The End of Lost

(Spoilers. Run away.) After watching 'The End', the answers of Lost didn't immediately jump out at me. But when you sit back and think about it there's some sense to it all. It's abstract sense. These aren't solid answers but they relate to the show as a whole and may frustrate a lot of people. That being said, this episode seems to sum up the whole series. It's a real conclusion. Sort of.

Everyone meets in the 'flash-sideways' and have emotional montages of their time in 'the other life'. The flashes where they all suddenly remember each other - Claire and Charlie, Sawyer and Juliet, Sayid and Shannon (remember Shannon?) - are some of the warmest moments television has ever had to offer. All the women were tragically killed off one by one and now the men have got them back in a different reality. That's nice. These relationships (and not just the romantic ones) are the emotional centre of the episode, and the whole of the show. They make up what the whole thing has been about.

The thing is, this 'flash-sideways' business hasn't been an alternative timeline, it's been a sort of purgatory. All the characters have died at some point in their lives and have gone to this other place to be with each other again. Apparently 'they made it themselves', which doesn't make a lot of sense. And they meet up in a church, which seems off balance. As Jack's father opens the doors a bright light comes in and takes them to 'another place'. Where? It's easy to see some religious significance here, but I think to do that would lessen this story. The man's called Christian Sheppard and he's sending them off to heaven. But that doesn't mean anything right? This has always been a show of alternate realities. There's no need to shove religion in there. It doesn't need it. It's far more interesting without and carry itself with it's own fantasy.

Back on the island, the whole thing is almost cleared up. It's not spelt out, and that can be annoying. Because even though this is an emotionally satisying ending, it leaves you with questions to ponder. All the answers are there if you look though and there's space for individual interpretation. Admittedly, millions of people don't want to work it out for themselves, but that's what they've got. Basically, there's a light at 'the heart of the island' that everyone is fighting over. The smoke monster wants to extinguish it and leave the island so he can (probably) end all humanity. This light has to be protected and the evil smoke monster imprisoned. That's the island.

And what does the light do? Apparently 'there's a little bit of it' in everyone. If you're willing to go down a slightly uncomfortable route, you could say that the light is humanity itself. The thing that has been shown throughout the show and in this episode's emotional flashes. Lost has been about this light. Everyone being nice to each other. The smoke monster think's everyone's corrupt and Jacob disagrees. He shows them these people. That'll do.