Episode 112 The End
May 23, 2010 by Donald Mikhail and Charlotte
Filed under Most Recent, Tv and Film
The End folks! Leave your thought emails and voicemails 206-984-1289. Leave me enough stuff to talk about for the next year!
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AWESOME! 10 out of 10, nothing disappointed me, even Kate was good this episode. I just have the watch the ending like 100 times. A lot of people had theories come true, Jack would die protecting the island, the sideways are after the island (kind of), and the show would end with Jack’s eye closing. AWESOME!
Well I left a voicemail, but I think I can get my point across a little better on here.Fantastic episode! Left me scratching my head but so far I think the meeting at the church was all of the Losties dead but at themselves on the island. In the church time and space was negated and it was just the meeting of everyone from the crash excluding a few (michael,anna,walt etc). So some memories of after they died lingered as well. Citing Hugo and Bens exchange about being a good number one and a good number two. LOVE THE PODCAST. HOPE THERE’S A RE-WATCH!
I have to say, my group did not like the ending at all. I feel like I was coaxed into investing in the ATL, only to learn that it was ultimately meaningless. I really thought Darlton were pulling everything together really well, right up until Jack’s dad tells him that he and everyone else is in Purgatory. For us, it was an irritating end, that simultaneously doesn’t fit with other details of the ATL. For example, if it’s a fantasy created by our Losties, then why does the island still exist, but under water? In that world, they should have no knowledge of the island’s existence to even put it there. I have to say, my initial reaction is that I was very disappointed.
can’t help it…just loved seeing Sawyer and Juliet together again…I loved all those flashes…even loved Jack and Kate together…and when Locke forgave Ben, the tears started and didn’t stop until the end. For me, I couldn’t have asked for more… I know that all those people who wanted answers probably hated it, but for me, it touched my heart in a way that I will not forget
I sincerely hope that those who didn’t like it get it one day. LOST has been an AWESOME lesson of how our perspective and outlook on life changes THE END. It has definitely changed mine. As they say “I can’t make you do it” but you’ll have to decide for yourself one day…
LOST has been the best story been told this century so far…
My rating 1,000,000 out of ten; or even more: infinite out of ten…
I… just loved it! Shannon should’ve been on the poll.
What can one say about the Lost finale.
Sadness.
Sadness, that it’s over after 6 years.
Sadness, about the Losties’ final fate, sadness mixed with Happiness for their next journey.
A little curiosity, about mysteries unsolved, and answers not given.
A mix of understanding and awe for the writers’ failures and their awesome accomplishments.
It was a worthwhile ending that left the series’ legacy intact.
I thought that the series finale was an emotional powerhouse, it was very satisfying to me to see so many of the Losties together and happy at the end. Even Ben, in his own way, was able to find some peace and forgiveness. I loved that Jack was able to see the plane flying away before he shut his eyes on the island. I think the way the show delivered on the emotional resolution to the characters’ stories was superb.
What an emotionally gratifying 2 and a half hours after 6 years of following out Losties. The finale was, as it has always been, a character based epic but this time there was no holding back. The island, with its powers, mysteries, and various inhabitants are just the environment in which our friends for the last 6 years lived out their eventful post Oceanic 815 lives.
In the end, it was about friends, love and family (the important things in life) and not how many toes a statue had or what was written on a wall.
People will debate about the Sideways World and speculate on what it is, in the same way we speculated about the island, but this doesn’t matter. What matters is that our Losties have complete their journey; they have let go and they are together forever.
I was thrilled with how the episode was going until probably the last 15 minutes with the whole church scene. I’m not sure how I feel about that yet but my initial reaction was that I was pretty annoyed. Did anybody else think of “Titanic”? Every time the characters had those “remembering” moments I got goosebumps, it was done extremely well. Definitely need to sit and think on this for awhile, like ten years, to fully understand what the hell just happened. Lost will be missed for sure though.
So I went with my wife to the airport to try and go to LA X for the finale, but they said I only had part 1 of my ticket. Sure enough in LA X, they had a kiosk where we would print out part two. Then I remembered, i did not want to go anyway because of how bad What Kate Does was. But I got over that after I Substituted it for the Lighthouse and got on the plane just before Sundown. Sick people on the plane lead to the question, “Is there a doctor on the plane?” To which a Dr. Linus happily obliged. He did a little Recon and found the patient with an acute case of Ab Aeterno (in retrospect, I may have heard that wrong). in any event, I thought I was getting my luggage set to spend the rest of the trip Happily Ever After, but actually picked up the Package belonging to a man named Hugo. When he found out, he was most gracious and I replied, thanks for understanding, I love you. His response? Everybody Loves Hugo! Finally, I made the Last Recruit of the taxistand and picked out my Candidate who happened to be from Across the Sea. He told me he was the last survivor from his rickety boat and he wanted to succeed so that What They Died For (his family) would matter. Of course, I was moved, so I tipped him heavily and that was The End of the taxi ride. Once at the destination, I viewed the finale of Lost and got home in time to vote for a 5 on Donaldislost.com. The End.
Um, Donald–hot awards–Dr Chang????!!!! That is why I voted for “Other”. Totally loved the finale, and I was really worried about Season Six before. It has been redeemed. There were so many funny lines, great scenes. It was a super finale.
Hey Donald,
I love your podcast! I love your creativity with your ALT podcasting universe and your impersonations. Bring back Charlotte!
I also really liked the finale. I am still processing it, but I have s very strong theory: I think they all died in the crash of 815. We all know the Island has a talent for resurrecting the dead, and that’s what happened to the LOSTies. My idea it its entirety is a little long, so I am including a blog post where I describe it in more detail:
http://susanjacobson.livejournal.com/175791.html#cutid1
I also think that if the LOSTies died on 815, then the episode Walkabout was a huge long con perpetrated by the writers on the audience. We were all so impressed with the idea that John Locke, once in a wheelchair, was miraculously able to walk on the island that we overlooked the obvious: all of the LOSTies miraculously recovered from the death and shattered bones that surely resulted from the crash of Oceanic 815.
Well I waited until the day after to post my feelings, but they haven’t changed. I really liked the ending. Of course there is lots of ambiguity, but we knew that was coming.
Like most everyone else, I wanted more. More story, more answers, more episodes, etc. However, the way they wrapped things up, was not only really touching and well done, but it seems to make sense.
Favorite lines
Jack reveals to MIB that he’s going to kill him, and when asked how?
“It’s a surprise”
Kate: “I saved a bullet for you”
And how about Hurley. He takes over for Jacob as protector of the island!!!
So it seems that this really was the story of Jack and how he ultimately fulfilled his destiny.
Awesome episode
Looking forward to your upcoming podcast(s).
peace
Len
>
OMG….
Donald, I really LOVED how it all came together!
This show has always been about these “flawed” characters that found themselves on this crazy island. They worked through their struggles seeking redemption and forgiveness. They found LOVE and each other.
My man Jack finally fulfilled his purpose. And Kate came up BIG too, shooting MIB! I loved all the “awakening” and got some great JATE moments!
This show is SO rich and layered, I’m still trying to grasp it all and that will probably me take a lifetime….AWESOME!!!!
Anyway, thank you for all your podcast, they really made my LOST experience enjoyable!
LOSTIE FOR LIFE!
It sucked! I’m so pissed. I feel like I wasted all of this time and thought. How much time was wasted between all of the podcasts and website wikipedia lookups to find out there was nothing substantial. I’m pissed.
Max
I agree Max….. the ending left a sour taste in my mouth…. kinda like Dallas when you watch a whole season only to realise Bobby was alive & it was all a dream.
This is like that, but I’ve spent 6 years….. not just one
I loved the touchy feely bits and Jack dying at the end was done really well.
I just feel betrayed …… all the numbers, dharma, Rousseau etc…. all meant zip
I loved it! It made sense that the island time would be the most important time in most of these characters lives, especially as Jacob picked them because they were flawed and alone. The island stuff still happened and they didn’t all die at the same time. I also liked that not all of the characters were ready to let go- like Eliose Hawking, who knew she killed Daniel and made his life lousy. So she had “time” in the limbo/pergatory world with Daniel as he wanted to be- a musician. I loved all the reniouns, very touching, even if they were dead when they reunited.
I agree with Len. The ending was really only Jack’s ending. We know who else died on the island: Jacob, Smokey (Locke), Sayid, Juliet, Sun and Jin. We know that Hurley, with Ben as his sidekick, became the new protector of the island. But we will never know what ultimately became of Kate, Sawyer, Claire, Richard, Miles and Aaron.
The finale was great for 2 hours and 20 minutes, but the last 10 minutes disappointed me. I wanted resolution to the main characters’ lives and we didn’t get it.
Thanks for doing what you do, Donald.
Ok, I think I can consider myself one of the people who wanted to know more about the cabin, the ash, the food drops and all that other stuff…..but as I was watching the episode…I realized i just didn’t care about that no more. For example, Desmond goes into the light and we see that the Cork has hieroglyphs on it, answering that the temple/statue was probably there long before mother/jacob/MiB.
But thats not my point, I took note of it, but didn’t let it take me away from what was about to happen…..
And once Christian started talking, it was a wrap, I let go……and I moved on….I moved on from the questions, I moved on and away from the negative feed back and was just extremely satisfied with that ending. You honestly could not have ended it a better way. Perhaps a closing shot of Ben and Hurley eating breakfast on the beach with Vincent….but thats about it….
I’m just afraid the show in the future will be referred to as “That show where everyone was dead all along” when that was not really the case at all…
Usually, this would be the type of ending I love, with favorite characters reunited, happy, and “going into the light.” But after watching for 6 years, I feel I deserved more. I deserve more specific answers and clarification.
For heavens sake, when did all these people actually die? Surely, they have not been dead since the plane crash! That would negate the entire story!
To have some sense of resolution, I have to believe that those who survived the plane crash have real experiences on the island. Over time they all die. They resolve their final issues, experience sideways lives to achieve final desires, and accept their own deaths, and then are all reunited. People who are not yet ready to leave do not gather at the church with Kate and Jack. Only their close-knit group are together.
Still leaves me with a lot of confusing unresolved issues.(Six years worth!)
And what makes no sense whatsoever are Kate, Claire, and Sawyer getting on the plane and leaving! Lapidus, etc. yes. But for Kate, Claire, and Sawyer I can think of no sensible explanation.
Unless, and here is where I get upset, the story is all about Jack and is all in his mind!! He wants Kate and Claire safe and “imagines” Sawyer getting them to safety. (alhough why??, since he already has the sideway lives going) But if it is all in Jack’s mind, then it makes the whole “wonderful” six years of Lost a long drawn out waste of time for me, since the writers never clued me in to what was happening, and kept throwing in all the extra mysteries that meant nothing at all.
I am disappointed.
I loved the lead-up, and the island timeline ended beautifully. But I have to say that I HATED the Sideways ending at first. I am completely agnostic, and I felt like I was just duped into watching some creepy, sci-fi version of religious propaganda. But after listening to you and others on about 9587247 podcasts, it is starting to grow on me.
I am now realizing that the Sideways doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘purgatory’, afterlife, heaven, or ‘crossing over’; it could also be explained by science. It is possible that this sideways is a collective subconscious reality that the Losties made up together before they died, and that the light that poured into the church could be the same kind of light that was under the island. As Mother said, “there is a little bit of this light inside all of us”. It all makes sense now!
The only qualm I am left with now is this: Jacob was in charge for 2000 years, and never figured out how to kill Smokey. But Jack is in charge for 8 minutes, and figures it out?????? It’s minor, but it seems a little odd to me.
I also want to say that you have an amazing talent, and your brilliance and wonderful imagination has brought something to the LOST podcasting community that no one else could. My theory is that if you don’t continue podcasting, the island will be destroyed and all of LOST would have been all for nothing! Keep up the good work, Donald. I am just starting to watch X-Files for the first time, and can’t wait to follow your X-Files podcast (plug!)
I loved this episode, and Series. I mostly loved listening to all the Podcasters, and people in the community. It was great watching this show alone, and then watching it with the COLLECTIVE all week. the HIGHLIGHT for me this entire season, didnt come from the actual SHOW, but the parody, “ACROSS THE INTERNET”. I really hope you have more to talk about, and really like the way Donald, Len, Axel & Heath all chat together. This is a great 4-some for any PODCAST. I really hope theres still lots to discuss LOST-wise, but I’ll listen to you guys bullS%#T about anything… GREAT WORK you put in “BROTHA”…
My friends and I absolutely loved this episode and the one that preceded it, What They DIed For, which really felt like it was part of the Finale. I was very satisfied with both the on and off Island stories — and surprised by both as well.
The on Island stuff played out like I thought it would, with the exception of the very tricky way that both Desmond’s and Jack’s talents and determination were required to kill Smokey and fix poor Jacob’s hasty mistake. But that was so wonderful, and really worked in the context of the show’s themes, especially since Jack had to have faith that he would be successful, and would figure out what to do, since ‘the burning bush’ didn’t tell him. : – )
And Hurley and Ben together — wonderful for them both — Ben gets to be special!
Off Island being the Bardo, or way station, was a pleasing surprise. Prior to this episode I had thought that LA X might have been a parallel world (Jughead punctured a hole in the time/space continum) and that we’d see some sort of blending somehow. Their ending was better: it provided us with a way to see how the characters had matured on the Island and also allowed us, the audience, to celebrate them. Kate was running TO people, Sawyer was a Detective (recollects his happy time as LaFleur), and realizing his need to connect and be honest, Jack was letting go of his daddy issues and trying to have a father-son relationship, Locke was letting go of his self-punishment and victimhood, Sayid was letting go of his old story and was getting the oppty to be his best self with Shannon (ditto for her), Hurley was comfortable and doing good with his wealth and Ben was staying behind to connect with Danielle and Alex, and perhaps finally have real family… and so forth. I cried loads and missed the series — I’ll be rewatching the whole series this summer!
As for those who wanted more answers, so many of the answers are REALLY there, or can be fairly confidently surmised, given the many, many clues and literary symbols & allusions provided over the years, in these last episodes and in the Official pod/vid casts and by doing some reading.
It is also important, I think, for people to realize that some of the ‘clues’ weren’t literal — they were just to direct your thinking, to make an allusion or hint about deeper plot lines. In some the fan casts & emails, I think folks sometimes get too literal and that they make things more difficult, rather than less.
I’m already missing Lost and its great fan community. Thanks again for all that you’ve done to make the Lost World!
Loved the ending! took me a minute to “get it” but once I got “it” It was like falling in love all over again. The scene with Juliet and Sawyer had me crying!
Kinda felt a little sympathy for Ben when Jack tells Hurley that he has to be the island protector and they show a quick shot of Ben’s face. Also I think that Ben is doing what Eloise is, she knows where they are and accepts it for what it is (limbo)to be with her loved ones.
Donald you are great, I am normally just a lurker but I think I have heard you on just about everyones podcast this week! Great insights and thanks to the whole Lost Community for making this a much better expierence!
I was initially confused and disappointed until I thought about it for a few days, and read some other analyses. To summarize, I liked the island part of the finale but still on the fence about the flash-sideways.
I really thought the flash sideways represented the divergence in time, created by detonating the Jughead, and was looking forward to a wild moment when the two timelines would converge again. Alas — purgatory???? Not particularly satisfying. Or interesting either. And accepting Sayid and Shannon as true love? Not bloody likely. I like to think that true love was more typified by Charlie’s or Sayid’s act of sacrificing their lives for the good of their friends.
But, I did like the island conclusion. I always felt that Hurley would be the “one”, so was very satisfied with that. And Ben as the new Richard Alpert was sweet. Someone has proposed that the whole flash sideways was Hurley’s idea, a way to give all the people he loved something they really wanted, and I sort of like that explanation. The whole “cork” thing was a little goofy, hard to watch without laughing. But overall, I’m OK with the mythology.
Throughout season six, I’ve expected that any plot contrivances introduced in seasons 3 and 4 were not likely to be resolved, because the creators were just treading water during those seasons, waiting for an end date. But I really anticipated that plot lines introduced in season 5 would be resolved. So that leads to the question, “What DID the detonation of Jughead really do?” I don’t see that it did anything other than get the Losties back to 2007. I’m OK with not answering every little thing, but that was sort of a big thing, don’t you think?
I loved LOST. I’ve been a fan since the pilot episode and I hate to see it end. I’ll be a fan forever, even if the ending wasn’t perfect. I actually love that they left a lot open to theorize about because that means there will be podcasts for a while longer. And to tell you the truth — the best thing about LOST was the community. Thanks, Donald, for all that you’ve done to make this a wonderful experience!
Dying to hear the next mytharc.
To all the naysayers. It all boils down to the fact that the folks who are dissatisfied with the ending of ‘Lost’ seem to be those who were in it for the wrong reasons. They wanted all the answers, when in fact the series was never about “all the answers” in the first place. It was about the characters.
The last 10 minutes of the finale, which I’ve watched about 20 times, was the most poignant piece of television viewing I have ever experienced.
The best metaphor of “The End” which seems to have gone unnoticed or at least devoid of comments was the scene with Sawyer and Juliet pulling the plug at the candy machine to release the candy bar. Think of it as it relates to Desmond and Jack at the core of the Island. “It worked!”
HULK ANGRY !!! HULK SMASH !!!
An e-mail from Sir Michael Randolph Mazes, RT to Kevin Rookard, CVT:
Hi My Brother,
You know Kevin, the more I think about what you said about Lost – The Final Show – the angrier I get about J.J. Abrams & Company! Now I love & respect their work (i.e.- Alias, Lost, & Star Trek). but they had a total disrespect for their Black Male fan base! And you’re right…Michael/Kevin (our namesake), Walt, Mr. Eko, Abbadon, etc., should have been in that Church! The Damn Dog Is On The Last Show, & Michael/Kevin, Walt, & Mr. Eko, aren’t !?! And I don’t care how big the actor who plays Walt is now. That Church… supposedly transcended Time & Space. So Walt could have been there; no problem. And so…my vision was correct! Just not the way I thought it would be. We both saw something in the final episode, very specific to You & Me. Besides, check it out Kevin. J.J. Abrams, promised that the final episode, would prove that they knew what they were doing from the very beginning. I say the opposite is true. And I base it on Walt. If I created Lost, & respected Black people, & I knew what I was doing from the very beginning, I would have cast a younger Walt (or Emmanuel Lewis ), who never would have a teenage growth spurt. I tried to communicate this coming problem to you, in the 1st season. But I could never find the right way to tell you. I knew, & lot of people knew, that the character of Walt – as cast – would soon hit a growth spurt of adolescence, & that would make his character have to be removed from the show. But Michael, shouldn’t have had to pay the price for THEIR (J.J. Abrams & Company’s) casting mistake. Although the character who played young Walt, was Great! He was in Antwone Fisher, a movie that really spoke to Me.
Now Kevin, if I ever become rich & famous (and I fully intend to), & I meet J.J. Abrams. He & I, are going to have a little problem with each other. And I’m going to have to tell him, what You & I think as loyal Black Male Fans of Lost. He totally disrespected us!!! Hell…why not make Sawyer the Murderer!?! We discussed this. Not only would it have fit his character, but he could have easily been redeemed with Time. Michael (my namesake) is supposedly trapped in HELL on the Island !!! Hell…what island? Was there even an Island @ all? Were they trapped in “Limbo”? You & I figured that out in the first season! And I’m not going to buy the whole series on DVD (Pop-Up or Not), & look @ it all over again; EVER. Because You & I figured it all out a long time ago. But J.J. Abrams mislead us, & said, “NO…they are not Dead, & NO…they are not in LIMBO!” WHAT-THE-HELL !!! How could You & I ( two intelligent Black Men) figure out Lost (& we really tried), if the creators are lying to us?
And you know what? It’s appropriate that J.J. Abrams got Star Trek. As you know, I’m a huge Star Trek (both Classic & TNG), & DS9 fan! And I wrote that great STAR TREK Next Generation Script, that stupid & lazy Lolita Fatjio lost! DAMN IT !!! I NEVER EVEN GOT A CRITIQUE BECAUSE HER NEGLIGENT ACTIONS !!!But back to J.J. Abrams, & the new “Classic Star Trek” films. I hope I won’t have the same problem with J.J. Abrams treatment of his Black Male characters, as I did with the Late/Great Gene Roddenberry. Because he unfortunately, had no respect for his Black Male fans. And I think, if you’re a writer, & you don’t have any respect for Black Males, don’t put us in your Damn Stories!!! Because I’d rather LOST would have been “Lilly White”, than to do what they did to Michael/Kevin, Walt, Mr. Eko, etc. They screwed up, & sacrificed the Black Man to make up for THEIR mistake. I’M VERY UPSET AND ANGRY !!! >:-(
So that’s my story, Kevin…& I’m sticking to it.
Later Man,
Michael
p.s.- I’m saving this e-mail Kevin, & if you don’t mind, I want to post it all over the Internet. So that J.J. Abrams & Company, will have to read it, & also deal with it. Please let me know what you think. We can both post it. Especially on Lostpedia. http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page , “Donald Is Lost”, etc.
Seriously? Have you all LOST it? The writers wanted it to be about the characters, according to them. Then why did they hook us all on the science and the mysteries of the island? Every season cliffhanger was a new mystery? And if the cared about characters so much, why did the take the best character ever created (ben linus), and reduce him to this patheic waste of an existance? I was looking for answers, and all they gave us was more characters. Seriously. The reason why many of us watched the show was because of the science fiction, the soap opera however good, was a side effect. I think both were good and necessary for the show to be successful, but you have to finalize both, and not just the emotional part of the show.
It’s like watching the Matrix without knowing what the Matrix was. Thats how i feel.
Donald, thanks for wasting all of your time with us, you’ve been extremely entertaining to say the least. Keep up the excitement and quirkiness, its truly an admirable quality.
Max from the windy city