Sunday night’s finale of Lost has caused a backlash of comments from critics and fans.  As a fan, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.  Until now.

I have read many comments in forums.  It seems that a lot of people have misunderstood the message of the finale.  I don’t claim to have all the answers, but I do have what I understand from what was plainly spoken from one of the series’ most interesting and complex characters, Christian Shephard.

The Sacrifice

On the island, Jack, Hurley, Kate and Sawyer attempt to stop the man in black from destroying the island.  When they finally run into him, he has Ben and Desmond with him, and they are headed to the light that Jack has sworn to protect.  Locke forces Desmond to go inside the cave, and Desmond unknowingly removes the “cork” that protects the island’s life force.

As the island begins to shake and seemingly destroy itself, it is revealed that the man in black is now mortal.  Jack takes advantage of this, fighting him on the cliff.  When Jack is nearly killed, Kate comes to his rescue, shooting Locke.  The two throw him over the cliff, believing their nightmare has come to an end.  But Jack knows that he must go back to the cave to restore what Desmond has done to the island.  He tells Kate, Sawyer, Hurley and Ben to leave the island.  Hurley and Ben remain with him, but Kate and Sawyer leave, with Kate saying her final tearful goodbyes to Jack, the man she loves.

Jack returns to the cave, and restores the island.  Tearfully, he allows the water within the cave to wash over him, knowing that he has left the island in the capable hands of its new protector, Hurley.

Letting Go, Moving On

In the sideways universe, our favorite characters begin to remember their lives on the island.  Claire, Kate and Charlie remember each other when Claire goes into labor.  Juliet and Sawyer run in to each other at the hospital.  Sun and Jin remember after Juliet performs an ultrasound on Sun.  Sayid and Shannon are reunited.  Locke remembers Jack when he regains feeling in his legs.  And finally, Jack begins to remember with Locke, and then with Kate, but fights the feeling until he arrives at the church where he planned to hold his father’s funeral.

When he touches his father’s coffin, he remembers his life on the island.  He opens it, and finds that his father is not inside.  Instead, he is standing behind him.

Christian reveals that Jack is dead.  At first this is quite a shock.  But suddenly, things begin to shift in to place.  While many fans and critics have seemed to be confused by this, Christian makes it clear that all of Jack’s experiences on the island were real.  Christian reveals that some of the people in the church died before Jack, and others long after.  But their experiences together were the best moments of their lives, and now they have made a place together…to remember, to let go, and to move on.

The Final Moments

The final scene of the episode occurs as a stunning reversal of the series’ very first scene.  In the pilot episode, the show opens as Jack’s eye opens.  In this final scene, Jack watches as a plane flies over his head.  He smiles, knowing that Frank has successfully flown his friends to safety.  And as he takes his last breaths, the screen fades to black as he closes his eyes for the last time.

Though many will surely debate the validity or meaning on this ending for days and weeks to come, I find it beautiful, and I certainly do not find it confusing.  The meaning is very clear.  Their experiences on the island were real.  Their relationships were real.  But in death, they are all able to come together, despite the years separating their departures from the world, and move on together.

Though not every question was answered, the truth remains: this show has always been about these wonderful characters.  And in the end, they all find the redemption and peace that they were seeking.