It's been a tough end to the week, and I still haven't even posted my comments on the most recent episode of LOST, "What They Died For," but I feel the need to continue with my Top 10 lists. Today's list comes on the heels of Entertainment Weekly's list of top "moments that made us cry."
For a show as grounded in genre stylings as LOST is, it's amazing sometimes how powerful the emotions evoked by the show are. It's a testament to the writing, of course, that they have created such well-rounded characters whom we connect to and feel for.
So, without further ado, here are my top 10 "tear-worthy" LOST moments.
10. Hurley tells him mom the "truth" about the Island. (The Lie, season 5)
Jorge Garcia has always played Hurley as the lovable geek who values honesty and loyalty above all else. In this scene he wants to be loyal to Jack and the Oceanic Six, but he can't bring himself to hold onto a lie -- at least not without someone to share it with. So, he spills his guts to his Mom, and his appeal to her at the very end, to see if she thinks he is crazy or not is the moment the floodgates open.
9. Rose and Bernard's reunion. (Collison, season 2)
After 50 days, Rose and Bernard are finally reunited. What I love about this scene is again what makes the show as a whole so special -- it's acceptance of culture. Not only are Rose and Bernard a mixed race couple, they are senior citizens. You just don't see a lot of shows out there willing to give this kind of screen time to members of the AARP.
8. Alex is murdered. (The Shape of Things to Come, season 4)
"He changed the rules." I never thought I'd cry for Ben Linus, but the fact that his plan to call Keamy's bluff backfired only made this that much sadder. Suddenly, the man who always had a plan was without one and truly "lost."
7. Kate leaves Aaron behind. (Whatever Happened, Happened, season 5)
Maybe it's because I'm a father, but this moment broke my heart in a million pieces. Kate made an awesome sacrifice to find Claire, and she feels every bit of it here.
6. Sun screams for Jin. (There's No Place Like Home, season 4)
Sun's scream as the chopper pulls away from the freighter with Jin still on it is one of the most excruciating screams in TV history. The agony, the fear, the horror -- it's all there in one moment. After all Sun and Jin had gone through to reconcile their relationship, this was how it was going to end? Wow. I was overwhelmed.
5. Charlie dies. (Through the Looking Glass, season 3)
After a rough season two in which Charlie turned to the dark side, Charlie became a hero by the end of season 3, and his death is one of the greatest moments of the show's history. What broke my heart was the moment of silence when he crosses himself, a reminder that it is faith that redeems us.
4. Locke pounds on the Hatch for his "sign." (Deus Ex Machina, season 1)
We get two tear worthy moments in this episode, but this is the biggest. Locke's quest for a way to open the Hatch has led to Boone's death, and here he is, pounding on the Hatch, crying out "I've done everything you wanted me to do, so why did you do this to me?" It's a moment of faith every believer has when they are tested. Later Locke would revisit this during season five (The Little Prince) and remark to Sawyer, "I needed that pain to get to where I am now."
3. Juliet dies. (The Incident, season 5)
I'd rather not talk about it.
2. Hurley translates for Richard's dead wife, Isabella. (Ab Aeterno, season 6)
"She says your English is awesome." And from that moment I was welling up. This moment is one of the most glorious scenes because of its significance to the characters. Richard has been living an eternal life with the belief that he is to blame for his wife's death. He has been punishing himself for centuries, and in this moment, through Hurley, Richard is given peace. "It wasn't your fault that I died, Ricardo," Isabella says in Spanish. "As much as you wanted to save me...it was my time." Leave it to LOST to take a normal human feeling -- guilt and regret -- and make it exceptionally epic.
1. The Christmas phone call between Desmond and Penny. (The Constant, season 4)
This show is about a lot of things, but it is especially about love, and the story of Desmond and Penny is the best example of that theme in action. The moment is built on the premise that Desmond needs to talk to Penny on Christmas in order to save his life, to ensure that she is his constant. When Penny answers the phone, it is a truly tearjerking moment, the kind you can't find in many romantic movies. Add to this the incredible performances of Henry Ian Cusick and Sonya Walger, and you've got major waterworks.
Tomorrow I will post my top 10 favorite LOST episodes as well as my ideas and thoughts about "What They Died For." We have less than 24 hours till "The End."
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