History Main / GrandFinale

* Episode 823 of ''WebVideo/StampysLovelyWorld'', "Thanks For Watching", serves as this, [[spoiler:with Stampy evacuating the island with his friends and leaving it to [=HitTheTarget=] as a MeaninglessVillainVictory.]]

* Episode 823 of ''WebVideo/StampysLovelyWorld'' serves as this, [[spoiler: with Stampy evacuating the island and leaving it to HitTheTarget.]]

** ''Some Of These Days'' is this for ''ComicBook/BatmanTomKingRebirth''. The story chronicles the first and last romantic exchanges between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. In between we see the two, having married and grown old together, dealing with [[spoiler: Bruce's cancer]], which culminates in [[spoiler: Bruce dying in bed surrounded by Selina and his Bat-Family, including their daughter Helena]]

* ''ComicBook/OneHundredBullets'' ends the conflict between the Minutemen and the Trust, and ties up all other remaining plotlines, by [[spoiler:slaughtering the lot of them, and leaving the survivors at the mercy of a BolivianArmyEnding (Loop, Victor, and Will not included).]]
* ''ComicBook/{{Superman}}'':
** ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheManOfTomorrow'', by Creator/AlanMoore and Curt Swan, closes the book on UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} Superman, paving the way for the [[ContinuityReboot reboot]]. It's an alternate universe story about how Superman faces his greatest and final challenge; AnyoneCanDie, and old villains and other characters return in a veritable parade.
** ''ComicBook/TheBlackRing'' and ''ComicBook/ReignOfDoomsday'' (running simultaneously across separate books) served as this for the Post-Crisis Superman, wrapping up most of the plot threads that the series had left hanging before the 2011 reboot. Major events included: ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} coming to terms with her SuperPoweredEvilSide, the capture of the Cyborg-Superman, the last team-up between Superman, Supergirl, Superboy, Steel and the Eradicator (who performs a HeroicSacrifice), the return, and final defeat of Doomsday, and of course, the last battle between Post-Crisis Superman and Lex Luthor, ending with Luthor being imprisoned in the PhantomZone. With the majority of Superman's other foes already dead, imprisoned, or in the Zone, the two arcs allowed the series to end on a high note before the reset button was hit.
** In ''ComicBook/SupergirlCosmicAdventuresInThe8thGrade'', the two-part story "Graduation Day" tied up all ongoing plotlines, featuring a battle for the fate of the universe.

** ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' provides a definitive end to Franchise/{{Batman}}'s career, and ends his conflict with ComicBook/TheJoker on the side... until ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'' came out. After that, ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' (a direct reference to the above) became more fitting an end.
* ComicBook/GreenArrow

* ''ComicBook/{{Preacher}}'''s ''Alamo'' ended with [[spoiler:a final showdown between Jesse and Cassidy, Tulip executing Herr Starr, and The Saint Of Killers taking his vengeance against God.]]
* ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'': The climax is reached in ''The Kindly Ones'' where characters from all other points in the timeline come together in one ''hell'' of a story, propelling a long and complex string of events which eventually leads to [[spoiler:Dream's death and resurrection inside Daniel.]] The lengthy aftermath is depicted in ''The Wake,'' where it's demonstrated that the previous events had such gravity that they affected everyone in existence, including [[BreakingTheFourthWall you]].

* ''ComicBook/SpiderGirl: The End'' brings the long-running clone saga of the Spider-Girl books to a close whilst also sending off the character with both a happy and an open ending, with Mayday finally hooking up with her loyal friend Wes as her family look on. Wes asks the question "where do we go from here?". Time will tell if we'll ever know, as it is presently The End...for now.
* ''ComicBook/WrathOfTheFirstLantern'', specifically its own finale (''Green Lantern'' issue 20), serves as this to Creator/GeoffJohns' run on the ''ComicBook/GreenLantern'' mythos, seeing the conclusion of story threads laid out ever since he became the main GL writer back in ''ComicBook/GreenLanternRebirth''.
* ''ComicBook/{{Convergence}}'' is essentially the ending to the pre-''ComicBook/{{Flashpoint}}'' DC Universe. [[spoiler:However, thanks to the ending bringing the multiverse back from the brink of collapse, it has been confirmed the pre-Flashpoint universe still exists, and it's possible we'll see it again. ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' later confirmed that the New 52 universe is indeed the same as the pre-''Flashpoint'' universe, just tampered with by Dr. Manhattan.]]
* "The Autobiography of Bruce Wayne" is this for [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age Batman]], as well as his UnresolvedSexualTension with Catwoman. [[spoiler:It ends with the two of them getting married and retiring. They also have a daughter who goes on to become the ComicBook/{{Huntress}} in this continuity]]. Though a more fitting example might be "Only Legends Live Forever" where an older Bruce Wayne, now widowed and dying of cancer, dons the cape and cowl one last time to help the [[ComicBook/JusticeSocietyOfAmerica JSA]] stop the magically empowered thief Bill Jenson, [[spoiler: [[HeroicSacrifice at the cost]] [[TheHeroDies of his own life]]. It ends with all the heroes, including former sidekick Dick Grayson and daughter Helena Wayne, attending his funeral]].
* "Some Of These Days" by Tom King is this for the ''Rebirth'' era of Batman. The story chronicles the first and last romantic exchanges between Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. In between we see the two, having married and grown old together, dealing with [[spoiler: Bruce's cancer]], which culminates in [[spoiler: Bruce dying in bed surrounded by Selina and his Bat-Family, including their daughter Helena]]

* At one point, Marvel released a series of stories known as ''The End'', meant to serve as possible grand finales for some of their major franchises (X-Men, Fantastic Four, Hulk, etc.) while existing outside the main continuity.

* ''ComicBook/BlazeOfGlory'' has the subtitle 'The Last Ride of The Western Heroes' for a reason. All the big-name Marvel western heroes are here, and for most of them this serves as their last canonical adventure. [[spoiler: Rawhide Kid is the only one who survives, and he gets his own Grand Finale (along with Apache Kid) in the SequelSeries, ComicBook/ApacheSkies.]]
* ''ComicBook/TheBraveAndTheBold'''s original run ended with a [[DownplayedTrope milder version than most]]: It was a CrossThrough between the [[UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks Golden Age]] and [[UsefulNotes/TheSilverAgeOfComicBooks Silver Age]] [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Batmen]], having them face the same villain [[MythologyGag in 1955, when the comic started publication, and in 1983, when it ceased publication]], respectively. In other words, it was a Grand Finale for the comic and its concept, itself.

** ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan: Ultimate Peter Parker's story originally ended with Ultimate Spider-Man #160, [[spoiler: where he dies fighting the Green Goblin and the Sinister Six]], paving the way for his successor [[Characters/MarvelComicsMilesMorales Miles Morales]]. It later turns out [[spoiler: that he's NotQuiteDead, and he has a final showdown with the Green Goblin, for ''real'' this time, then officially [[PassingTheTorch passes the torch]] to [[LegacyCharacter Miles]] [[EarnYourHappyEnding and elopes with Mary Jane]]]].

* ''ComicBook/{{BPRD}}'' ''The Devil You Know'' serves as this to Mignola's ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' universe, though he will continue to write more stories revolving around Hellboy's past adventures.
** The ''ComicBook/{{Hellboy}}'' series ''Hellboy in Hell'' is used to wrap up Hellboy's character arc before he is revived one year later in the final part of the ''Messiah'' arc in ''BPRD: The Devil You Know''.
* ''ComicBook/DarkseidWar'' served as this to Creator/GeoffJohns's work with the Justice League, including ''ComicBook/JusticeLeague2011'', and to the ComicBook/New52 era as a whole. Appropriately, since it was the first issue that formally kicked off the New 52 era, the arc BookEnds the era with the Justice League yet again dealing with Darkseid as in the first arc.
* ''ComicBook/TheKangDynasty'' acts was this to ''ComicBook/TheAvengersKurtBusiek'', with Kang deciding to conquer the present after defeatng Immortus in ''ComicBook/AvengersForever'' (also written by Creator/KurtBusiek).
* ''ComicBook/{{Hilda}}'': "Hilda and the Mountain King" served as part 2 of the Stone Forest arc and helped answer questions about why trolls are getting closer to the wall and helped Hilda find a way back home and to her normal self and served as the finale of the graphic novel series. However, Luke Pearson plans to continue the [[WesternAnimation/{{Hilda}} animated adaptation of the series]].
* ''ComicBook/StarWarsLegacy'' served as this for the ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'' timeline, prior to the Creator/{{Disney}} ContinuityReboot. Taking place over a century after ''Film/ANewHope'', the story revolved around Cade Skywalker's struggle against [[ScrewDestiny destiny]] as well as [[TheEmpire Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire]].
* ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'':
** ''ComicBook/TheTransformersUnicron'' closes the book on not just the 2005 Creator/IDWPublishing ''Franchise/{{Transformers}}'' continuity, but the ComicBook/HasbroComicUniverse in general, as the miniseries entails Unicron laying waste to [[ComicBook/RomIDW Elonia]], Cybertron and Cybertron's colony worlds, with the surviving Transformers, the Solstar Knights and the heroes on Earth having to join forces to destroy the Chaos Bringer before Earth becomes his next meal.
** [[ComicBook/Transformers2019 The 2019 continuity]] reached its conclusion in the 48-page special ''Transformers: Fate of Cybertron'', which ended with Optimus Prime and his Autobots leaving Cybertron in the Ark to search for a new world after one final confrontation with Megatron.
** Done on a meta level with ''ComicBook/TransformersLastBotStanding'', IDW's final story for the ''Transformers'' license (save for a follow-up to ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlass2021'' in ''ComicBook/TransformersShatteredGlassII''). The story itself chronicles the last known remaining Cybertronian's pilgrimage, as a hypothetical finale.
* ''ComicBook/GIJoe2019'' had its story wrapped up in the one-shot ''G.I. Joe: Castle Fall'', where the Joes engaged in a final battle with Cobra to end their reign over the country once and for all.
* ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'': ''Panic in the Sky'' is pretty much the technical finale of the comic as it does end with the heroes stopping Eggman and saving the world. The following comics were meant to celebrate the game series 25th anniversary before leading into a new arc, but the comic was cancelled before that could happen.
* ''ComicBook/JustImagineStanLeeCreatingTheDCUniverse'' ends in the ''Crisis'' one-shot, where the Justice League and several other heroes band together to defeat the issue's titular villain, who was established to have been behind the conflict of the overarching story, in a final battle.
* The Creator/DCComics CrisisCrossover ''ComicBook/WarOfTheGods'' serves as the conclusion to Creator/GeorgePerez' run on ''ComicBook/WonderWoman1987'', the conflict revolving around Circe trying to destroy Wonder Woman once and for all by creating worldwide chaos by making the gods of various pantheons fight one another.

* Following the death of Stan Lee in 2018, ''The Amazing Spider-Man'' comic strip was eventually discontinued. The final storyline saw Peter Parker team up with his wife Mary Jane and Luke Cage to battle The Purple Man. Afterwards, the Parkers head off for a vacation in Australia, where they will remain until, or if, the strip is revived.

* ''Franchise/{{Superman}}'':

* ComicBook/Batman

* In ''ComicBook/TheSandman1989'', the climax is reached in ''The Kindly Ones'' where characters from all other points in the timeline come together in one ''hell'' of a story, propelling a long and complex string of events which eventually leads to [[spoiler:Dream's death and resurrection inside Daniel.]] The lengthy aftermath is depicted in ''The Wake,'' where it's demonstrated that the previous events had such gravity that they affected everyone in existence, including [[BreakingTheFourthWall you]].
* ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths''. Grand Finale to UsefulNotes/{{the Silver Age|of Comic Books}} (though it was actually released at the end of UsefulNotes/{{the Bronze Age|OfComicBooks}})? Check. Grand Finale to the DC Multiverse? Check. Grand Finale for [[ComicBook/TheFlash Barry Allen]], ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}, Earth-2 Franchise/{{Superman}}, and everyone else in the DC Universe? Check. Became the comic event by which all previous and succeeding comic events would be judged? Double Check. Became [[strike:one of]] the only company-wide comic event to permanently rip the TimeyWimeyBall a new one, and do it so as to be universally praised? Gigantic freakin' Check.
* ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' serves as a Grand Finale for the "multiverse" [[CrisisCrossover crisis]] series (which includes ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'') and the "hero exploration" crisis series (which includes ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis2004'' and ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''). It also gives a Grand Finale to Creator/JackKirby's DC creations {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}, the ComicBook/NewGods, and others like Dan Turpin.
* ''ComicBook/KingdomCome'': The story centers on a growing conflict and eventual war between the Justice League, [[TheCape a more lawful generation of heroes]] led by an older Superman, and [[NinetiesAntiHero their violent and chaotic successors]], [[spoiler: culminating in an outcome so devastating they eventually settle their differences, and all the heroes rejoin normal human society after distancing themselves from it for so long]]. The future of several DC heroes and a few villains are shown throughout the story, with particular emphasis on [[Franchise/{{Superman}} The]] [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Big]] [[Franchise/WonderWoman Three]], making it a fitting finale for Superman, the Justice League, and the DC Universe as a whole ([[TheMultiverse or at least one of them anyway]]). In a meta sense, it also helped bring an end to UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks.
** Issue 22 of Justice Soiety of America gives us a further glimpse of the future, [[spoiler: showing the ComicBook/LegionOfSuperheroes flying off on an adventure, and a bespectacled elderly man with a familiar hair curl watching them with a smile on his face...]]

* ComicBook/UltimateMarvel

* 1998's ''Segata Sanshiro Shinken Yugi'' was the last first-party game for the UsefulNotes/SegaSaturn, and as such, it was only natural that its accompanying advert would be the last for the Advertising/SegataSanshiro campaign. A man clad in black-and-white clothing (obviously representing a rival company- presumed to be either Sony or Nintendo) launches a rocket at Sega HQ, just as they finish developing the UsefulNotes/{{Dreamcast}}. Segata Sanshiro then drops down from the top of the building, clings his feet to the window while grabbing hold of the rocket, and then launches away into space. [[HeroicSacrifice The inevitable occurs]], cuing up Shinji Nikra narrating "Segata Sanshiro will live on in your hearts", and you breaking down in ManlyTears.

* Creator/NeilGaiman's ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' acts as a send-off to Batman, who had recently "died" at the time[[spoiler:, but it's not just a finale for one particular iteration of the character. It's a send off for the franchise as a whole, showing how multiple versions of the Dark Knight met their end, and how multiple versions of his friends and enemies from significant eras and adaptations come together to mourn in a dream-like, metatextual context. It even involves Batman learning that his story [[{{Reincarnation}} has and will continue to go on]], and that all the different takes on the Batman mythos result from that, leaving the overall franchise with quite a GainaxEnding]].
* ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' provides a definitive end to Franchise/{{Batman}}'s career, and ends his conflict with ComicBook/TheJoker on the side... until ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'' came out. After that, ''ComicBook/WhateverHappenedToTheCapedCrusader'' (a direct reference to the above) became more fitting an end.

* ''Fanfic/TheBoltChronicles'': �The Gift� serves as the final wrap-up story for the series, with Bolt, Mittens, and Rhino reunited for eternity in Nirvana after their deaths.

** ComicBook/UltimateSpiderMan: Ultimate Peter Parker's story originally ended with Ultimate Spider-Man #160, [[spoiler: where he dies fighting the Green Goblin and the Sinister Six]], paving the way for his successor ComicBook/MilesMorales. It later turns out [[spoiler: that he's NotQuiteDead, and he has a final showdown with the Green Goblin, for ''real'' this time, then officially [[PassingTheTorch passes the torch]] to [[LegacyCharacter Miles]] [[EarnYourHappyEnding and elopes with Mary Jane]]]].

* ''Website/{{Cracked}} TV'' had Clippy attempt to take over the show while Michael Swaim tried to list "The 39 Most Astounding Celebrity Reinventions". Soon, Swaim aborts the list and went to erase Clippy's memory, at the cost of his own. Thanks to Joanna Angel pressing the "Reboot Swaim" button when she's about to microwave a Lean Pocket, he was then rebooted, complete with a new outfit. He finally pulls a switch and the show ends with a teaser for his next series, ''Does Not Compute''.

* ''ComicBook/FinalCrisis'' serves as a Grand Finale for the "multiverse" [[CrisisCrossover crisis]] series (which includes ''ComicBook/CrisisOnInfiniteEarths'', ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis'', and ''ComicBook/FiftyTwo'') and the "hero exploration" crisis series (which includes ''ComicBook/IdentityCrisis'' and ''ComicBook/InfiniteCrisis''). It also gives a Grand Finale to Creator/JackKirby's DC creations {{ComicBook/Darkseid}}, the ComicBook/NewGods, and others like Dan Turpin.

-> ''"Well, [[Music/TheDoors this is the end, beautiful friends.]] After more than 11 years, this is Creator/{{Toonami}}'s final broadcast. It's been a lot of fun, and we'd like to thank each and every one of you who made this journey with us. Toonami wouldn't have been anything without you. Hopefully we've left you with some good memories. So, until we meet again, [[Literature/TheOutsiders stay gold.]] [[Anime/CowboyBebop Bang.]]"''

* ''Website/{{Cracked}} TV'' had Clippy attempt to take over the show while Michael Swaim tried to list "The 39 Most Astounding Celebrity Reinventions". Soon, Swaim aborts the list and went to erase Clippy's memory, at the cost of his own. He was then rebooted, complete with a new outfit. He finally pulls a switch and the show ends with a teaser for his next series, ''Does Not Compute''.

* ''WebVideo/ToBoldlyFlee'' was not only a massive finale to the Website/ThatGuyWithTheGlasses' anniversary crossover story that started with WebVideo/{{Kickassia}}, but was also intended as a finale to WebVideo/TheNostalgiaCritic as well, who performed a HeroicSacrifice at the end of the special (which got retconned when Doug brought the character back). While there has been one more anniversary special afterwards, it was more a series of disconnected shorts that have nothing to do with the previous story.

* ''Website/ShiftyLook'': Most of the comics on the site had endings despite many of them being CutShort due to Namco axing the whole production.

* Every album by ''Music/{{Gloryhammer}}'' ends with a longer song detailing the epic FinalBattle that ends the conflict of that album and, not infrequently, destroys the whole setting.

[[JustForFun/IThoughtItMeant No relation to]] Creator/BigFinish.

* ''WebAnimation/MetaRunner'' ended with the third and final season's episode [[MeaningfulName "The End"]], and it ends on a mostly happy note;[[spoiler: [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Sheridan is killed by being thrown into his own server mainframe]], Tari manages to restore Lucinia, [[NotQuiteDead Masa turns out to still be alive]], [[LaserGuidedKarma and Evelyn gets arrested for helping Sheridan with his plan]]. The only downside is that [[BittersweetEnding Tari and Theo are now stuck inside what's left of Sheridan's server and are believed to be dead by everyone else]], although they're hopeful that they might get out someday, and they still have all the time in the world to play games together.]]

* The last episode (''The Raymond Nostril Story'') of the second-to-last series of Radio/ImSorryIllReadThatAgain was one of these (the very last series aired three years later, so presumably it was UnCanceled). It had reappearances of almost all the recurring characters, catchphrases, running gags, and most importantly, announced the end for Radio Prune. Towards the end, the performers ask to sing their beloved signature Angus Prune Tune "happily and cheerfully" as they always have. They're allowed, and perform a slow, sad, sobbing version punctuated by tearful cries and shouts. David reads the credits, tearing up, as the others punctuate it with nostalgic sighs at the names mentioned. Finally, David asks John to utter those magic sign-off words, with the others protesting as they couldn't possibly handle the impact...and then John says, [[MoodWhiplash manically cheerful,]] "[[CatchPhrase It's]] ''[[CatchPhrase I'm Sorry I'll Read That Again]]'', [[CatchPhrase again]]!" and they sing the Angus Prune Tune as joyfully as ever as the episode closes.

This is the Grand Finale, a way of very clearly saying to the audience "Okay, the show is really over. There's no more. Go watch something else." (That this [[UnCanceled doesn't always get through to viewers]] can be a problem in and of itself...) If this happens ''without'' warning, it's a case of TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified.

May often involve GondorCallsForAid or SaveTheWorldClimax. Expect TearJerker on a massive scale--the longer (or more beloved) the show, the more tears will flow. Contrast with CutShort (when a series ends without a proper conclusion to the story), TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised (when a cancelled series has its story wrapped up in a different medium), and SeriesFauxnale (when a series does an episode that could work as a finale, but gets renewed for more episodes anyway). Compare with SeasonFinale (for final episodes of a show's seasons rather than the series in general), FinaleMovie (for when a work that isn't a film series reaches its conclusion in the form of a movie) and sometimes WrapItUp (when the production team decides to make a conclusion to the series fast after hearing that the series won't be renewed), though if the JustForFun/HolyShitQuotient is high enough it can qualify as a WhamEpisode. If the production was big enough, popular enough, and is able to bolster its ideas to a larger extent because of that, combined with a budget that allows it, then the Grand Finale can undergo a FinaleProductionUpgrade.

* ''WebAnimation/MetaRunner'' ended with the third and final season's episode [[MeaningfulName "The End"]], in which [[spoiler: [[HoistByHisOwnPetard Sheridan is killed by being thrown into his own server mainframe]], Tari manages to restore Lucinia, [[NotQuiteDead Masa turns out to still be alive]], [[LaserGuidedKarma and Evelyn gets arrested for helping Sheridan with his plan]]. The only downside is that [[BittersweetEnding Tari and Theo are now stuck inside what's left of Sheridan's server]], although they'll be able to play all the video games they've played before.]]

'''As this trope deals with endings, it obviously comes with ''UNMARKED SPOILERS.'''''

* ''Webcomic/TheAdventuresOfDrMcNinja'': The final two part arc fittingly titled "The End". After [=McNinja=] thwarts King Radical's plan to merge his dimension with Earth (long story), Radical, now the not-so-lawful President of the United States, partners with all of [=McNinja=]'s enemies (Franz Rayner, Donald [=McBonald=], Dracula, and even his clone Old [=McNinja=]) to kill him. [=McNinja=] and his family all invade Radical's stronghold [[spoiler: to save the real president of the United States from a phantom dimension]], which results in a final battle. Ultimately in the end [[spoiler: [=McNinja=] beats [=McBonald=], teams up with his clone -- who then gets killed by Radical -- and kills Radical in a final fight. His family kill Dracula and Franz. The real president is freed, but [=McNinja=] leaves his family due to them "betraying" him (invoked by the villains by threatening a hostage) and his being no longer able to trust them. In a BittersweetEnding, the world is safe, the USA is back in rightful hands, Gordito continues to live with the [=McNinja=] family, Judy becomes vice-president of the USA and [=McNinja=] ends his ninja career and discards his mask to become just a doctor.]]