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2. The Final Scene/Jack Dies
While there’s a lot that I can say about this scene (and I’m sure I’ll say it all), I think it was stated so eloquently in Jeff Jensen’s finale review over on EW.com:
With fear and trembling, Jack stepped out of the cloakroom and into the sanctuary where his soulmates were waiting for him. Was he fully enlightened by that point? I think no. I think a few more things needed to happen, and they all did. I think he needed to be greeted by John Locke. Greeted with that smile and that handshake and be told, ''I'm glad you decided to join us.'' I think he needed to be touched by his friends. Hugged by Boone, the man he couldn't save. Hugged by Sawyer, his enemy turned ally. Hugged by Desmond, his brother in Island salvation. Bear hugged by Hurley, who takes care of everyone. Then he needed to be led by Kate to his seat, and he needed one act of love from his father, that touch that said, ''I'm proud of you.'' Christian opened the doors. Light flooded into the church. Jack smiled. It was real. It was all real. And in that moment, he was complete. Redeemed. Reconciled. Restored. He remembered his last moments on The Island. He remembered his sacrifice. He remembered he had lived a life, a hard life, a life full of mistakes and pain, but that in the end, the good in him won out, and that he died with heart in the right place. He was a hero. And he let go. The End.
There are a couple of things I didn’t quite agree with in the above passage (I think Jack became fully enlightened just before he saw his dad, and I’m not entirely convinced Jack was actively remembering the moment he died throughout the church scene), but I think the excerpt does a fantastic job of acknowledging the people Jack came contact with when he entered the church. The man he argued with but never got to thank. The man he would cross paths with in various lives and locales. The man he “let down” and couldn’t save. The man who always had his back. The man he once competed with, but would later call a friend. And finally, the woman he loves. It all felt deceptively deliberate.
But more than anything, I loved the scene’s tone. There was no anger. No resentment. No bitterness. No hostility. Just a group of people who went on an amazing journey together, legitimately touched and glad to be reunited with one another. It was just pure, genuine, unadulterated happiness. After becoming so invested in this motley crew, knowing that they end up in a peaceful place devoid of any negativity and pain went a long way for me. The good feelings weren’t restricted to Jack – take note of the way Sawyer affectionately slaps Locke’s shoulder. Hard to believe that it was only a few seasons ago that Sawyer threatened Locke’s life if he did anything to put Hurley in harm’s way.
And one of the final images we’ll have of Lost is of the characters sitting next to the person they love, completely at peace, as they are enveloped by a soothing bright light (similar to the light they were destined to protect). And I loved that it was virtually completely absent of any dialogue.
Jack’s death scene was an obvious throwback to the series premiere – waking up in the bamboo forest, with Vincent being the first living thing he sees – and his repeated claims that they won’t die alone as long as they live and together. And the symbolism there was spot on. However, after taking a while to think about it, Jack’s final moments actually remind me of the third season premiere, “A Tale of Two Cities.” The flashbacks retold the Jack story we’ve seen countless times before. Our hero was constantly jealous, constantly insecure, and demanded to control everything around him. And after he and his wife broke up, he obsessed over her new boyfriend. Yet at the conclusion of the episode, when Jack was given the opportunity to ask any question about his ex wife, instead of getting the answers he once so desperately wanted, he simply asked if she was happy. It was meant to show us how he had grown and let go of those flaws. I felt that here when he smiled as he looked up in the sky and saw the Ajira plane flying away. He seemed genuinely happy that his friends were escaping this island, returning home for another opportunity at a normal existence. He wasn’t upset that he was going to die, or disappointed that he wasn’t on the plane as well. He didn’t even mind that Kate was on the plane with his former rival. He was just selflessly happy that the people he cares for succeeded in their quest to leave the island.
In the end we know that Jack fulfilled his promise to get everybody off the island, Kate came through with her promise to reunite Claire and Aaron, Sawyer, Miles, and Alpert are leaving the island for the first time in years, Ben has a renewed, noble purpose, and Hurley is doing real good and finally escaped whatever curse he felt was looming over him. It may not have ended glowingly for everybody, but I’d say it was a happy – and damn good – ending.
While there’s a lot that I can say about this scene (and I’m sure I’ll say it all), I think it was stated so eloquently in Jeff Jensen’s finale review over on EW.com:
With fear and trembling, Jack stepped out of the cloakroom and into the sanctuary where his soulmates were waiting for him. Was he fully enlightened by that point? I think no. I think a few more things needed to happen, and they all did. I think he needed to be greeted by John Locke. Greeted with that smile and that handshake and be told, ''I'm glad you decided to join us.'' I think he needed to be touched by his friends. Hugged by Boone, the man he couldn't save. Hugged by Sawyer, his enemy turned ally. Hugged by Desmond, his brother in Island salvation. Bear hugged by Hurley, who takes care of everyone. Then he needed to be led by Kate to his seat, and he needed one act of love from his father, that touch that said, ''I'm proud of you.'' Christian opened the doors. Light flooded into the church. Jack smiled. It was real. It was all real. And in that moment, he was complete. Redeemed. Reconciled. Restored. He remembered his last moments on The Island. He remembered his sacrifice. He remembered he had lived a life, a hard life, a life full of mistakes and pain, but that in the end, the good in him won out, and that he died with heart in the right place. He was a hero. And he let go. The End.
There are a couple of things I didn’t quite agree with in the above passage (I think Jack became fully enlightened just before he saw his dad, and I’m not entirely convinced Jack was actively remembering the moment he died throughout the church scene), but I think the excerpt does a fantastic job of acknowledging the people Jack came contact with when he entered the church. The man he argued with but never got to thank. The man he would cross paths with in various lives and locales. The man he “let down” and couldn’t save. The man who always had his back. The man he once competed with, but would later call a friend. And finally, the woman he loves. It all felt deceptively deliberate.
But more than anything, I loved the scene’s tone. There was no anger. No resentment. No bitterness. No hostility. Just a group of people who went on an amazing journey together, legitimately touched and glad to be reunited with one another. It was just pure, genuine, unadulterated happiness. After becoming so invested in this motley crew, knowing that they end up in a peaceful place devoid of any negativity and pain went a long way for me. The good feelings weren’t restricted to Jack – take note of the way Sawyer affectionately slaps Locke’s shoulder. Hard to believe that it was only a few seasons ago that Sawyer threatened Locke’s life if he did anything to put Hurley in harm’s way.
And one of the final images we’ll have of Lost is of the characters sitting next to the person they love, completely at peace, as they are enveloped by a soothing bright light (similar to the light they were destined to protect). And I loved that it was virtually completely absent of any dialogue.
Jack’s death scene was an obvious throwback to the series premiere – waking up in the bamboo forest, with Vincent being the first living thing he sees – and his repeated claims that they won’t die alone as long as they live and together. And the symbolism there was spot on. However, after taking a while to think about it, Jack’s final moments actually remind me of the third season premiere, “A Tale of Two Cities.” The flashbacks retold the Jack story we’ve seen countless times before. Our hero was constantly jealous, constantly insecure, and demanded to control everything around him. And after he and his wife broke up, he obsessed over her new boyfriend. Yet at the conclusion of the episode, when Jack was given the opportunity to ask any question about his ex wife, instead of getting the answers he once so desperately wanted, he simply asked if she was happy. It was meant to show us how he had grown and let go of those flaws. I felt that here when he smiled as he looked up in the sky and saw the Ajira plane flying away. He seemed genuinely happy that his friends were escaping this island, returning home for another opportunity at a normal existence. He wasn’t upset that he was going to die, or disappointed that he wasn’t on the plane as well. He didn’t even mind that Kate was on the plane with his former rival. He was just selflessly happy that the people he cares for succeeded in their quest to leave the island.
In the end we know that Jack fulfilled his promise to get everybody off the island, Kate came through with her promise to reunite Claire and Aaron, Sawyer, Miles, and Alpert are leaving the island for the first time in years, Ben has a renewed, noble purpose, and Hurley is doing real good and finally escaped whatever curse he felt was looming over him. It may not have ended glowingly for everybody, but I’d say it was a happy – and damn good – ending.
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