Nineteen may have signed off our screens, but its legacy lives forever.
It's the summation of Station 19 Season 7 Episode 10, which had the arduous task of wrapping up the series in a gratifying way to give viewers the closure they deserved despite the shocking cancelation.
And we got an emotional fest that attempted to honor the characters and fans.
It's a difficult installment even to discuss, or even worse, grade, because how do you place judgment on a series finale like this given the circumstances?
The entire trajectory of the series had to change on a whim to deliver a serviceable sendoff; all the while, there was still hardcore rallying to keep the series alive in some capacity.
Given the ending, it feels like a proper close to this chapter.
Vic: I'm going to miss this place.
Travis: I'm going to miss you.
Vic: So come with me.
Travis: I can't. I just can't. Nineteen is ... my life is here.
They opted to wrap up the cliffhangers rather quickly, with Maya's rescue happening before the title card even appeared.
Maya's Anticlimactic Rescue Leads to Moving Flashforwards
But those brief moments of her expressing her genuine fear that she wouldn't make it out of that alive transitioned us into the flashforward formatting that gave us glimpses of what the future looked like for all of our favorite characters.
We started with Maya, and it was a revelation that the Deluca-Bishop family would grow to three children.
It also showed us that Maya would choose to deliver a child herself, which is pleasantly surprising.
She's come a long way from the girl who didn't know if she even wanted kids to having three of them.
She's certainly evolved from a career-oriented woman to a family-focused mother and wife who has found true happiness in the life she's fought for and built.
Essentially, she is rewarded with everything she's ever desired sometime in the far future.
Just because Maya's plans to become Captain shifted over time, and she struggled the first time, doesn't mean that it was the end of that journey for her.
It's actually more rewarding to learn that she becomes Captain later, not only when she was most ready for it but when she's had the full breadth of her life together.
Related: Station 19 Season 7 Episode 9 Review: How Am I Supposed To Live Without You
And it was especially poetic to have her and Andy there at the end, as Captain and Chief, achieving the dreams they always had for one another.
It's inspiring to envision these two women in their respective roles, and Maya, specifically in this case, is depicted as a woman who can have it all.
She could have a happy, full, healthy, beautiful family and the career that she desired.
Maya Bishop Has the Best Character Evolution
If anyone needed to come to that realization over the years, it was her, and it was a wonderful nod to her evolution as a character.
Maya's character arc was the most fulfilling in many ways because you can see the beginning, middle, and end.
Some characters had mishaps along the way or may not have the most consistent arc, but the series did right by Maya.
In the present, we were gifted with some great moments.
The team's success in rescuing her was good, but so was her passion for the others in the field.
They went out of their way to emphasize that these people have become a family—every single one of them.
Sullivan and Beckett, two of the more polarizing characters, didn't feel displaced from the familial vibes and showed the sacrifices they were willing to make for each other.
Carina: I was so scared for you, out there, and let's face it, I was scared for me too because I didn't want to end up being a single mom to two tiny babies.
Maya: Two? Oh, we're pregnant? We're pregnant!
Maya's relationship with both has evolved from where she stood with them seasons ago.
The hour also delivered on the Andy/Maya dynamic, as their friendship was at its strongest and best in multiple seasons.
I'm glad they could highlight that friendship again as the series closed out, as it was so integral to everything Station 19 was about in the first place.
Marina's Happy Ending is Positive Queer Representation on TV
Of course, Maya learning that she and Carina were expecting was a true highlight.
The camera work has become exclusive to them and played into the romantic elements you typically see in a rom-com.
I can't overstate how significant it is that the series has given one of their queer relationships the rom-com treatment and made them one of the centered romances.
Related: With Representation Declining Industry-Wide, Is TV Failing Its LGBTQ+ VIewers?
Sweeping camera work and music add to these scenes, and they become swoon-worthy on their own.
Their joy couldn't be contained, leaving you beaming for them.
But knowing that we got those glimpses into their future lives, their three kids, and how they're still close with Peggy and Dina made things worth it.
Maybe we don't get the story told organically via multiple seasons as we desired, but we get that peek into knowing that Marina turned out okay.
Given the fact that far too many queer relationships on series take such disappointing or tragic turns, especially sapphic ones, it was essential to have that reassurance and closure.
The action of the hour was so good, and the shots that took us directly into the fire cyclone and then out were among my favorites.
It was nerve-wracking from the start until everyone safely got out of there.
We needed the series to go out with at least one decent fire, and the wildfire delivered on that.
Whether Carina and Ben were in the field delivering a baby during a wildfire or the others huddled under their fire-resistant blankets and had close calls, they kept you on edge the whole time.
Fortunately, we transitioned into other things quickly, but the hospital content was also nerve-wracking.
Theo's Cliffhanger and Action Get Lost in the Fray
Andy, I'm scared! I don't think I'm getting out of here!
Maya
It was a bit awkward that they were all worried about Theo, and they didn't even know half of him fighting for his life during Grey's Anatomy Season 20 Episode 10, but they didn't actually visit him.
Once Andy ended up in the hospital, all the attention and focus was on her.
Granted, you understand that, as she's at the center of this tale, but it was unusual none the same.
Interestingly, with Andy, we've learned how much she wants to achieve captaincy and do it well.
It's been her goal for so long that it's been difficult to gauge anything else she may desire.
I lament that we didn't get more insight into Andy and a multifaceted arc for her during this final season.
Related: Misunderstood Women, TV Characters Who Faced Unjust Criticism
Instead, via her dream and presumed glimpse of the future, they tossed in an endgame pairing with her and Jack that seemed to come out of nowhere and had no proper buildup.
Of course, I was relieved that Jack even made it into the finale after getting shafted and sidelined for most of the season.
Jack and Andy's Endgame is Out of the Blue
We're led to believe that Andy had second thoughts many moons ago when Jack proposed and that they reunited romantically between her dream and him stating that he can't imagine his life without her.
It was one of the weaker selling points of the hour, not even because I'm opposed to a Jack and Andy endgame, but because they did nothing to lead us to it.
Ben: You are your father's wildest dreams.
Andy: You'll always be part of my team.
And we didn't get any further confirmation of it in "the future" as Andy, with her admittedly terrible hair, gave her rallying speech to the recruits.
If an aged-up Jack were waiting for her as she walked away, it would've given us a little bit of something more.
I mean, Grey Damon was there for use, and they didn't take full advantage of that, which was disappointing.
Ben Prepares to Scrub Back Into Grey Sloan
Andy's most notable moment was with Ben after he admitted that he would be returning to medicine.
It wasn't something she hadn't already anticipated, nor did it surprise us either.
But there's something about bringing together the series' lead and the primary crossover character for this special moment that references how far Andy has come and how proud her father would be of her that made you want to sob.
It was fitting that they shared that moment together, officially ending a chapter.
And on top of that, it means that Ben is running back to Grey's Anatomy and will likely be there now, so we aren't losing the character forever.
We know how important it was for Andy that she make her father proud, so hearing that she was his wildest dream hit her right in the feels—and me, too.
It was interesting to see Ben's future visions, as it feels like a cheat when we know he's moving over to Grey's.
But his family is always where he has the most pride, and seeing his sons graduate is what did him in.
Pru is the Future of Station 19, and Happy Endings Wrap Up Neatly
But seeing Pru grow up and become a firefighter like her entire family was also enough to make you emotional.
You did it, Hughie. I'm proud of you.
Miller
It especially hit hard when we saw her standing in formation with Maya, her middle-aged mom, Bob, as her Captain, and Andy as her chief.
They spent the entire series combatting sexism in the workplace at every turn, and it paid off.
The future looked bright, with Maya and Andy in authoritative positions and recruits like Pru ready to take on firefighting by storm.
Sullivan, Natasha, and Beckett's futures all tied into each other, which was rather endearing.
We got glimpses of the Tully wedding, and I loved the little touches, such as the two of them jumping the broom, Ben officiating, pregnant Carina, and what was likely the beginning of Beckett and Jinny.
And Sullivan getting to open up his veterans center was a nice touch, too.
As for Beckett, it was nice that a rough character who went through so much had a positive life on the other side and found friends, family, and a new love with Natasha's sister.
It was serviceable and happy for the sake of it, but it's what you want in the end, right?
Theo's ending felt random as well.
In the future, he was the Inspector chief and apparently started a family with that random woman in the background during Natasha and Sullivan's engagement party.
Related: Igniting Hope Why Netflix Should Rescue Station 19
There wasn't really any closure with Vic, but meh.
However, the most emotional aspect of the finale was probably that of Vic and Travis.
Vic and Travis are the True Love Story of Station 19
I appreciated that the series hit home the concept of platonic soulmates and focused so profoundly on the series' best love story.
That love story isn't about any number of romantic ships but rather about the unconditional love between Travis and Vic.
They are everything.
It's such a rarity that a series doesn't follow the status quo by focusing exclusively on romantic love at the expense of all others.
Centering Travis and Vic's love story was such a breath of fresh air.
She couldn't imagine leaving without him, but she would've if necessary.
Her attempts to get him to change his mind and join her were emotional, and the way both of them were framed through the window as they had this conversation, and she basically begged in her own way for him to come with her, was shot beautifully.
Travis: Hi, so as it turns out, my life is wherever you are.
Vic: But what about Dom, and Seattle.
Travis: We'll figure it out.
I love that with Vic's tumultuous romantic history, her story, in the end, wasn't about a romantic life partner.
She pursued her work nationwide in Dean's honor and received a nice moment of pride from the man himself.
But the man in her life was Travis, and he's always been her constant.
It wasn't the least bit surprising that Travis was at the airport waiting for her, but I squealed in delight anyway when I saw him.
And when he told her that his life was wherever she was, I damn near cried.
I love that they took a romantic proclamation like that and instead applied it to capture this transcendent love between these two soulmates in the truest, purest sense of the word.
Related: The Most Unforgettable Friendships of the Decade
In the end, friendships are held in such high regard in this family-oriented series and are central to the story.
The series finale was tough because they had a tall order to provide us with closure as best as possible.
A Serviceable Finale Provides Closure
It wasn't perfect, and the flashforward concept was a bit cheesy and predictable, but I understand why it was necessary.
The formatting was sometimes a bit choppy, and I will still shout that Jack Gibson deserved better from the rooftops.
It's also wild that we lost Chaos Kate in a throwaway line and moved on like nothing happened.
But alas, the series finale had the desired effect of giving the fans the closure they deserved.
Seeing these beloved characters sign off was emotional, but it was a relief to know they would live good lives long after leaving us.
And with that, covering this series for you all has been a true pleasure.
Nineteen, forever!
Over to you, Station 19 Fanatics.
What was your favorite part of the finale? What do you think they could've done differently? Did you like the flashforward approach?
Let's hear it all below!
You can stream the entire series on Hulu and find all of our Station 19 Reviews here at TV Fanatic.