LOST - The End [spoilers, duh]
I've slowly come to a realisation over the years that The Island and the mythology that came along with it was just a backdrop for a show about people, and that more than came through in the finale. Sure I want answers, and I feel I've got more than enough of them, but for the diehards that watched LOST until the very end hoping that every answer would be presented in a box, nicely tied with a ribbon, I'm sorry, you probably didn't get what you wanted out of the finale.
The Flash Sideways
Or "Collaborative Purgatory"? Those damn opening credits spoiled it for me and @marawlings, but when I saw John Terry's name come up, I cheered, and it was a well warranted cheer.
There is no 'now', 'here'. This is a place that you all made together so you could find one another. The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people. That's why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you... To remember, and to let go... [you're] not leaving, no, [you're] moving on
The Flash Sideways may have seemed to start, September 22, 2004, but I guess only fools are enslaved by time and space, and we're fools for thinking that way. I have no idea when the Flash Sideways are occuring, and I'm guessing no one does. Why start with Oceanic 815? Because that's where these characters first met, where their journey first began.
Let's be clear though, The Island is not Purgatory. They lived and died on The Island for six seasons, and I believe that the Flash Sideways only started occuring after everyone died in that timeline.
Jacob brought them to The Island because they needed The Island as much as it needed them, but even in death, The Losties weren't done with The Island. They figuratively brought themselves to the Flash Sideways, because they needed this "reality" to come to terms with things and "let go". It almost feels like The Island brought them redemption, but the Flash Sideways brought them resolution, and allowed them to move on.
Thoughts:
- I knew instantly, when I saw the meticulous effort made by Jack Bender to show us that coffin, that Christian Shephard was going to be more than a wooden box in this finale
- Absolutely loved the opening montage of our characters, on-island vs. Flash Sideways
- Michael Giacchino's music delivered goosebumps galore. Damon and Carlton said it, Giacchino's music is a regular cast member, and one with a lot of emotional pull
- "Christian Shephard, seriously?!" I love that the writers can poke fun of themselves, and it sure helped in breaking some of that early tension
- "That's kinda true dude, he's worse than Yoda"
- "I got a bad feeling about this" *screams all around*
- Rose and Bernard. Meh.
- The Jin and Sun "recollection" scene was the best by MILES. Nothing came near it in terms of emotional clout, and on second watching, without @amandamli sobbing uncontrollably next to me, I teared up. On that note, overall, I was disappointed with those "recollection" scenes; they felt way too rushed in most other cases
- "Doesn't matter, James. We're all going to the same place" "Then what?" "Then it ends". In retrospect, quite the prophetic little exchange by Jack and Sawyer, on-island
- Richard getting his first grey hair! Awww! I can't remember if @amandamli cried for him!
- Juliette is Jack's wife in the Flash Sideways; as expected, it got a little cheer, but in the grand scheme of things, shrugworthy. Her moment with Sawyer however, fantastic!
- Locke lowering Desmond down a hole! Instantly thought of Kate and The Hatch!
- Eloise asked Desmond if he was going to take Faraday with him, and he said no, but if Faraday/Charlotte had recognised each other, I don't think Desmond could've really stopped it. As it turns out, they both remained in the Flash Sideways
- God damn I cheered loudly when MiB stabbed Jack! And then squealed when I saw that cut on Jack's neck forming!
- The John Locke "recollection". Amazing!
- The Sun, Jin and Sawyer moment was welcome light relief!
- Lapidus, Lapidus, Lapidus. I kept saying that he's only there to fly them off The Island, and well, he did that, but that subplot was the most underwhelming part of the finale. I kinda wish they'd all died on The Island
- Good lord Kate looked hot in that dress
- One last Ben and Locke scene, perfect as ever. There hasn't been a moment on-screen between those two that has been dull
The Heart
Releasing that light didn't do much for The Island of course, and Jack ends his short stay as The Island's guardian, passing over the mantle to Hugo, and sacrificing himself in the process. Hugo asking Ben for help, as opposed to Jacob's douchebaggery/neglect, showed the way things should have been run on The Island, and when Ben's happy, I'm happy! I don't have as much love for Hugo as a lot of people seem to, and even before this episode started, I was wondering what his purpose would be, but in the end, I can't argue with him taking over Jacob.
Vincent is Matthew Fox's dog [a girl, at that] in real life, apparently. That scene, with Vincent slouching next to Jack, with the plane flying over, was magical.
The End
Does it feel like an ending to me? Look at the questions [non-rhetorical] I've raised in this post, as opposed to the other 17 posts this season. Can't see many? There's your answer. To me, this was The End, and I'm sad as hell about it, but I'm satisfied. There is nothing that I'm still thinking about, that's still itching away at me. Call it denial if you want, and maybe you'll see anger next, but right now, I'm happy.
Looking back at the post in general, it may look like it's been structured in a completely random way, but this is literally how my thought process went, after I sat down at home to watch this for a second time. Adding this paragraph at a random place in the post adds to its randomness. I'll stop saying "random" now...
Namaste
To Hugo [of the French developer variety] and Vantah, thank you for your hospitality!
To @marawlings, @amandamli, @gkshortee and @renny510, really, really glad to have watched this finale, and shared so many other LOST moments with you guys ^_^ Definitely a night I won't forget.
Coincidentally, I think the @amandamli Cry Counter got to 8.
To Ariel and @jamiepride, the latecomers, by circumstance more than anything else, great to see you both there!
To everyone that's read/commented on the blog, thank you! The conversations have been great, and it's been a blast producing this verbal diarrhea.
To Damon, Carlton, JJ, and EVERYONE involved in the creation of LOST [I feel like an ass for belittling everyone else], once again, thank you for the greatest television series ever made, and the greatest television experience I could ever ask for.
There will never be as much theorising, speculation, love, dedication or hate directed towards a show. There will never be another television show like LOST.
