Megan Draper Deserves Better

The road isn't looking too bright for Megan Draper in Mad Men's final season. She's already been teased as a stand-in for actress-turned-Manson-murder-victim Sharon Tate. Add to that the fact that her troubled husband (and our moody protagonist) was running around all last season obsessed with the neighbor's wife in a continued downward spiral of detachment. Don still thinks he can play with Megan's future as he pleases. As we left her in the Season 6 finale, Megan had very little to do. Even the decision to move to California, which involved quitting her current soap opera gig and starting over, was both made and nixed by Don — without her input.

Of course, that doesn't mean she wasn't busy on her own. Ignored by Don, she's slowly blossomed into a modest soap star with big dreams of stardom. While her relationship with Don is on the outs, it's safe to say that Megan grows stronger by the day. In a show where the men are increasingly faltering and the women are rising, we can't wait to see what this French Canadian bombshell cooks up from her showbusiness journey. Especially since we don't have to worry about the lovely Jessica Paré being deported anymore.

Here are our predictions for what will become of Megan in this final season of the show.

1. She Leaves Her Awful Marriage

There isn't enough space for all of the gifs where Megan has really laid it in to Don. My wish for her this season is that she finally makes good on everything she already know and kicks him to the curb. Don is intoxicating when he's all there, but downright abusive when he's not. She needs an upgrade so she can flourish.

2. She Finds Success As An Actress

Watching Don convince Megan to leave her TV job for the chance of making it in Los Angeles and then sweep it out from under her was heartbreaking. Megan is perhaps the most sincere person on Mad Men. She's never scheming or planning; she just wants to be happy. That's why I'm hoping she finds the fame she is looking for and that all Don is left with is a sense of "I knew her when."

3. She Fully Separates From SC&P

Megan always knew she was meant for something bigger than secretarial work. I'll admit, when she wanted to try her hand at copywriting, I definitely shared some of Peggy's side-eye. It is a little suspect that the boss's new wife just strolled into a position Peggy worked her way towards with talent and tenacity. Megan proved over time that she wasn't half-bad. But the actual machinations of the office — the hard drinking, the dour attitudes, and constant drama — were not Megan's style at all. Here's to hoping she says goodbye to the toxicity of the SC&P clan along with Don.

4. She Has A Real Moment With Her Awful Mother

While Betty and Sally are the show's reigning dysfunctional mother-daughter duo, in the sidelines we've got the grown-up version of that with Megan and her mother Marie. Marie seemingly hates her daughter and husband, though she does have a weakness for American men like Roger Sterling. It would be great to have a moment where Marie shows some humanity and appreciation of her daughter. Or at least has to eat her words a little bit when Megan is finally successful.

5. She Won't Be Murdered

This one is probably hoping against hope, but it would be nice if Megan lived a long life full of reaping in the successes of all of the above, even though we know she's probably going to end up representing the disillusionment and death of the California Dream or something. Drat.

Yeah it is Megan, it's going to be fine. We're all going to keep telling ourselves that.

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