Lost: The End

The end of the 6-year long saga.. was conclusive and almost satisfying.

It was a bit too Christian, we saw a man named “Christian Sheppard” leading the cast into their “next plane of existence”.. but overall, it was ok. C. Sheppard name is great; since all prophets that were sent to Earth (if you believe this stuff) at some point in their lives always took up the job of being a sheppard at least once (what does that say about human species I wonder?). In any case, we were not told the island was some kind of dream construct, not told it was some kind of Matrix like simulation. The island was real, and more than that, a place of redemption.

Let’s continue with the symbolism:

The island is also United States of America.

Right? It is an island after all, reachable only through by air or by sea, its location keeps shifting (a nod to Americans’ atitude to keep reinventing themselves, always being in a state of flux). It can be in different time periods (typical US, just visit an Amish community and you will see). The End also made the point that this wild place was somewhere that all familiar characters had their best time in their lives. Jack wanted to come back to it after they left the for the first time. In a way, the last episode gave us a “feel good” moment that “it was good to be in America”. No matter how unruly, maddening it could be, IT IS GOOD TO BE HERE. Just roll with the punches. Connect and be marry. Fall in love.. or something.

Lost was also an antidode to the postmodern world we are currently living in. The show gave a message (knowingly or not) to the generation represented by the cast in the show. Shit is f..ed up, and if you are wondering if you are doing everything wrong, no worries.. The “candidates” were chosen from among the people who were “broken” we were told, these broken people represent everyone, but somehow, they managed to keep going on “protect the island -i.e. America-). Why protect the island? The answer to that question .. is a bit fuzzy, but since the island represent America, you have to protect it. That’s a given right? Sort of.

Taken as a show which emphasized the “us against them” cammaraderie (also, so America, and The Others were so Indians-), adventure, friendship, leadership, belief, lack thereof… we could say it was a great ride. The End emphasized those interactions, friendships that all 6 seasons worked so hard establish. Just like The Matrix made us think, even for a second, “what if this is not real, just like in the movie?”, Lost also gives you wonder if the interactions you are making in your life are durable and transportable to some other next life, as in the show, and you will meet all people who are important to you one last time, before you go.

I liked the “parallel reality” concept - a world where all the cast was dead; they died in different tines in “reality - Hurly for example - probably lived for a very long time protecting the island, with his “number 2” - Jack died at the very end of the show.. and they all ended up in the same place.

Some commenters talk about Jack being a man of science and ending up a man of belief. This is not the point of the show. The island was US, and they all ended up loving the place, wanting to protect it in some way or another.. if not the island, eachother, because the island, with all its wilderness, enemies, etc. gave you such a sense of brotherhood, sisterhood, that you wanted to protect the person next to you, no matter what.. Because of the island.

THE END