9/11/02

Lights illuminate the 184 stone benches outside the Pentagon in Arlington, Va. Each bench bears the name of a person who died on Sept. 11, 2001, in the terrorist attack on the Pentagon.

Author's Note: I originally wrote this on the one-year anniversary of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, and it stills rings true for me today as it did back when I wrote it. This true story -- told to me by Haley and her family when I had the pleasure of meeting them at the memorial service -- is forever dedicated to Haley (who would now be 19), her family, and all of the victims and their families who were affected that day. Always remember them in your hearts. 


Today was a day for an entire nation to remember and reflect on the tragic events that happened one year ago today -- the day that thousands of people lost their lives. But for ten-year-old Haley -- whose real first name is Alexandra but insisted people call her by her middle name -- it was just another in the long line of days without her mother, a communications representative inside the Pentagon at the time of the plane crash.

The fateful morning of September 11 found Haley's mother dropping her off at school, where little Haley had recently started third grade. As she had always done, her mother leaned over, gave her daughter a kiss and told her she'd be there to pick her up after school. Haley hopped out of the car and closed the car door. She heard her mother call out her name and Haley turned around. Mother looked over daughter -- her pride and joy. Haley stood there, staring at her mother, waiting for what she had to say. Her mother, looking as if she had so much to say, simply spoke the words, "I love you."

Haley's pink dress -- the special one her parents had bought her as a back-to-school present -- swayed in the wind as her thin, little lips curled to a smile, her hazel eyes sparkling. "I love you too, mom."

Her mother beamed a warm smile as the girl turned around, now only looking like a black backpack with short arms, legs and blond pigtails, and walked into school.

A little more than two hours later, Haley and her family's lives would be forever altered. Haley's mother wouldn't be picking her up after school that day.

Shortly after two planes shot into the World Trade Center, political commentator and Flight 77 passenger Barbara Olson called her husband Ted on her cellular phone. She told him that five men had hijacked her plane. They both continued to reassure each other that everything was going to turn out OK.

Out of the blue, Barbara hearteningly said, "I love you, Ted."

Her husband told her he loved her too. The couple began to exchange information and how to find a way to keep in contact. Abruptly, the phone went dead.

Thousands of people arrived to work at the Pentagon that morning just as they did every five mornings in a work week. Men, women, young, old -- working and living. Some glared at their computer screens; some walking the hallways to a meeting or office; some on the phone to colleagues or loved ones. It's most likely that Haley's mother was thinking of her husband and three children.

A passenger jet, American Airlines Flight 77, roared overhead unusually low to the ground, causing a slight shudder of the glass in nearby buildings. Like a guided missile, Flight 77 -- with 64 people onboard, including Olson and a group of children on an educational field trip -- slammed into the north side of the Pentagon. One hundred eight-four lives were extinguished.

Schools were let out early that day and Haley waited for her mother or father to pick her up. But neither one of them came. A relative picked her up and watched after her and her two siblings until their father came home early the next morning.

Because the children were not allowed to watch any of the television coverage of the crashes, their father had to tell them what had happened. His eyes glazed with tears, their father tried to explain how "some very bad men took control of some planes and forced them to crash into some big buildings."

The children asked their father why the bad men had done such a thing. Why did they crash that plane into mommy's building? The man tried his best to collect himself and explain why it had all happened. He tried to tell them that the "bad men's" beliefs had made them think they were doing the right thing. Nevertheless, the children never understood. The way they were raised, they could never understand about terrorism or hate or killing in the name of religion.

Their father also proceeded to tell them that their mother wouldn't be coming home because she was "hurt very badly" in one of the buildings. Haley, being the oldest, asked in her soft, tiny voice, "Is she dead?"

The man solemnly nodded his head. Through her tears, Haley knew that although she was sad that her mother was dead, she was still comforted in the fact that she had her father and brother and sister and the rest of her family.

For their father, it was the toughest thing he'd probably ever have to say to his children. The man uncontrollably wept as his three children looked to him for answers and comfort that he probably would never be able to fully give.

Then, little Haley was the one who unexpectedly gave comfort to all of them.

With a small smile on her face and her small, cute voice, she said, "Mommy's our angel now."

Their father wept more as he nodded his head in agreement. He looked to Haley once again to find her forcing a smile through her tears.

"She said we'd be OK if we have an angel," she continued. "I can feel her with us."

The man looked closer at his daughter and came to realize that she truly was her mother's daughter. And when he looked deeply into her eyes, he could undoubtedly tell that she sincerely meant every word. Those few statements his daughter had made put a smile on his face. He knew that if his daughter could keep faith and hope, then he could too.

            ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A year later, Haley had grown a few inches; her blonde hair had gotten longer; she moved up a grade in school. However, two things still remained. She still missed her mother and she still kept her faith.

I met little Haley for the first time at the Pentagon tribute where she told me her story. She was holding a photo of her mother as other hundreds of people surrounding me were with their friends and family pictures. Someone in the crowd began to say that ever since the attacks, this country has "with a slow resilience returned to everyday normalcy."

I couldn't have disagreed more. Since the attacks, people have been much more supportive. However, they have also been in much more fear; fear of this happening to us again; fear of anyone who remotely fits the stereotypical "look" of a terrorist. Yes, this country has learned to love more. But it's also learned to fear and hate more.

It is fear and suspicion that the terrorists wanted to poison this country with. Fear and mistrust are this country's greatest blights. Most people have given the terrorists what they were hoping to instill: anger and hate and fear. It is the only way they can drag us down to their level. I myself am somewhat fueled by a desire to have this country drop bombs in their backyards. After all, they would at least have fair warning. Where was our warning?

I sat at the ceremony, mostly thinking these types of thoughts. At the end of the program, I met a few of the victims' families and I met Haley. I expected a sad, withdrawn little girl -- like most of the adults had appeared. To my surprise, Haley acted the complete opposite.

What first appeared to be childhood naivete was, in actuality, a human's courage and hope. When I met her, she was a slightly happy, energetic little girl. I asked her where she was from and why she was there. To my surprise, she gave me a fully-detailed story about her mother and what had happened. The entire time she spoke I was expecting her to break into tears, but she never did.

I asked her how she was feeling now to which she answered, "I'm good, sir. But I miss my mom."

"Are you sad?"

"A little. But I know she's always watching me. She's always with me," then she pointed to her heart, "right here. Besides, I've still got my dad and my brother and my sister and friends."

I could tell just by looking at this little girl's expression that she meant every word she said and that she believed that everything in her life was going to be mostly fine. There was a mixed bittersweet emotion melted in with her optimism; a bittersweet feeling that although she carried on with her good life, there were still unsure apprehensions in her eyes. How would she feel when her mother wasn't there for her high school prom? Or graduation? Or wedding?

Around her neck hangs a small heart locket with a photo of Haley's mother in her teens. In her mother's early years I could see where Haley got her looks from; her smile already resembling her mother's.

Haley gave me a peculiar look and asked, "Did someone you loved die here?"

I nearly choked at her seemingly innocent question. "Not here. A long time ago."

"Was it one of your parents?"

"No. She was a girl my age that I loved very much."

"Did you kiss?" Her face blushed as she cracked a smile and her father tried to hush her. "Was she your girlfriend?"

The sudden transition from serious to the absurdity of this little girl wanting to know about my love life made me chuckle a bit. "Yes, we did, and yes, she was my girlfriend."

"She died?"

I slightly hung my head and nodded.

"You loved each other?" she asked with more inquiry.

I looked back to Haley's face and said, "Very much."

Haley turned on a little smile as if she were urging me to cheer up. "Don't worry. My mom will take care of her. They'll be OK."

It sounded adorable coming from her because she made it sound as if they were on this long trip together. I've had a lot of people try and comfort me on death and loss. Most of those people said things that were a lot more profound than Haley's statement. Still, there was something in the way she looked and how she said it all that brought this overwhelming comfort to my soul.

I'm not a religious man and I don't pretend to have any idea of what happens to us when we die, but I'd like to think that my friend and Haley's mother were somewhere, watching and talking and laughing.

"Will you be OK?" I asked her.

She bobbed her head up and down, her body wavering back and forth from the shake. "I'll miss her," Haley confessed. "But I always smile when I think of my mom. I don't cry so much anymore. She wouldn't want me to be sad. Would your girlfriend want you to be sad?"

This amazing little girl summed up what many twice her age had taken years to accept. "No," I answered.

"People who love us don't want us to be sad or hurt."

I couldn't believe I was hearing this out of the mouth of a ten-year-old. I had to continue the conversation because I wanted to know more on what this girl thought and how she felt. I asked, "But what if you hurt anyway?"

"My teacher says that everybody gets sad. But if someone gets sad all the time just by keeping someone in their heart then that person needs more time to let that person's spirit into their heart."

"Maybe people already think they are in their hearts."

Haley looked up to me, right into my eyes, and said, "If they were in their hearts, and they loved each other, then the people wouldn't be so sad all the time."

"I guess most people just miss the ones they love."

"My mom used to pick me up after school and, some days, just her and me would go get ice cream. That was one of my most favorite things I miss doing with her. But I'm glad we did it together."

I knew Haley was telling me something with her story. The message I got out of her short story was that she was happier and more thankful to have had these ice cream trips with her mother rather than be sad that she wouldn't have anymore of them. While that's not an easy concept to keep, it is a very honest, endearing quality to have.

I couldn't help but smile at the little girl and her face lit up with an even brighter smile. "It was very nice meeting you, Haley."

The girl stepped up to me and stretched her arms out. I knelt down and she moved closer to give me a hug. She wrapped her short arms around me and squeezed as tight as she probably could. While her movements appeared to be natural, my reaction was completely awkward. I looked at her in shock and awe as I hesitantly put my arms around her and gave her a gawky embrace.

"What do you do, Mr. Amerling?" she asked in a sad tone.

The question somewhat took me off-guard. I could've told her about my administrative job with the federal government; I could've told her that I used to work at a music store and amusement park; or I could've told her that I was merely some guy just trying to make his way in the world. So what did I tell her?

"I'm a writer."

Haley looked back at me with her teary, innocent green eyes and said with a hint of hope, "Then you won't forget this. You'll write about this?"

I solemnly nodded my head. A smile raced to her face. "I knew it. That's why you're here," she said. After hearing that, those two sentences became much more meaningful than how she had probably meant it. I knew then that a big purpose of my life was to make sure people remember. Make sure they remember important emotions, thoughts and experiences while we're in this life. "Keep writing stories," she said, her face shimmering with hope.

I slightly shuffled back and extended my open hand. Her smiling cherub face gazing at me, she placed her small hand into mine and curled her short, skinny fingers around my palm.

I've met famous actors, politicians and women I've been completely in love with; all of these meetings have been somewhat nerve-racking to me. Nevertheless, my palms spouted sweat non-stop when I shook little Haley's hand.

We gave each other a few shakes and she began to slowly move on with her family. As they walked away, before disappearing into the crowds, the little survivor half-turned to look at me and gave me a wave goodbye. "Don't forget me," she seemed to plead.

Within the thirty or so minutes that I spent talking to Haley, I was inspired to remember and write about our brief encounter: a moment when a small, young stranger rejuvenated -- and reminded me of -- the beauty of human spirit, courage, love and strength. To uphold these beliefs in all our days not only makes us more respectable and adept, it also makes us wiser and happier.

It is a much greater thing to smile once from a memory -- even if it's just once -- rather than have it sadden you all of your life. There will always be tragedy in life. The important thing is not simply how we choose to carry on; it's that we do carry on.

Movie Review of "Super 8"

            Sometimes, you go to see a film and it doesn’t leave much of an impression on you. Sometimes it’s quite the opposite and you’re left to thinking about the film and the story over and over again. Super 8 – wunderkind director J.J. Abrams’ third feature film (as a director) – is definitely slotted in the latter category! When I first viewed the movie trailer, I instantly thought of Steven Spielberg (who produced the film) meets Stephen King – in the vein of Stand by Me (published as The Body), It, and Hearts in Atlantis (specifically Low Men in Yellow Coats). After seeing the film, my hunch was correct. If you are a fan of Spielberg’s early blockbusters like E.T. or Close Encounters of the Third Kind, or the King’s previously mentioned books, then this is the film to go see!

The friendships in Super 8 are what help make the movie, particularly between friends Preston (Zach Mills), Alice (Elle Fanning), Charles (hidden, Riley Griffiths), Cary (Ryan Lee), Joe (Joel Courtney), and Martin (Gabriel Basso).

            What amazed me so much about the story -- set in the 1979 (before cell phones and the internet) -- were the characters; they are so likeable and relatable that it makes it easy for the viewer to take these people to heart. The kid actors are all effective and talented, however their characters still don’t quite reach Goonies status. Nevertheless, they are realistic and fun – especially the lead, Joe (Joel Courtney), Alice (Elle Fanning), and Charles (Riley Griffiths). Be sure to stay during the end credits for the short zombie film the kids were making throughout the movie, which is pure fun (written by the real-life kid actors)! Now, let me take a moment here to completely and shamelessly praise actress Elle Fanning. Big sister Dakota Fanning better watch her back because Elle’s performance in this is phenomenal! She encapsulates both a boy’s first crush as well as that cool, beautiful girl you knew in school, all in one – the kind of girl who talks and you just fall in love with her. Plus, she brings exceptional emotional depth to her character and the film; just watch the scene between Alice and Joe when they are watching old film footage of Joe’s mother – a raw, stirring scene. The heartrending bond that she and Joe have in the film helps the story along to prove that this is more than just some monster flick. As I grow older, I find that my most favorite films are the ones that explore the intricacies of peoples’ connectivity and relationships to one another. For all of its special effects and monster hijinks (like in Cloverfield, Abrams borrows from Spielberg’s Jaws in not showing too much of the monster), Super 8 focuses on relationships; and it is not in some hokey way, but in a way that imbues the film with a kind of magic. It’s that same magic that you feel when you’re a kid and the simplest things in life are what matter most – that magic of innocence, growing up, first love, exploring the world, and standing for what you believe in.

The relationship between Joe (Courtney) and Alice (Fanning), as well as with their dads (Kyle Chandler and Ron Eldard), is what helps make the film so great.

            Most of Spielberg’s movies have “daddy issues” where the father of the main character(s) is either dead or has left, and Abrams slightly shifts this theme with having the daddy made a widow (the always-likeable Kyle Chandler) who is estranged from his son Joe and has issues with the town drunk, also Alice’s dad (Ron Eldard). Add in Joe’s crush on Alice plus his growing friendship with the other boys (especially his friend, Charles), and there’s a well-balanced summer blockbuster. This is not one of those “deep meaning” movies either; people die … violently, things blow up (a lot). Considering the other summer releases this year, I believe I’m safe in saying that Super 8 is the summer movie of the year! There is something about this film that makes you want it to last a little longer, but it’s good it did not because then it would risk being too overdone. It is not the story that you want to last so much as it is a peek into the journey of these characters’ lives.

            An aspect I really despise as a critic is writing (or telling people) about how good a film is and then those people going in with such high expectations and when I ask them how it was, they say, “It sucked,” or, “It was OK, but I didn’t see why you thought it was so great.” I know what I say is going to set the bar high for most audiences out there, and they might not like it. It doesn’t matter. No matter what you say as a critic, you stand by your claim; my claim is that this is one of the best movies of the year. And with Super 8, the proof is in the story, the direction and the acting.

Movie Review of "X-Men: First Class"

            The latest edition of X-Men films, X-Men: First Class, is inspired by the 2006-2007 comic that showcased the beginnings of its most famous members beginning with Professor X, Angel, Beast, Cyclops, Iceman, and Jean Grey. However, in this film, the team roster includes Professor X, Magneto, Beast, Mystique, Banshee, Havok, Darwin, Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Azazel, Riptide, and Angel (no, not that Angel – Angel Salvadore a.k.a. Tempest in the comics). Do not let the huge cast fool you, though; this film belongs to Charles Xavier/ Professor X (James McAvoy), and Erik Lensherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender)! Although not accurate to all of the origins in the comic, First Class still successfully captures what makes the X-Men so great (and this coming from a guy who prefers DC Comics)! It does not take a philosophy major to tell you that the X-Men are an allegory for race relations, and this film – taking place first during the Nazis’ cruel rule and genocide over the Jews in 1944, and then during the turbulent times of 1962 when race relations were at their most volatile – perfectly executes this allegory with its James Bond-type style, solid story and near-faultless character development.

This is merely the beginning for Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Magneto (Fassbender), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Prof. X (McAvoy), and Havok (Lucas Till).

            My first question when asking wondering about this film was, “Is it canon with the first three X-Men films?” The answer is a definite “yes” – especially with two particular surprise cameos in the film. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when the movie started because of the recycling of young Lensherr’s first display of his magnetic powers (as seen in Bryan Singer’s 2000 film X-Men), but, fortunately, that is just the beginning of his – and the other mutants’ – journey. I haven’t been a big X-Men comic fan so I wasn’t disappointed by the discrepancies of character origins. For those of you who are fans of the comic, trust me, the origins are greatly altered. One of the great additions to this film was Kevin Bacon as main villain Sebastian Shaw. Bacon has been in his share of hits as well as stinkers, and in most of those films, he’s played a good guy. This time, his role proves two things. First, he can act, which is something most critics could tell you. Second, he should play a bad guy more often! Bacon’s Shaw is a true villain whose mutant power makes him seem almost indestructible, and therefore, makes him a truly formidable foe. His inevitable defeat is carefully crafted and I think very well-executed. On the other hand, while January Jones’ Emma Frost fits the physical traits of the character, her mercenary-like attitude and complex personality are not displayed so well. Many critics have panned Jones’ performance, but I also blame the writers who merely didn’t give her many good lines – or a history, for that matter – to work with. Still, who knows? Hopefully Frost’s history will be explored in the inevitable sequel.

            

Just the first of many chess matches between troubled surrogate brothers Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr.

One of the best aspects to this film is the relationship between Lensherr/Magneto and Xavier/Prof. X. One of the most powerful, well-acted scenes in the film is when Xavier is trying to teach Lensherr how to hone his magnetic power. Whereas Lensherr had merely used his anger to unleash his power, Xavier teaches him that finding the balance of anger and serenity can help intensify his power, making it possible to lift heavier objects. When Lensherr’s memory is revealed to Xavier and the audience, the bond between McAvoy and Fassbender is both poignant and an inspired piece of acting; it captures the “bromance” relationship between the two in a touching way. And that’s what this film is based in: the deep relationships between the characters. Their love, their fear, their anger; all of these emotions are what drive the characters in their actions as well as their relationships (i.e., Magneto and Prof. X; Mystique and Beast; Shaw and Magneto), and the writers (and director Matthew Vaughn) stylishly pulled it off. Bryan Singer tried to achieve this same tone in his 2000 debut of the franchise. However, while the original X-Men was good, it was not as good as this. I think it is because of the focus of characters. In the original, the main focus was on Rogue and Wolverine, and in this, the focus is on Professor X and Magneto. Rogue and Wolverine have interesting backgrounds – particularly Wolverine who is practically immortal because of his regenerative healing – the two characters were not written well. There were so many aspects of their histories that could have been explored but were not (fortunately, Wolverine later got his own origin movie). In First Class, X and Magneto were focused on just right while also introducing the other assorted characters. There's something I love when the audience is given a glimpse into how a once-good person turns evil. These kinds of stories remind the viewer that anyone could go down this route because most people have a past that is not always pretty; and Lensherr's past is particularly horrifying. First Class simply gets it right! 

            I have heard that this is the beginning of a new film trilogy and I surely hope so because this is by far the best of the franchise to date. I’m going to say that this is the best comic adaptation of the year! It balances the drama, action, humor and romance in all the right ways. Plus, let’s face it; the explanation of Xavier’s paralysis is so much better in this film than in the comic. This is one of those films that will be a hard act to follow, but it’s finally a proper film for a great franchise. Now, if they could only get my two favorites – Daredevil and The Punisher – right! That would be uncanny.

Lost ... In Retrospect

LOST cast (l. to r.): Daniel Faraday, Boone, Miles, Michael, Ana Lucia, Charlotte, Frank Lapidus, Shannon, Desmond, Mr. Eko, Kate, Jack, Sawyer, John Locke, Ben, Sayid, Libby, Sun, Jin, Claire, Hugo/Hurley, Juliet, Charlie, Richard Alpert, Bernard, Rose, and Vincent

“We all want to believe that what we do is very important, that people hang onto our every word, that they care what we think. The truth is: you should consider yourself lucky if you even occasionally get to make someone, anyone, feel a little better. After that, it’s all about the people that you let into your life. And as my mind drifted to faces I’ve seen here before, I was taken to memories of family, of co-workers, of lost loves, even of those who’ve left us. And as I rounded that corner, they all came at me in a wave of shared experience. 

And even though if felt warm and safe, I knew it had to end. It’s never good to live in the past too long. As for the future, it didn’t seem so scary anymore. It could be whatever I want it to be.

And who’s to say this isn’t what happens? Who can tell me that my fantasies won’t come true … just this once?”

                                                              --J.D., Scrubs (“My Finale”)

The last episode of everyone’s favorite mysterious, dramatic, quasi-religious, quasi-philosophical, metaphysical ABC drama LOST has aired and left an indelible mark on television and audiences (both fans and haters). To say that LOST is one of the greatest television shows of all time is quite an easy feat, given its high caliber of acting, directing, music, and plot devices. Although the show did have plentiful lows as much as it had its highs, it was a stellar production that not only delivered a quality season of all of the above, but also was so involved and so embedded in its own mythology that you couldn’t miss one detail without missing the overall story. This caused a lot of fanaticism with diehard viewers, which both helped and harmed the show’s integrity. It helped because it kept a loyal following of viewers (especially the ones who just wanted to know what the hell was going on) watching on a weekly basis. However, it hurt the show because most of those who made it their mission to keep up with the show were disappointed in what I consider one of the best series finales to come along in a very long time. 

Most critics found the series finale, aptly entitled “The End,” a disappointment and labeling it as the Baltimore Sun review did: a “wimpy, phony, quasi-religious, white-light, huggy-bear ending.” And there are a lot of fans/viewers who felt the same. Most of these unsatisfied viewers became so immersed in the mythology of the show that when the final curtain came to a close, the answers that had been supplied throughout the final season – and in the final episode – did not suffice their need for answers. They actually expected all of the mysteries to be resolved. Unfortunately, that’s not how life works. And the fact that Lost had the guts to show not what was always expected of them, gave them even more merit in my eyes. They ended the show without the typical “Hollywood ending.” And, for that alone, I praise creators Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse and all of the other creators for such a phenomenal series.

First, let’s start with the religious aspects of the series. Some critics might argue that they didn’t like the religious undertones of the show – especially prevalent in the final season. However, just like one of Lost’s most heavy inspirations, Stephen King’s The Stand, it all comes down to our faith; not just in God or whatever, but in each other. I can only imagine that most atheists and a few agnostics were most likely not too pleased with the finale to Lost. Seeing how the Sideways World turned out to be a purgatory/afterlife that the main characters – as Jack’s dad, Christian Shephard explained – had “made together so you could find one another.”  Some fans and viewers brushed this off as a cop-out to end the show. But I found it inspiring and a great end to the journey of all the lives who touched ours over the years. After all, as the elder Dr. Shephard so appropriately, matter-of-factly stated, “Everyone dies some time, kiddo.” 

But first, let me talk briefly about how brilliant the eighth season of Scrubs was! That final scene with J.D. (Zach Braff) walking the hallways of the hospital one more time before moving on to another career opportunity is great stuff! Especially how well written it was! Anybody who knows me well, knows how fanatical I am over that scene (and I’m not ashamed to repost for the tenth time here). Per the voice over quote above, J.D. revisits in his mind all of the family, co-workers, lost loves and those that have passed on in the place where he had spent so much of his life – an important part of his life. And then, when he finally crosses the threshold out of the hospital, he realizes that it’s not good to live in the past and he needs to let go. Still, he also isn’t afraid for what awaits him. Not when his future can be whatever he wants it to be. Watch for yourself:

It’s uncannily similar to the finale of Lost. Only, instead of the main character doctor moving on to live his life and get married to Eliot (the awesome Sarah Chalke) and have children and reunite with his friends, Lost’s doctor, Jack, moves on to his afterlife with his friends and true love, Kate.

Lost's final scene in the church (where all the main religion’s symbols are represented in the stained-glass window and strategically placed in the scene; the star and crescent of Islam, the Star of David (Judaism), the Aum (widely used as a symbol of Hinduism, but also present in Buddhism and Jainism), the Christian cross, the Dharmacakra (Buddhism) and the Yin & Yang disk (Taoism)) between Jack and his father, Christian, was vital in the sense that it was the ultimate closure for the tortured fixer who had the ultimate daddy issues. And their tearful reunion was so touching because you got the sense that Jack was at peace; that when he realized he was dead, he was finally able to let go – a frequent theme throughout the final season; that he and his father were finally in accord with one another and all was forgiven as they said their “I love you”s and shared a long, hard hug. All of their unresolved issues (i.e., Christian telling Jack he doesn’t have what it takes to be a hero and always being hard on him; Jack accusing his father of having an affair with his, Jack’s, wife while Christian was attempting to get sober, and telling the truth that got his dad fired from his job and cost him his medical license) were finally washed away and they both absolved each other of all past troubles. Another reason I enjoyed this ending was the explanation given to Jack by his dad as to why all of his castaway friends were here now even though some died either before him or long after him: “There is no ‘now’ here.” It echoes another belief that is revealed in one of my favorite films about the afterlife/heaven (and a very underrated film, at that!), What Dreams May Come – based on the novel by the always-excellent Richard Matheson – where the main character, Chris Neilson, states, “A whole human life is just a heartbeat here in Heaven.”

And in that church, the audience is treated to the true end for all of our favorite castaways. Jack dying on the Island in the exact same place where he had awoken after the plane crash intercut with his reunion with his dead friends in the church. So then comes the question: why these particular people (Boone, Sayid, Jin, Sun, Hugo/Hurley, Libby, Shannon, Desmond, Penny, Sawyer, Juliet, Charlie, Claire, Aaron (what appears to be Aaron?), Rose, Bernard, Locke, and Kate)? The quick, simple answer: Because these are the people that Jack connected with, and as his father points out, “The most important part of your life was the time that you spent with these people. That’s why all of you are here. Nobody does it alone, Jack. You needed all of them, and they needed you.” Some would ask why not Michael or Walt? And why is Penelope there when she wasn’t a castaway? Well, Penelope was there because she was a true soulmate of Desmond’s. And seeing how Desmond is such an important fixture in Jack’s life, he wouldn’t be whole in his afterlife without his soulmate; also, Jack had met Penelope when they left the Island in season four (episode “There’s No Place Like Home”). Some also wonder why Sayid in purgatory (and in the church) ends up with Shannon as his true love and not Nadia, the woman he’s been pursuing throughout the series. The reason for this is because, deep down, Shannon is the one who truly loves Sayid, as she loves him despite his past and takes him for who he really is, whereas Nadia always gave Sayid the impression that he had to be someone different in order to be with her. As for Michael and Walt, we can only take it at face value that Michael is still stuck on the Island in ghost/spectral form as are all the others who make “the whispers” as he explained to Hurley. And when it comes to Walt, he’s really not as central a character to the overall story as fans have made him out to be. He is special and his appearance in the Lost epilogue "The New Man in Charge" hints at his taking over for Hurley as "Island protector." However, Walt didn’t appear in the church because he still left the Island and his life continued on as normal without making an impact on Jack's life (remember when Locke got off the Island to try and get the Oceanic Six to come back to the Island, and he visited Walt?). Therefore, Michael and Walt did not appear in the church. As for the supposed baby Aaron in the church. I’m not exactly sure if that is Aaron. It may be a representation of what Claire and Charlie’s baby together would look like. Then again, it could be Aaron and they’re just seeing him as they want or maybe even how he wants. Again, referencing What Dreams May Come, Chris Neilson’s children appear in Heaven as different people – as the people they want to look like – as his guide Albert states, “Thought is real. Physical is the illusion.” So maybe the baby could be Jack’s or the castaways’ collective visage of Aaron – it’s the image they want to see or the image Aaron wants to be. I just took it as since he was born on the Island and was Jack’s nephew, that’s how he appeared in their Afterlife (as a baby), even though Aaron went on to live a life with his grandmother; his connection to the castaways was deeper because of his relationship to Jack, Claire, Charlie and Kate.

Another interesting comparison of Lost to What Dreams May Come (I swear this is the last comparison) is the scene in Dreams when Chris’ guide, Albert, notifies him that his soulmate Annie has committed suicide. The news infuriates Chris only after he is told that the souls of suicides go to another place, not Heaven.

Albert: Each of us has an instinct that there is a natural order to our journey. And Annie's violated that. She won't face it. She won't realize, accept, what she's done. And she will spend eternity playing that out.

Chris: You're still saying she's in Hell...

Albert: Everyone's Hell is different. It's not all fire and pain. The real Hell is your life gone wrong.

Very interesting! “The real Hell is your life gone wrong.” Sounds familiar to Lost and its Sideways/purgatory world where the characters have to be “awoken” to their lives and their deaths before they are allowed to move on to Heaven or wherever they’re headed. And how are they “awoken?” By a life-altering event; when their soul recognizes itself in a greatest-hit moment of their existence. And when Desmond told Hurley that Ana Lucia wasn’t “ready yet” for what it was they were doing (awakening the main castaways to their past lives), maybe that’s because she wasn’t ready to accept or realize that she had died yet, or to accept what she had done in her past life. And then there was Ben. The biggest redemption case of them all who realized all of the terrible things he had done, and, rather than join the main castaways in their meeting place (he was invited in by Hurley, after all), he chose not to move on. He decided to stay as he knew his soul still had some reckoning to do, even if it was in the purgatory/Sideways world (hey, his life was pretty cushy there; could you really blame him for staying?). Everyone asked why Michael and Walt were not included in this “reunion.” My guess is that Michael remained a stranded ghost on the Island, as seen in season 6 episode “Everybody Loves Hugo,” and, as for Walt, because of his youth, he had moved on with his life and didn’t create or maintain the strong bond that the rest of the survivors did.

 Charlie's mother and Claire appear in a dream to him on the Island (similar to Verrocchio's "Baptism of Christ"), making him convinced that baby Aaron needs to be baptized.

Other noticeable religious references that have been used throughout the series go as far back as season two’s “Fire + Water.” In this episode, Charlie dreams of his mother and Claire appearing as angels and Hurley as John the Baptist, similar to Verrocchio's Baptism of Christ, asking Charlie to save baby Aaron. When Charlie tells this dream to Mr. Eko, he suggests to Charlie that Aaron be baptized. And speaking of Eko, he was a former African crime lord posing as his brother – a priest – after the crash of Oceanic 815. Eko carved scripture into his walking stick and was determined to build a church on the beach camp site. What about the fact that the creepy, mysterious Matthew Abaddon’s (Lance Reddick) – the man gunned down by Ben – last name “Abaddon” is the name of the biblical Angel of the Abyss (Revelation 9:11). The name is Greek for "destruction" or "the destroyer". As a place, it is likened to Sheol or hell; many Biblical scholars believe “Abaddon” to be Satan or the antichrist. Others have stated that he may be one of the lesser demons of hell, or even a dark angel. In contrast to this, the name Matthew in Hebrew means “Gift from God.” This is but one of the instances of the constant running theme of light and dark, good and evil, yin and yang.

Or how about the viewing and reference to the famous painting “The Incredulity of Saint Thomas” by Caravaggio in the Lamp Post station? Used in season five (episode “316”), Ben told the story of Thomas the Apostle, a.k.a. Doubting Thomas, to Jack, stating that Thomas didn’t believe in Christ’s resurrection. Thomas needed to touch Christ’s wounds before he would believe. The story of Doubting Thomas completely synchs with Jack and his stubborn disbelief in the Island and his role not only there but also in the world. Also, let’s not forget that the Lamp Post (where Eloise Hawking’s Island locater was stationed) was below a church. It is just one of hundreds of references in Lost to taking a leap of faith. Several situations with the characters are about taking a leap of faith. And the beauty of the show is that it doesn’t necessarily say that being religious and taking the leap of faith is the way to do things in life. The show simply states that sometimes we need to take a leap of faith … no matter what your belief.

The most obvious reference is with Jacob and the Man In Black (MIB). Some think that their story (as seen in episode “Across The Sea”) mirrored that of Jacob and Esau in the Bible (Book of Genesis). However, I believe Jacob and MIB’s story more closely follows that of God and Satan’s story, according to John Milton’s Paradise Lost. At times, Jacob vaguely resembles Christ, but, overall, he is the God of the story. As the story goes, Satan – known as Lucifer – was once God’s best and favorite angel, His right-hand man, but when Satan tried to take over Heaven, God cast him and all of the other rebel angels down into Hell. Similarly, MIB and Jacob were brothers. They were made so that they couldn’t kill each other (like gods); MIB was more fascinated with the light shown at the bottom of the river fall and therefore, became involved with man even though he was warned that they “lie, destroy and corrupt” (nice side note: Jacob and MIB were born around the same time as Christ: two millennia ago). Jacob was always searching for his replacement and brought certain groups of potential candidates to the Island every so often. Knowing this, MIB used the people to try and get off the Island. With every new group of candidates that Jacob brought to the Island, their technology grew more and more advanced. Then came the time when MIB murdered their mother and Jacob punted his ass down into the heart of the Island, a.k.a. the Light Tunnel, which in turn killed him and turned him into the Smoke Monster. The pinnacle of enhanced technology arrived on the Island when the DHARMA (Department of Heuristics And Research on Material Applications) Initiative arrived thanks in part to locating the Island via the Lamp Post. They came to create "a large-scale communal research compound where scientists and free-thinkers from around the globe could pursue research in meteorology, psychology, parapsychology, zoology, electromagnetism, and Utopian social-[static]," therefore, the presence of the polar bear and shark with DHARMA logos branded on them. It was the DHARMA’s interest in electromagnetism that sparked the interest of MIB as it had centuries later when, with the help of men, MIB had located a well of the Island’s light and created the donkey wheel. 

Mr. Eko carved several Bible scripture into his walking staff.

After a while, MIB realized that he couldn’t leave the Island thanks to Jacob’s rules. So he had to figure out the loophole in murdering Jacob so he could then void all rules and leave the Island – slightly similar to Satan’s plan to rule Heaven because he doesn’t believe in man having freedom (free will) and that he and other angels should have power equal to God. MIB attacked and killed Eko who revealed to Ben, “He said, ‘We’re next’,” threatening the Oceanic castaways. MIB also posed as the shadowy figure in “Jacob’s cabin,” telling Locke, “Help me.” Also, on a bit of a philosophical side note to this, the eternal struggle of good vs. evil represented by Jacob and MIB on the Island could also be a metaphor for a human life; the Island represents a person while Jacob being the good and MIB being the bad inside someone. Everyone has both sides in them. However, some choose to let the bad side overrule their lives. What made me think of this comparison was in the final season’s episode “Ab Aeterno” (Latin for “From Eternity”), in which Jacob explained the Island to Richard Alpert.

Jacob: [to Richard] Imagine that this wine is what you keep calling hell. There are other names for it. Malevolence. Evil. Darkness. And it's all down here swirling at the bottom. Unable to get out, because if it did it would spread. Now, the cork is this Island.  

[puts a cork in the jug, trapping the wine]            

          Jacob: And it's the only thing keeping the darkness where it belongs.

This scene best exemplifies the good and evil within all of us. Like I previously mentioned, the Island represents a person and Jacob the good and MIB the bad; the cork is essential to everyone who wants to prevent the evil from being unleashed. Going back to religion, several times, Jacob uses clouded truths and revelations to try and assist the castaways (God works in mysterious ways). However, MIB seemed to be nothing but openly honest to the castaways when speaking with them and answering their questions. However, as we finally see in episode “The Candidate,” MIB was only using these truths to manipulate them into his own trap and to ultimately carry out his will. Sounds a bit like … could it beeeee??? SATAN!?!?! Jacob even takes on the role that many theologists state that God takes; he chooses to let people make their own choices, as seen in this scene also in “Ab Aeterno”:

Richard Alpert: There were other people here before me?              

Jacob: Yes, many.              

Richard Alpert: What happened to them?              

Jacob: They're all dead.              

Richard Alpert: If you brought them here, why didn't you help them?              

Jacob: I wanted them to help themselves. To know the difference between right and wrong without me telling them. It's all useless if I have to make them do anything. Why should I have to step in?              

Richard Alpert: If you don't, he [referring to the Man in Black] will.              

Jacob: [pauses, taken aback] Tell you what, would you like a job?              

Richard Alpert: A job? Doing what?              

Jacob: If I don't step in, maybe you could. You could be my representative and intermediary to the people I bring to this Island.

One last comparison of Jacob to God and MIB to Satan is in the season six episode "Across the Sea" (an episode that was panned by critics and viewers alike, but I personally loved). Showing the backstory of Jacob and MIB and how they got to the Island as well as how they became who they are, "Across the Sea" has one particular scene that takes place after MIB has broken away from his brother Jacob and their overprotective Mother -- who has told them their entire lives that mankind only wants to "fight, destroy, corrupt" (sounds almost like Mother Gothel in the Repunzel story) -- so that he can join the men who have inhabited the Island. While playing Senet, MIB becomes curious of Jacob's interest in the other people on the Island.

            MIB: Why do you watch us, Jacob?

            Jacob: I don’t know. I watch because … I want to know if Mother’s right.

            MIB: Right about what?

            Jacob: About them.

            MIB: Oh, you mean my people. You want to know if they’re bad. That woman may be insane, but she’s most definitely right about that.

            Jacob: I don’t know. They don’t seem so bad to me.

            MIB: That’s easy for you to say … looking down on us from above. Trust me, I’ve lived among them for 30 years. They’re greedy, manipulative, untrustworthy, and selfish.

            Jacob: Then why are you with them?

            MIB: They’re a means to an end.

MIB even scolds Jacob by applying a term that most who doubt God would say, “Looking down on us from above.” However, some who view the episode may side with MIB since he only seems to seek the truth and wants to leave the Island; he wants to get away from the lying woman who killed his real mother. MIB reveals to Mother his plan to attach the donkey wheel and bringing science to the Island – one of the many examples of religion versus science throughout the show. However, where MIB goes wrong is that he wishes to bring the unique power of the Island to mankind just so he can leave the Island. MIB doesn’t care about what Mother forewarned him and Jacob about (“This is the reason we are here. We must make sure no one ever finds it... A little of this same light is inside every man, but they always want more. If the light goes out here, it goes out everywhere. That is why I'm protecting it”). This is what makes MIB wrong and bad. He doesn’t care about the light going out. He just wants what he wants and has become the truly selfish one … just like a particular fallen angel who wanted what he wanted and didn’t care who got hurt in the process.

Anyways, I could go on and on about Lost's religious references, but I think I've proven my point that the series has always been grounded in religion and it's not some theme that instantly appeared in the final season.

“Well that's the real question, isn't it? Why? The how and the who is just scenery for the public. Oswald, Ruby, Cuba, the Mafia. Keeps 'em guessing like some kind of parlor game, prevents 'em from asking the most important question: Why? Why was Kennedy killed? Who benefited? Who has the power to cover it up? Who?"

                                                                                               --X, JFK

                                  

Most still had questions by the end of the series. But what they fail to realize is that DHARMA, the Others, some of the hallucinations off the Island, etc., were all just window dressing. And for those who also complain of the hokeyness of the supernatural element as well, we all watched in the first episode how the Smoke Monster floated above and made monstrous noises, so if you didn’t think from that point that this show wouldn’t have supernatural undertones, then you may have to reset your thinking about your attentiveness, attention to detail, and just plain intellect. Anyways, like Mr. X’s diatribe above, all of the unanswered questions keep the majority of viewers from seeing the big picture and focusing on the important aspect of the entire saga. DHARMA and the Others were ultimately just a means to an end for MIB. He used them to locate the heart of the Island and used their technology to inch further toward his ultimate goal: to get off the Island. MIB knew they would fail and most of them would kill off each other. After all, isn’t it, as he said, in man’s nature? The important aspect of the entire series was the people: the castaways themselves. The ones we had remained with through their entire journey. 

Audiences were teased to one of the central themes in Lost (light vs. dark, good vs. evil) when, in the "Pilot" episode, Locke told Walt that backgammon is "Two players. Two sides. One is light, one is dark."

In life, there are always questions that won’t always be answered for us. But those questions are not the center of what life is all about. It’s our connectivity to each other – particularly to those who are important to us. Sure, all of these mysteries in Lost are what kept a majority glued to their TV sets each week and season. But that was merely a ploy to keep viewers. There’s nothing wrong with that in a time when most turn their attention to mindless reality shows, uninspired game shows, and corporation-produced, mind-numbing competition programs (I don’t really want to see some musical idiot butcher a great song with some throaty rendition, and I don’t give a rat’s ass which “star” can dance the best; the last thing we need is another “pop star” or reality show “star”). And those who call foul on not having every question answered, I can only say, “Get over it.” Or, as Lost would say, “Let go.” I believe that the show is meant to be watched again, after knowing how it all ends. It’s the type of series that every time you watch an episode, something new is discovered and that’s part of its brilliance.

It’s no surprising revelation that Lost is rooted in literary and philosophical references. The names, such as John Locke (after the philosopher) and his alias Jeremy Bentham (after the philosopher), Danielle Rousseau (after philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau), Desmond Hume (after philosopher David Hume; David is Desmond's middle name), Juliet Burke (after philosopher Edmund Burke, also the name of Juliet's ex-husband), Mikhail Bakunin (after the anarchist philosopher), Daniel Faraday (after physicist Michael Faraday), Eloise Hawking (after physicist Stephen Hawking), George Minkowski (after mathematician Hermann Minkowski), Stuart Radzinsky (after writer Edvard Radzinsky), Richard Alpert (the birth name of spiritual teacher Ram Dass), Charlotte Staples Lewis (after author C.S. Lewis), and Penelope Widmore’s Flash-Sideways world alternative surname Milton (after Paradise Lost author John Milton). Every book that Lost has shown/referenced has not only been an inspiration but also a clue to the themes running throughout the series. Just a few literary references include: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass (Lewis Carroll), A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking), Carrie (Stephen King), The Chosen (Chaim Potok), The Chronicles of Narnia (C.S. Lewis), The Dark Tower series (Stephen King), Everything That Rises Must Converge (Flannery O’Connor), Fear and Trembling (Soren Kierkegaard), Haroun and the Sea of Stories (Salmon Rushdie), Lancelot (Walker Percy), The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery), Lord of the Flies (William Golding), The Odyssey (Homer), Our Mutual Friend (Charles Dickens), A Separate Reality (Carlos Casteneda), The Stand (Stephen King), Ulysses (James Joyce), Watchmen (Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons), Watership Down (Richard Adams), The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (L. Frank Baum), and Y: The Last Man (Brian K. Vaughan & Pia Guerra). It took me this long just to name a majority of the important references in Lost, so I won’t go on to list the similarities. However, if I’ve sparked your curiosity, go to Lostpedia (lostpedia is a great resource for any Lost diehard fan) for all connections/similarities to Lost – not just packed with religious, literary and philosophical references, but also musical, artistic, scientific, historic, and pop culture (movies, television, and even games).

For these reasons alone, Lost takes the crown as the ultimate series. Its ability to touch upon important ideas and emotions that have been expressed not only so many times in these classic pieces of art, but also in everyone’s lives, is something that has, if ever, never been done anywhere else. Despite its supernatural and religious undertones, all themes and emotions in the series are universal. To also have so many subtle references (literary, cinematic, etc.) is genius on the writers’ part. Whether those who hate/dislike the show want to agree or not, Lost was a landmark television show that had cinematic production and classic storytelling, often utilizing the classic technique of subtle correlation or juxtaposition between either two characters or the season’s two different moments in time. An example of the latter is when, in the season five episode “316” when Locke left Jack his suicide note that merely read “I wish you had believed me,” referencing his idea that he needed to get all of the Oceanic six back to the Island. Now, fast-forward to the season six episode “The Candidate” when, in the Sideways/purgatory world, still unaware of their previous, real life, Jack runs into Locke and tries to persuade him to have spinal surgery. As Locke refuses and begins rolling away in his wheelchair, Jack says, “I wish you had believed me.” There are several instances throughout the entire series when these themes would crisscross into differing characters’ lives, whether on the Island or in another time.

Some would argue that the creators’ revelation that they had the entire series planned out from the beginning is false. However, it’s easy to see with the Smoke Monster’s involvement from season one as well as all of the characters’ (major, minor and recurring) crossing paths and histories, that the claim must be true. Nevertheless, very rarely does a series end on a high note. Unfortunately, there will always be a portion of fans and viewers whose great expectations are not met. But that doesn’t cheapen the entire series, its meaning or the quality of it as a whole. For those who were disappointed just in the series finale, ask yourself this: was the entire series a letdown?  If you answered yes, maybe you weren’t as big a fan as you thought. And that’s OK. Lost is over. It’s time for us all to let go.

Someone recently asked me if I’d miss the show, but I said I wouldn’t. I felt that the series ended so well and had so much closure, that it gave me the same feeling as if I had just finished a very long, very good book – the kind that you could read over and over again through the years. Recently, author George R.R. Martin (A Game of Thrones) was quoted as saying how disappointed he was in the series finale of Lost. He said, “We watched [Lost] every week trying to figure it out, and as it got deeper and deeper I kept saying, ‘They better have something good in mind for the end. This better pay off here.’ And then I felt so cheated when we got to the conclusion.” As much as most people might agree with Martin’s assessment, there’s still no denying that this show was rooted in drama, mythology, and all of the basic emotions that touch everyone’s lives. That is what makes the show such a success in my mind; the human connection that imbues the overall plot, encased in the mystery/sci-fi genre that Lost embraced. In its scope, the show exceeds other dramas on TV today.

There are a group of recurring lines that are said throughout all of the seasons. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do!” “The Island isn’t done with you/me/him/her yet.” “I wish you had believed me.” “Whatever happened, happened.” “You’ve got work to do.” “Live together, die alone.” “Let go.” Most of these lines are not only deeply rooted in the show’s heavy mythology but also in the way we live our lives. With exception of maybe the Island quote, the rest of these sayings are what we hear from others and/or ourselves to motivate us and keep us moving in life. As related to the series, these sayings not only exist in the past, present and future of the characters’ lives. They also exist in what’s called the “flash sideways.” Starting in season 5, Locke writes a suicide letter to Jack simply stating, “I wish you had believed me.” Fast forward to season 6, in the “flash sideways” where Jack is the one telling this same thing to Locke after trying to convince him to get spinal surgery to repair his broken back. The same can be said for pretty much all of the sayings listed above; they all come into play in the “flash sideways.” And that is important once you come to find out what the “sideways” actually is: purgatory on their way to the afterlife.

I’m thankful for the first time in a long time for TV on DVD as I just recently rewatched the complete series of Lost; it is indeed (as mentioned above) like a favorite book that you love to read again and again. And I’m thankful for web sites like Lost Wiki that connects mostly everything. It – along with the impressive Lost Encyclopedia – even addresses any questions for those who need answers to some plot points they think weren’t answered. I’m most thankful for the entire run of Lost. Regardless of what anyone says, it was a groundbreaking series and deserving of all the praise it received just for its many emotional stories and cool little homages to literary, religious, and philosophical themes and theories. Ultimately, Lost is about life … and death. The title itself – LOST – refers to the main characters and their place in the world. They are all lost. Everyone feels lost in their lives at one time or another. That is just one of our connections. Another common saying throughout the series is “Are you lost?” or “I’m lost.” This doesn’t just refer to their place in the story, but their place in the world. Each major character in Lost is flawed. And this is the wondrous story of their redemption. But it’s not merely redemption. Lost (especially the series finale) answered all of the vital “what-does-it-all-mean” questions, while also bringing to light the true meaning of life : our connectivity to one another. You know? Live together, Die Alone. “In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” Taking a leap of faith. Redemption and forgiveness. Love and hate. Good versus evil. Life and death. All that good stuff.

As a bonus, here is the series wrapped up excellently in under three minutes:

And a humorous fan made rap music video (I love the way they used the orchestral score in the music)!