ONCE UPON A TIME - "Leaving Storybrooke" - Wish Rumple's evil plan is revealed and Regina realizes the only hope to stop him is by turning Wish Henry from his path for vengeance. Meanwhile, Tilly and Margot try to get help in Storybrooke. With his hope of ever being reunited with Belle fading, Weaver struggles to find a way to defeat his evil alter ego; and when Rogers' life is threatened, he is faced with the ultimate sacrifice, on the series finale of "Once Upon a Time," FRIDAY, MAY 18 (8:00-9:01 p.m. EDT), on The ABC Television Network. (ABC/Jack Rowand) GINNIFER GOODWIN, JOSH DALLAS

Pulling off the perfect series finale is a difficult thing, but Once Upon A Time did just that with its magical ending.

Every series-ending episode is a tricky proposition, but Once Upon a Time had a more difficult task than most as many fans thought season 6 was a fitting end for the show. Main characters like Emma Swan, Snow White and Prince Charming got their happy endings, and the storybook was complete.

Season 7 proved there were still more stories worth telling. Many of the new characters’ stories were fairly wrapped up before the finale, which allowed much of the focus to return to some of Once Upon A Time‘s original characters, doing justice for both the latest season and the series as a whole.

Let’s take a look at the elements made the show’s ending so perfect.

Focusing on Regina and Rumplestiltskin

Regina and Rumplestiltskin have always been two of Once Upon A Time‘s best characters. Season 1 introduced them as villains, albeit with heartbreaking backstories that explained their evil ways. They’ve had long, arduous roads to redemption, both played beautifully by the dynamic Lana Parrilla and Robert Carlyle. In fact, Parrilla and Carlyle are the only actors to be series regulars for all 7 seasons.

This made it fitting that the series finale placed so much focus on Regina and Rumplestiltskin. They both got their happy endings; Regina was crowned as the Good Queen of all the realms, while Rumplestiltskin reunited with Belle in the afterlife.

How they got to their happy endings in the finale spoke volumes about their character development. Wish Realm Rumplestiltskin became the show’s last primary antagonist as Rumplestiltskin’s greatest enemy was always himself. On the way to defeating the worst version of himself, Rumplestiltskin admitted that Hook was the closet thing he’d ever had to a friend. Coming to terms with realizing one of his oldest enemies was actually his oldest and best friend was crucial to Rumplestiltskin making the ultimate sacrifice. He only found his way back to Belle and defeated his Wish Realm version by giving his heart to Wish Realm Hook, sacrificing himself in order to save his friend. In the end, Rumplestiltskin finally figured out how to do things the right way, for the right reasons, in order to help the people he loved.

Regina found her way by defying Wish Realm Henry’s rage not with her own formidable powers, but with love and belief and the promises of a second chance. She united the realms together, learning from the mistakes of past Dark Curses to create a world where everyone can come together and no one has to be alone.

Fans’ longtime relationships with these characters made this culmination of their journeys particularly satisfying and emotional.

A full-circle ending

The finale included many parallels in order to create a beautifully fitting full-circle ending. Part 1, “Homecoming,” began with Wish Realm Henry riding to awaken a fair maiden from a Sleeping Curse, just as the series opened with Prince Charming riding to awaken Snow White from Regina’s Sleeping Curse. By the end of the finale, Wish Realm Henry would find his happy ending, but in a different way than Charming and Snow in the show’s beginning. Once Upon A Time has demonstrated that love and happy endings transcend romantic bonds, and that’s exactly what happened with both Wish Realm Henry and Regina.

Regina’s coronation as the Good Queen in part 2, “Leaving Storybrooke,” mirrored Charming and Snow’s wedding from the pilot episode. Where Regina once barged into the royal affair with promises of a Dark Curse, Regina was now there to be celebrated for uniting the realms and bringing so many characters and lands together. Where the Evil Queen once divided and terrorized, she became the one person able to bring everyone together, earning her that prestigious title of Good Queen.

The barging in was even paralleled at the coronation with the late arrival of Emma and the original Hook with their baby. The final shots of the episode captured many of the sights Emma saw when she first came to Storybrooke, now brimming with years of nostalgia and meaning.

What did you think of Once Upon A Time‘s series finale? Let us know in the comments!