7 ‘The Good Place’ Finale Theories That Might Come True
If there’s one thing The Good Place certainly knows how to do — besides providing weekly laughs, unexpected philosophy sessions and inventing lovable characters — it’s a darn good plot twist.
Now that we’re nearing the end of the show’s four-season run, how many twists does the sitcom still have up its sleeve? It’d be tempting to say everything could be pretty straightforward from here on out; after all, “You’ve Changed, Man” seemed to solve one of the show’s biggest questions about how to fix the afterlife. But this show is well known for its ability to turn everything upside down in a matter of seconds, and it’s probably safe to say it has at least one or two jaw-dropping moments left in it.
The biggest jaw-dropping moment of them all could be the ending, or at least something related to it. Plenty of fans have speculated about the show’s conclusion in theories involving Eleanor, Chidi, Michael and the rest of the gang. Here are seven of them that surprised us — and that we think could potentially come true.
1. This is all a way of torturing/redeeming Michael.
One of the older theories about the ending of the show, held by a few journalists and Redditors alike, is that everything that has happened since Season 1 has been a way of torturing Michael and/or giving him a “test” to see if he can improve in the afterlife. So what — or who — is Michael, then? Depending on which theory you read, he could be human, an angel, or something else entirely. Others have pointed out the Biblical connection in Michael’s name and taken it as evidence he could be an angel in disguise … or a hint that by the end of the show, he might become an angel.
2. The entire show has been a test for Eleanor.
Although the most recent episode saw the foundations laid for a new system in the afterlife, it’s entirely possible nothing is as it seems … and as we all know, this show knows how to pull off a twist. Instead of Michael being tested, one Reddit user insists it might be Eleanor who’s being put through the ringer in the afterlife. Some parts of the theory might not apply anymore (like Eleanor being forced to choose between saving humanity and staying with Chidi), but one key component might end up happening: Eleanor might get to stay in the real Good Place in the end, but her friends might choose different paths, end up with their memories wiped or not be there with her.
3. All of the original four humans are still being tested.
One Reddit user posits that Chidi, Eleanor, Tahani and Jason are all still being tested, since the events of Season 4 mirror the tests they were given in Season 2’s “The Burrito.” They offer some interesting evidence: Eleanor’s original test was about selfishness, and she overcame it by unifying Simone and Chidi (although they’re broken up now). Jason overcame his impulsiveness when he saved Janet. Tahani learned there was more to life than what other people thought of her, and Chidi — as we saw in the most recent episode — is now fully capable of making his own decisions. The theory doesn’t wager a guess about what all this means for the humans, but it’d be nice to think they’ll end up in The Good Place.
4. Michael ends up becoming human.
As this Reddit user noticed, Michael has, throughout the show, shown an interest in being a human. He’s been fascinated with human things and keeps his friends from seeing his actual demon form, since it brings him shame. This theory suggests that Michael will have to show his true form to renounce it, and then will be able to be “reborn” as a human on Earth. That’d certainly fit with what Jameela Jamil has said about the finale’s “bittersweet” ending: Michael would get something he wants, but he’d be separated from his friends. For maximum heartbreak, one of the commenters on this post said the final scene should be human Michael opening his eyes in the afterlife and Eleanor saying, “Hey buddy, I’m Eleanor. Come on in.”
Colleen Hayes/NBC
5. The Good Place has (literally) been the friends made along the way.
This Redditor is certainly right about one thing: the folks we’ve met from The Actual Good Place have seemed pretty off, and perhaps never more so than in the past episode. That, this theory says, is by design — and in the end, the show might reveal there isn’t really a “Good Place,” at least in terms of the way most people think about it. Instead, the concept of utopia comes from doing good things and helping people, thus making the Good Place more of a state of being when you are the best version of yourself. It wouldn’t be a shock to realize The Actual Good Place isn’t all that great or even totally fake; after a few centuries of living with the “angels” we’ve seen so far, getting spiders shoved up one’s butthole might be a welcome change of pace.
6. Tahani ends up in charge of the points system.
This theory offers a variety of educated guesses about the final episodes, but its eighth suggestion could definitely end up being true. Throughout the show we’ve seen Tahani take pride in her event-planning skills, and she has shown herself to be more humble and considerate now than she ever was before. Those qualities — and her fabulous organizational skills — might make her an excellent candidate for being the one overseeing the new system, or helping those who create tests for the humans.
7. Chidi is God.
Okay, this sounds wild at first, but hear it out — it got more than a thousand upvotes on Reddit. Many fans have picked up on the fact that Chidi’s name means “God exists,” and the shortened version of the name “Chidiebere,” which means “God is merciful.” What do both of these names have in common? A reference to God. This theory makes some valid additions to that; namely that of the four humans, Chidi’s “sins” were the least bad, and that he’s only ever been kind to people in the afterlife. What if, the theory asks, Chidi is God, and he sent himself down to Earth to see why no one had gotten into The Good Place in hundreds of years? In addition, his indecisive leadership could have affected what we’ve seen of The Good Place, since the “angels” are so wishy-washy, and so was he.
The Good Place, Thursdays, 9/8c, NBC
