Journey's End

Look, I understand that we all, individuals with different life experiences, feel and respond to subject matter differently. Maybe you just wanted Jack and all to leave the island for home. Perhaps you wanted Cuse and Lindelof to give you something different than what ultimately resulted in the conclusion. I’ll try to tell you why the finale worked for me.

I understand that many will consider the mere idea of an afterlife or some “next phase” after we die illogical or a fantasy. Perhaps some heaven or spiritual home as a possibility is simply preposterous or a fairy tale to many of the viewers who watch the show. They reject the conclusion of Lost because of this. There are many other complaints, I am sure. I talked about how nitpicky we can be with Across the Sea, so The End leaving us with a finale to the Sideways as those characters who came to the island and eventually died would be able to gather together one last time, in harmony and affection, before Christian led them to a new destination was bound to divide and cause discontent.

But I never felt this was introduced as some inevitability, as much as, Cuse and Lindelof offering it as a possibility. That’s all. The Sideways was introduced at the beginning of the sixth season as this “alternative timeline” or “potential alternate life” and as the show continued those characters within both timelines (those who still live and those have died) began to experience déjà vu and see what has happened or currently happens in each. Eventually Desmond was able to serve as the lynchpin, somehow assembling all the characters to a particular church where the body of Christian would eventually find its resting place before “leaving” and “passing on” to the new experience that awaited them. Whatever that is, Christian didn’t tell us, and that is left to our imagination.

When critics take a cat-o-nine-tails to Polanski’s The Ninth Gate (1999), it is often because when Depp reaches the temple and he has access to “the devil” we never get to witness his experience. So perhaps some of the criticism might be about that. But I guess it could also be that many didn’t want anything dealing with the characters’ deaths at all. They lived and died on or near the island. We get a life and we die. There is nothing beyond that. But Cuse and Lindelof decided to give these characters a better conclusion. Perhaps they felt that because of what happened to them on the island, this was the least they could do for them. Why not? Why is this such a big deal? They have smiles and are reunited, all of them. Juliet, Jack, Sayid, Shannon, Boone, Locke, Charlie, Daniel, Charlotte, Libby, Ana, etc. landed on the island and were victims of circumstances that involved Jacob and The Man in Black, often inadvertently and inexplicably, as misunderstandings and mistrust led to violence and death. Some do escape, and as Jack looks up into the sky, as he lies dying, on the island while Lapidus guides the plane overhead to home, he can go peacefully knowing he’s been the hero one last time. It was he who was able to replace Jacob and correct a mistake Desmond felt would return him to where he belonged (the island would teleport him back) by “reinstalling” a significant stone meant to remain where it was so that the “light” (heart of the island) kept the island safe and secure and ultimately make sure The Man in Black could not escape (with help from Kate and “one final bullet”). The island left to Hurley and Ben might seem to be odd, I guess, but the light (and island) was too important not to have some to keep it “safe” or all would be for nothing. It was a tall task, but I guess if anyone could do it Hurley would appear to be the next appropriate candidate along with Ben as his help.

As for the final minutes (or the entire alternate Sideways inclusion in the show), I guess it could be pooh-poohed as lame or whatever by those just wanting scientific answers or wishing it had been left alone as its own possible alternative to what happens during the on-island alternate timeline. Why can’t there be this separate existence for all of those from the Oceanic actually just living different lives in some parallel universe opposed to what we followed during the first five seasons of Lost? Or why should there have been a Sideways at all? I can see the questions shouted at the screen as hair is pulled from head and eyes roll in disappointment. I admit that I would have been fine with this. But that wasn’t the intention and so the estrangement with the show rests on those rebelling against the ultimate vision of Cuse and Lindelof who decided to give those that died during the show a nice send-off…just to an afterlife many consider hokey and ill-conceived.

I wanted to mention something that emotionally impacted me, though. When Jack realizes he is dead and is greeted warmly by Christian, their loving embrace long-awaited and comforting, I couldn’t help but imagine something similar for myself. I lost my father at 6 years old and something of a dream is to experience this kind of reunion. My father with open arms and a peace in his face giving me a long-anticipated hug; I had tears in my eyes as Jack and Christian leave behind what often split them apart. In my case it was a car wreck, but it was the inability to find common ground and willingness to talk to each other that led to Jack and Christian’s struggle to get along. Both often would tell others they regretted this difficulty in their relationship and lack of real communication, allowing pride and stubbornness to deprive them of what was sorely missing. This finale allowed a bridge, giving them the chance and opportunity to see each other again. I couldn’t keep away the tears no matter how much I tried. It was like this perfect reenactment of something I once dreamed and have longed for. I understand that many who rejected the finale perhaps just pooh-pooh what I’m saying here, but why can’t art at the very least propose the idea? It isn’t scientific nor does it operate within the logic of a scientific mind. But this is the television artform giving us an outcome that allows a father and son to embrace and put aside what kept them apart. it allowed those on the island a chance to congregate together, not in terror or angst, but in harmony. The island is safe and secure, its light once again able to function as intended, the Man in Black conquered, Jacob no longer in charge, while Jack and many that found themselves on the island (including Christian’s body) were given their own reprieve in the most extraordinary (and unscientific) way. Will this satisfy all viewers? Nah. Did it give me enough? Sure, I felt so. It offered a “what if?” that many rejected (many critical of the finale consider it one of the worst ever), and perhaps the great mystery of the island that permeated throughout the series’ run wasn’t as consequential or satisfying as anticipated. Well, no matter what Cuse and Lindelof had produced, I guess the results would have been the same.