The End.

SPOILERS for the finale of LOST
Do not even think about reading this post if you haven't seen the finale or plan on watching this series.

Made you look. No really, please don't read these spoilers.

I can't believe it's over. I don't understand why there can't be an episode on Tuesday. I'll even accept a hiatus. Clearly there is story left to tell. It may not be the most interesting story, but I don't mind.

I'm not religious at all. I wasn't raised that way, never have been. However, like many Christians I know don't come close to their scary stereotype, I'm not you're stereotypical imposing or Nihilist Atheist. It only made me more fascinated and interested in this show's religious imagery and message.

This is relevant because, somehow despite all of this, I honestly loved and understood the finale of Lost. I think the only time my blatant Atheism caught up with me is when I kept thinking "why do they want to leave? They could just stay in the Sideways world forever and make out!" But no one likes to be stuck, and that isn't the way stories go. You move on, wherever or whatever "on" is. I rolled my eyes a tad at the brilliantly lit doorway, but that's just me.

A lot of people are coming away from the finale thinking that they all died on the plane crash and have been dead this whole time. "Ah ha!" these people cry. "We predicted this back in Season One! I knew it! What a lazy way to end this wonderful show! That wasn't surprising at all." But I'm pretty sure these people are wrong. Doubt me? Go watch what Christian said to Jack in the church again. Here's a direct linky-link to the scene. All the characters died whenever they died, regardless of whether or not their death happened during the context of the show. Time doesn't exist in the Sideways. The island, and everything that happened on it, was real.

Hurley went on protecting the island with Ben. The people on the Ajira flight presumably landed somewhere led out their lives. (Though didn't Charles Widmore say that plane was laced with explosives? Why didn't that come back to haunt anyone?) I'm extremely curious to know what Richard Alpert did off the island. I'm sure Kate and Claire went back to Aaron. Sawyer probably got to know his daughter and Juliet's sister. Miles and Frank went home.

So yeah, I don't think anyone predicted in Season One that Jack would sacrifice his life, Hurley and Ben Linus would run the island and that all the castaways and people most affected by the experience would create an afterlife where they could correct past mistakes, find the people they love and be with them forever. Maybe the first one.

However, you say, why were people missing at the church? These are my thoughts, combined with what I've read. Walt lived a fulfilling life off the island, he didn't need the Sideways. Let's be real, no one wanted to see Michael, Arnst or Nikki and Paulo. Michael's probably there, but like Ana Lucia, isn't ready yet. Or chose to spend more time in the Sideways, like Ben did. There are some reunions we clearly didn't see, like Boone's.

Also, what was with those images over the closing credits though? That was strange to me. Maybe it was just to make us reflect on last time.

ETA: ABC has confirmed that those images were for reflection only; they weren't part of the story.

Also ALSO, how much easier would it have been if they treated the minor mysteries the way they did on Buffy? Doc Jensen from Entertainment Weekly talked a little about this once. Because the island is on a Hellmouth, from a certain point of view. All the minor mysteries about babies and electromagnetism and children with super powers could have been explained away if they just came out and said "Listen. The island is on top of this thing, and because of that, a lot of weird shit is prone to occur."

“the most important part of your life was the time you spent with these people. that’s why all of you are here. nobody does it alone. you needed them, and they needed you.”- Christian

In the end, the show is about characters and love. It's the title of this blog; it's too real for science fiction. That's what I've loved about it all along. Throw some time travel at me? I'll take it. Weird mind experiments and hippie organizations? Sure! Weird mythology and metaphors? I love all of them. But the characters are still the most fascinating, and this show would have failed if they hadn't been so compelling. I don't mind still having questions about what it all meant and what actually happened. It makes the show not over. I just wanted the characters I cared about to be happy, and I got that.

Live Together, Die Alone
Leah

PS: The Dharma Initiative was using polar bears to do various experiments. One of these experiments involved teleportation. They explained that years ago. It is not a mystery.