Lost Finale Explanation
While you can click here for our personal explanation about ABC’s LOST Finale, we want to share some of the LOST fan comments and explanations about the finale episode that have been posted on DisneyDreaming.com:
About why Aaron was with Claire and Charlie in purgatory:
Eric said: “The flash sideways was “created” by the losties. Aaron is there as a baby because it is Claires manifestation not Aaron’s. He like the Kwon daughter have their own purgatory like place. That is not actually Aaron, it is just the memory of Aaron at that time.”
About how the sideways world came to be:
CChapeton said: “When jack dies on the island and looks up he sees flight 815. That 815 WAS the ‘sideways’ reality. Which was in theory created by hugo as a way to get off the island. (remember? Ben tell him to save desmond and that he can run the island however he wants.) So Hugo probably decided to create the ‘sideways’ reality as a way for everyone to get back together, which was Hugo’s role the entire series. He wasnt able to remember, but desmond had special powers, he remembered first and triggered everyone else’s memories.”
Did Kate Austen’s plane make it off the island?
Lynne said: "When they showed the view from above looking down at the island, we saw plane wreckage on the beach. I assumed this was from the original Oceanic crash, but now several viewers have said it was the remains of the plane that Kate, Claire, Sawyer, Miles and Lapidus were on– that it blew up. I have no idea which one it was — anybody else??" Did the Oceanic Flight 815 travelers die in the original plane crash on the island? Kate said: “for all of you that believe that they all died in the original plane crash, then how do you explain desmond, penny, juliet, richard, ben, etc?!” Marion said: “I beleive that they all died in the original crash. They all had nothing before their death, (as Jacob said at the fire) They were all lost souls in purgatory on the island. Their souls finally were reborn into that new life (sideways flash) when they were ready to “Let go” and move on into a life where they wanted to be (their individual heavens) most happy. Then when they finally all reconect and remember their all together in their (combined)heaven. Bens “heaven” is with Alex thats why he wasnt in the church, Ben and/or Alex didnt really have that connection with any of them. Micheal was not a good guy, he did allot of bad things, made wrong choices so he is in hell or still stuck in purg for eternity. Walt prob went to his heaven with his mom.” Tommy said: “The island is part of purgatory. That’s a lock. Aaron was never born. Walt never went home. They all died either in the plane crash or elsewhere (which explains Desmond, Richard, Ben, and a slew of others who didn’t come from Oceanic 815). The island is no more or less real than the funeral home! That’s so obvious from the polar bears, smoke monster, magical light, etc. The Dharma Initiative was just the same thing for a different group of people at a different time. Not that time means anything here, which was apparent with the flashes. Which are also as real as the island and the alterna-universe. If you simply accept the fact that all of the weird things they experienced were part of their “test” or “mission” to finally let go, you don’t need answers to every single mystery. Case closed.” Stacy said: “The light on the island was the earthly entrance to Heaven and no one was allowed to get near it until it was their time. You can see the light at the end when Christian opens the door to the church. It was the same light as in the cave just in a different setting. As far as the polar bear and other unexplained things that can be left to your own interpretation. Personally I believe that a place so close to Heaven is bound to have all sorts of miraculous things occur. So it really needs no explanation…I believe Sawyer, Kate and Claire went on to live long lives. A union between Sawyer and Kate is left open to our own interpretation. I believe that Claire was reunited with Aaron and Kate helped her make the transition to being a mother to Aaron.” Dane said: “They died when the bomb went of at the end of 5. It was at that time that the sideways purgatory began. Anyone who was in that reality was dead as a result of the Nuke. Season 6 was dedicated to all losties coming to realize this fact.” What is your explanation of the LOST finale?
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Let us not forget that Christian Shepherd (Jack’s dad) told Jack “some died before you, others died after you,” in the church at the end, before he meets with the other Oceanic survivors and Juliete.
This would then indicate that they did not all die in the original plane crash.
Bob cracks me up. He must have taken a few bathroom breaks during the finale. Most people THAT confused did not watch every episode and just watched the finale and have not been following the Sideways world storyline this season. (Or REALLY casually watching the show).
Unanswered questions and plot holes are two very different things.
Not even sure how simple I can make it.
The off-island stuff you saw on the finale was an afterlife. Everyone in that existence had died on earth at different points in time. Yes everyone can see each other because they are in an afterlife existence that they created. If they want to have a baby or shoot and kill a mobster they can. It is an afterlife fantasy they are sharing together and needed to sort of “wake-up” from in order to move on (It was so clearly explained). Everything on the Island was real. They literally said that.
The plane in the end did take off and sometime years later each of them, Kate, Claire… even Richard Alpert, will die and go to that afterlife where everyone is. There is no “linear time” as you know it, so they can all be there at the same “place” and “time” (Like the Nexus.. in Star Trek Generations).
There were things intentionally left unanswered like what the source of light is. It was left for interpretations. It has powers, is in us all and needs to be protected. I know that it is the same light that Jules and Vince carried in the briefcase in Pulp Fiction. The island was a big Macguffin. So if you can not enjoy Pulp Fiction because you never knew what was in the briefcase then you missed the point.
Lost was a story about Life, Love, Sin, Redemption and Death. They were “lost” before they crashed on the island and in the end they “found” each other. Early in the series Jack said something about ‘We live together but we die alone’. Turned out he was wrong.
Can’t wait to watch it all over again.
MY THEORIES-That all the characters had died at different time in their lives but NOT at the island and not due to the plan crash (I know it sounds weird, but bear with me!) Here are my own interpretations…
The PLANE: Metaphor to the path to death.
The ISLAND: Purgatory. All the characters had struggled in their lives (bad marriage, drugs, murderers…) but where inherently good beings. Therefore, they had ‘unfinished business’ and could not get off the island (heaven/hell) until they proved themselves. Some characters (Michael, Walt, Eko, Annalucia) had the opportunity to continue on their own-to heaven or hell is left up to interpretation. Also, a woman could not conceive and birth that child in purgatory. Only way to give birth was if the woman was pregnant at the time of death (i.e. Claire)! Purgatory also explains why people healed from prior conditions (wheelchair, cancer) when they arrived there and why a person who constantly struggles with between being good and evil (Ben), has been there his whole ‘life.’
FLASHBACKS: The characters true life.
FLASH FOWARDS: When the Oceanic 6 chose to get off or, ‘ignore’ the island, it haunted them and all they wanted to return back (to complete their unfinished business).
The MAN IN BLACK/WHITE: The typical struggle between good and evil. Think about it, eternal life, the drinking of the cup, and the many countless references to religion. The ‘protector of the light’ can be a reference to the duty of St. Peter. Richard had eternal life, because he had made a deal with the devil, aka the Man in Black. He was the only one able to leave the island and appear to the losties in real life due to his supernatural gift. However, he was a lost sole himself. Upon the Man in Black’s death, he was free to move on.
The POLAR BEAR/DHARMA/Others and everything else in the island: Was a journey through FAITH. Think of it as a universe created by the LOST SOLES. A venue in which the characters can redeem themselves, but most importantly, find each other. The characters were destined to unite in life; as we saw time and time again in the flashbacks. The story line of Sun and Jin is a great example. In life they struggled in their marriage but loved each other immensely. While on the island, they where separated many times and their love was a constant struggle. When they finally reunited…they died. Their only unfinished business (and why they returned in the sideways story) was to join everyone while passing.
The BOMB in Season 5/FLASH SIDEWAYS: Julia told Sawyer, “It worked.” The bomb essentially created the sideways reality that helped them realize they were dead all along. However, their fight (or journey) on the island continued as they still had penance to complete.
Like all theories, my interpretation has its holes. But in all honesty, there will be no theory that will answer all the questions. The writers intended for this knowing that they will keep their fans guessing and interested in the story.
Now, it’s just made me want to go back and re-watch all the seasons. That’s pure genius to me! Thank you Lost for keeping me hooked!
Worst finale ever!
The only ones truly “lost” are the writers and they have been since the end of season 1. I kept watching this series in the hopes that I was wrong and things would actually have some meaning. However it became more and more senseless as the seasons went on. Each episode opened up more and more holes and more tracks for the writers to cover. At the end of the first season, I predicted they were all dead, but it took the writers five more seasons to figure out that was how they were going to end it. Finally, they end it with some emotional half witted recap, reveal that Jack died, and leave everything else open to interpetation. This wasn’t an artistic move, the writers were just lost, in over their head, and left it to us to sort out while they call it writing.
Maybe they can work on a “Married With Children” reunion and possibly be able to write that.
AS FAR AS THE PLANE WRECKAGE THAT WAS SHOWN DURING THE CREDITS: ABC HAS OFFICIALLY COME OUT BY SAYING IT WAS NOT THE WORK OF THE PRODUCERS TO HAVE THE IMAGE OF THE WRECKAGE, IT WAS THE ABC NETWORK WHO PUT THAT THERE.
THE PICTURE OF THE WRECKAGE HAS NO MEANING TO THE STORY!!!!
Check out the very first minute of the pilot. Look at the reflection in Jack’s eyes. You see the black smoke leaving him. Jack traveled through time. There’s a black rod next to him that used to control the black smoke. You’ll see Ben with it in later seasons.
Casual observations:
The table at the concert was #23 (Jack’s candidate number) which signifies to me that they were all there not so much for the concert but were waiting for Jack so they could move him towards enlightenment.
The Apollo candy bar we have seen so many times in this show is at slot G23 in the vending machine. I imagine if we watch this show again from the beginning, we’ll see that it was always in this slot.
In Season 5, when Juliet said, “it worked” just before dying, she was talking about getting the Apollo candy bar from the vending machine, not about the bomb resetting everything (very cool).
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I struggled with three theories after seeing “The End” the first time:
1) They all died in the September 22, 2004 plane crash
2) They all died when Juliet detonated Jughead
3) Each person died when we saw them die or they died in some future that was not shown
After seeing “The End” a second time, it is clear that the writers opted for choice #3, which I’m told they had already decided upon after writing the pilot. However, I could easily sit down with an enlightened group and create an even greater ending that involves choice #1. I honestly believe that. Creating an ending with choice #1 would help me much more easily explain the numerous discrepancies and unanswered questions in Lost. One example would be the impossibility of how many times the numbers appeared, including the off-Island odometer reading on Hurley’s Camaro. However, I digress, and as I hear one of Lost’s key messages beckoning to me, I know I must let go and move on. . .
Agree or disagree, because since the following opinion is my “choice,” my opinion is correct, as is yours:
“The universe has a way of course-correcting” and the ultimate message of Lost, in my opinion, is that the Island is the extension of a higher being (God, Allah, Yahweh, Buddha, or whatever you choose to call it) who will continue to try to save all humans, no matter how flawed, until most humans are ready to have their souls take that one final journey to eternal contentment. The light on the Island embodies the collective souls of all who have moved on and is also the energy source that balances and sustains the light (each living person’s soul) of all who have yet to move on.
“Why must there be a human presence on the Island?” Because the Island, for me, is an extension of God and God allows people free will and the ability to choose their destinies. Therefore, the Island allows humans to fight the battle with evil to protect the light because if that light goes out, all human souls moving forward will cease to exist and the world will be destroyed. Basically, God is allowing people to decide the destiny of the Earth and therefore, a human protector is required.
Another key message of Lost is regarding fate vs. choice and although we repeatedly heard, “whatever happened, happened,” in the end we realized that many things can be changed; outcomes are not necessarily predestined. In Lost, redemption was a gift that was offered over and over and over again by the Island until the human spirit either evolved or became the possession of evil.
As we all know, the Island is an eternal place that continuously balances the scales between good and evil. We were repeatedly reminded of this with the numerous black and white references throughout the show. The Island was real and ironically, Sideways World was not, so by association the Island under water in LA X was never real (which clears up one of my “issues”). Also, the repeated reopening of Jack’s neck wound, which was first seen in LA X, was a continuous reminder of Jack’s real life, with that wound actually inflicted by Smokey, presumably on or close to the day Jack died on the Island.
Jacob was the protector of the light since approximately Jesus’ time and the writers were showing us that Jacob and the Island were the protectors of all human souls (just as Jesus is, based upon his ultimate sacrifice) and that the “protector” must be willing to sacrifice his life to save humanity. The Island really was a cork, holding back evil from destroying the world and it was Jacob’s job, as well as all the ones that came before him and all the ones that will come after him to keep that cork in place. Since Jacob could see his ultimate demise, he needed someone else (a candidate) to take over the role as the protector of the Island. Did you notice how Jack’s role mirrored the role of Jesus in the Bible? Did you notice the symbolism of Locke stabbing Jack which mirrors the spear wound that Jesus was given after his sacrifice and death? And also mirroring the Bible, Jack still needed to sacrifice himself to save humanity.
An interesting note was that just outside the “Cave of Light,” while Jack was attaching the rope to Desmond, Desmond stated that none of this mattered – whether the Island was destroyed or Jack killed Smokey. Desmond believed that he would return to Sideways World when he was lowered into the light and he told Jack that he would try to find a way to bring Jack there, too. Even near the end, the Huminator still didn’t get it. Thank God Jack replied with, “All of this matters” and followed through with his mission because if the light went out and stayed out, none of the Losties (at least the ones in the church) would have moved on.
Jack: You think you’re gonna destroy the Island
Smokey: I think?
Jack: That’s right, because that’s not what’s gonna happen
Smokey: And what’s gonna happen, Jack?
Jack: I’m gonna kill you
Locke (incredulous): How do you plan to do that?
Jack: It’s a surprise
Man, was it ever! Brilliant! I loved that scene! It reminded me of the “do you know how badly I want to kill you right now” scene with MIB and Jacob only this scene was a direct threat and left us, as the viewers, thirsting for the outcome to that threat. Jack thought that Desmond was a weapon due to the Huminator’s resistance to electromagnetism (although I’m not quite sure what Jack expected would happen). Whatever Jack did expect did not happen. However, it was indirectly true that Desmond was a weapon because it appeared that uncorking the entrance to hell would have delivered a lethal dose of EM to anyone else except Desmond and after the cork was pulled, Smokey was basically human, and vulnerable. Let the steel cage match begin! I absolutely loved the confrontation between Jack and Smokey! That one shot of Jack up high on the cliff side, Locke down much lower at the ladder on the edge of the cliff, pouring rain all around with the ocean in the background, and my full knowledge that this was the final battle between good and evil made that shot, and the subsequent scenes, absolutely breathtaking.
Note: For the amount of time that the cork was out, all souls on Earth were basically “extinguished” and I believe that given a bit more time, the entire Earth would have been destroyed. Also, did you notice the skeletons Desmond saw on the way to the cork and the light? Electromagnetism is a bitch!
How about one of the final mysteries – how did Jack get out of the “Cave of Light?” I think the Island raised him from its depths because “the Island wasn’t done with him yet.” It wanted to show Jack that he did not die in vain, that not only did he save humanity, he also saved his comrades who he saw flying away from the Island in Ajira 316.
I agonized over this tidbit: The people in the church at the end were Jack and Kate, Sawyer and Juliet, Jin and Sun, Desmond and Penny, Charlie and Claire, Hurley and Libby, Shannon and Sayid, Bernard and Rose, Christian, Boone, Locke, and baby Aaron. Does anyone see a problem with this picture? Christian told Jack, “The most important part of your life was spent with these people. That’s why all of them are here. Nobody does it alone. Jack.” Apparently what Christian meant to say was, “The most important part of your life was spent with these people and some have also brought along the people that meant the most to them.” One example of this would be Aaron, who couldn’t possibly have been one of the most important people to ALL those other people when so many others were not in the church. I have two theories on why we see Aaron as a baby in Sideways World: 1) The closing credits scene really was the crashed Ajira 316 and the Island did not let the plane leave. All died including Claire so her only memory of Aaron was when he was a baby. 2) Aaron, when he died, would have been much older and therefore, only existed in Claire’s imagination in Sideways World because it is assumed that Frank, Miles, Richard, Kate, Sawyer, and CLAIRE made it back safely on Ajira Airways 316 and therefore, Claire would have reunited with a much older Aaron. I believe that for Claire, the memory of baby Aaron is perhaps what she chose to cling to in Purgatory.
The writers screwed up a bit with Christian stating, “Well this is the place that you all made together so you could find one another.” That was a bit of loose writing. There is one Purgatory, and after all those in the church left, others that had been on the Island still remained in Sideways World and all people for eternity will continue to end up there. The Losties did not create Sideways World but they did create their experiences within it. Perhaps that is what Christian meant to say. Make no mistake – every person in Sideways World that was alive in the real world is now dead – EVERYBODY. Therefore, ALL the people on Oceanic 815 (as well as anyone else that we saw on the Island in six seasons) are now dead. Some are stuck as Whisperers on the Island (Michael comes to mind), anyone who died in Sideways World went to hell (anyone that could not redeem themselves, such as Keamy), and most of the rest have either moved on or are still hanging out in Sideways World, either aware they are dead or unaware. Ben was aware that he is dead but chose to stay in SW until he is ready to move on. Ana Lucia doesn’t yet know that she is dead but eventually someone will come along to enlighten her and she, too, will move on when she is ready. Charlie became aware (thankfully) because he wasn’t doing so well. I think Charlie, however, got a free pass due to his sacrifice for the others. The only group of people in Sideways World that are NOT dead are people like David Shephard and perhaps the many other “props” we saw, because they never actually existed anywhere except in the imagination of the unenlightened people in Sideways World. I think Jack “created” David and forged him into the son that Jack could never be – forgiving. This was all part of Jack’s redemption phase. And so it goes in the world of ”Sideways,” where people are able to add things to their “deaths” that were never true in their real lives. I think that Eloise Hawking is the “curator” of the Sideways World and perhaps she stays there for eternity, enlightening one person (if necessary) who can then in turn enlighten an entire “soul cluster.” Note: I found the term “soul cluster” on the Internet and found it perfect to describe these “groups.” Anyway, also note that Eloise Hawking shut down Daniel’s piano talent in the real world and pushed him into physics in the hope that he could alter time and prevent her from killing him. In Sideways World, Daniel became what he was always destined to become – a master pianist – and Eloise gets to spend time with him so she wants him to stay there and not move on. Eloise asked Desmond if he was going to take her son to which Desmond replied, “Not with me, no” implying that there will always be someone to enlighten the people in the Sideways Matrix. Note that it appeared that whatever anyone added to their SW life had to be along some path they were heading in their real life or perhaps wished to head in their real life. Ultimately, whenever a person is ready, they move on. In Jack’s case, he needed to be kicked off his pink cloud (by Locke and Kate) to eventually accept that it was time to move on and finally, in the end, Jack was complete and fulfilled.
Note: When Jack walked in the back door of the church, he walked through one room to get to another where the coffin was. I noticed symbols for at least 5 religions – Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Christianity. I imagine there are several more but these are the ones I recognized. They are all over the rooms – watch it again! I believe this was the writers’ way of saying that no matter what religion you are, you will end up in a place similar to this before you move on.
I think it’s safe to say that by the time they all met in the church, it was well into the future. Why do I say that? For now, put aside the thought that time has no meaning in Sideways World. As Christian stated, “There is no now, here.” Hurley became the new protector of the Island and there was no Smoke Monster anymore so there was no immediate threat to Hurley (or Ben). Hurley became just like Jack (and Jacob) which means he would not age. He was given the same powers as Jacob (and Jack) so he most definitely passed along the non-aging gift to Ben (much like Jacob did for Richard). I think it’s safe to assume that Hurley and Ben were on the Island for a long, long time, overseeing the “balance” of good and evil and eventually, they both died with one or the other passing the torch to the new Island protector. And yet, they were both in Sideways World so they eventually died, and Hurley moved on. As Christian stated, “Some of them died before you, some of them long after you. I would say that the “long after you” part refers to Hurley and Ben. Also, as Christian stated, “Everyone dies sometime, kiddo.” The only two people in (and just outside) the church that could have lived longer than the average human life (and most likely did) were Hurley and Ben and therefore, that is why I stated that they are ALL dead; everyone that we ever saw in the show.
Did I find numerous issues with Lost? You bet I did. Did the writers string us along in Season 6 and throw many meaningless plots at us? Absolutely. But in the end, after all the cerebral gymnastics that I engaged in throughout this show, only to be left with many unanswered questions, I decided to suspend my disbelief and “critical eye” and accept, let go, and move on because frankly, the finale in and of itself was mesmerizing. The acceptance phase for me was the realization that the writers, too, are flawed, as are all of us, and although Lost was never perfect, many, many, many sequences were. The character development and acting was some of the best I have ever seen and the connection that I formed with these characters will never be forgotten. The gratification phase for me came throughout the finale, with the writers skillfully reminding me of my deep-rooted emotional investment in these characters.
What an inspiring thought, that perhaps we will all end up in a rest area where we, too, will find the people that mattered most to us in life and then move on together on a highway into the unknown. All moments in time, since the ability to harness the “light” via the turning of the Donkey Wheel, were (and still are) accessible from the Island. And what exactly is that light source? When Christian opened the back doors to the church, the “light” permeated the room and at that moment, I believe that all the souls of the people in the church were absorbed into the Island “light” and all those “people” moved on to heaven.
The final scene with Jack was one of the best I have ever experienced. They brought us right back to the beginning, and even threw in the sneaker hanging from a tree in the bamboo forest which is the same sneaker in the pilot in the very first scene of Lost. “Live together, die alone” was not the message at all and they showed us that by brilliantly inserting Vincent into the final scene so Jack had company when he passed on. The eye closing was simple and yet absolutely brilliant and so emotionally gratifying – who could possibly think of a better final scene?
It’s been a fun ride and I want to thank all of you for experiencing it with me. Lost - you will be missed. But I know the Island lives on and someone is there even now, protecting all of us from the forces of evil.
See you in another life, brothers (and sisters). . . .
thomhogan@comcast.net
What Christian said at the finale is a metaphor. He means the show is dead, it’s a dead end without explanation. We were all dead since season 1. The losties were even more lost than we did, but we got to move on…
Wasted my 6 years of time for this show. period.