The narrative of plot holes and unresolved Lost mysteries. However, the writing of the show is nonetheless commendable. The strength of its ending is that the writers do not spoon-feed a definitive interpretation, leading to theories ranging from all the Lostees being dead to the island being a spacecraft. However, one particular viewpoint seems to stand up.

In ​​Lost: The Official Magazine #6, released between seasons 2 and 3 of the addictive series, it’s speculated that the ultimate flashback will be, “What is this island? Where did it come from? And who put it there?” As the following seasons unfolded, the island itself became an increasing focus – it is still the subject of audience theories and discussions 20 years later. With it now available to stream on Netflix, making Lost popular again, old and new audiences can enjoy the twists and turns of the survivalist epic, and speculate on the true purpose of the island and the sacrifices it demands.

Lost's Island Is Very Strongly Implied To Be The Source Of Life (& Everything) In The World

The Island Is Probably Not The Afterlife But Does Have Spiritual Connections

The “uncharted” island in the Pacific that the Lostees are stranded on is established as a physical location. However, it has supernatural powers in the show and seems to be a character in its own right, being referred to as a living being. Its life-giving, rejuvenating effects are revered – Rose was diagnosed with cancer before the plane crash, but on the island, it goes into spontaneous remission. The island is a pocket of electromagnetic energy, charging the water. In contrast, Lost's "the Others" drink bottled water, which is why Ben has cancer on the island.

This depicts the island as a kind of divine spring, comparable to “Axis Mundi”, a physical place that connects the ordinary world to the supernatural or spiritual. As well as having sacred waters, the island holds the very fabric of reality together and holds back malevolent forces. The ambiguity retained by the writers is what makes the show so successful years on – there is no straightforward interpretation, but it has a clear spiritual connection. This allows the viewer to project their own beliefs onto the island, as well as never diminishing the importance of the personal journeys of the characters.

The status of the island as a physical space grounds the events of the series; otherwise, it would be impossible to follow. For it to be compelling, the island needs to be real and the Lostees have to really be stranded there. However, a simple island narrative can only hold interest for so long. The scientific and spiritual ambiguity of the island allows a key conflict between science and faith to play out, most prominently between Jack and Locke. Over halfway through the series, Jack still wants to escape from the island, whereas Locke sees it as a "place where miracles happen."

Lost's Island Needed Protecting To Avoid The End Of The World

The Island's Energy Is Linked To The Fate Of The Whole World

It is revealed that Lost’s DHARMA Initiative enters numbers into the Swan station computer – the same sequence as Hurley’s lottery win – every 108 minutes. Far from being the arbitrary task overseen by another hatch, the task really is important because it removes a build-up of electromagnetic energy. A later reveal shows that the reason DHARMA has to do this is because of an “incident” that occurred by their hand in 1977, which interfered with the natural flow of energy on the island. Desmond not “pushing the button” in time caused the 2004 crash of Flight 815.

It is not only DHARMA that has taken on the task of protecting the island.

However, it is not only DHARMA that has taken on the task of protecting the island. The show progresses in reverse chronological order until it eventually reveals that there was a protector of the island at least as early as the first century. The electromagnetic energy island is unique and one of several hot spots around the world. The energy or “light” cannot be removed from the island because it would be extinguished and this would sever the connection with the other hot spots, causing a global catastrophe.

The Lost Survivors Were Brought To The Island To Find A New Protector

The Focus Shifts Dramatically From Protecting 815's Survivors To Protecting The Island Itself

Although to an extent the Lostees have free will – this is a major theme in the show, with the refrain “don’t tell me what I can’t do” – they are pawns in a centuries-old game. That it is no accident that they are on the island is built up in the flashback scenes. As viewers learn more and more that all the characters are connected, it becomes evident that they were chosen for the island for one reason or another. For example, one flashback scene in season 4 shows that John Locke was a candidate since birth.

An ancient feud is revealed later between the immortal-turned-mortal twins, Jacob and Mib (Man in Black). Whereas Mib wants to use the survivor cohort of his time to aid his escape from the island, Jacob’s focus is on finding a successor to protect it. Between them, they debate whether man is inherently good or evil – Jacob is on the side of believing in goodness in humanity, whereas Mib argues that man will always exploit, corrupt and destroy. Jacob wants to prove him wrong – the survivors in Lost are then lured to the island to prove their virtue.

Various Villains Tried To Take The Island's Power For Themselves (& The Man In Black Came Closest)

The Island Seems To Have Its Own Mysterious Motives, Thwarting Attempts To Exploit It

A key theme of human corruption is explored in the show as various Lost try to harness the unique powers of the mysterious Pacific island. Its properties are, after all, impressive – it can heal cancer, increase sperm count, and even bend time, space, and perception. DHARMA Initiative is ironically named since “dharma” pertains to positive natural laws. They try to make sense of the island’s powers with science and symbolically seem to be a stand-in for corporate evil. They want to use their research to manipulate the environment of the island for their own ends.

Other villains also try to take control of the island, but none come closer than the Man in Black. His motives for harnessing the “light” of the island are always to escape what he feels is not his home, with his first attempt resulting in his transformation into Lost's The Smoke Monster. Mib eventually kills his brother Jacob by tricking Benjamin Linus. He then tries once again to leave and destroy the Island, but his plan backfires, making him mortal. Jack Shephard and Kate Austen ultimately kill Lost's Man in Black, but he remains a key character in highlighting the island's power.

Source: Lost: The Official Magazine #6