Chapter 4: Flash "Sideways" and "Moving On/Leaving"Previously in Amy's Viewing Guide:
- Chapter 1 - we discussed a few of the basic elements of storytelling on LOST and how "Everything is real," (but not physically real) and how this constructed (restricted by available resources) is developed.
- Chapter 2 - we discussed how our losties experience the world of LOST -- one experience at a time in the order WE SEE it in the show. There's no time travel, and there's no external timeline (nothing WE SEE happens to our losties before Jack opens his eye in "Pilot" or after he closes it in "The End").
- Chapter 3 - we examined character and how character development works in the island and flash worlds.
In Chapter 4, we'll dig into the purpose of the flash sideways world its importance to our losties by "The End."
REMEMBER ME?
Remember how our S6/sideways losties would suddenly "remember" experiences from the island and then quickly turn into who they were on the island?
Flash-Juliet is a perfect example. Before hooking up with Flash-James, Flash-Juliet is just "Juliet." She looks like Our-Juliet (the Juliet we know from the island). "Juliet" even shares a few key characteristics of Our-Juliet (pregnancy doctor). However, I think we can all agree: "Juliet" is NOT Our-Juliet, the Juliet we know from the island. Yes? Everybody with me?
The question we need to ask ourselves is this: which Juliet is the REAL Juliet? I think that one's pretty easy: The REAL Juliet is the one WE know from the island. Only OUR Juliet is/can ever be the REAL Juliet. [FYI: The REAL Juliet would be JULIET'S GHOST in our Chapter 3 discussions.]
So who is this "Juliet," and why should we care?
Here's the trick. Instead of asking yourself who "Juliet" is, ask yourself this: What is "Juliet's" FUNCTION in this flash world? After she hooks up with "James" (who functions in the exact same way), "Juliet" experiences flashes of the REAL Juliet's memories. When that activity is complete, "Juliet" is gone and the REAL Juliet is in her place. [Because your MEMORY IS YOUR IDENTITY.]
AFTER this happens, AFTER the REAL Juliet "wakes up" or "arrives" or "is restored" in the flash world -- AFTER the REAL Juliet REPLACES "Juliet," THEN she and the (now) REAL James can meet up with everyone at the church and "move on."
So who is "Juliet" and why should we care?
Easy. "Juliet" is TABULA RASA. She is the "blank slate" version of the REAL Juliet's identity (she's an "identity" with no GHOST). And she's a pretty frickin' important "blank slate."
If "Juliet" doesn't exist in this flash world, then 1) The REAL Juliet (her memories, her identity) never makes it to the flash world, and 2) the REAL James never makes it to the flash world either. Remember, they need each other -- their emotional attachment (their LUV) is the catalyst for island memory flashes. ["Nobody does it alone."]
Throughout the finale (or earlier, in Desmond's and Hurley's case), we see most of our losties go through the same experience. Agreed? There are a few exceptions, but let's focus on the primary experience as demonstrated by Juliet. From what Desmond and Hurley are up to, it seems like this memory experience that turns our "losties" into our REAL losties is absolutely necessary in order for them to "move on" together in the end. [Looks to me, it needs to happen pretty quick. That is, they are in a hurry to get OUR losties together by a certain deadline.]
Here comes my favorite part! Are you ready?
Christian made it VERY clear that the flash sideways is not a PHYSICALLY REAL world [THANK GOD! I could KISS Darlon's TOES for clearing that up!]. However, he also made it very clear that this world is still REAL, and our losties waiting for Jack in the church are ALL REAL.
Looking at their flash sideways experiences, we see that Christian's telling the truth. In that church are the REAL Juliet, the REAL James, the REAL Claire, the REAL Charlie and so on. All of our REAL losties have "made it." Shoot, we witnessed it happen to most of them.
Most important thing to take home with you: The REAL losties couldn't exist in this flash world unless the FLASH WORLD was REAL as well. [If you've got a theory - with evidence from the show -- that explains how our REAL losties can "wake up" or "transfer" into a "fantasy/pretend" world, I'd love to hear it.]
If we look at the flash sideways experience as a whole, the activity we've been watching in Season 6 is how our REAL losties are ENTERING this world. They weren't there before, and they ARE there after, right? For all intensive purposes by the end of the finale, our REAL losties have TRANSFERRED INTO this world, INTO the tabula rasas, the "losties," just like the REAL Juliet "transferred" into "Juliet."
REMEMBER: It's NEVER been about the island. It's about the characters. Always. That means examining what happens to the CHARACTERS tells us what's happening on LOST. If the primary event for these characters in the Season 6 flash world is the ENTRY or TRANSFER of their REAL selves into this world (via memory transfer into the "blank slates" set up for them -- just like the REAL Juliet transferred into "Juliet"), and the ultimate goal of this transfer activity is so they can gather and "leave" or "move on," then THAT'S OUR STARTING POINT for figuring out the point or purpose of the flash sideways world.
THE MAGIC QUESTIONS
With that starting point, let's ask a few questions.
1. When they enter the "sideways" world, WHERE are our REAL losties transferring FROM?
Since we know this is not a physical world, we know that "Juliet" is not a physical body. The REAL Juliet's memories aren't stored in "Juliet's" brain, because she doesn't have a brain!! They were brought in somehow. Were they uploaded? Transferred? Magically "beamed" in? What's it about?
Let's come back to that one.
2. HOW are our REAL losties (the memories that make up who they are on the island) transferring into these "losties," or "blank slates?"
The science/mechanics are still a mystery to me. All I know is what we are seeing is a REAL world but not a PHYSICAL world. That tells me it has something to do with the power of the mind or consciousness, but I'd be lying if I told you I could completely explain it (YET). [Memory Transfer in Science Fiction]
Even if we can't explain it, we can easily observe how it happens. For instance, we know that memories steeped in intense positive emotions (usually) shared with at least one other REAL lostie are necessary to "trigger" the memory flashes. However, that emotional trigger can't happen without some kind of stimulation -- either through touching hands (Claire and Charlie, Juliet and James), or seeing a familiar image ("Not Penny's boat." or circumstance (Aaron's birth, recovery from paralysis).
We ALSO know that the relationship/emotion/image/memory must be from the ISLAND. There are ZERO flash backs/forwards in any of the transferred memories, that I've seen. Even when Jack touches the coffin, he doesn't flash on any memories that aren't of the island (or of Christian either - that's interesting). [This last one explains why Sayid needed a connection with Shannon and not Nadia. Nadia's never interacted with Sayid on the island.]
Finally, we know that once the transfer takes place, once our REAL lostie has replaced the "lostie," once we know that "Juliet" and "James" are now the REAL Juliet and the REAL James, we can see how the REAL lostie "gets it." [As Desmond asks Kate, "Do you understand now?"] After "waking up," they "understand" what this flash world is about. They understand what's happening to them and why they are there. They should be more confused, right? Maybe a little disoriented? But they're immediately cool with it.
They are HAPPY to "wake up." They are relieved and happy to "find each other." They are more than happy to "move on."
I think that's the key thing to remember: The REAL Juliet is pretty darn happy to find herself in the flash world -- AND not confused at all.
3. WHY are our REAL losties transferring into these "losties," or "blank slates?"
AHHHHH! Here we go. The BIG question, right? The one that has tripped LOST fans right into "the finale sucked" pile. The one batted around podcasts across the globe with only one unsatisfactory answer after another to show for it. Prepare yourselves, my lovely LOST readers. Let's try something new. Let's try creating a QUESTION COMPLETELY BASED on DIRECT evidence from the show, and then seek our answers.
Ready?
HERE'S THE BIG QUESTION NARROWED BY THE EVIDENCE:
- If the end game, the "happy ending" stands as is: our group of REAL losties gathered together in a church for the express purpose of "moving on" (or "leaving"),
- AND our group of REAL losties can not "move on" until they BECOME our REAL losties,
- AND becoming our REAL losties requires the "losties/blank slates" of the "sideways" flash world to encounter each other and stimulate transfer/upload/whatever-you-want-to-call-it memories of our REAL losties (from their experiences on the ISLAND ONLY),
THEN what is the purpose of the flash world? What problem does it solve?
THIS is the FIRST question we need to answer, but we need to stick to answers supported by the MOST evidence. Let's think of some answers:
- It's PURGATORY: Does the flash "sideways" world exist so our REAL losties can pay for their sins? I don't see any sin-paying going on, do you? They don't even have a chance to pay for their sins. As soon as they transfer over, they're "ready" to join the group and "move on."
- It's a Final SHOT at REDEMPTION: Does the flash "sideways" world exist so our REAL losties can "redeem" themselves? I don't see any redemption going on, do you? Maybe Jack operating on John, but that's about it - even then, that's not the REAL Jack yet anyway. He doesn't show up until he touches Christian's coffin.
- It's A STEPPING STONE: Does the flash "sideways" world exist so our REAL losties can "transition" to the next life/heaven/nirvana/whatever-you-call-it?
Ah -- Now, THAT I can see. I'm not talking about the afterlife stuff, either. I think you can make clean arguments about what's on the other side of the warm, bright light that fit nearly every religion/philosophy. THAT'S not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the LEAVING part. The part where our REAL losties are no longer "here."
I'll encourage you to not to get hung up on WHERE our losties are GOING. We'll never know where they are going, and the truth is it doesn't matter if we know or not. All we need to know is what we can prove with evidence from the show. If "moving on/leaving" is the "happy ending" for our REAL losties, then, wherever they "go" isn't relevant. Only the journey they make UP TO this point matters.
THAT MEANS:
REGARDLESS of whatever happens -- The flash "sideways" world exists to bring our REAL losties FROM wherever they are TO this flash world (via island memory "transfer" into their "blank slates"), so they can "move on/leave" [the "happy ending"].
That also means, the POINT of the ENTIRE show was to bringing our REAL LOSTIES to this exact point in time: to this specific place with these specific conditions SO THEY CAN “LEAVE” WHERE THEY ARE. [SO THEY CAN "MOVE ON" TO SOMEPLACE ELSE.]
If we keep this ONE ENDGAME ["moving on/leaving"] in mind as we rewatch the show from the beginning, we should be able to see entire story in relation to that endgame. It should help us decipher the show as a whole.
ALL THAT BEING SAID: Let's take a very quick look at what the "so they can leave" endgame means to us as viewers.
Whatever "moving on" means, our REAL losties can't do it from wherever they are before their memories/identities are triggered/transfered into the sideways version of themselves.
That is (one more time for emphasis) WHEREVER our REAL losties (their memories/identities) are PRIOR to the finale (when nearly all of them finally "wake up" in the sideways world) is a PLACE THAT PREVENTS THEM FROM "LEAVING/MOVING ON."
Can you think of a place on LOST that prevents losties from "leaving/moving on?"
[I know I can!]
Amy's Rewatch/Recap Menu HERE
