‘A Million Little Things’ Says Goodbye To Gary, And Introduces The World To The Next Generation Of Friends

Farewell to our favorite friends from Boston!

Wednesday’s finale of “A Million Little Things,” titled “One Big Thing,” gives an emotional send-off to the glue that kept the friend group together: Gary (James Roday Rodriguez).

Two episodes prior to the finale, Gary learned that his cancer returned and was terminal. In an effort to be there for his and his now-wife, Maggie’s son, Javier, in case he didn’t make it, he began filming a series of videos. As the final episode begins, Gary (who is visibly at the end of his life) is prepared to say goodbye to the people he loves the most.

But not before he gives his best friends, Rome (Romany Malco) and Eddie (David Giuntoli), one final mission.

The show opens with Gary — who is battling stage 4 cancer, years after his initial breast cancer diagnosis — lying in his hospice bed in his house, communicating with Eddie through a mini white board and marker and refusing to eat eggs.

As Gary and Maggie’s (Allison Miller) son, Javier, takes little steps around the living room, Gary makes a joke about his kid’s ability to walk — unlike his wheelchair-bound friend. The mood shifts, as Gary shows Eddie a message on his clipboard, and tells him to call Rome.

“Hey, Rome, I’m with Gary,” Eddie says through the phone. “I need you to meet me at my place.”

Rome asks if his friend is “saying that I think you’re saying?” Eddie tearfully says, “Yup.”

In a flashback scene to when Gary initially got his terminal prognosis, but could still speak, he, Rome and Eddie have a laugh about Eddie’s “Hamilton” the Musical mix-up, as they record a future video for Javier.

The mood shifts as Gary asks Rome to put down the camera, and he shares with his best friends that should he get to the point where nothing is working, they should visit Kevin at his chemo center, who can give them a blend of drugs that would allow him to die with no pain and dignity.

After pushback, Eddie and Rome promise to fulfill his final wish, but make him record the video for Maggie explaining his decision.

Back in the present day, Rome and Eddie make their way to the treatment center where they meet Kevin, who after telling them that he can lose his job, hands them a bag with green Jell-O, leaving the men defeated.

After minutes of trying to figure out where they can get drugs, Rome realizes that Kevin gave them what they need to complete their friend’s final wish.

Before going to their friend, Rome pays his father a visit at this assisted living home where he breaks down as he shares that Gary isn’t going to make it. In a moment he has been wishing for, Rome’s father embraces him and allows him to cry, while listening to him share funny Gary memories.

Elsewhere, Eddie rushes to ex-wife, Katherine’s (Grace Park), house and asks for guidance as he makes the decision. Katherine informs him that she has already worked out Gary’s affairs and tells him that it’s up to him to make the decision. Their son, Theo, hears the conversation and tells his father that he should honor his friend’s last wish.

Back at the house, Delilah (Stephanie Szostak) comes to sit with Gary while Maggie heads out. During their chat, Gary makes a few dirty jokes before Delilah reflects on the moment he found out she was having and affair with Eddie — which started before her husband, and his best friend, John, died. In a sweet moment, Delilah thanks Gary for encouraging Eddie to follow his heart, which led him back to her.

Maggie and Gina (Christina Moses) have a moment as they wait for Greta (Cameron Esposito) to arrive, so they can unlock one final plan for Gary. During their conversation, the ladies meet a local resident who encourages Gina to run for office, despite losing the last election. When Greta arrives with a couple cans of spray paint, the ladies can set their plan in motion with the help of their artsy friend.

Maggie returns home and wheels Gary outside where she reveals to him a billboard with the words “Gary Was Here” written over a  Boston Bruins picture. Touched by his wife’s gesture, they share a sweet embrace.

Sophie (Lizzy Greene) and Danny (Chance Hurstfield) had one final mission. Tasked with picking out the perfect casket for their uncle, Gary, they arrive at a funeral parlor where they talk the director into a discount with a sob story. In a moment that calls back to their father, the director realizes her connection as she takes Sophie’s card.

In a flashback, the director is the gate attendant at the airport that stopped their dad, John, from getting on a flight on Sept. 11, 2001 that was hijacked during the terrorist attacks, ultimately saving his life, but contributing to the survivors’ remorse he felt in the run up to his suicide. The woman reveals her name is Sophie — and viewers finally find out the special woman John’s daughter was named after.

Rome and Eddie make it back to Gary and Maggie house ready to help their friend with his last wish. It’s there that Rome shares the plan with Gina, and they play the video for Maggie. Tearfully, Gina says her final goodbye before taking Javier to Katherine’s house where the rest of the group will be.

As Rome and Eddie prepare to make Gary’s final arrangements — Maggie insists she does it.

While the rest of the group gathers at Katherine’s to reflect on Gary’s memories, Maggie lays in the bed with her husband and his beloved dog, Colin, as he drinks out of a Bruins cup. As she tells him “You won,” Gary uses his last words to say “We  won.”

Maggie then tells him it’s OK to let go and assures him that she and Javi will be well taken care of.

Gary takes his final breath.

The camera cuts and the healthier version appears on the screen, while a kid puts on a Bruins hat. It’s Javier, who turned 16 and is rewatching the final tape his father made for him with his mom. Maggie and Javi go out for his first — and chaotic — driving lesson.

At a gravesite, Maggie updates her late husband on their plans which include going to Rome and Gina’s for a birthday celebration. She also tells Gary that she is going on a date with a dad from Javi’s school.

At Rome and Gina’s, the (older) friend group all reunite where the viewers learn that Rome and Gina stayed together, as well as Eddie and Delilah, Greta and Katherine (who have a daughter) and Sophie and Tyrell — who are expecting a baby. A much older Theo makes an appearance.

As Gary’s voice plays one final time — telling his son to look for him in the smiles from nice strangers — a man helps him pick up a hot dog he drops on his way down the steps at a Bruins game.

Javi joins Theo, Danny and Tyrell, who all raise a toast to their fathers, Gary, Eddie, John and Rome, before taking the same picture they took at their first Bruins game together — bringing the show full circle and to a beautiful close.

Over five seasons, “A Million Little Things” has pulled on the heartstrings of viewers as they watched the friendship group rebuild, expand and power through with love following the death of John (Ron Livingston) in episode 1.

In episode 1, John said that “friendship isn’t one big thing, it’s a million little things,” and the ABC drama proved it to be true through five seasons of love, loss, new beginnings and happy endings.

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