When Jordan Beall and I aren't Talkin' Politics, we're usually talking about other things, most of them highly inappropriate and not suitable for the pages of GEP, which I've tried to maintain as the premiere destination for families interested in pop culture tomfoolery. Today, however, Jordan and I have left politics by the wayside to discuss the series finale of my favorite television program of all time: Lost. The following is Part One of our online discussion which immediately followed the show's final 2 1/2 hours. This conversation contains spoilers aplenty, so proceed with caution if you haven't yet watched the series. And if you don't watch Lost, what the hell is wrong with you?Matt: So, what did you think?
Jordan: I found the sideways story to be the more interesting, at least for the last hour of the finale.
Matt: We talked earlier in the day about some last minute predictions we had…
Jordan: Mine were:
- Big Smoke will be destroyed by one of the characters in an act of self-sacrifice.
- Ben isn't really on Smokey's side and will double cross him.
- Richard isn't dead.
- Juliet and Sawyer go out for coffee in Sideways world.
- Jack will not end the show as the new Jacob.
- Sideways Kate will dance naked at David's piano recital... oh wait, that was some fan fiction I read online.
Matt: I was never someone who formulated theories or got obsessed with unanswered questions. I was always more interested in the characters. That’s how I am with any story really, be it a book or a movie or a television show. Plot is secondary to me. Give me an group of interesting characters and I’m satisfied. However, I did break my rule and predict a few things about the Lost finale. I thought:
-Ben will ultimately kill Not Locke and it will cost him his life.
-Desmond is totally going to hop into the old Cave o' Magical Light and that will accomplish something...
-None of our four remaining original Losties (Jack, Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley) will die.
I got a few ones right. Desmond certainly accomplished, um, something. And Kate, Sawyer, and Hurley made it to the end.
Jordan: On Twitter, people keep saying Jake died at the end - uh, his name was Jack [dumbshit]! Ignore that last message, I was just venting.
Matt: Let’s talk about the very end. I thought it was beautiful, but there are going to be some people—and I’ve already seen evidence of this online—that just didn’t get it. One genius over at Lost’s Facebook page wrote, in essence, “They were dead the whole time? Why did they have to go through all that island stuff?” Are people really that stupid? What, did you watch it with the volume turned down? DAMMIT! Sorry, I’m venting now.Jordan: There may be some angry fans, we'll find out tomorrow.
Matt: Fair weather fans, if you ask me. About the end though: the survivors created a Sideways Universe to meet up in after they all died, but why were some people left out? Why no Michael or Walt? Why no Mr. Ecko?
Jordan: I know why we didn't see Michael at the church. He was one of the spirits stuck on the island, as he appeared to Hurley during the “Everybody Loves Hugo” episode. Hurley asked him if the whispers were the spirits stuck on the island and Michael says that they are the ones who can't move on, and reveals that they are the source of the whispers.
Matt: True, but I figured once Hurley became master of the island, he would let all those restless spirits move on. And while I’m on the subject of Hurley, wouldn't a Lost spin-off, The Adventures of Hurley and Ben, be pretty sweet? Hugo and his second-in-command trading quips, righting wrongs, and getting into all sorts of hijinks? It’s a work in progress.
Matt: So what were your favorite parts of the finale?Jordan: I liked the moment when Sayid and Shannon meet again. I also liked the moment when Hurley asked Ben to be his #2. I was, however, perplexed by why they bothered to make Juliet Jack's wife in the sideways world? Also, what was the point of that tree falling on Ben? That used up a whole 30 sec of air time for nothing.
Matt: Yeah, Juliet being Jack's ex-wife seemed to be another "Look at us be clever" moment. Not necessary. But how about that scene where she and Sawyer "wake up?" Dude, I was sobbing. Not crying demurely. Straight up sobbing. I lost it every time people woke up. And, I guess Ben getting trapped under the tree—which I agree was a wasted moment—was there to explain why Hurley would ask Ben to essentially be his Richard.
OH, best moment of the night though: Jack and Not Locke's knock-down, drag-out fight on the cliffs. Awesome! And we got to say good-bye to Rose and Bernard!
Jordan: Yeah, I was happy to see Rose and Bernard. They were always nice to visit.
Next time...Jordan poses some tough questions and I answer the crap out of them!
