I have defended Lost for years, saying that there was going to be an intelligent and convincing backstory that the writers had known from the start.

I thought that Across the Sea was the biggest pile of dross I'd seen, what a joke. Mystical Light???? Seriously, you mean I've spent years watching a show that has TOTALLY copt out?? That's as weak an ending as 'it was all a dream'. I haven't read or discussed with friends a more pathetic and lame reason for all the Island and the various occurences. I simply cannot believe that this is all they have to offer. Drivel.

I'm really glad this was such a polarizing episode. It's extremely enlightening to 'find out where you fans really stand.'

Oh, and I wish ZOE a speedy and horrific smokey induced death. She's just terrible.

Let me start by saying I love Lost. I own every season thus far on DVD and will defend it to the death because of its sheer depth and brilliance, but I've never seen an episode that jarred with me so much. I get what the writers tried to do with this one, I really do. The story is decent, the revelations are good too, but there is so much wrong with it that I can't even defend this one. I'll shortlist what I disliked:

-The lame depiction of the 'source'. -The awful addition of season one clips to make sure the simpletons out there understood the adam and eve history. Lost normally credits its viewers with a semblance of intelligence. This would have worked so much better if it was not flagged up with terribley edited clips. This time of death also nullifies Jack's estimate as to how long the bodies has been there. I also found out on Lostpedia that the skeletons are not laid out etc as they were in season one. I know this is picky and that in every episode there are several continuity errors, but my God, thats kinda sloppy. I'll forgive them that though.
-The huge leap in logic that the settlers must have made in order to realize that if they used water and a wheel with the electromagnetic energy they could manipulate it. Are we meant to just accept that? Unless of course that is explored further in the remaining episodes. Job well done to that ancient scholar in the mean time. Well done indeed.
-The oedipal themes are interesting but they ultimately reduce two of the coolest, most enigmatic characters ever to grace TV to the level of squabbling mammy's boys. That said... I get it, I even quite like that this is the reason for their antagonistic relationship, I just think they did not have to use the immaculately groomed child actors with questionable acting skills to convey this fact. That said, they are not as bad as some have made out.
-If this is all the explantion we get for the rules/ if MIB has a name or not/ why the mother/jacob/MIB are 'special' then it stinks as a huge cop-out. Whilst I love that Lost is both open-ended and subtle, and a show that invites us to draw our own conclusions, does this not seem like a cheap resolution? I have faith I will be satisfied with the end though. After all, aside from a few flawed episodes, Lost is truly an immensely well written and produced show. I just hope that Lost continues its previous precendence of good form.

ALSO Andrew, Eko died as he was unrepentant, I don't see how he realised what you claim. It was the result of rushed writing because the actor requested he be written out at the last minute. Hardly evidence to support your claim.


Over all, I get the episode. I just don't get how they went about it. I can't see how there are those of you out there who loved it, when there was so much wrong with it.

Just going to point out once again that for many people, especially me, we do not watch this show just to get all the mythological answers. For us, it is meant to be purely character driven with a great look at different abstract themes. I think they are on the right track with this. For example, I think they are on the path to crafting two characters, Jacob and his broher, that will make viewers question who is right. And I agree that the acting was bad, but I feel this episode was important and necessary. Also, the answers are NOT coming out of thin air. The donkey wheel in season 4 was linked amazingly to the electromagnetism present since season 2. I always had a feeling that the smoke monster was a part of this electromagnetism (makes sense now, no?). Also, people can start to see how throughout the show, these two people have manipulated the survivors, and that can be held up (Eko in season THREE died noticing this). @liljimyCT
I don't want it back because this show actually teaches you things about humanity, human nature, philosophy, good v. evil, etc. Basically stuff that you need to use your brain to extract from the show. That's why I feel lots of people don't like this show. They aren't smart enough to notice the deep symbolism and thematic focus of the show. So many allusions are made, and I bet you missed most of them. Of course you won't find it as rewarding a someone that is more intellectual.
@The O
Well, considering it is one of the best television shows ever made, and considering that crap like American Idol, Jersey Shore, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Desperate Housewives (the list goes on and on) still air, I guess it makes sense. TV viewers grow dumber by the year, and I think that is why you didn't like this show. It is also why you like the numerous shows listed above. It saddens me to see a comment like yours because it reminds me that ingenuity is slowly dying out.

I thought this episode was absolutely dire ! I found it very difficult to stay swaddled in my cocoon of being a fly on the wall when my senses were constantly brought back to stark reality by Janney's awful attempt at Latin,her unbelievable performance, the terrible sets and the even worse costumes. Call me picky, but, I like to escape into a TV show like Lost and feel like I am there with them but that was impossible with this episode.

I thought the twins' delivery scene was so laughable and too '''Jacob and Esau/esque'. Don't even get me started on how the " newborn" babies looked. I thought the baby Jacob one looked hilarious smiling away at " birth ". And then there was this..... umm.. .. at what point during the rushed scenes with the impeccably-groomed-and-straightened-hair Boy In Black were we ever led to believe that " Mother " favoured him? Oh, puhlease. The whole story line now just smacks of panicked attempts to lump bits of stories from Judeo/ Christian beliefs and Babylonian, Egyptian, Roman history just to fill out the remaining few hours.It feels rushed, unplanned and a very unsatisfactory end to what has been a fabulously layered story!

Can you tell I'm disappointed?

...now there's an hour of your life you'll never get back!!!

I am not 100%, but I am pretty sure I read that around season 3, the storyline for the show until it's end has already been created. Of course there are little things that they will add and take out, but for the most part, the writers aren't pulling answers out of thin air. The story has been finished for a couple of years now.