'Friends' ending explained: How did it all come to a stop?
After running for almost a decade, Friends came to an end in 2004. It was finally time to turn in the key to the apartment with the purple door and bid adiue to Central Perk cafe.
The finale episode, titled The Last One, gave a bitter-sweet ending to the all-time favorite sitcom. The stories of all the characters were neatly packed off with a glimpse into what the future might hold for them.
Here is a recap of the final episode of Friends.
Note: This article contains spoilers.
Revisiting the last episode of 'Friends'
Rachel gets off the plane
After years of an on-and-off relationship and having a baby together, Ross and Rachel finally get their happy ending. When Rachel gets a job with Louis Vuitton in Paris, she decides to leave. In a manner of saying goodbye, Rachel spends the last night of her stay with Ross. Ross makes a big realization then that he wants to be with Rachel because they are good together, but he gets cold feet and is unable to confess.
When Rachel leaves, he finally listens to Phoebe and rushes to the airport to confess, but Rachel is already on the plane. However, she soon realizes that she wants a forever with him too, and gets off the plane. The two decide to give their relationship a serious try.
Phoebe and Joey find stability
Phoebe's violent history of abuse made us all feel sorry for her. So fans were overjoyed when she finally manages to find stability with Mike, whom she gets married to. Mike and Phoebe are seen planning a future together in the final episode. Mike tells Phoebe he wants children and Phoebe is immediately on-board with the idea. She wants a whole bunch of kids so that they could teach them to sing and together they would be like the Von Trapp family.
While all the members of the gang were going through life-changing moments, Joey was staying back at his own apartment. In the last scenes of the show, we see Joey bring home a new chick and duck as a going-away present for Monica and Chandler.
Monica and Chandler get their perfect ending in 'Friends'
It was heartbreaking to see Monica and Chandler struggle with fertility issues. After trying for a while, they eventually decide to adopt. The two get in touch with Erica, a pregnant teenager, who agrees to give her child to the couple. During the show's last moments, Erica goes into labor and a surprising discovery is made. She was pregnant with twins. Though Monica is on board with the new surprise, it takes a while for Chandler to cope with the sudden news.
Chandler and Monica end the series with two babies, and move to the suburbs. The final scene shows the six friends turn in their keys to Monica's apartment and leave to get coffee together one last time at Central Perk.
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Siddharth Satish