Shoshanna Had The Perfect 'Girls' Ending

Girls has become one of my favorite shows over the past few years. The writing is so spectacular that I find myself quoting episodes to prove points in my real life. I also love watching flawed female characters on TV that the audience can still choose to love. Each of the girls on Girls has their own issues that they face, fatal flaws that keep them making the same mistakes. Without a doubt, my favorite character on the show is Shoshanna — the fast talking, funny, and surprising voice of reason on the show. If you listen closely throughout the seasons, she always speaks to the truth of the moment. So, I was disappointed when I learned, as reported by TV Line that Shoshanna wouldn't be in the Girls series finale. Why? Well, it seems her ending has already been told. Shosh grew up and is leaving her toxic relationships and friendships behind.

The brilliance of Girls is that the characters are not idealistic versions of women but rather realistic flawed beings. Shosh has always been one of the quirkiest voices on the show. I've missed Shosh this season, her appearances have been few and far between. In the penultimate episode, it was revealed that Shosh is engaged and moving on from her 20s friend group. This exit from her friends by Shosh was heartbreaking but also felt so honest.

When we first met Shosh, she was the babbling college student who was a few years younger than the rest of the gang. She was almost cartoonish in her entrance on the show. Her defining characteristics were her naivety and blind optimism. But throughout the seasons, Shosh managed to become the voice of reason for the group. If you can keep up with the speed of her dialogue, it becomes clear she often speaks to the truth of each scene she's in. Shosh has always had the ability to point out others' flaws and even acknowledge her own. In a show where most of the people can't see their shortcomings, Shosh's self-awareness has been refreshing. Her ability to see her flaws allowed her grow past them. It's not that she's perfect, but she did grow up.

The biggest shocker in Shosh's story was her decision to leave her friend group behind. While this is not the TV perfect ending some may have hoped for, it is extremely realistic. Often it is when we have grown the most, that we realize that there are parts of our life that need changing. While some of the other ladies on the show (ahem Marnie) may not have taken such strides, there is no doubt that Shosh has learned from her mistakes. This growth has lead to Shosh's realization that she is ready for new people. While her new group of friends, her fiancé, and new life may feel surprising, this has been the result of many seasons of self exploration.

While I mourn for the loss of this group of friends, I ultimately am happy for Shosh. Many of the problems of these characters became circular over the seasons. It makes sense that the one lady who has seen that, the one lady who has strived to be better, ultimately gets out of the circular toxicity. And she didn't fall out of it by accident, it was a choice she made. Everything Shosh has complained about over the seasons wasn't for nothing: It lead to action and taking big steps forward. So, while I am sad that her story wrapped up before the final episode, her character arc was realistic and it made sense that her final bow was taken when it was.