On Lost: "There's No Place Like Home Parts 2 and 3"
Let the 9 months of speculation begin -- and HOLY CRAP! LOCKE IS IN THE COFFIN?! Last night, we had ABC's self-proclaimed night of Lost, I think it's safe to say they weren't bluffing. Last night's conclusion to season 4 did not disappoint. In fact, season 4 as a whole did not disappoint one bit. On my podcast last night, we got a caller who stated that they felt sorry for anyone who bailed in season 2 or early in season 3. I have to agree. Since the end of season 3, Lost has been spot on and last night's season finale was deliciously awesome.
There was so much packed into the full three hours of "There's No Place Like Home" that within the first 30 minutes of Part 2, I thought, "Wow, what the hell can they do to top this in the next hour and a half?" Every minute was edge-of-your-seat incredible. The Oceanic Six story line finally (somewhat) makes sense and is all ready to go for season 5. The island story with Locke's new command of "The Others" and Jeremy Bentham's proclaim that everything has been wrong on the island since Jack left is set up for next season. Michael has been confirmed dead by the producers and Harold Perrineau himself, but what about Jin? I don't believe for one second that he is dead. The Island has moved, but what happened to Daniel Faraday and his raft of red shirts? Does anyone else feel that there is going to be a love connection between Sawyer and Juliet?
So many great storylines have been set up for Lost's final two seasons that I do not have a doubt in my mind that the fans who have stuck around through good and bad will be rewarded with a great conclusion to the best show on television.
Who Is In the Coffin? Locke!
Kudos to the writers -- they had me fooled. The mysterious man in the coffin ended up being none other than John Locke. His fake name? Jeremy Bentham. Historically, Jeremy Bentham is also the name of a famous philosopher whose utilitarianism ideals were in contrast to philosophers like John Locke, who preached the concept of individualism and the mind being a "blank slate" or "tabula rasa." (Side note: Locke is listed on Wikipedia as one of Bentham's influences). Does this mean that when Locke took over the Others, he changed his beliefs and ways of doing things? (It should also be noted that the real Bentham requested his corpse be on display in a wooden cabinet called an "Auto-icon" -- a wooden coffin of his own...)
So, do you believe that Locke is really dead? I don't think so; leave it to the son of a con man to stage his own death in order to rally the troops back to the island. I think Ben is in on it too. It was a nice touch that Locke wasn't all about blowing everything up in this episode; he was only about the island matters. An even nicer touch was that he did care about the people on the freighter that Ben so carelessly sent it to its doom. And just what happened on the island that Locke had to leave and try to convince Jack and co. to come back?
Ben Sacrificing Himself for the Island?
Is Ben really a tragic hero? Is that what he became when by accepted his fate of being banished from the island in order to save it? It sure seemed that way, but alas, I still can't fully trust that Ben is on the side of helping our Losties. His careless disregard for the people on the freighter when he killed Keamy and damned the ship still has me feeling that in the end, Ben is out for his own agenda.
Time may prove me wrong, but I just can't trust the man... yet.
Keamy Set Off the Bomb, Michael is Gone, But is Jin?
It's confirmed that Michael is dead, but what about Jin? I just don't see him dying in that way, without much fanfare. I think wherever Faraday is, he will find Jin and rescue him.
And how creepy were Christian's last words to Michael: "You can go now, Michael."? Here is a big question: Is Christian a bad guy? Is this who Jacob was asking Locke to help save him from? Now that Michael is dead, it leaves open some great possible storylines for the return of Walt. Personally, I believe we will see Walt again when the Oceanic Six return to the island.
Penny and Desmond Together!
Well, I had one wish since the airing of "The Constant" and that was for Desmond and Penny to get their happy ending. While it is still early in the game, and Ben's pursuit to kill Charles Widmore's daughter does not look good, I was really happy - and a little teary eyed - when they finally embraced after more than 3 years.
The Oceanic Six
The story has been set up for next season: The Oceanic Six need to return to the island. The problem with that is that not all of them want to go back, plus we're not even sure if they're all on the same time. Sun's willingness to work with Widmore was interesting; was it a double cross? If Sun ever found out that Ben was responsible for the death of Keamy and the supposed death of Jin, then I can assume she would be teaming up with Widmore.
What was with Claire's appearance in Kate's dream? Claire's pleas to not take Aaron back seemed to directly contrast the phone call Kate got in the beginning of her dream saying that she needed to come back to the island. Something fishy is going on and for some reason, I just don't trust Zombie Christian. And just who or what is Zombie Christian, anyway?
Overall, last night's season finale was a great conclusion to the 4th season and I believe it perfectly set up so many great storylines to be explored over the last two seasons of Lost. And that is what any good TV show season finale should do. We now have nine months to wait for season 5, but with all of the questions raised in "There's No Place Like Home," we may need about 9 months to digest it all.
What did you think? What are you thoughts, questions, comments, and/or theories? Let's open up the discussion in the comment section below.
Be sure to also check out my podcast, "The Lost Podcast with Jay and Jack" or on iTunes by searching "Jay and Jack" or "Lost Podcast."
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Jay, thank you for this review of the Lost finale. I needed it!! Lot's of questions and some answers - definitely need time to digest it all.
Of course, some of them still ARE marooned. And the tension grows from our ambivalence: both wanting our heroes to return to the island and save those left behind, and dreading that return (esp. for Aaron), since getting OFF the island has always been the point.
Remember, back in season 2 or 3, Locke reminded us: "Nothing ever stays dead on this island." (Or something close to that...)
@emjay
I was kinda hoping that they were going to let the audience assume that Aaron was one of the Oceanic 6 and then trot out a surprise 6th...
Michale.....
First of all, I just have one complaint... the writers should have acknowledged that Aaron was a baby away from his mother... how was he eating? I mean seriously? But all in all, I thought is was great. Even after confirmation, I don't believe Michael is dead. And I know Jin isn't. I can't wait to see what happens. We know Sawyer gets off the Island, right? Weren't he and Kate communicating in a flash forward a few weeks ago? I think Hugo will not go back to the Island. I just can't wait to see what happens. This is one of the best written shows ever. The slow pace of seasons 2 and was laying the ground work for this great season #4. Can't wait to see the final 2 season. Ok, and Locke isn't dead. I don't believe that for one second.
@molsongrrrl
We'll just have to agree to disagree..
Movie critics when they critique a movie, always put a SPOILER ALERT out on their reviews, even if the movie has already been out for a week or two.
I just think that it's a courtesy to do the same with TV shows.
No real biggie though...
Michale.....
Let me start by saying I love the show, and this is one of the best season's yet! But i have a nit to pick, but maybe someone knows a good reason for my query.
Okay here it is. Why on earth wouldn't Kate and Aaron just stay with Penelope and Desmond?? She's been a fugitive for so long now, it's not like she doesn't know how. And no one is looking for Aaron, so to speak, plus, it seems to me very irresponsible to put him at such risk on an exposed life raft for another 8 or 9 hours!
I don't know why, but this nit is really bothering me. Of course if the reason is, "because we need to move the story along" i guess i can live with that, but I'm hoping someone has a good storyline reason.
I have an even nittier nit to pick: as a mom, watching that baby be carted around in the blazing tropical sun without a HAT on its little head drives me nuts! Every time I see it happen, I yell, "Put a hat on that kid!" at the TV.
It was amazing to me how baby Aaron survived the helicopter crash into the ocean unscathed.
It's obvious to me that Sun is out to double-cross Widmore. Remember she told her father that there are TWO people responsible for Jin's death and her father was one? There is noone on earth more responsible for Jin's death than Charles Widmore and I believe Sun knows that.
My question is, what is Desmond going to do when Ben finally catches up with Penny? And how are Ben and Jack going to convince Kate to go back to the island WITH Aaron?
Good point about penny, Starky. 'Now that the rules have changed, I presume Ben has put a price on her head.
WAIT! Sayid may be the one that Ben sends to kill her!! I can't wait to see what happens in THAT episode!
I have a problem with assigning Aaron as one of the "Oceanic Six"...
I maintain that Aaron wasn't a passenger on Oceanic 815.
He was carry on... :D
Michale.....
Does life begin at conception?
Whether it does or not, he wasn't a ticketed passenger. :)
When we get to the inevitable final scene of some future episode where the dead John Locke appears, smiles slyly and says "Hello Jack"...(thump)...L O S T...won't it sting a little, having had all his blood replaced by formaldehyde? Kudos to the realistic-looking corpse make-up. We all said "he looks so good!." That's how dead he looked.
And what's with the Island's bizarro freezing-cold boiler room and the enormous frozen slightly-diifficult-to-turn dial that turned on some sort of island night-game lights.
And Hurley's playing chess with an empty chair he addressed as Mr. Eko, back from when Lost seemed to be about spirituality and sin and redemption? Ok, then.
After the fabulous show "Nowhere Man" ended a few years ago, I swore I'd never get hosed again by a mysterioso TV show, but here I am. I wonder if a similar kind of ending is in store for Lost. I hope so.
Slight suggestion..
You might want to remove the picture from the front page of HuffPo and put out a SPOILER alert.
I hadn't seen the episode yet and, in my daily (hourly?? :D) perusal of HuffPo, I came across your article and pic and it kinda spoiled it for me. Not too bad, the finale was still awesome. But others might not be so blase about it.
Just a suggestion.
As to the "next" season, I can't find any info that indicates there WILL be a next season. My wife felt that this was the end of LOST, but was setting up a new series. The Oceanic Six??
Michale.....
since the episode has already aired - it's no longer a spoiler to talk about plot points or show pics from the ep.
Technically true..
But in this day of TIVO and TORRENTS, show airing does not necessarily equal show watched.
*******SPOILER************SPOILER*********SPOILER
I ran into this in another forum when I mentioned how Starbuck was alive in the last season finale of BSG..
Michale.....
http://www.timelooptheory.com/the_timeline.htm
404 PAGE NOT FOUND :(
Michale.....
So Locke could walk and the other lady (I forget he name but I love her!) has no cancer because they are back in time on the island?? Cool....
The season 3 cliffhanger was mindblowing, as it set up the next three seasons that have thankfully been predetermined. The season 4 finale was more mechanical in terms of arranging all the pieces and players for the next season. However, Locke's death surely portends a very dark turn.
LOST is definitely the best show in TV right now, and the most innovative with its mix of genres and narrative construction (flashbacks and flashforwards!) The message boards are also incredibly lively with their endless speculation about all the minutiae of the show.
Of the four season finales, I think the other night's show held the fewest cliff hangers. The biggest "surprise" was seeing Locke's body in the casket. Yawn. Don't get me wrong, Lost is by far the best show on TV, but I thought the season 4 finale didn't provide any more of a cliff hanging whallop than a regular mid-season episode.
Maybe fewer cliffhangers, but more satisfying because of it. Previous finales have been all cliffhanger and no payoff. This one feature the payoff of the Desmond/Penny reunion, Locke taking over the others, the reveal of Locke's body... but the biggest cliffhanger was the dangling of a return to the Island for the Oceanic 6 and, probably, taller non-ghost Walt.
I can only speak for myself, but I don't know how they can create the same tension without the concept of being marooned on the island...
Michale.....
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