Glenn says:
No, this explanation is erroneous and no, the ending is not ambiguous.
What happened on the island was all real, that was reality. The ‘flash sideways’ was actually the purgatory where the souls who worked together and contributed to saving the island etc ‘found each other’ after being ‘Lost’. Once they had found each other in the false reality then they could move on to the afterlife. Some chose to stay in their purgatory to atone for past sins, eg. Ben Linus or Ana-Lucia who was as Desmond put it ‘not ready’.
Lee says:
In that case, what is the island?
Tim says:
Glenn is right… perhaps this writer should re-watch the finale
Xetaprime says:
Seriously that was no explanation- that was more of a recap and I have to ask how this managed to be a top Google post hit?
mefive says:
If it has to be explained after a three year finale, the show failed.
Wayne says:
Glen, thanks for your explanation. I think it has really shed some light.No pun intended
Kathy says:
Hang on but Kate and Sawyer didnt die so why were they in the church??????
Sean says:
I totally agree with Glenn.
I’d sum it all up with:
Everything that happened on the Island, actually, to everyones horror, HAPPENED!
The plane departing from Australia was a crucial link to everyone, so when a person died, thats where they went…thus starting to look for their special people…
Everyone died at different times in their lives.
Once Jack died, Hurley and Ben protected the island.
( Ben was Hurley’s 2nd in command, As Richard was Jacob’s )
Once they had protected the island for a while , and Hurley found a replacement for himself they both died.
Everyone that escaped the island lived the rest of their lives normally and then died. After that they began “living” in the “flash sideways” ( aka purgatory )
When everyone went to the chapel/church thing, Ben stayed outside due to his special person being Alex.
THE END
Jacob says:
Seans explanation is the best,, when the finale episode finished i was like oh your jokin they were dead the whole time, so i thought ide come have a look see, thanks Sean.
OMG Lost is the best series ever known to man, it is perfect in everyway.. it has action, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, drama, thrills, horror, omg i fuckin love this shit..
i know they wont, but if they make more lost it will ruine it, it was the best ending ever..
they should make another show about something else tho!!
JJ Abrams FTW
Alex says:
Kathy,
like Sean said, “Everyone that escaped the island lived the rest of their lives normally and then died.” And even Jack’s father explained at the end… “some has died before you and some after a while…later on”(something like this)… “After that they began “living” in the “flash sideways” ( aka purgatory ) ”
Sean, perfect explanation!
Just to confirm, the other mysteries remains, right!? I mean, the Island within the whole weird package of secrets…
jeffro says:
I lost INTEREST 4 YEARS AGO AND DECIDED TO CATCH UP TONITE>>>>WHAT A WASTE OF TIME>>>THE ENDING COULD NOT OF BEEN ANY LAMER. CAN”T YOU GUYS SEE THAT YOUVE JUST BEEN TAKEN FOR A RIDE FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS BASED ON HOW THE RATINGS OR PROFET WAS FOR THAT YEAR>>>THE WRITERS BY THE LOOKS OF IT JUST MADE THE LAST $ TO % YEARS UP BECAUSE PEOPLE EXPECTED THEM TO HAVE A PLOT FIGURED OUT>>>
rapace says:
I loved the ending the way it was done.
I think it would be great to have a spin-off, like when the temple and statue were built, more about the darma project and how it started, how they found the island etc.
Beth says:
I am disappointed that there was really no explanation of what the island was/is.
I think there were a lot of questions left unanswered. Plus didn’t the writers say all along it would have nothing to do with purgatory? I know the island wasn’t the purgatory but still…
Assaad says:
Sean, you’re right!
everybody died at different times. & while their stay on the island, those who died had a fast track getaway to the real world until everybody else got there.
Christian Shepherd adheres to this fact in his final words to his dead son “some will remember for you, some a long time after you”.
the fact that Jack in his last seconds of flash sideways saw the Ajera flight in the air proves it.
Also Hurly’s final words to Ben being an awesome no.2 also means that they stuck together with Ben being the “Ricardo” to Hurly. And of course they were at the church when they finally passed away.
Now why Ben didn’t go in was that he was that he had to wait for his special Alex to also pass away.
Awesome finale i would say!!!!
Jimmy says:
Guys, I understand the whole part of everything actually happening and the flash sideways being purgatory, but face it, the writers ripped us off. Have you guys ever watched a show in which its whole storyline is rendered insignificant at the end? Think about it… let’s say they were never able to move the island, let’s say Jacob and the man in black didn’t exist, let’s say women were actually able to give birth on the island… No matter what changed, the ending could have been written exactly the same!!!!! Why? Because the whole ending neglects almost everything that happened.
Look at it this way… The plane could have landed safely in L.A, they could have all met each other under different circumstances in life, AND STILL, the same bloody ending could have been written.
How do you just end a show by saying “yes, it all happened but we’re not going to answer any questions on WHY it happened. But either way, you all meet up in the afterlife and live happily ever after”? DUMB DUMB DUMB
I feel ripped off!
ted says:
Well yes it’s true it didnt explained the meaning of the island, why it exist , its purpose. but writers dont know that too. Remember at the end of season 1 and 2. At that time they had no idea to explain the island on interview they said they had not though about that. Now years later they still dont. They explained us what the black smoke was and why dharma in a way found special magnetism but thats all. we will never know what the island is made for, its purpose.
Kyle says:
I still don’t understand people who ask “what is the island etc.” There is enough material given in six seasons for viewers to work that out, we don’t need someone to come out and spell it out for us, that’s lazy writing. Use your own interpretations from the evidence and draw your own conclusions. Have some effing imagination people.
Kyle says:
If you think the whole ending neglected everything that happened in the six seasons you’ve missed the whole point of the flash sideways. This show was all about characters, who all needed the island because they were ‘lost’ because they were flawed and broken. We’ve learned about their lives before, during and after the island. So many of them died without resolving their issues. The flash sideways was a world they created where they continued to battle their flaws. Some of them invented a world where they became fugitives but were innocent (Kate), where they chose a life of good instead of crime (Sawyer), some still struggled with their addictions (Charlie) and murderous ways (Sayid). Ultimately it took them reuniting, and recognizing as Jack said (what’s done is done, you can’t keep trying to change things), that it’s time to let go and move on.
jen Baker says:
From one of the writers:
First …
The Island:
It was real. Everything that happened on the island that we saw throughout the 6 seasons was real. Forget the final image of the plane crash, it was put in purposely to f*&k with people’s heads and show how far the show had come. They really crashed. They really survived. They really discovered Dharma and the Others. The Island keeps the balance of good and evil in the world. It always has and always will perform that role. And the Island will always need a “Protector”. Jacob wasn’t the first, Hurley won’t be the last. However, Jacob had to deal with a malevolent force (MIB) that his mother, nor Hurley had to deal with. He created the devil and had to find a way to kill him — even though the rules prevented him from actually doing so.
Thus began Jacob’s plan to bring candidates to the Island to do the one thing he couldn’t do. Kill the MIB. He had a huge list of candidates that spanned generations. Yet everytime he brought people there, the MIB corrupted them and caused them to kill one another. That was until Richard came along and helped Jacob understand that if he didn’t take a more active role, then his plan would never work.
Enter Dharma — which I’m not sure why John is having such a hard time grasping. Dharma, like the countless scores of people that were brought to the island before, were brought there by Jacob as part of his plan to kill the MIB. However, the MIB was aware of this plan and interferred by “corrupting” Ben. Making Ben believe he was doing the work of Jacob when in reality he was doing the work of the MIB. This carried over into all of Ben’s “off-island” activities. He was the leader. He spoke for Jacob as far as they were concerned. So the “Others” killed Dharma and later were actively trying to kill Jack, Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and all the candidates because that’s what the MIB wanted. And what he couldn’t do for himself.
Dharma was originally brought in to be good. But was turned bad by MIB’s corruption and eventually destroyed by his pawn Ben. Now, was Dharma only brought there to help Jack and the other Canditates on their overall quest to kill Smokey? Or did Jacob have another list of Canidates from the Dharma group that we were never aware of? That’s a question that is purposley not answered because whatever answer the writers came up with would be worse than the one you come up with for yourself. Still … Dharma’s purpose is not “pointless” or even vague. Hell, it’s pretty blantent.
Still, despite his grand plan, Jacob wanted to give his “candidates” (our Lostaways) the one thing he, nor his brother, were ever afforded: free will. Hence him bringing a host of “candidates” through the decades and letting them “choose” which one would actually do the job in the end. Maybe he knew Jack would be the one to kill Flocke and that Hurley would be the protector in the end. Maybe he didn’t. But that was always the key question of the show: Fate vs Free-will. Science vs Faith. Personally I think Jacob knew from the beginning what was going to happen and that everyone played a part over 6 seasons in helping Jack get to the point where he needed to be to kill Smokey and make Hurley the protector — I know that’s how a lot of the writers viewed it. But again, they won’t answer that (nor should they) because that ruins the fun.
In the end, Jack got to do what he always wanted to do from the very first episode of the show: Save his fellow Lostaways. He got Kate and Sawyer off the island and he gave Hurley the purpose in life he’d always been missing. And, in Sideways world (which we’ll get to next) he in fact saved everyone by helping them all move on …
Now…
Sideways World:
Sideways world is where it gets really cool in terms of theology and metaphysical discussion (for me at least — because I love history/religion theories and loved all the talks in the writer’s room about it). Basically what the show is proposing is that we’re all linked to certain people during our lives. Call them soulmates (though it’s not exactly the best word). But these people we’re linked to are with us duing “the most important moments of our lives” as Christian said. These are the people we move through the universe with from lifetime to lifetime. It’s loosely based in Hinduisim with large doses of western religion thrown into the mix.
The conceit that the writers created, basing it off these religious philosophies, was that as a group, the Lostaways subconsciously created this “sideways” world where they exist in purgatory until they are “awakened” and find one another. Once they all find one another, they can then move on and move forward. In essence, this is the show’s concept of the afterlife. According to the show, everyone creates their own “Sideways” purgatory with their “soulmates” throughout their lives and exist there until they all move on together. That’s a beautiful notion. Even if you aren’t religious or even spirtual, the idea that we live AND die together is deeply profound and moving.
It’s a really cool and spirtual concept that fits the whole tone and subtext the show has had from the beginning. These people were SUPPOSED to be together on that plane. They were supposed to live through these events — not JUST because of Jacob. But because that’s what the universe or God (depending on how religious you wish to get) wanted to happen. The show was always about science vs faith — and it ultimately came down on the side of faith. It answered THE core question of the series. The one question that has been at the root of every island mystery, every character backstory, every plot twist. That, by itself, is quite an accomplishment.
How much you want to extrapolate from that is up to you as the viewer. Think about season 1 when we first found the Hatch. Everyone thought that’s THE answer! Whatever is down there is the answer! Then, as we discovered it was just one station of many. One link in a very long chain that kept revealing more, and more of a larger mosiac.
But the writer’s took it even further this season by contrasting this Sideways “purgatory” with the Island itself. Remember when Michael appeared to Hurley, he said he was not allowed to leave the Island. Just like the MIB. He wasn’t allowed into this sideways world and thus, was not afforded the opportunity to move on. Why? Because he had proven himself to be unworthy with his actions on the Island. He failed the test. The others, passed. They made it into Sideways world when they died — some before Jack, some years later. In Hurley’s case, maybe centuries later. They exist in this sideways world until they are “awakened” and they can only move on TOGETHER because they are linked. They are destined to be together for eternity. That was their destiny.
They were NOT linked to Anna Lucia, Daniel, Roussou, Alex, Miles, Lupidis, (and all the rest who weren’t in the chuch — basically everyone who wasn’t in season 1). Yet those people exist in Sideways world. Why? Well again, here’s where they leave it up to you to decide. The way I like to think about it, is that those people who were left behind in Sideways world have to find their own soulmates before they can wake up. It’s possible that those links aren’t people from the island but from their other life (Anna’s parnter, the guy she shot — Roussou’s husband, etc etc).
A lot of people have been talking about Ben and why he didn’t go into the Church. And if you think of Sideways world in this way, then it gives you the answer to that very question. Ben can’t move on yet because he hasn’t connected with the people he needs to. It’s going to be his job to awaken Roussou, Alex, Anna Lucia (maybe), Ethan, Goodspeed, his father and the rest. He has to attone for his sins more than he did by being Hurley’s number two. He has to do what Hurley and Desmond did for our Lostaways with his own people. He has to help them connect. And he can only move on when all the links in his chain are ready to. Same can be said for Faraday, Charlotte, Whidmore, Hawkins etc. It’s really a neat, and cool concept. At least to me.
But, from a more “behind the scenes” note: the reason Ben’s not in the church, and the reason no one is in the church but for Season 1 people is because they wrote the ending to the show after writing the pilot. And never changed it. The writers always said (and many didn’t believe them) that they knew their ending from the very first episode. I applaud them for that. It’s pretty fantastic. Originally Ben was supposed to have a 3 episode arc and be done. But he became a big part of the show. They could have easily changed their ending and put him in the church — but instead they problem solved it. Gave him a BRILLIANT moment with Locke outside the church … and then that was it. I loved that. For those that wonder — the original ending started the moment Jack walked into the church and touches the casket to Jack closing his eyes as the other plane flies away. That was always JJ’s ending. And they kept it.
For me the ending of this show means a lot. Not only because I worked on it, but because as a writer it inspired me in a way the medium had never done before. I’ve been inspired to write by great films. Maybe too many to count. And there have been amazing TV shows that I’ve loved (X-Files, 24, Sopranos, countless 1/2 hour shows). But none did what LOST did for me. None showed me that you could take huge risks (writing a show about faith for network TV) and stick to your creative guns and STILL please the audience. I learned a lot from the show as a writer. I learned even more from being around the incredible writers, producers, PAs, interns and everyone else who slaved on the show for 6 years.
In the end, for me, LOST was a touchstone show that dealt with faith, the afterlife, and all these big, spirtual questions that most shows don’t touch. And to me, they never once waivered from their core story — even with all the sci-fi elements they mixed in. To walk that long and daunting of a creative tightrope and survive is simply astounding. –
Rick Brown says:
Jen — YES! Your explanation is much closer to the interpretation that I had. But I would go a step further. I think the one thing missing from your interpretation is that the “Purpose Of The Island” (maintaining good/evil balance) seems to have nothing in particular to do with the “Purpose Of The Characters” (finding each other in “the afterlife”). My own interpretation is that these two themes had a much deeper connection. Here’s what I think I saw in this series (much of it echoes your thoughts–I wrote it before I read your message):
There are multiple versions of the universe, with multiple timelines; but the same set of “souls” occupies all of them.
In some timelines, certain souls cross paths, and form bonds, of a type so strong and close that they transcend all the timelines. Certain souls “belong” together.
But in other timelines, those very same souls may not quite cross paths, because of circumstances. They may meet, but not “realize” they belong together. Or they may just miss meeting each other at all. In these timelines, the people occupying these souls know that “something” is missing from their lives, but they don’t know what.
This failure to “find” each other is the greatest tragedy of existence. It is much worse than death (because what, after all, does “death” mean when you have an infinity of universes to occupy?).
And that was the purpose of the Island. It wasn’t to see that “Good” triumphs over “Evil,” nor even to see that Life triumphs over Death. Even the guardians of the Island said that its purpose was beyond life and death. The purpose of the Island was to make sure kindred souls can find each other in the multiplicity of universes they inhabit.
If you can’t find your soulmates, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. It just means they’re LOST. The light at the heart of the Island was the spark to make sure these souls would be brought together in their various existences. The “smoke” (if it escaped) would obscure that light.
When the characters spoke of the dire consequences of that, they never said anyone would die. They said things like, “everyone you care most about will be gone.” To me that means, “they’ll be out there somewhere, but you won’t be able to figure out how to find them. Oh, you’ll still see them in THIS universe, but in the million other universes, they’ll be Lost.” And that’s the unbearable tragedy.
Now, among the billions of souls looking for each other, a very small number get to actually visit the Island at some point. And having been so close to this special place, they form exceptionally strong bonds. The timeline in which they visited the Island leaves strong traces in them, even when these souls go on to live other lifetimes in other versions of the universe.
Usually, when kindred souls find each other, they sense their kinship, but have no “memory” of their other existences. But when an “Island Group” of souls meet up, a special “memory” is sparked in them, and they recognize each other from that other time.
And I use the word “memory” loosely. For none of the universes occurs “before” or “after” any of the others. “There is no ‘Now’ here,” as Jack’s father said. When such souls connect in any of their universes, a flood of recognition occurs—not from the future or the past, but from elsewhere.
And in that elsewhere—in the “Island version” of their lives—each of them is born, lives a time, and dies. And each of them “sees” that whole sequence whenever they connect in some different universe.
So, in the church scene in the finale, it’s not that any of the characters “are dead.” It’s that each of them sees the full span of their “Island lifetime,” including their inevitable death in that timeline. Jack didn’t say, “I’m dead.” He said “I died.” In their current timeline, they’re all quite alive (except for Jack’s father, of course, who arrived in a box.). Jack’s father was the only one who walked out the door in the end. He was on his way to start a new life in a different timeline. “Moving on,” as he said.
And I expect similar events occurred in a million other timelines which they just didn’t have time to show. In each of those, this special group manages to meet up somehow, and their recognition from the “Island Time” occurs. I think Desmond alone caught a glimpse of that process when Widmore “magnetized” him in one recent episode. Since that happened, Desmond seemed particularly optimistic. “None of this matters,” he kept saying. I think what he knew was that, in the multiplicity of other universes, this group would always find each other and recognize each other, and next to that wonderful fact, the little details of when and how they would enter and exit each timeline were as nothing.
Elle Davis says:
maybe they DID die when the plane crashed?
maybe the ISLAND WAS PERGATORY,
the players didnt know they were dead
the Island allowed them all to deal with issues/actions theyd had in real life such as:
Being given opportunities to REDEEM WRONGS they had committed in their LIVES before the crash..
EG Claire planned to give her baby up for adoption in real life, however on the island she was able to give birth, love and raise Aaron herself, only to have him taken from her again (when Kate left)- leading to her feeling the trauma of losing her baby-a consequence she would have suffered had she given him up.
OR develop an UNDERSTANDING of their actions in their lives, by experiencing circumstances similar on the island..
EG: In life, Sayid lost his love Nadia closing him off to all else after that. Then on the island he finally found love again with Shannon, then losT her when she died>>Perhaps payment for his time spent in life as an ‘interrogator’.
OR experience ‘REWARD’ for the way they lived when they were alive, before crashing..
EG: Roses cancer pausing was her & Bernards ‘reward’ for being lovely ppl, enabling them to live peacefully together forever if they chose to stay on the island(limbo) and not ‘move on’.
OR PAY PENNANCE whilst on the island before ‘moving on’ for past sins committed in their lives..
EG: ana lucia killed a man in real life, then faced the same fate herself on the island. This was never really dealt with on the island, hence her being ‘not ready’ when all the others met to move on together.
EG: Michael abandoned Walt in real life & losing him on the Island was punishment for this – AND, maybe Walt ACTUALLY SURVIVED the CRASH – which is why he didnt appear in the finale – and so his ‘living’ was represented by him being ‘kidnapped’..
And maybe when Jack was ‘dying on the island’ VINCENT the dog was the 1st of the dead to greet him as Jack was finally ready to leave the island and ‘move on’ after having seen the remaining ppl of the group off??
Ohhh man this show did my head in each and every week!!
The other ppl the Lost crew came across were there experiencing their own pergatory also – and the darma initiative etc created a common thread allowing them all to interact with eachother??
Mr black smoke and Jacob represented GOOD & EVIL and were there to test the crashers to see which side they would choose..
Ben allowed his daughter to be executed on the island and so had not completed his journey to move on with everyone else..
PS Im no expert (obviously!), just a tired fan, and my ideas are NOT consistent if u test them against everything that happened on the island so if u disagree with me GO EASY lol and put ur own thoughts forward.. but do u get the gist of what Im saying??
I cried at the end.. always sad when a long running show ends and you lose characters that have been a part of your life for so long- so in that regard, Lost gets a thumbs up as I cared about these ‘people’ and what became of them 
Chris Reynolds says:
I think they were all died when the plane crashed. I think their “Lost” souls wandered around until they found purpose and meaning. I would love to hear from the creators and find out what they have to say, but I think they all died when that plane hit the ground.
Nick says:
Sean, you helped me understand! Basically in short story, the life on the island and everything that happened was real, and the flash sideways was basically like the lobby to the afterlife, and they all waited to be reunited after being “lost” in the fake world to continue into the afterlife. So long story short, when they were in the church they were all dead!
Jack we saw die at the very last second an we presume hurley and Ben died after finding other candidates for them. Sun and Jin died in the sub, and most of the others died during the show, so the rest that were on the plane in the real world died of natural causes.
Alex says:
I just would like to know, who is Jack’s son in “purgatory”? Maybe his dad, helping Jack to “fix” their relationship!?
Brenda says:
They all dies with flight 815. When Rose told Jackseason 1 episode1)you can let go now, it was referring to his life on earth and to let his soul go, but he was not ready to go yet. Thus, the time spent on the island was needed for Jack to get to the other side and leave this world for another. The whole series was like a dream with smoke monsters, others and supernatural stuff.
Sariah says:
Okay I think Sean has some good explainations however my question is this. At the end when they were all in the church Claire was there with the baby. If the Oceanic six survived then why would the baby be there. Also when Jack and Kate hooked up after they got off the island was that real or a sideways view? All that confused me?
Paul says:
Jimmy, you have summed up exactly how I’m feeling. Ripped off !! We have a 100 questions about the island, none of which were answered. Had I known a few years ago, this was never going to be explained, I never ever would’ve got hooked on this show. The million twists in the plot line, that kept you intrigued and waiting for he next episode in the hope it would get you one step closer to the explanation. What a terrible terrible finish…
peewack says:
Why were Desmond and Penny in the church? they were not on the plane!
Alex says:
Hey guys,
I like your explanations. However, when it comes to Ben I’d like to chip in my comments: he couldn’t go into the church because his special person is Alex – yes BUT Alex died (she gets shot in Season 3 or 4 doesn’t she?). Ben says something along the lines of ‘I have some things I still need to work out, I think I’ll stay here a while’ – he stayed because he needs to show Alex that she too actually died and only then can they both move on. Obviously difficult to do, as he needs to make her remember, so she’ll see the island and how he lets her get shot, etc. but I believe that is why he stays.
As for the finale in general – I loved it. Yes, we could’ve gotten more answers with regards to the island, why they got there, what the island actually was. However, if you think about it, such answers would only spark more questions which I don’t think are relevant – ultimately the show was about the characters being lost in life, about their decisions (right/wrong, selfish/selfless), actions, etc. – the island gave them the chance to find their way in life, to find themselves.. Sure I’m curious about the island but I don’t think any other ending would have worked 
Reply
people need to see how clever the writing for this show is…yes the island had no direct tangible explanation for what it was and what it does but that’s the point why explain something so mystical why not leave it with the same air of mystery and intrigue that it was always supposed to have. the great thing about how the writers ended lost is that you are able to apply and draw your own metaphors and explanations from it whether that be what the island really is or what was beyond the light it doesn’t matter it lets you the viewer make those decisions. I think explanations would have only destroyed that feeling of awe about the island that had taken 6 series to achieve. T
he writers achieved exactly what they wanted to and that was bringing together the best narrative and character development ive ever seen on tv. it made u realise as a viewer the journey you had been on with these people and how much emotional attachment you had to them and in bringing an ending to that they succeeded spectacularly. I think the people who didnt enjoy the ending were looking for the wrong things from lost, it wasn’t for a comprehensive complex integrated answer of every question it posed (something that we all were probably expecting when it first started) but instead to make you realise how captivating it was as a story for your imagination and the relationship that you felt with the characters. And yes that’s is much more of a poietic and flowery reason to feel satisfied by but it was exactly what the writers were trying to achieve I think.
Well, my take on Lost is just a lil’ bit different from everyone else’s. I believe that everyone on Oceanic Flight 815 died instantly. A very lonely man in the States named Benjamin Linus had access to the Flight Manifest and began doing research on the people on board. He in turn began writing stories about the people and how he perceived their lives to be.
Turns out Lost has been a compilation of thoughts from the demonic mind of a very disturbed Ben Linus, who in real life was weak and had no real power, but on the island he wrote himself to be “THE LEADER OF THE OTHERS”.
He didn’t go into the church in the end because he was not dead. He was merely a specator watching is story come to an end. The end credits back this theory up, as they pan to nothing but plane wreckage from the very beginning which was originally all cleaned up by the survivors. This final image clearly shows that no one survived.
Sincerely,
Adam Kaboom
The island was (&is) simply the portal on earth to the afterlife. That’s why it needs guarding.It’s God’s “drain” in the bathtub.When Desmond pulled the plug on it, reality in both universes mixed & would have caused our reality to be sucked into the afterlife like matter into a black hole.The Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians all knew this. Witness the huge statue of Annubis that stood guard over the island. Also, the lighthouse showed the way to lost souls. A metaphysical “welcome home” rather than a warning.
i am i right in thinking that when jack died at the end of s6 was he lying in the same place as when he woke up in s1 ( in the bamboo field )
also if they all died in the crash then it would make sense that everything that happen on the island was all there conscience and sins and good and bad rolled into one and that they would have to deal with each issue as one so that they could all move on together as they all died together? which would explain why the numbers were important to hurley and each event was important to different people at different times which could also explain the flashbacks and the flashforwards so we knew whos issue they where in the first place.the sideway flash was purgatory.
make sense???
No explanation what so ever!6 years for what?Nothing answered.STUPID STUPID STUPID ENDING.Glen and Sean explain what happened in the last episode.We got it,we’re not stupid.What about all the ones before that?What Explanation did we get? NONE!!!So they died,met in the after life and we throw everything else out the window.Thanx for nothing!
youre all saying they all died instantly when the plane crashed at the begining but then how could the sideways flash and the island be purgatory????
I’ve been reading through all your comments in the vain hope of trying to find some answers! I was bitterly dissapointed after following the series religiously for six seasons for it to end like it did was a real anti-climax, i was still sitting there wondering what was goin g on after it had finished and felt i’d been done an injustice actually after they have promised and promised answers they’ve not really explained anything – especially where the island is concerned we never found out what it was – what the black smoke really was or where it came from or why there were polar bears etc there none of it makes any sense and i’ve been left feeling really frustrated by it. I never post commments on the net regarding these things but thats how annoyed about it i am – the amount of money they spent on the programme i really was expecting a spectacular ending and i think we’ve been left with more answers in the end than when it started – and i am bitterly disappointed in it!
i remember checking out the lost website after season 1 and there was a post up from producers listing what lost WASNT, this list included they are all dead, purgatory, they are dreaming etc… i feel so cheated i watched it for 6 seasons thinking it wasnt purgatory or that they are dead!! that was my theory from day one!!!!
Ok, Danielle. Apparently you didn’t listen to Christian at the end. Everything was real. The island did happen. What happened, happened. However, now they are all dead and the sideways was the “purgatory” they all made to meet up in. It was explained, but your theory was incorrect.
Wow Tony….has sad is it to be you?! How can you say no explanation? Connect the simple dots….you might have to think to put things into perspective, however. Starters…Dharma was explained away. They spent half of Season 5 to write our LOSTIES into the explanation of it. The statue on the island was of Taweret….the Egyptian Fertility goddess and protector. Obviously, the Egyptians came to the island before Jacob & MIB’s mother arrived. There were protectors of the island before Mother and protectors after Hurley…pretty easy to follow that. They had knowledge of what the island was clearly by the temple under the “others” temple with the image of the Smoke Monster OVER Anubis. Knowing this simple connection easily answers what the island is and why it needs to be protected. MIB never understood that.
The story of time travel was pure genius (even though many jumped ship at the time) because it explained Dharma and gave the LOSTIES their setup and character development for the endgame. Who cares about who was shot on the outrigger or the bird that says Hurley? The story of Walt was simple…he WAS special. However, Ben’s others weren’t following the will of Jacob…they were following the ruse setup by MIB. Ben’s mother’s ghost and Richard’s was NOT their ghosts but Smokey setting up his con on BEN….therefore, it is pretty clear that Ben’s Others wanted Walt off the island. He was special for THAT story’s arc, that was all. As far as why Aaron being born in the ALT timeline and showing up in the church….he was Claire & Kate’s special person that helped THEM pass on. Charles & Eloise obviously were working on two different sides because of different circumstances. There are many things that were answered…way more than i care to write about. I also know there are plenty that weren’t answered. But at the end of the day, what was so important to the story of LOST that didn’t get answered that would have changed ANYTHING as far as outcome goes? If we all were to follow your methodology, then story and character development DOESN’T matter. We should just take the greatest books and throw the middle chapters away because they are irrelevant to the story’s ending. Right?!
Agreed with the theory HOWEVER, many people are complaining that most of the mysteries were unexplained, I believe the show had those to create mystery, but the entirety of the show was to show the growth from how they started.
It is intersting to note that even though all the main characters took differest times to die and ‘work it out’ in purgatory, Ben and his daughter weren’t allowed to catch that particular sermon. They all took different times to get there, why should Ben/Alex be any different.
Also, how can it happen that this particular crash on the island is somehow more significant than any connections they may have made previously in their lives. For example: parent/child relationships or accomplishments in their professional lives, etc. I’m sure there are other people in the history of these Lostaways that would have prefered to ‘be’ at that sermon with their loved one.
We all should know there is no such thing as a time traveling island that is plugging up some kind of magnetic bomb. Satellites have mapped the world utterly and completely and the geo-magnetic behavior of Earth is well understood.
Clearly LOST is fiction and has plot holes and flaws. It should only ever be taken as entertainment and not the basis of anyones metaphysical or theological belief system.
Langster, I missed your writing credit after the episode. Please, everyone of your points is a theory. Every book or movie has a plot and a story. The plot is the actual facts that are explained and provide through image, words or dialogue. The story is what the viewer or reader fills in with their own experiences. It is pretty obvious that the series spiraled out of control for the writers. Character development, right? The journey is important, right? Sawyer, I missed that instant where they explain his change of heart from being so selfish. Time travel, genius. Hmmmm, Star Trek got 4 movies out of it. Comics have used it since the 50′s. Lost crossed the bounds of Sci Fiction. They crossed into a category that demands explanations. Even if you don’t have an answer. Lord of the Rings uses the word ‘shadow’, Star Trek used ‘anomaly’. They are words to describe something too big to explain but you accept them as an answer. It was brilliant how Daniel was the first to question purgatory and ‘love at first sight’ and a major character in season 5, but no resolution to his story…brilliant.
Your intelligence reminds me of a book called Ishmael. As passage about how smart scientist are. When you ask a scientist how a bird knows how to fly south or how do salmon find their way back to where they were hatched, it is always the same answer. Instinct. Instinct is a fancy way of saying ‘I don’t know’.
The writers of Lost didn’t know how to explain everything so they made a new ‘island’ and explained that.
Get off you high horse buddy (Langster)and realize that the island is the main character in a story called Lost and they didn’t have any character development for it, just background information. That is the problem people have with the ending.
Biggest load of rubbish ever to hit the screens, I hated the flashbacks it LOST me after the first year, I watched the last half hour hoping it would make sense but I should have known better it could have been a good series if the plots were not so stupid and more realistic!
Seriously? You couldn’t keep up with the flashbacks and you are criticizing the show’s finale? Maybe if you had paid attention and watched the entirety you could make a more informed argument.
Everyone died in the plane crash as to be expected if a plane breaks up at 40,000 feet. Whitmore did not create a fictional plane at the bottom of the ocean as Ben claimed. How could he and why would he? The island is purgatory where people get a chance to finish unfinished business either good or evil The sidways world was created from the magnetism and close attachments created on the island for some of the participants to work out their unfinished business.(Ever hear of spirits haunting friends after their death?) Whitmore came back tothe island finish his unfinished business with Ben but succumbed to John -the man in Black.Perhaps he had his own dark side. The ‘candidates” completed their unfinished business and their spirits could move on in the end. The only question is will they reappear in another time frame? Hurley was destined to remain on the island because of his unfinished business with the numbers (the curse) which drew him to the island. Ben switched from a man in black and killer of Jacob to a force for good if he helped Hurley – a true transformation which was not complete. The big question for me was who was Eloise Hawkins and how did she know what would occur of the candidates and John”s body went back to the island- eincarnation of Jacob and Man in Black’s mother who was doinrg her part in the real world???????????????
OMG! that was a fantastic ending to my favorite tv show!
I am on board with Jen Baker’s explanation, though not fully satisfied with the idea of the group of connected souls sharing the afterlife together exclusively. It would be more meaningful if the dead souls, as in life, could operate across sveral overlapping groups. Presumably all souls in all groups would ultimately connect (…in a 6 degrees of separation type way).
It would also have worked for me if the island was purgatory rather than sideways world. In this case they all died in the Oceanic crash.
Whatever, great show. Gonna miss it…
Those that loved the Lost weirdness might like to try reading William Golding’s “Pincher Martin” – a different kind of lost guy on an island. It has the best last line I’ve ever read. No spoilers please peeps
Everything on here is great, whether you are argueing points or just listing new ones that you deem important or missed. The finale was brilliant, as was the rest of the 6 seasons, and as a musician I greatly appreciated what they did with Faraday playing the piano with all (or at least most) of the music they had used every season. However, there were little things in the finale that I think were over looked. For instance, should Jack not have been turned into the “smoke monster” after he had saved the island. This gives them as writers consistancy, I think, and this could have actually given us more cloture because then instead of having good and evil on the island it would have been good and good (Jack and Hugo)… Also, as Jack was dieing he layed down and saw the plane. No problem with this scene, except how did he get out of the tunnel? (I know most people will probably see the last question and say ‘no big deal use your imagination’).
The Light that the island was protecting was Consciousness. Free flowing, unified, electric conscioussness. It exists in all of us, and without consciousness we would cease to exist. Without the “light” of consciousness we have only “dark”.
What a let down. Thye last two seasons were pretty averagethen this. So many holes in the story. I feel good and proper ripped off…………
ok guys after days of reading your opinions and views i would like to put my point accross the idea of “lost” was not on the island it was all about there souls being lost in pergatory. the tv network revealed the crash site at the end was just to show how far they had come. some one mentioned flash forwads and flash back, they were real the only part that wasnt real was the flash sideways that was there pergatory in which there souls had to find each other. forget the mysteries on the island that was just the part of their lives that meant the most to the people there.
The island clearly was not real in the corporeal sense. Even if the writers claim it was, the story they actually wrote contradicts that idea. When CS says that it was all real that has to be taken in the context that when asked if he is real, at that moment, when we know he is dead and he says “Yes, I am real, everything that happened to you is real” therefore expanding the definition of real. His point is that just because you died does not mean that experience does not continue hence the reason he says that these people are the most important people and things that happened to you(this is probably the boldest point the writers make, as opposed to the traditional, I go to heaven to see all the people from my past life, instead you make new lives and go forward). He is saying that Jack should not differentiate between the experience of his “life” and the experience of the world that he and the others had created together. In fact, there is even more to come. CS also said that some of these people died LONG before you and some died LONG after you. This statement makes it impossible for the island to have existed in the “real” world. They were not on the island long enough for anyway to use the English language word Long to describe the time difference between say a character that died the first few days on the island and Jack dying in the field. It is clear that not only did they not land on the island but there was never any flight at all. All of these people died at different times, in different places, under different circumstances. Obviously the writers are the equivalent of a freshman philosophy major so we cannot expect that in the end their ideas about such vast subjects as metaphysics, the nature of time, and life after death would amount to anything that could acdtually make sense. The subject was beyond them. They are also minor writers with marginal talent best suited for TV and movies where the plot is incidental to the action. In the end Lost started as a Sci-fi thriller and it ended up being a lame romance novel. It’s no accident that when the sum of the plots was added up, all we had were a series of love stories and sickly sentimentality.
I thought the whole show was well written. The good Jacob and the monster the devil are in all of us. We have to make the best we can out of ourselfs if you follow the wrong path you take longer to move up Jacobs ladder where love ones await your arrival. Most of them were there well ahead of Jack but alot still live on the island trying to forfill what they believe there lives should be.
Just a note… CS said “long after” because it was duly noted that Hurley and Ben had a relationship and protected the island for who knows how long, but did so for quite some time after Jack died. Also, it is uncertain how long Kate, Sawyer and Claire lived after the plane left, but it could have been another 50 – 70 years. Hence, long after. Please pay attention to make yourself better informed.
I agree the ending conflicts with 100’s of hours of viewing. The ending changed Lost from a great TV epic to a forgettable TV show.
Too bad, I was hoping for something deep and following the theme. The purgatory concept (which I believe exists) does not make sense with the Kate, Sawyer and the others still being alive.
This was a rip off ending. Tell me why the Claire’s baby at the end is dead as well and hasn’t grown one bit in the purgatory.
I agree with Edward regarding the writers lack of skill. In the coming months and years it will become evident that they had no real story arc conceived. The real difficulty I have with this is ethics. The producers, writers and network officials were intentionally misleading. They convinced us, the loyal fans, that we were not being led around by a carrot. We were constantly reassured that there was substance in our suspense, and that our patience and loyalty would not be given in vain. The writers have now admitted that they had no “plan” and that the plot points we were encouraged to follow so closely were a direct manipulation of our naivete. I am sorely disappointed in their lack of honesty as much as the show itself.
I have to agree with Mike-despite my love of the show, I have a definate feeling that there was no committment from the creators and producers to ever follow through on the many “red herring” plots they’ve thrown out at us. I was thouroughly satisfied with the ending at first, but on further thought, I realized that it had won me over by making everything before it seem inconsequential-I mean, when it comes to life and death, do we really care about why there is a wheel that moves the island through time? Well…yes! Once I came to my senses, I was as dissappointed as ever. I don’t think anyone here is asking for all the answers on a silver platter, but it would have been nice if they had had the courtesy to throw us a couple bones! Creativity is a nice trick to say “we couldn’t pull it all together so you guys just decide whatever you want”…nice
Whats the go with the Polar bear??????????? Biggest load off crap. More holes than a Spagetti strainer.The writers should be ashamed of them selfs. Boooooooooooooooooooooo
Many of the mysteries of lost are open to interpretation just look at the theories in this forum. This includes “The Sideways World” where Oceanic 815 didn’t happen. The characters didn’t say much about this “Sideways Flash” that happened frequently. This bothered me because if I was mentally leaping between two worlds I’d be commenting about it and getting other characters opinion on this phenomena.
Richard Alpert said everyone was dead and the island was hell. It was great that he asserted that theory. He was the second oldest on the island. I think he was basing it on his experience. The rest of the cast were in denial. They called him crazy. In actual fact, the true nature of the island was open to interpretation. I found this fascinating. He might be wrong and
he might be right. Perhaps, in later episodes of Lost, we’d find the truth. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Like many other mysteries on Lost, this one was dropped like a hot potato.
The same sort of thing happened with “The Sideways World”. It could have been an alternate reality created by nuclear explosion and electro magnetism of the island. If you were religiously inclined, it could have been Heaven or Purgatory. It could have simply been “wish fulfillment fantasies by characteries”. Relating “The Sideways World” to the powerful adversies on the island, it could have been a mind control illusion created by the phony mother of MIB and Jacob.
It’s up to the writers to make choices on their material, but they just left it up in air. This is creative laziness.
Lost is still lost.
Many of the mysteries of lost are open to interpretation just look at the theories in this forum. This includes “The Sideways World” where Oceanic 815 didn’t happen. The characters didn’t say much about this “Sideways Flash” that happened frequently. This bothered me because if I was mentally leaping between two worlds I’d be commenting about it and getting other characters opinion on this phenomena.
Richard Alpert said everyone was dead and the island was hell. It was great that he asserted that theory. He was the second oldest on the island. I think he was basing it on his experience. The rest of the cast were in denial. They called him crazy. In actual fact, the true nature of the island was open to interpretation. I found this fascinating. He might be wrong and
he might be right. Perhaps, in later episodes of Lost, we’d find the truth. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen. Like many other mysteries on Lost, this one was dropped like a hot potato.
The same sort of thing happened with “The Sideways World”. It could have been an alternate reality created by nuclear explosion and electro magnetism of the island. If you were religiously inclined, it could have been Heaven or Purgatory. It could have simply been “wish fulfillment fantasies by characteries”. Relating “The Sideways World” to the powerful adversies on the island, it could have been a mind control illusion created by the phony mother of MIB and Jacob.
It’s up to the writers to make choices on their material, but they just left it up in air. This is creative laziness.
Lost is still lost.
i liked the ending,he died where he woke up on the island.i still want to know what the numbers mean though
Wow I loved the finale! I’m so confused about a lot of things but I love trying to figure it all out. Thanks to everyone for all their opinions. I loved reading them. I’m not sure if I missed it…was Aaron in the church??? If so why wasn’t Jin and Sun’s daughter there too? I hope someone can help. Thanks to the writers for a fantastic 6 seasons. I’m going to miss it so much!
Lost was a great show and kept me watching every week…however:
If everything was real after the plane crash and some did survive, how was Lock able to walk again, how was Rose cured of cancer and how can Black Smoke be killing people. What’s real about that? You can’t mix up reality and fantasy in the same world, its gotto be one or the other. Was the time travelling real? Did the Oceanic 6 really manage to get off the island at one stage and actually manage to crash and survive again. Come on!!
Why were the 2 brother Black & White who were born on the island so special? Their mother was just another person who got stranded, as did many before her?
I know it’s a just a TV show and basically there is no real explanation cos not even the writers know but it is frustrating after 6 years of intense watching which was exactly the point of the show I guess.
why did they show the island at the bottom of the ocean at the start of the season?? at what happened when they set that bomb off at the end of season 5? i think they were all dead all the way through season 6…that bomb killed em. i thought that bomb must have sunk the island… but they never mentioned the island sinking again
well i think they were are all dead because of plane crash but those who had many sins in their lives had to suffer before reunion and island was the place to suffer and after they were done with that part they found each other in peace
Dave if you actually paid attention to LOST you would have under stood where the polar bear came from!! Personally the writers did a fantastic job and tied in everything perfectly!!
This is simple. THEY DIDN’T ALL DIE WHEN THE PLANE CRASHED IN S1, THE ISLAND WAS REAL AND EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED ON IT. I have no idea why some off you believe they died in the plane crash, it does not fit in anyway.
Adam Kaboom, we all have our own theories, thats cool but if you look again at the plane wreckage ater the show ends, you can see what I think are footprints in the sand. check it out.
Jack asked his Dad “Why are they all here now?” Christian replied “Well there is no now, here” and as he said, some died before you, some long after you, so it was just giving us the end of the story from Jack’s point of view, maybe when the writers said all along that the clue was in the Pilot, the clue was that we saw it all through Jack’s eyes.
All those of you who cant get your heads round it, i urge you to watch again, I was furious at being ripped off on Monday morning but after watching it 2nd time, things started to add up, if you’ve invested six years of your life in this thing we all loved, give it another 2 hours, I think you’ll be glad you did.
See you all in another life
PLEASE!!!! why was the island at the bottom of the ocean at the start of the season!!!! wtf????
Ok Jen Baker’s explanation was da best i’ve heard so far and Langster’s theory about the egyptians seems to make some sense too. But as numerous others have pointed our there are still some pretty big questions that weren’t answered or maybe i just can’t piece the explanations together. Has anybody got any ideas or theories about the following questions:
Why was the island at the bottom of the sea in “purgatory” (if that’s what the sideways world was)?
Is Jack’s son real? He only exists in purgatory but purgatory is like the lobby to the afterlife right, so then he doesn’t really exist? I would understand this if the sideways world was an alternative universe created when they detonated the hydrogen bomb at the end of Season 5 but that seems impossible after the finale…..
In season 5 how come Jack, Kate and Hurley were transported to the 70′s after the 2nd plane crash but Sun wasn’t?
Why was Jacob’s brother turned into the black smoke when he went down to the light but Jack wasn’t? I’m guessing Desmond wasn’t because of his special resistance to electromagnetism….
In season 4 it shows a flashforward for Jin where he is working in China and he isn’t with Sun. How is this possible when Jin never left the island after the original plane crash?
So the hydrogen bomb didn’t change the future then? Did they in fact end up causing the series of events that led to them crashing on the island in the first place?
During the 5th season Sun and Lepetus(the pilot) met Christian Shephard(black smoke?) and he told them to follow John Locke. Then they looked out the window and the black smoke(in the form of Locke) was outside. How cud the black smoke be impersonating Christian Shephard and John Locke at the exact same time?
What’s the deal with Sayid coming back to life?
How come Ben didn’t seem to remember any of the survivors who went back in time from his childhood? Especially Sayid! When Sayid tortured Ben in season 2, Ben didn’t seem to remember that the same man shot him when he was a kid! What’s goin on there?
Ok i know that’s a lot of questions but if anyone can help answer any of them please do!
Jen baker- I like your ideas very much and believe them to be very sound theories adhering to the storyline.
There is some confusion as to Desmond in many peoples’ eyes. First asking why he was in the church. Think of him as an angel there to help all of these lost souls on their way; and that he was following them through right to the end. He was put to the test through the electromagnetic field and couldn’t die no matter what earthly killing things he was subjected to.
Let us not forget that he too was on the plane sitting beside Jack. Yes, find it odd that he was not at the site of the plane wreck and also that he wasn’t mentioned until he showed up in the hatch, but consider for a moment that he died instantly in the crash. This would enable him to travel between the past, the island, and the sideways land with a strong insight as to what is happening in each.
This idea can be supported in numerous ways. The idea that he was trying to let all know that whatever they were doing didn’t really matter, and perhaps most importantly when the physicists mom asked Desmond if he was going to be taking her son too.
i am still using the numbers on my lottery ticket – don’t tell me I have been wasting my time?
I wasn’t taken for any ride. I love the characters, that is what made the show great to me. Also, don’t foget about the electromagnet field held in place by the light. Remember the black and white stones. It’s all about the balance between light and the dark, or life and death. Remember your symbolism lessons.
Personally I think that the show was disappointing. I wanted the island to be an ancient Egyptian relic from some time when Atlantis was around. I wanted the spirit of some alien to take over Locke. And I wanted to see modern people discover time travel via the island. Instead we got a kind of Roman Catholic purgatory with a ending that reminded me of what the far right Christians probably believe: you can kill anything and still go to heaven. Weird. The Americans should stick to Star Trek and stop taking the drugs.
does anyone think that the name “christian shepherd” has anything to do with the spiritual/christian type ending?
Did the director die and they drafted in a lamer without us knowing ??? who hadnt watched a single episode previous, tell me its true.
Actually, all your comments are welcome. Interpretation is unique to everyone’s own understanding.
I too was disappointed, but perhaps not with the ending but more so because Lost had come to an end.
The thing is, people are so used to watching shows and movies and getting all the answers in the end, which explains pretty much everything and leaves them feeling satisfied. Because Lost didn’t completely satisfy and answer everything, there were some bitter people being all grumpy. pity.
Lost IS great. Why else would anyone dedicate 6 years to it?
And on the topic of the UNANSWERED questions – too bad. I almost new everything wouldn’t be explained, and that made me sad, but just like in our own lives, there are plenty of mysteries and unexplained things which continue to be unexplained despite plenty of effort and years of study and research to explain them.
As the writers and cast say – Lost wouldn’t be Lost if they didn’t leave some questions unanswered.
Don’t be mad if you still don’t get it. Find a new show to get into, or take up your favourite sport again
peace
when Jack first woke up on the island they showed a shoot of his eye opening and at the end they showed a shoot of his eye closing, so maybe he did just die straight away after the plane crash and him when he opened his eye was awake for a minute and everything happened?
Thank you to all who have posted as it certainly has made things a touch clearer for me. Just wanted to say i thought the final episode was sensational and loved every second of it, but just wish it was clear as a bell and not tangent upon tangent for these years then try to tie up a % of them. The show has put out 100′s of unanswered questions and loose ends from day one, i am now tempted to yet again go over watching the series (without commercials). They got the world talking and achieved their goal but gee they’ve done millions of heads in as they sit back and pat themselves on the head. Are they really that good………..i havn’t enjoyed the torture over the journey, wish i could throttle them or have dinner with them and ask WTF.
why was Penny at the church?
You all miss the point completlety. It had the twist, but so much so, that you did not see it. And if you had youd see it did answer all the questions but not the way you wanted, you see. The whole series happened in a few seconds as Jack, thrown from the plane, the only actual survivor, saw in his mind the wasted possibilities of all those lives. The myserties are more like his dying dazed interpretations, the light in the island, is his life needing to be preserved. The time flash backs, forward, and sideways where revisions or hopes of escape. The smoke could have been the evil of the exploding plane. He died indeed, where hed been thrown and when he did, they all died. The severe truth makes sense but diminshes the mysteries, but we then see why the beauty of the story was indeed with the lost lives of all those people all along. John