Slog
News & ArtsThursday, May 20, 2010
TV LOST: Discuss
Posted by Gillian Anderson on Thu, May 20, 2010 at 2:08 PM
The Lost finale is this Sunday. There are many unanswered questions and not much time left. Obviously, not everything will be explained. Which doesn’t bother me that much; I don’t mind having things to mull over after it’s over. However, I still have questions.
What is sideways world? How are the two worlds connected?
At the rate we’ve been going lately, is anyone going to survive this thing? And are the dead people forever-dead? Is Richard finally dead?
What was Charles Widmore up to? Was he good or bad? Who is Penny’s mother? Why was Widmore on the island way back when? What did he want from the island?
Is Ben really a bad guy? Is he a follower or a decision maker?
What is Desmond's role?
What does being “infected” mean? What’s the deal with the island healing people but having weird fertility issues?
What is the smoke monster? Why can’t it fly off the island? Why does it need the plane, or does it? Why can’t it cross a line of ash or the sonic fence?
Sigh. As Jacob and MIB's adopted mother said, questions bring more questions. (Where did that lady come from, anyway?)
Predictions? Questions? Discuss.
1
Predicitions: In the end it will be Jack and John sitting on a beach. John will turn to Jack and say the same thing the MIB said to Jacob when they were on the beach, about how much he hates him.
Also, everyone else dies. Everyone. But it's a good thing.
And during the show, you'll see a preview of Jin on his new show Hawaii 5-0 and Bill Shatner in his show. The first will blow you away, the latter will make you realize you miss Archie Bunker.
Also, everyone else dies. Everyone. But it's a good thing.
And during the show, you'll see a preview of Jin on his new show Hawaii 5-0 and Bill Shatner in his show. The first will blow you away, the latter will make you realize you miss Archie Bunker.
2
So, let me summarize these questions in one question: "What is Lost about?"
And that's the problem. Not only is not much explained, but NOTHING is explained, at least not in any way that makes a lick of sense or is in any way consistent with what came before. I hung in there for a while, but now I can do nothing but laugh and groan. The whole thing is ridiculous.
Nonsense != genius.
And that's the problem. Not only is not much explained, but NOTHING is explained, at least not in any way that makes a lick of sense or is in any way consistent with what came before. I hung in there for a while, but now I can do nothing but laugh and groan. The whole thing is ridiculous.
Nonsense != genius.
4
Most of these are really good questions. I thought that the question about why Widmore was on the island way back had been answered, though. Wasn't the military on the island doing testing, and he was on of those people? Also, I feel like all of the smoke monster questions have been answered at this point. It can't fly off of the island because it IS the man in black, and he can't leave for all of the reasons they've explained. Even in smoke monster form. He doesn't need the plane. All of the "we're all going to get off of the island together because I can't leave without you" stuff was just a ruse to get them all together so he could kill them, because the real deal is that he can't leave the island if one of them is alive to protect it. Are you all caught up?
5
Do we really WANT to know why the smoke monster can't cross the ashes or leave the island? It's part of the rules of that universe and that has to be enough. The last thing Lost needs is its own version midichlorians over-rationalizing something that's inherently mystical and kind of silly if you bother to think about it.
I still want to know how the fertility issues made any sense. The healing thing could stem from the light that's the source of all life or whatever, but the issues with conception seem backwards to me.
WTF happened with Richard?! That CANNOT be the end of him, after getting his own episode and everything. I thought he couldn't die because of Jacob's "gift," so hopefully it was just a (too) convenient way to get him out of the scene so Linus could pull off his backstab.
I still want to know how the fertility issues made any sense. The healing thing could stem from the light that's the source of all life or whatever, but the issues with conception seem backwards to me.
WTF happened with Richard?! That CANNOT be the end of him, after getting his own episode and everything. I thought he couldn't die because of Jacob's "gift," so hopefully it was just a (too) convenient way to get him out of the scene so Linus could pull off his backstab.
6
Why are food crates still being airdropped on the island
What is the island
What are the numbers
Where is Walt
Has the entire show been Vincent the Dog’s daydream?
What is the island
What are the numbers
Where is Walt
Has the entire show been Vincent the Dog’s daydream?
9
Are we ever actually going to get to see Smokie transform from human form to smoke?? Or learn his real name?
Also- it's well established that the smoke monster can take the form of any dead person on the island (and if I remember correctly, Lana stated that he was stuck as Locke because Jacob was dead.) So now that a replacement has been chosen, does that mean he can shapeshift again? Because the idea of him taking the form of Juliet, Libby, Locke's dad, etc in order to mess with the survivors sounds pretty cool.
Also- it's well established that the smoke monster can take the form of any dead person on the island (and if I remember correctly, Lana stated that he was stuck as Locke because Jacob was dead.) So now that a replacement has been chosen, does that mean he can shapeshift again? Because the idea of him taking the form of Juliet, Libby, Locke's dad, etc in order to mess with the survivors sounds pretty cool.
12
@9, smokie is Jacob's brother. And @5, I'm guessing the fertility issues have to do with smokie being tossed in the light by Jacob long ago - remember his mother said the light was life. Kinda starting to sound like Jacob was just a fuckup in the grand scheme of things. I have a feeling we'll get a lot of answers Sunday, but a looooong way from all of them.
13
I'm curious about the who-can-kill-who rules, though this seems unlikely to be explained to any satisfying degree.
How does alternate Hurley now recognize Ana Lucia? If there's some kind of progressive bleed from the "original" universe, does it also affect people who weren't directly affiliated with the plane crash? If so, wouldn't those global consequences make a better TV show than Flash Forward?
Meanwhile, if Alison Janney had just been a little more of a verbal explainer, and a little less inclined to hit people with rocks, this whole thing could have gone a lot smoother.
My finale prediction: Jack dies. Sawyer, the man Juliette made, takes over for him. Kate is sad. Sun and Jin live happily ever after in the alternate universe. I'm watching to find out what happens to Desmond.
How does alternate Hurley now recognize Ana Lucia? If there's some kind of progressive bleed from the "original" universe, does it also affect people who weren't directly affiliated with the plane crash? If so, wouldn't those global consequences make a better TV show than Flash Forward?
Meanwhile, if Alison Janney had just been a little more of a verbal explainer, and a little less inclined to hit people with rocks, this whole thing could have gone a lot smoother.
My finale prediction: Jack dies. Sawyer, the man Juliette made, takes over for him. Kate is sad. Sun and Jin live happily ever after in the alternate universe. I'm watching to find out what happens to Desmond.
16
@13 I am holding out for Desmond's and Hurley's happy ending.
Also, if you want Sawyer and Miles to have their own buddy-cop show, you may express that opinion my joining this Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Give-Sawye…
Also, if you want Sawyer and Miles to have their own buddy-cop show, you may express that opinion my joining this Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Give-Sawye…
17
Spoilers: Lee Adama gets fat. Noah Bennett doesn't sell paper. The Senator is a Doll. That ain't no Shepherd.
20
@11 If this was anywhere NEAR as bad as the ending to BSG, they'd just abruptly end it with a hasty explanation of "God did it" and "Jacob and MiB where angels". The End.
(Fuck... just thinking about BSG's retarded ending again is making my ass twitch.)
(Fuck... just thinking about BSG's retarded ending again is making my ass twitch.)
22
@21 (also @10, 11) you gave enough of a shit to post your retarded comment in a thread about it.
The series ends on Sunday -- maybe don't read Slog or watch TV in the meantime, you'll never have to shit your pants over people discussing it again, you miserable, sour bowel obstruction.
The series ends on Sunday -- maybe don't read Slog or watch TV in the meantime, you'll never have to shit your pants over people discussing it again, you miserable, sour bowel obstruction.
24
MIB = Esau
And you'll all be way more pissed off the BSG fans. Waaaay more. Seriously, you'll feel robbed of the precious hours of your life you wasted on this steaming pile of hot-tub, time machine mess.
And you'll all be way more pissed off the BSG fans. Waaaay more. Seriously, you'll feel robbed of the precious hours of your life you wasted on this steaming pile of hot-tub, time machine mess.
25
they can still win it, and here's how:
remember how the very first show of season 6 opened with a flyover shot of the island completely submerged under water?
remember when we found out the island was the cork that keeps evil in?
so... in the final scene, they'll move the island one last time and it will vanish in a flash like when ben turned the wheel. at that exact same moment, there will be a breaking news report that the deepwater horizon oil leak has been miraculously stopped by the appearance of an island on the ocean floor, covering the drill site. there will be a series of flashes on the screen, and suddenly none of us will have any recollection of the last six years of watching lost... but we'll all have moments of fleeting familiarity with some of the actors, and bouts of deja vu when they discover the remains of a village and other structures on the submerged island, as well as when they start recycling plot points in whatever show they come up with to replace it.
boom. that's how you write a tv show.
remember how the very first show of season 6 opened with a flyover shot of the island completely submerged under water?
remember when we found out the island was the cork that keeps evil in?
so... in the final scene, they'll move the island one last time and it will vanish in a flash like when ben turned the wheel. at that exact same moment, there will be a breaking news report that the deepwater horizon oil leak has been miraculously stopped by the appearance of an island on the ocean floor, covering the drill site. there will be a series of flashes on the screen, and suddenly none of us will have any recollection of the last six years of watching lost... but we'll all have moments of fleeting familiarity with some of the actors, and bouts of deja vu when they discover the remains of a village and other structures on the submerged island, as well as when they start recycling plot points in whatever show they come up with to replace it.
boom. that's how you write a tv show.
28
@11 & 20: I'm right there with ya'll on that one, but here's how I've successfully convinced myself that the end of LOST won't be the giant deus-ex-fuck-the-audience-machina that the finale of BSG was: ...
...ok, I thought I had some good reasons but trying to put then down here in a cogent form made me realize they all essentially boiled down to hope & faith based on my biases towards circumstantial evidence, and I purport to be a man of science! Frak, I deserve to get screwed over again, don't I!? SON OF A BITCH!
...ok, I thought I had some good reasons but trying to put then down here in a cogent form made me realize they all essentially boiled down to hope & faith based on my biases towards circumstantial evidence, and I purport to be a man of science! Frak, I deserve to get screwed over again, don't I!? SON OF A BITCH!
30
@14: Okay, I'm actually kinda proud that I understand each of those references. And I don't know that I should be.
@17: I only maybe get 3/4. I feel a little less awful about myself now. Or maybe more awful. I'm not sure.
@21: Man, how can you at least not be enjoying all the little tidbits that people are referencing here? I don't watch it myself, but I think listening to someone talking about it is endlessly entertaining. Smoke monsters, polar bears in the tropics, a moving island that heals maladies at the cost of fertility (and how the F do they know it affects their fertility anyway?), people dying and resurrecting, a sonic fence (constructed out of coconuts, I'm guessing?) and a sideways world? I can't stop laughing because of how ridiculous the whole thing sounds. All these things combined sound like a 14-year-old kid on cocaine writing "teh best show EVAR!"
@17: I only maybe get 3/4. I feel a little less awful about myself now. Or maybe more awful. I'm not sure.
@21: Man, how can you at least not be enjoying all the little tidbits that people are referencing here? I don't watch it myself, but I think listening to someone talking about it is endlessly entertaining. Smoke monsters, polar bears in the tropics, a moving island that heals maladies at the cost of fertility (and how the F do they know it affects their fertility anyway?), people dying and resurrecting, a sonic fence (constructed out of coconuts, I'm guessing?) and a sideways world? I can't stop laughing because of how ridiculous the whole thing sounds. All these things combined sound like a 14-year-old kid on cocaine writing "teh best show EVAR!"
31
Answers to Gillian's Questions:
1)Alternate reality, ie the old parallel worlds trick. But, I think we have a merge coming and more explaination in the finale.
2)Supposedly, dead is dead but does that apply to alternate realities? I'm guessing that Richard is not dead...seems telling that we didn't see his body, and the character is beloved enough to warrant a bigger send-off.
3)I don't think we are going to get a ton of Widmore answers...maybe a few, but I'm guessing that will all be addressed in the inevitable spin-off comics and novels...
4)Ambivalence is the name of the game on Lost...the theme has always been, EVERYONE is capable of great evil and great good.
5)Desmond is the Constant.
6)Electomagnetic poisoning/disturbances...if the Heart of the Island is damaged, it effects life on the Island...and the World.
7)Electomagnetic cyber being? The laws of the Island do not allow it to exist outside the sphere of the Island. Jumbo pseudo science/superstition.
8)she's Mother Nature, duh!
And the ultimate explaination for what the Island is?
Daisyworld
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisyworld
1)Alternate reality, ie the old parallel worlds trick. But, I think we have a merge coming and more explaination in the finale.
2)Supposedly, dead is dead but does that apply to alternate realities? I'm guessing that Richard is not dead...seems telling that we didn't see his body, and the character is beloved enough to warrant a bigger send-off.
3)I don't think we are going to get a ton of Widmore answers...maybe a few, but I'm guessing that will all be addressed in the inevitable spin-off comics and novels...
4)Ambivalence is the name of the game on Lost...the theme has always been, EVERYONE is capable of great evil and great good.
5)Desmond is the Constant.
6)Electomagnetic poisoning/disturbances...if the Heart of the Island is damaged, it effects life on the Island...and the World.
7)Electomagnetic cyber being? The laws of the Island do not allow it to exist outside the sphere of the Island. Jumbo pseudo science/superstition.
8)she's Mother Nature, duh!
And the ultimate explaination for what the Island is?
Daisyworld
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daisyworld
32
Fellow LOST observers…
Do not be confused by the simplistic "white" and "black" devices to deterimine what is good and what is evil.
Do not be confused by your attraction to Jack, Sawyer, Kate or even Hurley when you attempt to determine what is good and what is evil.
The Smoke Monster is acting in morally justified ways, and is one of the few characters on the Island who is doing so.
Let's review:
1) The Smoke Monster was transported, against the will of his pregnant mother, to the Island. In short, he was kidnapped.
2) The Smoke Monster's mother was brutally murdered by those on the Island who seek to "protect" the Island.
3) The Smoke Monster has been attempting to escape his captors since the earliest days of his time on the Island.
4) The Smoke Monster, as a baby, did not choose to be wrapped in a black blanket.
5) The protectors of the Island have created the propaganda of good and evil, black and white, to cover their own culpability and brutish acts of murder and manipulation. 6) Jacob, initially a victim of the Island Protectors, has taken on their fight as his own.
7) Jacob accepted, without due dilligence, the story of his murderess adoptive mother.
8) Jacob attempted to murder the Smoke Monster, and in the process created the Smoke Monster.
9) Jacob has kidnapped and manipulated the primary LOST characters, substituting his judgement of the value of their lives for his own judgement.
10) The LOST Characters are merely pawns in a crime, primarily being committed, now, by Jacob.
11) Jack, by agreeing to take on the job of Island protector, is assuming the culpability of the Island Protectors.
12) Ignorance is not a morally justifiable excuse for the continuation of murder, manipulation and kidnapping.
13) Given the circumstances, Rose and Bernard have taken perhaps the only morally justifiable position relative to the war that is being fought, by refusing to play along (though, they might be more justified to join in the fight of the Smoke Monster).
14) The Smoke Monster has been acting in self-defense, and is justified in killing those who would join themselves to the cause of murder and kidnapping, even where they've chosen to do so in ignorance.
FREE THE SMOKE MONSTER!!!
More...
Do not be confused by the simplistic "white" and "black" devices to deterimine what is good and what is evil.
Do not be confused by your attraction to Jack, Sawyer, Kate or even Hurley when you attempt to determine what is good and what is evil.
The Smoke Monster is acting in morally justified ways, and is one of the few characters on the Island who is doing so.
Let's review:
1) The Smoke Monster was transported, against the will of his pregnant mother, to the Island. In short, he was kidnapped.
2) The Smoke Monster's mother was brutally murdered by those on the Island who seek to "protect" the Island.
3) The Smoke Monster has been attempting to escape his captors since the earliest days of his time on the Island.
4) The Smoke Monster, as a baby, did not choose to be wrapped in a black blanket.
5) The protectors of the Island have created the propaganda of good and evil, black and white, to cover their own culpability and brutish acts of murder and manipulation. 6) Jacob, initially a victim of the Island Protectors, has taken on their fight as his own.
7) Jacob accepted, without due dilligence, the story of his murderess adoptive mother.
8) Jacob attempted to murder the Smoke Monster, and in the process created the Smoke Monster.
9) Jacob has kidnapped and manipulated the primary LOST characters, substituting his judgement of the value of their lives for his own judgement.
10) The LOST Characters are merely pawns in a crime, primarily being committed, now, by Jacob.
11) Jack, by agreeing to take on the job of Island protector, is assuming the culpability of the Island Protectors.
12) Ignorance is not a morally justifiable excuse for the continuation of murder, manipulation and kidnapping.
13) Given the circumstances, Rose and Bernard have taken perhaps the only morally justifiable position relative to the war that is being fought, by refusing to play along (though, they might be more justified to join in the fight of the Smoke Monster).
14) The Smoke Monster has been acting in self-defense, and is justified in killing those who would join themselves to the cause of murder and kidnapping, even where they've chosen to do so in ignorance.
FREE THE SMOKE MONSTER!!!
33
Dude, Tim, the Losties wanted to go home. Smokey blowing up the sub was cold hearted murder. Wanting to leave an island is not grounds to commit murder of unsuspecting people.
Both Jacob and the Smoke Monster are in the wrong. Of course, if there isn't an island protector, then humanity dies, so I'm a bit more on team Jacob than team Smoke Monster.
Both Jacob and the Smoke Monster are in the wrong. Of course, if there isn't an island protector, then humanity dies, so I'm a bit more on team Jacob than team Smoke Monster.
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