Characters in the final scene of Lost

[u/Left_Painter_]

Even though the show gave us a satisfying ending and proper closure for most characters, the finale still has a bit of fan service.

Why isn’t Miles in the church scene? He had direct connections with Sawyer, Juliet, Kate, Jin, and Hurley, and overall he was more tied to the group than Libby, Penny, Shannon, or Boone.

It might sound crazy, but I find it a bit contradictory that Locke is there while some characters are left out. You’ll probably crucify me for this, but Locke didn’t really have strong bonds with most of the group.

And that’s fine—I’m not criticizing the show, because the ending wouldn’t have been the same if it had followed this logic 100%. Can you imagine a finale without Locke? Juliet and Boone hugging even though they never really met doesn’t make that last scene any less emotional. Still, I honestly think Miles should have been there.

[u/connect1994]

Locke had very strong bonds with the group what are you talking about ? He was an OG 815 survivor and a crucial figure in helping them survive. Life on the island would have been way worse without him. His connection with Jack was a hugely important part of the show and he had emotional scenes with pretty much every 815 survivor

Many of the characters in the church never met miles or died before he came on the show

Also gotta point out that Locke directly saved the lives of many of the people there (Jack, Sawyer, Juliet, etc) and also indirectly saved more people’s lives by turning the wheel

[u/heavenswiitch → u/connect1994]

yes locke was also quite close with boone and charlie

[u/notmyrosyself → u/connect1994]

strong connection with Rose too and was the only one who knew he was in a wheelchair before the crash

[u/Resident_Tourist_992 → u/connect1994]

I see your point. My reasoning would be that think Locke had very strong bonds with many of the group; however the bonds weren’t necessarily as traditional as others in the group shared. He and Jack may not have been bff, but I’d argue to say he was probably Jack’s deepest bond after Kate. Locke wasn’t a bestie like Miles became to some, but his impact/the role he played on the group still ran deep.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

The people in the church at the end are essentially a karass (if you know Vonnegut - EDIT: typo) or a ka-tet (if you prefer Stephen King.) Not only a group of people bound together by fate/destiny for a higher purpose, but as the show's lore outright tells you: the most important part of their lives was spent together.

Sure, Miles spent time with them - but his whole life was focused on finding his father, so it makes more sense that his own afterlife journey was finally getting to have a good relationship with Pierre so that he and his parents could move on together.

Same goes for Michael and Walt. Since the afterlife exists outside space time and we know Walt went back to the Island, it's reasonable to assume Walt helped his father atone (so he wouldn't be stuck as a whisper anymore) and they eventually moved on together. Just like back in season three we saw Eko and Yemi move on - in their own afterlife they were children, because that's the age they were when they were last together and happy.

[u/TheFartsUnleashed → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

You are right after my heart. I have a Ka tattoo, an Everything was Beautiful tattoo, and a shelf dedicated to Vonneguts entire bibliography.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/TheFartsUnleashed]

Long days and pleasant nights.

[u/TheFartsUnleashed → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

You have not forgotten the face of your father.

[u/Left_Painter_ → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

I don’t agree with the point about Miles. He discovered the truth about his father precisely on the island, and it was there that he was able to overcome his issues with his father’s absence in his life. Plus, before the island he was just a mercenary who only cared about money, lost like anyone else. On the island, he found himself and built real connections. In the end, his absence from the final scene was just a writing decision, but it would have made much more sense for him to be there.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/Left_Painter_]

I can see your point, but I disagree. Seeing his father and spending a few minutes with him before being thrown back to his own timeline is not enough to make up for decades of wanting a father. It wouldn't have made any sense for him to abandon his father in the afterlife and move on with the rest of them.

[u/Left_Painter_ → u/Free-IDK-Chicken]

Following your logic, Juliet should have gone with her sister, and Sayid should have gone with Nadia. The point is that all of them were destined to end up on that island; their lives were about that. Sayid didn’t love Shannon more than he loved Nadia, but since the purpose of his life was the island, that made him end up with the one he was involved with there. Charles had unresolved issues with his brother, but that wasn’t addressed in the afterlife. In the end, it was all about the island. Miles was clearly impacted after arriving there — as I said, before he was just a mercenary who only cared about money, but on the island, he found a sense of purpose. Several characters had other subplots that weren’t addressed at the end.

[u/Free-IDK-Chicken → u/Left_Painter_]

I continue to disagree with your points, but I don't think either of us is going to change our minds, so we'll have to agree to disagree.

[u/BoringJuiceBox]

I don’t know but my headcanon is this: The ones who weren’t there had already moved on and “gone home” or weren’t quite ready. I did wish Eko had been there after I first saw it though.

It’s possible they couldn’t get all the actors back, or maybe they wanted to focus on the most main characters.

[u/Beautiful_Lake_8284]

I agree with Miles. Isn’t Locke being there kind of the whole point of the flash sideways place? The whole thing with the note he left Jack and they could never resolve their differences in life, so they do in death as Jack convinces him to get the surgery.

Locke did loads of stuff for them on the island. Claire and Aaron’s crib off the top of my head being a big one. He also helped Charlie with the drugs even though that went sideways (arguably not Locke’s fault). He got them food. Led them in New Otherton for a while. People trusted Locke as leader when the big three were captured.

[u/Fats33]

I see the finale as Jack’s bardo and the people in the church were those who were the most important to him. The freighter 4 don’t really fit for Jack as they were not close hence them not being there.  If this was Sawyer’s bardo, then Miles would have been there.

I also subscribe to this theory because Christian was there who knew no one else in the church apart from Jack.

[u/SkullLeader]

The expectation that the writers / producers are obligated to make everything consistent even with what the show tells us is just a false expectation. Clearly there are characters who ideally would have been in the church but for off screen issues with actor availability etc. I don't think that was the case with Miles but the fact that these other characters weren't there already mostly torpedoes the in-show explanation for why everyone was there in the flash sideways / the church.

[u/tragicallywhite]

It almost looked like a wrap party for the show.

[u/paisleycatperson]

Miles is the only sideways story i find remotely interesting.

My personal theory is that he stayed to help more people, like Ana Lucia, and in fact takes on a kind of a guide role in the sideways and "never" moves on. (Never being kind of meaningless in a land without time)

[u/BrianBru67]

I can't recall but did Miles ever make a personal sacrifice that benefited the group? Or was he always very selfish throughout?

[u/Emergency-Process705 → u/BrianBru67]

Miles did more for the group than Shannon did.

[u/misterHerptyDerp]

You spoke ill of Locke!

C’mon gang, let’s get ‘im!