I Guess This is Goodbye

"I Guess This is Goodbye" is the 134th episode of Desperate Housewives, as well as its sixth season finale.

Summary
Bree decides to hand over her company to Sam in order to protect her family's big secret. In the meantime, Susan and Mike prepare to move away, and Lynette is held hostage by Fairview's most notorious serial killer. Gabrielle puts herself at risk trying to help Angie and her family.

Previously on Desperate Housewives
"Susan made a difficult decision. Bree was blackmailed by Sam. Patrick got what he needed to force Angie to do what he wanted. And Lynette discovered that Eddie was the killer."

- Mary Alice Young


 * Susan learns of Mike's financial problems and they decide to rent their house and move off the Lane. ("The Ballad of Booth")
 * Unless Bree signs her catering company and publishing deals over to Sam, he'll tell Carlos that Andrew ran over his mother. ("The Ballad of Booth")
 * Patrick lures Danny home and holds Angie hostage. He wants her to make him a bomb. ("The Ballad of Booth")
 * A heavily pregnant Lynette is kept captive by the Fairview Strangler, Eddie Orlofsky. ("The Ballad of Booth")

Teaser
"In those first awful moments, all Lynette Scavo could think of were her children. The moment her daughter began to walk. The day her son won the spelling-bee. And that time her twins scared her with a frog. Yes, this is what Lynette thought about while a disturbed young man was holding her hostage."

In her first few hours as a captive of Fairview’s serial killer, all Lynette could think about were her children, and the precious simple moments she spent with them. Lynette tries to reason with Eddie, telling him she understands why he killed his mother, he was under constant strain, and she was an abusive drunk, if he would just turn himself in she would testify for him, letting people know what a sweetheart he really is. However, Eddie lets her know there is no justification for all those other girls he hurt. Lynette is horrified to hear this, as she finally comes to realize the boy she took under her wing is the Fairview Strangler. Eddie tells her he doesn’t want to hurt her, so he will drive her away and leave her somewhere, so that he can later escape before she even calls the police.

"Yes, all Lynette could think about were her children..."

However, a horrified Lynette tells him they can’t go anywhere, because her water just broke.

"...Especially the child she was about to give birth to."

- Mary Alice Young

Act I
"Teresa Pruitt used to be a nurse. For 33 years, she worked in the maternity ward at Fairview Memorial Hospital. She spent her days caring for newborn infants and looking after brand-new mothers. It was a job she had loved with all her heart. But that was many years ago. Now Teresa Pruitt was back at Fairview Memorial, but this time as a patient. A patient with a secret."

- Mary Alice Young

Mary Alice introduces us to Teresa Pruitt, a sick elderly woman who used to work as a nurse at Fairview Hospital several years ago. Teresa is now back to her former working place, but this time as a patient. She is visited by a priest on her death bed, and lets him know she did not retire from her job, she quit out of guilt over something awful she did. The priest believes she wants to take confession, but Teresa lets him know she actually wants him to tell the people who run the hospital what she did, because they have to make everything right.

Gabrielle arrives at the hospital to tell Nick about the note Angie had written, although the nurse on duty will not allow her to his room until the next morning. Gabrielle then waits for another nurse to come to the front desk, and impersonates Angie by mimicking her distinctive New York City accent to intimidate the nurse into taking her to Nick's room.

A few hours later, in the morning, Porter wakes his father up with a cup of coffee. Tom asks his son if he thinks they woke up his mother when they came in the night before. Preston comes from upstairs, claiming his mother wasn’t at home, and the bed looked like it hadn’t been slept in. Tom believes Lynette overheard him on a drunken rampage and stormed out angrily.

Bree is cooking while Orson and Andrew enter her kitchen, and ask her if she’s dealt with Sam already. Bree lets them know she did, but he blackmailed her with his knowledge of the fact that Andrew ran over Juanita "Mama" Solis. Andrew is shocked; Orson is just confused, as he has no idea what they are talking about, until Bree fills him in. Bree also tells them Sam wants her company, and she is giving it to him. Andrew tells her she can’t do this, and Orson backs him up. Bree, however, refuses to send her son to jail. When Orson steps in to prevent her, she lets him know his opinion isn’t valid when discussing this matter.

Back at the hospital, Gabrielle wakes up Nick by throwing a cup of water over him. Gabrielle tells Nick that Angie is in trouble and shows him the note. The two of them conclude that Patrick Logan must be the one holding Angie and Danny hostage. Nick starts getting out of his hospital bed and Gabrielle asks why they can't just call the cops. Nick refuses to call the police because the second Patrick feels cornered he'll kill Angie and Danny. Gabrielle agrees to drive him back to Wisteria Lane.

Meanwhile, Angie has completed the bomb for Patrick Logan, and expects for her and Danny to now be set free. However Patrick Logan reveals that she will have to go to Oregon with him while Danny remains hostage at the house, so that he can be sure the bomb works. If it doesn't, he will kill them both.

Act II
The Delfinos organize a yard sale in order to come up with some extra cash, by selling stuff they no longer need. They sell a T-Rex toy to Roy Bender, whose grandson is visiting. Mike tells Susan he just spoke to Lee and it looks as if he's found a renter. Susan is uncomfortable with the fact that someone will soon be living in her house. She is then provoked by her neighbor, Mitzi Kinsky, and lashes out at her, which is noticed by Mike.

Lynette is in much pain, and Eddie tries to give her some aspirin. Lynette claims he has to drive her to a hospital, but he fears he can’t trust her. She tells him she doesn’t really care about him at the present time, all she cares about is delivering that baby, and he finally gives in to her demands. However, Tom shows up on Eddie’s doorstep, having looked for Lynette and found her car in his driveway. When they notice Tom’s there, Eddie covers Lynette’s mouth and pushes her up against him, and her contractions begin. Lynette tries to keep it together, as Eddie shuts her up, while Tom tries to apologize, believing his wife is giving him the silence treatment as a sort of punishment. After he leaves, promising to get Lynette a big bouquet of her favorite flowers, Eddie finally lets go of his hostage, and Lynette says now there is no time for them to get to the hospital, the baby is coming now and Eddie has to help her deliver the child.

Act III
Later, the priest who took Teresa Pruitt's confession visits Mr Chase, the boss of Fairview Memorial Hospital. He informs Chase that Teresa just passed away and that she wanted the people who run the hospital to know what she did. The priest suggests that Mr Chase sit down before listening to what he has to say.

MJ asks for his T-Rex, and Susan reveals to him she sold it to Roy. It appears MJ never intended for the toy to be sold, and it was all a misunderstanding. Susan and Mike then head over to Roy and Karen's place, after Susan tells Mike that she feels like she needs to do this to make up to MJ the fact that they will soon be moving away from the only house he's ever lived in. At Roy's, they explain the whole situation, and Roy goes on to try and take the toy back. His grandson is sleeping while holding the T-Rex in his arms, and Roy tries to yank it out of his lap. The kid wakes up, and Roy communicates with him using sign language, which leads to Mike feeling even guiltier, as the boy is clearly deaf.

Meanwhile, Bree has a meeting with Sam in which she signs away everything she possesses, and Sam tells her he is sorry it all ended that way, and that he understands if Bree must hate him. However, she tells him she doesn’t hate him, she feels sorry for him, because he came into her life hoping to become a part of her family, and yet is walking out alone, carrying with him things he only got from conniving others. She feels as if he will always have a hole in his heart because he doesn’t truly care about anyone, and no one will ever really care about him. With this being said, she finishes by telling him to close the door on his way out of her life, and Sam leaves.

Patrick gives Angie time to say goodbye to Danny whilst he goes to put the bomb in the car. However, when the door is closed, he hides the bomb in a cupboard.

After a while, Lynette is giving birth, and Eddie is too grossed out to help her, but he does so anyway. Once the baby starts to crown, Eddie notices the umbilical cord is wrapped around her neck, and she’s turning blue. Lynette is horrified, and tells him he needs to hook the cord with his finger and take it off of her neck. Eddie tells her he can’t do it, but Lynette reminds him now he has the chance to save a human life, instead of taking them. Eddie saves the child, and Lynette finishes giving birth to a beautiful, healthy baby girl.

Act IV
The Delfinos return home empty-handed. MJ is upset over the fact that his parents couldn’t bring back his dinosaur, and Susan gives him a metaphorical speech about how unfair life is, regarding the dinosaur. MJ then goes, after Mike tries to make it up to him, and he lets Susan know he is aware of the resentment she’s feeling towards him. Mike then tells Susan to let it all out, to vent at him, and she does so, saying she still loves and respects him, but she resents the fact that he screwed up big time nonetheless. Susan is annoyed over the fact that because of her husband they have to move away from the house her children grew up in, a house where she marked their growth advances on the wall. Mike promises her they’ll be back, and in the meantime, they can hang on to the kids’ growth marks, after he takes the piece of the wall that has them, in order for the Delfinos to take it with them. Susan smiles at him whilst crying, and they hug.

When Bree finally comes home, she tells Orson she did it, she signed away her company, hoping to begin from scratch sometime soon. She just couldn’t let her son go to jail. She is surprised, however, when Orson reminds her that she made him go to jail. Bree says it was a completely different matter, but Orson fails to see the difference. Bree apologizes to him, saying she never should have made him go through all that, and he replies that he wasn't looking for an apology, he loved her for demanding better of him, for showing off her moral convictions, which she disrespected by giving into blackmail in order to keep her son from going to jail. Orson tells her is leaving her, because she isn't the woman he thought she was. Bree breaks down, telling him Andrew is her son, and she didn’t have a choice, to which he replies "We always have a choice. And I no longer choose to be your husband."

Gabrielle and Nick pull up on the street, and plan to distract Patrick whilst Nick slips into the house. However, Gabrielle is forced to act alone when Nick, still under the influence of his medication, passes out.

Afterwards, Eddie is ready to leave, and asks her to give him some head start before she calls the authorities. However, Lynette tells him he will never be free as long as he keeps running away and hurting people, and he should just turn himself in, making Lynette so proud in the process. However, he opens the door and leaves, leaving her frustrated. Until he opens it again and comes back inside, teary-eyed, asking her to make the call herself. As Lynette prepares to call the police, she requests Eddie hold the child. She then dials 911.

Act V
Gabrielle phones Fairview Memorial Hospital to try and find out how to bring Nick out his coma. Susan drops by - tomorrow is her last day in the neighborhood and she was hoping to spend some time with Gabrielle before leaving. Gabrielle then has an idea. She rushes Susan over to Angie's house, in order to distract Patrick, which doesn't work.

Gabrielle sneaks in the back to free Danny as Angie and Patrick stop in the car just down the street. Patrick reveals that he came back to punish Angie, and presses the detonator of the bomb, telling Angie she has 30 seconds to save her son. Gabrielle struggles to free Danny, as Angie runs to the house, and stops outside. She turns to face the car, and with a smirk on her face reveals the bomb is actually in the detonator. The car explodes, and Patrick is killed inside.

Act VI
Gabrielle then helps Angie and Nick again by giving them enough money to leave Wisteria Lane. Angie and Nick leave for Atlanta, and they send Danny to New York so he can start a new life without his parents' past chasing him and so he can be with Ana Solis.

Bree is in Orson's old room, with his stuff all gone, as Andrew walks in. He asks what happened, and Bree tells him Orson left her because she is a hypocrite, which she feels is true. She then asks for her son's permission to do something she should’ve done a long time ago.

At the hospital, the directorial staff have a meeting over what the priest said, because apparently what the nurse did is pretty serious and could ruin the hospital. One of the men of the board says he knows one of the families involved, as they live next to him, on Wisteria Lane. Mr. Chase then tells him maybe he should be the one to break the news to the family, but the man doesn't how he could go about saying the child they’ve raised and loved for years isn’t really their own? Bree catches up to the girls as they say their goodbyes to Susan, who is finally moving away. She says this move won't change a thing in their friendships, and tells them how much she values them and their friendships, because they are such good people and they've made her a better person. She then walks into her car, preparing to leave, and Bree intercepts Gabrielle, by telling her what Susan said isn't true, she is not a good person, and she has kept a secret for ten years that she should have revealed right away, one that could most likely end their friendship. Gaby becomes concerned, and asks her what it's about. In the meantime, inside the car, Susan asks Mike to drive away slowly, so she can enjoy her last look at the lane before leaving it.

Epilogue
"As they pulled away, Susan looked out on the street she loved so much. A street where parents could raise their children, where retirees could enjoy their golden years, where good friends could share horrible secrets. Yes, Susan looked on this street and vowed she would be back."

Susan watches from the car window as Lynette and Tom cuddle their newborn baby, Karen and Roy take a brisk walk, and Bree begins to tell Gaby her horrible secret. However, as they drive away, Mike and Susan don't notice the vehicle riding past them. One carrying Wisteria Lane's newest resident.

"But as she did so, she didn't notice the car that passed her. A car carrying Wisteria Lane's newest resident."

- Mary Alice Young

The man walks into Susan's house, and inside Lee gives him a tour and sets up the papers for him to sign. He reassures the guy he will just love Wisteria Lane, and the man tells him he knows what a lovely street it is, for he actually used to live there. The man is revealed to be Paul Young, Mary Alice's husband. Lee then tells him the neighbors will then be surprised to see him again. And Paul replies "They absolutely will".

Production
"I Guess This is Goodbye" was written by Alexandra Cunningham and directed by David Grossman.

Reception
This episode was watched by 12.747 million viewers in its original broadcast.

Tanner Stransky, of EW.com, was very positive regarding this episode, saying "After a season that was undoubtedly rocky — a rollercoaster ride through a mix of good and bad storylines — the minds behind Desperate Housewives managed to put together a season finale that was rather action-packed and full of drama. (...) Now, my fellow Desperate TV Watchers, that's a season finale.

Trivia

 * A total of five former regular cast members appear in this episode, which marks a new record. Those are: Shawn Pyfrom as Andrew Van de Kamp, Brent and Shane Kinsman as younger Preston and Porter Scavo, and Zane Huett as younger Parker Scavo (all in flashbacks), and Mark Moses as Paul Young (not credited).
 * This episode also marks Paul's first appearance since episode 3.13, the Kinsman brothers' first appearance since the fifth season premiere, and Zane Huett's first appearance since season four's "The Gun Song".


 * Although credited, Ricardo Antonio Chavira (Carlos Solis), Dana Delany (Katherine Mayfair), Maiara Walsh (Ana Solis) and Joshua Logan Moore (Parker Scavo) are absent from this episode. Andrea Bowen (Julie Mayer) is too absent, and therefore is not credited.
 * The only season finale to not feature Carlos.
 * In this episode, Kathryn Joosten (Karen McCluskey) is apparently promoted to a "starring" cast member, as her name leaves the "also starring" credit group, being billed after James Denton (Mike Delfino).
 * The title of this episode comes from a song of the same name in the Stephen Sondheim musical, Into the Woods.
 * Lynette is held hostage for the third time.

Gallery
Gallery of photographic stills released to promote the episode.