Lost Analysis – End of Lost Interpretation

The end of the television series Lost provided a great deal of discussion material for fans of the show, with many finding it to be a fitting way to say goodbye to their old pals from Oceanic Flight 815. Others were outraged by what they perceived as a cop-out by the creators of the show. But whether they loved it or hated it, viewers tuned in to “The End” to the tune of 13.5 million Americans.

In case you’re still confused by the end of Lost, we humbly offer up this Lost explanation in the hopes that it will cause the throbbing pain in your head to subside. There’s plenty of Lost interpretation to be had, as well as an explanation of the Lost ending.

The Basic Premise

In case you’ve never seen the show, here’s a basic (and I mean basic) overview of the show. Oceanic Flight 815 crashes while en route to America, and the survivors wind up on an uncharted island. Over the course of the show’s six seasons, they attempt to get rescued, deal with the violent individuals already on the island, return to the island after escaping, and generally make sense of what the hell is going on. Oh, and there’s also some time travel and parallel universes.

Major Characters from Lost

Any Lost analysis should begin with a look at the show’s main characters, especially those who play a prominent role in the final episode of the series. Keep in mind that these characters are far too detailed to be summed up in a couple of sentences, so this is only meant as a rough guideline as part of our Lost interpretation.

• Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews) – A former member of the Iraqi Republican Guard, Sayid is haunted by the deaths of those he loved. After escaping from the island, he spends some time as an assassin for Benjamin Linus.
• Desmond Hume (Henry Ian Cusick) – A former monk and military man who crashed on the island while undertaking a boat race around the world. Plays a pivotal role in the later stages of the series, especially when it comes to defeating the evil Man in Black.
• Benjamin Linus (Michael Emerson) – The leader of the Others, and a manipulative killer. As the series progresses, he slowly begins to yearn for redemption.
• Frank Lapidus (Jeff Fahey) – A pilot who was supposed to fly Oceanic Flight 815. He later winds up on the island anyway, and he’s instrumental in helping some of the survivors to escape.
• Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) – A skilled surgeon who generally serves as the leader of the crash survivors. He dates Kate, but their break-up drives him to alcoholism and suicidal thoughts. Chosen by Jacob as the new guardian of the island, Jack successfully defeats the Man in Black (although he’s mortally wounded in the process).
• Hugo “Hurley” Reyes (Jorge Garcia) – A lottery winner who winds up on the island, Hurley remains upbeat despite a weight problem and continual bad luck. He eventually succeeds Jack as the island’s new guardian.
• James “Sawyer” Ford (Josh Holloway) – A con artist searching for the man he holds responsible for his family’s death, Sawyer slowly transforms from a smartass anti-hero to full-fledged good guy during the course of the series.
• Kate Austen (Evangeline Lilly) – A wanted fugitive who murdered her abusive stepfather, Kate is a capable woman who carries on romances with both Jack and Sawyer.
• John Locke (Terry O’Quinn) – Confined to a wheelchair, John Locke finds himself able to walk after winding up on the island. He becomes the leader of the Others, gets murdered by Benjamin Linus, and is eventually inhabited by the sinister Man in Black.

Of course, the series finale of Lost brought back all the characters from the past, and in some cases they even got to take part in the action (Boone, Shannon, etc.). The ones listed above, however, were some of the major movers and shakers during “The End.”

Lost Ending Explained – End of Lost Analysis

So what’s the Lost meaning in regards to the final minutes of the show? To me, there are two distinct options, although other fans of the show may have their own theories.

• Option 1 – Everything that was shown during the series (including time travel and sideways worlds) actually happened. Those who lived and/or escaped the island went on to live out full lives. When all those lives were concluded, they met again at the church in the afterlife and moved on to Heaven.
• Option 2 – Everyone died when Oceanic Flight 815 crashed, and the events that played out through the series were the result of the characters trying to find redemption and come to grips with the end of their lives. Once this had been accomplished–whether through self-sacrifice, escaping the island, etc.–they were ready to move on to their eternal reward.

And don’t forget about the final shot of the plane’s wreckage that pops up after the credits have rolled for “The End.” We once again see the island’s beach and the wreckage of the plane. This could be interpreted in two ways.

• Lost Interpretation #1 – It’s simply a reminder that everyone died in the crash and have now moved on into the next world.
• Lost Interpretation #2 – It’s a commentary on the circular nature of existence. Throughout the series, wreckage from previous visitors to the island were shown. Flight 815 is now just another mysterious relic to be puzzled over by future visitors to the island.

While a full-fledged Lost explanation isn’t possibly in the short space I allotted for this article, I still hope I’ve been able to shed a little light on some of the final episode’s more bothersome questions. If not, there are plenty of other resources available on the Internet to provide you with insight and discussion. And just remember, asking to have Lost explained is like trying to figure out a complicated puzzle; it’ll drive you crazy, but it’s oh-so-satisfying when you finally make a breakthrough.