The Mind-Blowing Revelation: Elena's Shocking Return in the Epic Series Finale
Discover the shocking truth about Elena's fate in the Felicity series finale, as we delve into the cut scenes that kept her character alive Plus, explore the thriving career of Tangi Miller since her time on the beloved show
Summary
The ending of "Felicity" left fans perplexed when Elena, who was believed to have died in a car crash, is revealed to be alive through a time travel spell.
In Season 4 of "Felicity," Felicity and Ben's relationship encountered various challenges such as infidelity and unplanned pregnancies, resulting in controversy.
Regrettably, the producers of "Felicity" made the decision to exclude two pivotal scenes that would have shed light on Elena's destiny, thus leaving the audience with unresolved inquiries and an unsatisfactory conclusion.
Elena's miraculous return from the dead in Felicity has left fans puzzled. The show, which aired on the WB from 1998-2002, revolves around a group of friends attending the fictional University of New York. It all begins when Felicity Porter, a Californian girl portrayed by Keri Russell, decides to forgo her plans of attending Stanford and instead follows her high school crush, Ben Covington (Scott Speedman), to New York City. Created by J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves, Felicity delves into the transitional phase of young adults as they search for their identities and purpose in life.
While the series as a whole received considerable acclaim, with Keri Russell even winning a Golden Globe for Best Actress - Drama Series in 1999, the fourth season of Felicity brought about some controversy. The initial 17 episodes packed in a tumultuous drama, as Felicity and Ben's relationship endured various hardships, including Felicity's betrayal and a temporary breakup. Ben even engages in a relationship with another woman who later becomes pregnant. The show takes an unexpected twist in its final stretch. Felicity returns to New York for Noel's wedding, where Megan casts a spell that allows Felicity to travel back in time and reevaluate her choices in life.
The Truth About Elena's Fate At The End Of Felicity
Felicity's actions have far-reaching consequences for those around her. Tragically, Noel dies in a fire and Elena passes away in a car accident. Determined to rectify the situation, Felicity seeks assistance from the spell's creator, pleading to be sent back to the future. However, Felicity awakens in the present and realizes that her entire journey was a result of her high fever. At Noel's wedding, Felicity, still unaware of Elena's survival, is unexpectedly reunited with her friend.
In the season 4 DVD featurette "Lost Elena," creators J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves discuss the exclusion of two crucial scenes shedding light on Elena's fate. One scene depicts Felicity warning Elena against attending Columbia, predicting a devastating outcome, and urging her to choose Duke instead. The second scene takes place at Noel's wedding reception, where Felicity learns that Elena followed her advice, altering the trajectory of her life. While these scenes offer valuable insight into the finale, Reeves explains that due to time constraints, they had to prioritize and trim the content.
This implied that Felicity's fever dream was not just a figment of her imagination. This resolves the mystery of Elena's reappearance in the finale of Felicity. However, it gives rise to other perplexing inquiries. Why is Elena the sole individual who recollects Felicity's erratic behavior during the final episodes? Why is everyone else unaffected? The explanation of the fever dream is unsatisfactory and completely divergent from the series' established characters. In a 2018 interview with Variety, producer Lawrence Trilling reflected on Felicity. Trilling mentioned that originally, the plan was for Felicity to graduate at the end. However, The WB requested additional episodes, so they decided to show what Felicity's life could have been like had she chosen to break up with Ben.
What Tangi Miller Has Done Since Felicity
Following the Felicity finale, the beloved character Elena experienced a decline in popularity. Despite this, Tangi Miller, the actor behind Elena, has successfully pursued her Hollywood career. Reflecting on the confusing ending, Miller expressed her confusion, stating, "They just got creative... People just got kind of kooky with it. I really can’t tell you. It didn’t make any sense to me" (via Vice). While it took her some time to find her footing after Felicity, Miller openly admits to being "snooty" as she sought a remarkable project to follow up her previous show.
After working on Felicity, I realized that I didn't have to settle for anything less. I was determined to create my own opportunities and take charge of my career. Although my representation was not pleased with my decision, I had a strong desire to produce and tell my own stories. As a result, I was honored with the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for my role in Felicity. Following the show, I ventured into various movie roles such as The Other Brother, Leprechaun: Back 2 tha Hood, and Madea's Family Reunion. Additionally, I appeared in TV series like The Shield, and made guest appearances in shows like The District and The Division. However, since the conclusion of Felicity, my focus has primarily been on independent films, where I have had the privilege to both act and produce.
