Teefury

I have been going back and forth on this question all day.

I am glad that the characters got a good send off, but really, the mythology is still largely unanswered. And I know that people will say that it's part of the mystery of the show, but come on! When you are going to have six years of basically raising questions, creating a mythology, and offering some pretty heavy symbolism, you can't change the last chapter to be just about the characters. Everything from the promo images, to the last few episodes, felt like it would deliver on SOMETHING. There would be something about the bigger mysteries of the island. But no, all we got was some mysterious cork, that for some reason would cause the island to sink, and some shiny red WesleyCrusher that could be anything. (hell? Hellmouth? Paging Buffy!)

Anyway, I am glad that I watched Lost, but I am also glad that I wasn't one of those fans who was truly invested in the mythology of the show. Some people drove themselves nuts looking for all the symbolism in each episode. And for what? Nothing, apparently.

(last night)

"WAIT A DARNED MINUTE!!"

"the episode is almost over and they haven't answered th...ZOMGAWD Penny + Desmond!!!!!!" :)


yes they really got me on that one

Hahaha, I know, I kept oscillating between enraged and teary. It was really weird. I think seeing Juliet again did it for me.

But seriously, I am really annoyed that the most important character -- uh, the island -- is still pretty much a gigantic mystery. What the Spock is it? Where is it? Why is the way it is? What is with the light, and why does it need to be protected (other than the fact that it would eat the island whole, but really who cares)? Why does it have the power to make people immortal? Where is all of that?

And I think Iwould have been less annoyed by all of this if they hadn't given us that really crappy Alison Janney episode a couple of weeks ago, all about Jacob and his brother. It honestly lead me to believe that they were going towards something, that they were actually going to drop some knowledge on us. But then the finale came, and they didn't! So why use 40 minutes of precious airtime just two weeks ago to give some answers about the island's mythology? And then why spend the entire finale explaining the flash-sideways, which are really just a version of purgatory? I just don't get it.

I think that the episode itself was executed well but i feel that with all the amazing writing that LOST has had over the years, the way the story ended was somewhat of a disappointment. It was far too simple for me, and for a show that really kept me thinking for 6 seasons, I feel the finale seemed almost like an after thought. LOST needed more than a 6th seasons to wrap up everything so the finale wasn't near what it could have been, had we had another season.

But anything negative is directed at the writing in the finale, because the acting was great. The ending wasn't necessarily bad (in my opinion) but with a show of LOST's caliber it should have made me have some sort of extraordinary revelation like some of the season finales have done in the past. But perhaps i had my expectations set too high. Regardless, LOST has been the best show i've ever followed. Sub-par finale or not, witnessing LOST was wonderful.

I thought it was perfect.

And I think it's obvious from this thread's title, but still - SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

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We know the island is a "cork" that keeps in "evil," I don't need to hear Faraday giving some crazy explanation of exactly how that works; that would just ruin the magic for me. I don't want all the mystery broken down scientifically because to me it was always a little magical. Maybe how happy you are with the finale depends on if you are in camp man of faith or camp man of science, haha. :-)

We already know what the numbers are, Adam and Eve, why the island needed protecting, how the smoke monster was created, why the polar bear was there, etc. I was more than completely satisfied by the ending and it was better than I hoped for. I didn't expect they'd be able to fit something that felt so good for ALL the characters we love while managing to wrap up the whole Jacob/MIB thing in the same episode.

The sideways world conclusion shocked me because up until now I thought it was an alt. universe like most people. I sobbed like a maniac and it was wonderful.

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I'm very happy with the last six years I've invested in this show, and the payoff was absolutely perfect. I can't imagine it ending another way now. I'm genuinely sorry for those that are disappointed with it because that must sock. They have said that more answers, (including information about Walt,) will be on the DVD so perhaps that will offer you some more closure. To me, LOST was always about the characters over everything else and I don't need anymore closure than what I was given.

And a smiley so you know I'm not trying to be antagonistic: :-)

Asami, I couldn't agree more. Very well said! I will admit that I had to watch the episode twice before I was fully satisfied. My first viewing was fun and I enjoyed all the great surprises like Vincent, Lapidus, all the "awakenings", etc. But when it was over, I couldn't reconcile everything in my mind so I was having a really hard time with it. Once I knew what to expect, I watched it a second time and LOVED it. It was truly the perfect ending. It was heart breaking and beautiful.

i absolutely loved it, and am so relieved that i do. i was afraid i'd come out of it disappointed.

i agree with a lot of what asami said. i loved the mystery of LOST. when some of the magic of the island was demystified, i ended up being disappointed. i'd rather take the island for having mysterious powers than trying to explain why everything happened.

i love that it was a resolve to most all the original characters than the mysteries around them. i thought the last few minutes of the show were really beautiful executed.

i read that the last 15 minutes or so of the finale were written right after the pilot was made, so they were intending to have this character-based ending the whole time. it also explains why a lot of the other characters introduced during the series were present in the church.

I am still confused honestly. Is the general consensus that the entire plane died on impact? And that what happened both on the island and in the "alternate universe" were purgatory?

peteop said: I am still confused honestly. Is the general consensus that the entire plane died on impact? And that what happened both on the island and in the "alternate universe" were purgatory?

I think the most common theory is that the island and everything on it really happened, but that as/after people died, they went to the sideways/alternate universe purgatory until they were ready to move on. (Supporting that theory is Juliet- the words she muttered while dying in the bomb blast are identical to the ones she said to Sawyer in their scene with the vending machine in the finale.)

What confuses this a bit is the final scene Lost played over the credits, which appeared to show the crashed plane untouched (and not broken apart for pieces as we saw the castaways do). But if there's anything I learned from the finale it's not to bother digging too deep into the show's motivations, so I'm guessing it was just a style choice and not meant to mean anything ;)

EW's Doc Jensen tweeted this today:
"The plane wreckage over Lost credits: not part of the story, say reliable sources. Meant to evoke mood. No Ajira crash, no time loops."

If you're confused you might like to read this explanation of the finale as written by one of the LOST writers: http://designwoop.com/2010/05/lost-finale-explained-well/

I've heard what teeveejunkee mentioned, that the wreckage was just b-roll from the pilot. Besides, the footprints in the sand, small built shelter, clothes separated into piles and complete lack of dead bodies or bones should tell you that obviously they didn't die in the crash.

Kate saying to Jack, "I've missed you" also implies that she lived after the Ajira plane left the island and Ben and Hurley complimenting each other on a lifetime of protecting the island also tells you they didn't die in the crash. That and Christian literally says to Jack, "everything that's ever happened to you is real" and "Some came before you, some came after" as in they all died at different times should really be enough to make it clear that they didn't all die in the initial crash. That would be a really lame ending. :-)

Thank you, teeveejunkee and sonmi! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it as much as I did. The finale didn't give a textbook explanation of all the mysteries of the island, but it made me realize that I didn't need them or even want them anymore. I like that what we did learn, was only what the characters learned during their time on the island. Even now, Tuesday, I just feel really good when I think back to the conclusion. Just beautiful.

Asami said: Thank you, teeveejunkee and sonmi! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it as much as I did. The finale didn't give a textbook explanation of all the mysteries of the island, but it made me realize that I didn't need them or even want them anymore. I like that what we did learn, was only what the characters learned during their time on the island. Even now, Tuesday, I just feel really good when I think back to the conclusion. Just beautiful.

Asami, I felt just the same at the conclusion. I didn't care about the answers anymore either. I just wanted closure for our heroes and I think that's what we got. It was a great ride and I will deeply miss the show, but overall I was pleased with the finale. I do think we could have done without all the commercials, however. The commercials hurt the continuity of the finale.

Hey guys! I adored the finale and I just wrote my first ever lost analysis, so if you want you can check it out!

http://brianismyhomeboy.blogspot.com/2010/05/lost-my-finale-analysis.html

So what would have happened in the sideways universe before Kate and the others on the escaped plane died? Would they just have been carrying on their purgatory lives and once everyone died then Desmond would have called them all together?

fishbiscuit, I'm glad you loved it too! I downloaded the finale and watched it without commercials. I had to wait an extra couple of hours, (I stayed off the internet to avoid spoilers,) but it was worth it.

peteop, when Christian says, "There is no now, here" he is saying that time doesn't matter. Hurley may well have served centuries in Jacob's place before they moved on. Nobody can answer how the afterlife works. The details were left intentionally vague so it could fit many different theologies; that's why the stained glass window in the church has tons of symbols for all sorts of religions and philosophies. In answering your question LOST would have to become either focused on one religion in particular or they'd have to make up their own afterlife rules. It's just not something I'd care to know because if we are told the particulars, the ending loses its open ended beauty that currently has the ability to appeal to everyone.

You know, it's funny... I found that I had a little problem w/ "letting go" after this finale. :)

As pretty much the whole series has been, I thought the final episode was masterful. At the same time, I just wanted to get more of the "why?s" solved even though it just wasn't needed. My initial reaction right after Jack's eye closed was "NoooOOOo, it can't be over! That can't be it!!!" - something like that mixed w/ what rogersmith & akaBrittany says above. I totally felt it.
Then, as you've all put so well, it just sinks in. Beautiful.

The scenes & acting were incredible, it was the first time we actually watched the re-cap first and loved how it was a true farewell prelude more than it was a repeat of previous episodes. It really set you up for the end nicely. When Christian says, "There is no Now here.", It just made me say "Oooof course.....,,...wow." Remember, we're all unable to truly understand a place existing outside of time itself. So, the effect was powerful to me because it was done so well - hit home w/ me especially because of my own spiritual belief system. A BIG thank you to the writers for putting out one of the more compelling pieces of TV there has ever been!




P.S. Did everyone else watch Jimmy Kimmel afterwards??? Fuuunny stuff!!
Plus, when he showed the beginning of the 1st episode in this last season and gave his theory on that being the moment of Jack's death ... I was like "whoa Jimmy!, good one!"
It was funny also to tune in thinking there were actually going to be true alternate endings,... freaking Jimmy got me good there.

LINKS TO EXPLAIN THINGS....

first of all.. this is a cool comparison from the pilot and finale
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqxVRoQAaOY

and these should provide LOTS of insight. (by the way, the wreckage at the credits was revealed to be just for mood, as a "look how far we've come". When we see LOST for the final time, that's the end of the story. Any images/video after is erroneous.

Great explanations:
http://forum.lostpedia.com/someone-bad-robots-take-finale-t59261.html?s=5afb6743fa066683800b48c9bd2c2b3e&amp

Doc Jensen's blog:
http://bit.ly/9Qquaz
and
http://bit.ly/cQ6Ucb

OK I'm exactly a week behind, but today I watched 10 episodes of LOST and the finale. And I must say yes it was great but the lack of explanation really is genuinely FRUSTRATING!

Were the rest of the people on the plane *not worthy* of moving on to a happy after life? Because only the "main characters" ended up in the church.

None of the Jacob vs MIB thing made sense. Mom "made it so they couldn't hurt each other" What was mom? MIB kid killed her. Jacob punched MIB and he bled. Consistency was just WAY too thin. The whole Dharma initiative? Why Charles Whitmore wanted the Island? Why did one person turn into a smoke monster? Why did the light and the wheel take people to bloody Siberia or wherever it was? Why did Jack put back the stone when Desmond could have done it without harm? WTF *was* Desmond's power? Immunity to electroMAGICtism? And why? And all this was just off the top of my head.

Sure the characters were great and their stories were cool, but if the "system" was just random it might as well have been Days Of Our Lives!!!

I'm hoping for more conclusive explanation. Or maybe there will never be one because they never actually had a good "system". To me, masterful writing includes things that make sense and not just random randomness and making stuff up as you go.

Frustrated, but loved it. But could have been so much more.

Oh I thought the best way of describing the whole thing was that Jacob was biblical God and MIB was biblical Satan, and the whole free will thing and good vs evil etc. That's an interesting touch but still explained nothing :P

The group in the church is strictly those who made significant connections with each other during the most important time of their lives; it was never meant to be literally everyone who was on the island, or on the plane.

Tuism said: OK I'm exactly a week behind, but today I watched 10 episodes of LOST and the finale. And I must say yes it was great but the lack of explanation really is genuinely FRUSTRATING!


Were the rest of the people on the plane *not worthy* of moving on to a happy after life? Because only the "main characters" ended up in the church.


None of the Jacob vs MIB thing made sense. Mom "made it so they couldn't hurt each other" What was mom? MIB kid killed her. Jacob punched MIB and he bled. Consistency was just WAY too thin. The whole Dharma initiative? Why Charles Whitmore wanted the Island? Why did one person turn into a smoke monster? Why did the light and the wheel take people to bloody Siberia or wherever it was? Why did Jack put back the stone when Desmond could have done it without harm? WTF *was* Desmond's power? Immunity to electroMAGICtism? And why? And all this was just off the top of my head.


Sure the characters were great and their stories were cool, but if the "system" was just random it might as well have been Days Of Our Lives!!!


I'm hoping for more conclusive explanation. Or maybe there will never be one because they never actually had a good "system". To me, masterful writing includes things that make sense and not just random randomness and making stuff up as you go.


Frustrated, but loved it. But could have been so much more.

The purpose of the Dharma Initiative was to attempt to change any of the numbers in the Valenzetti equation. Whitmore spent his whole life trying to get back to the island after he was kicked off. To me personally, I feel like asking things like "what" is Mother is kind of like asking why there are Munchkins in The Wizard of Oz, or like NEEDING to know exactly how wands work in order to feel satisfied by the ending of Harry Potter. I don't think it's important to know why the writers chose Siberia instead of any other number of locations. It just is.

Jack needed to sacrifice himself to save the world and his loved ones. It NEEDED to be Jack; that was always his destiny. The fact that he was stabbed where Jesus was on the cross is symbolism. That's why Desmond didn't just pop the stone back in at the end; the whole strength of the ending would be lost if it wasn't Jack. He was willing to die to save everyone, so he told Desmond to go back to his wife and child and took his place.

The whole "making stuff up as you go" viewpoint is something that I simply could not disagree more with, but to each their own. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy the finale. I could tell you were not much of a fan of Carlton and Cuse's writing from your LOST Spin image, but then nothing is loved by everyone. No antagonism or hard feelings here, just chatting. :-)

Honestly, what I think it all comes down to is that some people possess Keat's negative capability and some do not.

Saying that "it must be him" doesn't explain anything. Siberia isn't important, but "combining water, light and a wooden wheel" made the island disappear. And sent people across the globe. The "light" made one man a smoke monster. It failed to kill Desmond. The same light sent Jack sprawling in the exact posture of MIB on the riverbanks. Are there any consistencies? Are there "rules" to this universe? Or was everything just the way it is because the writers said so?

I have great respect for an ending that pleased *some* peoople, but that's not enough. Sixth Sense made sense. Fight Club made sense. This just made people sob and go WTF for SIX years.

The whole thing of taking this show on faith is great and all - if it was set up as a faith show. Let's look at it from the other angle - for example, if the last page of the Bible said that God was actually an alien from Saturn, there was no such thing as good and evil, the burning bush were just holograms, cheers everyone, how would that have been?

Re my Spin design, I didn't *not* like their writing, I watched the show religeously (haha) and enjoyed the plot, until they failed to end it like the great work it could have been.