Top 10 Greatest Cartoon Series Finales
#10: “Change Your Mind” “Steven Universe” (2013-19)
Steven Universe was envisioned by creator and showrunner Rebecca Sugar to run five seasons with all of the plot points culminating in this final episode. While the show would later be followed by a film and a limited series follow up, “Change Your Mind” still served as the conclusion to the original series and tied up ongoing plots, most notably the war between the Crystal Gems and the homeworld. The final showdown between Steven and White Diamond encapsulated the themes the show had built as well as concluding the development of Steven and other characters.
#9: “A Regular Epic Final Battle” “Regular Show” (2010-17)
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“Regular Show” always had a tendency to tell stories that revolved around the exciting and surreal, and the show’s aptly named finale took those elements to their logical conclusions. The three part ending saw Mordecai and Rigby, along with their friends and co-workers, go into space to help Pops save the universe itself. A number of fan favorite characters returned for the final battle in this particularly meta episode. After saving reality, but losing one of their own, the final shots show the next twenty-five years of these characters’ lives play out set beautifully to David Bowie’s “Heroes.”
#8: “Episode CI” “Samurai Jack” (2001-04; 2017)
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When “Samurai Jack” ended its initial run in 2004 there was clearly some unfinished business, as the last episode of season four provided no conclusion to the ongoing story. For more than a decade it seemed that that was it. However, in 2017, fans got a final fifth season. The season culminated in a finale that began with a number of Jack’s past allies rescuing him before he finally headed back to the past to defeat Aku. However what truly set the episode apart was the bittersweet ending for Jack when the love he’d brought back from the future was erased from time as a result of his victory over evil.
#7: “Last Day of Summer” “Phineas and Ferb” (2007-15)
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“Phineas and Ferb” was built on the premise of finding an incredible way to spend each day of summer vacation; therefore there was really no other way for it to conclude than with the end of summer break. The show continued its trademarks of callback jokes and meta humor in a plot that involved Candace and Dr. Doofenshmirtz caught in a Groundhog Day-esque loop. Of course the title characters had plenty to do, figuring out how to escape a void dimension and build a machine to save the world. To top it all off Doofenshmirtz finally came around to the side of good, joining forces with his former rival Perry.
#6: “Graduation” “Kim Possible” (2002-07)
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Originally intended to conclude in its third season, Disney brought “Kim Possible” back for a fourth and final season, which followed Kim and Ron now as a crime fighting couple. The final episode “Graduation,” as the name would imply saw the end of their time at Middleton High School, with a twist of course. Alien invaders kidnap both Kim and her arch enemy Dr. Drakken, leaving Ron and Shego to team up to save them, as well as the world. The episode wrapped up many of the show’s plots and gave these beloved characters a proper send off.
#5: “Goodbye to Bloo” “Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends” (2004-09)
It is a rather recent development that western cartoons would even have definitive endings. In the past final episodes rarely concluded any ongoing storylines or wrapped much up, instead they often felt like any other episode. “Foster’s” seems to follow the recent trend by making the episode seem like it will be the end of Mac and Bloo’s friendship before Mac moves and won’t be able to visit Foster’s again. Of course in true Foster’s fashion this turns out to be a misdirect as it’s revealed that Mac and Bloo’s friendship will continue past the end of the show.
#4: “Come Along With Me” “Adventure Time” (2010-18)
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“Adventure Time” had always been a show concerned primarily with character development and relationships - with a lot of lore, comedy, music, and of course heart in the mix. The finale delivered on all of these fronts in spades, with an extended four part episode that had a plethora of callbacks and references to the show’s mythology, as well as delivering powerful endings to multiple character arcs. The bittersweet episode contained both moments that made fans cheer, like Bubblegum and Marceline finally sharing a kiss, as well as ones that made them cry, like the heartbreaking death of Fern.
#3: “Meanwhile” “Futurama” (1999-2003, 2008-13)
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“Futurama” has had a number of finales, due to uncertainty about whether the show would be renewed for future seasons. While it’s original intended finale “The Devil’s Hands are Idle Playthings” certainly could have served as a perfect bookend to the show, it’s actual eventual final episode was equally beautiful. “Meanwhile” continued to deliver on the show’s signature mix of humor and heart. It focused on the show’s most enduring plot, the love story between Fry and Leela, giving their romance a fitting sendoff that saw them grow old together . . . and ended with them preparing to have their memories wiped and live their lives all over again.
#2: “Weirdmageddon” “Gravity Falls” (2012-16)
By its last episode “Gravity Falls” had established a unique mythos, compelling mysteries, complex characters with interesting relationships, and an immense overarching threat. All of that buildup led to the massive payoff that was the three part finale, “Weirdmageddon.” With the ultimate evil Bill Cipher unleashing the things from his own Lovecraftian dimension on our world, only a ragtag group of our favorite characters (and a couple of our least favorite ones) can save the day. The final battle between good and evil was as trippy as it was emotionally satisfying, with elements that have been hinted at since the beginning of the show finally paying off. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: “Nice While it Lasted” “BoJack Horseman” (2014-20) “Graduation Day” “X-Men” (1992-97) “Starcrossed” “Justice League” (2001-04)” “Spider Wars” “Spider-Man” (1994-98) “Phantom Planet” “Danny Phantom” (2004-07)
#1: “Sozin’s Comet” “Avatar: The Last Airbender” (2005-08)
The conflict between the Fire Nation and team Avatar, which had been building for three seasons, came to a head in the epic four part finale. The ending manages to strike a perfect balance between the characters’ own internal issues and the conclusion of the overarching conflict. The formerly antagonistic Zuko faced off against the sister whose shadow he always lived in, Iroh returned to Ba Sing Se, not as a conquer but as a liberator, while Aang had to face down Fire Lord Ozai. Aang’s final battle touched on the philosophical themes of the show, with Aang managing to stop the despote without having to end his life.
