The writers of the show have always maintained they would not answer every question or tie up every loose end. While I happen to think this approach is not only wise, but creative, the most unexpected twist they threw into the mix was that Lost, with three hours left, is still raising mysteries and questions. With two episodes left, they peeled another layer of the onion away to reveal and even grander scope than we had imagined possible. How can they possibly pull off a resolution of this magnitude with so little time remaining? (As an aside: the fifth and sixth seasons seemed compressed to the point of speeding over ideas much too quickly to me. The writers claimed they only needed shortened seasons to tell the rest of the story, but some storylines were given mere glances, i.e. Dogan and the Temple, and this Jacob reveal only lends more credence. They seemed to rush and they did not need to do so!)
Even the most ardent “mystery” fans, those who embrace not knowing, probably had a slight issue with this additional level to the saga. While many viewers might not know it, I think this issue is at the heart of the divide over “Across the Sea.” It answered a slew of questions, but it posed a mega-query that might never be elucidated. I hold onto the notion that the writers have the ending scripted to a precision they’ve had in mind for years. I cannot say, however, that I, as a storyteller, would have introduced such a grand level of the story at this stage in the game. I’m a mystery and question guy and I hope a lot of things are still mysterious come the serious finale, but even this introduction seems odd to me.