Moving On...

Few more thoughts from the finale, which I don't really want to dwell on, but there were a couple (positive) things I forgot to mention in my review. I'm a pretty optimistic guy by nature and I really hate being negative. I've read a lot of reviews the past few days and I'm happy so many people liked the finale, critics and fans alike. It's going to solidify Lost's reputation as one of the best shows ever seen on the small screen, a reputation I happen to agree with regardless of my feelings on the finale. I think if there was a positive review I agreed with the most, it was The Onion AV Club. While I dislike the fact the ending of the show was more metaphysical than sci-fi, I do like the idea that the friendships and connections these characters made was what helped them triumph in the end.

- Best awakening scene, IMHO: Sawyer and Juliet. Yeah, Kate, Claire and Charlie was good too, but somehow James and Jules got to me the most.

- Hurley's grin when Charlie answered the door was great too. Also loved his pose as he aimed the tranq gun.

- And as wrong as it was that Shannon awakened Sayid instead of Nadia, it was great seeing Boone again, as himself instead of a trippy spirit guide.

- As I mentioned in the comments, my favorite line of the night was: "You all head to your heart of the island and I'll go get the magic leprechaun out of the well."

- I did love all the homages to earlier episodes. The Hatch shot, as Jack and Locke looked down at the Source, the sonogram Juliet gave Sun, Kate and Sawyer cliff diving together.

- So when Desmond time-traveled in "Flashes Before Your Eyes" and "The Constant" did he actually travel to the Alt? Maybe in the former, likely not in the latter. Desmond very well could have died in the Swan implosion sending him temporarily to the Alt universe where Alt Eloise (who seemed to be just as aware as the one who was married to Charles) tried to keep him on the right course. When he traveled in "The Constant" was was very clearly in the same timeline as present day Penny, so I don't think that was a trip to the waiting room. Not to mention, escaping the Island isn't quite the same experience as being thrown into a giant Em box or releasing a huge amount of EM energy.

- So why was Smokey so angry at Eko for not preventing the destruction of the Swan? Two reasons. First of all, I think he knew that the Swan's energy could destroy the Island if it wasn't kept contained and since Jacob was still alive at that point, he knew he'd be destroyed along with it. Secondly, I think he was worried that even if the Island wasn't destroyed, his personal loophole, John Locke, would be. I think the reason he wanted Eko to "help John" was partially to protect his escape plan.

- It's also fitting Michael wasn't in the final reunion. He didn't deserve to be there for what he did and he related as much to Hurley when he saw him on the Island. And the more I think about it, the more I really like Ben staying outside the church despite being forgiven by Locke. I really hope those two guys do get to work together on a project in the future.

- I'm currently editing my Top 108 moments list. Really hard to pare down and organize. Should foster some interesting discussion. I'm having a particularly hard time about where to place some moments from the finale because even if I disagree with some of the choices the writers made, they're too important not to have on the list. First installment will be up after the holiday.