[Spoiler warning: Do not read if you haven't seen the final episode of "Big Love."]
Okay, I was definitely not prepared for that.
"Big Love" came to an end after five seasons on Sunday, and just when you thought most of the loose ends were being tied up in a nice little bow, there was one more shocker left.
It was a smart move for the producers to wrap up the Albert Grant story arc last week, allowing the focus to be on the Henricksons for the entirety of the last episode.
As Bill prepared to almost certainly face 20 years in prison, due to his marriage to then-16-year-old Margene, Barb was planning to be baptized in her new church (which had caused Bill to challenge her commitment to the family), and Margene herself wanted to set sail on a missionary cruise. Nicki felt as though she was the only one staying with the family, an interesting turn of events after the first few seasons, where her loyalties were sometimes more with the Grants.
Bill's (apparently short-lived) time as a state senator led to the destruction of Juniper Creek, and a speech where he stood up for his beliefs - "going down in flames," as he put it. This led to him being hailed as a hero by the former denizens of the compound, who attended his church's Easter service in the hundreds. Barb showed up as well, having backed out of the baptism at the last second.
Just when it seemed like this would be something of a routine finale and simply resolve any remaining plot threads, those last few scenes took things to another level: Bill, talking to Ben and Don about how family is most important (something Roman Grant had told him years earlier); Frank, lying down with Lois on her deathbed, reminiscing about how she "gave them what for"... and then, Bill's neighbor confronting him over sod being added to his lawn.
One of the most minor scenes from earlier in the season ended up with Bill on the ground, after having been shot several times in the chest. As his wives ran to his side, Bill asked for a blessing from Barb.
And if that wasn't enough, there was the poignant homecoming of Sarah with her new family (Amanda Seyfried was sorely missed this season), and Margene preparing to leave, presumably on her cruise, and running to hug her sister wives while Natalie Maines sang the original (and far better) theme song, "God Only Knows."
Needless to say, there were a few lumps in the throat for those final few scenes. As uneven as the last couple of seasons were, the ending was about as perfect as anyone could ask for (and definitely more effective than that other show where they killed off the husband, "Medium").
All in all, aside from Harry Dean Stanton's extraordinary performance in the early seasons, I think Golden Globe winner Chloe Sevigny stands out the most from the show's five-year run, and here's hoping that she'll be remembered at the Emmys.
What do you think of how "Big Love" went out, and what stood out to you throughout the series' run? Share your iReport or comment below.