How Should 'White Collar' End?

What happened to Neal Caffrey? We just saw Matt Bomer's stellar Normal Heart performance, but what I really need to know is what happened to his White Collar character. I mean, I needed to know that as soon as the finale cliffhanger aired in January. But, unfortunately, we'll have to wait for that answer — even longer than we waited for USA to announce that the series would get a new season and whether or not it would be its last. On Tuesday, executive producer Jeff Eastin dropped a few White Collar Season 6 spoilers about what we can expect when it finally airs — but will it be the end?

Here's the deal with White Collar Season 6 — there will only be, appropriately, six episodes. I know, you're really sad — same here. And even though USA hasn't confirmed just yet that it will be the series' final season, it sure seems like it. (In the past, the network has waited until final episodes begin to air before announcing a series finale.) After a prolonged negotiation period, USA announced that the Bomer and Tim Dekay-headed series had been renewed, but they've yet to set a premiere date for White Collar. Boo.

So, what can we expect? Well, according to Eastin, White Collar fans are going to get one last great adventure from their favorite duo. The show exec told Entertainment Weekly, "We’ve got just enough room for one really beautiful plot: What is the last adventure these guys go on?" Well, just off the top of my head, I've got a few ideas. Fans should also expect one of the best seasons yet of the USA series, Eastin said of the goal for the next six episodes:

That’s the approach this year: Make the show when it’s at its best. And to me, the show is at its best when Neal and Peter are talking and they’re happy and smiling, and then as soon as Neal steps out of the room, Peter’s eyes narrow, because he knows he’s up to something.

I mean, he doesn't have to tell us what we love the most about this show — it's epic bromance. Eastin also revealed that he'd spoken with Bomer and DeKay regarding how they wanted the series to end. And, their vision and his vision for the series' ending are right on track in the upcoming episodes. So how should White Collar end? And how far to their extremes can Neal and Peter be pushed before they break?

Well, as of right now, Neal's that prisoner of his unidentified abductors from the finale's cliffhanger. So, a huge part of this "adventure" is going to be Peter bending and breaking his strict logical center to get his friend back. But once we get there, what next? The White Collar Season 4 finale was just like National Treasure , so that'll be hard to top, but there could be a way — or four.

Find The Maltese Falcon

Ambitious? Yes, but it'd also be amazing. White Collar's done well to create it's own, exciting Da Vinci Code-esque adventures for Neal and Peter. But, if they were ever going to borrow from classic literature and film directly, The Maltese Falcon would be the one to go with. It's ever-elusive, it's a great mystery, and it'd be totally feasible for the people who kidnapped Neal to want to use him to find it. I mean, it would be a pretty great last hurrah — and we know how Neal feels about exceptional art.

Neal Gets His Freedom

I mean, it's what we've all been waiting for this entire time — including Neal. Especially since he almost had it, before it got taken away because his behavior was too good. So, Neal and Peter get together and set-up the FBI, pull a fast one, and get leverage to discuss Neal's release. Boom — hijinks ensue, their boundaries are tested, and, as usual, Neal will worm a little illegal activity into it right under Peter's nose. Not because he doesn't respect him, but because he's got to leave his mark on it somehow.

Rebecca Returns With A Challenge

Again, Peter and Neal have to team up to stop her in all of her crazy-eyed glory — it'll be very Ocean's 12 (just without all of the bad parts). All Neal and Peter versus Rebecca as they try to outsmart her to track down and steal an impressive historical item or work of art before she does. It'd totally challenge Peter to step off of his moral high ground and, at the same time, challenge Neal to keep his sticky fingers in check. Talk about pushing them to their limits. All they'd need to do is throw in a high-speed chase with bullets and we'd really be getting somewhere.

Neal Pulls A Fast One

It'd be pretty shitty — but Neal was making preparations to dip out of town during Season 4. And he only didn't take-off running because he was kidnapped. Well, and because he and Peter shared another beautiful bromance moment. But, what if Peter were in on it? He rescues Neal and then steps aside and lets him disappear into the wind. It'd be a beautiful, emotional moment for them to have closure and then move on with their lives. This would never happen — but I honestly wouldn't complain if it did.

But White Collar can't end yet, right?

Images: USA, whitecollargifs/Tumblr, notmygifs/Tumblr