During The Squickerwonkers panel at Dragon Con on Sunday, September 2, Evangeline Lilly gives a superb explanation of the finale of the television show LOST.
"...so there is no one interpration of the finale of lost for as many people of this room and there's that many true real endings for lost because it's just the reflection of who you are and it's the ultimate question being posed to you not the ultimate answer being handed to you." ICONIC 15 Years of Lost
I don’t know what people mean when they say there were a lack of answers in this show. For me, my answers were, among many: that when you die, you go to the same place as everyone you loved; that the only life that is real is this one; that the lives we are born to have a purpose with one another; and that there is beauty and meaning found in our tragedy. I find that beautiful, profound, and cathartic. To the people who felt they always wanted more from the ending, maybe that’s what you don’t know you need to see.
How many of those people in the crowd who said they didn't like the finale actually know there was an additional 12 min. long epilogue that was only on the DVD/Blu-ray? It's called "The New Man in Charge." It answers many of the perceived unanswered questions, and has a great coda involving one of many people's favorite character.
I hated the ending so much originally. It made me so furious. I used to talk every week with people on the 4815162342 forums, speculating hard about theories etc. Honestly in the finale season I think we all gave up on expecting resolutions to so many of the 'mystery boxes' as JJ puts it. Still, it was such a gut punch that all of the brilliant theories we had come up with were washed away with some fucking stupid magic golden light or whatever the fuck it was. Ugh I guess it still triggers me. Still, the point of my comment is that, a few years later, I think in 2014? I rewatched the show. I had never "binged" LOST, I watched it week by week, season by season. So when I finally watched it again so many memories came flooding back, mainly where I was or what I felt when I saw each episode. It was really incredible. Ultimately, in regards to the ending, I felt so content the second time. All of my insane theories and obsessiveness had dissipated, and I finally realised that it was always about the characters. It was never about the island. To that end, I can't think of a better finale.
well...it's not that it"s not about the island. It's that you just made something wrong: you disconnect the mythology and the characters. The "golden light" as you called it, was the flashsideways. The island energy is the flashsideways. The island guard the "afterlife" and the monster is sadly linked to it and can't escape the island. The only way is to kill the guardian of the island, so the light (the afterlife) disappeared so he could become human again. When Widmore or other characters scared that the monster escape the island, it's not because he's a monster. If he escape he would just be another human. It's because if he escape, we are all dead ---> no afterlife. Jacob need someone to protect the island for a LONG time and the only way is to find someone LOST in his life, someone who don't want to go back to the civilisation. That's why we saw flashback of characters life, to understand that they all lost everything or something and how jacob choose them. The purpose of the show is: "Life is hard. But hang on and MOVE ON. Don't look into the past but learn from it. You crash on the island? Move on into the island, don"t look back on the civilisation to fix the stuff you left behind. It's over. Move on." Locke was the candidate but the monster manipulate him. And he manipulate every losties by scanning them (because he's flashs too) and using their past to torment them.
@@TheAngous I really appreciate your theory and your take on the show as a whole. Your theory and the points you make are very solid and convincing in many regards, but I am not sure that the Heart of the Island is indeed the "afterlife" / the "flashsideways." I don't think that it is possible to give an objective and definite answer to what the Heart of the Island actually is; I believe that it is left open to viewers' interpretation on purpose. For me, the Island is Mystery itself, from which all the other mysteries about our existence emanate. The Heart of the Island is that which is beyond our limited and biased human understanding. Even "Mother" and Jacob gave different descriptions of what the Island / the Heart of the Island or its "purpose" were. I interpret this element as a sign of their own relative ignorance about the essence of the Island. "Mother" and Jacob themselves were probably far from knowing the "whole" truth, and just like others, they based their knowledge of the Source on their own subjective experience and the pieces of information that they received from the people who came before them. But, if we look at the whole story that was presented to us in the show, one can assume that, first and foremost, the Island was this exceptionally enigmatic place which allowed the LOST characters to meet each other and to grow together as humans through their interactions and the deep connections that they created.
@@erawa2740 well we have the proof that the energy of the island is the afterlife in the desmond episode because widmore test him by using an amount of that electromagnetic energy to desmond, to see if he can resist it (to pull out the cork). When this happen Desmond saw...the afterlife.
@@TheAngous Not necessarily. This energy has many unique and extraordinary properties. For instance, it can cure cancer (Rose), paralysis (Locke), increase fertility (as told by Juliet) or on the contrary cause the death of pregnant women...It can even cause time travel (make the Island, the characters, or both, move through space and time), etc..So the "essence" of the Island remains unknown to a large extent. There are many solid reasons to believe that the Heart of the Island is linked to the afterlife in some way, but to affirm that the Heart of the Island IS the afterlife remains a theory and not an evidence I think.
Why do people fight about this? Lost was not "a big question that needs answer" it was multiple questions with multiple answers. Some of them were understandable, others where philosophical and some didn't even make sense... But the show, as a whole, was not a big question. But if you want to look for a "grand question" that drove the show then "where are we?" was it, and they answered it a couple of episodes before the end. What kept me watching the show was the characters, man, I loved Jack. I identify with him. I wanted him to overcome, to succeed, to find faith... And he did. The mysteries kinda frustrated me at times because I wanted more of Jack, more of his struggle and more of his growth. I love Lost. But still, you want answers? Look around on youtube for interviews with Damon Lindelof, he actually spells out everything you ever wondered about their plans for the series.
The mysteries were the foil to the characters and their development as human beings. In the 'end' it was about some of the basic premises of life, repeated over and over again on the show by most everyone at least once in various ways - we all everybody, live alone die alone, everyone deserves to a second chance, whatever happened happened (move on), see you in another life, see you on the other side, you can't change the past ... etc etc - and, most importantly, to me at least, everything happened for a reason. There is a theme about self discovery, redemption and the people that help us become who we need / want to be, and accept us before we get there. IMHO
Smart lady. Smart enough to deliver some powerful sophistry. That and her rarely-surpassed beauty is a potent combination. But I ain't buying it. Plot holes galore is plot holes galore and that's that!
This kind of answer - which validates bad/vague/swiss-cheese storytelling... is how you get soft reboots from JJ Abrams (some of which are great like Star Trek), and subverted expectations from Rian Johnson... like it's an integral part of storytelling to throw a meta-middle-finger right at the audience. Even tragedy can have a catharsis... but a shrugged shoulder is not an answer.
I wonder how popular and successful would Lost have been if they said right from the first episode that this is a piece of art and as such it won't be providing any logical answers to the numerous questions it raised.... It was a scam. It led its viewers to believe that there will be convincing answers when there were no answers to be given. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 seasons and I'm happy I never watched the whole thing
LOST had many many many character driven episodes, scenes and hell even montages just featuring the characters and some music over it to highlight the emotion and the 'small' moments in these characters lives were really a lot more important than just them being on an island. The show hinted at grand mysteries but just as equally it focused on the emotional reality of the characters particularly in its earlier seasons. I admit I loved the mysteries and the overall mythology but I also loved those other more artistic elements where you were led to look at the scenes and think deeper philosophically - not what it says just about them but about life in general etc. so that for me was plenty of forewarning of what kind of ending / moreover what kind of ending I hoped to and eventually did up receiving.
Pff... You don't know what you missed on. And if you disagree, true "Losties" at heart don't miss you either. The more I grow older the more that show hits hard on my emotions.
Another cop out! We waited for the answers because the creators of the show promised us the answers otherwise we wouldn't have been invested in the show as much. I'm glad that Jarjar Abrams got the name he deserved, as for the other writers, well I avoid their crap like the plague. And while I didn't have anything against the cast, with such answers, I'm ecstatic that none of you lot's careers ever went anywhere!
My friend, at the end of the day Lost was just a show, actors where just acting and producers producing. Let it go. It's not a matter of life or death.
Uh... sure. So the ending of tale of two cities: Is it completely vague ? And the ending of Pride and Prejudice: is it completely vague ? How about the ending of beowulf or tristan and isolde ? How about the ending of david copperfield or last of the mohicans ? How about the adventures of tom sawyer ? How about Roots ? How about Hunt for red october ? LOTR ?
Man she speaks beautifully
yeah, evangeline is not only one of the most beautiful women ( in my eyes), but she is also intelligent, eloquent and good at repartee.
"...so there is no one interpration of the finale of lost for as many people of this room and there's that many true real endings for lost because it's just the reflection of who you are and it's the ultimate question being posed to you not the ultimate answer being handed to you."
ICONIC
15 Years of Lost
Thats a great answer.
I don’t know what people mean when they say there were a lack of answers in this show. For me, my answers were, among many: that when you die, you go to the same place as everyone you loved; that the only life that is real is this one; that the lives we are born to have a purpose with one another; and that there is beauty and meaning found in our tragedy. I find that beautiful, profound, and cathartic. To the people who felt they always wanted more from the ending, maybe that’s what you don’t know you need to see.
That is a good comment!
How many of those people in the crowd who said they didn't like the finale actually know there was an additional 12 min. long epilogue that was only on the DVD/Blu-ray? It's called "The New Man in Charge." It answers many of the perceived unanswered questions, and has a great coda involving one of many people's favorite character.
WE HAVE TO GO BACK!!!!!!!!!!!
No
She handled that like a BOSS
I hated the ending so much originally. It made me so furious. I used to talk every week with people on the 4815162342 forums, speculating hard about theories etc. Honestly in the finale season I think we all gave up on expecting resolutions to so many of the 'mystery boxes' as JJ puts it. Still, it was such a gut punch that all of the brilliant theories we had come up with were washed away with some fucking stupid magic golden light or whatever the fuck it was. Ugh I guess it still triggers me. Still, the point of my comment is that, a few years later, I think in 2014? I rewatched the show. I had never "binged" LOST, I watched it week by week, season by season. So when I finally watched it again so many memories came flooding back, mainly where I was or what I felt when I saw each episode. It was really incredible. Ultimately, in regards to the ending, I felt so content the second time. All of my insane theories and obsessiveness had dissipated, and I finally realised that it was always about the characters. It was never about the island. To that end, I can't think of a better finale.
well...it's not that it"s not about the island. It's that you just made something wrong: you disconnect the mythology and the characters.
The "golden light" as you called it, was the flashsideways. The island energy is the flashsideways.
The island guard the "afterlife" and the monster is sadly linked to it and can't escape the island. The only way is to kill the guardian of the island, so the light (the afterlife) disappeared so he could become human again.
When Widmore or other characters scared that the monster escape the island, it's not because he's a monster. If he escape he would just be another human.
It's because if he escape, we are all dead ---> no afterlife.
Jacob need someone to protect the island for a LONG time and the only way is to find someone LOST in his life, someone who don't want to go back to the civilisation. That's why we saw flashback of characters life, to understand that they all lost everything or something and how jacob choose them.
The purpose of the show is:
"Life is hard. But hang on and MOVE ON. Don't look into the past but learn from it. You crash on the island? Move on into the island, don"t look back on the civilisation to fix the stuff you left behind. It's over. Move on."
Locke was the candidate but the monster manipulate him. And he manipulate every losties by scanning them (because he's flashs too) and using their past to torment them.
@@TheAngous I really appreciate your theory and your take on the show as a whole. Your theory and the points you make are very solid and convincing in many regards, but I am not sure that the Heart of the Island is indeed the "afterlife" / the "flashsideways." I don't think that it is possible to give an objective and definite answer to what the Heart of the Island actually is; I believe that it is left open to viewers' interpretation on purpose. For me, the Island is Mystery itself, from which all the other mysteries about our existence emanate. The Heart of the Island is that which is beyond our limited and biased human understanding. Even "Mother" and Jacob gave different descriptions of what the Island / the Heart of the Island or its "purpose" were. I interpret this element as a sign of their own relative ignorance about the essence of the Island. "Mother" and Jacob themselves were probably far from knowing the "whole" truth, and just like others, they based their knowledge of the Source on their own subjective experience and the pieces of information that they received from the people who came before them. But, if we look at the whole story that was presented to us in the show, one can assume that, first and foremost, the Island was this exceptionally enigmatic place which allowed the LOST characters to meet each other and to grow together as humans through their interactions and the deep connections that they created.
@@erawa2740 well we have the proof that the energy of the island is the afterlife in the desmond episode because widmore test him by using an amount of that electromagnetic energy to desmond, to see if he can resist it (to pull out the cork).
When this happen Desmond saw...the afterlife.
@@TheAngous Not necessarily. This energy has many unique and extraordinary properties. For instance, it can cure cancer (Rose), paralysis (Locke), increase fertility (as told by Juliet) or on the contrary cause the death of pregnant women...It can even cause time travel (make the Island, the characters, or both, move through space and time), etc..So the "essence" of the Island remains unknown to a large extent. There are many solid reasons to believe that the Heart of the Island is linked to the afterlife in some way, but to affirm that the Heart of the Island IS the afterlife remains a theory and not an evidence I think.
Whoa. Great response
Why do people fight about this? Lost was not "a big question that needs answer" it was multiple questions with multiple answers. Some of them were understandable, others where philosophical and some didn't even make sense... But the show, as a whole, was not a big question.
But if you want to look for a "grand question" that drove the show then "where are we?" was it, and they answered it a couple of episodes before the end.
What kept me watching the show was the characters, man, I loved Jack. I identify with him. I wanted him to overcome, to succeed, to find faith... And he did. The mysteries kinda frustrated me at times because I wanted more of Jack, more of his struggle and more of his growth.
I love Lost.
But still, you want answers? Look around on youtube for interviews with Damon Lindelof, he actually spells out everything you ever wondered about their plans for the series.
It seems you didn't understand her point.
The mysteries were the foil to the characters and their development as human beings. In the 'end' it was about some of the basic premises of life, repeated over and over again on the show by most everyone at least once in various ways - we all everybody, live alone die alone, everyone deserves to a second chance, whatever happened happened (move on), see you in another life, see you on the other side, you can't change the past ... etc etc - and, most importantly, to me at least, everything happened for a reason. There is a theme about self discovery, redemption and the people that help us become who we need / want to be, and accept us before we get there. IMHO
I miss Lost.
Very well articulated. She's stunning!
Well said Evangeline!!!!!
Beautiful answer. Question: do you have the rest of the panel? Could you upload it?
Sorry, I only have this clip!
Loved it!!
I love this woman
Well the show did answer everything
The light on the island are the flashsideways (afterlife)
She gave the right answer about the Finale
Wow, she is really intelligent
Except when it comes to covid-19 apparently.
I've only watched bits and pieces of episodes....😣
Worth watching it all. Trust me
The most heated caracter fo the show have he most brilliant answer. Ironic
Nerd sent me.....
Smart lady. Smart enough to deliver some powerful sophistry. That and her rarely-surpassed beauty is a potent combination. But I ain't buying it. Plot holes galore is plot holes galore and that's that!
This kind of answer - which validates bad/vague/swiss-cheese storytelling... is how you get soft reboots from JJ Abrams (some of which are great like Star Trek), and subverted expectations from Rian Johnson... like it's an integral part of storytelling to throw a meta-middle-finger right at the audience. Even tragedy can have a catharsis... but a shrugged shoulder is not an answer.
I wonder how popular and successful would Lost have been if they said right from the first episode that this is a piece of art and as such it won't be providing any logical answers to the numerous questions it raised.... It was a scam. It led its viewers to believe that there will be convincing answers when there were no answers to be given. I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2 seasons and I'm happy I never watched the whole thing
LOST had many many many character driven episodes, scenes and hell even montages just featuring the characters and some music over it to highlight the emotion and the 'small' moments in these characters lives were really a lot more important than just them being on an island. The show hinted at grand mysteries but just as equally it focused on the emotional reality of the characters particularly in its earlier seasons. I admit I loved the mysteries and the overall mythology but I also loved those other more artistic elements where you were led to look at the scenes and think deeper philosophically - not what it says just about them but about life in general etc. so that for me was plenty of forewarning of what kind of ending / moreover what kind of ending I hoped to and eventually did up receiving.
Pff... You don't know what you missed on. And if you disagree, true "Losties" at heart don't miss you either. The more I grow older the more that show hits hard on my emotions.
that was a big of a cringe not gonna lie
Your comment ? Agreed
Producers did ruined all, in season 5 - 6
not actors fault
Another cop out! We waited for the answers because the creators of the show promised us the answers otherwise we wouldn't have been invested in the show as much. I'm glad that Jarjar Abrams got the name he deserved, as for the other writers, well I avoid their crap like the plague. And while I didn't have anything against the cast, with such answers, I'm ecstatic that none of you lot's careers ever went anywhere!
My friend, at the end of the day Lost was just a show, actors where just acting and producers producing.
Let it go. It's not a matter of life or death.
Did you ever see the epilogue, "The New Man in Charge?"
Lol, another idiot who didn't understand the ending
Uh... sure. So the ending of tale of two cities: Is it completely vague ? And the ending of Pride and Prejudice: is it completely vague ? How about the ending of beowulf or tristan and isolde ? How about the ending of david copperfield or last of the mohicans ? How about the adventures of tom sawyer ? How about Roots ? How about Hunt for red october ? LOTR ?
Did you see the epilogue for LOST?
What is vague about the ending?
👏👏👏👏👏💓