Umm...

Since no one has posted after me yet, here is a picture of me as a polar bear getting shot by Sawyer!

Well, This Is The End

Alright, here it goes. I guess I should open by saying that I loved it. I thought it was great, surpassed all my expectations. Granted those expectations were lower than they were in February because I still think a lot of this season was sub par, but like I said two weeks ago, this team has never blown a finale. They really knocked it out of the park.

The stuff on the island was all pretty great. Particularly the AMAZING fight scene on the cliffs between Jack and Smokey. When that commercial break hit the entire room of people I was with went crazy.

The most telling sign that this episode was incredibly well handled was that I didn't throw anything at the television when Kate kissed Jack, I never thought I would have been on board with that. (Although I was terrified that she was going to have that exact same scene with Sawyer like five minutes later, luckily that didn't happen)

The cave was still an incredibly vague metaphor for life/good/actual light/I don't really know. But it did look pretty cool when Desmond pulled the cork (teehee?) and then Smokey started bleeding. "Looks like you were wrong too."

I really wish I would have blogged last week (sorry about that) because my theory all week was that Jack would die and Hurley would take over the protector role. Ahhh, I also said that Miles would kill Smokey though, so we can call those a wash. I thought it was great when Hurley recruited Ben to be his Richard, really nice. The one story I wish we knew more about after this episode is the Hurley/Ben administrated Island.

What else... OH. Vincent saved Desmond! We got a double dose of Vincent this week actually. But, know that he's the one that found Desmond was pretty awesome. "Bark, Bark," said Vincent. "What's that boy? Little Desmond got thrown in a well? Take me there we have to get him out!"

I'm sure I'm forgetting something awesome that happened on the Island but I'm going to switch over now to the LAX timeline.

So, here is my theory. This will be my last ever Lost theory, that is kind of sad. So, when everyone was having their moments of realization, it was not important so much if they remembered a little bit, like Charlie on the plane. Charlie didn't have his real moment until he was back stage with Kate and Claire. And that "real" moment of realization was not that we were on an Island and we know each other. The "real" moment of realization, as it was with Jack, was that I am dead. And you could tell the difference, once they realized they were dead, everyone got those goofy joyful grins on their faces. How adorable was it when Hurley first saw Charlie and was just so happy to see him? Then after they could accept that they were dead, they could help the others accept it and then they could all move on... to Heaven or Nirvana or Shang-ri-la or wherever.

Desmond was the first person to have the full realization which is why he, and not Charlie, went to task finding everyone. It's probably also why he didn't have any problem running John over with a car, I mean, we're all already dead.

This makes the scene between Hurley and Ben at the end really sad to me and also makes his apology to Locke really poignant. Ben still hasn't forgiven himself for so many of the things he's responsible for and won't allow himself to move on.

Of all the "moments of realization" I think my favorite two were Charlie and Claire's (when Charlie was crying and saying hi to Aaron... choked up a little) and James and Juliet's. All of the LAX time line stuff was sooooo sentimental and just total fan service until the last scene. And I am totally okay with that. I was just as sappy as the next guy last night.

This is the end. Probably not my last post... but the last reacting to a new episode. Really sad.

Love, Hydra

Preface

Hey all, just got home from watching. I think I'm going to go to sleep and wake up in the morning to write my post in order to give it the consideration it deserves. I'll see you tomorrow morning but just wanted to say that I'm liking more and more the more I sit with it. Talk to you tomorrow. -Hydra

"I get wonky around dead stuff."

Maybe I'm just really busy finishing up my senior thesis by next week, or maybe I've been putting off writing this because I know once I post it we're that much closer to the finale and I don't want to admit that - but either way, it is now Sunday morning and I am only just getting my post up.

Pearl is right, we did kind of loose our groove on here the last few weeks, but I know that everyone is feeling emotional and a little confused today, and I want to let you all know that the remaining writers of You Blog, Everybody are here for you. Not to alienate our non-Harry Potter fans, but this weekend has felt reminiscent of when the 7th book came out. You didn't know whether to feel happy or sad, excited or depressed, curious or terrified.

The best part is that we all get to experience this together. We're all watching the last episode of Lost, we're all going to laugh and cry at the same parts, and tomorrow when we wake up? Everyone will felt like they lost a good friend. But think of the friends we gained, too. I know Pearl because of Lost. I've bonded with people I may have otherwise had nothing in common with because we both watched this show. I've had friends come and go from my life, that used to come over every Wednesday to watch Lost together, and yet 6 years later, this show is still here for me.

So I probably sound crazy right now, talking about this show as if it's a real living thing, but I can't HELP but grant it that right, looking back over all the ways this show has entertained me, brought me closer to people, and allowed for hours and hours of great conversation.

So now, since I am sure our next posts will be full of sap and emotion (I would bet money I'm going to bawl my way through the finale tonight because that's simply the kind of person I am) I will do my last "normal" episode reaction write-up.


First of all, I'm glad my little tantrum about Ben and Miles panned out. I was so happy to see them in this week's episode. In my notes I even wrote: "YES. Ben/Miles/Richard FINALLY."

I agree completely Pearl - Ben flying off the handle and getting back at Widmore for killing Alex was so jarring and kind of awesome. I've gotten used to a very passive, almost comedic Ben the last two seasons, but he really turned around this week.

The amount of matchmaking Desmond did with regard to the concert was actually really impressive. I love that both time lines are reaching very, very different climaxes at the same time, and if 5 years of amazingly mind-blowing finales is anything to go on, I have faith that tonight's episode will not disappoint.

I wonder if Desmond was REALLY going to hit Locke a second time, or if he knew all along Ben would come out and interfere. Because clearly beating the crap out of Ben's face was all part of the plan. I would like to point out that Desmond is an absolute nutjob right now, in the very best way.

I got a kick out of Kate and Sayid sitting in jail with Desmond. Not a very happy reunion. Especially since none of them are aware it's a reunion.

I liked learning that people were crossed off not because they somehow disproved themselves, but because life circumstances made them exempt from the duty. As much as everyone hates Kate (which I have never been as huge a hater as most) I thought it was sweet she was crossed off for becoming a mother.

A lot of people had a problem with Jack just stepping forward and becoming the new Jacob. I think people were expecting some sort of reality show-esque challenge with ropes courses and eating raw island animals to determine who was America's Next Top Island Protector, but I liked what Jacob said about them having a choice. And Jack knew - he didn't need to discuss it with the rest of them ("hey, guys, before I just take this, any of you want it first?") he just knew. And I thought that was awesome. And I'm glad that this scene happened now instead of in the finale, because this is not the climax of the show, and they very easily could have made it so. I'm hoping we get to see Jack in action a little bit before it's over.

I had a TeeHee moment too, Pearl! But MINE was when Rousseau said, "Even if we have to kidnap you." I mean, come on, Lost. Hahaha.


There are two more things I have to say about this episode before I sign off, go buy some snacks, and prepare myself for my Lost viewing party.

1. I loved when Jack's son said "Just don't get weird." I dunno. Jack's relationship with his son just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.

2. Was anyone flashing back to Avatar when Ana Lucia was the one to help them escape? It just made me chuckle. Once a badass, always a badass.

Good luck tonight, Losties!


Swan

So...What about Lapidus? And is Richard dead?

Sorry, again, guys. Ever since Arrow went missing (not literally), it’s been kind of all over the place on who posts when. Not to blame him, but we just simply lost our groove.

Although I didn’t state it outright, I hinted to the fact that I had faith we would get more pieces put together concerning the ambiguity of “Across the Sea”. And we did! More or less. There are still some questions, but I suppose in terms of what is important for what is happening now, we know what we need to know. It would be nice to know more, like where the island came from and such, but I think those are just things we will just have to learn to deal with not knowing.

Indulge me while I list everything out again. Things I am excited about/really loved:

1. Jack’s ex wife will finally be revealed. Will it be Juliet? They have been way too secretive about it all this time for it just to turn out to be Sarah. It has to be Juliet. We have yet to see Elizabeth Mitchell, and I know for a fact she filmed scenes for the finale.

2. Ben is still evil! I am not excited about this, per se, as I was very happy when it seemed as though he was a new man. However, when he shot Widmore and said, “He doesn’t get to save his daughter.” I was like, “Holy shit!” and literally moved to the edge of my seat.

3. A lot of people are going to be encountering each other at the Concert in the Flash-Sideways. I can only assume that James will wind up being Miles’ date. Desmond is match-making, clearly. Charlie will go with Desmond and meet Claire. Jack will go for his son and meet Kate (I guess). James will go with Miles and meet Juliet. Charlotte will be there and Daniel will confess his love to her. Sayid will . . . die alone, I guess, unless Shannon or Nadia show up. All assumption, of course.

4. I laughed out loud when Desmond turned on his car when Locke was crossing the parking lot. I just think it is hilarious how absolutely crazy Desmond is coming off to everyone.

5. It was nice to finally learn why Kate had her name crossed out. It didn’t quite make sense at first why Sun and Jin or Rose and Bernard were ever brought to the island, since they were married (one couple happily so) and therefore not considered alone. However, Rose’s cancer was cured on the island, thus allowing her and Bernard a chance to live a long happy life together (wherever they are now), and Sun and Jin developed a healthy marriage and had a daughter (that is now an orphan). I think Jin was the Kwon Candidate all along, since he was alone on the island and Sun had her daughter.

6. Even though I have suspected for quite some time that Jack would be the new Jacob, it was really awesome to see it happen. It wasn’t quite as climactic as I was hoping—I guess I was expecting a slow 80s movie clap or something—but at the same time it happened so naturally that it was pretty much perfect when he stepped forward to take on the responsibility. I am so excited about this. I don’t know. I think I have always wanted Jack to come back as the hero ever since he went a little crazy, and that moment is here and it is amazing. I cannot wait.

7. We know why Desmond is so important to the island! Intense.

There was a TeeHee moment for me this week, guys. When Rousseau and Ben shared a romantic eyes-locking moment in the kitchen. Oh man. I giggled. That was silly.

I am sure there are eleventy billion other things I could mention that happened in this episode, but to be honest, I am in a hurry and didn’t know I was first this week so this will have to do for now. We will try and figure out something special to do for our last blog. We are also trying to think of some way to possibly keep this going, perhaps with another show or something. I just want to say that I really enjoyed this episode, and I am so so so so anxious about the finale this Sunday. I feel it all over my body and I cannot wait to share in the excitement/anger/sadness/bittersweet/awe with all of you when it all ends.

The Pearl

"The Island is all there is."

Before I even start theorizing and discussing this episode, I just have to say that baby smoke monster was SO much cuter than baby Jacob, and I think they totally did that on purpose. Okay. Moving on.

The lack of Ben, Richard and Miles has really been bothering me too, Hydra. If they don't come back tonight, I am going to be a sad Lost fan. You can't just dismiss BENJAMIN LINUS. And I still think Miles is going to be important in some way, otherwise he would have died last season like Charlotte.

Your comment about Desmond is so true, Hydra. He's off by himself in the jungle, clearly still alive, and everyone else is pretty much up to their ears in horse poop. Please, please save the day, Desmond. You're our only hope. xD

I didn't like that we were given the information about the light, but in turn, have SO MANY MORE QUESTIONS about what it is, how it works, why it exists, where it came from, how it grants magic powers, if its been stolen before, etc etc etc.

Pearl, I liked your discussion of whether or not Lost knows EXACTLY what they're doing. I really, truly hope they are chortling in their meeting rooms imagining our faces as we watch the Richard episode, the Jacob/Flocke episodes, the PLETHORA of John Locke/Jack wheelchair scenes... cursing them for wasting our precious episodes but knowing it all has a purpose that will become clear in the end. I mean, I want to have the faith in Lost that they knew exactly what they were doing placing this episode so close to the end. That only bringing up the PLOT in the LAX time-lines halfway into the season was all part of the plan. I have my fingers crossed.

There was a quote in this episode that made me laugh a lot: "Every questions brings me to another question" -- it's almost as if Lost was being self-aware.

I also liked when their mother said, "The island is all there is!"
I can only imagine how effed up you could get, being raised on that island with a crazy murderer mother telling you nothing else exists. If nothing else, this episode served to ground how intense and extreme Jacob and Flocke are. I mean, look at their upbringing.

My biggest question is whether or not Flocke BECAME the Smoke Monster, and the billowing black smoke and every body he possesses is still carrying the essence of this-episode-jacob's-brother -- or if his essence was essentially swallowed up BY the black smoke, and this-episode-jacob's-brother is gone and all that remains is a monster.

I'm inclined to think it's still jacob's-brother. Because he was determined to leave the island to prove his mother wrong, and that determination is still there today, years later. The monster itself wouldn't have as strong a need to leave the island (aside from I suppose causing darkness/destruction) so I'm just not sure.

Anyway. I had a minor freakout when I realized how close we are to being done with this. I am so, so not ready for Lost to be over. :(

That being said, do you readers have any suggestions or requests for what we should do after the final episode? We could just write normal blogs and then call it done, but if anyone else has any better ideas, feel free to let us know in the comments!


NERVOUS ABOUT THE END,

Swan

The Smoky God

Was this episode horribly cheesy? Yes.
Did it answer as many questions as we’d hoped? Well, no. It never does.
Was it vague and cryptic with the questions it did answer? Naturally.
Did Little Esau look like Zac Efron? Definitely.
Is Little Jacob (who looks strikingly similar to Big Jacob) the creepy kid we keep seeing? Mmmhmmmmm.

I’ll stop asking myself questions now and just say that this episode was not everything I had hoped it would be. However, I would not go so far as to say I was disappointed.

“Across the Sea” should have been more clear about a couple of things with only having 3.5 more hours to make us walk away from this show satisfied. Now, what does it require for me to walk away satisfied, you ask? Well, not a lot to be honest. I am not expecting for every question to be answered, especially since Darlton said they would not be answering every question. I recognize that the finale will not be presented to me in a pretty red bow, and I admire that about this show and would actually like some mystery—-every good relationship has a little mystery in it. Seeing as how I tend to liken this show to an abusive relationship, I’m not so sure that is a great comparison for my overall point, but...go with it.

Anyway, above all else, I want all six of these seasons to be cohesive. I want them to tell a complete story. I want to be able to watch an episode from Season Two or Season Four and have “aha!” moments that hinted to whatever happens in the end all along. Because that is good story telling. And since watching this show, I have claimed it as the most genius show in television history. I don’t want to have to take that back if I am left with the idea, intentional on their parts or not, that they had no idea what they were doing these last couple of seasons. I was talking to my mom about Lost yesterday, and she boldly stated that for the last season or so it has felt like they are making it up as they go along. In response, I told her that they had a plan, a four season plan, but then they had to stretch it all out to six seasons and maybe got a little lost along the way. Which I think is entirely possible, and understandable.

Now, could they be tricking us? Could they be testing our faith in the show (still)? Could they be laughing at us about how we were probably all “WTF?” after that episode, only to blow our minds in the finale? Probably. In fact, I would wager my mechanical pencil and a pack of Juicy Fruit that is the case. I, myself, have always been a bit of a Doubting Thomas because I over-analyze everything, so I am not going to bet what little money I have on this. However, I am choosing to not give up on this show only 3.5 hours to the end. Like Hydra said, they always deliver in the end, and I don’t think they are going to stop now.

I’m not going to (directly) talk about the episode anymore because:
a. Hydra pretty much list everything that we learned and everything that was vague that I felt was worth mentioning.
b. I made an interesting discovery that I want to share with everyone and it will already make this post ridiculously long.

So, my mom brought this to my attention. She found this book on Amazon.com (or something) whilst trying to find out all of Lost’s philosophical and mythological inspirations. I clearly get every geeky quality I have from my mom. She found the title, and I decided I would read/skim it for clues and research its premise on the always reliable and truthful wikipedia. Anyway, so Willis George Emerson wrote this fictional book in 1908, mostly centering on the scientific Hollow Earth Theory--that the Earth has a hollow interior with a potentially habitable service. It is called “The Smoky God”. I am not going to get into a lot of specific details about it, so if you want to weed your way through it, go for it. I am not saying that the show drew ALL or even most of its inspiration from this book or the Hollow Earth Theory as a whole, since it clearly draws its inspiration from A LOT of things, but I think there is as good of a chance as any that this could be a source for some of what we have encountered over the years, especially as of late. I will list a few things, mostly in direct quote format:

1. “It may be that the true home of Apollo was not at Delphi, but in that older earth-center of which Plato speaks, where he says: "Apollo's real home is among the Hyperboreans, in a land of perpetual life, where mythology tells us two doves flying from the two opposite ends of the world met in this fair region, the home of Apollo. Indeed, according to Hecataeus, Leto, the mother of Apollo, was born on an island in the Arctic Ocean far beyond the North Wind.”
2. “The distance directly across the space from inner surface to inner surface is about six hundred miles less than the recognized diameter of the earth. In the identical center of this vast vacuum is the seat of electricity -- a mammoth ball of dull red fire -- not startlingly brilliant, but surrounded by a white, mild, luminous cloud, giving out uniform warmth, and held in its place in the center of this internal space by the immutable law of gravitation. This electrical cloud is known to the people "within" as the abode of "The Smoky God." They believe it to be the throne of ‘The Most High.’”
3. It talks of people with peculiar feet.
4. It mentions whispers in the trees.
5. It is theorized that anyone who has ever gone missing has gone missing within the Hollow Earth.
6. In a supposed secret diary of a pilot named Admiral Byrd, he made a secret flight to the North Pole to find this land beyond the pole and he writes that as he looked down from his plane, he saw not snow or ice, but green vegetation, grassy valleys and mountains not shown on any map. This diary was found by the very Dharma-esque “Society for a Complete Earth”.
7. The symbol for the Hollow Earth is eerily similar to the Widmore Group logo.
8. …and potentially sooooo much more!

Anyway. It’s not a theory, per se, just something to think about. I am sure I am not the only one who has found all of this and its potential relationship to Lost, but I'd never really thought about it until now.

Now that I have clearly proven that I have nothing better to do than theorize and research about Lost, I’m going to go play with my bunny who only sometimes lets me pet her. She’s such a tease. Sigh. It just makes me love her more...

Proving She Doesn’t Have a Life With Every Post,
The Pearl

EDIT:
My friend Lindsay sent me this interview with Darlton concerning "Across the Sea".