I looked into the eye of the series, and what I saw was beautiful.
I appreciate your patience, Lost friends. After first watching the series finale among 2,000 fellow fans in LA on Sunday night at Jay and Jack's party, I sat down to watch it alone two additional times. The first was to enjoy and absorb without commercials and reactions from others, and the second was to take extensive notes.
Because this was the final episode, I will spend more time analyzing what happened rather than theorizing about the possibilities. I choose to celebrate the reveals and revelations rather than dwell or focus on questions/mysteries that remain unanswered. Answers are great, but they do not weigh me down to the point of anger or distraction.
I have been avoiding other coverage and feedback about The End until after I am able to publish this, but I am very aware of the mixed reactions from fans and the media alike. This will become more obvious once you read my analysis below, but I absolutely loved the series finale of Lost. I thought it was perfect (with one exception) and it exceeded my expectations - especially the last ten minutes. You are entitled to your opinion about it, and I respect that, but nothing anyone says will ever change how it made me feel.
Before we get started, a few housekeeping items need to be addressed. First of all, for those who are new to this site (better later than never!), I'd like to let you know that this is and always has been a spoiler-free theory site. My analysis is purely speculative and should be interpreted in that light, I am wrong quite frequently, I make mistakes and miss key points on occasion. I love and appreciate feedback, but politely ask that it is constructive in nature and moderate all comments.
In addition, I needed a new name for the Flash Sideways - at least the last few minutes or conclusion/resolution of it. So I have dubbed the gathering of souls at the church above the Lamp Post as the Lobby of Letting Go (LLG).
Without further ado, let's brace ourselves for startling epiphanies and then prepare to move on together...
The Great Purgatory Debate
I'm sure that this will be the subject of great debate for years to come for all Lost fans, but I do not consider the Flash Sideways world to be Purgatory. This world did not already exist; it was created by this particular group of people to be reunited before they all moved on to wherever they were going after death. It was a necessary gathering point for them to convene once every single person was ready to remember and move on.
That almost all major religions and faiths were represented by items (Buddhas, crosses, Hindu paintings, menorahs, rosary beads, the star of David, Virgin Mary statues) in the church office where Jack reunited with his father seems to indicate that beyond those doors - each of those people were destined for various places. After all, when Jack asked his father where they were going, Christian responded with "let's go find out."
[sidenote 1: I am not religious by any stretch of the imagination, so I may be misinterpreting this symbol, but...there was a wheel in the stained glass window of the church which immediately brought the Frozen Donkey Wheel to mind.]
[sidenote 2: the two angels next to the doors that Christian opened at the very end reminded me of Charlie's hallucination in S2 (Fire + Water); he had a vision of his mother and Claire as angels on the beach in similar attire.]
If anything, the island served more as Purgatory than the Flash Sideways; it certainly tested the souls and character of those who had suffered in the past. Which leads me to...
THE ISLAND vs THE LLG
For six seasons, I believed (like many of you) that the island was a place where people had a shot at redemption. As it turns out, the island was just a stepping stone and testing ground for souls to then congregate in the Lobby of Letting Go; the adventures and anguish on the island provided them with the necessary emotions and experiences to prepare them for memory epiphanies when they were finally ready to move on in the LLG.
When Des told Kate that "no one can tell you why you're here," the same could be said for everyone who ever landed on that island. And, in shades of Jacob, Hurley told Sayid that "it's your choice; if you stick with me, you'll be happy you did."
I realize that some people might still question what the island is, but I consider it both context and character.
One of the more interesting differences between the island and the LLG is that the island prevented women from having children. In a way, the fertility issues were the island's way of thwarting repeat mistakes from future generations of island inhabitants, resulting in the infamous Progress.
I really appreciated the parallels occurring concurrently in the LLG and on the island between Jack and Locke. Some of their dialogue was equally telling and entertaining.
Hospital, as Jack and Locke each believe their plans will work on the island:
Locke: "Are you sure this is going to work?"
Jack: "Yes, I'm very confident that it will. There's always the chance that I could kill you."
Hospital, after Jack kills Locke on the island:
Nurse: "Nice work, Dr. Shephard."
Locke: "It worked."
On the island:
Jack: "I'm already dead. This is the way it has to happen."
AWARENESS EPIPHANIES
One of my favorite aspects of the memory epiphanies each person experienced in the Flash Sideways and LLG was the sense and look of absolute joy and recognition on their faces. I was particularly fond of Hurley's grin at Charlie and Jin's smirk at Sawyer.
I do love that they collectively created a new version of Oceanic 815 that safely landed in LA, leading them all to the LLG. And that Desmond noted that Jack was happy when they spoke on that flight.
THE COFFIN
To me, the coffin was empty both on the island after 815 crashed and in the LLG church because it represented and was for every single one of them.
CONSTANTS
To those who are displeased that love played a major role in the conclusion of the series, I would simply remind you that they have been headed in this direction since The Constant. So many people list that as their favorite episode of all time, and mention the emotional resonance of THE phone call between Desmond and Penny. I'm not sure why anyone would be surprised or discontent to learn that matters of the heart are a major factor in the lives of those in the LLG; that love has the ability to help them remember, understand and then move on.
Desmond tried to explain to Jack on the island that "it doesn't matter" because he was going to "a place where we can be with the ones that we love."
What I find fascinating is that Locke and Boone were the only two who were alone in the end. We will never know who Boone's Constant was, but the island seemed to be Locke's.
In Happily Ever After, Charlie revealed to Desmond that on flight 815, he had a vision that we knew was Claire but witnessed in this episode. "A woman, blonde, rapturously beautiful - and I know her. We're together, it's like we've always been and always will be. This feeling, this love...I saw it, just for a moment; I saw what it looked like." Charlie was on the verge of his memory epiphany but Jack disrupted it by resuscitating him.
I am a bit baffled as to why Penny was in the LLG, given that she is the only one who was never on the island. Perhaps she was there because the rules don't apply to Desmond and he was able to bring her along to move on with his Constant.
DISAPPOINTING DISCREPANCY
My one complaint with the series finale is the inclusion of Shannon. For six seasons and in flashbacks, flash forwards and the Flash Sideways, Nadia has been Sayid's Constant. Sayid and Shannon shared a few weeks together on the island before she died, and I don't consider their time together and Flash Sideways reunion to be worthy of a memory epiphany.
In S1 we saw that Sayid carried Nadia's photo with him wherever he went, and that almost everything he did was motivated by his love for her. In Solitary, he revealed to Rousseau that her inscription on the back of that photo read "you will see me in the next life, if not this one." And yet we get Shannon in the next life? COME ON.
I feel as though they chose Shannon simply because Maggie Grace was available and agreed to appear in the finale. I realize that Nadia wasn't on the island and would not have been in the LLG with him, but I would have rather seen Sayid experience his epiphany through Hurley and then move on alone in the LLG.
FAHEY LESS THAN FRANK
As many of you know, I had the great pleasure of interviewing Jeff Fahey on the eve of the series finale. I posted it on Sunday morning, only to find out during the episode that he had lied about the fate of Frank.
Given the secrecy surrounding the finale, I can't blame him; it's his job. I actually found it quite amusing, and we have since spoken and laughed about it together. Stay tuned, as I will be posting his thoughts about the finale soon.
FARADAY and THE FREIGHTER FOUR
I am aware that such speculation will never be addressed, but that does not stop me from pondering the actions of other familiar faces in the Flash Sideways. When Eloise asked Desmond if he was taking her son Daniel, Desmond responded "not with me, no." I interpreted that to mean that Daniel would be moving on, but not with that particular group. Personally, I envision him having the epiphany on a first date with Charlotte, and they would then join Miles, his father, Naomi and Frank (both of whom we never saw in the Flash Sidewasy) to move on together. I was a bit surprised that Daniel's first handshake with Charlotte did not result in the epiphany, but I suppose that neither of them were ready yet.
THE FATHER, THE SON and THE HOLY GHOST
Locke, to Jack: "You don't have a son."
Jack needed both David and his father in order to experience the awakening and awareness. To me, David Shephard only existed in the Flash Sideways as an an emotional anchor and bridge for Jack to the LLG. It was a place that they all created together, and Juliet and Jack were the last two to experience the epiphanies that allowed them to remember and then join their friends in the LLG. They created David together, knowing (subconsciously) that they would need him in order for it to work, for them to eventually let go and move on.
FATHER OF MINE
I have to say that I have been hoping for that father/son embrace since the fifth episode of the series, White Rabbit. Whether or not you have daddy issues, you have to admit that when Jack and Christian shared that long overdue hug, it was very moving.
THE FINAL FOUR
As I've mentioned a few times this season, it does not appear to be mere coincidence that Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer were the final four from 815 battling it out to save themselves and the island. They were the very four that the Others kidnapped after Michael lured them into a trap to get Walt back, the very four on the dock in the S2 finale.
I laughed along with everyone else when notLocke pointed out that Jack was "the obvious choice" to replace Jacob, but I wasn't surprised at all when it turned out that Hurley would be the chosen one. After all, when he was taken along with the other 3 above, it was because the Others thought he would be the best person to deliver the message back to the remaining survivors on the beach. An early contender indeed.
GREY GUYLINER
When Desmond uncorked the heart of the island, it not only rendered Smokey useless - it made Alpert mortal again.
THE HEART OF THE ISLAND
I did not love the Disney sparkles in the magical light emanating from heart of the island. But I did enjoy the Indiana Jones feel and score that accompanied the Jack and Desmond scenes down there.
I am a fan, however, of the light behind the doors of the church in the LLG as a nod back to the light both at the heart of the island and shooting up from the Swan hatch where Locke's journey took a major turn.
I'M GOING HOME, BACK TO THE PLACE THAT I BELONG
The Man in Black mentioned his desire to go home (both in his and Locke's form). Given what we know now, I have to question whether or not he knew he was already dead and actually meant that he wanted to "leave" via the LLG.
Additionally, when he promised Sayid that he would see the love of his life again (NOT Shannon, I might add), he may have been referring to the LLG or afterlife.
IT ONLY ENDS ONCE
The last scene in the LLG represents the end that Jacob referred to. Desmond himself said that "we're all going to the same place. Then it ends."
THE KATE FACTOR
Earlier this season I suggested that perhaps Kate was a variable that notLocke underestimated, and it appears as if that is true on some level. Although she was inconsequential to his master plan because she was no longer a Candidate, he never bothered to kill her. Even after she shot him several times when they encountered one another in the middle of this episode, notLocke ignored Kate. When she shot him in the end, I actually cheered out loud for Kate for the first time in six years.
While I have been openly critical of her character, I admit that I am pleased with how they ended her time on the island. She followed through with her original reason for returning to the island (to bring Claire home) rather than making a decision based on Jack or Sawyer. Yes, she was with Sawyer when they joined the Ajira plane, but after that kiss with Jack it is quite obvious she and Sawyer were merely and coincidentally on a mission together to get home.
It is worth noting that Kate has the distinction of being the only person who was on all four flights: 815 (crash and Flash Sideways) and 316 (returning and leaving the island).
LOCKE'S S3VISION
In Further Instructions, Locke created a sweat lodge and experienced a very vivid vision with the assistance of a hallucinogenic paste. A few scenarios from his dream are now quite relevant to the Flash Sideways reunions in the finale.
- When Boone appeared to Locke, he pointed to a wheelchair and said "you're going to need that." In The End, Ben told Locke that he doesn't need a wheelchair any longer.
- Claire, Aaron and Charlie appear to Locke as a happy family of three.
- Boone told Locke that Sayid will take care of Jin and Sun, and in The Package - Sayid killed Keamy and the other Widmore thugs after they kidnapped and tied up Jin.
NICKNAME GENERATOR
I laughed out loud when Sawyer actually referred to notLocke as Smokey, like most of us have been doing. And, of course, you had to love that he referred to Lapidus as Chesty again.
Other nickname highlights included Sawyer's use of Magic Leprechaun (Desmond) and Lapidus' use of Ricky Boy (Richard Alpert).
Did you notice that in the Flash Sideways, Sawyer called Jack 'Doc' even though he was wearing a suit and no ID badge? Sawyer then paused in a moment of deja vu, right before experiencing his epiphany thanks to Juliet.
NOT READY TO MAKE NICE
In What They Died For, Desmond said that Ana Lucia was "not ready yet" to go with them. I assume he meant that she had not experienced her island memory epiphany yet (which we know because she didn't recognize Hurley), and no one from that group was the person who was supposed to help her remember.
When Ana Lucia does finally experience the jarring realization that she is dead and needs to move on, I have to think that she might postpone that journey until she makes amends...much like Ben has chosen to do ("I have some things I still need to work out").
PARALLELS
S1: Pilot
Jack saved Hurley's life by yelling at him to move right before the wing of the plane crashed down the beach. In The End, Ben saved Hurley's life by pushing him out of the way of a tree that crashed down during one of the island's uncorked quakes.
S1: Deus Ex Machina, S3: I Do
Both Anthony Cooper (to Locke before kidney surgery) and Ben (to Jack before spinal surgery) said "see you on the other side." In the end, Jack said the same to Locke before his spinal surgery.
S1: Born to Run, S2: Lockdown
The Flightline Motel is where Kate used the pseudonym Joan Hart and where Anthony Cooper stayed when Locke helped him retrieve money from a safe deposit box (which led to his break up with Helen in the parking lot). In The End, Charlie was staying there when Hurley shot him with a tranquilizer gun.
S1: Do No Harm
Jin brought Charlie to help Kate deliver Claire's baby in the jungle. He told her "I have water, I have towels." In The End, Charlie brought a blanket to Claire just after giving birth to Aaron, but "I couldn't find any water."
S1: Exodus
Jack and Locke look down into the Swan hatch (where Desmond was living) for the first time after blowing off the door. In The End, Jack and Locke look down into the heart of the island for the first time after lowering Desmond down the waterfall.
S2: Man of Science, Man of Faith
Jack operated on his future wife Sarah after a car accident and she was miraculously able to wiggle her toes after he 'fixed' her. In The End, Jack operated on Locke and he was miraculously able to wiggle her toes after he 'fixed' him.
S3: Flashes Before Your Eyes
Eloise Hawking told Desmond in his flash back in time that "pushing that button is the only truly great thing that you will ever do." In The End, Hurley told Charlie that "playing this show is the most important thing you'll ever do."
S3: D.O.C.
Juliet took Sun to the Staff station to give her an ultrasound. In The End, Juliet gave Sun an ultrasound that resulted in her memory epiphany.
S3: Through the Looking Glass
On the beach, the Others captured Bernard, Jin and Sayid. When contacted by Ben via walkie talkie, they were instructed to kill them but shot into the sand instead. In The End, Claire shot into the sand in front of Alpert, Frank and Miles while Kate was on walkie talkie and horrified that she might have shot them.
S4: Meet Kevin Johnson
Right before he was shot and killed, Alex's boyfriend Karl said "I just have a bad feeling about this." In The End, Hurley says "I got a bad feeling about this." [sidenote: that phrase is a well-known Star Wars reference]
S4: There's No Place Like Home
After Penny's boat rescued them, Jack and co. parted ways with Desmond and he said "see you in another life, brother." In The End, Jack's last words to Desmond on the island were "see you in another life, brother." And indeed, that is what happened.
S5: Because You Left
Sayid brought Hurley to an apartment 'safe house' and was shot by a tranquilizer dart. In The End, Hurley brought Sayid to a motel and then shot Charlie with a tranquilizer dart.
S5: This Place is Death
Before turning the Frozen Donkey Wheel, the Man in Black (as Ghost Christian) told Locke that "I believe in you, John. You can do this." In The End, Hurley told Jack that "I believe in you" and Jack said the same thing to him a while later.
S5: The Incident
Locke (as the Man in Black) kicked Jacob into the fire after Ben killed him. In The End,
Jack kicked Locke off of the cliff and to his death after Kate shot him.
Jacob handed Jack an Apollo bar from his hospital vending machine. In The End, Juliet handed Sawyer an Apollo bar from that same hospital vending machine.
S6: LA X, S6: The Last Recruit
When Locke told Jack that his condition was irreversible, Jack responded with "nothing is irreversible." Desmond later warned Claire that "you could find yourself in a situation that is irreversible." In The End, Kate told Jack that "nothing is irreversible."
S6: LA X
Right before she died, Juliet told Sawyer that "I have to tell you something. It's really, really important." Miles later revealed that she wanted to tell Sawyer that "it worked." In The End, Juliet said "I have a secret" and then "it worked" (about the candy bar) right as they touched hands and experienced their memory epiphanies together.
PROGRESS
According to Jacob, "it only ends once; anything that happens before that is just progress." To me, Hurley and Ben represented another iteration of island leadership, taking over for Jacob and Alpert. Together they were another round of progress.
I am not at all in favor of a Lost spin-off or movie, but it would be fantastic to see a comic book or graphic novel chronicling the adventures of Hot Pocket and Bunny Boy.
QUITE LITERALLY
I don't know about you, but I was rather surprised to see that the wine allegory was real; that there is a giant cork keeping the island afloat.
TOUCH ME, TAKE ME TO THAT OTHER PLACE
Jacob traveled off island to make physical contact with specific characters at various points in their lives, designating them as Candidates. In the Flash Sideways, the same type of contact served to stir up memories of their pasts on together on the island. Claire taking Charlie's hand. Juliet's ultrasound instrument on Sun's stomach. Kate grabbing Jack's face. Juliet handing Sawyer the candy bar. Jack touching his father's coffin.
WHATEVER HAPPENED, HAPPENED
Jack: "There are no short cuts, no do-overs. What happened, happened. Trust me, I know. All of this matters."
That statement holds true and is very significant. Everything we witnessed happened in one timeline; the Flash Sideways world and LLG exists without time attached to it. All flashbacks and flash forwards actually took place, as did everything on the island (from the very early notMom days with Jacob and his brother Zac Efron to the military days of young Widmore to the time shifting years in the Dharma Initiative).
Everyone died, but at different times, including the next generation. Ji Yeon and Aaron were alive and with their grandparents off island, and died eventually. The same goes for Charlie Hume. *CORRECTION: Sadly, Jin never actually met his daughter - but as so many of you pointed out in the comments, it is possible that Sawyer met his daughter Clementine after leaving the island on the Ajira plane. Good catch!
Everyone who died on the island, died on the island. Jin, Sun and Sayid perished in the submarine, Jack in the bamboo field, etc.
We don't know WHEN or where the passengers of 316 died (Alpert, Claire, Frank, Kate, Miles and Sawyer), but they did eventually after finally escaping the island.
BEN
When Jack confirmed to Hurley that "it needs to be you," the look on Ben's face in the background was heartbreaking. He finally realized that he was never meant to be a #1. Jacob never believed in him or gave him a real shot, but Hurley did and he humbly accepted the offer. His surprise and joy was reminiscent of the moment he shared with Ilana when she told him that "I'll have you."
BOONE
Correct me if I'm wrong, but we didn't see Boone experience his island epiphany. Given his chat with Hurley about and involvement with reuniting Shannon and Sayid, he clearly had one.
CHARLES WIDMORE
Although I remain a tad confused about Widmore's role in the big picture, I am leaning toward the idea that he knew that everyone on the island was already dead. Assuming he was on the same page as his wife Eloise, who was definitely in the know, I have to believe that he told Desmond about the bright light; about the sacrifice he needed to make to save them all (Happily Ever After).
Widmore wanted Des to uncork the heart of the island because he knew that it would render Smokey powerless (no matter whose form/body the Man in Black was currently in), making him human and susceptible to injury and death again. Ironically, Jacob thought that if the cork was taken out of the bottle/island, evil would escape rather than be quelled.
CHRISTIAN SHEPHARD
I had often wondered how it could be that Christian appeared to Jack off island in his medical office when the Smoke Monster (in any form/body) could not leave the island. I now believe that Flash Sideways Christian was the one who appeared in that particular scene.
By the way, I loved that Kate made fun of his name. I've been doing it for years.
JACK
Jack never needed redemption, at least in my eyes. But he certainly earned his hero status this season, and I really loved his final journey. Jack's scenes in the finale with Locke were electric, intense and epic.
It is interesting that even though he was the newly anointed island leader, Jack could be killed. It look centuries for the Man in Black to find a loophole that would allow him to kill Jacob, and obviously Locke he knew he could kill Jack because he was no longer the Man in Black.
For what it's worth, I have never been a 'shipper but always believed that Jack and Kate belonged together. I was also never a huge fan of either character (and received more than my share of grief for it over the years), but am very satisfied that they reaffirmed their love for one another on the island and were together in the LLG before moving on.
JULIET
It is safe to say that no one was surprised to discover that Juliet was Jack's ex-wife in the Flash Sideways. That being said, I was ecstatic to just hear her voice again before she then entered the room to meet Sun and Jin. As always, it is a treat to see Elizabeth Mitchell on Lost.
ROSE and BERNARD
They were still alive when everyone else either died or left the island, so I love the idea that they eventually passed away together there in the Drama-Free Jungle Condo. Of course it would have been fitting and appropriate for them to have been the real Adam and Eve skeletons.
VINCENT
Let's not kid ourselves, most of us cried at various points throughout the finale, but the waterworks turned on at full capacity when Vincent appeared to keep Jack company as he passed away. Full circle from that very spot on 9/22/04, and....scene.
Final Giveaway
The winner of the cool Dharma shark tee, randomly pulled from a hat with names of those who left comments on my last episode post, is Kyle S! Please email me your shipping address.
For my final giveaway, a Kate action figure is up for grabs! To be eligible to win it, simply leave a constructive comment below and I will announce the winner next week.
---
Christian Shephard said that "the most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people," and that is how I feel about this show and the fans. Whatever happens in my life, I will always look back fondly at this entire experience and regard these six years as some of the most profound and significant of my life.
The last line ever uttered on Lost was, appropriately enough, delivered by John Locke: "We've been waiting for you." I wasn't aware of it at the time, but I had been waiting for all of you...and am now ready to move on when you are.
Right now I feel strangely at peace and have a somewhat guilty sense of relief, but I'm sure both are stages of grief and denial. The book of Lost is not closed for me - it will always be a major chapter in my life, one that I can reopen and revisit at any time.
I am unable to express just how much your support has meant to me over the years, and will dedicate an entire post soon to doing just that.
It is just after 3am and I am experiencing a wide range of emotions with the realization that this is my very last Lost episode analysis post. So I will close with the only words that come to mind at this hour and this point in time. Thank you.
-Jo
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