The True Message of The Leftovers' Ending

The Intriguing Ending of The Leftovers

The Leftovers was never a show that liked to give away answers, and its ending was no different. The mind of Damon Lindelof took Tom Perrota's invigorating book and expanded it into a three-season show, delving deep into the characters' psyches and leaving the show's captivating mystery in the background. Over the course of many puzzling episodes, viewers followed Kevin and Nora as they tried to adapt to a shattered world, haunted by the mysterious disappearance of two percent of the world's population years ago. Although the Departure affected the whole world, the story unraveled through the eyes of the characters of an ordinary American town.

The Leftovers Promo

The last episode of The Leftovers wrapped up the story with an ambiguous ending, leaving the biggest mysteries up to the fans to interpret. With one of the internet's most popular series finales, The Leftovers also proved that even in the face of the unknown and the fantastical, it ultimately remained a love story to the core: that of Kevin and Nora (Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon), two broken people united by a tragedy that took everything away from them.

The Intriguing Ending of The Leftovers

Kevin And Nora's Reunion

The Leftovers' series finale, 'The Book of Nora,' opens with Nora getting prepared to enter the mysterious machine introduced in 'Don't Be Ridiculous,' a device that seemingly sends people to wherever victims of the Departure have gone. She says goodbye to Matt (Christopher Eccleston) and enters the machine, but viewers never get to see what Nora experiences there. Unusually for a series finale, the last episode of The Leftovers doesn't go through the lives of every character, providing them a conclusion to each of their arcs. Instead, the episode is focused entirely on the future of Kevin and Nora.

Nora and Kevin dancing in the series finale of The Leftovers

The two hadn't seen each other in The Leftovers since the episode, 'The Book of Kevin,' where they violently parted ways. The series finale cuts to decades after Nora entered the machine: she now lives in rural Australia, taking care of small chores in a village but maintaining little to no contact with other residents. An aging Nora opens her door and sees Kevin, who doesn't seem to remember what they've been through, only that they met at a school dance once. His ruse quickly falls apart and Kevin reveals he doesn't know how to approach Nora after all those years, figuring they could simply start all over again.

Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon look at each other in bed in The Leftovers

For decades, Kevin has tirelessly searched for Nora, denying that she could've crossed to the 'other side.' The two Leftovers characters eventually have a heart-to-heart conversation in which Nora reveals she was transported to another reality where the opposite of the show's Departure happened: 98 percent of the population disappeared, leaving only two percent. She tells Kevin about how her family is safe and happy, and since they've clearly moved on, she decides to do the same by returning to her reality. Different from what Nora anticipated, Kevin believes in her, and the two can share a breath of relief that they're finally reunited.

Carrie Coon as Nora Durst, Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey, Margaret Qualley as Jill Garvey in The Leftovers Season 2

The Deep Themes of The Leftovers' Conclusion

The truth of Nora's story is secondary to Kevin's faith in it. Faith is a recurring theme in shows like The Leftovers. In the end, it doesn't really matter whether Nora's story is true because there's no way to know it. After years away from her, Kevin carefully listens to the most preposterous story he's ever heard from the mouth of the person he trusts the most. Similarly, it doesn't matter whether Kevin truly believes in Nora, but he has faith in her, and that's what sticks out above everything else.

Justin Theroux as Kevin Garvey in The Leftovers season 3

The heartfelt conversation between Kevin and Nora only happens because Kevin finally learned how to listen and Nora learned how to speak. Their romance has always been genuine, but they were constantly crossing over each other when their demons got in the way. In 'Certified,' Laurie 'paused' the world and its inhabitants to force Kevin to prick up his ears. Meanwhile, Nora 'departed' and came to terms with her repressed feelings. In The Leftovers' series finale, as the two finally meet again, Nora gives, Kevin accepts, and love endures.

Unraveling the Aftermath of The Leftovers

The Leftovers series finale takes place many years after the previous episode, and once Kevin reveals who he really is, the fates of many characters are mentioned. This begins with Kevin, who has searched for Nora every single year since her 'departure,' and even after he finds her, he only approaches her after figuring out the proper way to do it, which for him is pretending he doesn't remember what they both experienced together. After being diagnosed with a mysterious heart condition, Kevin now lives with the help of a pacemaker.

Matt looking serious in The Leftovers

During their conversation at the party, Kevin tells Nora that over 400 people attended the funeral for Matt, who succumbed to his cancer, and Mary (Janel Moloney) did the mass sermon. Jill (Margaret Qualley) is married and has a daughter, Penelope, while Tommy (played on The Leftovers by Chris Zylka) wasn't as lucky in his marriage. Finally, it's revealed that Kevin's 91-year-old dad is still alive and that Laurie and Nora secretly keep in touch, Laurie acting as Nora's therapist every once in a while.

Laurie walking down the street in The Leftovers

Embracing the Unknown: The True Meaning of The Leftovers' Ending

Few TV shows are brave enough to present their most important revelations through oral storytelling, yet no other series understands the power of words like The Leftovers; the episode isn't called 'The Book of Nora' for no reason, this is her story, and it's up to Kevin and the audience to believe her or not. The Leftovers forces the viewers to embrace the unknown and accept some things are beyond human understanding. In this world, miracles are the fruits of the trust and the faith these characters allocate in each other. This is why Nora's birds return in the final scene: her faith is restored after her conversation with Kevin.

Matt and Nora The Leftovers