Series finale

Series finale is a promotional/advertising term used to describe the final episode of a television series, usually a sitcom or a drama.

Notable animated series finales

1988

• Disney's Adventures of the Gummi Bears - "King Igthorne" - Duke Igthorn builds a full gummiberry juice production facility in Castle Igthorne to produce enough juice (which gives Igthorne's troops superhuman strength) to finally conquer the Dunwin Kingdom. To prevent the Gummi Bear family from interfering, he uses special termites to destroy Gummi Glen. He is later successful in conquering Caste Dunwin. Upon learning that the long-lost Great Gummi civilization is finally returning, Igthorne prepares to destroy the fleet. The Gummi Bear family foil Igthorn's plans by warning off the Great Gummis and secretly help the Dunwinnians to retake their kingdom. Meanwhile, another group of the Gummis sabotage Igthron's factory to cause it to overload and literally make the castle shoot away like a rocket to be destroyed, leaving the Duke's power base in ruins. The Gummi Bears relocated in the reestablished Gummi city of Ursalia, giving their trusted human friends directions and free access to it. They also receive a message from the Great Gummis who promise to return to the land soon.

1990

• DuckTales - "The Golden Goose" - Two-episode story arc. Dijon the Thief from ' stumbles upon a cult where he meets his long-lost brother, Poupon, and is assigned to guard the Golden Goose, which can turn anything into gold. Unable to control himself, Dijon takes the Goose from its stand, but then loses it, and it ends up being found by Scrooge. Scrooge takes it home and wastes no time turning almost everything in his mansion to gold. Flintheart Glomgold, wanting the Goose in his possession, sends The Beagle Boys to steal it, which they do, during which they turn Huey, Dewey and Louie into gold. Shortly after Glomgold gets the Goose, though, it comes alive and turns things to gold on its own will, as part of a curse that takes effect when removed from its post. After an unsuccessful chase sequence, the Goose begins to turn the whole world to gold, and soon Scrooge, Launchpad, and Dijon are the only ones who can return things to normal.

1994

• Doug - "Doug Graduates/Doug's Bad Trip" - The first 15-minute segment details Doug's fear of graduating from middle school, which he gets over when he discovers his nemesis Roger is going through the same thing. The second segment covers the summer vacation Doug takes which bridges this series and Disney's Doug, which premiered two years later. (This episode is an exception to Nickelodeon's general policy of not producing series finales, allowing for any episode to be aired out of context without confusing the viewer.)

1995

• Neon Genesis Evangelion - "The Beast that Shouted I at the Heart of the World" - Continuing the enigmatic two part finale, the episode focuses on philosophy, both of the characters and of living, and Shinji realizes what the world has become and what he is capable of. The episode ends when Shinji has some form of epiphany and he is suddenly surrounded by everyone he has known (including dead cast members), who are applauding him. The episode was met with confusion by most fans, as well as radically different interpretations. Later, a film was released called End of Evangelion that gives a more detailed ending that explains (to a certain extant) what was happening in the final episode. The film makes things a little less cryptic, but seemingly darker (depending on how one interpretes either ending). This final episode is also noteworthy for a scene in which all the characters are recast into a light-hearted romantic comedy. A series of manga and dating games were later based on this scene entitled "Girlfriend of Steel."

1996

• Gargoyles (syndicated series) - "Hunter's Moon" - The clan is hunted by the latest generation of Hunters, who are convinced that the Manhattan clan is in league with the renegade gargoyle, Demona. In the conflict, the clan's clock tower home is destroyed and they are revealed to the public once and for all by the Hunters to create a public panic. In one final battle, the warring groups fight in an abandoned church while Demona attempts her grandest scheme of global genocide in the building. Although the groups make partial peace and stop Demona, the clan is trapped by the NYPD until their former enemy, David Xanatos, rescues them and takes them to safety. Furthermore, he allows them to live in The Ayrie Building's Castle Wyvern once again with his family as the clan's patrons for their protection operations in gratitude for saving their son from certain death in Demona's scheme.
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - The Turtles pilot Krang's giant robot body to defeat Dregg's final mutated form. Having overcome this final challenge, Splinter informs the Turtles that they have finally graduated. They are no longer the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but simply the Ninja Turtles.

1997

• Beavis & Butt-head - "Beavis & Butt-head Are Dead" ? An erroneous report that Beavis and Butt-head have died causes massive celebration among, teachers, staff and fellow students at their school. Daria even briefly returns. However, when the boys show up, Principal McVicker drops dead of a heart attack.
• - After an assassination attempt leaves Professor Xavier mortally wounded, the X-Men come together to grieve as he lays dying, and to carry on Xavier's message of peace and tolerance. Even Magneto, their arch-nemesis, gives up his last chance to conquer the world in order to help Xavier, his best and only friend. Ultimately, Magneto uses his powers to summon the alien Lilandra to take Xavier to another world. Xavier gives each of the X-Men a final farewell message.

1998

• Pinky and the Brain - "Brainwashed". 3-episode story arc. Instead of trying to take over the world, Pinky and the Brain end up saving it after a popular Macarena-like dance crazy secretly reducing the intelligence of the world's population and turns them into zombie slaves. Brain is kidnapped and brainwashed by the zombies (Pinky, who's already brainless, is immune to the process). At first, Pinky becomes great friends with the newly stupified Brain, but soon frees him after realizing Brain will never truly be happy unless he's trying to take over the world. Returning to his old self, Brain comes to the conclusion that his arch-nemesis Snowball is responsible, but soon learns that Snowball is another victim of the plot. Pinky, Brain, and Snowball join forces to confront their creator, Dr. Mordough, but in the end find out that it is Mordough's super-intelligent cat, Precious, who is the real mastermind. In the ensuing struggle, Precious and Snowball fall into Mordough's mutation machine and get un-mutated, losing their super-intelligence and becoming regular animals. Having saved the world, Pinky and the Brain return to Acme Labs, to prepare for tomorrow night, "What are we going to do tomorrow night Brain?" "The same thing we do every night, Pinky, try to take over the world!"
• - Spider-Man learns that the destiny Madame Web has been preparing him for all along is to stop Spider-Carnage, a bitter alternate reality version of Peter Parker, from destroying the multiverse. After battling through several realities, Spider-Man realizes he can't outfight Spider-Carnage. Instead, he locates Uncle Ben (who is alive in one of the alternate realities). Uncle Ben convinces Spider-Carnage to let go of his hatred. Redeemed, Spider-Carnage sacrifices himself to stop the Carnage symbiote. Uncle Ben tells Peter Parker/Spider-Man that he's proud of him. Madame Web then takes Spider-Man into "our" reality to meet his "creator", Stan Lee. The series ends with Web taking Spider-Man to be re-united with Mary Jane.

1999

• Cowboy Bebop Spike finally defeats Vicious and his syndicate, but at the cost of his own life and that of his former lover, Julia. Jet is left without a partner, and Faye is left an emotional wreck with no purpose in life. Ed and Ein, on the otherhand, return to Ed's home to help her father, and seem to be enjoying life.
• Trigun ? Vash defeats his murderous twin Knives, but (despite Knives having killed many of Vash's loved ones) stays true to his code and doesn't kill him. Vash ditches his symbolic red coat, vowing to still look for Rem Saverem, but to live by his own words. The series ends with Vash coming back to Milly and Meryl to stay.
• Disney's Doug - Chad Mayonnaise and Miss Kristal get married, after Doug and Skeeter go on an extended chase all over Bluffington to find the wedding ring before the ceremony starts. In the end Judy leaves for College, the Sleetch twins both get dates, Baby Dirtbike says her first word, and Patti asks Doug out on a 'date-date'. This was the shows second series finale.

2000

• - Megatron transfers his spark into a specially constructed body modeled on Optimus' "Optimal Optimus" form. Megatron then absorbs the sparks of every living transformer into himself, turning himself into a massive god-like being. Only Optimus is left to oppose him, and the two of them engage in a final battle across the face of Cybertron. Realizing that he cannot outfight Megatron, Optimus instead hurls himself and Megatron into the planet's core. The two of them are absorbed into Cybertron, which re-formats the planet into a techno-organic paradise, and releases all the sparks trapped by Megatron, who are all reincarnated on the surface as techno-organic beings. Thus far, this is the finale of the original Transformers timeline.

2001

• Big O ? Roger and Big O are unable to defeat Alex Rosewater and Big Fau, but Angel's discovery of her true past and her decision to restart Paradigm City (which is just an empty stage) nullifies the whole thing. The series ends with a restaging of the first scene from the first episode, but with minor differences.
• Daria - "Is it College Yet?" - Daria and her classmates prepare for graduation while Daria decides to end her relationship with Tom (but they remain friends) and Quinn faces her own problems which she deals with an unexpected maturity. Daria and Jane both go to Boston-based colleges (Raft and Boston Fine Arts College, respectively). Tom goes to Bromwell, where many members of his family were alumni. The Fashion Club (all of whom advance to senior year at Lawndale High as do Joey, Jamie, and Jeffy) breaks up, but they continue to be a social circle. Mack goes to Vance, while Jodie goes to black-dominated Turner. Brittany goes to Grand Prairie State, while Kevin flunks senior year and has to take it again.

2003

• Futurama - "The Devil's Hands are Idle Playthings" - Fry continues to try to convince Leela of his feelings for her by composing a holophoner opera dedicated to her. Frustrated by the complexities required in playing the instrument he makes a deal with the Robot Devil by trading his own hands for the Devil's robot ones. However, when the Robot Devil claims Leela as his bride after she sells her soul to him for robot ears (in order to listen to Fry's opera, having been previously deafened by Bender), a musical showdown between Fry and the Devil takes place, Fry eventually prevailing. The episode ends with the end of the opera, Fry and Leela finally together.

2004

• Home Movies - After Brendon, Melissa, and Jason decide that their films are unwatchable, Brendon's camera gets destroyed. The show ends with Brendon, Jason, Melissa, Brendon's mom, and Coach McGuirk going to a fast-food place, functioning as if they were a family unit.
• Static Shock - The government releases their un-mutating gas upon Dakota, reverting all the Bang Babies back into normal teenagers. Static and Gear manage to avoid the gas. In an attempt to re-mutate the populace, Static's arch-nemesises Hotstreak and Ebon steal some of the Bang Baby mutagen, but end up mutating even further, merging together into a giant fire/darkness hybrid monster. Static unleashes his full power to fight and defeat the creature. The resulting explosion releases a second cloud of mutagen, re-mutating an undetermined number of teens and undermining the government's anti-mutant goals.
• Teamo Supremo - "The Gauntlet's New Gloves!" - The Gauntlet, in a new supersuit, captures Paulson & Samantha, then distracts Teamo so that he can capture Governor Kevin and The Chief. Teamo confronts the Gauntlet, who throws the Lobster of Liberty on them, seemingly killing them. But then Captain Crandall's previously unseen superpowers show up and allow him to defeat the Gauntlet.

2005

• Kim Possible - "So the Drama." Three-episode story arc originally aired as a TV movie. Kim ends up falling for a new, hunky kid named Erik, causing Ron to feel like he's losing Kim forever. Meanwhile, Kim and Ron attempt to foil a series of seemingly random crimes by Drakken and Shego. In reality, instead of his usual single stupid plan, Drakken has combined several stupid plans into one surprisingly brilliant plan to take over the world (which ultimately boils down to covering the Earth with an army of giant killer robots). Drakken actually almost succeeds, as Kim is demoralized when she is betrayed and captured by Erik, who turns out to be a synthetic drone created by Drakken to seduce and distract Kim. However, Ron finally confesses his feelings for Kim (in his own awkward way), giving Kim the resolve to stop Drakken's plan and defeat him and Shego once and for all. Finally, Kim overcomes her fear of peer pressure and takes Ron to the prom. Surprisingly, everyone (including Bonnie, in her own twisted way) are overjoyed to see that Kim and Ron are finally a couple.