Lost itself was a puzzle by Vijay

Alrite here goes my LOST theory. In fact theories, because I have a theory about the island and one about the show itself. Please try to read it with an open mind and this is just a theory so don’t shred me into pieces.

Lets first talk about the show.

I first hated the finale after I saw it. But after a couple of days , from reacting to it I think I moved on to analyzing it. My biggest problem with the finale was it was “obviously” disappointing. The writers of this caliber who have written more than a 100 great episodes just had to know that this was just not done. Why would you introduce another mystery (Jack trying to find his kid) just before the end of the end. Then I saw the final episode again and I think I realized something. What we thought of as mysteries all along are in fact clues.

Lost was never supposed to be a regular mystery TV series that setup mysteries and gave a run-of-the-mill explanation in the end. It is a puzzle . The writers have been giving clues to this puzzle throughout the six seasons. I think in the last season they not only included the final clues to help us solve the puzzle but also gave us the “rules” to solve it. In a way the creators of the shows were like “ Jacob”. They created their rules. We were searching for the answers and asking Jacob questions all along. Some of the things I noticed from just the last episode.

Desmond tells Kate .., “No one can tell you.”
Jack and MIB conversation .., “Isn’t this the obvious choice”..// .. “ .. That’s the surprise”
Desmond and Jack.. “None of this matters…” … “Trust me all of this matters”
Hugo and Sayid .. “I am not allowed to tell you” // “ there are rules”/// “Trust me .. I trust you.” … “You’ll be happy that you did.”
Jack, Hugo and Sawyer … “ Jacob did not say anything about Desmond”.. “When did he say anything about anything at all.” .. “He is worse than Yoda”

In fact I think the characters remembering is also a metaphor for the audience cracking the puzzle. Jack is like the people who still haven’t got it and we are taken through it by “Christian Shepherd” . In the end the reason they show white light is “Guys if you need any more clues, here comes the bright light”. This is not a sci-fi show but a mythological one. Not a religious one (They show all the religions inside the church), but a spiritual one. I think that was the final clue we needed.

I think it makes total sense now why there was no explanation. It would have been a crime to explain it. The Lost fans have spent years going through all the clues presented and not giving them a chance to solve the puzzle with the final clue would have just been unfair.
But again I think Lost was not just a TV series but an experience. We were not just passive viewers but “candidates” chosen by Jacob to protect the island. I know we are pushing the metaphor bar here but that was what Lost always was.

Now for what I think the puzzle was. (The final clue was it is a spiritual explanation not a scientific one). I think I have to watch it from the first to crack every detail but the bigger picture I think is this.

I think the island is “The garden of Eden”. But I don’t think it is the exactly in the biblical sense because the mythology combines concepts from various religions. The island was the place where man was created. But he proved himself not worthy of the island and the island became lost to man forever. The island is then protected by someone who stills believes in humanity.

So the island is a real place on earth. Now the way the island works is that the protector can make up its own rules. So apart from “across the sea” and a bit of the final episode we see the island only with Jacob’s rules. I think the shipwrecks and plane crashes are not literal but lost souls crashing into the island for redemption. What I mean is I don’t think they died in the plane crash. I think they all died before it. Crashing into the island just means souls of the people who have died and not realized they are dead, are brought to the island by Jacob.

Now the story of the people we follow is special because these lost souls are also candidates to become the protector. Lots of candidates have come and gone but these people are special because they will finally replace Jacob and kill the smoke monster that Jacob created by mistake.

I also think Ben, Juliet and some other people on the island are not dead. (That’s why I think Ben could kill Jacob, that was the loophole) . The dharma initiative was a group which discovered the island and tried to screw it up like all men.

One thing I noticed was initially the characters asked so many questions about the island, but in the end Hurley agrees to be the new protector without even knowing what the light was. I think part of the redemption process was the stop questioning ( Eating from the tree of knowledge.). It was about letting go. Not just what you have done in life but about letting go of all that you are conditioned to think in this world. Letting go and believing. Like the mother says “ Every answer will lead to another question”. That is why Jack (the most cynical one) found redemption when he finally believed in the purpose and stopped asking questions.

I think it is already a long post. I want to figure out so many more things. Which is why I am thinking of watching the whole thing again.

Lost for me, made me think about so many things. Read up on so many things. Think about spirituality , science and question both. So much time spent with friends theorizing. It has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Thank you creators. And “I remember.”(I think).