There's No Place Like Home, Part 3 (414)

[GateWorld]

LOST SEASON FOUR THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME, PART 3 EPISODE NUMBER - 414 The Oceanic Six make their way to the freighter, only to watch it explode -- forcing a new struggle for their survival. Ben undertakes extreme measures to follow Jacob's unorthodox instructions. VISIT THE EPISODE GUIDE >

[Morbo]

epic.

i told you.

[SierraGulf1]

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Epic indeed. Lost is a great show, but its finales tend to blow regular TV completely out of the water (no pun intended, given the happenings of this finale).

First of all, my favorite character on the show is Desmond, and I was worried multiple times he would bite the dust. Instead, he got reunited with Penny AND he got off the island, something I don't think anybody was expecting. I'm happy for him, but I hope he doesn't just fade out of existence. Given Ben's hellbent desire to kill Penny and his "abilities," there's still plenty of water to cover with him.

Sawyer's come a long way too. The way he sacrificed himself was awesome (even though we knew he'd live), and the scene between him and Juliet was well done as well. Pretty much all of the characters were in top form; Sun's reacting to Jin's death was gutwrenching. And there was even a bit of Walt, albeit it looks like someone's been hiding the fact his dad went kaboom. Extra time spent of Lapidus was good. Miles, Dan, and Charlotte faded into the backdrop, although that was some interesting stuff with Charlotte returning to the island. And poor Dan... did he move with the island? I hope so, or he's pretty screwed.

Michael and Jin's deaths... I knew one of them would go this week, Michael because it just seems right (suicide, retribution) and Jin because they seem to be focusing a bit too much on Sun's grief to have it so that Jin is back with the others on the island. Both deaths were at least relatively well executed; Michael's was particularly sad because of how he spent his last few months and the fact that Walt is miles away. What makes Jin's death really suck is that he could have escaped if given just a few more seconds. I'm just glad the others got away.

Ben and Locke was great, which leads to the final reveal. I know a lot of people guessed Locke back at the end of S3, but for it to be a reality now has huge ramifications and raises a whole mess of questions. I wonder if S5 will take place three years after S4. Will S5 chart what happened on the island during those three years? Oy, I don't know what to think, except that Lost is waaaaay back on its game after the early S3 issues and they're four for four with quality finales.

[Celcool]

wow, my shipper heart got everything it wanted, the Skate spectacularly hyped kiss and the Des-Pen emotional reunion kissing. Thank you Damon and Carlton!

btw. Sawyer shirtless and in wet jeans? Yum!

[jds1982]

Damn, I should have known it was Locke in the coffin, when they revealed it was Jeremy Bentham. Both John Locke and Jeremy Bentham were English philosophers, and as far as I know they are both the only full name usage of a philosopher. Interesting stuff about Jeremy Bentham. What caught my attention most was this passage

As a result of his correspondence with Mirabeau and other leaders of the French Revolution, he was declared an honorary citizen of France, but Bentham was an outspoken critic of the revolutionary discourse of natural rights, and of the violence which arose after the Jacobins took power (1792).

What was the name of the island where the 6 were discovered, was it Mirabeau? I also think we may expect a violent next season. Also, hooray for time traveling bunnies!

Edit: Nope I was wrong about the islands name.

[mizzoueng]

All in all a very well laid episode. After the 8 people in the copter hit the ocean, I thought this is where we saw the pilot and Desmond die, but they didn't.

I don't understand why they would say "8 survived the crash, but only 6 made it back", why even say that when the other 2 weren't passengers on the plane?

Now we know that the 2 people Sun blames Jins death on are her Father and Shep. And now she is working with Widmore, will she be next on Ben's "list"?

Lastly, we still don't know the fate of all the people that were on the boat, nearly all the survivors were on the boat when it blew, but we didn't see them in the water or on the deck when people were jumping, so is it possible that they got on a life raft and made it back to the island?

Oh, and Faraday, he was in a boat with A MOTOR, shouldn't he have caught up with the helicopter crash quickly? Otherwise I think he got caught with the island.

[Jumper_One]

WOW!!! that was an amazing season finale! Ben kills Keamy and in doing so kills the people on the boat including Jin and Michael. I wasn't surprised since spoilers suggested that at least Jin would bite the dust. I guess TBTB just wanted to finish Michael's storyline. although, who knows, he might be back... anyway due to Sawyer's selfless act the guys on the chopper survive and get picked up by the Searcher (LOL funny name for a boat). Penny and Desmond are reunited, that was a nice surprise. it'll be interesting to see what those two are up to in s5. and what about Frank? will we see him again?

Ben really did it, he moved the island! wow. btw since there was a white flash, does this mean they also moved the island in the s2 finale? the Orchid seems to be a pretty cool station and will most definitely be important in the future. some more surprises: Locke becomes the leader of Ben's people, Claire sends Kate a message (or was she dreaming?), Sun and Widmore have common interests, Charlotte's actually returning to the island and of course the final scene: Jeremy Bentham aka John Locke is the guy in the coffin. the Oceanic 6 have to go back but they have to do it together. Ben has some ideas. oh boy this is gonna be interesting....

[dosed150]

i wonder if jin will find out that widmore is also partly to blame for jins death, i knew that would be a heart rate monitor connected to a bomb the first time i saw it, if only because something similar happened in a star wars novel, i cant wait to see how everyone on the island is doing, they must think those 8 are all dead

[Amalthea]

Whee! How awesome was that? Is it time for next season yet?

I was sure Desmond was a goner, but I was pleasantly surprised! That man has been through enough to deserve a happy ending. Poor guy didn't get a good night's sleep for years before our Losties showed up!

In any case, it seems Sun thinks Jin is still alive. Why else would she want to speak to Whitmore? I'm sure there's some reason I haven't thought of, tho. lol

I guess all the people on the rafts made it to the island or were close enough to get sucked in when it moved. If so, it's odd that it would take boat people and not chopper people. I would like to know more about that.

I am excited that it was Locke in the coffin. Why he left the island and how he really got dead are curious. And why Sayid wanted to hide people... oh the crazyness.

Is the actress who plays Claire preggies in real life? Her face looks different and given the shots they have had of her... I dunno, I could be wrong.

[Anubis69]

I don't understand why they would say "8 survived the crash, but only 6 made it back", why even say that when the other 2 weren't passengers on the plane?

Always hide a bit of truth in a lie. Saying "8 of us survived the crash but only 6 made it back" is true... Just with certain details omitted.

Probably like everyone else I feared for Desmond (best fictional (and actual) Scot in the world!) and Frank but he came through ftw! And I really hope Dan is back next year, he's ace. Seeing as the boat wasn't spotted as the helicopter was going over, presumably and hopefully, he's with the island.

God that was good.

[stargateanubis14]

Just an amazing episode... i re-watched it just to see if i missed any small hints... Just a few things i have in my mind...
We know Whitmore (however you spell it) is looking for those who came from the island, and Ben is looking for Whitmore... What will be stopping Ben from sacrificing the "oceanic 6" in order for him to get Whitmore?
Secondly, when Ben was about to move the island, he looked up and said something along the lines of "I hope your happy Jacob". I saw this in a few ways... 1) Ben and Jacob dont really like each other...maybe Jacob was someone from the island when Ben was first brought there (since we have seen dead people from the original "others" appear). Yet it is known to Ben that Jacob has a lot more power, and thus has to obey. Now that Ben has to leave, he is basically showing us that Jacob would be happy for Ben to be gone (and possibly take Whitmore's focus off the island to look for Ben, if he ever knows he got off) 2) Ben is hinting that Jacob is making mistakes, and that this "last resort" never would have had to come if Jacob had listened to some advice that Ben may have given previously (just guessing on this part).

As for Desmund, how is he going to stay hidden from Whitmore? He's WITH HIS DAUGHTER!... i think that will be an interesting topic to come...


Overall, i think season 5 is going to have to focus a LOT more on the real-world (non-island), because the most, if not all of the main characters are all off the island. This can open a whole new door of information, and drama (such as involvement of public, or Whitmore finding the island again...just too much to think about at once). Season 5 has many doors to open, and we know how much lost can open more doors than we even know about (think back to the first hatch we ever found...and all the assumptions we could make!) So much is still unknown about the island, what the smoke is, HOW THE HECK IT MOVES, what was the true purpose of darma, and was Whitmore against it all from the beginning, who Jacob is, how he knows so much? , and OH so much more...

Spoiler:

Was the island at one time around the Bermuda triangle? lol... jk

I could ramble on about all the assumptions that can be made, and the new questions that could arise... but i think I've done my fair share for the day.

[Morbo]

Guys, seriously, it's WIDMORE. I mean, we've seen it on countless things on the show from crashed balloons to pregnancy tests...not to mention his name being on screen more than once.

btw since there was a white flash, does this mean they also moved the island in the s2 finale? t

no. the purple sky in Season 2 was the electromagnetic discharge from the island.

[Dev Corvin]

Disclaimer: Personally, I can't stand Lost. I feel like the "writers" are basically just making it up as they go along and letting other people fill in the blanks, and the entire thing is just a big game by the networks and the producers to see how long they can string the public along without REALLY telling them anything.

With that said and out of the way, here are my theories.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So the episodes which HAVE provided tiny snippets of information seem to be building towards one thing, something I've had a hunch about since I first saw the statue in the water.

The "island" on Lost is/was the location of Atlantis.

I've recently been doing research on Atlantis (the REAL Atlantis, not the Stargate variety ) for an archaeological paper I plan on publishing, so I'll be drawing on some of that research in this post.

The first clue, as I said, was the appearance of the statue. As many of you will most likely know, Plato's original account of Atlantis stated that it was "beyond the pillars of hercules". In mythology, statements often have multiple meanings designed to confuse; the theory being that those "worthy" would see past the obvious to the hidden meaning.

In this case, however, the reverse may apply; while the Pillars of Hercules are a geographical feature located at the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, they may also refer to the more literal "pillars of hecules" - ie, the legs of a statue of the legendary figure. If the entrance to city of Atlantis was, in fact, flanked by the legs of a giant statue (in much the same way that the entrance to Rhodes was flanked by the Colussus), it would certainly explain Plato's description, while providing a heavy misdirection so common in similar accounts.

Further evidence to support the Atlantis connection comes in the form of the ruins, the mention of a "temple" (possibly native architecture?), and most importantly, the events of the season finalé. Specifically, the room containing the multi-spoked wheel, with the (probably unnoticed by most) pictographs/writing on the pillar which held the gas lantern. This is clearly an example of native architecture rather than a construction by the DHARMA Initiative, and lends more credibility to the concept of the island being the location of a lost civilization.

The "disappearance" of the island as well, after it is moved, fits with Plato's account ("and the island of Atlantis in like manner was swallowed up by the sea and vanished;"), after allowing for the tendency of historians to exaggerate.

This also provides two interesting possible explainations for the existance of an advanced civilization existing at least 10,000 years before the emergence of civilization in Europe.

Firstly, that the emergence of homo sapiens sapiens as the dominent species in Europe was preceded by a separate offshoot of homo erectus which evolved on the island. This would account for the four-toed nature of the statue, and assuming they evolved at a similar or increased rate as homo sapiens (due to the climate on the island), would also account for their ability to develop greater forms of technology than we have so far been able to, possibly due to a lack of conflict in their society (which we know now is caused by genetic predisposition) leading to greater co-operation and therefore a faster development of civilization.

Or secondly, that the inhabitants of the island are actually from the "future", from a time when the human race has evolved to the point where a fifth toe is unnecessary (many geneticists have theorized that modern conveniences regarding travel are leading to certain traits which previously aided mobility being eliminated from our DNA). We know now that the island has a somwhat "flaky" connection to the 4th dimension, possibly only connected via a very small three-dimensional tunnel to the rest of the world, hence why objects crossing the boundary at other locations experience severe time dialation (apparently directly proportional to their mass and possibly distance from the tunnel). It stands to reason, then, that the original inhabitants of that island may in fact come from ANY time period, and in fact shifted the island back in time to the ancient world for reasons unknown, possibly to escape war or for archaeological purposes, etc etc.

The last justification for this theory is the name of the show; it is the "Lost City of Atlantis", after all.

[marty2006]

Disclaimer: Personally, I can't stand Lost. I feel like the "writers" are basically just making it up as they go along and letting other people fill in the blanks, and the entire thing is just a big game by the networks and the producers to see how long they can string the public along without REALLY telling them anything.

With that said and out of the way, here are my theories.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

So the episodes which HAVE provided tiny snippets of information seem to be building towards one thing, something I've had a hunch about since I first saw the statue in the water.

The "island" on Lost is/was the location of Atlantis.

I've recently been doing research on Atlantis (the REAL Atlantis, not the Stargate variety ) for an archaeological paper I plan on publishing, so I'll be drawing on some of that research in this post.

The first clue, as I said, was the appearance of the statue. As many of you will most likely know, Plato's original account of Atlantis stated that it was "beyond the pillars of hercules". In mythology, statements often have multiple meanings designed to confuse; the theory being that those "worthy" would see past the obvious to the hidden meaning.

In this case, however, the reverse may apply; while the Pillars of Hercules are a geographical feature located at the mouth of the Strait of Gibraltar, they may also refer to the more literal "pillars of hecules" - ie, the legs of a statue of the legendary figure. If the entrance to city of Atlantis was, in fact, flanked by the legs of a giant statue (in much the same way that the entrance to Rhodes was flanked by the Colussus), it would certainly explain Plato's description, while providing a heavy misdirection so common in similar accounts.

Further evidence to support the Atlantis connection comes in the form of the ruins, the mention of a "temple" (possibly native architecture?), and most importantly, the events of the season finalé. Specifically, the room containing the multi-spoked wheel, with the (probably unnoticed by most) pictographs/writing on the pillar which held the gas lantern. This is clearly an example of native architecture rather than a construction by the DHARMA Initiative, and lends more credibility to the concept of the island being the location of a lost civilization.

The "disappearance" of the island as well, after it is moved, fits with Plato's account ("and the island of Atlantis in like manner was swallowed up by the sea and vanished;"), after allowing for the tendency of historians to exaggerate.

This also provides two interesting possible explainations for the existance of an advanced civilization existing at least 10,000 years before the emergence of civilization in Europe.

Firstly, that the emergence of homo sapiens sapiens as the dominent species in Europe was preceded by a separate offshoot of homo erectus which evolved on the island. This would account for the four-toed nature of the statue, and assuming they evolved at a similar or increased rate as homo sapiens (due to the climate on the island), would also account for their ability to develop greater forms of technology than we have so far been able to, possibly due to a lack of conflict in their society (which we know now is caused by genetic predisposition) leading to greater co-operation and therefore a faster development of civilization.

Or secondly, that the inhabitants of the island are actually from the "future", from a time when the human race has evolved to the point where a fifth toe is unnecessary (many geneticists have theorized that modern conveniences regarding travel are leading to certain traits which previously aided mobility being eliminated from our DNA). We know now that the island has a somwhat "flaky" connection to the 4th dimension, possibly only connected via a very small three-dimensional tunnel to the rest of the world, hence why objects crossing the boundary at other locations experience severe time dialation (apparently directly proportional to their mass and possibly distance from the tunnel). It stands to reason, then, that the original inhabitants of that island may in fact come from ANY time period, and in fact shifted the island back in time to the ancient world for reasons unknown, possibly to escape war or for archaeological purposes, etc etc.

The last justification for this theory is the name of the show; it is the "Lost City of Atlantis", after all.

Man you must have alot of time on your hands if you can write all this about somthing you cant stand.

[marty2006]

First of all, my favorite character on the show is Desmond, and I was worried multiple times he would bite the dust.

I love Desmond aswel not only is he a great character he is also Scottish and also supports the same football team as me .

[Jumper_One]

no. the purple sky in Season 2 was the electromagnetic discharge from the island.

ah yes of course! thanks guess I should rewatch the s2 finale...

[Dev Corvin]

Man you must have alot of time on your hands if you can write all this about somthing you cant stand.

Just because I have to watch it doesn't mean I have to enjoy it

[entil2001]

As always, "Lost" is the very last major finale of May sweeps, bringing the season to a rousing close. I've never been disappointed with a "Lost" finale, and that trend certainly continues this time around. The more I think about it, the more I like it. It's going to be a very long wait for the fifth season, but at this point, I have absolutely no doubt that it will be worth it.

Lost 4.13/4.14: There's No Place Like Home: Part II

Overall, this episode was a satisfying season finale, completing the season arc while sowing the seeds for the next chapter. While some immediate questions were answered, most of the larger mysteries remain, leaving plenty of room to maneuver in the final two seasons. Even so, this was the final piece in an important bridge towards resolution.

[Amalthea]

Overall, i think season 5 is going to have to focus a LOT more on the real-world (non-island), because the most, if not all of the main characters are all off the island. This can open a whole new door of information, and drama (such as involvement of public, or Whitmore finding the island again...just too much to think about at once). Season 5 has many doors to open, and we know how much lost can open more doors than we even know about (think back to the first hatch we ever found...and all the assumptions we could make!) So much is still unknown about the island, what the smoke is, HOW THE HECK IT MOVES, what was the true purpose of darma, and was Whitmore against it all from the beginning, who Jacob is, how he knows so much? , and OH so much more...

I agree with the focus on the real world. I suspect that the main action will take place post-Oceanic 6 living their rather screwed up lives and they will flashback to the disaster that Locke claims happened on the Island. My money is Sawyer did something dumb. LOL

[Dusk]

I'm just so glad the finale was a two-hour and not a one-hour show. Can you imagine what would have been missed if all that was condensed for a single episode?

Next season will rock, and there will be some interesting developments to be sure. My thinking is that Sawyer and Juliet will become joint leaders of the beach crew. Is Micheal really dead? If 'Island Christian Sheppard' can steal Claire away, could he have not done the same to Michael. And as for Jin, well even if he had gotten off the freighter, he couldn't have survived long after that without the Island to go back to.

One of my major predictions for the future may be a bit of a spoiler, but as yet it is only speculation...

Spoiler:

Those who have died on the Island aren't truly dead and/or have the ability to be restored to life. The way they are playing the dead characters who appear as ghosts in some episodes seems to suggest that they are more than just Island manifestations.

But another prediction, which I feel is more solid...

Spoiler:

Locke isn't completely dead... Jeremy Bentham was a doppelganger, a duplicate, created by using the Orchid station. If Locke had set the shift to a negative setting, then he would effectively transport himself back, say, a few seconds, and there would be two of them. Evidence? Unedited Orchid Orientation Film

Bwahaha! I love it! And then of course there are further implications if we combine the two theories above!

Spoiler:

Time travel back to retrieve dead people using the Orchid!

This show just got creepier!

ComicCon in July will have a LOST panel, let's hope they spill a few secrets about next season, specifically casting.