I was someone who went into Season 6 wanting answers to the show's burning questions. Not the Dharma Initiative or The Others. To me that was always a sign saying there have been many people coming to the Island for their own purposes, and there will be many more to come.
I wanted the mythology answers. I wanted the monster, the secrets, the whole Jacob back-story. I wanted the Temple, the Statue, the Tunnels...I wanted all of that. As the season progressed, they seemed to be scratching the surface of some of these. What I later realized is that, that is the way it would stay.
As season 6 progressed, it became much more spiritual and a lot more character-centric. Through all the excitement of Season 5, I wanted more excitement...until I realized I was re-falling in love with these characters in new ways. As it moved on, especially after Dr. Linus, I wanted less about the mythology and the conversations that, again, scratched the surface of the history (as cool as that was), and I wanted more of the slow, nice scenes between characters.
I absolutely loved Recon. It delved into Widmore's team and Sawyer's character. Then came Richard's episode, which I was very excited about. As much as I loved the answers, it was the ending that stuck with me, when Hurley was talking to him from his wife. I did like The Package, but not as much as others (not a big Sun and Jin fan). I loved Happily Ever After (who doesn't love Desmond-centric episodes). I adored Everybody Loves Hugo and loved the way we were given the answer to the whispers...we got it answered through character relationships.
But it was The Last Recruit that became on of my favourite episodes of the series. This is where i barely cared about the answers anymore, and I just wanted more and more character resolution, more alliance shifting, and just more...everything! And that's just what that episode delivered. The Candidate seemed to sum up the series (life and death, love and hate, action and suspense, horror, thrilling, emotional). Across the Sea was wonderful...I felt the series needed an answers episode like this. What They Died for was a great mix of mythology and characters, as well.
But nothing compared to The End. Simply the most incredible piece of television or movie I have ever seen. By then I didn't even care one bit about the answers. I was just rooting for the characters to go against the Man in Black. It brought back nostalgia (Michael Giachinno's trekking music), it had new sets (the amazing waterfall/heart of the Island set), the CGI was fantastic, the stakes were high...and I was rooting for the characters the whole way through.
The flashsideway's character's memories were beautiful and the music to them was perfect. The Monster's death was climatic and dramatic. Hurley being Jacob was just perfect for me. 6 people safely made it off the Island and lived happy lives(I presume this because of what Kate said to Jack about missing him so much, as if she hadn't seen him in many, many years after they kissed goodbye)...which by the way, was perfect: Jack and Kate being together. And Rose, Bernard, and Vincent lived happily ever after. And Jack...Jack got redemption. Of the 13 people left at the end of the show (including Jack), all of them got happy endings.
But nothing compared to the final scene. It was just so beautiful. And it doesn't matter what happened to them after they all moved on...that's up to you guys (hence the stained glass window with the 6 major religions on it in the room with Christian's coffin) - it doesn't matter what religion you are, it's just whatever the "moving on" meant to you. And it was all perfectly put with Jack's death, knowing he didn't have to die alone, and him knowing he had actually rescued some people when he saw the Ajira Plane fly overhead.
It all worked so perfectly.
I'm still collecting my thoughts from that final scene, and Jack's death will go down as one of the greatest death scenes in television history.
I cannot wait to re-watch the entire series, now caring more for the characters then ever before, I can enjoy the series in a different way.
Congratulations Darlton, on making something so different and so beautiful...something like this only comes around every generation or so.
Nothing will ever compare to this story. Others will try, but will never hit the notes Lost hit.
It was never about the answers everyone. It was about the characters and the relationships between them. I hope all of you who were disappointed with the finale and the sixth season can appreciate it more now.
And I don't think I'll be seeing the answers on the DVD set. I'm at peace where it is now, and I don't even think I want to know what happened to Walt or anything. To me, Walt's resolution was going home and living a happy, normal life. I just hoped he eventually got closure on his poor father.
And thank you Lostpedia, for providing all of us Losties a place to meet up and discuss and comment and review...and also for helping through the very difficult Lost withdrawal. You've done well :)
Amen.