‘Lost’: the (whew!) season finale (spoilers)
So many answers. So many questions. After letting the exhilarating, exhausting season finale of “Lost” percolate a while, I’ve figured out one thing — I need to watch it again. (Preferably with pop-ups. Please, ABC?)
SPOILERS MAY FOLLOW, so if you still have the finale sitting on the DVR (and if you do, what’s wrong with you?), better exit now.
The greatest achievement of the two-hour episode was that it sustained the thrill from start to finish. How great was the opening scene? We picked up the hostile encounter between Jack and Kate back home, when she drove angrily away — only this time she slammed the car into reverse and returned. That sets up the rest of the series to find those who escaped the island trying to slam into reverse and return.
So “Jeremy Bentham” visited everyone and told them they had to go back. People who analyze every frame of “Lost” had deciphered the name on the obit Jack carried. Did anybody else Google that name and find out who the real Jeremy Bentham was? He was a radical British philosopher (1748-1832) whose advocacy in utilitarianism (that anything is justified if it benefits the whole) reversed the 17th century ideas of philosopher John Locke, who belived in the rights of the individual. That made it seem almost inevitable that the person handing out the go-back warnings was Locke (although I’m still not sure why the surivors referred to him that way among themselves — was it a Voldemort kind of thing?) And that Locke was in the casket didn’t surprise me as much as the fact that Ben was there, and told Jack they all had to go back to the island, even “him” (the dead Locke).
But it’s all set up so beautifully now. The island has vanished — moved by Ben and his wheel. The “Oceanic Six” who watched it disappear have to go back, but they have to find it first, and even before that they have to agree to try.
Stuff I loved in the episode:
- The way so much in the episode echoed events from previous seasons — very elegant. I’ll count all those moments, from the raft scene to the scene above and below as Ben moved the wheel — when I watch again.
- Yunjin Kim’s great performance as Sun watched Jin die. (Could he possibly have survived, blown off the freighter and into the vortex of the moving island? I’m holding hope. I believe Michael is finally dead, however.)
- Ghost Claire warns Kate — very spooky scene.
- The action as Sayid and the good guys took down Keamy.
- Ben! Michael Emerson was awesome.
What I hate: having to wait so painfully long (January/February) before the next season begins. And the fact that too soon, it will all be over. Yes, setting an end-time was a good thing. It has made the show better than ever. But I don’t want to lose this show. Hey, maybe they’ll make a movie.
(2 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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Somewhat off topic, but Jeremy Bentham (the philosopher) is also famous for having his remains preserved and on display at the University College London. More at wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Bentham#Auto-icon