Elle gets home and is furious with her mom for going behind her back and submitting the tape when she told her not to. Elle says that she will handle this. The next day, Elle goes into the principal’s office and gives a speech over the announcements about how sorry she is about everything that she did and how Seattle has really changed her as a person. She feels like she did a good job. However, people still give her dirty looks all day. this is when she realizes that maybe all hope is lost. She calls her mom and they both decide it’s time to move back to LA.
Elle and Maddie drive around the bustling beautiful city of LA, playing music without a care in the world. Elle enters her house and everything is back to normal. Eva is very happy too. It’s time for Elle’s first day at the Cosmopolitan internship. When she gets there, she’s with two other girls as a mentor walks them through what the process is going to look like for the semester. They will need to grab pieces and design a look, and if they are chosen they will help assist a well-known designer at the Golden Globes. Elle absolutely loves the Golden Globes, she had been looking forward to this moment for a very long time. When hanging out with Maddie and their other friends, Elle is acting differently, and Maddie can tell that something is wrong.
Back in Seattle, Miles learns that Elle hasn’t called to ask about him. Something clicks and he goes to Liz and Dustin and tells them that they should still put on the winter formal, but they’re going to do it their way and not Elle’s way. Elle calls Donna to check in on her and see how everybody is doing. Donna tells her that formal is still happening, but the students are doing their own thing. Elle is shocked by this news. Donna later tells Liz that she spoke with Elle. She says Elle is a good person and that Liz should give her another chance.
At Cosmo, the girls are presenting their pieces to the well-known stylist: Anna. She is very intimidating and the girls are not encouraged to talk. However, there is a silver dress that is on display and Elle thinks that this isn’t really a good look. She goes over to the dress and rips it up before adding her own little touch on things. The stylist is incredibly impressed. Elle won herself that spot for the Golden Globes.
Kimberly goes to Liz at work and tells her that she is also willing to help plan the formal. She then asks Liz if she is willing to sing live in front of everybody. Liz is very against this idea, but she can tell that Kimberly would really appreciate it if she did this.
Eva throws a fancy party. Everyone is in formal attire and the glamorous night is still young. Elle sees Anna from the other day sitting by herself. Anna invites her to sit down. They get to talking and Elle opens up to Anna saying how the previous semester, she was somewhere very out of her comfort zone. Now that she’s back in LA, everything seems expected. Anna tells her that sometimes challenges and friction is good for people. Elle knows that she’s right.
Elle tries to find her mom, but Eva is preoccupied with a server. This server happens to be the one with the botched nose job from Wyatt. Tensions rise as the server screams at Eva, causing a scene. Elle ends up breaking it up before she talks to her mom alone. Elle tells Eva that maybe it’s time for them to stop running away from their problems and face them head on. She proposes that they go back to Seattle and Eva agrees. Before they leave, Elle has to do one more thing: say goodbye to Maddie. When Elle tries to talk to Maddie, Maddie already knows what is coming, but she feels that it’s truly what’s best for Elle. The Woods set off.
At the airport, Elle runs into Shannon. Shannon lets her know that she’s going back to Denver to go live with her dad. Elle knows that Shannon is still pretty angry, and she doesn’t blame her. Shannon lets her know that if she’s the only reason that’s standing between her and Miles, she gives her permission to go for it. While Elle is talking to Shannon, Eva meets Wyatt in the car. Eva lets Wyatt know that Seattle isn’t the problem, it’s them. Before they can even elaborate on the subject, Elle gets back into the car and Wyatt sets off for the formal.
Everyone is having the time of their lives at the formal. Kimberly goes backstage where Liz is prepping for her performance. Liz is very nervous and Kimberly picks up on it. Kimberly pulls Liz in and kisses her. As Liz performs her first song, Elle is stuck in traffic and decides to make a run for it. Elle makes it to the end of Liz’s first song, and the crowd goes wild. Liz seems very happy to see her. While dancing, Dustin asks Elle why she left in the first place. Elle says everybody hated her and wanted her out of Seattle. Dustin tells her that she hurt many people, including him. Dustin pulls her in and kisses her. Miles witnesses the whole thing. End of season one.
This episode was a nice way to wrap up the first season of this series, while also providing multiple cliffhangers for all of the characters. Eva mentioned towards the very end that her and Wyatt are having problems. Does this mean in their marriage? Does this mean Wyatt is too married to his job? Elle’s parents have been her rock for this season, so it would be quite a change to see them go through a life-changing moment next season, if that’s the case. Kimberly finally lets her true feelings for Liz come through, but what will her home life look like next season? As predicted, a love triangle is on the horizon as Dustin confessed his obvious feelings for Elle, but Miles is still very much in the picture. This episode was nothing short of epic due to the transitions and character growth, but only next season will tell what is going to happen to our beloved said characters.
8/10
