My LOST Moment

David, 32 —Bayonne (New Jersey, USA):

I was just starting my first year of high school when Lost began to air on TV. I was intrigued by it from the moment I saw a commercial for a few months before it premiered. By the fifth episode, “White Rabbit”, I was hooked.

Lost was the first show to make me look inside myself and ask what kind of person I was and what I believed in. The conversations I would have with friends, acquaintances, and even complete strangers would awaken a burning passion in me, one I still feel today. It still remains my favorite show of all time.

In the Season 1 finale of Lost, “Exodus”, John Locke and Jack Shepherd had their iconic conversation where Locke said: “Each one of us was brought here for a reason.” In the seasons that followed, we continued to ask why the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815, and many others before them, were brought to a mysterious island somewhere in the South Pacific.

The Season 6 episode “Ab Aeterno” gave us the definitive answer. As we are finally told the story of Richard Alpert’s past and how he came to the island aboard the Black Rock, we witness his first meeting with Jacob and watch as his life is changed forever. Richard is convinced that he is trapped in Hell when the Man in Black tells him that’s where he is, and sends him on his way to kill Jacob, who the MiB refers to as the Devil. When Jacob tells Richard that he protects the island and that he brought Richard’s ship here, Richard asks the obvious: why?

This is the answer Jacob gives:

“Think of this wine as what you keep calling hell. There’s many other names for it too: malevolence, evil, darkness. And here it is, swirling around in the bottle, unable to get out because if it did, it would spread. The cork is this island and it’s the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs. That man who sent you to kill me believes that everyone is corruptible because it’s in their very nature to sin. I bring people here to prove him wrong. And when they get here, their past doesn’t matter.”

When Richard asks if others were brought here before him, Jacob tells him there were and that they’re all dead, killed by themselves or the Man in Black. Of course, Richard is confused. If Jacob brought others here before, why didn’t he help them?

As Jacob gives his answer, he asks: “Why should I have to step in?”

Richard’s answer? “If you don’t, he will.”

This changes Jacob’s perspective on how he’s been doing things on the island, leading him to appoint Richard as his right-hand man to act on his behalf with others that will be brought to the island in the future.

And there you have it. After six seasons and up to 112 episodes at this point, we were given the ultimate answer of what the show was all about by the man behind the curtain. From the island’s nature to the reason so many others found themselves here before our main characters.

What I love about this moment is how Jacob and Richard are set up. Jacob is obviously the all-knowing God and Richard is Christ (he even looks like him with the long hair and beard). Jacob’s explanation to Richard about his troubled relationship with the Man in Black is very much in tune to God’s relationship with the Devil. And Richard asking Jacob why he never helped anyone he brought to island before him is all too similar to one of life’s oldest questions: “If there’s an all-knowing, all-loving God, why does he let bad things happen?”

I don’t believe in organized religion (it’s fine if you do), but I do believe in God. And while this may be a TV show, I have always seen truth in Jacob’s response:

“I wanted them to help themselves. To know the difference between right and wrong without me having to tell them. It’s all meaningless if I have to force them to do anything.”

That first conversation with Jacob and Richard is my favorite moment from Lost because it says everything that the show had always been about while mirroring our own questions about why we’re here. And Jacob’s theme, “The Tangled Web”, playing in the background is the icing on the cake.

TJ, 39 — Ocean View (New Jersey, USA):

Especially early on, I always wondered why more people weren’t totally freaking out and losing their cool on The Island. I guess frequent histrionics don’t make for the best storytelling, but I always appreciated when we got to see a character’s vulnerability.

In “Exodus”, Shannon is determinedly lugging this suitcase across the sand. Sayid confronts her about it and she says, “it’s too much.” Without missing a beat, Sayid says, “it won’t be too much if I carry it for you.”

Other people can be… disappointing. But Lost shows us how “nobody does it alone.” Life is an interconnected web and with that connection comes the potential for terrible pain and also, tremendous compassion and comfort.

In a world of social distancing for almost a year, Lost reminds me that when we are at our best, we can choose to help each other carry the weight when it gets to be too much.

Zoe, 15 — Columbus (USA):

I only recently watched Lost with my family, my mom actually watched the season two premiere in the hospital after my birth. My mom loved Frank Lapidus, as one should. She told us this was one of her favorite lines from the series, and I think it’s mine too. It leads you into this new stage of the show, going back to the island. It’s the perfect way to tie it all together, and whenever I hear Guam, I think of this line.

Maggie, 14 — Portland (Maine, USA):

When I was 9 years old in the summer going into my 4th grade year, my family hosted a Fourth of July party at our camp. Family members visited, relatives came and left. After the party, my neighbor and her family had stayed a little while longer. Her, myself, and my three other sisters were bored and had nothing else to do. We were worn out from all of the swimming and running around we had been doing the entire day. So, in our living room we sat, thinking of what to do. Then, my neighbor made the suggestion that changed everything.

“Have you guys ever heard of Lost?” she asked. My sisters and I shook our heads. “We should really watch it. It’s my favorite show!” So, she turned on our ancient Wii console and turned on the pilot episode.

From the moment Jack’s eye opened, my young mind was already racing with thoughts and questions. “Why is there a man wearing a suit in the middle of the jungle? What is he running from? Does he know where he’s going?” My neighbor shushed me and said that I would find out soon. Then, I saw the plane. All of the screaming people, stumbling across the wreckage of the fuselage. Jack running around the beach to help those in need. The injured people crying for help. I knew I was far too young for such gore, but it was so captivating that I just couldn’t peel my eyes from the screen. My little sister was already out of the room, and my older sister was covering her eyes with her hands. But I just watched, so fascinated, yet so terrified, of what was happening.

As the summer went on, episode after episode was watched by my sisters and I. We came to love the characters. We laughed with them, mourned with them, and grew very close with them. Some of my sisters had eventually fallen away from the show, and by the time I had reached The End, my twin sister and I were the only ones still watching.

In the basement of our lake house, the two of us sat in silence as we watched the church fade to white and Jack’s eye flutter closed, and tears ran down my cheeks as the iconic “LOST” closed what was the best show on television.

Five years later, I still watch Lost. But now, since I am older, I have a much deeper understanding of the beautiful details that made Lost such an incredible show. It seems like the connections I made with these characters become stronger every time I watch it. Lost has so many essential lessons about love, life, destiny, faith, and, most importantly, being able to let go, like all of us viewers had to do with Lost.

There are some fans of Lost that may have just finished the show, and some others who have been watching since September 22nd, 2004, long before I began, but no matter how long we’ve been watching it for, Lost has still made an impact on all of our lives.

Sydney, 15 — Orlando  (Florida, USA):

My “Lost moment” is in the episode “Happily Ever After” in season 6, which depicts and explains Desmond’s “other life”. He has just spoken with Eloise about losing track of Charlie and is about to drive off with George as his chauffeur when Daniel “Widmore” (Faraday is his last name in his original life) approaches him and explains how, after seeing Charlotte (whom he hasn’t met in this lifetime) in a food court, he “felt it”, how he felt love, and how it was like he already loved Charlotte. He proceeds to tell Desmond that after waking up the next morning he wrote a series of equations about releasing an extreme amount of energy, and tells Desmond he couldn’t possibly know these quantum mechanics equations due to his career choice: a pianist. At the end of the scene, Daniel explains to Desmond that this “Penny” IS real, and that she is actually his half sister.

Lots of scenes mean a lot to me, some equal with this one, but I chose this one because at my stage in life, I am trying to figure out what really matters, and Lost has certainly made it clear, and couldn’t have come at a better time. This scene features Desmond’s uncertainty with the whole scenario, because he pretty much is a man of logic shown when he states that Penny is just an idea, and can’t wrap his head around it. I’m typically the same way, and when Daniel was speaking to Desmond, he also spoke to me.

Also, I ponder death quite a bit, and the possiblity of the whole “second life” scenario has touched me. “What if this wasn’t SUPPOSED to be our life?” really hit me in ways I cannot even explain.

This scene, and Lost in general, taught me at a most critical time what truly is important. That trust and love are what really matter, and to make the most of the short life we are graciously given. I was always someone who thought logic was all that counted in life, it was the only way to get somewhere. Thanks to Lost, I now know how wrong I was.

Amy, 44 — Troy (Alabama, USA):

When Jack is finally awakened to the memories of his life, his conversation with his father became my favorite Lost moment. Jack’s very last words of the series are “Where are we going?“, which sums up my experience in watching Lost for six years.

Christian’s answer, “Let’s go find out“, brought me cathartic hope. After watching Lost for five years, I was diagnosed with cancer in the summer before the last season. A brutal year of treatment followed, ending in May and just in time for the finale. Hearing those words and seeing Jack die and simultaneously reunite with his loved ones helped heal my battered spirit. It wasn’t coincidence that Jack hugged people who he learnt the most from on the Island: Locke (his foe/teacher), Desmond (the man he saved), Boone (the man he couldn’t save), Hurley (the friend) and Sawyer/James (the man who set him back on the path toward forgiving his father).

Seeing Jack take courage, let go and find out gave me perspective on death that continues to help me.  Lost is the only TV Series to speak so truthfully and eloquently on death… and life… and finding out…

Jon York, 38 — San Diego (California, USA) :

My 10-year-old daughter got her first Lost moment.
She loves music, asked me for a song I like to play on YouTube, so I said “Shambala” by Three Dog Night. I explained to her why I liked the song, that it was from Lost and it came at a moment when two people felt they were surrounded by bad luck. These men got in a car and ran it down a hill to jump start it – and if it didn’t start they would crash. I explained that it was about faith… She asked to see that video and and now watches that scene over and over. It opened a dialogue about the show, and faith, and redemption. She now knows the names of the characters and has asked to start watching the show with me… So proud…

Cathy, 26 — Santa Monica (California, USA) :

A heartbreaking moment for me was when John Locke is in the hospital in a flashback, after his father pushes him out of a window.  John sees his nemesis — that wheelchair — for the first time.   The nurse wants to put him in it, and carries him over to the wheelchair, while John is TERRIFIED and pleading for him not to place him there.  He then breaks down into tears.  Ah, it killed me.

Steven, 20 — Mount Pleasant (Michigan, USA) :

Getting to know the background of Jack has always been insightful. In episode 20, “Do No Harm”, Jack says to Sara, “I didn’t write any vows. I’ve been trying to for a month, but I couldn’t. So I started to wonder why that was. And as time went on it only got worse, because I’m not good at letting go. Or maybe I’m afraid of what will happen if I fail. But I know one thing. I would have never been able to write anything as beautiful as what you just said. And last night, Sarah, when you were talking about the accident, you got it all wrong. I didn’t fix you. You fixed me. I love you, Sarah, and I always will.” It’s the kind of love that isn’t only understandable, but down right real. It’s the transition that Jack finally makes in the finale of acceptance that brings this side of Jack full circle.