Well, it’s officially over. Hannah Montana Forever aired its final episode last night, with a few surprises and a somewhat unexpected happy ending. Here’s a synopsis of the episode, complete with the ending- so if you haven’t seen it yet and don’t want to know how it ends, you should probably stop reading now!

As we know, Miley has revealed her secret. She and Lily have applied to and gotten accepted into Stanford University, which is a huge accomplishment. They are looking forward to their upcoming orientation and to being roommates in college. A few days before orientation, Miley receives a call from Stephen Spielberg, who wants her to star in a movie opposite Tom Cruise in Paris, France- the role of a lifetime. Miley desperately wants to do it, but would have to take a year off from school in order to do so. She also doesn’t want to disappoint Lily by not going to college, as Lily comments repeatedly about how excited she is to be going to college with Miley. She knows that Lily will be angry and feel like she bailed out on her for a better opportunity.
Meanwhile, Jackson is going through many changes trying to find a job so that he can buy Sienna decent gifts, as she keeps buying him things that he can never match. He eventually ends up going back to work for Rico, which totally kills his self esteem, although he’s willing to make that sacrifice for Sienna. Rico originally laughs at his plight, but then gives Jackson a look we’ve never seen before… could he be having a change of heart?

Although encouraged by Billy Ray and Jackson to tell her what’s going on, Miley decides to hatch a plan to get Lily to not want to be roommates in college. On the way to orientation, she starts to behave obnoxiously, even turning off some of her soon to be fellow college students (who don’t chase her down like the high school fans, by the way). Her attempts at bad behavior to turn Lily off to the idea fall flat, as Lily admits that with all Miley has done for her and how excited she is to be going to college together, there’s nothing she could do that would change the way she feels. Through a series of comments and actions, the truth is revealed, and Lily is extremely upset- not because Miley received the opportunity or even that she wants to go, but because after six years of friendship, she didn’t know her well enough to know that she’d want what was best for Miley, regardless of the pain it caused her. That causes Lily to storm off saying that she’d not want to go anywhere with Miley, and she definitely doesn’t want to go to college with her. They ride home in silence, with Miley attempting to get Lily to talk. While she is successful, the only thing Lily has to say is that she is moving back in with her dad until college begins.

Back at the ranch, Miley has a conversation with Jackson whereby she realizes that Lily was most upset that Miley didn’t ask her to go to Paris with her. When she confronts Lily with this information, Lily admits that it’s true, and Miley asks her to go. Lily initially says no, because she really wants to go to college, but shares that she just needed to know that Miley really wanted her there. Miley explains that she didn’t ask Lily because she knew how much she wanted to go to college- not because she didn’t want her BFF by her side. They talk some more and Miley tells Lily that they can delay college for a year and go to Paris, which could be an educational opportunity in itself. Lily eventually agrees to put off college this year and travel to Paris with Miley.

Later, Rico finds Jackson at home, and fires him- not to be mean, but because he realizes that as long as Jackson doesn’t have a “real” job, his self esteem will always suffer. He has arranged for Jackson to have a “real” job previewing video games, and admits that Jackson is really his best friend. Jackson admits the same, and they have a very awkward moment, which they end by agreeing to return to insulting one another at the count of three.

At the airport, Miley and Lily arrive excited to be going to Paris. Oliver rushes in by surprise, saying that he is between flights and wanted to say goodbye. They all hug, and as they are doing so, are interrupted by a surprise visit from Jesse, who came to see Miley off (between flights as well). It’s a bit of a predictable way to get them in for the finale, but cute just the same. The couples split to talk in the last moments before the flight, and each shares a kiss with their significant other (although this is hidden by folk traveling by with a lot of baggage). While Oliver is saying goodbye to Lily, two girls walk by with Stanford sweatshirts on. Oliver comments that Lily and Miley will be those Stanford girls in a year, unless another movie deal comes along. He then says goodbye, and leaves. Lily thinks about his comment, and turns to stare at the poster on the wall for Paris while she waits for Miley.

When Miley returns just as it’s time to board, she can tell from looking at Lily’s face that she’s not coming. Lily explains that she’s not mad, and that it’s the opportunity of a lifetime for Miley, and that it’s Miley’s dream- but not hers. Miley understands and boards the plane; Lily is shown driving back to Stanford alone.

Once at school, Lily begins arranging her side of the room with all of the pictures from her adventures with Hannah. When she is finished, we see that she’s decorated exactly half of the room, with the other side left empty.
In Paris, Miley is reading through a script, and stops to stare at a picture of her and Lily. She gets up and walks out to her fabulous balcony, over looking the city. While she is pursuing her dream, it is obvious that she misses her friend.

In the last scene, Lily is seen lying across the bed in her dorm room when there’s a knock at the door. She opens the door and greets her new roommate- Miley, who’s decided to skip the movie after all and go to college with her BFF, because while there will always be movie deals and concerts, she’ll only get one chance to go to college with het best friend. The two hug, exchange ‘I love you’s’, and the show ends, with still shots from earlier episodes of Hannah Montana playing with the music.

Overall, I think it was cute and I love the fact that she chose college in the end, although I have mixed feelings about it, because it almost seems as though she didn’t follow her dream after all, and I think that she should have. Although, I suppose it could also be said that she made a great sacrifice for a friend, which is laudable as well. So that’s the synopsis of the last episode- what do you think? Did you like the ending, or not? Glad to see the series end, or sad to see it go? Share your thoughts!