The opening sequence was very good. Loved the cuts back and forth between the Island and Sideways realities. Michael Giacchino's music is lovely as always. A large part of Lost's awesomeness is due solely to his scoring work.

Loved Kate pointing out the oddness of Christian's name. About time the Losties realized their names are strange.
Jack's managed to be even mopier than ever with his new powers. Get over yourself, dude.
I've always loved Hurley's Star Wars references and the "I've got a bad feeling about this." line was awesome.
Sideways!Hurley is a lot more confident than Island!Hurley. It seems like the leadership skills he started to acquire have progressed in the Sideways world.
Is that the same motel Sayid and Hurley stayed in? Yeah, it is. Hurley and Charlie are meeting in the Sideways reality! Yay! And he tranquilized Charlie? Wwwooowwww.
Jack's whining again. What a surprise. Oh and unexpected snarkiness from Hurley.
Guess Ben really is evil again. I hope he doesn't kill Sawyer. Yay! Sawyer hit him! Even though I like Ben more now, I still like watching people hit him. *evil snicker*
A dog? Vincent! And Rose and Bernard! Yay! They're alive! Locke's gonna kill them, isn't he? Oh noes! Locke's found them.
Whew. That was close. I can't help but wonder if Jacob really made Desmond the Island Protector? Glad we got to see Bernard and Rose again and that UnLocke spared them.
Random rain!
Desmond knows about the Heart? Ben's gonna get Miles killed if he isn't careful. Richard's alive! I thought for sure he was dead. He's also a little crazy/obsessed.
And back at the Widmores. Can't help but think this Widmore is probably just as crazy/evil as the Island one.
It's sad seeing all these Sideways characters who are dead in the Island reality.
JULIET!!! I was hoping we would see her again.
Ooo, flashes. Sun's remembering now. She remembers dying?! This is getting weirder by the second. And they just gained English speaking skills?! Did the Island Sun and Jin somehow cross over into the Sideways reality bodies?
Sawyer got away!
Jack and Locke together again. I keep expecting Locke to pull a knife and start slashing people's throats. It's funny, I really didn't like Locke much by the end, but I do like Sideways!Locke.
Richard's not immortal anymore I guess. I wonder if he's going to rapidly age and turn into a corpse. At least I'm assuming he's immortal. Though his sudden immortality seems odd. Jacob was immortal even after the Psycho!Fake!Mommy died.
Lapidus? Wow, I really did think he was dead. Kinda ridiculous to have him still be alive after he got hit by that hatch door aboard a sinking sub.
Oo, standoff. Opposing armies and all that. Yikes, Kate's gone a little psycho. Can't blame her though. Heh, nice. A little bit of poking fun at the obviousness of Jack being the Candidate. Jack's promise to kill UnLocke seems eerie after his joke in the Sideways verse.
Oh, that's a surprise. Juliet is the ex. Shocked, truly shocked.
And now Sawyer is in the hospital. Getting interesting here.
Strange being back in the bamboo grove. Very first scene took place there after all.
Hmm, the light is kinda dull. Like it's going out or something.
So Desmond has been travelling back and forth between the worlds. I wonder if that's what he's doing in the Sideways verse, trying to get them to cross over from their original verse into the Sideways verse bodies. Kinda sucks for the Sideways people if that's the case. They get dumped in dead bodies.
And how does Hurley know about these mysterious rules? Shannon?! Is that Shannon? How's this for a weird and unexpected occurence?! And they're remembering! Shame about Nadia though. So how did Boone end up in this little conspiracy?
Claire's gonna shoot them all, isn't she? And she doesn't like Locke anymore? Why does she want to stay?
Desmond is starting to annoy with this whole trippy happy go lucky thing.
Charlotte again. Wasn't expecting to see her, but she is an archeologist and this is a museum thing. Yay! Daniel and Charlotte are meeting!
Everything is going so well, I just have a feeling this is going to go horribly wrong and everyone's going to die.
Dr. Chang! I wonder if Claire's gonna recognize Charlie? Yes! YES!! They're looking into each other's eyes and everything. Naturally she's gonna go into labor now. Honestly, Sideways!Desmond just keeps getting creepier. He's practically gloating as he watched Claire leave.
Desmond's being zapped by the Island. And there's a rock thing. A plug? The light seems to be shutting down. The noises are decidedly machinelike. And the light is back ,sorta. Water's gone. Fiery red light. What, is this the portal to hell? The Island is sinking maybe? Oh and now they're fighting. And Locke's bleeding. Rules no longer apply, I guess. It was Jacob and his brother who couldn't kill each other.
Why is Claire wandering around randomly? Good thing Kate followed her. And Mrs. Widmore's not a happy camper. What does she mean by leaving? What, Desmond's gonna reset the timeline? Make everyone dead and unhappy again? Jerk. So Claire's gonna give birth with Kate's aid again. Funny how some things repeat themselves.And now Kate's having flashes. I think they remember now. All three of them. The way they're looking at each other, they must. Started tearing up here. Claire/Charlie was such a cute ship, so glad they're together again. EEE! Creepy Desmond grin totally ruining the moment.
Earthquakes destroying the Island, I guess. Did Ben just die saving Hurley?! Jack's up again. Hopefully he goes and bashes Locke in the head. I think Desmond is gone or dead. No, Ben's alive. Weird that they're now trying to save Ben, their former archnemesis. They're going to have to leave him, aren't they?
Wow, Jack caught up with Locke? Pfft, him and that knife. There's something a bit absurd about him and Jack fighting it out when he could just turn into the Smoke Monster and sling Jack halfway across the Island. Have to say I never thought it would end up like this. Jack and Locke always battled each other, but Locke turning into the personification of evil and them trying to murder each other is pretty weird. And Kate shot him. Why did that work? Bullets never stopped him before. Is it because she shot him before he could speak to her like everyone was always saying?
And Locke survived the surgery. Interesting. I really did think he would die in the surgery. Yay! He can feel his legs! And now he's flashing to the Island. As is Jack. Oh no. David. What if he's the MiB. A stowaway or something? This could be bad.
So the storm stopped as soon as the UnLocke died? And the Island is saved? That's kinda not what I was expecting. Oh wait. Stupid Kate, shouldn't have said that.
They recognize Sawyer, but he's not flashing back yet. And how is it that everyone miraculously knows what's going on?
Did Lapidus really just hand Miles duct tape? And Ben's okay! Shouldn't Jack be healing or something? He's immortal and all that. Nice to see Sawyer is reconciled with Jack. The inevitable Jate moment.
I just can't help but think that someone is still going to die.
Hmm, how'd Sawyer know Jack is a doctor? Is the coffee date about to happen?! Yes!! Oh, there's some flirtage. How awesome is it that Kate didn't make him remember, but Juliet did Teared up here.
Oh, Jack and Kate are meeting. Pretty sure she knows him, not sure if he does her.
Yay! Hurley did end up being the Candidate! Yes! Yes! Yes! I was hoping it would be him.
I just realized, we've never seen Richard or Lapidus in the Sideways verse. Odd.
Yay! Claire's coming with them. What? They're leaving them?! Oh, they're aren't. Good.
I'm confused now. Which is it? Is the Island a cork and this the plug in the Heart, or is it the Source of Life? Which story is true?
They made it? I can't believe it.
So the light is back on. And I guess Jack's gonna die now.
So is every single Lostie going to show up here? Michael and Libby and Ana Lucia too? And all those unnamed redshirts? Locke and Ben reconciling, very nice. And Locke's walking.
Ben and Hurley are going to be partners. If this were a past Ben, I'd be scared.
Why are Ben and Hurley talking like they're dead? Is the Sideways verse the afterlife? I'm going to be so irritated if they're all dead. Ack! Kate and Jack talking makes me think this isn't real, that it's a hallucination or death or something other than another real universe.
And Jack's alive. I'm kinda actually glad.
Oh, please. All the world's religous symbols stuck together in one window.
Christian's not in the coffin? Um, what? Wait, dead people running around means the Smokey. I knew it! I knew this was too good to be true! They give us what looks like a happy ending and then pull a "They're all dead."

Storywise, I'm happy with the way the show ended. It wraps up the characters' storylines nicely. Jack's death was surprisingly sad, considering I hated him from the first season, but there's a nice balance to the show ending where it began. As a fan though, I'm not happy with the ending. Honestly, I feel like this entire season has been a cop-out. What little explanation we did get was oftentimes not as interesting or satisfying as the fan ideas were. At the end, we still don't know what the Island is, where it came from, where the guardians came from, and why they have special powers. Also, they promised us that there would be no gimmick ending. Um, what's the whole Heaven's waiting room thing other than a gimmick ending. It really irks me that they drew this out over the course of an entire season and tricked us (or at least me anyway) into thinking it was some kind of happily ever after. I can't help but wonder if they just didn't have enough material for a full season and the Sideways world was an excuse to pad it out. If they had just left all that out and had the reunion scene in the church happen after Jack's death, I wouldn't have minded it. As it is, the ending is just a downer for me. They all died. The End.

In yet another alternate universe, the Smoke Monster gets a gig selling smoke detectors for a mysterious place called Target (a place that uses "Dharma Lady" as its theme song).

I'm not so sure Samuel is the real name of the MIB. As some of the comments on that article note, a casting call description often lists another name rather than the intended one. Indeed, the MIB entry on Lostpedia lists Samuel as one of the names fans had already given him, based on the casting call. Lostpedia also contains examples of various characters whose names changed after the casting call.

Excellent thoughts on the final 10 minutes, Bookwyrm and SL. The finale was very good, I thought, but stumbled then.

On gimmicky endings: I've since read that the intended meaning was that there would be no gimmicky ending on the Island - and all that is real, and so on. Apparently a gimmicky end in the flash sideways is okay.

Earlier this season, as it began to appear that the flash sideways might eventually override the island reality, I expressed concern that if the characters had never been in the crash, all the Island stuff they - and the viewers - had experienced and grown through over the past 6 years would be negated. As this finale progressed, I was pleased at the "bleedover" - it seemed the best of both worlds: the happily-ever-after of the sideways reality while preserving some of the best of the island experiences.

But then we learn that the sideways was a sort of reality 'created' while Jack came to grips with having to 'move on.' There were so many great moments as the sideways characters realized their island connections - but if it's just a created reality, doesn't that cheapen things a bit? Of course things are going to be great, if one gets to create things as he/she goes along...

The ending was, with one or two modifications, the same as the ending to Titanic, yes?

"I don’t believe in a lot of things, but I do believe in duct tape."
-Miles

"I'm going to kill you."
"How?"
"It's a surprise."
--seriously DIED laughing at this, I was also screaming (yes, screaming!) LAMMMEMEEEEE at the TV until my family shouted at me to be quiet

"Jacob being who he is, I expected to be a little more surprised. You're sort of the obvious choice, don't you think?" -- MIB
As soon as I heard that I KNEW that there was going to be another new-Jacob, that Jack was just the "stand in".

"See you in the next life Brother" - Desmond
--a MAJOR clue that totally passed me by as to the ending of the show...

Desmond: We're still here. You were right, Jack."
Jack: "Yeah, well, there's a first time for everything."

Rose died at the ending and was back on the Titanic. You possibly think everyone went back to the same island? It could possibly be that because the island never liked the oceanic 6 leave anyways and had to be brought back, because they are dead living fake lives is what I got from watching and thinking my second time around. But what I'm still a little confused about is Jack's character back on the island.

Titanic ends as Rose kicks the bucket and descends down through the cold, watery depths to the hulk of the Titanic, but then it's renewed, and then suddenly all her old shipmates are there, and her friends, and loverboy too. And just when you start to expect Sebastian from The Little Mermaid to appear and start belting out "Under the Sea" the screen gets all bright and everyone is happy and in their own little version of "Heaven" I suppose. All of Rose's life was a buildup to this moment, accompanied by the very much overplayed "My Heart Will Go On", which by rights should have been stranded underwater along with Rose, but I digress.

Now, Lost ends similarly but with a few slight modifications. Everyone eventually dies (just like in Titanic), some having had full lives, like Rose did (Hurley, Kate, Lapidus, Sawyer, etc.) but eventually they bite the bullet too. When they all croak they meet up in one big post-death extravaganza in the Church (or in the main stairway, like in Titanic), everyone is gladhanding each other, lots of smiling and kissing and general happiness, and then there's a bunch of light and everything gets blotted out, and voila. It's over.

The modifications are of course that whereas the ghost/spirit people in Titanic knew they were dead, the dead people in the "sideways" reality in Lost did not, but once they got their collective "ah-ha!" moments working they all met up, played the last scene in Titanic (in a church, in lieu of a shipboard staircase), and it was done. Like I said, it's not spot on identical, but there are a lot of similarities. I'm sure the critical minded person will probably be able to point out a few things I've missed.

I thought that Titanic ending was the alternate ending...? or at least the part where old-Rose jumps into the water. I'm sure that was the alternate ending on my dvd. Then again, I haven't seen it in a while...But I can see how that would remind you of Lost.

similarities between Rose's 'afterlife' in Titanic and the resolution of the sideways timeline in "The End."

Rather than the usual credits and music, there were some shots of plane wreckage and no music. According to this article, these were added by ABC - not the producers - to help viewers 'decompress' from the finale before heading into their local news broadcasts.

I figured that the shots were just visuals of the 815 crash, kind of 'this is where we started' thing, but apparently some viewers read more into it: they all originally died in the crash, or these were the remains of the Ajira plane we see leaving the island just before Jack dies.

But the network has been quick to say the shots aren't canon, and that whatever happened (on the island) happened...as the finale indicated.

It'll be interesting to see if the same shots will appear on the DVD or in the upcoming broadcasts, like the Australian one coming up.

The ABC people adding the shots of the wreckage in. When we were watching the finale, the news person said "The news tonight will be blahblahblah, it will be on after LOST." And my family and I were like "You know Lost is a big deal when..."

although I too thought the two time-lines would bleed together).

I expected more fighting, more violence and deaths (they did after all have us believing it was all leading to a final battle, a face off of the two groups - a situation of the 'last man standing').

At the beginning, we're treated to a beautiful montage of events.

LA X - Christian Shephard's coffin arrives at the airport. At the hospital Jack examines an x-ray (possibly Locke's).

Island - Jack comes to terms with being the protector of the Island.

LA X - Dr Linus has a cup of coffee; he looks content.

Island - Contrasts with an agitated Ben in cahoots with the MIB.

LA X - At the hospital, Locke is on his way to be operated on. At the police station, Sawyer examines himself in the shattered glass of the mirror he smashed earlier.

Island - Sawyer and Kate share a moment as he helps her with her bullet-wound.

LA X - Kate sits inside Hurley's Camero, outside a church, waiting with Desmond for Christian's body to be delivered. An Oceanic Airlines cargo van appears, Desmond has the body taken into the church. Kate is confused about the importance of Christian Shephard and who he is. She comments about his name. Desmond tells her they're ready to leave now. For the concert and then the Island?

Island - Jack contemplates his new position of authority. Sawyer talks to Jack, telling him, "Well Doc. How about you come down from the mountain-top and tell us what the burning bush has to say for itself". This is a great allusion to the Bible, in the book of Exodus, where God talks to Moses through a burning bush. Jack tells the Losties that they're all to travel to the other-side of the Island, so he can protect the heart of the Island and they can kill Smokey. Sawyer decides to retrieve Desmond from the well. It's great to see the Losties all working together.

LA X - Hurley and Sayid sit in the Hummer, outside the motel safe-house where they were hiding from Widmore's assassins - now home to Charlie Pace. He's drunk off his face but Hurley's glad to see him. Charlie doesn't recognise him and doesn't wish to go and play at the benefit concert, so Hurley shoots him with a tranquilliser gun and 'kidnaps' him.

Island - Jack explains to the Losties that the Island is all he has left and is the one thing in his life he hasn't managed to ruin. Perceptive. Meanwhile, at the well, Ben catches Sawyer snooping and brings him out to see the MIB. Sawyer finds the well is empty. The MIB asks Sawyer if he knows his plan. Sawyer tells the MIB that he wants Desmond, so he can sink the Island. Sawyer beats up Ben and escapes with his rifle in-hand. The MIB notices dog paw-prints around the well. Vincent! Nearby, Desmond comes too. He's been rescued - by Rose and Bernard! Awesome. Unfortunately, the MIB and Ben crash the party and take Desmond with them. Desmond tells the MIB that he knows about the heart of the Island and that they're probably heading to it. Ben still has the walkie-talkie to talk with Miles. Miles attempts to contact Ben because he's found Richard, alive. But there's no reply. I think Ben is trying to con the MIB and is really with the Losties. Richard regains consciousness. He's sore but he still wishes to blow-up the Ajira plane.

LA X - The benefit concert is being set up. Miles is nearby. He notices Sayid driving by with Hurley in a Hummer and contacts his partner, Sawyer, telling him to check on Miss Sun Paik, his supposed victim at the hospital, believing she could be in danger. At the hospital, Sun and Jin share a lovely moment. Juliet enters, she's their baby doctor. Awesome! When Juliet uses the ultra-sound machine on Sun, she gets flashes from the Island about when they sneaked her away from the Losties to check her pregnancy and whether her baby would survive. There are also flashes from other key moments on the Island - Sun and Jin losing each other and their reunions and later, the birth of Ji Yeon (I think). They remember dying aboard the drowning sub. After their Island epiphany, they speak English well and now the name and sex of their baby. A girl; Ji Yeon.

Island - Sawyer returns to the other Losties and they continue on their journey.

LA X - At the hospital, Locke and Jack talk about the upcoming operation and Jack's dad's coffin being found.

Island - At the submarine docking station, Miles notices Richard has his first great hair, he's aging. He's no longer immortal. Richard has a revelation - he chooses to live! They take an outrigger to Hydra Island but along the way, come across the wreckage of the submarine explosion. Amongst the debris, they find Frank Lapidus. He's alive! They tell him that they're heading to the plane to blow-up the pane. Frank talks with them about escaping from the Island via plane, since he's a pilot. The Losties meet the MIB, Desmond and Ben out in the open. Kate fires at the MIB, trying to kill him, to avenge the lives of her friends - Sun, Jin and Sayid. The MIB isn't affected by the violent onslaught and calmly talks to Jack. He discovers Jack is the candidate, but finds it a predictable choice. Jack replies that 'he' chose to do it. The MIB tells him that he wishes to find the heart of the Island, so he can destroy it. Jack wishes to join him, but obviously for different reasons. Jack promises to kill the MIB when it's all over. He has a surprise weapon.

LA X - At the hospital, we discover Juliet is Jack's ex-wife. They seem to get along well enough. They plan on going to the benefit concert but Jack has an operation to perform on Locke, he can't make it. So David and Juliet decide to take Aunt Claire instead.

Island - As one group, the Losties and the MIB travel to the heart of the Island. Jack confides in Sawyer, saying that Desmond is his surprise and that he will help him kill the MIB. They come to a bamboo jungle and the MIB, Jack and Desmond go on alone to find the light in the cavern. They tie Desmond to a bit of rope to lower him into the cave without making contact themselves. Desmond tells Jack that he believes that the light inside the cave will transport him to what we recognise is the side-ways reality. I'm guessing this was one of his epiphanies from his time spent being zapped by intense bursts of electromagnetic energy (ala Widmore's solenoid experiment). Desmond doesn't believe it will change anything on the Island, Jack disagrees. Jack and the MIB lower Desmond over the glowing waterfall, down into the pool of golden light.

LA X - Hurley and Sayid sit in the Hummer, outside a nightclub/bar. Sayid questions Hurley. Hurley helps him to understand trust and redemption and that he needs them. They notice a young woman and her brother exiting the nightclub/bar. A man attacks them. Sayid comes to the woman's rescue - Shannon! When they meet, she has flashes of their time on the Island. Sayid recognises her, they kiss. Boone talks to Hurley about the difficulties of getting his sister to LA.

Island - Miles contents Ben to tell the others to get to the Ajira plane, pronto, so they can fly off the Island. Claire comes out to meet them and she's not happy about the Losties leaving her behind. Back inside the cave, the MIB compares Desmond's task to the pushing of the button in the Swan hatch, every 108mins, which solidified the rivalry between Jack (a Man of Science) and Locke (a Man of Faith). Jack points out that the MIB is only wearing the appearance of Lock and borrowing his memories and that he shares nothing in common with him. Jack admits that Locke was almost right about everything.

LA X - At the benefit concert, Charlie is awoken by a beautiful red-haired young woman, Charlotte Staples Lewis, who talks to Daniel Widmore. He's love-struck that he finally gets to meet the supposed love of his life. The Losties are seated at table 23 - Jack's number. Claire and David arrive, Juliet has to leave. Kate recognises Claire but Claire doesn't recognise her. Eloise Hawking is also present at the concert/dinner (but not at the same table, thankfully). Drive Shaft accompany Daniel as he plays a classical piece on the piano. Charlie recognises Claire in the audience, from his time when he was starved of oxygen, on the plane.

Island – At the bottom of the cave, Desmond finds skeletons of the unfortunate souls who tried to claim the light for themselves. The light shines strongest on a geological sink, filled with water. Many man-made (but ancient-looking) ducts/channels fan out from it. In the middle of the water pool is a large round rock. Desmond steps into the water and is blasted with massive amounts of electromagnetic energy. It even seems to bring him pain. Maybe he isn’t as immune to the effects of the energy as he would like to believe. He struggles towards the rock and removes it. The cave hums with energy and the intense white-light flickers erratically and increases in strength. He struggles to the side of the pool but falls and loses the stone. The water quickly drains away. The rock must have acted like a plug of sorts, even a cork. This situation can be likened to Ben removing the plug to summon Smokey, and obviously the cork is referenced in Jacob’s speech to Richard, with the wine bottle. I love how it all comes together. The cave grows dark as the light disappears down the drain. What Desmond sees is that the rock was a stone cork, plugging the electromagnetic energy and helping to contain it.

The Source Explained
The stone cork and geological sink looked like they might have some significance. I noticed on James F. McGrath’s blog, ‘Exploring Our Matrix’ (he’s an Associate Professor of Religion) that the author referenced the Hindu symbols of the Lingam and the Yoni. Very interesting. I searched the Internet for more information. I found the Lingam (stone cork) represents the Hindu god, Shiva, who is the fountain of life. The Yoni (sink-hole) represents the Hindu goddess, Shakti. The Yoni is the source of all that exists. It is has many meanings, these are the most appropriate to LOST – ‘place of birth, source, origin, spring, fountain’. When the Lingam is placed in the Yoni (and becomes ‘Lingam Yoni’); it represents the completeness of male and female, reunited – the totality of all creation. When they are separated, there is no life. In this, Hinduism recognises that both male and female are necessary to create life. How very appropriate. The Hindu imagery is rife on the Island. The most obvious ones being the Dharma Initiative and now, the Lingam Yoni.

Island - The drain (Yoni) glows with fiery embers, not unlike a volcano ready to erupt, and steam issues from the hole. The ground shakes violently. The MIB runs off, Jack follows and beats him up, drawing blood! Wow. With the Lingam (stone cork) separated from the Yoni, the MIB is like a mortal. He’s lost his power and immunity. I bet he didn’t factor in that when he wanted Desmond to uncork the Island. Now he’s completely vulnerable. The electromagnetic energy has escaped the Island, or seems too. The MIB bludgeons Jack with a rock, knocking him unconscious and then he escapes.

LA X – Claire makes her way through the sea-life display at the museum to the backstage area for the musicians. Kate finds her as the contractions become more frequent. Charlie ends up following Claire and Kate tells him to get some blankets for her. Eloise Hawking sits down with Desmond. She’s not pleased that he went against her and recruited the others, so they can leave together. It seems Eloise doesn’t want to see her son go with them. Desmond reassures her that it won’t happen. In a scene reminiscent of Season 1, Kate helps Claire give birth. As the baby appears, Kate has flashes of their time on the Island. Baby Aaron is born! They share a beautiful moment. Charlie returns with blankets. He gives her the blankets and has flashes of the Island and their relationship there. At this point they remember each other. Beautiful. Desmond asks Kate if she understands now.

Island – The Losties experience the earthquake that shakes the Island. A tree falls and in a brave attempt to save Hurley, Ben is pinned under the tree. Jack comes too and hurries to the cave to help Desmond, but there is no reply. On Hydra Island, Miles contacts the Losties, while Richard and Lapidus work on repairing the Ajira plane. A-top the treacherous cliffs near Jacob’s cave, the MIB stares out at the ocean. The seas are stormy; it’s too dangerous to get to the boat and leave the Island just now. Jack appears and he and the MIB charge at each other, intention – to kill. The cliff sides break-away and fall into the ocean. The MIB stabs Jack in the right side, with his dagger. MIB pins down Jack and starts slice into his neck, possibly attempting to behead him. Ick! He tells Jack, that he died for nothing. The bloody gash is not unlike the red wound Jack has in the side-ways reality. So that’s how it happened? Interesting. Kate comes to the rescue and shoots the MIB. Jack finishes the job by pushing him over the cliff, where he bounces violently from rock to rock before he comes to rest, broken at the bottom, very much dead. I’m surprised and more than a little impressed that the writers weren’t tempted to have the MIB turn into Smokey for the finale and lay waste to everyone. That would’ve been epic but it would also be rather predictable and not as grounded in the humanity of the story.

LA X – At the hospital, a nurse comments on Jack’s skills as a doctor, after performing Locke’s operation. ‘Nice work, Dr Shephard.’ Ha, ha – I thought the juxtaposition between that comment and the previous scene on the Island, was brilliant. The bloody mark on Jack’s neck becomes more prominent. Locke wakes up well before his time and talks with Jack. Jack witnesses that feeling has already returned to Locke’s legs. Locke has flashes of his time on the Island, once paralysed and miraculously able to walk again. Jack has a flashing memory of himself and Locke looking into the hatch. Jack tells Locke that he has to go and see his son but Locke tells him he doesn’t have a son! What’s wrong with this picture? Is David a construct dreamed up by Jack, so he can work through his daddy issues? Possibly.

Island – The Losties arrive to help Jack.

LA X – Sawyer arrives at the hospital to keep Sun safe. Sun and Jin recognise Sawyer but he doesn’t recognise them.

Island – Jack realises that the Island is quaking and going to sink to the bottom of the ocean, all because Desmond turned something off that he wasn’t meant too. Jack has to go down into the cave to turn it back on. Jack and Sawyer reconcile. Kate kisses Jack and leaves for the plane, with Sawyer. Hurley and Ben stick by Jack. On Hydra Island, Miles continues to repair the electronics of the plane with Richard’s help. I love his comment – ‘I don’t believe in a lot of things, but I believe in duct tape’. Ha, ha! Don’t we all Miles, don’t we all. Sawyer and Kate jump off the cliff and make for the boat.

LA X – Jack and Sawyer meet in a hospital hallway. Sawyer double-takes when he sees him, perhaps a flashing memory? Sawyer visits a vending machine to buy a snack, predictably an Apollo bar. And it’s stuck in the machine, just like Jack’s was in the Season 5 finale. Juliet stumbles upon Sawyer and shares some advice with him. If he unplugs the machine and then plugs it back in, the bar will fall out. Also, it’s technically legal. Nice. This scene nicely juxtaposes with Desmond’s activities in the cave with the stone cork – the unplugging of the leak and Jack having to replug it (not to mention the Rules not technically being broken). I’m not sure what the Apollo bar mirrors, perhaps the electromagnetic energy, water and light? Sawyer takes Juliet’s advice. It works and Juliet gives him the bar and they each get flashes of their relationship on the Island. Juliet asks Sawyer out to coffee but he has little money on him, so she says, ‘we could go Dutch’. This is what Juliet mumbled during her state of delirium, as she was dying amidst the wreckage of the Swan hatch (Season 6 premiere).

LA X – Jack arrives at the benefit concert as people are packing up. Kate recognises Jack. He has a very distant memory of her. She touches his face and he has flashes of their relationship on the Island.

Island – Hurley, Ben and Jack make it back to the cave. Jack tells Hurley that he’ll probably die down in the cave. Hurley is obviously very upset and believes Jack will return. Jack asks him to protect the Island. Hurley finally accepts the role, at least until Jack returns. Using an Oceanic Airlines water bottle, Jack performs the same ritual with the water that Mother did with Jacob and Jacob did with Jack, to protect the Island. I love the fact that they used an Oceanic Airlines water bottle, since that was the plane that brought them on this journey and had been a big part of their life since. On Hydra Island, Lapidus manages to fire up the plane’s engines. Meanwhile, Hurley and Ben lower Jack into the heart of the Island. Jack finds Desmond and ties him to the rope to be pulled to safety. He tells Desmond what he first told him on the steps, when they first met – ‘See you in another life, brotha’. Touching. Kate and Sawyer arrive on Hydra Island. Kate convinces Claire to come with them, after reminding her that she’s not alone and that she’ll be there to help her, for the sake of Claire’s son, Aaron. Lapidus lines up the plane, ready to take off. Kate, Sawyer and Claire make for the plane and arrive just in the nick of time. At the bottom of the cave, Jacks plugs the hole with the stone cork (hieroglyphics are etched into it. I didn't manage to read them, so I'm not sure if they're the same as the ones on the 108min timer in the Swan Hatch, but it's possible). Back on Hydra Island, the Ajira plane heads down the makeshift runway, as the ground buckles and tears beneath them. They take off safely. In the cave, Jack lies down in the geological sink-hole. He’s too exhausted to move. The water slowly refills the pool, the brilliant light returns, as does the loud humming of the super-charged electro-magnetic energy. Loved this moment. Ben and Hurley pull Desmond to safety, thinking Jack is at the end of the rope.

LA X – At the church, a taxi arrives with Locke in his wheelchair. He meets Ben outside, in the gardens and they talk. We discover that most of the people are all ready inside. For what? Christian Shephard’s funeral? But Locke doesn’t even know him. Ben apologises to Locke and Locke forgives him. I love that forgiveness is such a key theme of the finale. Ben says he’ll remain outside, at least for now, to work out some remaining issues. Ben tells Locke that it’s time to walk. Locke climbs out of his chair and enters the church. The church is largely adorned with Christian imagery and symbols.

Island – Hurley mourns Jack’s death. Ben mentions that Hurley can do what he does best, help people; help Desmond get back home etc. Hurley doesn’t understand but Ben tells him that the protector of the Island can make up their own set of rules. He’s unsure of how to run the Island and understands that Ben has had some good practice at it. Hurley asks Ben to be his advisor on the Island and he accepts the role. I know Hurley is the most pure-hearted of the Losties, so he’ll do a good job, but isn’t he also more of a social creature than some of the others. Won’t his mum miss him? How will he get his pop-culture fix? Maybe he can organise some people to bring him some stuff? Yeah, that works.

LA X – Hurley exits the church to talk to Ben. Ben tells him that he was a great Number 1 and Hurley replies that Ben was a great Number 2. Huh? They must be talking about their time protecting the Island, so this must happen after that event, long after in-fact. Physically, they look no older than they were on the Island. Interesting. The thing that came to my mind in this moment was The Prisoner’s protest of identity and independent freedom – “I’m not a number, I’m a free man!” Jack arrives at the church with Kate. This is the church where Jack was going to have his dad’s funeral. Kate tells him it’s still on. Jack seems surprised. Kate says that when he’s ready, they can leave. Leave for the Island? But hasn’t their time on the Island already been? I’m so confused.
Island – Jack, beaten and bloody, washes up on a bed of rocks, opposite the cave.