So it's left to our imagination

[relient k]

So, let me get this straight, Hurley is the new Jacob, Desmond and Ben are his assistants, Sawyer, Kate, Lapidus, Claire, Miles, and Richard either crashed, or landed safely and lived out there lives.

The alternate time line is after they all died, and them getting together/getting ready for the moving on to the afterlife?

Sound right?

BTW- LOVED the finale, quite the Titanic ending. Really Bitter sweet.

[I_Am_Jacob]

Yep. You got it.

[Maxor127]

Here's a new thought... so Boone and Charlie and Ana Lucia and anyone who died over the course of the show and appeared as ghosts (especially to Hurley) and probably weren't the MIB, how come they were aware of everything when they appeared as ghosts, and then in the sideways, they're suddenly unaware of everything and are sucked into the illusion?

[lostlady]

In the sideways they don't know they are dead. Then they are 'awakened' and realize everything. I am guessing when they are dead there is a part of them that knows they are dead (their spirit) and that who is appearing to Hurley and others?

[lostfan777]

Here's a new thought... so Boone and Charlie and Ana Lucia and anyone who died over the course of the show and appeared as ghosts (especially to Hurley) and probably weren't the MIB, how come they were aware of everything when they appeared as ghosts, and then in the sideways, they're suddenly unaware of everything and are sucked into the illusion?

I took it to mean that the ATL is their LAST stop before moving on for good.  In other words, Charlie (for example) dies for real on the island.  His spirit/ghost remains so that he can appear to Hurley and do what he needs to do.  He is aware because he hasn't moved on to the ATL yet.  Eventually, he does move on to the ATL/purgatory/waiting life, where he no longer remembers the events of his life until everyone has gathered and he is awakened again, ready to let go and move on one last time.  Christian said the most important part of their lives was the time they spent together, which is why they need to 'live' in the ATL until everyone has passed over.  The folks missing from this group, the ones who are not ready, are still waiting for those that were most important in their own lives.

[sonofsuns34]

I really want to see the Adventures of Hurley and Ben!!!
I am glad they left things up to our imagination and didn't wrap up every little plot point.

[lostlady]

Here's a new thought... so Boone and Charlie and Ana Lucia and anyone who died over the course of the show and appeared as ghosts (especially to Hurley) and probably weren't the MIB, how come they were aware of everything when they appeared as ghosts, and then in the sideways, they're suddenly unaware of everything and are sucked into the illusion?

I took it to mean that the ATL is their LAST stop before moving on for good.  In other words, Charlie (for example) dies for real on the island.  His spirit/ghost remains so that he can appear to Hurley and do what he needs to do.  He is aware because he hasn't moved on to the ATL yet.  Eventually, he does move on to the ATL/purgatory/waiting life, where he no longer remembers the events of his life until everyone has gathered and he is awakened again, ready to let go and move on one last time.  Christian said the most important part of their lives was the time they spent together, which is why they need to 'live' in the ATL until everyone has passed over.  The folks missing from this group, the ones who are not ready, are still waiting for those that were most important in their own lives.

That is a great theory and explains  why Ana Lucia didn't remember Hurley when she was in the Alt. She wasn't ready yet. When Hurley got stopped by her in season 4 she was a ghost and did remember him. Thanks!

[lostfan777]

Here's a new thought... so Boone and Charlie and Ana Lucia and anyone who died over the course of the show and appeared as ghosts (especially to Hurley) and probably weren't the MIB, how come they were aware of everything when they appeared as ghosts, and then in the sideways, they're suddenly unaware of everything and are sucked into the illusion?

I took it to mean that the ATL is their LAST stop before moving on for good.  In other words, Charlie (for example) dies for real on the island.  His spirit/ghost remains so that he can appear to Hurley and do what he needs to do.  He is aware because he hasn't moved on to the ATL yet.  Eventually, he does move on to the ATL/purgatory/waiting life, where he no longer remembers the events of his life until everyone has gathered and he is awakened again, ready to let go and move on one last time.  Christian said the most important part of their lives was the time they spent together, which is why they need to 'live' in the ATL until everyone has passed over.  The folks missing from this group, the ones who are not ready, are still waiting for those that were most important in their own lives.

That is a great theory and explains  why Ana Lucia didn't remember Hurley when she was in the Alt. She wasn't ready yet. When Hurley got stopped by her in season 4 she was a ghost and did remember him. Thanks!

This is a perfect example of a small detail that, if they tried to explain it in the show, would have been tedious to watch.  I actually winced when Hurley asked Michael, "So the whispers are dead people who can't move on?".  This isn't "Blue's Clues", folks, sometimes it's better if they leave some things to our imagination.  We may have different opinions about what we see, but at least we're using our brains.

[RM]

So, let me get this straight, Hurley is the new Jacob, Desmond and Ben are his assistants, Sawyer, Kate, Lapidus, Claire, Miles, and Richard either crashed, or landed safely and lived out there lives.

Ajira plane -- (Lapidus, Sawyer, Kate, Claire, aging Richard, Miles) arrive in Guam with lots of explaining to do. [But Penny's out there and Ben has his off-Island network to help with some cover story, I guess.  Explaining Claire and Sawyer being alive, after the original cover story said they were dead, is a problem.  Explaining what happened to everyone else on Ajira 316 is a problem.  Explaining Richard and Miles, who weren't on 815 or 316, is a problem.]

Jack -- dead; (is/isn't a Smoke Monster?)

Hurley -- the new Jacob.

Ben -- given eternal life to be the new Richard?  or just gets to be the once-and-future leader of the Others?

Desmond -- alive non-Smokey; Hurley will let him return to the real world (on the Elizabeth?) and live happily ever after with Penny and son Charlie.

Bernard, Rose and Vincent -- "retired" on the Island.

Aaron -- raised by his grandmother, reunited with Claire.

Ji Yeon -- orphaned, raised by his grandmother.

Walt -- grows up off-Island (special?)

Cindy, Zack, Emma -- did any of the residual Others survive out in the woods, or did MIB kill them all?

?Any leftover people from Widmore's sub?

Eloise -- still alive in L.A. at the LampPost.

------

Am I forgetting anybody?

[lostlady]

So, let me get this straight, Hurley is the new Jacob, Desmond and Ben are his assistants, Sawyer, Kate, Lapidus, Claire, Miles, and Richard either crashed, or landed safely and lived out there lives.

Ajira plane -- (Lapidus, Sawyer, Kate, Claire, aging Richard, Miles) arrive in Guam with lots of explaining to do. [But Penny's out there and Ben has his off-Island network to help with some cover story, I guess.  Explaining Claire and Sawyer being alive, after the original cover story said they were dead, is a problem.  Explaining what happened to everyone else on Ajira 316 is a problem.  Explaining Richard and Miles, who weren't on 815 or 316, is a problem.]

Jack -- dead; (is/isn't a Smoke Monster?)

Hurley -- the new Jacob.

Ben -- given eternal life to be the new Richard?  or just gets to be the once-and-future leader of the Others?

Desmond -- alive non-Smokey; Hurley will let him return to the real world (on the Elizabeth?) and live happily ever after with Penny and son Charlie.

Bernard, Rose and Vincent -- "retired" on the Island.

Aaron -- raised by his grandmother, reunited with Claire.

Ji Yeon -- orphaned, raised by his grandmother.

Walt -- grows up off-Island (special?)

Cindy, Zack, Emma -- did any of the residual Others survive out in the woods, or did MIB kill them all?

?Any leftover people from Widmore's sub?

Eloise -- still alive in L.A. at the LampPost.

------

Am I forgetting anybody?

Other than Daniel and Charlotte still in the Alt world--I think you got everybody!

[jamesl]

So, let me get this straight, Hurley is the new Jacob, Desmond and Ben are his assistants...

Hurley changed the rules and somehow sent Desmond home to be with his family where he lived happily ever after

[nomteticus]

It's actually quite sad that nobody cared for the 815 children that were with Cindy. They were children, for Christ's sake! Hero-Jack didn't give a s**t about them when he staged the coup planned by Sawyer, ditching them and leaving them to be bombed by Widmore. Flocke of all people was nicer to the kids then all our "beloved" losties. How can you not care if children live or die and still be the good guy?

[lostlady]

If they weren't killed by Widmore's bombs then you know Hurley got them safely off the island. He's one of the good guys for sure!

[I_Am_Jacob]

It's actually quite sad that nobody cared for the 815 children that were with Cindy. They were children, for Christ's sake! Hero-Jack didn't give a s**t about them when he staged the coup planned by Sawyer, ditching them and leaving them to be bombed by Widmore. Flocke of all people was nicer to the kids then all our "beloved" losties. How can you not care if children live or die and still be the good guy?

OMG. Still? Jack was resposible from saving all humanity. Including the children. MiB was nice to the people that served him purpose. Please stop with this drivel about MiB being better than Jack. The Kids weren't on the beach that got bombed. They probably went rushing back into the forest to await a new leader. When Hurley stepped up he probably gave them a choice, but they probably chose to stay because their parents had been killed, and they were closer to Cindy than anyone else. They probably spawned a new batch of Others to help Hurley out.

[Madam P]

It's actually quite sad that nobody cared for the 815 children that were with Cindy. They were children, for Christ's sake! Hero-Jack didn't give a s**t about them when he staged the coup planned by Sawyer, ditching them and leaving them to be bombed by Widmore. Flocke of all people was nicer to the kids then all our "beloved" losties. How can you not care if children live or die and still be the good guy?

OMG. Still? Jack was resposible from saving all humanity. Including the children. MiB was nice to the people that served him purpose. Please stop with this drivel about MiB being better than Jack. The Kids weren't on the beach that got bombed. They probably went rushing back into the forest to await a new leader. When Hurley stepped up he probably gave them a choice, but they probably chose to stay because their parents had been killed, and they were closer to Cindy than anyone else. They probably spawned a new batch of Others to help Hurley out.

I think Nomteticus has a good point -- I also thought it was really odd of Jack (well, all of them actually) to seemingly not care about the kids.  And it is a fact shown on the show that Flocke/MIB was nice to the kids.  I agree that MIB was very practical and focused on his purpose, but if people weren't getting in his way, he left them alone.  He left Rose and Bernard alone, and it seems like he was prepared to leave Cindy and the kids alone.  It would make sense that he had a soft spot for orphaned children.  He told them to stick with him because he was certain he was going to win, and he perhaps didn't want them in the other camp in case he had to "go Smokey" and would be unable to winnow out the innocents, like when he "cleansed the Temple."

And as we have debated before, I still think it's stretching it to say Jack saved all of humanity.  We still don't know what that darned light was, or what it would do. 

Your "probablys" are good thoughts.  I hope they're right -- Rose and Bernard could become adoptive grandparents then maybe.