The purpose of the light in the cave.
I’ve been trying to piece together some stuff from the show, and figure out just exactly why the light in the cave was of such importance. I don’t know if this has been brought up already or not, so if it has i apologise. I’m not even sure if this is obvious or a really stupid idea, but after that finale, we don’t have too much to go on.
I think the reason that light in the cave was so important was because it was what kept the afterlife in existence. Maybe when it was stated several times that if MIB got his way ‘everyone you love would be gone’, it didn’t mean they would physically die. As we heard Christian say, some people died before Jack, some long after, but they were all there. In this afterlife there is no now, so it could mean you’re able to spend eternity with everyone you ever loved, even people that aren’t dead yet, everyone you want to be with is there, thats a beautiful concept.
this makes me think of some of the promises that Jacob made to people, such as telling Dogen he could be with his son again, i guess he wasn’t lying. Now think if that light is what i think it is, and by it being put out this afterlife ceases to exist, everyone you love will be gone. Those are pretty high stakes, and to me adds deeper meaning to the light, why it needs to be protected and why they showed us the afterlife scenario. Thinking this way, i actually feel a bit happier about the way it ended, and the final ten minutes don’t seem so random. I know this is a little outlandish, but there really isn’t any logical way to explain the importance of a light in a cave.
right on shephards_flocke..
I don’t think I’ve read that on this site, but I’ve read on other sites..
It goes with the idea that it is the source of “life, death, and rebirth”..
When Whidmore said that everybody you love would be dead, I believe he meant in the afterlife..
I can remember Flocke saying to Whidmore “it’s obvious you’re not afraid to die” just before Ben shot him. Also Flocke asked Des why he wasn’t afraid before he through him down the well…
Both Des and Whidmore were no longer afraid because they were no longer afraid of death..
I thought that, too – but if so, wouldn’t there have been some terrible parallel upheaval in Sidewaysville as the island began to crumble? (Kinda’ like Marty McFly’s family disappearing in his picture.)
Even if it wasn’t the reason, an earthquake in Sidewaysville could have added suspense. I’m sure if I thought of this, so did the writers. I’d be interested in knowing why they made the decision not to.
waycurious, yes that would’ve been cool..that’s great idea..I think that would have really let us know the Alt world was connected to light..
Funny I was just commenting on Stone’s post about Jack’s nosebleed, I didn’t think it was signficant…and maybe reason why is because it would have taken away emotional moment…
I think an earthquake would’ve taken away from emotional moment too 🙂
I like the idea. I was thinking it was more to keep the bad people trapped on the island, and out of the FSW world of afterlife…
Going to have to think over your thoughts on it holding the sfterlife together in general…good thoughts shep_flocke…
@waycurious,
Instead of an earthquake, what if the light being out meant they just couldn’t go to the light in the Alt? And once the light was back on, they were all able to meet up and go to the light?!
That would make sense too by having the island being on the bottom of ocean in Alt; meaning the light was out in the Alt until Jack turned it back on in reality!
As the last scene in LOST was playing, and Chrisitan opened the door, and the light from outside got brighter and brighter, my friend whom I was watching LOST with actually commented “Okay, is this the light from the cave or something?”
You might be on to something there, that the light is a gateway to the Beyond or something. I kind of thought it was the source of all souls… Remember Jacob’s mother said “Everybody has a little bit of that light in them…”
Though its pretty risky to keep the source of all souls in a physical place, as opposed to something etheral. But i think that kinda ties into the theme of the show, free will vs. determinism. Its like “Here I give you the choice to live in peace and do good, or you can go and f**k it all up and destroy all of humanity.”
Maybe.
good theory shame we will never find out
@bobt: By Jacob, I think you’ve got it!
I like where you’re going with this – but alas – Christian said the FSW was a creation of themselves – something they created to reunite BEFORE they move on – to wherever they were going.
Christian(Unlike Jack’s mom)was a significant part in Jack getting to the Island – and for long he even believed
(and I’m certain the decision to make Nemesis Christian was made late in the show)he ran around the Island(“You father says hi…”)
So it’s possible the Light at the end in the Church is the afterlife – and also perhaps connected to the Light/Island – but the FSW itself is just confusing(did we get why the Island was at the bottom of the Ocean at all, or why Ben and his Father had been there – did I totally miss that..?)
good thought bobt, thanks for the help on this one!
AngiveL, my feeling is that the light in the cave and the light outside the church are related, more so than the FSW.
I won’t even approach trying to explain the FSW as you say its confusing. The only way to explain it is that it was a gimmick, a plot device. Its use was alot like other elements of the show, to confuse the viewer so we never quite know whats going on, the producers said as much in a podcast.
Wow, that actually almost kinda hurt..
Of course it was nothing more than a plot-device – that was my first thought.
The reason why I find it confusing is because when all was said and done “It was all about the characters” then why make your show out to be something it’s not.?
Because they knew no one would give a shit about the characters if that was all these was..
It’s a character-driven show – no doubt – but obviously they weren’t strong enough to drive the show forward themselves.
No matter how tragic and moving the characters past/present and future is –
the absolute majority of the fans watched first AND foremost for the mysteries – and resolotion..
Why else is it that most theories and questions around this site – revolve around mysteries/questions/events – rather than the characters(and if so – then it’s a 99% chance that it’s regarding their connection to another character(tied to a mystery)a strange event or the Island itself..)
For instance – when Kate left the Island with Auron – no one asked the “human” questions – O my, will Kate really be a good mother, how will she manage…?
I never heard anyone say that Kate’s “nightmare” with the backwards phonecall and Claire’s “Don’t you dare bring him back..” It could have just as well been nothing than a simple nightmare(and in retrospect – whether that was their initial idea or not – it probably was)
My point is – the writers have(fully aware of it) made Lost to into the show where “Everything is connected – everything means something…”
I know all about plot-devices – but the Island at the bottom of the ocean along with Ben’s comment – goes beyond that of mere plot-device’s – that’s just plain lying in your viewers faces..
Lost was never all about the characters(until the End) that’s just how they had to play it when they realized they had painted themselves into a corner..
I still maintain that the FSW was created the way it was created to give the characters a chance to redeem certain things that they couldn’t redeem in the real world, because of circumstances, or, indeed, their own death.
Take the case of Linus sacrificing the post of principal to save Alex, someone he thought of as a daughter. Maybe he didn’t join them in the church because he felt he had more redeeming to do.
@chaotixmm
good thoughts, I definitely agree..
question is, was the FSW created directly from event in real world, such as Jughead explosion…or did they just subconsiously and metaphysically choose to create that world when they died…
My hope is, it was created by Jughead or Light turning off in THE END..otherwise, there really was no point to the circumstances in the show and the island..guess we’ll never know for sure..I choose to believe there was a point..
I see your point chaotixmm – however, I(along with others around here, I’ve seen)
believe that was(maybe, perhaps once)one of the purposes of the Island.. That’s where thay all faced their demons.
Claire at least tried to raise Auron, Charlie overcame his addiction,
Jack(at least I believe)got over his father-issues upon Sawyers reveal that Christian was indeed sorry, felt it was His own fault and that he was proud of Jack.
Sawyer – a once lone wolf – con-artist, settled down with his true love and let go of his “every man for himself-atitude”
Sun learned to stand up for herself(Love Sun – and gave a loud “Hell yeah, you go girl!” when she shot the Other on Desmonds boat)
Jin(Love him as well – their death was beautiful – but they were robbed of what should have been one of the best reunions ever..)let go of his anger and control-need of Sun.
Hurley finally realized he wasn’t cursed – and learnd to use his gift rather than run from it(Charlie-incident during the whole Oceanic 6)
Miles came over his father-issues when he realized that his father didn’t abandon him and his mother – but saved their lives(or so seemed to be the case anyway – though they weren’t in any danger during the incident – the purge would have probably gotten them)
Kate became a responsible(well….)mother
and quit running away from problems(she went to right things with Claire)
Sayid – even though it was a close call – even managed to overcome “the Darkness” within, and sacrificed himself for the others.
I could go on – but you get the point..
I think they were all already redeemed
Besides, Christian says it was a place they created in order to reunite and move on – the FSW itself was like a supernatural-Matrix-like world – but instead of being created/”coded” by computors – this was a creation of their subconcious(I guess that might explain why we would see the Island on the bottom on the Ocean – not Ben’s comment on having been there though..)
I’m wondering though, how come everyone is really aware that the world they’re in now – isn’t real.. I know they remember dying of course – but also, given the “Incident” which was suposed to create an alternate timeline – wouldn’t that be the first thing that popped up – “Shit – it did work!” But Desmond knew they were going somewhere else – though he doesn’t say where(if he even knows himself)
AngiveL, i didn’t mean that offensively, i also find the FSW confusing.
Although i enjoyed it, i think they really didn’t need to focus so much on it this season, other than to have us thinking it was an alternate reality, which is a little deceitful, and is a classic case of misdirection.
I also think because it wasn’t quite real, they could get away with doing whatever odd stuff they wanted to, such as Jack having a son etc without having to explain it.
They could’ve got their point across with just showing the FSW in the last couple of episodes really.
That being said, i have only watched ‘the end’ once, so maybe i’ll see the light upon rewatching it. I’m not gonna do anymore lost bashing, as theres alot of that going on around here.