Finally, the Finale

            Knowing that I was the person who would have the answer, people would always ask me the same question about the end of the show: What do you think happened? They would also tell me that they thought it was terrible and confusing. In a brief summary I will explain what I believed happened and why the ending is not as bad as others make it out to be. I think a spoiler alert is implied.

            The final season is separated by alternative-flashbacks and the reality on the island. On the island, the remainders of the survivors are fighting the smoke monster, aka the man in black, who is actually is a bitter ghost-like presence whose only desire is to leave the island. He cannot leave, however, because the island's electromagnetic containment prevents him from doing so (This is the most farfetched concept on show but once you understand it, it gets easier to accept). By releasing the electromagnetism, the man in black would be able to leave the island as cause havoc somewhere else. It's as simple as that. In the process of doing so, a few survivors die but what's a finale without losing a few casualties.

            We find out that the flashbacks are actually the island's way of  regrouping the original survivors in the afterlife. Each survivor was "lost" in some way, or broken. The island "found" them in a way that none of them ever expected. Instead of healing their mortal soul, the island felt that is was more important to give the survivors eternal rest. Every person on the island had a loved one. By reuniting them in purgatory (which was the alternate flashback), the survivors could finally be at peace with the one they loved in the afterlife, which I assume is heaven.

            Then there were those people who understood the ending but didn't like it because it wasn't climactic enough. I thought the ending was great because the show was about more than just excitement all the time. The show taught me that these characters were too broken on the island to be repaired. After all the characters left their mortal bodies, they wandered around in purgatory looking for their soul mate. When they found that person, they met at a church and waited until everybody they were close to arrived to walk to nirvana together.


            As long as there is an overlying resolution between all the characters, which there was, then they left me as a satisfied fan.

What the show leaves the audience with after the show ends and the credits roll: a view of the beach

Lost: On Location

     Having been filmed on the beautiful Hawaiian island of Oahu, Lost had another feature that drew in a crowd, scenery. Because most of the characters had an undying thirst for exploration and adventure, almost every episode featured a new spot of beauty. The crash site on the beach was the prettiest spot which was fortunate because it became the main setting for the first few seasons.

Mokule'ia Beach was used as the crash site on the show.

            Even when not exploring the characters found a way to enjoy the peace and serenity that comes from being on a deserted island, by enjoying the view. On the show Hurley builds a golf course with no lines and the best view a pro golfer could ask for.

Ka'a'awa Valley made the perfect spot for Hurley's golf course.

            Every scene of the show was shot in Hawaii, including the ones that were set in Korea, Sydney, L.A., even Iraq. Some of the most unique locations had to be found to film such complex scenes, especially the scenes set in Africa on a dry, sandy field; a rare sight in Hawaii. The crew utilized their resources with extreme precision to convince their viewers that what they were seeing was real and not just a set.

Old Waialua Sugar Mill was the set for a
Nigerian village in the show

            I was captivated from the beginning. The show turned a tropical paradise into a new world for me just waiting to be explored.

            For a fee, the island of Lost can be yours for a few hours if you take guided tours and have the island explained to you. OR you can search the locations on Google maps and find a way to sneak into the areas that are blocked off which is what I plan to do when I visit Oahu in the future. If you're a true fan of Lost your thrill for exploration will stray you from the guided tour and take an expedition for yourself. Try not to get Lost though.