Warning: Fullfor the episode follow...

"That's all I want. All of these people in the same place at the same time."

Perfect.What a magical experience this finale was. And I don't only mean because it provided beautiful, rapturous closure, but because, essentially, it was Parks' 43-minute version of the very end of Harry Potter. That whole Platform 9 3/4 ending with Harry, Hermione, and Ron sending their kids off to Hogwarts? Look how old they are! Look how still in love they are! Look who they named their kids after? That was "One Last Ride." A truly exceptional series ender.

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Now that I've said that... DON'T GOOOOOOOOO!!!! Don't leave us, Parks and Rec! I don't care that you basically took us years and years into everyone's bright, wonderful futures. Even all the way to Jerry's death (where either Leslie or Ben may... have been president?). I still need you into my life.I kid, I kid. Sort of. While I'm sad to see Parks come to a close, I'm happy it went out on top and on its own terms. Still damn funny and with no signs of wear and tear. Very rare for a TV comedy after seven seasons.So yeah, let's talk about all the characters' glorious fast-forwards. And how everyone, more or less, either landed on their feet or excelled with high honors. Comparisons between Parks and The Office died out long ago (as long ago perhaps as when Parks made the basic decision that there was no movie being made about the Parks crew and that the faux-documentary format of the show was just a comedy device). But one thing that always remained in my mind regarding the two shows was how much I loved everyone on Parks and how much I hated everyone on The Office (well, not everyone per se). From, you know, a "I want to be friends with those people" perspective. As The Office crept on, spending time with most of its characters became a chore while Parks' legacy stands as such that I grew to love everyone in Pawnee more and more.

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April listed as "Satan's Niece" on Donna's phone.

Gayle Gergich not aging a day.

Ron was Best Man at Typhoon and Craig's wedding.

One of the main reasons Tom's restaurant chain failed was because America ran out of beef.

Future Councilwoman Brandi Maxxxx (star of 11,000 adult films over the last two years)

Ron diversified his portfolio by using his gold to buy 51% of Lagavulin.

One of the trick-or-treaters was Star-Lord!

Future future Councilman Morris (Parks writer Joe Mande reprising his role as Morris).

Future future news crawl reading "Belichick on 'Alien Gate!'"

Cameos from Ben and Leslie's kids in 2025, all busy overachievers scarfing down mini-cheeseburgers.

Leslie shoving Ben away when she saw Ann. "You look like a cartoon princess."

Sergeant Thunderfist, M.D.

"I want to put a babe in you, babe."

Ben's follow up game to Cones of Dunshire is The Winds of Tremorrah. Reviewed as "Punishingly Intricate."

April insisted on looking like a zombie and listening to "Monster Mash" while giving birth.

Episode ending with The Traveling Wilburys' "End of the Line"

From April and Andy having their first child, Jack (short for Burt Snakehole Ludgate Karate Dracula Macklin Demon Jack-o'-lantern Dwyer), to Garry becoming Pawnee's full time Mayor who kept getting re-elected year after year, to Ron turning to Leslie for career advice and then becoming the superintendent for the Pawnee National Park (complete with an amazing callback to Willie Nelson's "Buddy"), to Donna going non-profit, to Tom re-striking it rich by writing a book about how "not to be a Garry," everything rang resoundingly true.I watched this pilot via press screener yesterday and I've been thinking about it ever since. Knowing ahead of time that the show was ending (provided its had a healthy run like Parks) is every showrunner's dream, I'd imagine. The chance to write an ending and not have to conceive one of those season finales that could be an ending if the show winds up getting axed (while also providing a few cliffhangers and new stories just in case the show comes back). Parks has always been great with those too, by the way. But "One Last Ride", co-written by creator Michael Schur and Amy Poehler, was able to hone in on exactly what we the audience wanted from Parks' final chapter.We wanted to know how everyone's lives turned out.We wanted to know everyone would be okay. They could have gone for a "standing on the edge of something possibly great" moment, relying on all our optimism to carry us through. In a sense, that's the beat the episode ended on. With Leslie ready to leave Pawnee and tackle her new adventures. But we love these characters so much that a general inkling of where they might be headed wouldn't have been enough. We wanted to know for sure that they'd all still friends years from now. We wanted to know who has kids and whose kids go to what college. Ron wound up getting paid to walk around outside! Craig crooned, and then married Typhoon! Jean-Ralphio tried to fake his own death! Garry wound up with the perfect life! Basically, the show couldn't tell us everyone's amazing futures fast enough.It was, of course, a very emotional ride too. The second half of the episode threw in a little bit of story (in the year 2025) by having Ben and Leslie try to decide which one of them would run for Governor of Indiana. And the moment when they both went to tell all their friends that they were going to flip a coin over it and Ben chimed in first with "Leslie's running for governor" was sublime. The look on Leslie's face when it happened, how she looked at Ben - it was so sweet it broke my heart.And for every touching moment there were also some really fun moments of flippancy. Like the way April was still mean to Ann, even as they both stood there as mothers. And how Andy barely remembered Chris and somehow thought his name was "Chip." It's "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to Andy I suppose. Andy, who never really landed another career. I assumed perhaps, since he owned the rights to Johnny Karate, that he'd wind up making a go of it elsewhere. But his main job really did remain being "lover of April."Man, I could probably literally bullet point this episode forever.