. It has always been a show that asks you to think and figure things out, not one that reveals all. What's more, the writers warned us back in season three that those of us looking for answers to little mysteries should stop holding our breaths. In the episode The Brig, Richard Alpert tells Locke that Ben is wasting his time on fertility issues instead of focusing on what was important. If you absolutely needed to know why pregnant women die on the Island in order to enjoy the show, you should have stopped watching at that point. But if you did keep watching, you noticed that Ethan was presumably conceived on the Island. So maybe the Incident caused the fertility issues. Or maybe Horace and Amy took a vacation and conceived him off Island, and the problems started earlier, with the destruction of Taweret. Or maybe they were always there, which prompted the natives to build a statue of a fertility goddess in the first place. Pick any theory you like. If the producers had come out and statedone as true, would the show have been better? Marginally, at most.

The big mystery is what is the Island. And your explanation depends on your beliefs. Scientifically (in a Sci Fi way) inclined? Then it is a giant electro magnetic battery that keeps the Earth habitable. Faith inclined? It's the source of Life and Good.

I've seen several people complain that The End wraps up the emotional journey, but not the plot. Really? Desmond shutting off the Island, which begins it's destruction and makes the MiB mortal, Jack and Kate killing the MiB, and Jack passing the mantle to Hurley and turning the Island back on was not a resolution? Others complained that they told us everything instead of showing it. I disagree. Jack punching Flocke and his realization (from the blood in his mouth) that he was now human was excellently acted, and a great example of show don't tell. Sure, Christian got a speech at the end, but can you imagine how frustrated everyone would be if he didn't?

I doubt my post will change any minds, but in my book this is the most brilliant show ever, to include the ending. And if I could go back and change anything, I wouldn't add answers, I'd remove Paulikki!

@316. Posted by: undauntid - Undauntid, I often don't comment on your posts because, as I've stated before, I have the spirituality of a flea. Often I don't understand or believe what you're getting at, so I leave it alone. But I am 100% with you on this.
The finale is now reminding me of the end of Harry Potter. Rowling wrote a final chapter describing the kids as adults with their own children, thereby ending speculation of how their lives turned out. So now I'm taking the sideways world, Jack's death, crossing over and all the rest of it as that finality. The island was real, the "survivors" were really alive when they survived the crash. The Losties got off the island, they lived their lives. Jack died to kill MIB. Eventually, they all died. We saw Sun & Jin die. So the whole church scene was what Jack would eventually see when everyone was dead.
I think I'm rambling. I want to say, the whole 6 yrs was not about Jack. It was about the Losties trying to get home, about all the different groups that lived/had lived on the island. It was about what the island is and why people wanted to control it. Season 6 was about Jack, because he was the one who eventually fixed things. So we got his conversion to faith and his redemption. (Redemption from what, anyway? Did he kill anyone besides the dying Marshall? I think he was redeemed from being lost in his life - even though he was a successful surgeon who saved many lives - not from evil.)
So this ended the speculation. Some people (a lot, actually) died on the island, a few returned home. They paid their taxes and then they died. In between, they made friends. You can never have too many friends.
*hurling hands out warm fuzzies to everyone*

@316. Posted by: undauntid - Undauntid, I often don't comment on your posts because, as I've stated before, I have the spirituality of a flea. Often I don't understand or believe what you're getting at, so I leave it alone. But I am 100% with you on this.
The finale is now reminding me of the end of Harry Potter. Rowling wrote a final chapter describing the kids as adults with their own children, thereby ending speculation of how their lives turned out. So now I'm taking the sideways world, Jack's death, crossing over and all the rest of it as that finality. The island was real, the "survivors" were really alive when they survived the crash. The Losties got off the island, they lived their lives. Jack died to kill MIB. Eventually, they all died. We saw Sun & Jin die. So the whole church scene was what Jack would eventually see when everyone was dead.
I think I'm rambling. I want to say, the whole 6 yrs was not about Jack. It was about the Losties trying to get home, about all the different groups that lived/had lived on the island. It was about what the island is and why people wanted to control it. Season 6 was about Jack, because he was the one who eventually fixed things. So we got his conversion to faith and his redemption. (Redemption from what, anyway? Did he kill anyone besides the dying Marshall? I think he was redeemed from being lost in his life - even though he was a successful surgeon who saved many lives - not from evil.)
So this ended the speculation. Some people (a lot, actually) died on the island, a few returned home. They paid their taxes and then they died. In between, they made friends. You can never have too many friends.
*hurling hands out warm fuzzies to everyone*

Mac...thank you so much for everything!

I only got to watch "The End" last night via dvr and am content. Like so many times in the past few years...I was a little uncertain as to what I was seeing in the end. But like so many times over the years...I am enlightened after reading your review. Thank you for, once again, helping me to understand so I can truly appreciate the show. They didn't die in the original crash. Kate and Jack said their good-byes that day on the island. Kate lived out the rest of her life and then eventually died to be rejoined with Jack. (She told him that she missed him...it's been a while since their good-bye kiss.) I think the realization that each experienced was the memory of their life lived and the fact that they all died at some point. (There's a sense of peace, I guess, once you know. i.e. - Jin and Sun...no worries...)

There will be a void on Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings for me. Thank you again Mac and everyone else who has made my Lost experience all the more enjoyable. See you all on the Lost Facebook. Take good care all!!

A great big thank you mac

Every episode was never complete until reading your blog and getting your viewpoint and the thoughts of the Lost Blog community which made each and every episode sink in...and a much richer deeper experience

Congratulations to you and everyone else because most of the Final answers to Lost were proposed at one point on the site...ie Purgatory etc.

Mac Thank you for the all the long and I'm sure often sleepless nights you sat up and contructed your insightful and clever recap of each episode. You've helped make the Lost experience one of the best that Television has ever offered.

Guy

Pretty sad when the
best part of The End is the
Target commercials.

I haven't read all the posts yet (cue davidrh) and wrote a hsty one myself declaring my satisfation with the end. That hasn't changed. But I did omit a very important thing from my post which was to thank Mac for his great reviews and for creating this amazing forum of ideas. And thanks to all of the people here for sharing their theories and knowledge in such a respectful way.

To echo to sentiments of many others already, this ending has given me pause. As Desmond said: "none of this matters" and I think that is a life lesson for all of us. To help us let go of the things that really don't matter (whether they relate to unanswered questions on the show - as Mizzed very aptly explained - or life outside of it). In the end, the bonds they forged are what counted. These bonds are what helped them let go in the alt world and these bonds are what they want to bring with them. The lesson? Forge bonds, much like this blog seems to have done for many.

In truth, how do we know that we are all not living in an alt-world purgatory right now? In Buddhism, you keep coming back until you attain nirvana which is a state of complete "letting go". Letting go of all desire of all expectation, but in the end, these are what cause our suffering. The LOSTIES all managed to let go. And maybe we can use what could normally be seen as just another TV series (albeit an extremely well-written/directed/acted one) as a srping-board for our own peace.

That's all I have to offer at this point. Namaste and Thanks.

They didn't die in the original crash. Kate and Jack said their good-byes that day on the island. Kate lived out the rest of her life and then eventually died to be rejoined with Jack. (She told him that she missed him...it's been a while since their good-bye kiss.) #332. Posted by: Boodle

. . . Which makes Kate�s last words on the cliff . . �Tell me I�ll see you again . . � even more poignant. I know I won�t forget those for a long while.

I haven't read all the posts yet (cue davidrh) and wrote a hsty one myself declaring my satisfation with the end. That hasn't changed. But I did omit a very important thing from my post which was to thank Mac for his great reviews and for creating this amazing forum of ideas. And thanks to all of the people here for sharing their theories and knowledge in such a respectful way.

To echo to sentiments of many others already, this ending has given me pause. As Desmond said: "none of this matters" and I think that is a life lesson for all of us. To help us let go of the things that really don't matter (whether they relate to unanswered questions on the show - as Mizzed very aptly explained - or life outside of it). In the end, the bonds they forged are what counted. These bonds are what helped them let go in the alt world and these bonds are what they want to bring with them. The lesson? Forge bonds, much like this blog seems to have done for many.

In truth, how do we know that we are all not living in an alt-world purgatory right now? In Buddhism, you keep coming back until you attain nirvana which is a state of complete "letting go". Letting go of all desire of all expectation, but in the end, these are what cause our suffering. The LOSTIES all managed to let go. And maybe we can use what could normally be seen as just another TV series (albeit an extremely well-written/directed/acted one) as a srping-board for our own peace.

That's all I have to offer at this point. Namaste and Thanks.

#319. Posted by: Christina: �I still cannot figure out if these people died before the crash, at the time of the crash or after. There are good arguments for each being the case. I really wish that D&C would have at least told us that much as to be able to better resolve the show.�
___They did tell us that much. They wrote a scene in which Christian stated explicitly to Jack that the island was real, the Lostees experiences on the island were real, and their time on the island was the most important part of their lives. Christian�s statement was not ambiguous. His statement, iirc, was a direct response to Jack�s direct question. My understanding of Christian�s statement is that it is the intent of TPTB for us to understand that the events on the island happened in the living and breathing corporeal existence of each of the survivors. Supporting my interpretation is the fact that, early on in the series, TPTB stated explicitly that the island was not purgatory.
But for me the most compelling evidence for the people on the island being really and truly alive is that it isn�t necessary for them to be dead to go through the trials and tribulations they went through, to learn what they had to learn, to evolve. They (and all of us) go through that same process while we are alive. It is the entire point of being alive.
In any case, the purpose of Purgatory (which I do not believe in) is for the dead to look deeply into their own actions and intents and the actions and intents of the people they knew during their life so they might understand and see with total love. They do that to forgive those who have trespassed against them, to pay penance for their sins, to purify themselves so they are worthy to go into the presence of God. To make purgatory a duplication of life, an extended testing ground, renders it redundant and negates its purpose.

#319. Posted by: Christina: �I still cannot figure out if these people died before the crash, at the time of the crash or after. There are good arguments for each being the case. I really wish that D&C would have at least told us that much as to be able to better resolve the show.�
___They did tell us that much. They wrote a scene in which Christian stated explicitly to Jack that the island was real, the Lostees experiences on the island were real, and their time on the island was the most important part of their lives. Christian�s statement was not ambiguous. His statement, iirc, was a direct response to Jack�s direct question. My understanding of Christian�s statement is that it is the intent of TPTB for us to understand that the events on the island happened in the living and breathing corporeal existence of each of the survivors. Supporting my interpretation is the fact that, early on in the series, TPTB stated explicitly that the island was not purgatory.
But for me the most compelling evidence for the people on the island being really and truly alive is that it isn�t necessary for them to be dead to go through the trials and tribulations they went through, to learn what they had to learn, to evolve. They (and all of us) go through that same process while we are alive. It is the entire point of being alive.
In any case, the purpose of Purgatory (which I do not believe in) is for the dead to look deeply into their own actions and intents and the actions and intents of the people they knew during their life so they might understand and see with total love. They do that to forgive those who have trespassed against them, to pay penance for their sins, to purify themselves so they are worthy to go into the presence of God. To make purgatory a duplication of life, an extended testing ground, renders it redundant and negates its purpose.

Sawyer and Juliet stole the show in their reuniting scene ... GREAT acting... best ever. Jack uppped his acting game hugely, too! Loved how the character stories ended (except Ben)... hate how the sci-fi mystery part ended ... hokey stuff. Writers only did half the job.
Thanx for everything Mac. Been here since season 1 and you made the difference when I almost quit the show a few times. (Who knew you were so yummy? ... are grannies allowed to say that?)
Loved all of the posters insights. GREAT group

At this point, the only question I want an answer to is the "Johnny plus 2 vowels and 3 consonants = MIB" puzzle they threw at us a little while back.

And was that the same Vincent from Season 1? Gotta tell ya, I laughed out loud when FLocke found that doggie footprint by the well.

Sorry for the duplicate post!

#330.hurling____ Aw, that's nice Hurling, we agree 100% on something! Funny, I don't think of myself as a particularly spiritual person, certainly I am not religious. I think of myself as a pragmatist with a leaning toward Taoist philosophy.

#334. Posted by: P@ ___ I enjoyed the finale, but I will agree that the Target commercials were wonderful�tiny little homages to LOST!

#341.ransomjackson: ___ I read some place that the role of Vincent was being played by a different dog. Cujos to casting who did a great job of finding someone who looked just like Vincent.

@278:

All I ever argued was that they did NOT die IN THE PLANE CRASH.

This was posted on Ack's site and originally came from E Onine whioose video would not work for me.
----------------------------------------
Smokey�s real name, what was with the wreckage during the credits, and why was the weather so wonky?

May 24th, 2010 � 12

E!�s Watch with Kristin gave some answers to some burning questions we had about the finale last night!

In case you don�t feel like watching the whole video, this is what we learned�

1. The Man in Black�s name was Samuel, which means Man of God.
2. The person in the cabin that said �Help me� to Locke was the MIB in Christian Shephard�s form.
3. We will find out what happened to Walt on the DVD.
4. Jin was the Kwon on the cave ceiling (which I figured since Sun was a mother, which means she would have been crossed off)
5. The 108 in the Lighthouse was not important � that scene was merely to get Jack to the Lighthouse, and the number 108 held significance for the characters, so it got them to go.
6. The shot of the plane over the credits at the end was just B-roll of the original crash from Season 1 (I think it was just a little homage to the beach and the crash � I�ve heard some places didn�t see that image, which makes me think I�m right about this one.)
7. The Protector of the Island can change the weather, sometimes unconsciously, hence why Jack and Smokey fighting on the cliff was stormy, but as soon as he was gone, it was sunny again.

http://lostfanfic.blogspot.com/2010/05/ultimate-list-of-lost-unanswered.html

Posted at Dark.LOL A list of all the unanswered questions.

@342. Posted by: undauntid -
If you have Taoist leanings (& I have not a clue what that means), that's about a million times more spiritual than I ever get! ;)

Overall I loved the entire episode. It was very character driven and my jaw kept dropping and throat tightening the entire time. I kept rolling over last night in bed thinking about it. Love it or hate it that�s a damn powerful ending. GRAA Mac!

Pretty new to this blog and this is off the topic of lost, but can someone please explain whtat the heck GRAA means? I have searched the web for a definition of this shorthand and it doesn't seem to exist

@349

GRAA = Great review as always

@350

Thanks for that.

At least now it will only be the final episode keeping me awake at night.

@341 ransomjackson asked a question I can actually answer!!:

>And was that the same Vincent from Season 1?

No. Vincent in the original season was played by a female Lab named Madison. On one od the DVD's Damon Lindleof jiked that Madison's main 'motivation' was thrown tennis balls, and that Naveen (Sayid Jirrah) Andrews also responded well to tennis balls.

In later seasons Madison was retired and replaced by a male Lab, whose name I do not recall.

@ 342, undauntid - There were bits of the finale I really really liked, but overall was disappointed.
My haiku was an exaggeration, cuz the Target ads weren't the only things I liked. (Although I have to hand it to them for creating some memorable spots.)

@ 345, berkyo - "#3 - we will find out what happened to Walt on the DVD"
So. Irritating.
If the writers know what happened, why not just put it in the show? Having to get answers from post-series interviews and/or DVD commentaries is a gyp. (and a good way for them to make money, I suppose.)

@205 MIZZED:

Your post (#205) has really helped capture and ground me in regards to the LOST ending. I am SO grateful!

I read it on Monday morning and have no re-read all 200+ posts just to find it again because it is so articulate, logical and sensible. At least to me. Thank you for your insight!!!

@ MIZZED (#205):

Thank you for succinctly and eloquently putting into words what I could not. I read your post (#205) on Monday morning when I was still muddling throguh my thoughts on the show. SInce then, I have come back and re-read 200+ posts just to find yours and read it again.

It really helped me to understand and feel good about the finale. Thank you for sharing it and for taking the time to put it into words. I am grateful.

Your insight (and the insight of lots of other posters) will be "mizzed."

@ MIZZED (#205):

Thank you for succinctly and eloquently putting into words what I could not. I read your post (#205) on Monday morning when I was still muddling throguh my thoughts on the show. SInce then, I have come back and re-read 200+ posts just to find yours and read it again.

It really helped me to understand and feel good about the finale. Thank you for sharing it and for taking the time to put it into words. I am grateful.

Your insight (and the insight of lots of other posters) will be "mizzed."

@ MIZZED (#205):

Thank you for succinctly and eloquently putting into words what I could not. I read your post (#205) on Monday morning when I was still muddling throguh my thoughts on the show. SInce then, I have come back and re-read 200+ posts just to find yours and read it again.

It really helped me to understand and feel good about the finale. Thank you for sharing it and for taking the time to put it into words. I am grateful.

Your insight (and the insight of lots of other posters) will be "mizzed."

A bit of silly you may enjoy:

6 years of Lost in 1 minute, done by cats.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/2986771/Cats-re-enact-full-Lost-saga.html

Sorry for the multiple posts of same msg! My bad for getting frustrated with ill-behaved, tempramental computer at work. Sigh.

Can anyone figure out the significance of the island being underwater when the plane flew over in the first episode this season?

Mac, your blog is great and I've enjoyed it since the first season. Thank you and the group for all your insight!

@360 Gram

I had the same question, actually. If this is just a purgatory 2, why show the island under water?

Here's one theory:

Eventually (maybe thousands or tens of thousands of years after our Losties lived), someone/something manages to sink the island and, as Widmore warned, everything we know ceases to exist. Maybe it is a hint to the viewers that this alt-world is actually not the real world because, since the island has now sunk, the real world is no more.

I think those who aren't accepting the ending are more of the "Sci-Fi" type, and those who are accepting the ending are more of the "Fantasy" type.

I've rewatched the finale. I've been thinking about religion, time-travel, philosophy, supernatural forces, and other influences for the show. And I have remembered:

In the appendices at the end of The Return of the King, it says that Gimli was allowed to go to the Havens, despite being a Dwarf, and that Sam left for the Havens years after Frodo and Bilbo, having lived out his life with Rose. Bilbo had stopped aging, but he was touched by desire for the One. Arwen left behind the Elves for the love of a Man. And, there was this all-powerful, enexplained magic ring...

Did anyone write hate mail to Tolkien telling him that he broke his own rules? Maybe they did. I'm still trying to wrap my brains around the ending - but I'm leaning towards accepting it.

Then again, I really liked Naveen/Sayid's "f***iing Jeff Probst" ending on Jimmy Kimmel, too. LOL

@360:

The island was underwater because that's where the LOSTies wanted it to be. Gone. They weren't going to let it bother them in the next world.

Cecil,

Thanks for clarifying the zeitgeist of Vincent's identity-conundrum wrapped in a mystery shrouded in an enigma.

"Ah, I see Scraps is a boy dog..."

Q: Why did Sayid cross the road?

A: To get the tennis Ball!

Another LOST mystery wrapped up!!

The island is under water, meaning that it does not exit for those on the plane as that was the "world they created" in order to find each other before they moved on. In that world, (purgatory) there is no island.

@345: berkyo - Awesome info! I'm hoping lots of other tidbits will slowly come our way over time to fill in the blanks for those of us that really really want more answers to feel truly satisfied.

Look, I know there's a huge debate going on in the internet in general about how satisfied everyone is with the finale. Personally, I think that's a great thing. It truly sums up my experience and I'm sure many others' as well, and that is we expect things to go a certain way or resolve a certain way and have come to expect to be thrown for a loop on a regular basis with Lost. But now that it's all over there are no more loops to be thrown and no further chances at getting the answers we all so much desired (at least the "science"-leaners). The shock of it all, the finality of, well, the finale really leaves no further wiggle room for "answers we want/expect in order to make us happy" lists, only debates about what it all means and what did we all take away from the finale and the show in general.

It's kind of like the stages of grief - denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance. We are all going through them right now, and we're all at different stages. At some point we'll all be at the acceptance stage and we can debate at nauseum the meanings and symbolism and answers, everything and anything that interests us. It's cathartic to go through this and bonds us one final time before life takes us each in different directions. Hopefully the bonds we've formed will prevail and many of us will still be here to continue our debates and share more of our insights, but as well share more our personal lives. It's a natural transition and one that will take us as a group to a new stage.

But first, we need a good, healthy dose of denial and anger! ;) Let the complaints flow amid the heaping doses of congratulations and adoration.

@Mizzed, great comments. I agree with everything you said and I had a deep and profound take away from the show. At 50, I stopped to think about what was important to me as well and contemplate my current path and narrow my focus on who really matters in my life. I was deeply touched by the ending.

#353. Posted by: P@: "If the writers know what happened, why not just put it in the show? Having to get answers from post-series interviews and/or DVD commentaries is a gyp. (and a good way for them to make money, I suppose.)"

___ They will tell us what happened to Walt in the DVD but don't get excited about a reveal! My hunch is they will tell us that Walt grew up, became a veterinarian, married his college sweetheart, had two sons named Mike and John and a yellow lab named Madison.

I would be surprised if the dvd showed us something like... Hurley visiting an adult Walt and inviting him to the island.

Even if they did, it wouldn't be enough for some people who would still be pissed because they would want to know: Is Walt actually Hurley's replacement or is he Ben's replacement? Or is Walt just a candidate and how many other candidates are there and do we know any of them? Or what happened to Hurley (or Ben) that a replacement was needed? Then, what happens to Hurley when he leaves the island? etc.

My point is that we already know what happened to Walt. Just before he was murdered, John spoke to Walt so we know Walt lives in NY and appears to be a healthy well adjusted young man who still has some para normal abilities.

@361: Paul_C - That was probably my biggest complaint once I realized the sideways world didn't really exist and it was created by the Losties themselves as a place to come together and move on together. Why the heck was The Island under water? Earlier in the season Ben's father specifically said they had been on The Island and left. So it wasn't like it had been underwater forever. It was a relatively recent thing (in a purgatory-timespace kinda sorta way...). We already know that had the "plug" not been put back then The Island would have crumbled and heaved and collapsed itself into the ocean. It wouldn't have been pretty and it wouldn't have survived intact to make it to the bottom of the ocean where we would be able to see features and cabins and the like as shown in the season premier. It just doesn't make sense why they had to show that when it wasn't necessary and didn't add a single thing to the series. It only added more questions for which there are never going to be answers.

@365: laura - In fact, D&C went out of their way to point out that the island was under water and the big question was "why?" or perhaps "how?". It was them that made it an issue in their statements in the 2-hour review that immediately preceded the 2 1/2 hour finale. That, to me, is why it was important to have an answer to that question, and why it bothered me so much to find out we weren't going to get an answer and that it was apparently completely irrelevant to the story in the first place, or completely contradictory at best.

Yes, I'm all fire an brimstone at the moment. Sorry, I'm still at the anger/denial phase. Fact is, as much as I love the show and enjoyed the ending for what it was I still feel I've got a lot of embers to burn off before I can go happily off into the night and just look back and enjoy it as a series for what it is/was.

I see a lot of folks assuming that they were dead on the island the whole time. It seems like they were flesh and blood on the island. The Alt-Verse seems to be taking place outside of time or at the end of time, and that's where they're all dead.

A few words from Faraday about string theory and multiverses might have helped the perceived sci-fi deficiency.

What is the role of the hydrogen bomb in all this? Is it possible the bomb actually created HEAVEN?

@369 LostedIt

Truen indeed, it would be hard to imagine that the island would be intact after we saw it crumbling to bits. Inthat case, I am just as puzzled as you are on this one.

#275. Posted by: BostonStev

Also, the reason they chose the church instead of a field or hotel or whatever is because that is where Jack was supposed to hold the funeral for his father; a funeral that never got to happen.
---------------------
And isn't this the same church where Eloise had her magical pendulum thingy in the basement? Seems kinda fitting to me that this is where everyone would start the next leg of their journey.

Thanks so much for this blog. I've learned so much all the years I've lurked here. Gonna miss "Lost" and this community.

#369.LostedIt & #371. Paul_C ___ I am still trying to wrap my brain around the concept of the alt world but I wonder if we saw the submerged island to inform us that in the space and time we were now witnessing (with do-over flight 815) the island does not exist where it can be seen.

TPTB took the time to bring to our attention that the island exists intact, but beneath the surface. Just as the memory of their experiences on the island still exist, but beneath the surface... until something causes them to delve beneath the surface and see what is there.

i've also been a silent reader of this blog. oh LOST, you sexy thing, i'll miss you.

thought you all may enjoy this theory. very clear and thought out.

http://forum.lostpedia.com/someone-bad-robots-take-finale-t59261.html?s=553a24021093290ff427c03106291574&s=d0ace5381d5f29a759219f9984ad3728&s=2f8e8e03cc5d09bda2dcc1527e06aa38&

How I would have written the final scene:

The Losties, reunited, their memories restored, sit down on the varnished wooden pews. A moment of silence passes. Sawyer, sat between Juliet and Hurley, taps on the seat in front.

"So... what now?"

Jack, who entered the church minutes ago with Kate, shakes his head and says, "I don't know. I thought there'd be something here to tell us. Desmond?"

"Don't ask me brotha. I just brought you all here."

"Actually," speaks a voice from the shadows at the side of the church, "I brought you here."

From the darkness steps a large, suited, figure. He moves into the light and stands before the altar.

"What!?!" Sawyer leaps to his feet as the Hurley next to him vanishes.

From the front of the church, suited-Hurley says, "Hey, Sawyer, calm down. It's just wierd stuff."

Hurley addresses the crowd. His voice has matured, grown confident.

"You know me. I'm Hugo Reyes. I'm the Hurley left on the Island, left to protect it. And all this-" He gestures around, "I created, for you guys."

"Hell, that makes no sense."

"Seriously Sawyer, I had to do this. I've shown you all - me included - a world where you can get what you want. And then I've let you remember the Island. I need each of you to make a choice."

Silence. Jack stands and clears his throat.

"What kind of choice Hugo?"

"I'm the Island's Protector. Ben's been helping me. We've been protecting it for, ohhhh, a few million years. Soooo... you guys... you're all kind of dead. But I guess most of you remember dying already, right?

"The thing is, I'm about to die too. And so is the Island. And the Earth for that matter. The Sun's expanding, and we're about to get baked. Mankind has left. There's just me, Ben, and the Island. And we'll all be destroyed within an hour."

Sawyer leans back, and mutters to Juliet, "Where's Faraday when you need him?"

"I've kept you all here, beyond time, because I knew this day would come. When the Island burns, when it's energy is released, anyone left on it will be taken to a new place. I don't know where, but I know no-one's been there before.

"I'd like you to go with me. I've lived 3 million years, and you guys have meant most to me. So I'm giving you a choice: stay here, live a happy life... or come with me."

The Losties look at each other, questioning. Slowly, Jack stands.

"I'll come."

Kate stands, and holds Jack's hand, "Me too."

Sawyer looks at Juliet, who nods slightly. They stand together.

"Hell, we're in."

Others stand, Jin, Sun, Sayid, one by one, until the whole room stands. Before them, Hugo smiles.

The church around them begins to fade. Sunlight, ghastly red streams in. There's the sound of the ocean, and sand beneath their feet.

They are all on the beach. Where the camp once stood there's a crashed spaceship, the name "The Black Rock", discernible on it's hull.

Hurley sees people looking at it.

"Yeah, that crashed here about a million years back. Seriously, hunting boar is too easy with laser rifles."

Ben, immortal, stands beside Hugo.

"So they all came."

Hurley nods, "Everyone."

Jack walks over to them.

"So what now Hugo?"

Hugo gestures at the sun, large and low in the sky.

"It's almost the End. A few moments only. Go sit with Kate."

Jack obeys. From the crowd of people, Libby emerges. She goes to Hugo and takes his hand.

"Did I make the right choice?"

"Who knows?" He pulls her down to sit on the sand, "We can always hope."

The camera pulls back, away from the beach. The treeline catches fire, and from within the Island comes a bright white glow. The Losties are enveloped by the light, and as the sea boils, we see then disappear. The camera pulls back further, we see the Island sink, the skies roll, and, as we move into space, we see the Sun engulf the Earth. The screen fades to white.

Lost

@205 Mizzed -- Thank you for unscrambling my thoughts. I concur with you 110%.

Undaunted -- many of your posts have also helped -- many thanks.

And Mac -- so glad I found this blog. It certainly made my Lost experience more enjoyable.

What a journey. I have never been as emotionally invested in a show and never has a TV show impacted me in such a profound way.

Namaste.

Does someone have a theory about the Dharma food/package dropping? It still doesn't make sense to me...

Also if someone could do a brief chonological story about the island?? (Still don't get where the statue came from, by the way)

Love LOST and still want to watch it again, but i will give it some time to rest the brain and then write all teh questions i feel unanswered.

By the way, Widmore: good or bad guy? I don't think the good/bad or white/black really applies to the story, not even to Jacob and MIB because everyone has done "bad stuff" and MIB was not really a bad guy for trying to escape the island.. he just became a bad guy after jacob got all nuts and threw him to the light

Does someone have a theory about the Dharma food/package dropping? It still doesn't make sense to me...

Also if someone could do a brief chonological story about the island?? (Still don't get where the statue came from, by the way)

Love LOST and still want to watch it again, but i will give it some time to rest the brain and then write all teh questions i feel unanswered.

By the way, Widmore: good or bad guy? I don't think the good/bad or white/black really applies to the story, not even to Jacob and MIB because everyone has done "bad stuff" and MIB was not really a bad guy for trying to escape the island.. he just became a bad guy after jacob got all nuts and threw him to the light

Just wanted to quickly chime in...

Have only been able to read up on the first 100 or so comments, and will not likely catch up anytime soon!

@Cecil - Thanks for the cheers, but it was not my own 60th - it was my aunt's. In reality, I'm slightly more than half way there, so plenty o' time!

As expected, ended up getting pretty plowed on Sunday, and only returned in the later evening. Naturally, the best hangover remedy in the world is coffee, a hearty breakfast, and watching the Lost series finale.

All in all, I think I liked it, but as of now, can't really explain why this is/was.

Anyhoots - Will read up when I can, though doubt I will have too much to say (as by then I'm sure my thoughts will be quite redundant).

Once again - cheers to all - It's been a wild ride!

@375 Dan Denial
I love it!! Honestly, that's damn good.

Completely swept up in emotion since Sunday night, between the finale, and then Mac's video to all of us. Sorry to see this chapter come to an end.

Thanks again Mac for all of your hardwork and dedication over these past 6 years. I don't think this experience can ever be duplicated.

Thanks to everyone else for your brilliant and funny posts. Hopefully we can keep this goin!

I hope I wasn't too mushy...more thoughts to come....

@375 Dan Denial
I love it!! Honestly, that's damn good.

@375 Dan Denial
I love it!! Honestly, that's damn good.

:-( Sorry abotu the triple post. I guess I REALLY liked your alternate ending...

Long Post

@201. Posted by: Revelation at May 24, 2010 2:24 PM

I have had some interesting disagreements with you in the past and continue to do so here.

@205. Posted by: Mizzed at May 24, 2010 2:36 PM

I have always appreciated your comments here but have not always agreed. I was with you up to the last two paragraphs.

If we agreed, this would be a very boring blog except, of course, for Mac's recaps which are always far more intelligible than the program itself and does not suffer from commercial interruptions that make me forget what I have just watched.

I am sticking for a while to the non-purgatory, two universe theory. UI for Island Universe and UO for the other universe. The two universes are nearly the same but the island forms a loose coupling between the two. People exist in both UI and UO. People killed in UI go on living their lives in UO and vice versa. Our losties are living very different lives in the two universes whereas everyone else is living very similar lives. In fact, it is the closeness of the two universes that allow them to be coupled by the special properties of the island. The universes intersect like a Venn diagram and the Island is the intersection.

I people and O people cannot live in each others' universe unless they are associated with the island and then only in special ways. Jacob was able to move in both universes because he existed only once and only in the intersection. Desmond, on the other hand could move back and forth but only in a spiritual way. When Desmond was exposed to radiation at the end of Season 2, he acquired the ability to move from one universe to the other, occupying O Desmond's body with I Desmond's consciousness. I think Hurley inherited the ability when he drank the river water and became like Jack, like Jacob, like the woman.

The island's Heart of Lightness (as opposed to Conrad's Heart of Darkness) is critical for the island maintaining its stability at the intersection of two universes. When it is extinguished, very bad things begin to happen. When it is loose, as when the FDW was not locked in place, it became unstable and people experienced their jumping around in time. But there was something about the Losties as opposed to the other people on the island in that only the Losties seemed to be doing the time travelling. Them and people on the fringe of the intersection as on a freighter parked out at see. People who get too close to the Heart of Lightness by going down the hole or turning a key opening a door to a whole (which is what I think happened to Desmond) also have strange things happen to them and what happens to them may depend on their soul, or their id, or whatever. Desmond and MIB gained rather different powers.

I do not believe they all died when they crashed on the island. The O people did not crash but continued to live out their lives in the O universe. The I people lived for a while but their story arc began to diverge dramatically fomr their O selves.

I stated several yards of text earlier that I thought the Ajira plane, leaving the Island in the I universe could not land in the O universe. I suggested that they just ceased to exist when the left the island and existed then only in the O universe. Instead they landed in the I universe in LA and lived out their lives. Just as the people in the O Universe continued to live out their lives but with the special memories of their I selves which they gained because of the intersection of O and I. And those two lives would be somewhat different. In fact, it might be possible that in the O universe the O losties would have visions from their I selves but not vice versa. When the show ended, we were definately in the O universe.

Perhaps the atom bomb going off so near the source of the Island's power is what caused the intersection, but that would lead me down corridors of confusion to dreadful to investigate.

As for the last gathering, I agree with MIzzed and Max that they are together as they were in our story regardless of how old they were when they died. At some point between when Kate tells Jack that she will see him inside and when Jack has his conversation with his father, Jack has lived a full life, perhaps with Kate as his wife. The joining together of the losties was explained as arising because that time they did spend together transformed them all and was therefore the most important time of their lives and those relationships were the most important as well. I think that I could also justify the idea, because of the bleed through between O and I which became a hemorrhage in the last hour of the show would cause this small group to uniquely belong to both universes. Also, the joining together of the losties makes for a nice climax, like the cast party at the end of "O Lucky Man" a film I strongly recommend to all people who really like LOST.

None of this would explain why certain people are missing (other than Ben who seems to have a hall pass) but I am going to just believe they were there but not picked up by the camera.

@377. Posted by: varis Re theories on the Dharma care packages. No idea. Just one of those many unanswerable questions. Maybe Dharma paid for a century of deliveries in advance.

@385, "At some point between when Kate tells Jack that she will see him inside and when Jack has his conversation with his father, Jack has lived a full life, perhaps with Kate as his wife"

Jack died on the island. kate flew away and lived some kind of life. everyone in the sideways universe is dead. all that happened between Kate telling Jack she'll see him inside and his conversation with his father is that Jack walked into the church.

If the island events were real then why didn't anyone die when the Bomb went off? It seemed the bombed prompted the purgatory.

What was the point of the bomb? Everyone on the island must have already been dead if they didn't die from an H bomb blast on an island

GRAA, Mac! And thanks for the heartfelt video message following it. Nice to get a glimpse of the "gentle guy behind the curtain" :). Really appreciate all the time and effort you've put into this wonderful blog. Words can't really describe how grateful I am for having been a part of this community (even though I was mostly a lurker).

Oh, and: o_O. Wow! Absolutely loved The End. I'm still processing the final episode, but I know what I felt & experienced yesterday (while watching it --- I'm from The Netherlands, so I had to download it first): an amazing series finale. It was fast-paced, had lots of stuff going on, had many emotional moments (but hey, I wasn't crying --- "for your information there was an inflammation in my tear gland" ;)) and more importantly: it DIDN'T answer everything (which I thought was a great thing). Oh, and it also had a great twist (never saw the side-ways = purgatory surprise coming). Loved it. The scene at the end, where Jack was stumbling through the Bamboo Forest, falling down and then (d/l)ying on the ground, seeing the plane fly over ... with Vincent showing up ... was really powerful ... heartbreaking, in a way. I felt so sad, to see all this coming to an end. I will have to think about this Episode some more, but my gut reaction was: wow, this is even better than the BSG ending (which I also _loved_). And the fact that we're left discussing what happened, is proof for me that the writers did the best thing they could have done. They didn't kill the mystery by explaining everything in detail, de-mystifying it. They left room for interpretation and us making up our own version of what we think (or would like to believe) happened.

@205, Mizzed: What. An. Amazing. Post.

Mac, again, thanks soooo much for this blog. It has been my "home" for many, many years (since the end of Season 1). I've spent hundreds and hundreds of hours reading your recaps and all the great comments, theories, jokes, facts, and stories by everyone who joined this awesome community. I would like to thank everyone in general, for participating. I would also like to thank the following posters in particular (in no particular order). I want you to know that I've really enjoyed reading your comments: Mizzed, Cecil Rose, davidrh, Ransomjackson, ilovebenjaminlinusxx, Crispy Seaplanes, Berkyo, Undauntid, Ealgumby, shikotee, Ala�s_Longthought, Welh, August Paul, Red...Neck...Man, GatorGal, Vacc, Hurling, Meg, bcre8ve, PiecesofArzt, mtncbn, JoePike, katePlusSun=Fun, Three men and a baby... I counted Hugo twice, LostedIt, DocH, FenwayBen, BunnyLover, Alex (Not Rousseau), Clementine, Mr. Grimm and many, many others I'm forgetting to mention (sorry!) ...

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE GOOD TIMES. IT'S BEEN A BLAST!

- Arjan.

As the emotional response from the finale begins to wear off, I find myself becoming very disappointed with D&C. I would have to say that I would probably not watch some thing that they wrote again. Yes for 6 years the ride was fun and speculating on the mysteries of this island was fun too�.but then I got to the point that I was just dying to know �some� of the answers. I am feeling that it was such a cheap shot for D&C to be like �all that doesn�t matter�. Well, yes it does. We spend hundreds of hours working on theories for these mysteries and for them to end with only a closure to the characters and nothing about the island I think was pretty crappy. Most of us loved the end because it invoked an emotional response from us; we loved these characters and wanted to see them move on. But we also loved that island and wanted to know more about it�to say it doesn�t matter is crap. It�s like they dangled all that mystery stuff to keep us coming back (made their money) and left us hanging in most areas. So I wonder if they even knew �what the island was�!!! I think they didn�t answer all the questions about the island because they don�t have them�they made up all this freaky crap with no way out. They could have just said it was all a �dream� because �they all died� is just as bad�there is no creativity in that. I really thought they had some special idea to this island and here they don�t! I feel a little lied to. I really enjoyed the show and I did enjoy the end however over all being there are no answers and I am left to speculate forever I feel that was cheap and it does ruin it a bit. I think it would have been fun if it were a spaceship under the island and these aliens were controlling things. Or the Dharma people had all these people in hospital beds and they were doing human experiments with their minds�so their body was not there but their minds were. Shoot I cannot even write and I can come up with two ideas better than THEY ARE DEAD. Sorry to sound like an asshole. I am a Lost fan but I feel disappointed in the writers. I wonder if THIS is WHY JJ left!!!!?????!!!!!

Aaron's "life:"

Pre-Flight 815: conceived (alive)

815 Crash: not born yet

Island: born

Left Island: raised by others for at least three years.

Sideways World: re-born (dead)

In order to be in the sideways church, everyone had to be dead and "awakened" by their past memories together ("re-born"). Why would not have Aaron appeared as a three year old, a young man, or even adult?

I know the "birth" in the sideways world was a device to awaken Kate/Claire shared experience, but is this new Aaron merely a prop? That does not seem right.

Would you expect the deceased to materialize in the after life at the same age as at the time of death? So it is possible that Aaron "died" before being born on the island (which has more elements of purgatory and struggle than the sideways world).

The first thing I said when they showed Vincent in this episode was, "IT'S A DIFFERENT VINCENT!!" and everyone that was watching with me laughed.

... it was true. I thought it was necessary to say as the show was going on.

Well, Vincent watching over Jack just did it for me; I was reduced to an emotional wreck. I was satisfied with the ending and the twist that the ATL was "purgatory" was great. How poignant that Hurley and Ben took over the care of the island, while I assume Des got over to his boat on Hydra eventually and sailed home.

Yeah, there are all those unanswered questions, but how nice that we get to write some of the story ourselves.

It's been a pleasure, and thanks to all for your wonderful insights.

This is going around on the forums so I thought I'd share it with our "family." I scrolled through the posts to see if anyone else linked to it. Apparently not. I actually read all the posts until 300 or so, then found this link and came back and there were 86 more!

I found it on The Fuselage but the links were kind of messed up and it took me a while to actually get to the original post. I think this guys posts as TVGreg but don't quote me. I thought it was fascinating and it rings true to me, anyway. I took the text from somebody's comment on SpoilerTV.co.uk if anyone wants to research it more.

It's pretty long, so I'm gonna break it into several posts.

Part 1

"Good stuff on here! I can finally throw in my two cents! I've had to bite my tongue for far too long. Also, hopefully I can answer some of John's questions about Dharma and the "pointless breadcrumbs" that really, weren't so pointless ...

First ...
The Island:

It was real. Everything that happened on the island that we saw throughout the 6 seasons was real. Forget the final image of the plane crash, it was put in purposely to f*&k with people's heads and show how far the show had come. They really crashed. They really survived. They really discovered Dharma and the Others. The Island keeps the balance of good and evil in the world. It always has and always will perform that role. And the Island will always need a "Protector". Jacob wasn't the first, Hurley won't be the last. However, Jacob had to deal with a malevolent force (MIB) that his mother, nor Hurley had to deal with. He created the devil and had to find a way to kill him -- even though the rules prevented him from actually doing so.

Thus began Jacob's plan to bring candidates to the Island to do the one thing he couldn't do. Kill the MIB. He had a huge list of candidates that spanned generations. Yet everytime he brought people there, the MIB corrupted them and caused them to kill one another. That was until Richard came along and helped Jacob understand that if he didn't take a more active role, then his plan would never work.

Part II

"Enter Dharma -- which I'm not sure why John is having such a hard time grasping. Dharma, like the countless scores of people that were brought to the island before, were brought there by Jacob as part of his plan to kill the MIB. However, the MIB was aware of this plan and interferred by "corrupting" Ben. Making Ben believe he was doing the work of Jacob when in reality he was doing the work of the MIB. This carried over into all of Ben's "off-island" activities. He was the leader. He spoke for Jacob as far as they were concerned. So the "Others" killed Dharma and later were actively trying to kill Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the candidates because that's what the MIB wanted. And what he couldn't do for himself.

Dharma was originally brought in to be good. But was turned bad by MIB's corruption and eventually destroyed by his pawn Ben. Now, was Dharma only brought there to help Jack and the other Canditates on their overall quest to kill Smokey? Or did Jacob have another list of Canidates from the Dharma group that we were never aware of? That's a question that is purposley not answered because whatever answer the writers came up with would be worse than the one you come up with for yourself. Still ... Dharma's purpose is not "pointless" or even vague. Hell, it's pretty blantent.

Still, despite his grand plan, Jacob wanted to give his "candidates" (our Lostaways) the one thing he, nor his brother, were ever afforded: free will. Hence him bringing a host of "candidates" through the decades and letting them "choose" which one would actually do the job in the end. Maybe he knew Jack would be the one to kill Flocke and that Hurley would be the protector in the end. Maybe he didn't. But that was always the key question of the show: Fate vs Free-will. Science vs Faith. Personally I think Jacob knew from the beginning what was going to happen and that everyone played a part over 6 seasons in helping Jack get to the point where he needed to be to kill Smokey and make Hurley the protector -- I know that's how a lot of the writers viewed it. But again, they won't answer that (nor should they) because that ruins the fun.

In the end, Jack got to do what he always wanted to do from the very first episode of the show: Save his fellow Lostaways. He got Kate and Sawyer off the island and he gave Hurley the purpose in life he'd always been missing. And, in Sideways world (which we'll get to next) he in fact saved everyone by helping them all move on ...

Part III

"
Now...

Sideways World:

Sideways world is where it gets really cool in terms of theology and metaphysical discussion (for me at least -- because I love history/religion theories and loved all the talks in the writer's room about it). Basically what the show is proposing is that we're all linked to certain people during our lives. Call them soulmates (though it's not exactly the best word). But these people we're linked to are with us duing "the most important moments of our lives" as Christian said. These are the people we move through the universe with from lifetime to lifetime. It's loosely based in Hinduisim with large doses of western religion thrown into the mix.

The conceit that the writers created, basing it off these religious philosophies, was that as a group, the Lostaways subconsciously created this "sideways" world where they exist in purgatory until they are "awakened" and find one another. Once they all find one another, they can then move on and move forward. In essence, this is the show's concept of the afterlife. According to the show, everyone creates their own "Sideways" purgatory with their "soulmates" throughout their lives and exist there until they all move on together. That's a beautiful notion. Even if you aren't religious or even spirtual, the idea that we live AND die together is deeply profound and moving.

It's a really cool and spirtual concept that fits the whole tone and subtext the show has had from the beginning. These people were SUPPOSED to be together on that plane. They were supposed to live through these events -- not JUST because of Jacob. But because that's what the universe or God (depending on how religious you wish to get) wanted to happen. The show was always about science vs faith -- and it ultimately came down on the side of faith. It answered THE core question of the series. The one question that has been at the root of every island mystery, every character backstory, every plot twist. That, by itself, is quite an accomplishment.

Part IV

"How much you want to extrapolate from that is up to you as the viewer. Think about season 1 when we first found the Hatch. Everyone thought that's THE answer! Whatever is down there is the answer! Then, as we discovered it was just one station of many. One link in a very long chain that kept revealing more, and more of a larger mosaic.

But the writer's took it even further this season by contrasting this Sideways "purgatory" with the Island itself. Remember when Michael appeared to Hurley, he said he was not allowed to leave the Island. Just like the MIB. He wasn't allowed into this sideways world and thus, was not afforded the opportunity to move on. Why? Because he had proven himself to be unworthy with his actions on the Island. He failed the test. The others, passed. They made it into Sideways world when they died -- some before Jack, some years later. In Hurley's case, maybe centuries later. They exist in this sideways world until they are "awakened" and they can only move on TOGETHER because they are linked. They are destined to be together for eternity. That was their destiny.

They were NOT linked to Anna Lucia, Daniel, Rousseau, Alex, Miles, Lupidis, (and all the rest who weren't in the church -- basically everyone who wasn't in season 1). Yet those people exist in Sideways world. Why? Well again, here's where they leave it up to you to decide. The way I like to think about it, is that those people who were left behind in Sideways world have to find their own soul mates before they can wake up. It's possible that those links aren't people from the island but from their other life (Anna's partner, the guy she shot --- Rousseau's husband, etc etc).

A lot of people have been talking about Ben and why he didn't go into the Church. And if you think of Sideways world in this way, then it gives you the answer to that very question. Ben can't move on yet because he hasn't connected with the people he needs to. It's going to be his job to awaken Rousseau, Alex, Anna Lucia (maybe), Ethan, Goodspeed, his father and the rest. He has to atone for his sins more than he did by being Hurley's number two. He has to do what Hurley and Desmond did for our Lostaways with his own people. He has to help them connect. And he can only move on when all the links in his chain are ready to. Same can be said for Faraday, Charlotte, Whidmore, Hawkins etc. It's really a neat, and cool concept. At least to me.

Part V

"But, from a more "behind the scenes" note: the reason Ben's not in the church, and the reason no one is in the church but for Season 1 people is because they wrote the ending to the show after writing the pilot. And never changed it. The writers always said (and many didn't believe them) that they knew their ending from the very first episode. I applaud them for that. It's pretty fantastic. Originally Ben was supposed to have a 3 episode arc and be done. But he became a big part of the show. They could have easily changed their ending and put him in the church -- but instead they problem solved it. Gave him a BRILLIANT moment with Locke outside the church ... and then that was it. I loved that. For those that wonder -- the original ending started the moment Jack walked into the church and touches the casket to Jack closing his eyes as the other plane flies away. That was always JJ's ending. And they kept it.

For me the ending of this show means a lot. Not only because I worked on it, but because as a writer it inspired me in a way the medium had never done before. I've been inspired to write by great films. Maybe too many to count. And there have been amazing TV shows that I've loved (X-Files, 24, Sopranos, countless 1/2 hour shows). But none did what LOST did for me. None showed me that you could take huge risks (writing a show about faith for network TV) and stick to your creative guns and STILL please the audience. I learned a lot from the show as a writer. I learned even more from being around the incredible writers, producers, PAs, interns and everyone else who slaved on the show for 6 years.

In the end, for me, LOST was a touchstone show that dealt with faith, the afterlife, and all these big, spiritual questions that most shows don't touch. And to me, they never once wavered from their core story -- even with all the sci-fi elements they mixed in. To walk that long and daunting of a creative tightrope and survive is simply astounding."

After Post III, I think, I started correcting the typos. I hope that doesn't bother anyone. Maybe this guy was a writer really a writer on the show (and I'm inclined to believe he was at least in some capacity), but man, he was obviously used to working with an editor. GrammaPoLice would be horrified!

Oops! That second to last line should have only one "a writer" in it.

Guess, I need an editor too!

They seemed to show that statue outside the "church" quite a bit and let the camera linger on it. Does anyone know who/what the statue was?

Never before have I ever invested this much time in a TV series. Lost was cutting edge in so many levels. But it would never have impacted me as much if it hadn't been for this community and for Mac's insightful recaps.

Mac, I loved the long 10 hour preparation recaps you created years ago. I know they took a lot of your time, but they enhanced my exerience of Lost - it was not time wasted by any means.

I couldn't wait until the next morning to see your thoughts and explanations. As I would watch the night before I made sure to listen for the "best lines" to see if we were in agreement. Mac, you were just my extention of the show. It could never have been the same without you. Thanks so much!

I loved that we were all subject to a huge "long con". Thinking back of all the hours people tried to work thru the clue's and nuances of the show just puts a smile on my face. How fun it was to read everyone's theory.

We're all part of history as we came together to dissect the mysteries of Lost. All in all it really doesn't matter to me if the questions were answered. It was the enjoyment of being spun the tale that mattered.

I have now watched the epi 2 times and each time have just cried my eyes out, especially at the end. The scene with Jack laying on the ground, dying in the bamboo field with Vincent at his side overwhelmed me and I'm still tearing up as I think about it.

I, too, loved the various religious icons on the stained glass window at the church. It meant for me a community of all ethnicities and the possibility that we could all come together in community - even if we can't seem to do it in life, maybe in death we can.

Namaste

@388 - The bomb sent them all from 1977 back to 2007. Presumably the bomb interacted with the "pocket of energy" in some way that the LOSTies didn't die but were sent back to their proper time.

Here we go. Did my own research. This guy posts on this site.

http://forums.twobillsdrive.com

(I hope I didn't screw up the blog, I think this link is short enough.)

His blog name is tgreg99. He says he's not a writer for LOST but was somehow connected to the show. He "was about as significant as a stapler" in his own words. Whew! That explains the horrible typos.

And get this sports fans!! it's a Buffalo Bill's Forum. How they ended up talking about LOST, I don't know. But there you have it.

Interested in hearing your thoughts.

@391 - I posed the same question in post 260.
Aaron being a baby makes sense if it's just Jack's purgatory, but if it was everyone's purgatory (as I believe), then it's not very fair to Aaron!

Hi En Provence - thanks for sharing that. Found it very enlightening.

@372 Granny Vi

I think it is the same church that Eloise and the Lamp Post station are at, I wish they would have shown us, but oh well.

@-En Provence,
thank you for explaining damn near everything in your posts,394-398,
i have been driving myself crazy since watching the finale theorizing scrapping a theory then re analysing everything all over again,
your post gives me the one thing i needed after watching LOST since episode 1 season 1,
through to the finale,
your post gave me closure,
thanx again.

#388: I look at the bomb going off as simliar to the hatch imploding. The bomb negated the energy, so the bomb was like Desmond's failsafe key in the hatch. They didn't die for the same reason no one died when the hatch imploded. The difference was that when the hatch imploded, Desmond got all time-wonky, but our heroes timejumped to 2007.

The writers set it up to make it look like the bomb going off created the sideways world in order to keep us confused until the very end. In reality, the bomb going off was unrelated to the sideways world. Even Juliet's final thoughts read by Miles "It worked" was a red herring to throw us off. "It worked" was actually said to Sawyer by the vending machine, along with "let's get coffee sometime, we can go Dutch."

Well, it took 2 days but it has finally JUST hit me. I couldn't figure out what I was feeling after the finale, kind of numb. But all of sudden it hit me, it is sadness, in the end of the series but also the death of Jack and it really really REALLY bothers me that Jack died on the island essentially all alone. Jack dying on the island is however, the way it should be. I know these feelings of sadness are silly (it even brought tears to my eyes), it's a TV show after all. But we have come to know each of these characters as if they were friends or family and it is a "loss" for which we must grive. It is Tuesday eve and now I truly am LOST.

#375. Posted by: Dan Denial
I like it, Dan. Good writing.

I would have been happy with that.

But the ending I got is ok too.

Thanks to the posters above who noodled out the purpose behind the island being under water- it was a point I missed completely during the finale.

In real life, the island was never destroyed or put underwater. However because it did not exist in the awareness of the Jack et al group in their post-death state- it was literally submerged in their consciousness.

Pretty powerful metaphor by the writers, especially in the way it threw us off the scent in season 6.

I had to write when I started reading the other responses.

To all the militant atheists out there unhappy with the ending: stick to watching Crime Scene Law and Order. Lost wasn't ever going to be for you.

To all the people who wanted island answers: stop wanting to know how many angels are on the head of a pin. Moby Dick wasn't just about a whale and Lost wasn't just about smoke monsters and hatches. Great writing can be like that.

Congrats to Matt: the writers must have been reading your blog all along since they adopted several of your descriptions like Man in Black and Flocke.

Everyone should read the USA Today write-up of the final episode by Robert Bianco. I feel he got it right.

Jack clearly died in the final ep but the others either died earlier or later. Time has no meaning in the hereafter so it makes no difference who came first. All are just there and waiting for Jack to accept death so they can enter the Pearly Gates as a group. We are not alone in life. We are interconnected with each other (whether we like it or not). Lost speculates that we remain this way even in death.

The sideways world is depicted as a drug induced coma where people sleepwalk through the initial trauma of death. This is a "world" of minimal stress (hence some changes in their "lives" have been made) and some familiarity where the truth becomes apparent a little at a time based on what each person can handle. Even then, individuals may still not be "ready" (e.g. Ben).

Island events really happened. You just have to accept the supernatural and sci fi mumbo jumbo. There's never going to be any logic in ghosts and goblins anyway. The stoytelling was there for us meet the characters, to see how they progressed and ultimately to learn their fate. And it was there to be entertaining which it most certainly was.

All people die. Even when they save the world. Being one of the "immortals" doesn't even save you. They too have an expiration date.

What you do in life dictates who you really are. Retribution is possible and highly recommended considering what may come next.

Lost gave you the answers to the big questions and one of the biggest was the fate of the characters. It's just that death wasn't quite the end of the story.

Lost was left deliberately open to interpretation. We'll be talking about it for years to come.

MAC!!!!!!! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!! :D

@Ollie Em- I feel just like you do...To me, I felt like I had been at a funeral. I was visibly shaken thru the next day. So don't feel alone or silly in the effect this had on you,

@412 Glenn

There was a whale in Moby Dick?... jk

I agree wholeheartedly.

Reality :
1. Only Frank , Miles, Sawyer, Kate ,Claire and Richard manage to leave the island ? Richard had become mortal when he left the island ?

2.Jack dies saving the island ?

3. Desmond, Ben and Hurley are left on the island ? Hurley is now the island protector and is immortal ?

4. Jin, Sun , Michael , Locke , Sayid, Charlie , Juliet and some of the tail section survivors actually did die on
the island or in the various accidents just the way they were shown ?

5. The ones who were able to leave the island actually lived their entire life or did the Aljira flight also crash ?

Season 6 Sideways :

1. Was not real ?

2. Was someone imagining it ? Was it Jack�s afterlife experience ? or was it his near death experience just before he dies on the island ?

3. He is taken to heaven by his dad because he sees him as his protector ?

4.He always thought Locke believed in Ben so is that the reason they are friends in his world ?

5. He sees Miles and Sawyer in LA police dept because they were also in Dharma security ?

6. Kate helps Claire deliver her baby again because according to Jack that was Kate�s biggest accomplishment on the island ?

7.He makes Sawyer and Juliet reconnect because he always thought they were meant to be.

8.He always thought Sayid was happy when he was with Shannon so he had that picture in his memories ?

Am I even close ?

MIFHAS! (Me In Four Hundred And Seventeen) Sorry, had to scream MI... sometime, and seems like it's my last shot.
Thanks Mac an all fellow posters for the GRAA and the great times.

@ 416 - TryingToUnderstandLOST

Reality :
1. Only Frank , Miles, Sawyer, Kate ,Claire and Richard manage to leave the island ? Richard had become mortal when he left the island ?

They all leave on the plane, maybe Desmond leaves at some point as well to be with Penny and Charlie. Richard once again began to age once MIB was gone, so that deal was broken.

2.Jack dies saving the island ?

Yes.

3. Desmond, Ben and Hurley are left on the island ? Hurley is now the island protector and is immortal ?

Hurley, as the new Jacob, makes up his own rules now, whether he chooses immortality or not.

4. Jin, Sun , Michael , Locke , Sayid, Charlie , Juliet and some of the tail section survivors actually did die on
the island or in the various accidents just the way they were shown?

All died exactly the way we saw them die.

5. The ones who were able to leave the island actually lived their entire life or did the Aljira flight also crash?

Judging by Kate's comment to Jack (missed you so much) the Ajira flight made it home - the lives of those final survivors are unknown.

Season 6 Sideways :

1. Was not real?

Christian explained that it was real. But that depends on your concept of reality. The sideways world was a place for those people to find each other before they moved on. Most are referring to it as a purgatory - a waiting room before the actual afterlife.

2. Was someone imagining it ? Was it Jack�s afterlife experience ? or was it his near death experience just before he dies on the island ?

It wasn't just Jack's afterlife, but all of the characters.

3. He is taken to heaven by his dad because he sees him as his protector?

I guess his name says it all.

4.He always thought Locke believed in Ben so is that the reason they are friends in his world ?

5. He sees Miles and Sawyer in LA police dept because they were also in Dharma security ?

6. Kate helps Claire deliver her baby again because according to Jack that was Kate�s biggest accomplishment on the island ?

7.He makes Sawyer and Juliet reconnect because he always thought they were meant to be.

8.He always thought Sayid was happy when he was with Shannon so he had that picture in his memories ?

Am I even close ?

None of the others relationships or connections were being shown from jack's POV, rather, they were ALL in "purgatory" until they made their connections with those who meant the most to them, and were able to move on together into the afterlife, like Jack did with Locke, Kate, and his father. Only with these connections were each of the characters able to remember their lives, their deaths, and move on.

Hi Mac

Thanks for all the insightful and hilarious reviews. I've posted here no more than once or twice, but I've been lurking and reading regularly since mid-season 2 and never missed a review. Fantastic work. I joined your facebook group, and I'm happy to have been a part of this great community you've created! :)

Cheers!

@375
wow... why didn't they do that? it properly explains the flash sideways, and it resolves the story of the island... just wow...

Hey Mac. I've never written in before but have watched LOST every week and followed your review and blog every day after each episode. Your blog was as much a part of the experience as the show was. Sharing thoughts, theories and observations with you and all the others. It's been a great 6 years. What a I can't beleive it's over. Take care, and THANKS!

I confess I've been writing a couple of my thoughts on these boards from the beginning... I enjoyed it till the end...Lost is a game, a spaceship, purgery,....etc...always guessing it wrong offcourse hahaha

Heil Mac and Namaste

Ok, I said I wouldn�t be posting anymore, but rules are there to be broken, right? Here are a few additions/changes to the finale, that I came up with. After rewatching the finale twice, I still have mixed feelings about it, but all in all, I�m satisfied. Still, my additions/changes would have made it better :-P

Hope you enjoy it. Namaste!

On Island:
Jack and MIB fight. MIB finally gets the knife to Jack�s throat. �I want you to know that you died for nothing, Jack�. Then a shot rings out, right in front of them. They both look up. It�s Ben. MIB gets up and raises his hands. Ben points the gun at him.

�Come with me, Ben�.
�Why would I do that, John? I�m already home�.
�The Island is sinking�.
�Well then I guess I�ll sink with it�.
�I can give you anything, Ben. I can even bring Alex back to you�.

Ben seems to hesitate for a second, but then looks determined.

�You don�t get to speak her name�.

He shoots MIB in the chest. MIB falls down but crawls back up. He looks at the wound, then back at Ben.

�You� can�t kill me. I� I�m leaving.

Jack jumps up and sticks the knife in MIB�s neck. Blood spurts out. They share one last look. MIB tries to speak.

Jack: �you�re not going anywhere�.
MIB: �don�t� don�t tell me what I��

Then Jack kicks him off the cliff. Ben helps Jack up and they stumble away from the edge, as Kate, James and Hugo arrive. Jack is dying. He explains that someone has to go down to turn on the light again. Ben volunteers. Before he dies, Jack hands the job of guardian over to Hugo, exactly like it happened in the original. Ben and Hugo then head for the light. The scene plays out like the original, but now Ben plugs the hole and sends Desmond back up. Desmond becomes Hugo�s number two for a while. Ben dies with a smile, when the EM is turned back on. The plane escape plays out the same way it did originally. As the plane flies away over the Island and Jack�s dead body, a hand tenderly closes his eyes. It�s Rose, who then walks back into the jungle, with Bernard and Vincent. We later see the plane make an emergency landing somewhere back in the real world. Slowmo scene of the survivors leaving the plane. Richard grinning and kissing the ground. Lapidus and Miles dancing around. Kate and James hugging, etc.

Off Island:
Walt is riding his bike. Suddenly someone calls out to him. It�s Locke. He raises his hand. Walt looks up but doesn�t recognize him. Then he gets hit by a car. The driver steps out of the car. Locke is watching and smiling from across the street. It�s Michael, who has never met his son in ALT. He runs over to Walt and touches his arm. They both awaken.

Ben is sitting outside the church. Locke goes in, after their little talk. Ben is about to get up and leave, when a big black hand settles on his shoulder. It�s Eko.

�Why are you not joining them?� he asks.

Ben chokes up. �John Locke just came by. He said he forgives me. If he does, the rest of them probably do as well�.
�So?�
�I haven�t forgiven myself. I� I killed my daughter�.

Eko looks at his feet.

�I have done many bad things in my life. I hurt people, killed them. I was a lost soul. Like you, Ben�.
�So why are you going in there?�
�Because it�s not about forgiveness, Ben. It�s about letting go. And you, my friend, have to let go as well. Like they have�.
He points over his shoulder. Alex and Danielle are standing there. Hugs, tears, etc. Then they all enter the church.

Final scene, after the church scene
We see the Island, the beach, the foot. Hugo is sitting by Jack�s grave, which is right in the shadow of the statue. Vincent is with him. Hugo is mumbling to himself. Vincent starts barking. Hugo looks up at the ocean. A sailboat is approaching. He smiles and pets Vincent. As he gets up and walks to the waterline, the camera pans out further and further untill the Island can no longer be spotted amidst the blue ocean. Amidst the clouds, a plane passes by.

LOST

List of unanswered questions (video):

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1936291

When did this become a fanfic thread? Thanks for sharing, all, but I'll stick with the brilliant ending as written.

@425: just having fun. Didn't know this wasn't a thread for that kind of stuff.

@425: just having fun. Didn't know this wasn't a thread for that kind of stuff.

@423 Mischa
That was fantastic!! Wow. Honestly, that was fantastic.

I suppose Kate adn Jack would not have been able to have their moment, but I really like your ending.

Let me also post here my first and probably last comment. I just wanna say I am a huge fan of this site, since I discovered it back in the show's 3rd season. And I absolutely love Lost from the beginning till the end. This site has made me appreciate the parts I didnt get or those I missed. It makes me more "attached" to the show than I already was. Well done, Mac. I will surely miss Lost and your reviews.

Don't know what to do with myself!!!!
No Lost blog to read this morning and ponder and then - occasionally comment on. Hard to realize what a lovely part of my life this little site and the show have played in my life for the past 6 years.

I enjoyed the finale and satisfied by the conclusion. Still pondering it and still having little "emotional moments". My favorite moment was when Hurley saw Charlie and was grinning at him like an idiot. Also loved that Jack and Sawyer shook hands -wonderfully understated goodbye that was totally fitting for their characters. Sawyers "chest hair" remark to Lapidus was great. I was expecting a remark like "Thanks for waiting for us, Lazarus!!!"

I will miss this community and also the show. Thanks for Mac and for everyone else who participated.

Can't wait to see what all our beloved actors end up doing in the future. I sincerely hope that none of them end up in "Snakes on The Plane 2" or in any reality show

338. Posted by: undauntid in response to Christina

I completely agree. My problem is with the sideways world, the alternate universe, and the gathering in the church. The gathering appears to take place in a matter of a few hours or perhaps a day or so. Christian makes the point of saying that here in the land of the dead which may or may not have been the sideways world, there is no now. Hurley tells Ben, you were a great number 2, implying they spent considerable time together on the island. Christian also said, though I can't recall his exact words, that we all die at different times and so did they, including after their island experience and maybe even after their sideways world experiences. But they were united in the end because whatever else happened to them, their transformations on the island was the most important thing that had happened to them in their lives and the people they were with were the most important people. The hole in my argument has been the lack of a transformation from Jack entering the church (and Kate saying she'd see him inside) and being in the chapel with his dead father.

In a separate posting, Christina expresses disappointment in the lack of explanations about the nature of the island itself, and there are indeed unanswered questions. Some of these are silly (like why did all the mailing tubes end up in a pile in the middle of the jungle, or why were Dharma packages still being delivered on the island) and others less so like the relationship between the physical properties of the island and the fact that some people could be healed (Rose, Nadia, Locke) and others not (Nadia, the second time, Ben) But to me these are better left as mysteries. To have them all explained is like having the illusionist show how he does his tricks, it destroys the excitement of the illusion and makes the act cheap and banal. In addition, explanations can be ephemeral in their satisfactions. Suppose we are told that parallel universes can exist and in very rare instances overlap and the light at the end of the tunnel on the island is an example of the overlap and getting near that light starts messing up physical objects and people. That is an explanation of sorts, but not really and doesn't help me enjoy the story more.

Now I can fully believe that the writers can come up with the idea that the penultimate scene of the show, the one in the church before Jack dies, we see that all the island people are joined in death when time no longer has a meaning, when we move on from this physical universe (a mish mash of religions as stated by Mizzed elsewhere) and so we'll show them having in this reunion and it would be cool if it was the church where Eloise Hawking was hanging out, and then we'll show the death of Jack on the island and he'll be closing his eyes, the right parenthesis to the beginning of the show. I can see them doing that with no more thought about the details of how they all got there. Well, does this make me angry with them. Not at all. They actually owed us nothing and they gave us a good story with enough mysteries and puzzles for us to discuss in long blogs like this one. Without the unanswered questions, there would be little to discuss and LOST would have been little more than 90210 on an island.

I was pleased to see Kate smiling in the end when she brought Jack to the church and told him she would see him inside. She has seldom smiled in this show and she seemed even a little flirtatious. In fact, the entire cast did a pretty good job of genuinely looking happy in their final scenes.

@387. Posted by: BostonSteve I have a problem with everybody in the alternate universe being dead because they seem to be living out purposeful lives, lives that are even a little different from the ones they had been living before they landed on the island. It is easier for me to accept a time slip as everyone gathers in the church for their group marriage than the utter purposelessness of the alternate world. But with what TPTB have given us, we are all making this stuff up as we go along. Just like the writers?

@#428. Posted by: Paul_C

Thanks dude, glad you liked it. Ofcourse, it's a lot easier to take something that already exists and spin it a little, then come up with something original :)

Love some of the little details thrown in the finale like Sawyer calling Miles Enos on the island even though they weren't cops until the Sideways afterlife thingamabob.

@#400. Kompletely Lost

"They seemed to show that statue outside the "church" quite a bit and let the camera linger on it. Does anyone know who/what the statue was?"

The statue was of Jesus Christ.

@435. Posted by: Crispy Seaplanes

Love some of the little details thrown in the finale like Sawyer calling Miles Enos on the island even though they weren't cops until the Sideways afterlife thingamabob.

I thought he was refering to their time as "Sheriff" and "Deputy" in the Dharma Initiative

He referred to him as Enos once in the Sideways world as well so I took it as a reverse bleed through though maybe they were just trying to show the two narratives mirroring each other.

Thanx for answering. I thought it might be a patron saint of lost souls or something. Still looking for clues ... can't seem to let it go
So sad it's over

ABC issued a statement Tuesday clarifying that the images over the closing credits were not part of the narrative of the final episode. "The images shown during the end credits of the Lost finale, which included shots of Oceanic 815 on a deserted beach, were not part of the episode but were a visual aid to allow the viewer to decompress before heading into the news said.I guess that answers that!!!

Did the bomb go off, and if so, did it actually change anything? Or did the incident occur as it had before, with the only new side effect that the Losties traveled back to 2007? Seems that the hatch still had to exist to cause the Oceanic flight to crash, have Desmond come to the island to push the button, etc. There was no reset. Perhaps the bomb did go off and temporarily negated the emag long enough to install the hatch and it's systems? When the Losties were back in 2007 to begin season 6, the hatch was there, imploded, right? Can't recall. So, was the point of season 5 not that they would achieve a reset, but that they would keep the DI from destroying the island? They needed to time jump in order to figure out where the H-bomb was, to have Daniel explain his (flawed) theory, and to have the Losties preserve our original timeline (ala Hurley asking if what they were about to do was the original incident)? Perhaps in searching for a way home away from the island and all its death, the Losties played a role in actually saving the island and preserving their fate instead of avoiding it. Thoughts?

FYI...The Jimmy Kimmel Live - Aloha to Lost episode is going to be re-aired on Saturday, 29 May @10:00 P.M. (e.s.t.) on ABC. My dvr somehow messed up the record and cut it off way too early.

Did anyone read "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"?
Lots of parallels. Anyone craving logic should ponder how logical it is to expect survivors when a plane going hundreds of miles an hour breaks up in midair and falls with a very large thud. Suspension of disbelief is required at the start.

To August Paul, thank you.

Thank you Mac for all you have done for us.

Thank you to everyone here to helped us understand the show a little better.

Cecil, Revelation, shikotee and God I cannot recall who else said....but see ya on FRINGE site next year!!!!

signing off lost

@441,
I have been asking that all along. What did the bomb do? Did it actually set of the sideways world? If so why? If the sideways world was were they find each other did they actually need a bomb to go off to do it or did the bomb actually kill them all and destroy the island, thus the island being at the bottom of the ocean at the start of this season. Yes that's it. The bomb was the catalyst that killed most of them and sunk the island.

Generally speaking, it was a very good ending regarding those six years, but I was more or less really disappointed that we did not see Mr.Eko in the church as the priest...

@445 Keep in mind, we've been going on the assumption that the bomb went off and created an alternate reality, which was completely incorrect.

A big sticking point, and something I've not seen discussed much is David's existence.

If the Sideways World was simply a construct from all the Losties, then how does that explain David? Did Jack create him? But...wait. Juliet must have as well, right? So, the two of them created a completely new individual in order to help them get over their issues (Jack with his Daddy-issues, Juliet...I don't know why. She wanted to raise a family, maybe?).
But, then. Once they get past their issues and are "enlightened" and ready to move on.... they just abandon their kid?
I get that he's not real - but THEY didn't know that (and, actually, neither did he) until VERY recently, and they really seem to be okay with just letting him ...die? Vanish? Disappear completely?
I'm not explaining my thoughts here very coherently, but that's partly because the whole thing is metaphysical and difficult to grasp as a concept.
The point is, David Shepherd got a raw deal, and the fact that his "parents" were okay with abandoning him so easily ...actually, it kinda doesn't surprise me. Jin & Sun did the same thing with Ji Yeon, and, hell, Sawyer's daughter, Clementine wasn't at the Church either.
Man. The writers of Lost must not be parents themselves. Or they really like the idea of kids being left/ignored by their parents.

@448 - I assumed David was Jack's way of moving past his daddy issues, but you bring up an interesting point. If he wasn't real, then how was Juliet involved also?

Alex_Angel @ 441 - I believe the bomb always went off as part of the incident. Kind of like Sayid always shot Ben and Kate always saved him, and Faraday always came back to the island to tell get the bomb set off, even though he thought that he was changing the future. Faraday also was always killed by his mother. Whatever Happened Happened. They had to go back in time and do what they did as part of their destinies.

In other words, the bomb did not create the sideways world or sink the island. They made it seem that way to keep us guessing up to the very end. Please see posts 402 and 408.

@448 P@:

I think the point is that this cosmic-out-of-time-get-together takes place among a specific community with shared experiences and they resolve all their unresolved issues and move on together.

Their children, parents, other spouses, etc that didn't share this experience are/will be/have been having thir own get-togethers with their own communities elsewhere/when.

And for all we know, maybe a given personality goes over/through with more than one of these communites.

@443. Posted by: oldsam re comparison to "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" I don't think the analogy holds up but I think your reference is, as my grandchildren would say, totally cool.

August Paul is 444th! (?)

August Paul can't keep up.

@ 53 posted by davidrh, re: "why did I keep swallowing the lump in my throat and wiping the blurriness from my eyes?" It's a symptom of having lived a good life. That was an easy one, now, where did Dharma come from?

Alex angel, you've got it completely wrong. While the writers at first wanted us to think that the bomb worked and sank the Island, the revealed that that was not the case at all. I've been making the argument for a while now that all the time travel our Lostaways (and later the remaining candidates on Ajira 316) went through was being deliberately controlled (by the Island or Jacob) to get them where they needed to be to ensure things worked out the right way. After watching the finale, I think that Miles was right, and the bomb WAS the Incident, and setting it off ensured that Oceanic 815 would crash.

As Christian told us, the Sideways World was not created by an event, but by all of the people in the church (one last "not a what, but a who") by the writers). Even though some died early (Boone, Shannon, Libby, Charlie...) and some died long after Jack (Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, Claire...), they all wanted to be together in the afterlife and created a waiting room in heaven. Regardless of when they died, they wanted to move on together. This act of creation was done by their souls, and we didn't see it occur on screen.

For those concerned about Charlie the baby being in the church, I offer this theory: Claire was no more pregnant in the Sideways World any more than Sun was or any more than Jack was a father. These were all constructs in the maze that lead them all to the church. Claire needed the baby Aaron in order to connect with Kate and Charlie. I don't believe they will still need him once they "move on". The real Charlie, like Walt, Jiyeon and countless others is in his own waiting room, or has already moved on, or is still alive. There is no "now" there.

Alex angel, you've got it completely wrong. While the writers at first wanted us to think that the bomb worked and sank the Island, the revealed that that was not the case at all. I've been making the argument for a while now that all the time travel our Lostaways (and later the remaining candidates on Ajira 316) went through was being deliberately controlled (by the Island or Jacob) to get them where they needed to be to ensure things worked out the right way. After watching the finale, I think that Miles was right, and the bomb WAS the Incident, and setting it off ensured that Oceanic 815 would crash.

As Christian told us, the Sideways World was not created by an event, but by all of the people in the church (one last "not a what, but a who") by the writers). Even though some died early (Boone, Shannon, Libby, Charlie...) and some died long after Jack (Hurley, Kate, Sawyer, Claire...), they all wanted to be together in the afterlife and created a waiting room in heaven. Regardless of when they died, they wanted to move on together. This act of creation was done by their souls, and we didn't see it occur on screen.

For those concerned about Charlie the baby being in the church, I offer this theory: Claire was no more pregnant in the Sideways World any more than Sun was or any more than Jack was a father. These were all constructs in the maze that lead them all to the church. Claire needed the baby Aaron in order to connect with Kate and Charlie. I don't believe they will still need him once they "move on". The real Charlie, like Walt, Jiyeon and countless others is in his own waiting room, or has already moved on, or is still alive. There is no "now" there.

Sorry the last bit should read:

The real Aaron, like Walt, Charlie Hume, Jiyeon and countless others is in his own waiting room, or has already moved on, or is still alive. There is no "now" there.

Except, new born Aaron IS in the church, all the people in the church are dead, and everyone in the church are moving on to a new existence.

I don't like the concept of Aaron being both dead and alive at the same time, then moving on with different groups of souls.

If you just cut out the entire sideways world, and the "awakening" stories, and just had Jack come to the church alone to find his father's coffin, and pick up the end from that point, it would made more sense.

welh, first let me say that for me, in the grand scheme of things, this is a truly minor plot point. But it makes total sense to me that Claire and Charlie would need the construct of the baby up until they actually "move on" (which simply being in the church does not do, you still have to walk into the light).

If this theory doesn't work for you, I am sure you can come up with another. And no worries, we've rarely seen eye to eye in the theory department, no reason to start agreeing now! ;)

#431. Posted by: August Paul: �The hole in my argument has been the lack of a transformation from Jack entering the church (and Kate saying she'd see him inside) and being in the chapel with his dead father.�

____ I thought Kate directed Jack to the back door of the building. Everyone else we watched go into the church entered by a side door. Jack went to the back of the building & entered into an office area where he spoke with his father and then they both walked in to the church where everyone was waiting.

I�m still having difficulty with the purgatory/afterlife/holding tank /rest stop/alt verse.

This is what I get�I understand and accept these things:
___ Christian wasn�t wandering around at the hospital or the concert. He appeared only in the office at the back of the church when Jack came in, they spoke, they went into the church and Christian exited the Church through the main door and into The Light.
___Ben chooses not to go with everyone else, he will work through his stuff living in Afterlife Town until he is ready to move on. And I expect that when Ben is ready, there will be a convocation of dead islanders to witness his transition.
___Some of the gathered people died before Jack and some of them died long after jack died. They all appear as Jack best remembers them.

This is what I do not get:
___ Collective island amnesia among the dead during their stay in Afterlife Town. Although I do appreciate that it provided the opportunity for really touching reunion moments, it is otherwise inexplicable.

On the other hand�.Maybe (as Christian says) the survivors �created� this place so they could meet and move on together and that is its only purpose. Well, not �maybe�� Christian tells us that IS what this place is. It�s not purgatory at all. It doesn�t have to be explicable to anyone but them.

So...I say to myself, Self it's time to let go and move on. lmao. What night is Fringe on?

Sideways, upways, downways, inside-out ways, real world, alt-world, side-world, under-world, under-wire, snow globes, who did, what did, crash-died, crash-lived, crash-died-lived-died, underwater, over water, waterfall, happy, loved it, pissed off, hated it, purgatory, not-purgatory, island life, real life, flash forward life, flash backward life, get a life, metaphors, allegories, kate haters, kate lovers, Kate and Juliette in a mud hole, humanist, christian, atheist, Betty White?, GRAA, sobbed like a girl, cursed like a pirate, candidates, blogger mates, new Aaron, old Aaron, great writers, stupid writers, cheap ending, wonderful ending, church?, when is now, there is no now, long con, short con, con-sider the source, big cork, little cork, rules, no rules, argue this, argue that, on and on and on and . . .

May I interject something at this point?

AAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

ok. everyone can continue now . . .

@davidrh

I think you summed it up perfectly. Now when's the MUD HOLE GROUP WAGGLE?

@463 DavidRH:

When reading this I'm hearing it recited to a rap beat - could be quite catchy.

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1936291

my thoughts exactly.

@-463 davidrh,
HA HA HA HA HA..
not sure if that was a full blown outburst or a great new rap song but i liked it,
i posted a comment a while back about elouise hawking being like betty white on steroids,
glad you added this golden girl to your soon to be billboard chart entry.

In a lot of ways, the nature of the sideways world has become more interesting and puzzling than the resolution of the actual events on the island.

IMO, there is no physical reality to the sideways world, but it should be viewed as a communal, dream-like state.

When we dream, are we aware at that moment in time that the reality of our surroundings is an artificial construct of our own minds? For the length of that dream, the things we experience are for all intents and purposes, reality.

In addition, as our subconscious minds work through our dreams, we often use symbols as alternate versions of people and events- we may have a dream about a parent or a spouse, but that person is actually played by someone else in the dream.

We are not normally the villain of our dreams- our interpretation of ourselves is often a sanitized view. In addition, when we submerge into our subconsciousness- whether during dreaming, or when injured in an accident, for example- we lose all concept of linear time.

IMO, all of these aspects of dreaming- when our subconsciousnees is in control, are played out in season 6.

In the Lost sideways world, each individual's soul/mind still exists in a sort of subconscious staging area, even though their physical bodies have died and are gone.

Jack may have died centuries before Hurley, but in their dream state, they may arrive at the same spiritual destination at the same time.

Their dream represents their actual issues, but in a sanitized, healthier way, one that eliminates their guilt over their past and allows them to move towards release.

Kate is still a fugitive, but is now on the run for an accidental murder, not the pre-meditated killing of her step-father.

Sawyer stills bears the pain of his parent's death, but rather than adopting the con man role, he now pursues Cooper as a police detective.

Sayid and Jin must deal with their violent past, but in this dreamlike state, they encounter violence only as a result of trying to protect their loved ones.

Hurley is still a lottery winner, but has reversed his curse into luck, and spends his time beloved by everybody.

Jack and Juliet have a co-dependant dream- Jack works through his guilt over his relationship with Sarah by dreaming of a healthy relationship with a blonde ex-wife, while Juliet works on her failed marriage to a doctor, but in her dream Burke has been replaced by Jack.

There is no David- he exists only as a way for both Jack and Juliet to work through their longing for a healthy family relationship that eluded both of them in their lifetimes.

Anthony Cooper probably also does not exist- as he was killed on the island while being unrepentant, he exists in the dream like state only for Locke to deal with his feelings- only now, rather than Cooper injuring Locke, it is Locke who has injured Cooper.

Keamy, Mikhail and Omar also do not exist in this state, but serve essentially as props for Sayid and Jin to use in their dream progression.

The scenes of Charlie walking into oncoming traffic, Charlie and Desmond driving into the water, and Desmond running over Locke were all clues that "death" does not occur in the afterlife.

Lost is suggesting that death consists of two definitive steps- first, the actual death of our physical self, and secondly, the elimination of emotional, mental baggage that prevents us from achieving final peace.

The twist to Lost is that just as we can connect to each other in our real, physical world, we can also connect to each other in this postdeath state- actually merge our dreams together into one, and when ready, awaken together, releasing ourselves from the past ("you can let go, now"), and move on to...??

This is the point where individual spiritual belief takes hold- do we retain our individual consciousness and travel to some state of heaven, or lose our identity and collectively merge back into the cosmic energy? The ending of Lost remains completely open-ended, just as it should.

Either way, I find myself continuing to reflect on the scenes of pure joy shown when Hurley "saw" Charlie, or when Jin and Sun "saw" Sawyer, or when Kate approached Jack- "I've missed you so much"- the single most powerful moment between those two characters in the entire series.

@468 Posted by Mizzed:

Beautifully stated. Guess it's time for me to move on as well. Thanks everyone for many interesting and sometimes inspiring discussions.

I guess this all adds a totally new complexion to Faraday's quote in 'The Constant':

"Your perception of how long your friends have been gone ... it's not necessarily how long they've actually been gone."

@Mac - Merci Beacoup!

@ILBLXX - you have a BOYFRIEND???? when did this happen? I hope he appreciates Lost (and appreciates you, too, of course)!!

@205 Mizzed - spot on, mate

@En Provence - I read the same summary and liked it very much. The guy who wrote it works for Bad Robot.

I like the ending simply because no one on the blogs I read predicted that it would end with the Alt-World being purgatory. That sweet surprise/twist alone was enough for me. Yes, I still have a lot of questions and I hope that I'll continue to think about them... it's a gift that keeps on giving.

Don't know if anyone has posted this yet, but found it in some digg comments.
Check it out: Found on lostmediamentions this is some guy from Bad Robot (the company that produced Lost) amazing post:

Good stuff on here! I can finally throw in my two cents! I've had to bite my tongue for far too long. Also, hopefully I can answer some of John's questions about Dharma and the "pointless breadcrumbs" that really, weren't so pointless ...

First ...
The Island:

It was real. Everything that happened on the island that we saw throughout the 6 seasons was real. Forget the final image of the plane crash, it was put in purposely to f*&k with people's heads and show how far the show had come. They really crashed. They really survived. They really discovered Dharma and the Others. The Island keeps the balance of good and evil in the world. It always has and always will perform that role. And the Island will always need a "Protector". Jacob wasn't the first, Hurley won't be the last. However, Jacob had to deal with a malevolent force (MIB) that his mother, nor Hurley had to deal with. He created the devil and had to find a way to kill him -- even though the rules prevented him from actually doing so.

Thus began Jacob's plan to bring candidates to the Island to do the one thing he couldn't do. Kill the MIB. He had a huge list of candidates that spanned generations. Yet everytime he brought people there, the MIB corrupted them and caused them to kill one another. That was until Richard came along and helped Jacob understand that if he didn't take a more active role, then his plan would never work.

Enter Dharma -- which I'm not sure why John is having such a hard time grasping. Dharma, like the countless scores of people that were brought to the island before, were brought there by Jacob as part of his plan to kill the MIB. However, the MIB was aware of this plan and interferred by "corrupting" Ben. Making Ben believe he was doing the work of Jacob when in reality he was doing the work of the MIB. This carried over into all of Ben's "off-island" activities. He was the leader. He spoke for Jacob as far as they were concerned. So the "Others" killed Dharma and later were actively trying to kill Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the candidates because that's what the MIB wanted. And what he couldn't do for himself.

Dharma was originally brought in to be good. But was turned bad by MIB's corruption and eventually destroyed by his pawn Ben. Now, was Dharma only brought there to help Jack and the other Canditates on their overall quest to kill Smokey? Or did Jacob have another list of Canidates from the Dharma group that we were never aware of? That's a question that is purposley not answered because whatever answer the writers came up with would be worse than the one you come up with for yourself. Still ... Dharma's purpose is not "pointless" or even vague. Hell, it's pretty blantent.

Still, despite his grand plan, Jacob wanted to give his "candidates" (our Lostaways) the one thing he, nor his brother, were ever afforded: free will. Hence him bringing a host of "candidates" through the decades and letting them "choose" which one would actually do the job in the end. Maybe he knew Jack would be the one to kill Flocke and that Hurley would be the protector in the end. Maybe he didn't. But that was always the key question of the show: Fate vs Free-will. Science vs Faith. Personally I think Jacob knew from the beginning what was going to happen and that everyone played a part over 6 seasons in helping Jack get to the point where he needed to be to kill Smokey and make Hurley the protector -- I know that's how a lot of the writers viewed it. But again, they won't answer that (nor should they) because that ruins the fun.

In the end, Jack got to do what he always wanted to do from the very first episode of the show: Save his fellow Lostaways. He got Kate and Sawyer off the island and he gave Hurley the purpose in life he'd always been missing. And, in Sideways world (which we'll get to next) he in fact saved everyone by helping them all move on ...

Now...

Sideways World:

Sideways world is where it gets really cool in terms of theology and metaphysical discussion (for me at least -- because I love history/religion theories and loved all the talks in the writer's room about it). Basically what the show is proposing is that we're all linked to certain people during our lives. Call them soulmates (though it's not exactly the best word). But these people we're linked to are with us duing "the most important moments of our lives" as Christian said. These are the people we move through the universe with from lifetime to lifetime. It's loosely based in Hinduisim with large doses of western religion thrown into the mix.

The conceit that the writers created, basing it off these religious philosophies, was that as a group, the Lostaways subconsciously created this "sideways" world where they exist in purgatory until they are "awakened" and find one another. Once they all find one another, they can then move on and move forward. In essence, this is the show's concept of the afterlife. According to the show, everyone creates their own "Sideways" purgatory with their "soulmates" throughout their lives and exist there until they all move on together. That's a beautiful notion. Even if you aren't religious or even spirtual, the idea that we live AND die together is deeply profound and moving.

It's a really cool and spirtual concept that fits the whole tone and subtext the show has had from the beginning. These people were SUPPOSED to be together on that plane. They were supposed to live through these events -- not JUST because of Jacob. But because that's what the universe or God (depending on how religious you wish to get) wanted to happen. The show was always about science vs faith -- and it ultimately came down on the side of faith. It answered THE core question of the series. The one question that has been at the root of every island mystery, every character backstory, every plot twist. That, by itself, is quite an accomplishment.

How much you want to extrapolate from that is up to you as the viewer. Think about season 1 when we first found the Hatch. Everyone thought that's THE answer! Whatever is down there is the answer! Then, as we discovered it was just one station of many. One link in a very long chain that kept revealing more, and more of a larger mosiac.

But the writer's took it even further this season by contrasting this Sideways "purgatory" with the Island itself. Remember when Michael appeared to Hurley, he said he was not allowed to leave the Island. Just like the MIB. He wasn't allowed into this sideways world and thus, was not afforded the opportunity to move on. Why? Because he had proven himself to be unworthy with his actions on the Island. He failed the test. The others, passed. They made it into Sideways world when they died -- some before Jack, some years later. In Hurley's case, maybe centuries later. They exist in this sideways world until they are "awakened" and they can only move on TOGETHER because they are linked. They are destined to be together for eternity. That was their destiny.

They were NOT linked to Anna Lucia, Daniel, Roussou, Alex, Miles, Lupidis, (and all the rest who weren't in the chuch -- basically everyone who wasn't in season 1). Yet those people exist in Sideways world. Why? Well again, here's where they leave it up to you to decide. The way I like to think about it, is that those people who were left behind in Sideways world have to find their own soulmates before they can wake up. It's possible that those links aren't people from the island but from their other life (Anna's parnter, the guy she shot --- Roussou's husband, etc etc).

A lot of people have been talking about Ben and why he didn't go into the Church. And if you think of Sideways world in this way, then it gives you the answer to that very question. Ben can't move on yet because he hasn't connected with the people he needs to. It's going to be his job to awaken Roussou, Alex, Anna Lucia (maybe), Ethan, Goodspeed, his father and the rest. He has to attone for his sins more than he did by being Hurley's number two. He has to do what Hurley and Desmond did for our Lostaways with his own people. He has to help them connect. And he can only move on when all the links in his chain are ready to. Same can be said for Faraday, Charlotte, Whidmore, Hawkins etc. It's really a neat, and cool concept. At least to me.

But, from a more "behind the scenes" note: the reason Ben's not in the church, and the reason no one is in the church but for Season 1 people is because they wrote the ending to the show after writing the pilot. And never changed it. The writers always said (and many didn't believe them) that they knew their ending from the very first episode. I applaud them for that. It's pretty fantastic. Originally Ben was supposed to have a 3 episode arc and be done. But he became a big part of the show. They could have easily changed their ending and put him in the church -- but instead they problem solved it. Gave him a BRILLIANT moment with Locke outside the church ... and then that was it. I loved that. For those that wonder -- the original ending started the moment Jack walked into the church and touches the casket to Jack closing his eyes as the other plane flies away. That was always JJ's ending. And they kept it.

For me the ending of this show means a lot. Not only because I worked on it, but because as a writer it inspired me in a way the medium had never done before. I've been inspired to write by great films. Maybe too many to count. And there have been amazing TV shows that I've loved (X-Files, 24, Sopranos, countless 1/2 hour shows). But none did what LOST did for me. None showed me that you could take huge risks (writing a show about faith for network TV) and stick to your creative guns and STILL please the audience. I learned a lot from the show as a writer. I learned even more from being around the incredible writers, producers, PAs, interns and everyone else who slaved on the show for 6 years.

In the end, for me, LOST was a touchstone show that dealt with faith, the afterlife, and all these big, spirtual questions that most shows don't touch. And to me, they never once waivered from their core story -- even with all the sci-fi elements they mixed in. To walk that long and daunting of a creative tightrope and survive is simply astounding.

@472
Yeah, it's been mentioned a couple of times. En Provence pasted it into a post above and someone else pasted the link to the same summary. I think you better run, and run fast before Davidrh gets wind of this;P

@realchemist, this was already posted starting at #394

ANTHFPFTBRG?

Anyone notice the huge freakin' post from the Bad Robot guy?

Go ahead now, davidrh.

So, the whole sideways world was created by the subconscious minds of the Losties (while alive?), so their conscious minds could have a place to hang out (when they die) until all the lost souls arrive to be "awakened" to full consciousness by their past memories of the island?

Live Alone, Die Together.

Well the idea of the sideways world being a dream explains the sudden miraculous healings of Locke both after being hit by a car and having spinal surgery, and Sun and Jin ready to walk out of the hospital in, what, a matter of days. That it was an unreal construct of the Losties' souls getting together to move on explains that part of it well.

Interesting take on the finale (this is a new link, not one posted several times! i hope):

http://billiedoux.blogspot.com/2010/05/lost-end-jess-says.html

It makes an interesting point - the Island allows for the sideways Universe (the "purgatory") to exist. If Jack didn't save the Island, then none of them would have been able to meet up and move on.
If you buy into that, then you can say that everything that happened on the Island mattered and meant something.

#470. Posted by: Jack's Eko
I guess this all adds a totally new complexion to Faraday's quote in 'The Constant':

"Your perception of how long your friends have been gone ... it's not necessarily how long they've actually been gone."

Great reminder! I am NOT sure that the writers put that in as clue to the end, But it sure Fits! This is what is still entertaining me and making me feel better about Being Lost myself without the show. I am anxious to have time to go back and see what fits and what doesn't.

#463. davidrh: Excellent!

#468. Posted by: Mizzed �IMO, there is no physical reality to the sideways world, but it should be viewed as a communal, dream-like state.�

___Yep. A collective dream...I can embrace that! Thank you Mizzed, now I can rest.

http://tinyurl.com/2ukzbfo

This is a link for those who think they all died. It is very good. But I like the one where they all live.

I stayed up all night Sunday/Monday contemplating the finale. I didn't feel satisfied, and I didn't know what to think of it.

After contemplation, I came to terms with it. I realized how good it was and I also realized that I don't really have much I would have changed besides a few things I thought were weak. (Stated in one of my posts above).

Yesterday, I gave it a second try. This was the absolute right time for me to re-watch it. I needed to come to terms with it before doing so, and I needed to give it a fair chance.

During this re-watch, everything I felt I missed the first time were all of a sudden present. Knowing the ending made all the dialogue so much better, even clever, and I didn't find the way the characters remembered things so "lame".

I also realized that the Juliet/Sawyer moment had to happen like that because of when Sawyer was there when Juliet was dying and said "it worked".

Everything was just perfect. I'm sad that I missed out on this the first time around... better late than never though, right?

And yes, all the mysterious happenings didn't matter. It didn't apply to the big picture.

Anyway, I have officially decided that I loved it... just thought I would share.

To all the haters out there -- I would strongly suggest finding a way to come to terms with the episode... then giving it a second try. It was so much better the second time around.

I am actually very glad I didn't re-watch it the day after. It wouldn't have been the "right time".

@482. Posted by: ilovebenjaminlinusxx -
Oh, I just can't resist this. You spoke to the haters of the finale. Are you a universal anti-hater now? Have you eased up on Jack & Kate? j/k ROTFL

I have to say, every episode I remind myself to listen for Jack's breathing - and I never notice it. I think they're all pretty good actors - and Michael Emerson is phenomenal. Can't say I find him sexy, but he is talented.

One quick question that has bothered me from The Man From Tallahassee season 3: I always wondered how Anthony Cooper from "Ben's Magic Box" got to the island. Are we to assume then that there was no magic box just the smoke monster/MIB disguised as AC? And if so what was the point and why would Richard Alpert knowingly work for/with MIB when he was Jacob's right hand man? It's been one of those nagging questions I've always wanted the answer to...Can somebody explain please?

In the early days searching around for a blog before I settled on this one, I enjoyed very much the very long analyses of the show by Joley Woods and Powells books. Unfortunately, he became ill, his writing only occasional and then not at all, but they were, if anything erudite. He taught classes at UVa until 2006 according to a cv of his I found on line. The blog has continued and readers of this blog may find some interesting comments at

http://www.powells.com/blog/?p=16029

@484 Mantooth

I had the same exact question about Richard. Who was he really working for? Did MIB trick both Richard and Ben into thinking they were taking orders from Jacob? And was Widmore good or bad? I still don't know?!

ILBLXX - read post 471 ;P

JACK's SON
Was actually Jack. Jack was replaying what he wished had happened with him and his Dad. At first he was the estranged son but Jack had a revelation and realized how important his son was from Dogen. This is what he wished his dad had done to him

I LOVED "The END" and I am too a fan of comment #205 by Mizzed. (We should start a club.)

I want to share the goodbyes, I've been reading Mac's (and guest bloggers) reviews since season 3; and it's been so enlightening and fun that I'll miss it as a part of the Lost experience.

I wrote some thoughts on the finale in my blog, for those who speak Spanish:
http://hoyvi.blogspot.com/2010/05/el-final-de-lost.html

Thank you everyone and have a happy life! Let's hope we can move on! Tell me I'll see you again! :(

I think Jack is (like) Jezus, he died by sacrificing himself. Also, after he put the cork back inside the lightcavern, he stretched his arm out to feel the water flow back in when the light was restored, much in the way Christ hangs on the cross, and that scene was immediately followed by a scene back in altverse of that Christ statue with open arms in front of the church.
Then the wound he died of, a stab in the ribs by Flocke. Flocke was a Roman right? Jezus got stabbed by a Roman in the ribs too.
Then the issue about Christian being in the Church while in his life Christian commited some serios sins, Australian babies, boozing, being a lousy dad etc.
I think the Christian at the end is actually God himself, explaining life and death to his son Jezu... I mean Jack ;)

If the writers gave us all of the answers then everyone would be fulfilled and there would be nothing more to discuss. Not having answers continues the mystery and debate, and allows the show to live forever. This is just genious. They had to end it the same way each episode ended, with many questions and little answers.

The island could have been real, and the transition of being able to "let go and move on" was the sideways world. Or they could have all died at impact, and the island was one transition, and the sideways world the next transition.

Here is a link that provides some answers from one person's point of view:
http://jezebel.com/5546559/lost-finale-recap-case-closed

The mechanism for the cork to turn the light back on reminds me of that thing Spock had to open up to geet the mains back on line in Wrath of Khan. Spock sacrificed himself in much the same way. Jack is Spock. No. Not really.

@491/Crispy Seaplanes:

I checked the cork image from the light cave. To my surprise, the cork had hieroglyphs. My (final series) translation of the symbols on the cork is:

BURY MY ENEMY (or criminal, traitor, prisoner)

Were there any other hieroglyphs or symbols down in the light cave? There did seem to be some architecture down there like it had been manufactured and was more than just a cave.
hmmm--presumably no one had been down in the light cave since MIB. So could the Egyptians have had something to do with buidling that stuff before Jacob and MIB's time? Could the Temple and Statue possible have also predated their time. They had notbeen allowed by mom to explore a whole lot and so maybe they just had not found them yet. Well MIB did a lot of exploring after he left mom but maybe he just never got around to bringing it up to Jacob? Maybe the Egyptians were early island protectors?
All the best wines have hieroglyphs on the cork.

Re:343. Posted by: undauntid...you really made me laugh when you said Cujos to the casting department about the dog they used as the new Vincent. I guess you were playing off the word Kudos, but knew that Cujo was an evil dog in the Stephen King novel of the same name. It only caught my eye because I have two Jack Russell Terriers that my sister-in-law dubbed collectively as "The Cuji" plural form of Cujo.

Also, Fringe had their season finale and Flashforward has their season finale tonight.

@ #479. Posted by: berkyo

Re the quote from The Constant (@470), I have already started watching my DVD set from seasons 1-5 and its amazing how the finale adds a different twist to things. For example, its puts entering the numbers into some sort of perspective if you see it as one of the hurdeles that Hugo, for example, had to get over to move on. While he may have been neurotic about them in earlier episode, he was able to move on when that panic about the numbers passed. As such, if you take the view that the island was simply a setting in which they could resolve issues before moving on (sorry for the so many 'moving ons'!) then its adds a completely different twist when you go back to watch seasons 1-5. I'd recommend watching all the seasons now. Its great!

@ #479. Posted by: berkyo

Re the quote from The Constant (@470), I have already started watching my DVD set from seasons 1-5 and its amazing how the finale adds a different twist to things. For example, its puts entering the numbers into some sort of perspective if you see it as one of the hurdeles that Hugo, for example, had to get over to move on. While he may have been neurotic about them in earlier episode, he was able to move on when that panic about the numbers passed. As such, if you take the view that the island was simply a setting in which they could resolve issues before moving on (sorry for the so many 'moving ons'!) then its adds a completely different twist when you go back to watch seasons 1-5. I'd recommend watching all the seasons now. Its great!

@493/Crispy Seaplanes:

I did not see any other glyphs, but the lighting in the scene was very dark. Jack was leaning against a row of cut stones so the chamber was man made. And what about the skeleton found in the cave? It just adds more great mysteries that will not be answered.

@494, Google FastForward Cancelled

Why didn't Jack turn into the smoke monster when he went down into the light cave?

If all Jacob had to do was get Desmond to remove the cork, kill MIB while he was trapped in the cabin, then put the cork back, why didn't Jacob do this years ago? Desmond was on the Island long before the 815ers got there. If Jacob had just used Desmond he wouldn't have needed jack et. al. to carry out his plan. emiright?

@ Skipper - 486/471
Yes, haha. I do have a boyfriend. This happened in January. He has been my best friend for 6 years before we started dating. Unfortunately he is a hater of LOST. He thinks it is a (I quote), "stupid obsession". Not cool. He only said that Sunday right before the finale (apparently it couldn't have waited another day). Before that though, he was very supportive of my "stupid obsession". He even planned on attending my finale party because he wanted to "be apart of that important moment in [my] life". I also got him to start watching. We're in the middle of the first season right now. The main reason he decided to watch is so he can keep up with my references and jokes.

One day he will appreciate LOST... but he does appreciate me in every other aspect. Maybe he's just jealous =P At least he's trying!

@ Hurling - 483
Haha! I have definitely eased up on Jack. I actually liked him this season, and I really liked his sideways self. He wasn't as annoying or egotistical/arrogant. I rooted for him to be the winning candidate.

Kate on the other hand... well, you're on facebook. I don't remember if you saw my post on the discussion board about how I wanted her to die... but that pretty much sums it up.

Regarding the whole "to all the haters" comment... I was mostly referring to haters of the finale itself. In better words, those who did not enjoy it and were extremely disappointed. (I just noticed you did actually say this... but I don't feel like backspacing =])I have always loved this show... I just didn't know how I felt about it at first and I am glad I did what I did and ended up loving it. Now I may finally be able to sleep peacefully. Haha.

@ LostedIt - 294/Other regulars
I am so glad you guys have been there to see me grow up as well. This blog has helped me through a lot and I know I am still young and everything, but I am very thankful for this community.

Made it 501st!!!

@304: undauntid
Thanks for replying to my point on the pregnancies. I knew there was some science behind it, but my point was that there are some issues with pregnancies that are simply inexplicable. Why can one woman, let's say aged 35, deliver a perfectly healthy baby, while another (same age) delivers a baby that is not in perfect health, even though they both experienced the similar environmental factors. Yes, there can be some scientific explanations related to genes or trends for medical conditions that are age-related, and the second woman just happened to "draw the straw" of that percentage. Some things just happen.

In my own circumstance, my wife and I had to go through in vitro (the fourth attempt was ultimately successful). We had a second child nineteen months later without having to go through in vitro. Why did we have to go through in vitro for the first pregnancy but not for the second. This could probably better illustrate my point: what made the fourth in vitro attempt any different from the first three attempts?

@423: Mischa
Final scene, after the church scene
We see the Island, the beach, the foot. Hugo is sitting by Jack�s grave, which is right in the shadow of the statue. Vincent is with him. Hugo is mumbling to himself. Vincent starts barking. Hugo looks up at the ocean. A sailboat is approaching. He smiles and pets Vincent. As he gets up and walks to the waterline, the camera pans out further and further untill the Island can no longer be spotted amidst the blue ocean. Amidst the clouds, a plane passes by.

LOST

You forgot one thing. On the side of the sailboat is a sign: Mr. Cluck's Delivery

@463: davidrh kind of flows like Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire
But...I kind of lost track after under-wire and snow globes...;)

Regarding Baby Aaron.
He wasn't ready to move on...Baby Aaron couldn't walk yet, so he wasn't able to walk through the door. So I put it to you...the Baby Aaron in the church is a construct/figment.

@491: Crispy Seaplanes
So all those times michael is calling out WAAAAAALLLT! he is really calling out KHAAAAAAAAANNNN!?

Thanks a lot for all the great recaps, mac!

It turns out Lost was more about the questions than about answers.

It turns out Lost was not a science fiction show at all. Nevertheless, it was a great mystery show, a couple of episodes were among the best in TV history, and it had great actors and character development. The show got almost everything right -- I just wish I could use the Crown of Oblivion for the last 30 minutes ;)

@468: missed - Well (Wehl?) done! Excellent reprisal and analysis.

@470: Jack's Eko - Interesting reinterpretation. Nice pickup on a line originally used to describe the difference in time on The Island and time off The Island.

Maybe Baby Aaron really is Baby Aaron after all. Maybe that time as an infant really was the happiest he ever was.

I mean face it, he was raised by mom/not-mom Kate, dad/not dad/really only a half uncle Jack, and then new mom/really bio mom crazy Claire who kept dressing him up in squirrel outfits.

#473 Skipper
#474 Ray Barth
#475 hurling

Sorry to miss an opportunity, but I was away from the computer for a couple of hours this afternoon . . . I actually had to go over to the university and . . . give a comp lesson. Drat those silly grad students!!!

I�m sure all of you uttered a little aaaaugggghhhh under your breath for me. (Always feel free to express yourself. Afterall, we�re all friends here.)

One thing not too many people know about is, I signed up for the text messages thingy that allows ABC to send me text messages during the episode and the last message said that "the ceremony Jack performs for Hurley is NOT magic but Something Else" So that means behind all the magical and mystical elements of the island there IS some scientific background for it all.

#487. Posted by: ALEX_ANGEL: �JACK's SON Was actually Jack.�
___now that I subscribe to Mizzed�s suggestion that the alt world is a collective dream� Yes, I can buy that, David was Jack and only in a dream is that possible.

#494. DEZOMBIFICATION formerly Sayidit'isn't so____�Cujos� is a silliness that I think Hurling instituted a couple of seasons back; however I will accept credit for stealing it!

#506. Posted by: EMAC: �the ceremony Jack performs for Hurley is NOT magic but Something Else" So that means behind all the magical and mystical elements of the island there IS some scientific background for it all.�
____ I don�t know that I can conclude that from ��.but something else.� I figured the drinking of water or wine is ceremonial in nature, rather like the wafer and wine in communion.

My final Haiku Review of Lost is up, for those who are interested.

http://ape10.blogspot.com/2010/05/haiku-review-lost-end.html

And, thanks Mac, for the blog and reviews. It's been interesting and enlightening.

There appears to be two broad schools of thought.

1. They died in the original plane and the Island was some form of 'unreal' purgatory that enabled them to resolve their issues so they could move on in the sideway.

2. They did not die in the original plane crash, the events on the Island were 'real' and as such, the tribulations they went through enabled them to move on in the sideway.

However, there is a third way that reconciles the two. That is:

3. They died in an original plane crash but were reincarnated so that they could resolve their issues on the Island.

This fits in several ways.

Firstly, it accords to the idea that Jack's eye closing at the end of the finale comes from the Pilot to show that he died after the original crash.

Secondly, as they were reincarnated, it conforms to what Christian says that all the events on the Island wre real.

Thirdly, it fits in with the notion of 'see you in another life, brother'

Fourthly, there were prominent pictures of Hindu Gods at the end of the finale.

There are of course a number of issues.

First of all, if they died in the original plane crash and were reincarnated, then isn't it a coincidence that in their second life they happened to be on an Island in the aftermath of a crash suggesting that actually it was a continuity of the original crash.

However,this doesn't necessarily disprove that they did die in the original crash in their first life and happened to be involved in a second one in their next life.

The second objection may be that if they did die in 2004, were reincarnated, and the Island was the next life, then those events should be taking place in 2030 onwards if not later bearing in mind that they now adults. But we know that this is not the case and there were many references to the fact that the Island events did take place in 2004 onwards suggesting that it was a continuity of what happened in 2004.

However, that takes a very temporal interpretation of reincarnation. It suggests that reincarnation is a matter of time. People die and are reborn after and so on; so time continues.

But there is nothing to suggest that there may not be multiple universes so a person may coexist in several universes at any given moment in time and when they died in 2004 in one universe their life simply continues in a different trajectory or are reincarnated in 2004 in a different universe.

This is supported to what happened in Desmond in The Constant when he alternated between different reincarnated universes.

See you in a different life, brother.

@v494. Posted by: DEZOMBIFICATION formerly Sayidit'isn't , Re:343, 507. Posted by: undauntid...

Yes, "Cujos" is a joke brought over from the forum. Some of us posted on there as well as the blog. I think it was pagecarl who did it by accident once & we all liked it so much we kept it.

@499. Posted by: Skipper
I think Desmond's "specialness" - his ability to survive the magnetic fields, etc - saved him from becoming a smoke monster. Then he pulled the plug, so when Jack went down, he was safe. Replacing the plug didn't give the elements enough time to reset. His body did get expelled, but then he died, so he didn't have enough life force left to become a monster anyway.

@500. Posted by: ilovebenjaminlinusxx - Ha, yes I saw your post on fb. I have to say, sometimes your posts sound young, but then a lot of us do when we're ranting about something. The internet does a lot of equalizing for age & gender. I like that - I have no preconceived notions about what I think someone will say based on age, gender, race or anything else.

@506. Posted by: EMAC, 507 undauntid - If the ceremony Jack did was different that what Fmom & Jacob did, that's just dumb. Obviously, he didn't mumble any Latin, but there was no indication of anything different happening.

*****OFF SUBJECT*******

Final episode of FLASHFORWARD last night was good. In fact, the last several eps have been good...Too bad it lost it's audience over that ill-conceived hiatus.

Who's the program director over at ABC anyway? Why would you interrupt a serialized drama after four episodes? The answer is - obviously to kill it! And then replace with YET ANOTHER "reality" show . . . How about "Regurgitate with the Bulimic Stars”?
You could run it opposite that NBC spy show CHUCK . . . and call it . . .

Everybody, all together:

UP-CHUCK!

(sorry. just couldn't resist.)

#510. Posted by: hurling: "If the ceremony Jack did was different that what Fmom & Jacob did, that's just dumb. Obviously, he didn't mumble any Latin, but there was no indication of anything different happening."

___ Fmom gave Jacob wine and said something in Latin. Jacob gave Jack wine (iirc) and said something in Latin. Jack gave Hurley water and did not say something in Latin.

To my mind, that indicates it was not a a magical invocation, it was a symbolic passing of the torch. It's like a handshake. It doesn't actually seal the deal, it's just a tradition to mark the moment the deal was made.

About Jack's breathing -- It hasn't been that big of an issue for me this season. If you are really interested in hearing what I am talking about a few episodes some to mind... the Pilot episode (running through the jungle/telling Kate surgery story/getting stitched up), and the season 3 finale, "Through the Looking Glass" (the 5 minutes with Ben scene/talking to the freighter next to radio tower). I'm sure he does it in almost every episode though... those are just the first ones that come to mind.

I don't know if any of you watched "Hey Arnold", but I did most of my childhood, but then again, you guys are much older than me so I don't know. Well, point being, there is this character (Brainy) that breathes behind one of the main characters (Helga), and she always punches him in the face.

A video of this:
http://tinyurl.com/34fm8me

Just thought I would share. I feel like doing this every time Jack breathes annoyingly. =]

@ Hurling
Sorry about my ranting! I tend to do that often. I should write more concisely!

#513. ilovebenjaminlinusxx

____ Have you considered ilblxx, that you are "special" in that you are the only one among us who is able to perceive Jack's annoying breathing?

The rest of us are spared the annoyance and take it on faith that you hear what you hear. Although I cannot hear it, I have no doubt that he is, in fact, an annoying breather.

Why was Penny in the church? She was never on the island.

I've been following this blog since Season 2, but this is my first post. Firstly, many thanks to Mac and the rest of you - this has always been my first port of call after watching Lost, and the experience wouldn't have been the same without this community.

I liked the finale very much, and am perfectly happy to not worry about things like: what the Island is, who Mother was and how she got there, why MIB turned into a Smokie when he went down the rabbit hole when Jack didn't, the outriggers, the baby thing, the reason why Smokie needed Locke's body to Kill Jacob, - but some questions aren't so easily dismissed.

One of those, which really bugs me, is the meaning of the Numbers. They were given such importance throughout the series, that for them to be explained away as arbitrary assignments of numbers to candidates by Jacob does not sit well with me at all, and I can't accept that this is all the significance they have. For those still reading, here are some vague thoughts about what their significance might be.

It seems to me we should think of the material from the Lost Experience on the Valenzetti equation as an integral part of the story, rather than 'take it or leave it' additional material. Let me explain. The Dharma scientists (so the story goes) were trying to change the values of the Numbers (variables in the equation) to prevent a doomsday, predicted by the equation, correct? But in 'The Variable' Faraday at some point says 'we're the variables', or some such. If that's true then the six candidates whose numbers match the core variables of the equation (Locke, Reyes, Ford, Jarrah, Shepherd, Kwon) might well BE the variables in that equation, in some sense. It's difficult to imagine an equation that refers to specific people, but it might well refer to properties of people that need to change if the world is to be saved. And now the point is: isn't the key to the salvation of the island (and the light, and the world, and all that's good) Jack's transition from man of science to man of faith?

Jack's transition begins at the Lighthouse (as far as I recall), really takes hold during the scene in the Black Rock with Alpert, and eventually takes the form of a realization that he is supposed to put the magic cork back in, reigniting the source. But the real significance of that for me is that he decides to make a sacrifice (ultimately his life) for the sake of others, because he believes, without proof, that it is the right thing to do. It is difficult to deny that the world would be a much nicer place, and a great deal further from catastrophe, if more people behaved like that.

What is also interesting is that the Dharma folk have "failed to change the values through manipulating the environment" (Lostpedia entry on the Valenzetti equation). Perhaps the real message is that the change in "the Numbers" must come from within. No amount of scientific experimentation or logical argument will prove that we ought to be nice to each other.

It's also worth noting that the Island only got a stay of execution, rather than permanent salvation, from Jack's act of selflessness. Nothing he did prevented the light from EVER going out. It is not so much that Jack's transition to man of faith saves humanity, as that he is a symbol of what needs to change in all of us in order to avert (or at least delay) our extinction. So perhaps Jack's number (23) in the equation represents humans' tendency to act only on motives that make sense in the context of our own beliefs and desires, or whose correctness we can in some other way rationally justify. Maybe sometimes the right thing to do makes no sense at all in the context of our personal aims and objectives, and that's when we need to do a Jack. (For what it's worth I'm not sure I agree that abandoning reason for faith is ever the right way to go, but I guess that's just because I can't prove that it is.)

Why is the Island underwater in sideways world? Because the sideways world is outside time, in which case from its perspective, everything that will ever happen in the real world has already happened, including the eventual extinction of humanity, which in Lost mythology is represented by the sinking of the Island and the source. But the fact that humanity inevitably dies out at some point doesn't mean we shouldn't try to make that point as far away as we can.

Thanks to anyone who got through this, and sorry again for the length of my first (and probably last) post.

Poo-tee-weet.

@ #515. Posted by: ALEX_ANGEL

Who knows. She may have been. At some point in time. The island existed long before the losties got there- and long after?

#516. Posted by: LostPhilosopher

I don't necessarily look at the people who were randomly assigned the numbers to have been intended to explain the numbers. I think the Valenzetti equation is the most explanation we'll get for the numbers. Meaning that those numbers have some importance in nature relating to doomsday etc...
Dharma in trying to change the variables did research and experimentation and sussed out what the numbers were. But I think the fact they kept coming up were not necessarily related other than that the numbers are an important natural phenomena and so they appear more often than other numbers do. I think the fact that the Losties happened to have been assigned those numbers was just another natural manifestation of those numbers just as they popped up in the lottery with Hurley.
That said, I wish they would have actually addressed the equation on the show rather than relegating it only to the Lost Experience which a lot of people did not bother following.

@515 I understand that, but I'm talking from the perspective of what the series showed us. Sure a million things could have happened, but we never saw Penny on the island. They could have showed the cookie monster hugging everyone at the end and speculate that maybe sesame street was in the others village. but they told us a story of certain events to show what happened at the end.

Did Hurley really win the lotto? Remember, he was crazy. Was it just a dream?

@520. Posted by: ALEX_ANGEL

No, Hurley did not really win the lotto. Hurley is a TV character.

Is someone being difficult here?

To be less difficult, was Hurley really crazy? Or did he just see dead people? Was Dave a hallucination, or a ghost?

Hmm, maybe that is more difficult after all...

#515. Posted by: ALEX_ANGEL: "Why was Penny in the church? She was never on the island."
_____Christian said the Lostees created this place so they could gather and move on together after death. I figure Desmond's 2 cents worth was that he was never going anywhere ever again without Penny, so if they wanted him, they were getting Penny too.
PS: Of course Hurley won the lottery. And he was not crazy...dead people really did talk to him.

If you really want fans heads to explode, they should add a deleted scene to the DVD:

Dave putting flowers on Hugo's grave.

I just rewatched *the end* and I have to say I liked it more the second time around. I am looking forward to watching the whole series again with enlightened eyes.

To all you regular posters (too many to name) & Mac, you have greatly enhanced the experience for me.

@511 davidrh

UP-CHUCK -- LOL, I loved Flashforward and will miss it,(did anyone else read the book??) there's only Fringe left to watch now...am sorry tired of good shows being replaced with reality shows.

@526/ lostncyberspace:

That's what we need: an Enhanced episode of the Lost Blog!

"This is Mac. He used to write X-Files reviews."

"This is the Internet. It is a complex information system which no one understands."

"This is the blog page. This is where words are printed and ideas exchanged by magic interaction with computers."

"This is the Dark Territory, also known as the Comment Box. Danger lurks with every post."

Mac.

WGNACC!

We're Gonna Need A Caption Contest.

I don't think Jack is dead. He was slipped a 'Roofie' by LaLa and Tinkie Wink.

Link in my handle, below.

After the disappointment of the last 2 seasons of "The X Files" I was looking forward to a more satisfying ending to "Lost". I, like several of the reviewers at the "Instant Dharma" website, liked the first 130 minutes but felt let down during the last 20 minutes. When all the "remembering the island" scenes had concluded and the Jack went into the church, whatever "glow" I had drained from me. I remember checking the clock then (about 11:15 pm) and realizing that there was absolutely no time left to resolve any of the famous/infamous questions that were still unanswered. DARN!

Regardless of the main theme of Lost (redemption, faith vs science?), why throw in the following story-telling devices if they don't mean anything? --

Why the Dharma Initiative?
Why the "Others" and who were they?
What was the reason for speaking Latin but having a statue and hieroglyphics that were Egyptian?
Why Jacob and the MIB?
Where did Jacob and MIB's adopted mother come from and how did she become the island's protector?
Was it really difficult to leave the island as long as you had the correct coordinates? (Michael and Walt made the journey OK without a submarine and without "everyone" present on their boat.)
Why did the women on the island die in pregnancy?
What was the deal with Charlotte finding the polar bear skeleton in Tunisia?
How did Ben know that the island could be moved and how did he know how to move it?

I didn't want or need answers to everything - that would have taken another season. But by not answering ANY of these, the writers made me feel feel like those story-telling devices were just red herrings. For me this weakened the whole effort. To paraphrase another disappointed fan (Revelation's post #224 ), we got a good piece of cake but where was the icing? I feel cheated. I feel jerked around.

There seems to be 2 main camps - those who do not need/want answers and those who do. I wanted answers mostly because the writers created the questions - seemingly for a reason - and they said they'd answer some of them.

If character development and relationships were the main point it could all have been done on a real/normal island with the very real challenge of surviving each day until rescue came - but that likely would not have captured an audience the way that adding those devices did! Those devices were very central to the success of the show and certainly deserved to be addressed in the last season. They knew many fans wanted answers and to ignore them was thoughtless, a betrayal.

The series benefitted from both characterization and great devices and I don't understand why the devices were so sorely neglected in the finale. If the writers were women, I might understand why they chose an "emotional" "character driven" conclusion. But I'm a woman and I wanted to know more about that neglected main character - The Island!

Although reading posts #205 and 207 (by Mizzed and Ben) have given me what seems to be a very good summation of the show from the viewpoint of "answers are not necessary" I'm not yet convinced. Does Ben have to work out his remaining issues alone or would Ben's personal FST have a slightly different "cast of characters" such as his father, the people he killed in the Purge, Goodwin, etc.?

One point that I thought was a missed opportunity -- it would have been more cool to see
Flocke's demise come at the hands of someone wielding that dagger that Dogen gave to Sayid rather than having him become mortal.

Before I slip away from computers for the weekend, I simply must compliment so many of you here in Mac's World on your writing abilities. I scanned a few other sites in the past and was appalled at the poor grammar and syntax. Mac has attracted an usually articulate crowd ...one that is also insightful, humorous, witty, creative, and just plain fun. It's a joy to read your narratives.

Here's wishing you all everybody a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend. And a big Thank You to all who serve our country.

@529 Peggy, I’m in your camp.
I’m a none religious “man of science” BUT I’ve always love those block buster religious movies such as The Ten Commandments.
I totally enjoyed maybe even loved this episode of lost. I have no problem with the way our friends(losties) finally completed their journey. The island was real, they did not die in the 815 crash. They all went where they are supposed to go, leaving together. This was probably the most emotional episode of any tv show EVER.
BUT, this was not a Finale. How could it be a Finale (over) if so much was left untold. I don’t need to know everything and I’m still not sure what I want to know the most, but I know I was not satisfied.
If the writers knew how it was going to end years ago then why didn’t they at least answer some questions in the last few episodes. They had plenty of time to set that up. I think like so many others that they kept putting in more and more to keep us coming back. When people complain what about the science/mythology/fantasy, they always had an out by saying “it was always about the characters”. I don’t feel that I wasted my time for all these years but I do feel that because I have been faithful(not religious) for all these years I deserve better.

@531- Ray Barth,
i understand how you feel about the finale,
i enjoyed the final episode as i kinda knew that it could either answer hundreds of small questions or give us 1 huge answer to everything,
i dont feel cheated or disappointed,
LOST now enters the anuls of history as being one of the best shows of its type.

I, for one, am holding out hope for some post-finale fill-ins of details by D&C either by putting them into the DVD or perhaps some kind of post-series "cleanup" episode of some kind. It"s all I have to cling to that some answers might come about. Beyond that, it's just us speculating and spinning hyperbole, which just doesn't seem how this should all end. It's about us, darn it! The fans. The ones who watched religiousy for all these years. We deserve a little bit more for everything we've done. Ok, I'm being ridiculous. But everyone here that's been talking about the path we've been led down is right. There's been a ton of buildup, give us answers to some of what we've been led to believe is important. Fool us on the whole premise of the sideways world. Ok, you got us. Great ruse. But we really deserve to be treated better on the rest of the mysteries and mythology. Just MHO.

I'm tired of everyone saying this is a "character-driven show" every time someone is disppointed that the island story was not fully uncovered.

First off, this has become a lazy cliche. But more importantly, the island IS a character. It was as much a character as any of our beloved Losties. Every character, including the island, was brilliantly; patiently; superbly developed. At some point, the island story was cut short. We either got no answers at all, were forced to accept ridiculous inconsistencies or were given answers in such a crammed style because we all demanded answers and there was simply no time.

I love the show for both its science and faith angles and I have truly been satisfied with what was, up until the finale, a delicious balance. In my perfect world, the island would be strictly science based and the alt timeline would be strictly faith based. As it is, the alt timeline is, indeed faith and religion and it worked perfectly...not to mention surprised 100 percent of the audience. But the island and Dharma and string theory and physics and bombs and pregnancy and the numbers...all of that was science. I just wish when we learned the history of the island, it remained purely science instead of jumping to faith as well the more and more we learned.

By the way...I bitch...But I loved the finale. It's the first half of season six that I believe could have been stronger.

@182
So many questions.....I really doubt there was a so called "Bible" where the entire series was outlined by Abrams/Lindelof while pitching it to Lloyd Braun - season 6 seemed so sloppy.

You just nailed it. I have been having trouble putting into words, but that's it...season six was sloppy. It wasn't bad. It was just a mess compared to how meticulous and ridiculously respectful of the audience most of the first five seasons were. I am hearing some say that Season Six had too much time and others saying it didn't have enough time. I'm not sure which is true, but it seems we got a mix of taking too much time with some things and not enough time on others. That is sloppy for an otherwise flawless arc. If only there was no time; that it is always now; we would have gotten just the right amount of explanation.

it was great but im really angry so meany questions not answered and they were all dead 2 start off with trying 2 find the light i hated it a lot didnt make sense and they should make more lost seasons to answer all the questions in the whole series i just feel fury building up inside me why were they all dead from the start & now that all the actors cant do the show anymore there in really unessasary ads like the dude that played JACK a loreal ad you have got to be serious im really angry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#536 here you know the guy that got bashed when hurly drove in i just relised hes damon from vampire diaries isnt that awsome hes better than he was in lost go damon go damon go damon!

It's not that some of us don't need answers, it's that some of us extrapolated answers from the information we were given.

Q:Why the Dharma Initiative?
A: It got wind of the island, it wanted to study it's properties.

Q:Why the "Others" and who were they?
A: rag tag crew of previous survivors to create conflict within the story

Q:What was the reason for speaking Latin but having a statue and hieroglyphics that were Egyptian?
A. FMom was Roman she spoke Latin. Previous presence on the island was Egytian, clearly a larger population of Egyptians.

Q:Why Jacob and the MIB?
A. Because their pregnant mother shipwrecked on the island and the first person she ran into was the childless Fmom who needed a replacement.

Q: Where did Jacob and MIB's adopted mother come from and how did she become the island's protector?
A: She spoke Latin, she was probably from Rome, she ship wrecked on the island. The previous island protector made her the protector.Previous protector might have been Egyptian.

Q: Was it really difficult to leave the island as long as you had the correct coordinates? (Michael and Walt made the journey OK without a submarine and without "everyone" present on their boat.)
A: No, it was not difficult if you had the coordinates.

Q: Why did the women on the island die in pregnancy?
A: Because whatever it is (the incident) that kicks the immune system into hyper-drive, effects pregnant women by attacking the fetus as a foreign body. Good news: Your immune system will kill infection and cancer cells. Bad news: It will also kill an unborn child and cause it's mother's death in the process.

Q: What was the deal with Charlotte finding the polar bear skeleton in Tunisia?
A: Dharma experiments with the FDW.

Q: How did Ben know that the island could be moved and how did he know how to move it?
A: 2000 years on an island with a wheel designed to get them off the island ; previous people figured it out and they told the next guy and the next guy told the next guy, etc.

Far more compelling question in my book: Who the hell decided that Sayid should reunite with Shannon instead of Nadia? Penny was with Desmond, so why not Nadia with Sayid?

Part of the problem with the finale is that gave use too many NEW questions. Unless TPTB are trying to do a sequel ("Hurley's Island") or a prequel, why add these unexplained elements at the end?

The light cave chamber was clearly not natural. Some one created it. Who did it? Why did they do it? Since it was not naturally formed, it predates Jacob, MIB and their CrazyMom.

The Hurley No. and Ben No. 2 story is a horrible tease like the smart kids in the room having an inside joke that they will not share with you.

A supernatural smoke monster, who creates a simulated human body, can suddenly become human and mortal. How could that happen especially since Desmond and Jack had no idea that would happen.

I still don't know what was the needed, extra 20 minutes that was added to the finale; the only long, continuous block of that amount of time was the church scene. The only purpose was to explain the sideways story line.

The whole soul sideways collective dream state waiting for Jack to awaken in the sideways holding tank (church) makes little sense in the writer's own explanation. If they are all dead, and the sideways plane has no concept of time, it is just now, there is no reason for a linear sideways story arc to keep the characters "occupied" until Jack was ready. Besides, who corralled these souls to create a sub-universe in the after life in the first place? I don't recall a quantum physics theologian among them.

I've been thinking a little bit more about Lost and its place in TV history...

It's not my intention to devalue the actual experience of watching Lost over the past six seasons -- because Lost was all about the experience and I enjoyed the ride a lot.

Lost certainly succeeded in keeping me hooked for a long time. The writers really groked the essence of mystery -- I was always asking myself how things would turn out next. Most of the time, the questions were at least as important as the answers. Lost also managed to develop a couple of very interesting characters who were much more than the typical stereotypes. Lost also managed to innovate in storytelling techniques. Last but not least, Lost managed to attract and keep a large viewer base while potentially being a science fiction show.

Besides all these superlatives, the last episode exposed a nasty defect which I wish I could erase from my memory: Lost did not deliver an overarching premise which would be powerful enough to encompass all the mysteries! I really don't bother much about the individual answers to some of the "remaining mysteries". What bothers me is that the writers failed to deliver a coherent premise which would enable me to derive some of these answers myself.

A coherent premise could potentially have been that the Island was indeed purgatory, and I'm quite sure that this was the original plan during season 1. After the writers decided to debunk this speculation, they had to come up with a plan B (hmmm -- did they really HAVE to come up with a new plan?). In the end, they kept the original premise (purgatory), but they have twisted the underlying context in a very convoluted way ("not the Island is purgatory but instead the ALT-timeline"). Regarding overall plot consistency, there are a lot of problems with this variant.

The last pictures of the plane crash (which were added by ABC) hinted to another ending which probably was closer to the (suspected) original premise of the show.

Both variants blatantly steal from the mindf*ck (MF) genre. IMO, the final dialogue between Jack and his father failed miserably as MF like in the "Sixth Sense", because this twist just didn't make any sense at all. A "Jacob's ladder" MF variant (which was hinted by the pictures of the plane crash) also wouldn't have been perfect after six seasons, but at least it would have preserved some consistency.

@147: IMO, the ending also failed as a NGE-type MF because the writers gave us too many answers regarding the ALT-timeline.

I'm sorry to say this, but my feeling is that the writers messed up the original premise as the show went along. Part of me feels like Locke when he lost his faith after the hatch implosion.

Nevertheless, the other part of me is very grateful for this high quality TV show which did so many things right. This show certainly was among the very best we have seen yet on TV, and I'm glad there remains an opportunity for future TV shows to further improve.

There was once a series called Lost,
'Bout lives that mysteriously crossed,
On an Island profuse,
With enigmas obtuse,
Over which all the writers have glossed.

Another question:

#539, welh, some nice answers you give!

Let me throw another one that disturbs me:

Why MIB couldn't leave the island? Why did he need to kill to candidates in order to leave?

P.S.
Mac - that's another first post by a dedicated follower of your great blog. Tons of thanks!

"A well-known scientist once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: "What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise." The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, "What is the tortoise standing on?" "You're very clever, young man, very clever", said the old lady. "But it's turtles all the way down!"- Stephen Hawking

MOTHER: "Every question I answer will simply lead to another question."

At the end of the day, Lost is a fictional work that belongs to its creators. Nailing a list of unanswered questions to the door of the Lost church of all faiths is a futile gesture.

The show is about a cycle- a cycle of life, time, the island, whatever- the period that began with Jacob and his twin and ended with Jack killing MIB.

There was never going to be any backtory around the Egyptians, or how the lighthouse was built, or how Mother arrived on the island, or the origins of the Cave of Light.

There was never going to be any future story around the reign of Hurley and Ben, or Aaron, Walt, and Ji Yeon's life as adults, or how Kate explained to the world her miraculous two-time survival of mysterious airplane crashes.

Maybe some things will be explained in the season 6 DVD, but by that time, what will additional answers matter? IMO, the mythology episodes of "Ab Aeterno" and "Across the Sea" seemed forced and completely broke the rhythym of the show.

More mythological backstories that took time away from the main plot on island? No thanks.

There were lost opportunities to fill in the lines of Dharma, Walt, fertility, etc, but that time existed way back in seasons 2 and 3, when the series hit a serious speed bump and wasted several episodes with never ending scenes in the hatch and on Hydra Island.

Seasons 4 and 5 were tightly paced, and season 6 always had the announced end hanging over its head.

Most of the people who were satisfied with Lost have said their good-byes and have moved on, leaving the internet blogs almost exclusively in the hands of those who "want more answers!"

While there are some legitimate gripes, endlessly repeating the same cycle of unanswered questions seems to serve no purpose.

I'll certainly miss the group dynamic of sharing this viewing experience together.

Thanks Mac for hosting this great forum. Christian Shepherd has tapped me on the shoulder and I'm heading for the exit....

The following has put me at peace with the Lost finale and everything leading to it. I hope it helps some of you as well.

http://blog.beliefnet.com/onecity/2010/05/lost-finale-the-dharma-initiative.html

Namaste

I just re-watched the parts of the finale where the characters "remember" as well as the final scene in the church. Not only did It made me cry all over again, but it really gave me some hope about what could happen when we die. I am not a religious person, and I've always had a fear that death means eternal nothingness. What happens to the Losties is such an optimistic and beautiful outlook on what happens when we die, and I know that I'm rooting for this "ending."

I've never commented before but I think I should for this one. Mac, like so many others, reading your reviews became an integral part of my Lost experience. They helped put into perspective all the convoluted twists and turns of plot for which Lost is known. Thank you for all your hard work, and thank you for sharing your talent with us.

Best regards,
Scott

In an attempt to keep the conversation going....

1. Why were the mirrors in the sideways world so important?
2. Was Widmore at the church? Any thoughts on why/why not?

Hi Skipper,

I think the mirrors were an indication that sideways was a false reality "mirroring" what was lived on the island, which was real.

Widmore wasn't in the church because he wasn't included in the group of souls who wanted to move on together. Let's face it; none of the losties really liked him very much :-).

I'm having a hard time "letting go" of this blog!

As with some others, I am a first-time poster...I, too, am amazed at and thankful to Mac for having done a great job in helping us interpret much of LOST. Thank you...and to the people who have added to this blog...I continue to think over many of the alternative ideas/conclusions of all of you, and I have enjoyed every reading.

I can't even imagine viewing a TV show that would be as enjoyable as this one has been for me...and continues to be as I replay episodes. Can't wait for the DVD of Season Six.

As one of those who is dissatisfied with the way Lost was resolved I've been really trying to understand why so many LOST devotees have been so vocal in their continuing praise of the resolution of the series. After reading post after post of the religious like defense of the ending and the various interpretations, it has become clear to me that the writers may have had exactly this kind of discourse in mind.

I don’t believe the story of LOST was about a mystical island or the characters involved. The story and journey was really a device to get us to examine the spiritual state of mankind today. The story of LOST represents the so-called organized religions of mankind. The LOST followers and fans represent the believers of those religions.

Very simply, the real story is how the writers (organized religions) could put forth a series of thought provoking ideas, mysteries and possibilities, as truths and have the fans (believers) believe that if they took the journey, they would get answers. Answers to questions like why the Losties (mankind) were on the island (people on Earth). The reasons for them (us) being there and what will happen in the end. The viewers (believers) follow along in the hopes of getting answers to what it all means. An engaging flow of stories (religious dogma) and the possibility of an enlightened ending have kept fans and devotees constantly hanging on, hoping for a true answer to the many, many questions we all had, much like people searching for spiritual resolution today.
The stories, the links of the people to each other, past, present, sideways and future lives, all meant nothing. Fans were all scouring over every little detail (Easter eggs), ascribing significance where there was none. In the end, we all wound up with too many unanswered questions to reach true enlightenment. Some have made up their own theories and have rigorously defended them (faith), even in the absence of fact. A few, like myself, have taken the position that there is just not enough evidence or fact for me to "believe" that there was a grand unifying answer (noble purpose) to LOST. I have been branded as one of “those who don't understand" (non believers).

Locke to Jack, “Why do you find it so hard to believe?”
Jack to Locke, “Why do you find it so easy?”

I think the true meaning of the LOST story is that the writers wanted to create a thought provoking scenario that played on peoples search for answers.
What wound up happening is a reflection of the current state of mankind. People are in search of the meaning of life and our existence. Some believe, in the absence of fact. Some don’t. Some attach significance to insignificant things. Some don’t.
Maybe that’s what Damon and Carleton had planned from the beginning but the only people who really know the answers, Damon and Carleton, have been conspicuously quiet. Until they fully explain what they really meant, it's pointless to subscribe to the many and varied theories.

If the fans found out tomorrow that there was no true resolution to LOST, they could still justify their beliefs by saying that their beliefs gave their life meaning and hope. Good for them and I understand and respect that.

Respect my belief that there was no meaning to the wonderful, exciting journey we went on. Nice trip but pointless if the destination is not a nice place.
I prefer trips where the destination makes the trip worthwhile.

Another first time poster, long time reader. Thanks for making this a more enjoyable show.

I loved the first 4 years but I thought the time travelling didn't pay off.

I liked the ending and (using Mac's A, B and C and arcs idea) thought they resolved the A arc (the island) and B arcs (personal stories) really well. The left a lot of the C arcs unanswered.

My understanding of the island is this... The island's "soul" allowed the protector certain god like powers (healing, long life, time travel). At some point in the distant past, Jacob's adoptive mom became the protector. She developed a hatred for mankind and probably went crazy. When Jacob's mom shows up she see a chance to pass the protector roll on and mold his personality. Her plan was simple, train the boys in the protector roll and have them continue to hate humans. She reminds me a lot of Ben, enough truth to believe him but you could never trust him.

The problem is the boys run across the humans before she's ready and MIB no longer believes her. This leaves Jacob in a tough position. He believes all his mother tells him so he is trapped on the island and has to keep smokey there too. 1800 years of guilt and haunting lead Jacob to start searching for a replacement.

Who knows what all his criteria are but he does seem to protect the kids. Perhaps one of them might have grown into a candidate. Jacob sets up serveral protector groups (his off shore group, the temple folks and the others).

The problem is MIB finds a loophole and the end game is accelerated. It turns out all of Jacob's minions were useless against Smokey and it was down to Jacob's final 5.

Now the sideways world is more confusing. I think it was created when the bomb went off. Jacob use the time-travel ability of the island to create the alternate reality and set it up so it would last until the characters found redemption.

Thanks undauntid (post #538) for your clear answers to my questions. But as with the series, answers only seem to beget more questions:

Q:What was the reason for speaking Latin but having a statue and hieroglyphics that were Egyptian?
A. FMom was Roman she spoke Latin. Previous presence on the island was Egytian, clearly a larger population of Egyptians.
When I first pondered this question I began to wonder if the Island moved beyond the south Pacific. Even if it did then why Egyptians and Romans rather than Phoenicians or Vikings? The Egyptians and Romans were not known for long range sea going efforts but the others were. I guess D&C picked Egypt and Rome because they are more recognizable to the public.
Q: Why did the women on the island die in pregnancy?
A: Because whatever it is (the incident) that kicks the immune system into hyper-drive, effects pregnant women by attacking the fetus as a foreign body. Good news: Your immune system will kill infection and cancer cells. Bad news: It will also kill an unborn child and cause it's mother's death in the process.
OK, but why did Ben gat a tumor on his spine while living on the Island?
Q: How did Ben know that the island could be moved and how did he know how to move it?
A: 2000 years on an island with a wheel designed to get them off the island ; previous people figured it out and they told the next guy and the next guy told the next guy, etc.
2000 years - interesting number. Don't buy this word of mouth idea. To me it seems more likely that the FDW was finally made operational by Dharma. I remember seeing the wheel above ground in "Across the Sea" but at the end of that ep no one but Jacob and the MIB seemed to be left on the island. Of course, with the Island "attracting" so many shipwreck survivors any group of new arrivals could have done it.
-- Far more compelling question in my book: Who the hell decided that Sayid should reunite with Shannon instead of Nadia? Penny was with Desmond, so why not Nadia with Sayid?
Good question but why not Shannon? First love isn't always the strongest or deepest. Although I had almost forgotten about Sayid/Shannon because the FST started with Sayid/Nadia.

Thank you Mac ..... for everything.

For all you fellow LOST lovers:
please check out this video - well done
and speaks for a lot of us.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iggE4ImYwyc

#511. Posted by: davidrh
OFF SUBJECT
Flash Forward was really good the other night. It's really a shame that they are not giving this show a chance. It may not be as good as Lost was but but what show ever has been? That's big to live up too. I mean what are they going to replace it with? some thing better, please! I doubt that. I wish this was a way to get them to keep it on and give it longer or at least get Sci Fi to buy it and give it a chance. Reminds me of when they got rid of The 4400, dang that was a good show too. They want stupid shows...they like dumbed down shows. Any thing people have to "think" they get rid of.

#511. Posted by: davidrh
OFF SUBJECT
Flash Forward was really good the other night. It's really a shame that they are not giving this show a chance. It may not be as good as Lost was but but what show ever has been? That's big to live up too. I mean what are they going to replace it with? some thing better, please! I doubt that. I wish this was a way to get them to keep it on and give it longer or at least get Sci Fi to buy it and give it a chance. Reminds me of when they got rid of The 4400, dang that was a good show too. They want stupid shows...they like dumbed down shows. Any thing people have to "think" they get rid of.

#496. Posted by: Jack's Eko

I will watch all the episodes too. But I do not think the island was part of the moving on process. The Island was real and Jacobs quest to rid the island of his evil brother (Jacob's own mistake) was real too. The sideways world was were the losties had time to deal with their own mistakes and "sins".

#553. Posted by: Dennis

Wow. Thank you!

And Bye to all! thanks for many hours of enjoyment and great discussion that I carried to the dinner table many nights. Mac, I think a book about the social phenomena of TV in the Internet age could finance your retirement.

@553, Dennis:

Thx for the YouTube link. Great video editing and awesome lyrics. Made smile.

" Now when that day finally came and that screen went black, I was like: Lost ain't over, man ... we gotta go BACK! "

So I've been thinking about the whole sideways ALT universe concept. Christian Shephard tells Jack that they created it in order to move on together.

When exactly was this sideways world "created?" We saw the entire story of the Losties play out over the past 6 years. There really was no strong evidence of them knowingly creating this world. Did they create it subconsciously?

IMO, the first and only hint we the viewers did get for the existence of the ALT universe was when Juliet said, "It worked," and the whole go dutch for coffee thing. This could be the only evidence that the sideways universe was indeed a subconsciously created end result of the bomb going off (or not going off) -- the incident.
So the "incident" actually was an important incident, but not really in the Island reality, yet in creating the sideways world.

The OTHER possibility that I kind of like is that Hugo, as new protector of the Island, created this world for them as part of his "rules" of how the Island would work. Ben made it a point to remind Hugo that he makes the rules now. Maybe one of the things Hugo did was to set up this place for them to all meet up in again in order to move on.

Or, of course, the sideways world could merely have been a Season 6 plot device utilized by the writers to preserve their original Purgatory idea without having the Island actually being the Purgatory...

i have just watched the finale for the 3rd time,
the first viewing was ok but im enjoying the last episode more every time i see it,
after reading the comments posted in here it helped me to watch the finale and make sense of it & enjoy it.

#542. Posted by: Yarie
Why couldn't MIB (Smokey) leave the island? Why kill all the candidates?

Since we don't know exactly what Smokey is, it is hard to tell why it could not leave the island or needed to kill all the candidates.

We know it was allegedly created by MIB's body being thrown into the light cave. MIB died (Adam and Eve) burial so it is not his body, but a non-organic representation of it (Sayid stabbing Flocke; no blood). It is probably a form of intelligent electromagnetic energy. It retained all the apparent memories of MIB, including his CrazyMom and Jacob's unspoken "rules." If it was created by the island's other energy, maybe Smokey could never physically leave the island because the island is its power source. Smokey may have been programmed with the angry memories of MIB and his emotional desire to "leave."

Why couldn't MIB just build a boat a leave with Claudia's people instead of building a FDW? Because of the rule no one leaves the island set down by CrazyMom and Jacob. However, Jacob or the island let people come and go all the time (ex, O6). The idea of the last living soul on the island is its protector, and therefore able to make the rules, meant that Smokey was killing candidates in order to find one who would leave with him (allowing him to leave).

It is not a very good explanation because the island rules are not tied to any specifics, but to the whim of individuals.

I think Smokey wanted to kill all the candidates so that the island light would be unprotected. Going to the plane and then the sub to try to leave together was a ruse to kill the candidates. Once all candidates and Jacob were dead, MIB would be free to turn out the island light. since it was likely the light/electromagnetism that gave him his power and kept him from leaving then presumably putting out the light would allow him to leave.

Been here since Season 1. Thanks all for great insight.
Mac, I have read about how many people said they were readers of your blog, but never commented. Do you have a rough idea how many people would come to your site in a week? And how many from season 1 to how many come now in Season 6. Betting it is a good amount because this was the BEST Lost blog out there. Until the next show all, Goodbye.

Just want to let everyone know that the TimesTalks event is now available to download on itunes for anyone that's interested. It's a podcast, so it's free. =]

I started out as a rabid Lost fan, like so many others. Discovered this blog and it was my go-to guide in my search for the one ultimate theory that explained everything. Hat tip to Mac for all the great work! Now that it's over, thought I'd come back to give my two cents.

There was a deal, there was a promise that was implicitly made: we have this amazing story, and we're going to reveal it bit by bit over a long period of time. Invest yourself in this show, obsess yourself with this show, try to make sense of the clues, watch for the fake commercials and hints, scour the fake websites, listen to the podcasts, examine scenes frame-by-frame...do all this and more and in the end, all the pieces will fit together and you'll be tremendously rewarded and satisfied.

I agreed to that deal. I stayed the course for 2 or 3 years until I came to believe that they weren't going to hold to their end of the bargain. It became clear to me that they were making it up as they went along, stuffing seasons with filler that they'd never revisit or explain. The ultimate answer? A moving target, something they'd eventually spin out of whole cloth. So I checked out on Lost. I kept watching it just for entertainment, but I was done with a quest to understand it or find any meaning. I stopped reading this blog.

Returning here and reading Mac's comments, I was struck again, as I always was, of the dots that I hadn't connected. The most amazing one was that I didn't catch the significance of Jack dying in the bamboo, looking up; that this was how we first met Jack. Of course, now I appreciate the book-ending of that. But I guess that is the point I'm trying to make: when you spin such a confusing web of hints, references, connections, homages and red herrings that your audience ultimately can't keep it all straight and misses more key points than they catch, I think you've failed. I mean, by definition, an author has something to say and says it through his story. If a reader reaches the end of that story confused and unable to keep all the story lines straight and ultimately not understanding what the whole thing was about, the author has failed to convey his message.

That's where I am. I'm not a hater, I'm more indifferent than anything. They had me, but they lost me.

Nine days after the finale, two hours after rewatching it, mouth still agape, bummed there'll be no more new Lost fixes, looking forward to reading the remaining 540 posts I haven't gotten to yet.

Feeling a bit like Ben sitting outside the church right about now.

What a long, strange trip it's been.

Thanks all for a great online community and special thanks to Mac.

All, Ack has her (monstrous) Lost Finale recap up. Go to http://www.theackattack.net/. It's hysterical as usual.

And the final Benry Knows Best (same place) is heart-warming, s well.

@564. Posted by: Mr X
"connecting the dots"

I completely understand what you are saying; before the finale I wrote out all the major mysteries/events, and all of the major theories/explanations in a note pad. After a couple of hours of research, I could connect the dots in a coherent, science/fiction/fantasy way. So it was possible to have a global, coherent explanation for the main points left unanswered in the finale.

"Snuff out the tiki torches, the luau's over. They say that all good shows must end."

(borrowed from Willie Nelson)

Absolutely love the Filmfodder Lost Blog, it's been a _great_ ride. Thank you very much, Mac and everybody else! I feel sad to see the conversation dry up here :(. The end of an epic adventure. Since this was an important part of my life, for the last 6 years, maybe I'll meet you guys in the digital pre-afterlife ;).

Have been googling a lot, the last week and half, using key words like "Lost The End review" etc. Trying to get my lost fix. Found a lot of interesting blogs and communities, but it's not the same without you guys.

Anyways, I also found this great video about all the questions that have not been answered. I don't really care. For me, the ending was perfect :). But it's a nice sum-up of the mysteries that will remain.

collegehumor.com/video:1936291

Hello! fddbdgd interesting fddbdgd site!

KLIL
Kompletely Lost is last

@ 572, Kompletely Lost

LOL! Great post :). (Please do post some more, so you are last again.)

MILF !

... Mine Is Last Finally ...

I'm happy with what ultimately happens to the Losties, and the associated 'big messages' (we're all connected, we need each other, etc), but that doesn't tie up the whole 6 year experience for me. Kinda let down about that.

@500 Mel
Good call - if Darlton wanted to set up a thought-provoking scenario as a means to get us to discuss "the big issues in life", then they certainly achieved it. But then, I'd feel manipulated if the show was just a device for a discussion forum. That's not what I signed up for.

@529 Peggy
I'm with you - "I wanted answers mostly because the writers created the questions - seemingly for a reason". Good writers finish what they started -- if they leave the audience hanging, unsatisfied, well -- no-one buys their next book. Guess you can say we shouldn't make the assumption that writers will answer the questions they set up, but that's what books/movies/stories/videos have done since the beginning of storytelling. I think it's a reasonable assumption.

@564 Mr_X
"There was a promise that was implicitly made: we have this amazing story, and we're going to reveal it bit by bit over a long period of time. Invest yourself in this show..."
Like you, I agreed to that deal too. But I feel let me down/led on. They didn't have to answer the 'little' mysteries, but they left too many big ones hanging.

I was a rabid Lost fan, but now that it's over, well.... shrug.

@575

I agree with you. The fact "The End" was designed to answer the sideways world scenario created in season six was lame. The first 5 seasons had no meaning because the finale was designed for one thing.

KLILMIL
Kompletely Lost is last AND SO IS MEG
(respect)

Hi Mac and fellow Losties!
I just wanted to say thank you Mac for EVERYTHING! I have been following The Lost Blog since the middle of season two and it had become as much of a tradtion to me as watching the show itself. You're commentary and views about this show were brilliant and always hilarious. I will miss them dearly. I was just as upset about not having the Lost Blog to read every week as I was that the show was ending.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of it!
You're the best Mac and I'll miss you!
~Katie Aurora, Ohio

HCWIBTRSHP-
how cool would it be to reach six hundred posts.

Well guys and gals. I guess I am the one that has say it. The show is over and it is time to move on. I am going now because I can let go. I hope you do the same and let the memory live on inside you with out cheapening it any further
Thanks for the memories!!!

Aloha, from Chicago.

The final lesson learned: LOST's ending was like every Cub season since 1908.

Hiho, a comment from the Netherlands where the show has ended as well. I agree with the blog: the ending was very good and it's grand to see past, present and future come together in the church.

Still, I'm kept with questions. Mainly about the island. What's there to 'keep' for Hurley after the MIB has died? Jacob's mother obviously 'kept' the island but was not such a good person imho. Killing the real mother to have someone to replace her. Going for the more black character. (side-question; did she not age as well? I thought she did looking at the episode but she shouldn't should she?).

The whole problem arose when the black smoke was releaved. So Hurley's only job is to stop 'the bad people' (read anybody besides yourself in Jacob's mother's eyes) from messing with 'the light'?? Quite a lonesome occupation for a people's man like Hurley. He can move the island to drop off Desmond and is rest with only Ben (Rose and Bernard).

And Claire dying but returning from the dead, as 'changed' as Sayid, is still able to leave the island? Rose can't as her cancer will return. Something strange never filled in by the way... Locke able to walk again etc. The ending shows these kind of miracles only can be because the characters are dead. But in the years before we've seen it too... giving the island special powers.

Anyway, nice to see Richard aging again, being able to die. So some elements have been 'taken care of'. Still questions remain in Europe ;)

@581 welh

>Aloha, from Chicago.

>The final lesson learned: LOST's ending was like every Cub season since 1908.

Adios welh. I'll never forget your "quivering rat" icon from the late Lost Blog Readers Map. Maybe you'd post it over on the facebook page for your fans?

I don't know who is trying to steal my blog-given right and title, but...

RNMiL!

....ask davidrh & DarrellAnn

OMG I can' believe it's over. I had to record the last episode because my son's high school graduation was the same night. It took me 2 weeks to watch it because I knew that once I did, it would be really over. I didn't understand everything but I loved it anyway. It was nice to see everyone together without conflict. I have really enjoyed your blog Mac and I will miss it terribly. Thank you for your time, energy and insight into LOST.

doing my part to get us to 600.

NMWWDMIAFAL - No matter what we do Meg is always first and last. The acronym battle rages on!

Hah! I stand corrected! Totally forgot about that. I didn't get much into the off-season activities back then. Plus, the memory is failing me already. Actually, I never had it to start with so I claim disability on this one! ;

So it goes: NMWWDMIAFARNMIAL! So it has been said, so it has been done.

@Mac, can you get one of those cool certificates for Meg as well? Make it all officially-likey and stuff? ;)

Well, this is how pitiful I am. I'm so upset that LOST is over that I ordered a LOST mousepad to keep at my desk so I'll never forget what an incredibly amazing show this was. We may not have understood everything that happened or had every question answered -- and probably never will -- but I was so invested in these characters and their stories, I never wanted it to end. There will never be another show like this, and I'll mourn the loss of my LOST family for years to come. Did I mention I'm really pitiful! :)

Mac, you are an amazing writer and I appreciate all your hard work in filling in the blanks. Mizzed had some awesome feedback as well, as did many others.

So, all I have to say is if Desmond was the "grim reaper," he can come and get me anytime he wants! So long everyone. It's been an amazing ride. The best to all of you.

MIF as it should be
I am in the middle which is exactly how I feel about the finale. I have tried but can't talk myself into being truly satisfied with it but I can't. Still disappointed with a lot of it.
When they had a promo for a new J.J. Abrams show on last night I cringed. Don't think I'll invest any time in his or Darlton's shows any time soon
Almost to 600
RNMiL as it should be

Here's how pitiful *I* am.

I don't know if the bit on JKL - Aloha to Lost by Josh Holloway was real or fiction. Is he in Canada making "Snakes on a Plane 2" or was it a joke?

im sure some of the cast from LOST will benefit from their appearance on the show,
i have seen so many of them on other shows recently,
who knows we may even see frogurt in a movie soon, not snakes on a plane but maybe "squirells on a tug-boat"
LIGHTS..CAMERA......

Cecil, it was a joke. Everything on JKL was a joke, including Snakes on a Plane 2.

SO I finally rewatched the episode. I wanted some time to pass before a repeat viewing. Even on my iPhone, on a crowded subway train, I cried 5 times during the last hour. When Charlie had his "realization", the Sawyer/Juliet reunion, when Jack tells Hurley he needs to take over, the Locke/Ben scene outside of the church (and continued on into the Hurley/Ben scene on the Island), and the Jack/Christian scene straight through to the end.

I had no questions. I got it. I saw into the eye of the Island, and it was beautiful.

And let's not forget the brilliance that they revealed the "sideways" flashes to be something that was both consistent with everything they showed us and completely surprising. All those complaints about why would a pregnant woman get BACK into a cab with a woman who had only minutes ago kidnapped her? Claire recognized Kate on some level and knew she could trust her instinctively. It was bad writing, it was foreshadowing.

Mac, thanks again. See you all in another life.

FenwayBen,

I think you meant to say "*wasn't* bad writing" there. Correct.

Thing is,, I'd totally go see Holloway in "Snakes on a Plane 2". How many "SOB"'s could you cram into a 90 minute movie, I wonder?

And since that is a joke, is he finding work anywhere?

Think I'll create a "Losties in other Contexts" discussion topic on the Flocke.

Chicago Blackhawks...

...WIN...

...WIN...

Oh yeah...and we make it to 600...and counting...

Woo hoo!

Cecil, you're right, it should have been wasn't bad writing...

I haven't seen many announcements about post-Lost gigs for any of the Season 6 regulars beyond Daniel Dae Kim (Hawaii Five-O, Deathgames with Kellan Lutz and Samuel L Jackson, The Adjustment Bureau with Matt Damon and Emily Blunt) and Evangeline Lilly (Real Steel with Kevin Durand and Hugh Jackman).

What does Sawyer keep calling Miles, "Enis" with no P?

I must admit the first time I watched I thought Jack would end up the Smoke Monster replacement and the show would end with him sitting next to Hurley.

Thanks to Mac and all of the frequent and infrequent poster in this blog for the years of insightful comments, debates and reviews. Watched The End for the 5th time and wondered why I keep crying. Maybe it's the wine. Love Lost. Miss Lost.

I think Ennis was the fake name that Miles assumed when he and Sawyer and Juliet joined the Dharma initiative. They couldn't very well have had him join under his true name, since there was currently a baby Miles in the camp (although presumably he was Miles Chang - don't know where the "Strahm came from that he showed up with in the freighter group. Mother's maiden name, perhaps?

My youngest is starting to go back through all of the early seasons she missed the first time around. Can anyone shed light on any of the following plot lines?

Hurley's lottery numbers seemed like a really big deal in the first couple of seasons, then they go away.

Walt has "special powers". I don't think this was developed much before he left.

The Others kidnapped a lot of the tailees that were "good" people. What ever happened to them? Did they just embrace Otherhood?

The Others were very concerned with the inability to conceive on the island and then deliver a baby on the island (i.e., you can't do both). That's how Juliet ended up on the rock. This kind of drops off.

I love the show. My favorite of all time. If you have any light to shed on how any of the above mysteries were resolved, I would love to hear.

Thanks!

i had thought sawyer was calling miles "enos"
and thought it could be a reference to the dukes of hazzard,
sheriff rosco's deputy & sidekick who was called a dipstick on many occasions.

Regarding:
#585 - RNM
#589 - Mac
#590 - Lostedit
#591 - MAC

I've been away for several weeks and just catching up to final postings, sooooo . .

MEG

Write to me at
dholsinger@leeuniversity.edu
and give me an address
and
AN OFFICIAL MEG IS ALWAYS FIRST CERTIFICATE will be sent, posthaste - to your very abode.

HOWEVER it will be important that, like Red Neck Man, you post an official photograph with said certificate when you receive it. (Send it to Mac.)

OK?

OK.

Davidrh

@ San (606): DING DING DING!

And we have a winner!

;)

FINALLY!!!!!! just got through all the post...i know, i'm a little slow but its been a busy couple of weeks. i'd just like to express my three cents as well: i liked the ending, definitely wanted more answers to a few questions that have been mentioned numerous times by all fellow bloggers. my #1 question i wanted answered, what and why is the island???

many many many thanks to mac, i found this site mid season two and have been a regular reader and poster ever since. your insights have been above and beyond in helping me understand lost even more as well as the the insight and theories of many others. it was a great ride although i feel season six was the weakest of them but 1-4 were absolutley awesome and i look forward to one day watching the entire series with a different perspectve. LOST was/is definitely a top five for me. i plan on checking in every now and again and i will miss the LOST extended family so much. NAMASTE!!!!!

ps...i liked flash forward,just finished the book as well. it really started picking up steam, hope it can be saved.

NAMASTE!!!!

There once was a show from Oahu,
Whose ultimate goal was a 'mind' screw,
Then one fateful day,
It ended in an unusual way,
Leaving us feeling 'totally' screwed.

(They killed the dog too!)

Mac,

Thanks for all of the reviews through the years and the video at the end. I didn't post much, just once or twice, but reading the week's review and everyone's comments made the whole LOST experience that much more meaningful. Thanks again!

Namaste,
PXC

I knew I had seen Terry O Quinn before on TV. He was an admiral in a StarTrek Next generation episode
Season 7 Ep 12 - Pegasus.

He was also on Millenium with Lance Henrikson, a show that had some promise but ultimately didn't live up to it. He's one of those actors that's been in a lot of stuff but you never really realize it. Consistently good though.

Hmmmm. Terry O'Quinn on TV before Lost?
==========
The West Wing - General Alexander - 7 episodes

NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service - Colonel Ryan

Law & Order: Criminal Intent - Gordon Buchanan

Alias - Asst. Director Kendall - 18 episodes

JAG - Admiral Boone - 10 episodes

The X-Files - Lieuetenant Tillman - 2 episodes

Roswell - Carl

Harsh Realm - General Santiago - 9 episodes

Millennium - Peter Watts - 41 episodes

@614 FacToid Fun

How about Terry O'Quinn Movies?

Dear Fenway Ben -

If you happen to read this, can you please give me the name of the company you used for your Lost Tour when you were in Hawaii? I'd like to call and see if they're still offering tours. The two tour groups that came up on my search were "KOS Tours" and "Hawaiian Escapades".

I've been to Australia, LA, Tunisia, Phucket and now I'll be in Hawaii next month!!!! I just need to add Oxford and Korea to my list:P

XO, S.

Terry O'Quinn starred in "The Step-Father" and "The Step-Father II". They are old, but good. You should look him up on "IBMD".

...sorry, it's IMDB

@ Skipper:

I used KOS tours. As far as I know they are the only group that can take you onto the ranch where the interior island stuff and the docks scenes were shot.

If you're only looking to do the beaches and foreign locales shot around the Island, either company should work, but I can't recommend KOS enough, they had really knowledgeable tour guides, some of whom were extras on the show last season.

Have a great time in Hawai'i!

THANKS Fenway Ben :):)

Fenway Ben - one last question: Did you take the 5hr, 8hr or 10hr tour? I love Lost and all, but I don't know if I can handle a 10 hour tour?!

Check this site out for a new twist on Lost

This person is rewriting the story weekly with some new twists. Doing an excellent job.

http://tinyurl.com/2c6pkg3

Nadia vs. Shannon.

I guess Nadia was never meant to be Sayid's one and only. It seems that she only ever brought him misery but in the most miserable of times being lost on the island Shannon brought him a true happiness.

That and most arab guys do love blondes ;)

i disagree alex angel, imo...i saw it as nadia definitely being sayid's true love and shannon was someone he cared about, she filled the void that nadia couln not during his time on the island.

i was surprised to see sayid and shannon together as well but since it was jack's point of view than them being together makes sense.

namaste!

Skipper, I took the 8 hour tour one day and the 5 hour tour a different day.

The 5 hour tour takes you past the bamboo forest but most of the time is spent on the ranch, where they shot the interior island scenes and dock scenes.

The 8 hour tour takes you around the island, to both the crash beach and camp beach, New Otherton, the rocky beaches seen in many episodes, and several off Island locations. The 10 hour tour is the same, plus it adds an easy hike to the waterfall (where Kate and Sawyer find the briefcase and where Hurley and Kate end up when they leave the Ajira flight).

Both the 5 and the 8/10 take you to (different) residential areas, and both go to the Japanese temple used for the Korea locations.

You have to do the 5 and 10 to see everything on offer, it's up to you to decide what things you want to see the most.

One last thing, the 8/10 hour is a good tour if you are going to Oahu for the first time and want to see the whole island without renting a car. It's not bad for a first day there, since you can then decide where you want to go back to on later days for a longer visit.

I tell anyone coming from the mainland to plan some kind of early morning tour/event the first day there, thanks to the time difference you will be up EARLY that first day.

PS I can provide restaurant recommendations upon request as well. :)

Skipper,
Whatever you do DON'T go on the THREE hour tour. You will end up on an entirely different island altogether! :)

My ten favorite scenes/moments from the finale. I might be forgetting some great moments, so it's temporary, ofcourse.

10
John remembering the Island after the spinal surgery and his interaction with Jack. It still made my top ten, but I was dissapointed by the montage after John remembers everything. A few quick flashes and that was it. I would have loved to see a more extensive montage, Like Charlie and Claire's, with more pivotal moments in his Island story arc, ending with his suicide attempt and being strangled by Ben. Which was the most breathtaking (no pun intended) moment of the entire show, for me.

9
The scene after killing Flocke, when Jack explains what has to happen next and the Lostees part ways. Especially liked the interaction between Jack and James.

8
I was actually surprised to be moved by the birth scene at the concert, with Kate and Claire. I was never really emotionally invested in these characters, but I guess I'm a sucker for sentimental stuff. I also liked the performances of the actresses. I even liked it better than the James/Juliet reunion, that didn't really 'do it' for me, somehow.

7
The conversation between Flocke and Jack, while lowering Desmond into the cave. Best line by Jack, something like: You're not John Locke. You dishonour him by taking on his appearance, etc.

6
Jack and Flocke's final face off. It wasn't even that well done, but it was a pivotal moment and Flocke was menacing. Love the picture of him standing on the cliff, watching the sail boat. I want a poster or t shirt of that, without any text on it.

5
Hugo and Ben at the light cave, when Hugo asks for Ben's help.

4
Jack and Flocke's encounter in the open field, when Jack tells Flocke he will kill him.

3
Ben at the church, his interactions with John and Hugo. Loved every second of that.

2
Charlie remembers the Island when Claire touches him and the little montage that follows. Gets me every time.

1
Jack pleading to Hugo at the lightcave to become leader and Hugo accepting reluctantly, Ben standing by.

I may be dissapointed by all the stuff I didn't get to see and also by the resolution of the ALT storyline, but I must say that I really liked most of what I did get to see in this finale.

Thanks, FenwayBen! I'd love to hear your restaurant recommendations, too!

Its been a month now, and i miss Lost more than ever. Not a day goes by where i dont think about it and all its fabulous mysteries. I had thought that i would be happy it ended, get my life back, see how everything played out. I am happy with the ending they supplied but can not help but wish there was more. A month ago i was strongly opposed to the idea of a Movie or spin offs, but now, after a month without it, i am insane, i am grasping for anything LOST and would gladly welcome a spinoff or movie. I miss you Lost, RIP, lifes not the same without you.

Hello. Thank you for your very informatives and fun comments. I will miss you a lot. I did love your way to write. I live in Norway and you always made me feel at "home".
Thanks a lot!
Alejandra.

Skipper,

It totally depends on the experience you want to have. no matter where youa re staying there is probably a good restaurant or two in your hotel (although some hotel options are better than others). I'll give you a variety of cuisines and price ranges.

I totally have to recommend Chai's Island Bistro, located in the Aloha Tower (where the cruise ships dock). It's a little bit pricey (entrees between $25-$35 each), but totally worth it. They have great Asian Fusion food, and really offer one of the best meals on the Island. They also have a great bar and during dinner have live local (Hawaiian traditional) music, and amazing service.

Indigo is a great Eurasian place in downtown, a sprawling restaurant with multiple rooms and an outdoor courtyard (entrees between $20-$30). They also have an extensive list of specialty martinis with a great happy hour Tuesdays-Fridays.

For some cheap(er) eats, try Little Village Noodle House for Chinese downtown, Giovanni's Shrimp Truck on the north shore (near Turtle Bay), or get a plate lunch at the Rainbow Drive in (near the Zoo).

Lots of good burger places, Daniel Dae Kim owns the local franchise of The Counter in the Kahala Mall. There are three local chains worth trying: Teddy's Bigger Burgers, Kua 'Aina, and Cheeseburger in Waikiki. Then there is the granddaddy of the Hawaiian burgers at Alan Wong's Pineapple Room (in the Macy's at the Ala Moana Mall).

The main strip in Waikiki has lots of options, from theme restaurants like Margaritaville to the classic chains (Cheesecake Factory, PF Chang's, Senor Frog, Hard Rock Cafe). I'd skip those (especially as the Cheesecake Factory often has a two hour wait) and head to Duke's Canoe Club for some Hawaiian dishes over looking the beach (live music every Sunday afternoon also makes it the place to grab a mai tai) or the Yardhouse (good food and a hundred beers on tap). Sansei in the Waikiki Beach Marriot has amazing sushi...it's a bit pricey but if you go Friday or Saturday after midnight all sushi and appetizers are half off.

Then there are the big name chefs on Oahu...Roy Yamaguchi's steakhouse Roy's; Wolfgang's Steakhouse (That's Wolfgang Zwiener, not Puck); Alan Wong's Honolulu; Chef Mavro's (by George Mavrothalassitis); and Sam Choy has shuttered his fine dining restaurants, but he still has a crab house on Nimitz Highway.

My favorite of those is Chef Mavro's, he has a Greek and French background, and makes amazing dishes each of which are paired with what the staff has selected as the perfect wine. Multicourse tasting menus are the way to go, but with wine will cost from $125-$250 a person.

For a stunning setting, try John Dominis with its indoor koi pond and views of Diamond Head (from the web-page: "Located on the ocean's edge in Honolulu's Kewalo Basin, our inviting island ambiance is created by the orchid filled lava rock walls, koa beams and unique interior kahawai waterway complete with tranquil waterfalls and live fish. The restaurant offers a stunning view of Waikiki, Diamond Head and the open ocean." Entrees run $20 to $75 a person...at least go for an appetizer and a drink!).

And for a truly romantic setting, the restaurants at the Halekulani can't be beat. The Sunday brunch is amazing, with American and Japanese style buffet and is THE best brunch on Oahu ($55 a person, reservations must be made in advance). Le Mer is an intimate French restaurant overlooking the ocean and perhaps the most romantic dining room on the Island ($90-$150 a person plus drinks).

But if you want to save money on some of your meals, there's a wide variety in the food court at the Ala Moana mall from the everyday to the exotic.

Hope you have a great time!

Oh and Eggs and Things is a great breakfast place, banana pancakes there are delicious!

YEA!!! Thanks FenwayBen! I'm hungry after reading your post:P

I really appreciate all of your help - and detail! I'll report back after the tour and let you all know how it went.

Good to see the Hawaii vacation refs, but here on thee Island, Hugo is now head-chef at the Crepe-Shack in the game room in the middle of The Barracks. His morning Egg-Sausage-Plantain Crepe is thru the roof. Chef Hurley also serves a great post-siesta Wild Boar-Papaya-Pineapple Crepe (okay, soft taco) that will melt your brain. I hear Daniel Kim is coming back weekly to support the open air affair and to promote his new effort on Hawaii 5-0.

Great comments everyone. Thanks again MAC for a great ride. This blog enhanced my Lost experience ten-fold.

I loved the finale, and as time moves on the questions we didn't get fully answered seem less and less important in the overall greatness of the show. I'll never look back with disappointment.

However, I do have one nagging thing that will always bother me. It's the fact that the MIB was considered the ultimate evil. I just don't get it.

He and Jacob were twins born on the island. Their mother was murdered and they were raised by the island's protector. Then the MIB discovers what his fake-mom had done and and is rightfully pissed and decides to live with his 'people' on the island instead of Jacob and Fake-Mom. And he decides he wants to leave the island...totally understandable.

He still has a good relationship with Jacob, seeing him once in a while and playing their black/white game. Then Fake-Mom does another dastardly deed, clocking MIB's head against the cave wall and filling in his pit of light. Oh yeah, and she kills all of his 'people' too.

So again, MIB is rightfully pissed and he kills his fake-mom. Okay, that's an evil deed, but it was a bit justified and it still doesn't make him the ultimate evil IMHO. He's still just a dude who got put into a circumstance that was not his choice...he just wants to leave the island and get on with a normal life.

So then Jacob knocks MIB unconscious and floats him into the light cave...killing him. Out comes Smokie. I assume this is MIB's soul. But why? Why would his soul take on this evil smokie persona? He was not an evil person by nature. Again, he was just a guy being held captive on the island against his will. Other than killing Fake-Mom he didn't do anything to warrant being turned into this symbol of evil.

So why would MIB getting off the island be such a bad thing? Why was MIB considered evil incarnate?

That's the one big thing that will always bother me about Lost. The backstory of MIB didn't fit with how he became Smokie and the ultimate symbol of evil that can never leave the island or the world would be doomed.

OK, rant over. Other than the above annoyance I loved most everything else about Lost. I want to emphasize that this was an amazing show that kept me entertained and enthralled for years!

@636: JoePike - I think that one of the great ironies of Lost, and perhaps one of it's greatest attributes/achievements, is that things were very often presented as being black and white, good and evil, right and wrong, but in fact almost nothing in Lost really was so cut and dry. Every one of the major characters had both good and bad traits within them, obviously some more good/bad than others, but what prevailed more than anything else in Lost is that each of them was human, even the guardians were human, and that meant they were flawed. They could (and often did) aspire to greatness and try to follow the path that they thought was right, but sometimes the found themselves on the wrong side, either through misguidance or misunderstanding. Doc Jensen had a fantastic one-sentence summation that I repeated here at one point that basically said, "So much of Lost can be defined as good intentions being corrupted by the human flaws of each group that inhabited the island over time". The Dharma initiative is a perfect example - great ideas and high ideals, brought down to the most basest levels of corruption and self-righteous arrogance by the hubris of the people in power. That could, realistically, be a definitive microcosm of every major empire ever to rule a part of the globe we call our home. It's simply amazing that a show like Lost could consistently build us up over and over to present us with laws, ideals, beliefs, only to systematically tear them down over and over again before our eyes, and then present us with even bigger ones and yet we followed along to higher and higher peaks as we sought revelations and answers that would never come. I am truly disappointed at not getting many of those answers, but one must still marvel at their ability to show us that, in the end, those answers were not what the show was about (the last and final teardown), but instead was about relationships, love, and the characters that lived through the experience that was Lost. If I can mourn the lack of resolution to the questions that I felt entirely justified in expecting answers, I still must bow to their ability to build the show up and tear down each and every "rule" we thought we could cling to and depend upon in understanding the Island and everything it was about. In the end, none of it mattered, and only the humanity of each character, with all of their flaws intact but somehow a little (or a lot) better for the experience, rang true to who they were and what Lost was - a masterpiece in imperfections, misunderstandings, corruption, love, caring, kinsmanship, growth, and so much else, much of it subject to our own individual interpretations as viewers. It is that final trait, that it was an individual experience for each of us, that marks a truly great show, and for which I am duly thankful for having followed it through all of its twists and turns. I leave wanting more, unsatisfied that so much was left unanswered, but understanding that perhaps a show of such breadth and depth couldn't have given those answers and still left everyone happy, especially after the reaction to some of the answers given as the final season rolled towards completion.

Beautifully said, LostedIt!

@JoePike,
MIB wasn't an evil person at all until he was knocked into the well by his brother. it seemed that action released some trapped evil spirits. You see that "oh shit!" look on Jacob's face when the smoke comes barreling out. That event changed him. Remember that they show MIBs dead body as one of the Adam and Eve's so really it was a spirit taking the form of MIB just as the spirit did with Locke.

639 posts?

WGNABB*

*Board

Could it be that Mr Tittay is last (MIL)?

Well then, namasté

@640
>Could it be that Mr Tittay is last (MIL)?

Yes, it could well be... ;-)