Joining the last Lost discussion

The "what did you think about the Lost finale" discussions are all over the place, unsurprisingly.  Jace, over at Televisionary, has an extremely well thought-out and articulate analysis of "The End" - thanks to friend of the blog Yankee1969 for reminding me about him.  I recommend you check it out: I'm a humble recapper and not much prone to analysis but this guy does a great job.  For my part, I just have some random follow-up thoughts.

It has been baldly stated by ABC that the Losties’ adventures on-Island were real – inasmuch as Smoke Monsters and exploding bunny rabbits and four-toed statues, etc., can be real – and despite the scenes of the Oceanic wreckage at the close of the episode, they did not, in fact, all die on impact in S1E1.  The alternate reality/flash-sideways was limbo and/or purgatory and took place during and after the Island storyline, only culminating with the church meeting after everyone was dead. Which is fine as I’ve always had a taste for fantasy and like to think that the Island storyline was the real one.  But they weren’t very clear about the timeframe other than insinuating that Hurley and Ben worked together like Mr. Roark and Tattoo for some time on the Island. And although I didn’t appreciate getting smacked upside the head with all the religiosity what with the coming together at last and moving on into the bright light outside the church doors, I liked that option better than if they’d all died on impact and the whole thing was purgatory/limbo.

I do like the thought of Desmond as a guide/angel putting the Losties along their rightful paths on both the Island and the limbo-reality. But if the alternate reality was limbo, why was Eloise Widmore so upset at the thought that Desmond might take Daniel when the rest of the Losties left? And why would Ben, finally having achieved forgiveness, respect and the chance to serve the Island as he always wanted to, for some indeterminate amount of as Hurley’s #2, not want to move on too? Just to hang out with Alt-Alex and Alt-Rousseau in limbo for a while longer? That doesn’t quite sit right.

People have been complaining that the church-goin’ group was awfully white what with Michael, Walt, Ana Lucia and Mr. Eko being absent. Desmond said Ana Lucia wasn’t ready to go yet (she still needed to put in more time in purgatory?) and apparently the actor playing Mr. Eko wanted far too much money for an appearance, but what about Michael and Walt? Michael’s ghost told Hurley that he, like so many others, was stuck on the Island, unable to move on (which makes the Island sound like purgatory, doesn’t it?).  But once Desmond pulled the plug on the magic of the Island, why wasn't Michael released? And what about Vincent? If Rose and Bernard died on the Island but still made it to church for the big exodus, don’t you think sweet ol’ Vincent should have been allowed to go too?

Other questions I sort of hoped might have gotten touched on before the end: WTF with the numbers (which were apparently explored in some online episodes but not in the television eps); WTF Christian Shephard actually was if he was exposition guy/angel in the finale but seemed rather menacing in all his on-Island appearances; why the Others took the children and Cindy the flight attendant but more of the actual Candidates; if Walt was so important and psychokinetic and all, why did they just let his story fizzle out; what was the point of that pile of notebooks in the field; why couldn't women carry babies to term on the Island; and what the heck was going on with Kate’s black horse that apparently Sawyer could also see?  Jace says that the producers wanted to focus on answers that the Losties themselves wanted, not the fans, and I get that.  But still ... somebody please explain Walt to me.

And finally, my overarching issue with Kate. My old friend Joe has noted that I hate Kate as much as he loves her, thereby creating a balance much like the balance on the Island. I’m not saying Kate wasn't nice to look at – Evangeline Lilly is smokin’ hot – and I certainly appreciated her occasional bad-assery. I just hated her wishy-washiness: I love Jack, I love Sawyer, I love Jack, I love Sawyer, I’m going to stay on the beach, I’m going to stay at the caves, I’m never going back to the Island, I have to go back to the Island, I don’t want to hold the baby, I’m the best mom ever, I love Sawyer, I love Jack. Arrgh - enough! Pluswhich, she totally screwed over Nathan Fillion and I don’t think I can ever forgive her for that.

Anyway, enough from me.  What about you?  If you're a Lost fan - and you wouldn't have read this far if you weren't - you have an opinion or two about the final episode.  Let 'em rip in the comments, why don't you?