That being said, I thought it might be a good idea to type out all that I'm thinking in regards to what I think is coming in Season 6! Chances are I'll be wrong about almost all of my predictions/theories but oh well. That's the beauty of it, I suppose..the mystery, I mean. And besides, this will give you a chance to share some thoughts of your own.
Let's start by discussing what I think we can expect in Season 6 by way of answers to questions, some of which we've had for a loooong time.
The co-producers of LOST, Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse, have explained that to answer every little mystery they've proposed throughout the show is simply impossible at this point, not to say that they aren't planning on answering most of the big ones. The problem is, once you answer a question, more questions inevitably spring forth.
In a nutshell, here's their view on how much they plan on addressing much of the mystery that is LOST: Team Darlton compares much of the mystery of LOST, especially big questions like what exactly is the Island, as being intrinsically similar to the notion of the Force in STAR WARS. The Force throughout the original trilogy of STAR WARS is frequently mentioned, fleshed out to some degree, and central to the story, providing a key element in the backdrop of the characters' stories. George Lucas later continued to answer fans' continuing questions about the Force (whether he himself did so because he personally felt so compelled or because he felt pressured by fans is irrelevant) by explaining the existence of "midi-chlorians" in the STAR WARS universe, "intelligent microscopic life forms that live symbiotically inside the cells of all living things and, when present in sufficient numbers, allow their symbiont to detect the pervasive energy field known as the Force." (Side note: Thanks be to Wookieepedia.)
I know people when stand on either side in this debate, but to be honest I'm with the LOST masterminds on this one: I'm completely partial to the mythology of the Force as presented in the original STAR WARS trilogy. It's relatively simple, its effects are easily perceived, and it still retains some amount of mystery that makes it all the more appealing. Screw midi-chlorians.
By the same token, the LOST co-producers have expressed their hesitance to fully answer a lot of the questions presented in the show in such a way that many people expect by this point, after five seasons of more and more unanswered questions (with some answered ones; let's be fair).
So then, I would submit to you that fully fleshed out answers to a lot of these questions like many of us are anticipating would indeed risk destroying the intrigue and beauty of the mystery that is so much LOST.
But, you may be thinking, isn't the whole point of LOST the questions and finally getting them answered?! No! The point of LOST is finally getting to see the resolution of these characters who we've come to know and love and watch develop over the course of the five season expanse that has been the LOST story up until this point. Now, in so much as the characters' destinies is one of the mysteries on your checklist heading into Season 6, then I will agree with you: Answering this specific "mystery" is the whole point of the show.
Now, you may be thinking, "Holy crap. The LOST co-producers are basically completely copping out and realizing there's no way they can answer any of their questions. THAT'S what this is all about!" Don't get ahead of yourself. While I felt the need to provide the extensive disclaimer above in the inevitable wake of "Why wasn't this answered?!" questions following the show's close, I also am excited to see some good, long-time-in-coming answers to many of the questions that the co-producers have stated will be answered in the final season. Here are specific questions/mysteries which you can count on being answered in some capacity by the time of the show's close:
- What actually happened in the wake of last season's finale, with the whole Juliet-trying-to-blow-up-the-bomb thing and the subsequent flash of light.
- What all is happening with John Locke since he "resurrected." (although I feel like it's pretty obvious: Jacob's nemesis has assumed John Locke's form in order to gain status as the Others' leader in order to find a loophole, i.e. manipulate a man [Ben] into killing Jacob)
- What exactly is the Island? (don't be greedy here; some things about the Island's nature I think we're realistically just going to have to accept on faith, i.e. the space-time jumping.)
- Walt's powers
- The "Destiny" of the Losties
- Richard Alpert -- his nature and his backstory
- The Black Rock
- Jacob and His Nemesis (prevalently referred to online as the "Man in Black," or MiB) and more info regarding their relationship.
- The random Dharma food/supply drop in Season 2 that left us all wondering, "I thought no one knew where this Island was?!" (I'm reeeaallly glad they're revisiting this, as it would have pissed me off pretty bad if they left this story thread hanging...)
- Cindy and the kids (Zach and Emma) -- what exactly is going on with them and their incorporation into The Others.
- The true purpose/nature of this group, The Others.
- What's in Hurley's guitar case that he brought back with him to the Island in Season 5.
- What exactly is the Smoke Monster?
- The significance of "The Numbers." (again, be reasonable in your expectations -- by my understanding, the numbers as much represent one of the core themes/questions of LOST, that is fate vs. coincidence, as they do some larger "mystery," although if you've read up on the Valenzetti equation in the LOST universe, the ultimate motivation behind the Dharma Initiative's studies/work, you know a bit more about the numbers' physical/scientific origin.)
- What are "the whispers" and what do they signify?
- What is the significance of The Temple?
- What's the whole story behind the four-toed statue of the Egyptian goddess Taweret?
- What's the deal with the pregnancy issues on the Island?
- Who were/are Adam & Eve, the two skeletons found in the cave in Season 1 with the black and white stones in the one's pocket?
- This kind of goes along with the resolution to the LOST Season 5 finale's cliffhanger, but what exactly was The Incident? Was it the detonation of the Jughead core or all the electromagnetic craziness that we saw in the finale occurring at the Swan site?
- What's the deal with Claire?
- Jack's dad, Christian Shephard: Is he dead or alive or somewhere in between, and why's he trolling around the Island?
- More on Libby. (this isn't one "mystery" which really particularly interests me, but I've read we'll be seeing more of her finally)
- More on Ilana and her backstory.
- The Island "not [being] done with [Desmond]" and what exactly that means.
- More about Charles Widmore, and presumably more regarding his relationship to Ben and where he stands in this "war [that's] coming" that he himself spoke of to John Locke!
- More on Room 23 and its true purpose/significance.
Now, I'd personally like to hear more about these things...but I'm not holding my breath. :(
- Ben's childhood friend, Annie.
- The volcano on the Island, which was rather cryptically mentioned/introduced might I add...
- More about Eloise Hawking.
- What exactly is the frozen donkey wheel? It appears to be man-made; who made it? Why is the chamber it's in so cold? (now, I'd be shocked if we didn't revisit this structure, but technically I don't knowww for sure that it will be, based upon..."selective reading." haha)
- If there is some signficance to Aaron, given the 10th freaking episode of this epic show, "Raised by Another"! (and if there is, I'm sure it will be covered in the final season...so I suppose this is more of a this-will-be-addressed-if-there-is-indeed-something-here. :P )
- More about Horace Goodspeed and what all he really knew about the Island and the big picture of what was going on. After all, he did build the Cabin.
- ...speaking of the Cabin, I'd like to see muuuch more on that, too please. :) ..And who exactly was inhabiting it when. Was Jacob indeed trapped there for some period of time, due to the circle of ash surrounding the premises? If so, who was responsible for this?
- A thorough explanation as to the Egyptian association with a significant portion of the ruins present on the Island.
Wow. That was a lot more questions than I perceived there actually was... Did I miss any that have been confirmed will be answered, those hardcore LOST fans of you who may happen to be reading this? What questions are you hoping to get answers to?!
Before I get done with all this nonsense, I'd like to share some theories/predictions regarding the final season of LOST that is before us and really the story of LOST as a whole, the big picture:
First of all, in my review of "The Incident," I outlined what I see to be the bigger picture, or bigger scheme of events, that is happening on the Island, as hinted at by Jacob and the MiB in their conversation on the beach during the Black Rock's arrival to the Island. Here's that again:
"Clearly Jacob and this 'Man in Black' hold different views toward man and his involvement with this ever-so-special Island. While the MiB views man as a self-destructive, corrupting presence that has no business being on the Island and ought not to be, Jacob views man as, yes, an undeniably flawed creature, but one that has the capacity to choose to be better and to overcome his imperfections. It seems to me that our Losties have been unwillingly brought into a sort of cycle of Jacob bringing groups of people to the Island and said groups essentially killing themselves and one another off, a cycle which is being repeated over and over with the aim of reaching some still-yet-hidden goal, a goal which Jacob is striving towards but the MiB doesn’t feel is worthy and therefore loathes Jacob for doing such a poor job of protecting and caring for this sacred Island. My guess as to the ending of LOST is that our Losties will break this cycle of attempts and failures and bring about this resolution that Jacob feels is so valuable and worth striving toward... I’m just not sure what the big picture goal is yet. :P haha But we’ll see I’m sure!"
So, what do you think about that? Am I far off? Reaching? Chances are I'll probably be wrong, but be honest with me: Is it a valid theory at least??!
Beyond that, I have a few theories besides my "big picture theory," ones which I'll share with you next but will spare you of the extensive explanation I've got worked out in my head simply because this blog has already gone on far enough!
Theory #1 - The MiB is the Smoke Monster.
- We know the Smoke Monster can manifest itself in different people's and sometimes animals' forms/images, as Yemi's appearances to Mr. Eko before his judgment by the Smoke Monster in "The Cost of Living" was confirmed to be a manifestation of Monster. (Also, the specific Medusa spider which paralyzed Nikki in "Exposé" was confirmed by the co-producers to be a manifestation of the Smoke Monster.)
- This MiB has seemingly also assumed the image of the "chosen one," John Locke, the declared leader of the Others before he left the Island and met his demise at the hands of one Benjamin Linus. He did this, I believe, to capitalize on the loophole he's had in the works for so long: He's been striving to create a situation by manipulating individuals as well as events on the Island in which he can first A) get at Jacob and B) have convinced someone to kill Jacob. This person, as it turns out, happened to be Ben. What a sad life he's led.
- I submit to you that the Smoke Monster is indeed the "right hand," so to speak, of the MiB on the Island, i.e. they're essentially one in the same. The MiB chooses to judge people through this medium because, well, it's daunting, powerful, and cryptic as hell. I believe the MiB has been given this duty of "judgment" by some higher force.
Theory #2 - Jacob isn't "the good guy"; there will be no "good guy" besides certain ones among our Losties who arise as heroes once all is said and done.
- With Jacob gone (or so it would seem), I'm guessing we'll learn more about the MiB's perspective regarding this whole rivalry between he himself and his nemesis Jacob, and also probably about this view on man and how exactly the Island ought to be protected. When all is said and done, I doubt Jacob will be "the good guy" that he was sort of set up to be in the Season 5 finale (although, I think there are hints in said finale of Jacob maybe not being the good guy he's being overwhelmingly presented as, but I'm not going to get into that now), and I doubt the MiB will be "the good guy" either. This story is about the Oceanic Flight 815 crash survivors and how their destiny plays into this rivalry that seems to have been festering down through the ages.
Theory #3 - Jacob's story isn't over; I think he wanted to die.
- Jacob's death was, simply put, too easy. I think Jacob pulled an Obi-Wan Kenobi: "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine." Perhaps he accomplished this by imparting his "powers" into those Losties we saw him physically touch at various points in their past: Kate, Sawyer, Jack, Jin, Sun, and Hurley.
- If you need more evidence for this theory, go back and watch the scene where Ben kills him. Jacob practically eggs him on! Ben: "What about me??" Jacob: "What about you?" Are you kidding me?!
Theory #4 - I don't think The Others, and especially Richard, are as completely loyal to Jacob as it has always seemed.
- Richard has always maintained this sort of semblance of being Jacob's right-hand man and a type of leader, or constant, within the group that is The Others and seems to have some sort of special communion with Jacob. Well I call bull. I think Richard is on the fence, so to speak, in regards to where he stands in the Jacob vs. MiB battle. I think the entire nature of The Others as a group of people is that they are sort of caught in between these two warring, it-would-seem demi-gods.
- My basis as to this allegation is the whole shroud of mystery surrounding this infamous "Temple." Why have we never seen it (not counting its outer wall, I know -- but seriously, who cares?)? It's been mentioned several times throughout the show that The Temple is a special place reserved for The Others and that it's not for outsiders. Furthermore, dialogue in the show has revealed that there has oftentimes been a second group of Others at The Temple; perhaps there always is. What are they doing there? Hiding? I doubt it. We know that the Smoke Monster is a sort of security system and that it seems to reside inside (or technically below) The Temple. I think it's protecting certain secrets about the Island. I think the MiB makes his home at this Temple and that The Others are paying tribute to him, in a manner of speaking. They are acknowledging his presence and his position in regards to the Island, that being one who passes what seems to be almost divine judgment.
- Different Others, while they all claim to act on behalf of "The Island," oftentimes disagree with one another and butt heads. This is because they're sort of split as to who they lean towards in terms of their individual support. Some lean towards supporting Jacob. Others, the MiB. I think Richard is, at his core, ultimately a servant of Jacob, but that he's conflicted for some reason or because of some event that's bigger than him, while I think that Eloise Hawking and Charles Widmore are ultimately servants of the MiB.
Theory #5 - Final confrontations will (and MUST) be had!
- I think many of our characters will experience resolution in relation to one another, not just within themselves individually (though this is ultimately of more importance, I think, in any story). Following are some key Character vs. Character rivalries that have been trumped up throughout the show's entirety and I anticipate some closure to in the final season:
- Jack vs. Christian Shephard -- when will these two bad boys finally face off?! This is the most important rivalry that's waiting to be resolved, I think.
- Jack vs. Locke -- it's the classic Man of Science vs. Man of Faith rivalry that represents such a classic theme in LOST. While Jack has definitely swung towards the faith side of the science-faith spectrum, I have a feeling he still has some leaping to do...
- Kate vs. Claire -- this one is admittedly very young in its existence; it was spawned in Season 5 as we learned that Kate's entire reason for returning back to the Island was to find Claire (and bring her back, she hopes).
- Jacob vs. The Man in Black -- these two aren't done by any means, I say. Cannot wait.
Well, that's all I have! I hope you find this last blog post before Season 6 sets off toward the show's conclusion to be insightful and if nothing else, a thought-provoker for your own mind!
What do you think about where LOST is headed? Any specific thoughts/comments? HOW EXCITED ARE YOU?!! Please share. :)
