"Through the Looking Glass" is the third-season finale of the ABC television series Lost, consisting of the 22nd and 23rd episodes of the third season. It is also the 71st and 72nd episodes overall. It was written by co-creator/executive producer Damon Lindelof and executive producer Carlton Cuse, and directed by executive producer Jack Bender. When first aired on May 23, 2007, in the United States and Canada, it was watched by an average of 14 million American viewers. Like the previous two season finales, it was two hours long with advertisements, twice the length of a normal episode. It was edited into two individual episodes when released on DVD. The season finale is considered by some to be one of the best episodes of television ever broadcast. The episode garnered a number of awards and nominations, including three Primetime Emmy Awards nominations and a Directors Guild of America Award nomination.
Plot
The episode begins its narrative in late December 2004, over ninety days after the crash of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815. The battle between the crash survivors and the dangerous and mysterious island inhabitants referred to as the "Others" comes to a head as ten of the Others attack and are then ambushed at the survivors' camp and are subsequently killed. Meanwhile, Jack Shephard (played by Matthew Fox) leads most of the survivors to the island's radio tower to communicate with a nearby ship. Intercut with this story are off-island scenes spotlighting Jack, who has become suicidally depressed and addicted to painkillers.
Flash sequences
Jack is shown to be depressed, bearded, heavily drinking and addicted to oxycodone. After reading about the death of someone he knew, Jack appears to be ready to commit suicide by jumping off the Sixth Street Viaduct bridge. However, a fiery car crash occurs on the bridge before he jumps and he goes to the victims; it is eventually revealed that the driver crashed after being distracted by Jack. Later, Jack visits the memorial service for the person he read about and finds himself to be the only attendee. In the last of the flashes, Kate appears and Jack discusses the island with her. In a twist ending, it becomes clear that the sequences are actually flashforwards rather than flashbacks. Jack tells Kate about the memorial service but Kate, acting distant toward him, coldly retorts that she would not have gone had she known. Jack also talks about using the "golden pass" they had received from Oceanic Airlines to fly back and forth across the Pacific Ocean every Friday, hoping that he will crash in the island. Jack laments about having to lie and that they should never have left. However, Kate disagrees and leaves while Jack cries out that they have to go back.
On the island
The Others intend to attack the camp and kidnap pregnant women for scientific research. The survivors are tipped off by the "Other" Karl (Blake Bashoff) and plan to kill the Others with dynamite-rigged tents. Sayid Jarrah (Naveen Andrews), Jin Kwon (Daniel Dae Kim), and Bernard Nadler (Sam Anderson) remain at the beach, tasked with shooting the tents while the rest of the survivors journey with Danielle Rousseau (Mira Furlan) to the radio tower to communicate with Naomi Dorrit's (Marsha Thomason) nearby ship.
The Others arrive, and while Sayid and Bernard detonate their tents, Jin misses his target, which results in their capture. After hearing only two explosions, James "Sawyer" Ford (Josh Holloway) and Juliet Burke (Elizabeth Mitchell) turn back to see if they can help. Hugo "Hurley" Reyes (Jorge Garcia), who was not allowed to accompany Sawyer and Juliet because of his weight, drives the van he found onto the beach, and the captives gain the upper hand, killing the remaining Others with the help of Sawyer and Juliet. Tom (M.C. Gainey) surrenders but Sawyer shoots him anyway.