Entertainment Weekly addresses remaining queries about the conclusion, covering everything from the divided timeframes to the significance of the final scenes’ symbols.
Caution: This piece includes spoilers.
Lost,
Season 6, Episode 17, titled “The End.”
Lost
featured one of the most contentious series endings in television history,
blowing some fans away
while leaving others angrily bewildered. But
ABC
‘s science fiction masterpiece, developed by Jeffrey Lieber,
J. J. Abrams
, and Damon Lindelof, didn’t used to be as fiercely debated…
The award-winning show became instantly popular upon its release.
iconic pilot
In September 2004, witnessing Oceanic Flight 815 crashing on an apparently uninhabited island.
Lost
Soon transformed from a typical survival story into an intricate psychological puzzle, featuring numerous enigmas spread across its six seasons, including the Others, the Dharma Initiative, and the arrival of the island phenomena.
time travel
.
But when
“The End”
broadcasted on May 23, 2010, numerous viewers found themselves with more queries than clarifications. What exactly does the division between different timelines mean? Why did everyone end up in a church suddenly? Were the characters actually deceased throughout the entire story?
Entertainment Weekly
is closely examining the conclusion to address all of these pressing queries and even more. Here is how the end unfolds.
Lost
, explained.
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Is the nature of the island revealed at some point?
The response is definitely “somewhat.” The series offers various theoretical concepts but fails to provide clear explanations about the island.
is
.
Here’s what we understand: The island possesses magical qualities such as healing powers—like curing John Locke’s paralysis—and the capacity to control time and space, exemplified by the time travel events in season 5. Additionally, it serves as the arena where an epic conflict unfolds between two contrasting forces embodied by Jacob.
Mark Pellegrino
) and the “Man in Black” (also known as the Smoke Monster, portrayed by Titus Welliver). Jacob serves as the guardian of the island, whereas the Man in Black embodies disorder and devastation. Their clash forms a significant part of the series’ central lore, with the island functioning somewhat like a jail for the Man in Black, who aims to break free from his confinement.
It includes an enigmatic and potent energy known as the “Heart of the Island.” This luminous grotto radiates with light and is connected to the island’s magical attributes; it is thought to be the origin of existence, end, and renewal. Described as a “stopper,” this site holds at bay a sinister power which, once unleashed, might set the Man in Black free and cast the world into shadow.
Jacob’s main responsibility is safeguarding this energy. Upon entering the Heart of the Island, Desmond (played by Henry Ian Cusick) discovers that this energy has the potential to cause massive destruction if tampered with.
Related:
Lost: How Watching the Series With My Son Brought Us Closer
What occurred on the island?
Earlier, Jacob had stated that the people aboard Oceanic Flight 815 were transported to the island for a specific purpose: one among them was destined to assume his position as the guardian of the island. This chosen individual’s identity was indicated both at the lighthouse and within a cave, each location listing these potential successors alongside distinct numerical identifiers—namely, 4, 8, 15, 16, 23, and 42—that held significance across the narrative. Whenever a candidate either faltered in this path or met an untimely demise, Jacob would strike out their name from the roster until only a select number remained. Ultimately, Jack embraced this responsibility and committed himself to safeguarding the island against the adversary known as the Man in Black.
In the final episode, the Man in Black, who is now inhabiting Locke’s body, (
Terry O’Quinn
) body, makes one last try to break free. He takes Desmond to the core of the island with the intention of shutting down its energy supply. Jack assists the Man in Black as he thinks releasing this power source will finally destroy him completely.
Desmond manages to remove a stone stopper from the heart of the island and puts out the glow. Nonetheless, this triggers seismic activity, suggesting that the island is close to collapse and highlighting how vital the energy source is for maintaining its stability.
Jack and the Man in Black engage in an intense showdown, with Jack emerging victorious. The unsealing process renders the Man in Black humanlike and vulnerable, leading to his demise. Realizing the island’s fate hangs in the balance, Jack assumes responsibility for reigniting the light.
He tells Kate (
Evangeline Lilly
), Sawyer (
Josh Holloway
), and Claire (
Emilie de Ravin
To flee using the Ajira airplane, someone else leaves while he remains behind. Jack goes back into the cave, locates Desmond, and makes the ultimate sacrifice by placing the stone stopper back, causing the light to flare up again and securing the island’s stability. Consequently, this act completes Jack’s duty as the guardian at the cost of his own life.
Jack subsequently understands that he is succumbing to his wounds. He hands over the responsibility of protecting the island to Hurley.
Jorge Garcia
) who hesitantly takes on this responsibility. Ben (
Michael Emerson
), who had been serving Jacob for many years, volunteers to remain and assist Hurley as an adviser, and Hurley appoints him as his deputy.
What’s the deal with the “flash sideways” timeline?
In a contentious decision, the last season divides into dual storylines. The initial storyline chronicles occurrences on the island, progressing from earlier seasons where the Oceanic Six confront the Man in Black and the looming obliteration of the island.
In the second timeline, known as the “alternate universe,” events unfold differently without the crash landing. The characters lead new lives, yet they continue to cross each other’s paths significantly. In this scenario, Sawyer takes up law enforcement rather than crime; Ben works as a schoolteacher with Alex (played by Tania Raymonde) among his pupils; meanwhile, Kate forms a bond with Claire during her flight from authorities. By the end of the show, several characters have glimpses of their existence within the primary storyline when elements reminiscent of the island appear before them.
Following his demise, Jack finds himself in a church during an alternate reality sequence, which includes icons representing various faiths. There he encounters his deceased dad, Dr. Christian Shepherd (an unmistakably symbolic moniker). The elder Shepherd elucidates that they are in some form of purgatory. As the survivors’ experience on the island constituted the peak moment of their existence, this location serves as a meeting ground for them post-death, regardless of individual times of passing. With their reunion now complete, they have the opportunity to proceed jointly into the afterworld.
Related:
The evolution of Sun and Jin’s relationship from troubled to profound on “Lost” demonstrates their journey.
Lost
Which characters transitioned to the afterlife (and alongside whom)?
Ultimately, nearly all of them
Lost
The main characters come together at the church and are matched with their soulmates, such as Jack and Kate, Sawyer and Juliet, and Charlie.
Dominic Monaghan
) and Claire. Viewers were notably outspoken regarding Sayid (
Naveen Andrews
ending up with Shannon (
Maggie Grace
) in the afterlife instead of Nadia (Andrea Gabriel). Despite this, the character’s love for Nadia drove much of his actions throughout most of the series.
Nevertheless, not everybody progressed forward. Ben decided to remain, believing he wasn’t ready to move on just yet. This choice marked an important phase in his development, suggesting his continuous quest for absolution. Many key figures were absent from the scene at the church, such as Mr. Eko (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), Michael (Harold Perrineau), Walt (Malcolm David Kelley), and Ana Lucia (
Michelle Rodriguez
There were also characters observed in the flash sideways world who didn’t show up in the church, such as Alex.
Were they deceased throughout everything?
No. In the early seasons of
Lost
It was reasonable to question whether the passengers of Oceanic Flight 815 were deceased and trapped in a sort of purgatory. As the narrative developed, particularly when the characters began departing from the island only to cry out in anguish, this theory became less likely.
We need to return!
, it became clear that they were in an actual location. Indeed, since the conclusion aired,
Lost
creators have clarified that
The occurrences on the island were genuine.
.
Where did the misunderstanding arise? Mainly from the flash sideways timeline presented in the last season. These characters were all deceased within that afterlife realm, yet they entered this state upon their deaths in the primary storyline; none perished initially during the plane crash, and every event occurring on the island actually took place as depicted.
After the last episode,
ABC
broadcasted clips of the airplane debris as an allusion to the pilot episode, causing some viewers to think that everybody had perished at the outset. However, this wasn’t true; the characters experienced genuine occurrences on the island, with the alternate timeline representing a distinct metaphysical voyage.
What is the significance of the final scene?
The final moments of
Lost
Reflect the beginning scene from the first episode. We find Jack sprawled on the ground within the bamboo thicket, his eyelids drooping shut as he yields to his wounds. This touching finale for Jack’s narrative brings his arc back around completely, signifying the close of his tenure as the guardian of the island.
In the concluding scene, an understated yet emotionally resonant element can be observed: the appearance of Walt’s dog, Vincent, which has been a recurring figure throughout the show. As Jack passes away, Vincent lays beside him, representing the ongoing link between the characters’ histories and their current moments. This canine companion signifies that the connections and alliances forged on the island persist even after death.
Read the initial article on
Entertainment Weekly
.
