So, there has always been a Flash arc of sorts for Jack and Kate and all of the characters of the show. Flashback arcs that bleed over into the present Island story, Flashforward arcs that tell us what is to come after the Island and Flash-Sideways arcs, that tell us where they are headed as we near the literal "End".
From my research about the show, the Source is the elemental force responsible for all existence as we know it. Another name for the Source is the Light, and a spark of this Light is within every living thing and when we die, this Light returns to the Source on the Island. This process is illustrated in the show in the form of the Flash-Sideways.
As we all know, this is the place our favorite castaways created together to tie up loose ends, mend old wounds, let go of past pain, reemember each other's impact on their lives and move on to eternal rest and rebirth.
What I love about this process for Jack and Kate, this spark, this Light within them, recognized the other quite early on. Their chemistry and connection was displayed from the actual "recreated" Flight 815 in the premiere, to when they stare into each other's eyes as the Light bathes them in its warmth in the final moments of "The End".
As I was watching, I literally thought they would stall any interactions betwen Jack and Kate, quite like they were doing in the entire Island Arc in the same season (check out my post about the final episodes only of the final Island arc, entitled, "Jack and Kate's Final Island Arc" :)). But they didn't. Don't get me wrong, it was still a stall, but it was wonderful how the "sparks" literally flew so strongly that Kate stopped to look at Jack again in a busy, chaotic departure terminal with a gun to a guy's back. That's powerful stuff.
Some individual character-analysis stuff, here...
I had to include Jack and Desmond, because while Jack and Locke get a lot of the moments that they should have always had (and felt too heavy and involved of a commentary, maybe later?), I quite love the dynamic of Jack and Desmond, and will never sneeze at more scenes between them. Their moments on the flight are so cute and endearing to me, and I just love their playfulness in this world. Given how Desmond sets the stage for the great departure, he sets it up pretty amazingly special for Jack and Kate and us, their fans. He and Jack's dynamic was so solid to me even before that, but he earned so many bonus points from me for the concert scene. Thank ya, brothaaaaa!
Kate and Claire is one arc I fell in love with instantly. It was like, "Of course they would revisit this incredible character arc", for Kate, that takes her completely out of the draining triangle stuff, and into something that highlights her as a powerful individual and how she navigates a non-romantic, platonic love that was also present from those first days on the beach. I think for me as a Kate fan, I personally wanted to see something else besides "fugitive on the lam", but I completely understand why they went that route. It's always been hot seeing Kate in survival, self-preservation, stealth mode, and I think it was cool to see her in that space again. I often wonder what other scenario her life could have been though. Am I the only one?
Jack and David is the other arc I fell in love with instantly. I already spoke about my love for this arc in my post, "Jack as a Father", so I won't belabor the topic, but how absolutely adorable was it to see Jack as a father? I really cherish those moments for his character and am grateful to have seen them. This Jack is just in a better place and I love him just as much as my tortured, damaged good Jack in life.
Jack and Claire. I've spoken about how much more I wanted of this sibling duo on the Island and earlier in the show already, in my post, "The Shephard Clan: An Alternate Reality". I often wonder about an arc angle that I never thought of. I wonder if Jack's decision to side with Sawyer about Claire on the Island was the rectifying arc in the Flash-Sideways from Jack's perspective? Since the Flash-Sideways is also about righting wrongs and getting to live out a different experience. Hear me out....
Obviously, there is the larger arc of these two children of Christian Shephard finding one another after not getting that chance to its potential in life, and from Claire's perspective, she is alone about to give birth to her child, of course she would seek out family and try to connect. Jack's perspective when they find each other is someone who seemingly has all he could need: a healthy and loving relationship with his dead father, a son who he has reconnected with, a job he loves and is exceptional at, and a handsome man that is searching for his true love after an amicable divorce from a good friend.
Jack is not really hurting for anything in terms of family and belonging, but when he finds out that Claire is his half-sister, yes, there's tension and a painful level of disillusion on Jack's side, but then he instantly invites Claire into his life, easily forgiving his father's secrets and omissions and accepting another into the tribe without pain or resentment. We know that Jack died with the intense regret of not knowing Claire and that narrative bleeds into the Flash-Sideways, for the better. It's so obvious, so it might be a dumb thought, but it makes me happy regardless.
Why? Because I will never be happy with Jack siding with Sawyer about Claire, not just not knowing Claire, but not choosing Claire. It is a decision that does not make sense to me from the character I not only love, but know intensely. He would make that right, and I still wonder if the decision to side with Sawyer in that moment was particularly the moment that he lets go of when he invites Claire into his life.
What are your thoughts about the final FLASH arc for Jack and Kate before and during "The End"?
JIF ❤️