Maybe.......Ok, yes.

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see this is exactly it. as if "Lost" has their own set of rules for what it is reality and what isn't based on what they couldn't come up with for an actual pay off. There is no such thing as anything but ONE reality. Any dimension can exist but they all must share the same kind of existence, otherwise it doesn't work. If the idea is that the sideways universe is purgatory, then the island must be the "real world"--it doesn't add up.

There was no mention of a sideways universe in the first two seasons. There was no mention of time travel. There was mentioning of the island moving, which if that is the case...the island was apparently able to alter time and space. Even if that can happen, then why wasn't Mr. Ecko involved with the sideways universe? Why wasn't Fu Manchu? Where was Lapidas? These people MUST exist in that plane as well because they exist in the "real" island. I would think that would be simple metaphysics. If they exist on one plane, they exist on all planes--they just may have alternate existences. I realize they tried to do this with some of the characters. But they didn't do them with all--especially not with all that had something to do with the island. What happened with Jacob and the MIB? They existed on another reality dimension apparently to bring Jack and the rest to the island at some point in their lives. Why, if this alternative universe existed (which it must always have--if you're trying to say that it was just created out of nowhere because of that stupid bomb...that's just really really weak and dumb), did they not have flashbacks to the island or any other point in their life--why wasn't anything during that time period revisited in other periods of their lives? It always existed. That's why it's not working for me.

I think you're wrong about the wreckage at the end. I'm fairly certain that was meant to show again the original "set", of the wreckage of 815. It's customary for series finales to end the show with a shot of the "Place" once more: "Cheers" with the bar, "MASH" with the mash unit, "The Wonder Years" with the street Kevin grew up on; "Lost" looked like it was reminding us of that place once more that they all met on.

The bigger problem I have is just that so much was building, building, to this crescendo. All for...this. The hatch, the apparent importance of Locke and his relationship with Jacob; Ricardo and his mysterious past; the rivalry with Widmore and Ben; the "Locke is the one in the coffin!" revelation; and of course, why all of the sudden Sayid and Claire started acting "evil"; Leonard and the revelation that "the box has opened" and the numbers could mean their death; the finding of the candidates' names and certain ones being scratched off; None of it really led anywhere. It all just went to this reunion scene in which certain characters "found each other". I mean, yeah some of it was explained. Some of it was paid off.

But it was a huge let down for me the way that it was done.

I guess I thought of the flash sideways, not as an alternate universe or dimension, but as an afterlife. I don't think the bomb did anything.

The wreckage was probably supposed to be 815. I just thought it was an interesting angle.

We are arguing two different perspectives anyway. Your criticism seems to lie more in the form of poor storytelling, bad writing. I fully accept that they probably started going down some roads that they, for the most part, abandoned. I agree with you that they could have tightened that up and finished off some of those earlier plot lines more cleanly and interestingly.

But, I'm OK with the show - and I spent years on this show nerding out on it. I'd listen to hours of podcasts on each episode, read theories, etc. The early seasons were certainly better. I think it was just difficult to live up to that first season when you first learned about the characters and the twists. I think that was about the best season of any show that I've seen (except Season 1 of 24). They tried to keep that up with the "tailies" and it wasn't the same. Then, they moved on to subject matter that wasn't as strong.

Overall, though, I was entertained for a number of years and, in the end , I found the finale a genuinely satisfying farewell to the characters themselves.

I think it's just time for you to let go, Zack.

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Fu Manchu did show up in the alternate universe, but he wasn't at the Church.

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Mr. Eko wasn't in the finale because the actual actor screwed the writer's years ago. He wanted off the show to work back on stage.

He then told them he wanted to participate in the last season and they said no. LOL... revenge is a dish best served cold.

For those that didn't like the finale - do you believe in God, christianity, etc.? This may play into your disappointment.

Lost ended the way it finished - with a crashed plane and an eye. I like the 'bookend' in the movie. It was nicely done in Gladiator also.

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The name's Rockmore. Beef Rockmore

I can accept this. And yes, you're right. A lot of my bashing comes from my opinion on the quality of writing.



Agreed on both points. I think after that first season I was just fanwankered. I wanted to believe it'd be the best show ever. But yeah season 1 of "24" was just amazing.



Heh. OK. Until freaking imessedup finally chimes in without the board failing him. He'll open up the wound again.

I'll accept this, now thinking more about it...and thinking that I just want to stop arguing about it because it's not gonna go anywhere. I really did like the final scene of the characters seeing each other again. I really liked the flashback sequences they saw when they were being "connected" to the island. Flashes of the old seasons and stuff. That was nice.

I think Bernstein said it perfectly. It was well done from a dramatic, acting, and sentimental POV. But it also made you think that 3-4 seasons were rendered totally useless and unnecessary when you think about where it all ended up.

I heard that they wanted Mr. Eko but he wanted 5x the offered money to be in the finale. They said it turns out you're not in the flash sideways after all.

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That's probably true. I'd agree with that. I don't care how arrogant you and Bernstein are.

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I watched the finale a couple of times since Sunday, and I guess I can appreciate it a bit more. I just wish I didn't feel like seasons 3-5 were pointless as far as introducing mythology that they never intended to answer.

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Walt.

He symbolizes why I am disappointed by the show. He was made THE focal point of this show then he leaves, without any explanation as to why he was so important, and never returns. There are many, many more items on the list, but Walt sums them up nicely for me.

By the way, we never really saw why the island was so important or what really would have happened had Jack not put the rock back. As it turns out, based on the finale, it really wasn't that important at all. It was just a means to a happy little death reunion of many of the characters.

I'm just glad it's finally ovah.

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V I think the light/cork was extremely important. I think the light was the connection between our world and the "other" world(s), whether that be heaven, hell, whatever. It was the spark of life. If the light went out there, as we were told, it would go out everywhere. I think the fact that the island was crumbling represented that the same was (or would) happen everywhere. Further, it's possible that even the "light" that our deceased castaways were about to walk into from the church might not have existed anymore, either.

As for Walt, and many of the other island mysteries: Now knowing that the sideways-world was a form of Purgatory, I have my suspicions that the original plan on day 1 was that the island was Purgatory. They had to change that concept once everyone figured it out, and once the show became a phenomenon and was to go on indefinitely. The longer it went on, the more unacceptable it would be that the island wasn't "real". So, I think a lot of the early concepts, i.e. Locke walking, Walt, Kate's horse, the unicorn, that was all related to Purgatory. But once that concept was dropped (on the island, at least), those ideas had to be explained in real-world terms, and they weren't able to do that.

I wonder if Walt had some kind of sixth sense (like the kid in, yeah, Sixth Sense) where he could relate to after-life, and so on the island he was right at home. His being taken away from Michael by others in "disguise" was purely a test for Michael. But again, with the island no longer being Purgatory, none of this made sense anymore, and was just dropped.

I don't want to carry Darlton's water here, but: This was JJ Abrams idea. He was there for season one, and left, only leaving the idea for the final scene in the church. Darlton was left to fill in the blanks for the next five years and ultimately figure out how to bring Purgatory back into play. So yes, there was a lot of filler along the way, but, what could they do? In fact, it was Darlton who forced ABC's hand into bringing about a closing date. If it were up to ABC, this thing would still be going on. The ending could have happened in season 3 and still worked. When it was negotiated that the end would be after season 6, Darlton came up with the storylines off the island, returning to the island, and travelling back to Dharma times, before finally getting back to Purgatory.

Certainly some things could have been done better, but all in all, I think it was a very satisfactory ending. All of the open threads, I guess, will just have to remain open, unfortunately. But overall, a lot more good than bad over the 6 years.

I suggest everybody read this recap here to understand the Sideways better:
http://jezebel.com/5546559/lost-finale- ... e=true&s=i

Bardos=death cycles....also explains the mirrors. It's not purgatory. Also explains why some people were in the church, why others weren't. Love this funny and simple take.


I'm tired of the Walt thing. He was never THE focal point. He was used as plot device at the end of S1 for a cliff-hanger, and gave Michael a good storyline in S2. Damon and Carlton have repeatedly mentioned that Walt did have some special capablities, and the Island enhanced them. Just like Rose being cured from cancer, Locke walking, etc. The Others were intrigued with his capabilities and wanted to test things. There is a scene in S2 where Ben even explains to Michael that Walt is a little too "freaky" for them and that he would better off leaving the island. That is it. No special ties to the endgame of the show....but fans took it to another level.

Just like the Aaron thing. The Aaron thing started when Clarie's psychic told her about how she could only raise him, etc. However, the writers explained that this same psychic was shown in a Mr. Eko episode as being a fake, false psychic. Nothing he said was meant to be taken as truth...but the fans went on and on about Aaron.

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This is for Don Tiny....

Lost Reenacted by Cats in 1 Minute

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"I gave up a respectable career as a spinal surgeon to protect a light from a cloud. Seriously".

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George