Can Girls end with Everyone Remaining Friends?

It’s amazing that we’ve gotten this far

Girls started as a story about a group of tight-knit friends. Over the course of a few seasons it became clear that, hey, maybe these people don’t even really like each other. Maybe they’re just friends because they used to, and they don’t know how to break out on their own. That question has followed Girls into its final season. How is it possible to still be friends with people like Marnie or Jessa? Or perhaps a better question would be, how is it possible to be friends with them while taking care of your own mental wellbeing?

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It took until season 5 for Girls to really start shaking things up. The first major schism was between Jessa and Hannah, and for good reason. Not only was Jessa now dating Adam, but she was absolutely horrible to her in a way that many would find unforgivable. As Hannah proved in ‘Full Disclosure,’ she is one of those people. It’s possible that Jessa wants to make up with Hannah not because she actually wants to be a part of her life, but because she is holding onto something that ran its course but is now over.

The characters of Girls have gotten in the way of each other time and time again – they stifle each other’s growth. This is something that Hannah, Shoshannah, and Ray have been learning this season, though everyone else seems to be a step behind. But it’s impressive that they’ve lasted this long. In the season 2 episode, ‘Video Games,’ Jessa ditches Hannah at her father’s house and expects Hannah to just go with it. She does, eventually. These are not great people, and rarely are they good friends.

Next: Girls Recap: 'Full Disclosure.'

While we’re not expecting a clean ending from Girls, we are by no means expecting everyone to stay friends. That would be impossible at this point. These relationships are often toxic, and some have slowly been realizing this. Shoshannah is done with Jessa, and Ray is done with Marnie. These are ultimately good choices. It’s hard to stay friends with someone for years, and it’s even harder when neither is exactly a good person. Rest assured, no matter what happens, it’s going to be emotional.