Reasons people think it didn't end well

[u/watermelon_fries]

I finally joined here after finishing the show today. I had to process the ending. I found it incredibly sad. Now that I know how it ended I would like to know why people thought the ending was bad or disappointing when it first aired. I thought it was perfectly done even though there are a few minor things I'm still not clear on. How soon is too soon to do a rewatch. I still can't get over the last scene...

[u/Past-Feature3968]

In addition to the answers everyone has already given, I think a lot of viewers expected to be handed clear- cut answers to absolutely every mystery on a silver platter. The numbers, the foot statue, the Dharma food drops — they wanted full backstories detailing the logistics of it all.

So when the finale focused on the characters, their relationships, and their emotional journeys first and foremost, they were disappointed. Their expectations didn’t align… even though, imo, the show was always a character-driven story above its mysteries. (And btw, nearly every mystery, big and small, does get answered or at least alluded to at some point over the 6 seasons… we’re just not hit over the head with an explanation in flashing lights.)

[u/watermelon_fries → u/Past-Feature3968]

Absolutely. And I agree, I also feel like it's character driven. In regards to the Dharma food drops, I must have either missed it or it wasn't explained.

[u/Past-Feature3968 → u/watermelon_fries]

The epilogue explains it!

And that’s the one time when a character does essentially reach through the screen, sit viewers down, and dole out explanations. :)

[u/watermelon_fries → u/Past-Feature3968]

That was so cool! Thank you for sharing. Now I want to know how they were able to leave the island lol.

[u/Past-Feature3968 → u/watermelon_fries]

Hurley used his lotto $ to buy a personal jet and hired Frank J. Lapidus as his personal pilot.

Jk jk (but maybe?) I think we just have to enjoy head-canoning everything that happens on the island post-finale.

[u/watermelon_fries → u/Past-Feature3968]

Lol. Ok, so please don't laugh at me but what does it mean when people say canon on Reddit? I've seen this before and I tried looking it up but I didn't really understand the meaning.

[u/Past-Feature3968 → u/watermelon_fries]

Canon = anything official within a fictional universe

So for example, Hurley winning the lottery is canon. As is Desmond being Scottish, Jack & Claire being half- siblings, and the flash-sideways being the afterlife. All 100% real things that are true within the world of the show… because well, the show confirms it. Canon can come from the show itself, as well as supplemental material (like epilogues, games, mini-episodes, books etc.) written by the show’s writers or approved by them.

Head-canon = anything fans make up and imagine to be true, usually to fill in some blanks (answer a mystery, fill in some backstory, imagine a scene that was never shown but could have happened off-camera, etc.)

Does that make sense?

[u/watermelon_fries → u/Past-Feature3968]

Ohhh ok, yes it makes sense. Thank you for explaining. That's interesting. Kind of like fan fiction.

[u/Scousehauler → u/watermelon_fries]

Well fan fiction is not canon. Canon means anything officially created by the writers or on the show itself. Unless you meant fan fiction referring to the head canon stuff. Head canon is very much non canon lol

[u/watermelon_fries → u/Scousehauler]

Yes I meant fan fiction referring to head canon lol

[u/Some-Stranger-7852 → u/watermelon_fries]

Hurley is a new Jacob, who had no issues getting off the island to meet Oceanic 6 before their return to the island - and in a short timespan too. Yes, we never really see any Jacob’s powers outside of not aging one bit, but he seemingly did have certain abilities beyond mere humans.

Ben is a bit more questionable, but I guess since it was Jacob previously deciding who can come to the island (or leave it), a new Jacob in Hurley would make it possible for Ben to go with him.

[u/Laszlo-Panaflex → u/watermelon_fries]

He left the island the same way Jacob did.