The Ending Of Grace And Frankie Season 7 Explained

"Grace and Frankie" stars Jane Fonda as Grace Hanson and Lily Tomlin as Frankie Bergstein, a pair of aging women who form an unlikely friendship after their husbands reveal they've been in love with each other for years. Fonda and Tomlin are a comedy dream team and they've been lighting up the screen on "Grace and Frankie" since it premiered on Netflix in 2015. The series also follows the lives of Sol (Sam Waterston) and Robert (Martin Sheen), Grace and Frankie's ex-husbands, as well as their children Bud (Baron Vaughn), Coyote (Ethan Embry), Brianna (June Diane Raphael), and Mallory (Brooklyn Decker). However, Grace and Frankie's incredible relationship is at the heart of it all, and their journey has been wonderful to watch.

While viewers might be sad to know that Season 7 will be the show's last, the series ends on a high note. The final season featured plenty of new beginnings, medical scares, and changes for the characters. With more than a few moments that are bound to make your eyes misty, the last episode, aptly titled "The Beginning," ties up the narrative in a realistic, heartwarming way that still feels like a new chapter for the leading ladies and their loved ones. Without further ado, here's what happened at the end of "Grace and Frankie."

Season 7 sees Frankie become increasingly aware of her mortality, especially after her arthritis prevents her from painting. It comes to a head when Frankie hosts a fake funeral for herself. Grace argues with Frankie about her conviction that she's going to die, with Frankie admitting that she's scared to face the physical deterioration that comes with aging. Grace and Frankie share an emotional embrace, but a freak accident causes both women to be electrocuted. When they come to, they find pamphlets that read "So You're Dead."

In a surprise "9 to 5" reunion, Dolly Parton appears as Agnes, a self-titled "working class angel" who's there to greet Grace and Frankie in the afterlife. Parton looks absolutely fabulous in a rhinestone-covered suit, and the cameo is the cherry on top of an amazing farewell to these beloved characters. Turns out, it isn't Grace's time to die, but it is Frankie's. Their goodbyes to each other are absolutely gut-wrenching, demonstrating just how far these two women have come since the first season. Thankfully, Agnes recognizes that Grace and Frankie belong together, so they both return to their lives with a greater appreciation for the time they have left. Grace helps Frankie paint a picture of them frolicking on the beach, where they later return for one last walk before the screen fades to black. It's a comforting conclusion that shows the two women will be there for each other until the end.

After spending so many years yearning to be together, Robert and Sol finally leave their wives for one another at the start of the series. The subsequent seasons of "Grace and Frankie" focus on the newly blended families' attempts to get along. Aside from Grace and Frankie's friendship, Robert and Sol's relationship is a focal point over the course of the series. Although the pair get married in Season 2 and live happily after accepting their true selves, they face their share of challenges.

In Season 7, Robert begins experiencing worsening memory issues. Despite Sol's pleas to go see a doctor, Robert is intent on showing that his mental acuity is as sharp as ever. They spend a few episodes dancing around the subject, with Robert even breaking out his alter ego "Party Robert" to reassure his husband that everything's fine — this is a personality that Martin Sheen absolutely nails. However, Robert is forced to admit that there's something wrong when he can't remember the night he and Sol first kissed. Robert and Sol commit to finding a new normal while still having hope for the future. Their story concludes with Sol surprising Robert with a trip to the hotel where they first got together. It's a bittersweet ending to their love story, but it's clear that Robert and Sol's bond is one that won't be easily shaken. Hats off to Waterston and Sheen for portraying this relationship with such grace and respect from the very beginning.

"Grace and Frankie" ends on a high note for most of the characters, including the titular ladies' children. After losing her job and her breakup with Barry (Peter Cambor), Brianna is looking for a fresh start. Brianna tries to warn her sister when she learns that Mallory is going to be fired from her job at Say Grace, but Mallory is let go anyway. Normally, this would be the perfect opportunity for Brianna to dole out one of her signature quips, but instead, she proposes that they start a new company together. The sisters bicker about what to call their new enterprise on their way out the door, with "Grace and Frankie" once again demonstrating that some connections are for life. Meanwhile, the "permission" Frankie was so intent on giving Bud ultimately pays off. He finally quits his job to pursue his passions and Coyote and Jessica (Christine Woods) get married for real after Frankie hosted a fake wedding for them earlier in the episode.

The series finale of "Grace and Frankie" not only reminds viewers of what made them fall in love with these characters in the first place but also challenges them to see aging as a process to be welcomed, not feared. The last episode hits it out of the park, a triumphant last hurrah that leaves the audience completely satisfied.