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I just watched the last episode of Rome. It had been on a re-run this summer, and as something of a history buff I felt it was my duty to watch it again - and this time look for things that I overlooked. This may sound odd, but I think the ending of this two-season series is quite powerful. You get to see the triumph of Octavian with all the necessary pomp and glory - but it doesn't end there. Following a brief scene with Titus Pullo reporting back to Octavian, the scene changes back to the streets of Rome with its peddlers, merchants, housewives, slaves, all the hustle and bustle of the great city. Titus Pullo meets again with Aeneas (really Caesarion), and as the child promises divine redemption to Octavian and to clear his father's name, Pullo places his hand on the boy's shoulder and says: "Listen, about your father..." - only to disappear into the crowd, the camera panning out and the theme music beginning to play.

I remember watching this episode the first time, and considering this one powerful ending. Not only it leaves some tantalizing questions unanswered (such as what is going to happen to Aeneas and Pullo who apparently was going to tell who really was the child's father), but it also gives a well-deserved tip of the hat to the city of Rome itself. While the plot did follow the trials and tribulations of the dying Republic and the emerging Empire (stop humming the Imperial March!), Rome and its idiosynchracies and many faces were definitely a major, if not the major character of the entire series: this wasn't the "HollyRome" of Gladiator and a baker's dozen of Ben-Hur wannabes, but an ancient city almost alien in landscape and mentality, bewildering in its continuum of luxury and squalor, a place where almost anything could happen. And the final scene, with Pullo and Aeneas disappearing into the crowd, echos that bewilderment, leaving it up for the viewer to think what might have happened to these two while Octavian continues rebuilding Rome in his own image...

All of this got me thinking: there's a whole heap of good series and movies about, but there's not really that many where the ending is something truly memorable or touching. The villains are dead, the good guys win, roll credits, get out of the cinema/change the channel. In that sense, Rome's ending was something different, leaving some questions unanswered and showing that despite the human drama and sweeping changes in government, the streets of the Eternal City remained unchanged, people continuing to live their lives the same way but under new management.

So tell me, fellow Halforumites... Got any good endings in mind that really touched you, made you think or made you laugh one time more?

I propose everyone list the title of whatever they're doing, as a sort of heading, before discussing it. Example:

Citizen Kane

Discussion of the ending. So people can skip it if they don't wanna know.

The best ending I ever experienced was the ending of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay. Wow, it had me in tears. I re-read the last chapter like three times. You're just forced back through Klay's choices, and the ones that Kavalier has sort of forced him to make. And you get that warm fuzzy that even though Kavalier was presented as this heroic spectacular paragon of humanity, it's Klay who is the real hero.

As far as movies go, I'd say that recently the ending of Pan's Labyrinth was really well done. Other than that, it's kind of hard to remember what hit me as really good.

The Fountain

The last ten minutes, everything is simply incredible.

The best TV show ending is probably Six Feet Under IMO. It just seemed utterly perfect from beginning to end.

Cowboy Bebop was another great ending though. Which was nice considering so many animes turn out to have crappy endings.

Metal Gear Solid 2

The FLCL manga ending

Gunbuster (Welcome Home)

JONJONAUG said:

Metal Gear Solid 2

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...really?

The end of the fifth season of Deep Space Nine.

I shouldn't poke at MSG2. Honestly, much as I love the games, I thought all the Metal Gear endings (don't know 4 though) were pretty shmaltzy and incoherent.

escushion said:

JONJONAUG said:

Metal Gear Solid 2

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...really?

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The 30 minute long codec conversation dragged on, but I consider the "ending" to be everything after when you wake up naked strapped to the metal table thing.

JONJONAUG said:

escushion said:

JONJONAUG said:

Metal Gear Solid 2

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...really?

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The 30 minute long codec conversation dragged on, but I consider the "ending" to be everything after when you wake up naked strapped to the metal table thing.

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Ah, okay, that makes more sense. I usually include everything involving the final boss battle and final dungeon in RPGs to be part of the ending, so I understand.

Oddbot said:

Cowboy Bebop was another great ending though. Which was nice considering so many animes turn out to have crappy endings.

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I'd like to second Cowboy Bebop

Also, the first season of Jericho. It was a terrible, tantalizing cliffhanger, and the second season was rushed, losing the luster of what exactly made Jericho incredible. But the end of the first season was the moment that the entire show had been building to from the first episode. The Nuclear Apocalypse could have been the entire thrust of the show, but it wasn't. It was the aftermath that made the show what it was, and the portrayal of a people ever on the brink. So at the end of the season, when [spoiler:8d8ytd90]the next town over in flyover country begins all-out war[/spoiler:8d8ytd90], it was exactly what the show was about. Small, previously ridiculous-to-even-consider events, taking inflated significance in the lives of the haggard people of a world on the precipice of oblivion.

the ending of Wrestler was very well done

The Godfather II.

The transition from the family dinner, the last time the Corleone family was together and happy, to Michael sitting alone in the dark... It gave me chills.

Watchmen

Both the graphic novel and the movie. I preferred the graphic novel's ending [spoiler:1jzowkyq]because of the scene with Veidt talking to Manhattan alone.[/spoiler:1jzowkyq] The rest of it... [spoiler:1jzowkyq]"I did it 35 minutes ago."[/spoiler:1jzowkyq] Enough said.

Serenity.
http://boobtubedude.com/wp-content/uplo ... er_tam.png <---- Spoiler

I had to shift in my chair a little bit and got a "twitch" when those doors came open.

I really liked True Blood season 1's ending.

babylon 5. either the end of the shadow war, deconstruction of falling stars, or sleeping in light.

the end of fight club. with that song over that window view. just godDAMN.

I'd like to third Cowboy Bebop.

Angel definitely had an awesome ending too.

Cheers.

I don't think they could have done it any better.

escushion said:

The Fountain

The last ten minutes, everything is simply incredible.

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My reaction upon the end credits rolling was "what the crapfuck did I just watch?" :bush:

The issue of Superman (also adapted into an episode of JLU by the same name) "For the Man who has Everything" was wrapped up really well, too. Although it left out some violence for censorship reasons, the animated episode was possible superior to the book. If the way Superman has to give up his son as a fantasy, and his subsequent rage doesn't get you, you're pretty cold. One thing I did like better about the comic--Wonder Woman actually expressed a semi-masochistic jealousy about not being subjected to the Black Mercy also so that she could see her heart's desire.

The Third Man's ending is one of my favorites ever.

Also, the ending to The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. The court case, and Roark's defense. I saw a clip that was Roark's speech in the movie version. I don't feel like the actor portrayed Howard Roark as I imagined him. But the book. Man. It changed my life, and the end of that was great.

I have to agree with Cowboy Bebop's ending. It is easily one of the best ending ever.

The Shawshank Redemption has a great ending.

Schindler's List has a truely powerful ending. Not only Shindler breaking down over how he could have saved more people, but the end bit where the actors walked with their real-life counterparts up to Schindler's grave and each place a rock on it. The stories presented in the movie just suddenly become much more real when you see the actual people that went through it all.

Covar said:

Cheers.

I don't think they could have done it any better.

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That final shadow in the window has been speculated over for years. I still say it was "Coach".

The ending scene from the Star Trek TNG finale.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrnmbiN4xjE:2etmvdqp][/youtube:2etmvdqp]

Newhart

[spoiler:b1kv67v2]The final episode where Newhart wakes up from a terrible dream, to find that he was in bed with his wife from a sitcom 20 years earlier. Both were awesome shows.[/spoiler:b1kv67v2]

Someone's already mentioned Godfather II, that one is awesome, but far more awesome is the original Godfather's ending. Best movie ending ever.

Dieb said:

Someone's already mentioned Godfather II, that one is awesome, but far more awesome is the original Godfather's ending. Best movie ending ever.

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I agree with this.

And the ending of "Raiders" still gets me every time.

The ending to the first season of Supernatural.

Everything seems GOOD for once. They have the gun, they have their father back and they finally have a plan to stop Azazel. And then, out of nowhere a giant truck slams into their car and all fades to black.

I'd also say the end of Green Lantern: Rebirth.

"Parallax: Give up.
Parallax: You failed once, you'll fail again.
Parallax: Lay down and die. You're weak. You're scared. Give up now. Give up.
Hal Jordan: I...
Parallax: Give up damn you.
Hal Jordan: I don't know how. "

13! 13! 13! 13!

"See here Mars, see here Mars. My name is Titus Pullo, and these bloody men my gift to you."

Great series, great ending.

As much as it sucked complete ASS.. Angel's "Not Fade Away" is still a tear jerker after all these years..

"Would you like me to lie to you now?" :waah: :waah: :waah: :waah: :waah:

Final episode of Quantum Leap.

:waah:

Oh yeah! The way they waited until the very last second to tell you he never got back home. Yeesh. Sad.

fade said:

The issue of Superman (also adapted into an episode of JLU by the same name) "For the Man who has Everything" was wrapped up really well, too. Although it left out some violence for censorship reasons, the animated episode was possible superior to the book. If the way Superman has to give up his son as a fantasy, and his subsequent rage doesn't get you, you're pretty cold. One thing I did like better about the comic--Wonder Woman actually expressed a semi-masochistic jealousy about not being subjected to the Black Mercy also so that she could see her heart's desire.

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Totally. The first time I saw that episode, my heart caught in my throat when he was pounding Mongul, then looked up and saw the statue of his mother and father holding up Krypton.

I'd have to say that the ending that has, and always will, get me is the ending to The Iron Giant. I've watched that movie six or seven times, and each time when he whispers, [spoiler:236rionl]"Superman..."[/spoiler:236rionl] still gets to me.

(SPOILERS)

I loved the Rome series. Marc Purefoy was exceptional in his acting and I simply loved the cast. I was sad that the series ended, it was a great watch.

I own every movie which I felt a special connection to the ending. Here's a few examples.

1. The Last Samurai : All I can is.... "it's.... purrrrfect". As a grown man, I rarely cry... I cried like a little bitch at the end of the movie. Cruise depsite his RL issues, can still provide a solid perfromance.

2. The Count of Monte Cristo : We probably all read the book, we probably all saw a previous version of the movie at some point and time but Guy Pierce and James Caviezel were amazing in this rollercoaster ride. I actually use the chestpiece with one of my RL buddies whenever we one up another.

3. Cinderella Man : We probably know the story, when Rocky used the angle. Beautifully acted period piece with Giamatti and Crowe. "I'd fight your mother for 200 bucks". Crowe's face almost made me weep, I held them back firmly. Ending, we all seen it... nonetheless, the theatre all jumped up and got into it as chills ran down my spine.

4. Gladiator : 'The general who became a slave. The slave who became a gladiator. The gladiator who defied an emperor'. This ended.... priceless. Who can forget the infamous quote from Maximus after this one... "I am Gladiator"

5. Fight Club : It's rare that movies tend to fool me... and I sure got fooled. My jaw was wide open when the credits rolled by.

Enresshou said:

I'd have to say that the ending that has, and always will, get me is the ending to The Iron Giant. I've watched that movie six or seven times, and each time when he whispers, [spoiler:34kxuhfq]"Superman..."[/spoiler:34kxuhfq] still gets to me.

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This is me every time at that point: :waah: :waah:

I'm not sure that everybody saw Cinderella Man

Poughkeepsie Tapes
Seven
Hard Candy
Perfume

Damn, didnt see this thread. Just off my head-

Fight Club
Sith Sense
Seven
The Thing
Hard Eight
Beauty and the Beast
The Hamiltons
A History of Violence
Pulp Fiction
The real ending of "Brazil", not the studio happy-ending hack job
The real ending of "I am legend", not the happy-ending studio hack job

And of course, the two best endings ever- A Clockwork Orange and Boogie Nights
[spoiler:2w0fr2tw]*to penis* "Youre a star. Youre a fucking star."[/spoiler:2w0fr2tw]

Oh man, History of Violence was a great film ending for sure!

It fixed the one thing I hated in the original comic, that his family was all happy and understanding.

The DC animated finales have been amazing:
-Superman (and his big battle with Darkseid)
-Justice League (technically, two finales, the big 4-part Cadmus one since they thought that WAS the finale, and then another awesome Superman/Darkseid battle for the actual finale)

Totally agree on Pan's Labyrinth (I'm on the side of the fence that believes it was all in her head the whole time) and Shawshank.

What Dreams May Come always has me bawling, but I tend to bawl through the whole movie.

The ending to a graphic novel, Pride of Bagdhad, left me in tears even every time I flipped through it.

Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker (pretty much the whole final fight and everything after).

Wonder Woman (the animated movie). Rarely have I thrown my arms up in the air and shouted "That was totally wicked!" when the credits start rolling.

The ending to Preacher always tugs at my heart strings.