Resident Alien concluded its four-season run with an episode that wonderfully summed up the series, which is an even more amazing feat considering the series had been officially canceled with three episodes left to air.
The minds behind Resident Alien had made the wise decision to think ahead, and after the news was released that there would not be a fifth season of the series, fans had been informed that the show would be given a real ending for the storylines and the characters. Season 4 was written to be a potential set of final episodes, and that decision to write the show to an ending allowed the series to conclude with closure.
In the final episodes, Resident Alien saw the remaining main characters finally discover that Harry is an alien, and doing that, leading up to the finale, allowed "The End is Here" to come full circle with everyone knowing.
The ability to sense the upcoming end of the show gave Resident Alien the idea to lay easter eggs throughout the season and sum up significant plot developments. Season 4 saw Harry fully understand what it means to be human. The journey that he took along the way to regaining his alien powers ultimately helped to set up the main emotional arc of the series finale, which saw another alien from Harry's planet come to Earth with the exact same mission that Harry once had: to destroy the Earth and kill all humans who live on it.
Resident Alien, for as much as it is a quirky comedy, is also, at its core, very much about the good that exists within humanity, and how that good helped to change Harry's perspective of humans. However, Resident Alien also set up significant character moments for Asta and D'arcy, as the final season ensured that Asta's eventual decision to leave Patience and D'arcy's determination to work on herself were showcased throughout the final installment of episodes. Harry's decision to leave Patience behind as well to join Heather and their children also added to how he views being a parent. Harry, Asta, and D'arcy undergo character development and decisions that are shaped by their pasts but help to influence their futures.
"The End is Here" is a culmination of everything Resident Alien had worked toward, from the decision to see the new alien in town ultimately become more human as he remains in Patience, to continuing to portray that Harry and Asta's relationship was the heart of the show. Resident Alien highlights its ensemble cast in its series finale, as every character gets at least one moment to shine, from making a decision about the next phase of their life to an emotional goodbye.
Granted, just because "The End is Here" correctly predicted itself to be the series finale of the show, that does not mean that Resident Alien did not leave the door open for Harry and Asta to return to Patience in case the show had been renewed for a fifth season. Giving Max a way to contact Harry in an emergency, as well as suggesting that Asta may not be moving away permanently, did keep a door open, but not widely enough to prevent "The End is Here" from solidly acting as a series finale for the show.
There are many shows that do not get the opportunity to end on their own terms, or at least give the audience well-deserved closure. Instead of leaving the season on a cliffhanger with the hope that there would be more to come, Resident Alien's decision to sense the upcoming ending of their series ensured that characters and viewers alike could walk away from the series. They get to feel a sense of fulfillment without the sadness that there are remaining mysteries, which will never get answered.
The television landscape is too fragile to truly know how long a series will last or how long a set of characters will be around to enjoy. Resident Alien presented a final season and series finale that allowed the show to go out in a positive manner, which helped save its legacy.