Throughout its six seasons (that’s 121 episodes in total!) Lost dealt with more themes than you could probably name (redemption, good and evil, religion, philosophy, parental issues, to name but a few), but right near the top of that list would be the issue of fate vs. free will. Do we really have a set course which we are destined to follow or can we choose our own paths? Two of the show’s key characters, Locke and Jack, had multiple disagreements on this issue, with Jack stubbornly holding his ground for most of the show as “the man of science” and Locke holding down the fort as “the man of faith.” It was only after Locke’s unfortunate death (which some say was a flat-out mistake for the show as a whole) that Jack began to see the light, as it were. By the end of season 6 he had taken a 180-degree turn from where he was in season 1 and had become the man Locke always said he’d be (“I don’t believe in destiny,” Jack once said, with Locke retorting, “Yes you do. You just don’t know it yet.”). This transformative arc of Jack’s could almost be looked at as a parallel of some of Lost’s most faithful fans, those who may have started the show thinking everything was clear cut and had to have an answer, but by sticking with it right to the end realized it was better to have faith in the unknown. That ambiguous and happy ending felt truly earned in my eyes.
So Lost may have been populated by polar bears in the jungle, a mysterious black smoke monster, strange research “hatches” all over the place and a four-toed statue (the list goes on...) but at its core it was a show about characters. And making the “Sideways” world (a clever development of the flashback/forward storytelling device) actually be, according to the theory I believe in, a holding ground before the characters moved on to a better place (whatever that place may be, it’s up to you to decide) was quite the stroke of brilliance. It’s an area of belief I don’t hold in my own life but I was invested enough in the show to believe in it within this context. A show which can temporarily change your whole philosophy is quite special indeed.
In the end Lost may not have been perfect however I believe the ending was. But that’s just me.
Namaste and good luck.
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Article comments
1 - El Bicho
Glad the ending worked for you. I found it unsatisfying because the way the afterlife works was rather unbelievable, though convenient in making everyone feel warm and fuzzy that our characters would live together forever. Also rather unfair for the producers to set up so many unanswered plot points and then complain that fans were concerned about the plot points.
I watched the first four seasons on DVD/Blu and then watched the rest as they aired. I really enjoyed the first season when it was more of anthology show as the characters were revealed to us. Once they started with the Hatch, it was a good thing I wasn't watching week to week because I wouldn't have lasted with how ridiculous things would get at times, though there were some very good moments along the way.
2 - steven
For those first couple of seasons, I think mystery was a much bigger part of the story than character. Even going into the final season the producers where selling mystery and promising answers (as they had done from around season 3)
3 - Ross Miller
@El Bicho,
As I said in the article I admit the ending was sentimental and, yes, perhaps a little convenient as far as allowing the characters to "sail off into the sunset" but I felt that it was truly earned. It ties into the faith side of things as opposed to the sceience which, as I also said, I may not agree with in my personal life but I could totally buy into within the context of the show. I don't really see how the "afterlife" they showed could not make sense as no one can really say what it's really like, or if there is such a thing. Even if the issue comes down to how the show presented that sort of an "in-between" world and the mechanics of it, it exists completely in a world of its own from my point of view. As Jack's father says - "There is no NOW... here." It can't be thought of in our real terms, hence all the coincidences during the Sideways world.
But I respect your opinion, if it didn't work for you that's fair enough. Thanks for commenting on the article without attacking me for liking it, by the way :P
4 - David Gleason
Ross Miller...for years people attacked me for liking the show or just made fun of me, granted, some people stuck by my side, but now the show seems to be looked at with confusion by many people...This was my all time favorite show, i started it when i was 11 years old. I am now almost 20. I have watched it 5 times through, and still pick up something new every time. It affected me in many way and i know that might sound silly, no other show has ever come CLOSE to me wanting to watch it even twice. This show did something for me, it was different, you have explained every thought I believe. And i could not agree more. Thank you
5 - Ross Miller
@David,
Glad you enjoyed the article and nice to see someone as enthusiastic about the show as I am. I feel the same - it's more than just a show, some people brush it off as such. I've watched it about 8 times all the way through myself and get something new from it each time. Thanks for reading!