Introduction to Finality

"Introduction to Finality" is the 22nd episode of the third season of the American television series Community and the third season finale. It originally aired on May 20, 2012 on NBC. It was also the last episode to air with series creator Dan Harmon as showrunner before he got fired and returned on Season 5. On June 1, 2013 it was announced that Harmon will be returning to the critically acclaimed television series as showrunner once again.^[1][2]

Plot

Continuing from the previous episode, Troy is enrolled at the Air Conditioning Repair Annex, where Vice Dean Laybourne has declared him "The Truest Repairman" and he pines for his former friends at Greendale Community College. After Laybourne accidentally dies from Freon inhalation while repairing an air conditioner, Troy is suspicious of both a master repairman like Laybourne dying from such a basic error and the fact that new Vice Dean Murray (Dan Bakkedahl) immediately grants Troy his release from the AC school to rejoin his friends. Troy realizes Murray sabotaged and killed Laybourne, and challenges him to do battle in the 'Sun Chamber,' an enclosed room containing two out-of-order air conditioners that the competitors must fix as the temperature steadily increases until one of them either yields or dies from the heat. Troy quickly fixes his air conditioner, cooling his chamber as Murray's gets hotter. During the challenge, Murray admits to killing Laybourne, and passes out from heat exhaustion, Troy sees Laybourne's ghost and decides to save Murray by fixing his air conditioner. As the other repairmen prepare to punish Murray, Troy suggests simply calling the police, berating the other repairmen for their weirdness and leaves.

Dean Pelton announces that Subway has pulled out of the cafeteria, and he is going to let Shirley open her sandwich shop 'Shirley's Sandwiches' in the space. Pierce and Shirley get into an argument over who should get to sign off as the official owner of the shop, as it was Shirley who had the idea and did all the work, while Pierce financed 100% of it. Shirley asks Jeff for help convincing Pierce but Jeff is annoyed because he wants to study for his biology final (the episode takes place at the end of the summer school term). Pierce threatens to sue if Shirley signs as the owner, and the Dean suggests letting them have the case in the school's court with him as the Judge, with Jeff agreeing to be Shirley's lawyer from 3-4 PM, as the biology final starts at 5PM. The court starts with Dean Pelton presiding, and Jeff is surprised to see that Pierce has hired his rival Alan (Rob Corddry) as the opposing counsel. During the case, Alan, having replaced Ted as manager of the firm after his death, tells Jeff that if he doesn't throw the case then he will make it impossible for him to return to the firm after he graduates. Shirley then surprises Jeff by saying she put him in an unfair position and jeopardized his professional future, then giving him the OK to tank her case. As Jeff is about to withdraw, he realises - and makes a speech about - how helping others is more important than helping ourselves. Inspired, Pierce drops the case, and promptly fires Alan. Furious, Alan reveals to Jeff that Jeff is done as a lawyer, and that he was the one who ratted Jeff out. Jeff reveals that he already knew this, and thanks Alan for it, leaving Alan to storm out in defeat. Pierce and Shirley ask Jeff to act as their attorney and sign off as the owner for both of them.

Abed begins to stress after Troy has moved out, and Evil Abed soon consumes him. Instead of allowing Britta to provide therapy, he performs a harsh psychological analysis of her, leaving her distraught. He decides to attempt to recreate the darkest timeline, in which Jeff has lost an arm. Before getting the chance to physically cut off Jeff's arm with a bone saw, Evil Abed hears Jeff's speech about selflessness, and is reluctantly defeated, turning back into good Abed.

The episode ends with a montage, Shirley and Pierce open their sandwich shop in the cafeteria to much delight. Abed reconciles with Britta, saying she's the only shrink he would trust to help him because neither of them have any control over his mind, and Troy appears before his friends, now that he is considered the "messiah" of the Air Conditioning Repair Annex and has made them start running it as a regular part of Greendale. Jeff successfully passes his biology final, and decides to search online for his father. Dean Spreck (Jordan Black) from City College is shown plotting to wage war on Greendale, while Chang looks on from an air vent. It is revealed that Star-Burns (Dino Stamatopoulos) faked his death. Finally, the Dreamatorium is disassembled. Abed, however, installs a miniature version of the dreamatorium in his blanket fort, and steps inside.

In the closing tag sequence, Leonard reviews a brand of potato chips via his YouTube page, putting emphasis on the words 'good' and 'buy' in a reference to this episode being the season finale.

Continuity

• Pierce and Shirley decided to open a sandwich shop in "Urban Matrimony and the Sandwich Arts". This idea is stolen by Subway in "Digital Exploration of Interior Design".
• Evil Abed was first introduced in "Remedial Chaos Theory".
• Alan was first introduced in the season 2 episode "Accounting for Lawyers".

Reception

Ratings

"Introduction to Finality" (which aired at 9:30pm EST and was the third Community episode of the night) was watched by 2.48 million American viewers and received a 1.3/4 rating/share for adults 18 to 49.^[3]

Critical reception

Matt Richenthal of TV Fanatic gave the episode four stars out of five.^[4]

Entertainment Weekly ranked the scene with Star-Burns number six for "Single Most Clever Twist" for the 2012 TV Season Finale Awards.^[5]

References

External links

• "Introduction to Finality" at NBC.com
• "Introduction to Finality" at the Internet Movie Database
• "Introduction to Finality" at TV.com
• "Introduction to Finality" at TV Tropes