History Main / BackForTheFinale

* ''WesternAmimation/TheBoondocks'': In the final episode, Rollo Goodlove returns for the first time since its second season, with helping the Freemans once again to win against the gay rights movement by lying thinking Riley is a special needs.

* ''Franchise/JurassicPark'' did this with ''Film/JurassicWorldDominion''. The characters from the original film did appear in the original trilogy sequels (Malcolm in ''Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark'' and Ellie and Alan in ''Film/JurassicParkIII'' )but had been absent in the second trilogy save Malcolm’s appearance in a few minutes of ''Film/JurassicWorldFallenKingdom''. And this was the first time since the beginning that they were all together again. Also Lewis Dodgson, who last appeared in the first film. Then there’s a dinosaur version in ''Dilophosaurus'' which didn’t appear onscreen after the first film except as a hologram in ''Film/JurassicWorld''.

* ''Franchise/StarWars'': Creator/BillyDeeWilliams and [[spoiler:Creator/IanMcDiarmid]] return as Lando Calrissian and [[spoiler:Palpatine/Darth Sidious]] respectively in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the final film of the Skywalker Saga.

* ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' is chocked full of this as expected of the climax and ending to the Infinity Saga.
** [[spoiler: Time Travel allows the main characters to visit previous movies revisiting previously dead or absent characters including [[Film/TheAvengers2012 Loki]], [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Brock Rumlow, Agent Sitwell, Alexander Pierce,]] [[Film/DoctorStrange2016 the Ancient One]], [[Film/{{Thor}} Frigga, Jane,]] [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger Peggy Carter, Howard Stark,]] and [[Series/AgentCarter Edwin Jarvis.]]]]
** [[spoiler: The climatic final battle [[AvengersAssemble assembles]] almost every hero and ally the avengers have ever made include the [[Film/DoctorStrange2016 Sorcerers]], [[Film/{{Thor}} Asgardians]], [[Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxyVol2 Ravagers]], and [[Film/BlackPanther2018 Wakandan warriors]] on top of individual superheros]]
** [[spoiler: Tony's funeral, in addition to his close friends and family and the other heroes who fought in the climax, also features Aunt May, Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, Thaddeus Ross, Maria Hill, Nick Fury, and even Harley from ''Film/IronMan3'' in attendance, most of whom hadn't appeared earlier in the film.]]

[[folder:Film — Animated]]

[[folder:Film — Live-Action]]

* Dr. Lawrence Gordon comes back for ''Film/Saw3D''. He hasn't been seen since the original ''Film/SawI'', six movies ago.

!!As this is an [[EndingTropes Ending Trope]], unmarked spoilers abound. Beware.
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!!Examples:

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

* In ''VideoGame/EarthBound'', [[spoiler:Porky Minch]] drops out of the plot after the Eagleland arc, only leaving behind a few taunts to the party showing that he's one step ahead [[spoiler:until his helicopter crashes in a swamp]]. Sure enough, he comes back at the very end of the game [[spoiler:as one of the Final Bosses and quite possibly the true Big Bad]]. And after that, [[spoiler:he's revealed at the end of ''Mother 3'' to be that game's Big Bad and Final Boss, as well]].

* Taken to the highest possible extreme in ''ComicBook/TheSandman'', where [[spoiler:Dream's funeral]] is attended by ''every single being that lives or has ever lived''. In practice this means almost every character to have played a role in the series, ''plus'' cameos by many members of the Franchise/DCUniverse, ''plus'' [[TheFourthWallWillNotProtectYou the reader]].

* ''Manga/FairyTail'' many old allies of the Fairy Tail guild make their return during the war against the Alvarez Empire, [[spoiler:with a couple of cameos all over Fiore as their magic is brought together to defeat Acnologia]].

* ''Manga/ShonanJunaiGumi'': Nearly every villain, rival, and friend the Oni-Baku have encountered returns to see their climactic final battle, or tells the camera about them in the final chapter.

* ''Anime/TheDisastrousLifeOfSaikiK'' takes it to a [[ContinuityCavalcade ridiculous]] degree in the second season finale. Many minor and oneshot characters (such as the baseball team, Kaidou's mother and siblings, the kid who lost his prized signed baseball, etc.) show up throughout the episode (including characters whose [[AdaptedOut stories weren't adapted]]). Saiki hangs a lampshade on it.

** In the final episode of ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureDiamondIsUnbreakable'', the artists behind ''every single OP in the entire franchise'' all return for a special version of ''Diamond Is Unbreakable'''s final OP.

** The last episode of the first season of Duck Tales, had pratically everybody who appeared up to that point show up as guests at the Scrooge [=McDuck=] and Millionaira Vanderbucks wedding - such disparate persons as the members of the Explorers Club ("The Lost Crown Of Genghis Khan"), Launchpad's family ("Top Duck") and . Donald Duck made his last appearance with his cameo as Best Man. Even Scrooge's enemies like Flintheart Glomgold, Magica Despell and Ma Beagle and the Beagle Boys were on hand . . . albeit, in Ma Beagle's case, she and her boys and only come to rob the bank where the wedding was being held. And, of course, who could forget Glittering Goldie's surprise appearance . . . .

* ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'':
** The final episodes of ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' brought back virtually every villain and honorary world Titan for a gigantic brawl.
** "Things Change", the very last episode, features a girl who may-or-may-not-be Terra. Beast Boy tries to jog her memory of her life as a Titan, but she insists that she just wants to be a normal kid and, eventually, that "things were never the way you remember". Oh, [[spoiler: and ''Slade'' makes his one and only season 5 appearance via one of his Doombots.]]

* ''VideoGame/FridayNightFunkinCorruption'': In the final video for Week 7, Daddy Dearest faces off against not only Boyfriend, but also every character he had corrupted.

* ''Film/SpyKids3DGameOver'' brings virtually all the characters who appeared in the last two movies.
* [[CreatorsPet Wesley]] reappears in ''Film/StarTrekNemesis''. Albeit only briefly, and only in the widescreen version. He was originally supposed to have a short scene with Picard and Dr. Crusher explaining how he's going to serve on a new ship (the Titan), but it was cut very early in the editing process. Creator/WilWheaton has the full explanation on his blog.

** [[spoiler: Tony's funeral, in addition to his close friends and family and other heres who fought in the climax, also features Aunt May, Hank Pym, Janet Van Dyne, Thaddeus Ross, Maria Hill, Nick Fury, and even Harley from ''Film/IronMan3'' in attendance, most of whom hadn't appeared earlier in the film.]]

* The second half of the final season of ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'' brings back damned near ''everyone'' for the big finale. Major players who haven't been seen in a while, recurring characters, and even minor one-shot characters like June and the Machinist. The few characters who don't appear or have died are mentioned or cameo in some way or another. It's like the writers didn't want to leave out anyone!
* Its SequelSeries ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' repeats this. Many C-list characters or characters who had been written out are brought back for the GrandFinale, even if it's just to make a brief cameo at [[spoiler: Varrick and Zhu Li's]] wedding.

->'''Taneli''': Good evening! So nice to see an old friend die!

[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
* ''Series/AllyMcBeal'': Billy, big love of Ally's life who deceased unexpectedly.
* ''Series/TheAmazingRace'' has all the eliminated teams at the Finish Line to cheer on the Final 3.
* Happens several times in ''Series/AmericanHorrorStory'':
** In ''Coven'', Stevie Nicks returns in the ColdOpen of the finale after last appearing in episode 10.
** In ''Freak Show'', [[spoiler:Edward Mordrake and his craven coterie, now including Twisty the Clown, reappear in the finale after their last appearance in episode 4.]]
* ''Series/{{Arrow}}'':
** In the Season 6 finale, Sara appears for the final few minutes, having been absent since the ''Series/CrisisOnEarthX'' crossover (justified by her being on [[Series/LegendsOfTomorrow her own show]]), just in time to [[spoiler:learn of her father dying on the operating table]].
** In the GrandFinale, [[spoiler:Moira Queen, Tommy Merlyn, Quentin Lance, and Emiko Adachi are all brought back through Oliver Queen's actions in the Crisis, and attend his funeral. Among the living characters, Felicity Smoak, Nyssa al Ghul, and Rory Regan return after having been absent for a while, in addition to Thea Queen, Talia al Ghul, Anatoly Knyazev, and Curtis Holt, who guest starred in previous episodes of Season 8. Finally, [[Series/TheFlash2014 Barry Allen]] and [[Series/LegendsOfTomorrow Sara Lance]] make their final crossover appearance.]]
* ''Series/AshesToAshes2008'' brought back Nelson, who owned the Railway Arms in ''Series/{{Life On Mars|2006}}'' [[spoiler: as some sort of St Peter figure who guides all the dead coppers to heaven]]. The series creators also considered bringing back John Simm as Sam Tyler, but it was decided that his presence might detract from Alex Drake's (Keeley Hawes) story, and they wanted the focus to be on her.
* Several characters from the first seasons returned for the GrandFinale of the Peruvian TV series ''AsiEsLaVida'', to rescue the current protagonists that had been kidnapped by the BigBad.
* Susan Ivanova (Creator/ClaudiaChristian) appeared in the finale of ''Series/BabylonFive'', after being absent for the entire final season. However, this was because a shooting schedule shuffle when the possibility of a fifth season was uncertain due to network issues. B5 got the season, but Christian didn't return for the final season.
* Lt Buck Compton in ''Series/BandOfBrothers''.
* The finale of ''Series/BeverlyHills90210'' brought back Andrea, Valerie, and Brandon, albeit the latter in a video message.
* ''Series/BlakesSeven'' brought Blake back for [[Recap/BlakesSevenS4E13Blake the final episode]], and [[spoiler:had him bloodily shot dead. This was because the actor was fed up with the part and wanted it to be unambiguously the last time he would have to play the role in case the show got UnCancelled]].
* ''Series/{{Bones}}'' brought back Zack for two episodes in season 4, an episode in season 5, and the finale of season 11, where [[spoiler:he was seemingly revealed to be the season's BigBad]].
* In [[Recap/BreakingBadS5E16Felina the series finale]] of ''Series/BreakingBad'', Walt tracks down [[spoiler: Gretchen and Elliott Schwartz]] and forces them into an elaborate plan to [[spoiler: get his drug money to his children]]. He also enlists [[spoiler: Badger and Skinny Pete]] for the plan, after they had all but vanished from the show.
* ''Series/BuffyTheVampireSlayer'' and ''Series/{{Angel}}'':
** Angel appears in [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS1E1WelcomeToTheHellmouth the first]] and [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E22Chosen last]] episodes of ''Buffy''. He departs both episodes in the same way, smiling and vanishing into shadows.
** Faith returns for the last five episodes of ''Buffy'' following her redemption arc on ''Angel''.
** The ''Buffy'' season 2 finale "Becoming" brought back every major character from the first 2 seasons who wasn't dead... And a couple who were.
** Giles returns for [[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS6E22Grave the Season 6 finale]] of ''Buffy'', after his departure in episode 8 of the season. (Creator/AnthonyStewartHead was spending too much time away from his kids and got a little freaked out.)
** Some of the former regulars are in season 7 of ''Buffy'' in spirit. Oz got a casual mention from Xander, and Cordelia (who had been shifted to ''Series/{{Angel}}'') appeared in a piece of footage from "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS2E16BewitchedBotheredAndBewildered Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered]]".
** Oz's final on-screen appearance is in Willow's dream in the season 4 finale of ''Buffy'', "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS4E22Restless Restless]]".
** The First Evil, an incorporeal body which can only inhabitant the dead, takes the form of each BigBad we've encountered thus far in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E1Lessons Lessons]]": Master, Adam, Glory, etc. One of them, Harry Groener, reappears as the Mayor to taunt Faith in "[[Recap/BuffyTheVampireSlayerS7E20Touched Touched]]".
** Creator/SarahMichelleGellar offered to return as Buffy for ''Angel''[='=]s series finale, but Creator/JossWhedon turned her down because he wanted the finale to be about Angel and the gang, not about Buffy. However, the finale did bring back Lindsey and Connor.
** Spike makes an unexpected return at the end of the ''ComicBook/{{Buffy|the Vampire Slayer}} Season 8'' comic season.
* The SeriesFinale of ''Series/{{Charmed|1998}}'' had recurring characters Victor Bennet, Grams, Future Wyatt, and Patty return along with old leads Leo and Future Chris. Creator/ShannenDoherty did not return though, because of a [[WordOfGod variety reasons]] but most notably 1) Because she was too expensive and 2) She said no.
* Diane Chambers (Creator/ShelleyLong) returned for "[[Recap/CheersS11E25 One for the Road]]", the Grand Finale of ''Series/{{Cheers}}''.
* ''Series/TheColbertReport'' has on Stewart and nearly a couple of hundred guests who had appeared the Report show up for the curtain call (including Smaug, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster), along with every member of the show staff.
* ''Series/{{CSI}}'' closed out with a special 2-hour movie that brought back Gil Grissom, Catherine Willows, and Jim Brass. Inverted for Nick Stokes, as his actor left in the last regular episode of the series right before the finale and didn't make an appearance.
* ''Series/TheDailyShow'' brought back all of the past correspondents for Creator/JonStewart's last show. Every last one. [[spoiler: Including the previous host [[ThePeteBest Craig Kilborn.]] ]]
* ''Series/DesperateHousewives'' brought back Katherine Mayfair (Dana Delaney, who had her own series at the time) for the finale, along with many characters who were killed on Wysteria Lane over the seasons.
* Walter was brought back for the finale of ''Series/ADifferentWorld'' just in time to see Dwayne and Whitley off to their new life in Japan, but not Denise, Stevie, Lettie, Maggie, or Millie.
* ''Series/DoctorWho'':
** Creator/TomBaker's final story, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E7Logopolis "Logopolis"]], features [[spoiler:all his previous companions (including both incarnations of Romana) flashing through his mind before expiring.]] This was repeated in Creator/PeterDavison's swan song [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E6TheCavesOfAndrozani "The Caves of Androzani"]], this time with new footage for which the actors were brought back rather than clips.
** The ''New Who'' series 4 finale, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E12TheStolenEarth "The Stolen Earth"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E13JourneysEnd "Journey's End"]], brings back Harriet Jones, Sarah Jane Smith (and her son and living computer), Captain Jack (and his ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' co-stars), Martha Jones, Rose, Jackie, Mickey, Davros and Dalek Caan.
** And in the Tenth Doctor's GrandFinale [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime "The End of Time"]], they brought back [[spoiler:the Master and the Time Lords, including Rassilon. The Doctor also takes the time to visit all of his regular companions from that incarnation before regenerating, and the bar he finds Jack at contains most of the aliens introduced in the new series.]]
** In the series 5 finale, [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E12ThePandoricaOpens "The Pandorica Opens"]]/[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E13TheBigBang "The Big Bang"]], everyone from [[spoiler:[[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E2TheBeastBelow Liz Ten]] to [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E3VictoryOfTheDaleks Winston and Bracewell]] to [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E10VincentAndTheDoctor Vincent]] to [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E8SilenceInTheLibrary River]] [[Recap/DoctorWhoS31E4TheTimeOfAngels Song]]]] appear, some briefly.
** The [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E13TheWeddingOfRiverSong series 6 finale]] brings back characters from earlier in the season (Dorium), the previous season (Winston Churchill and the Silurian Malokeh), and a one-episode star from back in ''2005'' (Charles Dickens).
** The [[Recap/DoctorWho2013CSTheTimeOfTheDoctor 2013 Christmas special]] that finished Matt Smith's run as the Doctor brought back [[spoiler:Amy Pond, as a hallucination in the Doctor's mind, wishing her Raggedy Man goodnight]].
** [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E12HellBent "Hell Bent"]] brings back [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime Rassilon, the Time Lords, and Gallifrey]], [[Recap/DoctorWho50thASTheDayOfTheDoctor the General]], [[Recap/DoctorWho50thPrequelTheNightOfTheDoctor Ohila]], [[Recap/DoctorWhoS35E5TheGirlWhoDied Ashildr/Me]], and even [[Recap/DoctorWhoS32E1TheImpossibleAstronaut the diner in Utah]], [[spoiler: later revealed to be Clara and Ashildr/Me's stolen TARDIS.]]
** "[[Recap/DoctorWho2017CSTwiceUponATime Twice Upon a Time]]", Peter Capaldi's final episode, brings back [[spoiler: the First Doctor, as well as Twelfth Doctor companions Bill, Nardole, and Clara]].
** Spinoff ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'''s season 2 finale brought back [[spoiler: Captain John Hart, as well as Jack's brother Gray, previously seen only in flashback]].
* Ray Vecchio returned for the two-part finale of ''Series/DueSouth.''
* The GrandFinale of ''Series/EarthFinalConflict'' brings back [[spoiler:Liam Kincaid, who was missing for the whole final season and presumed dead]], just in time to help stop the season's BigBad Howlyn from unleashing a powerful [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Atavus]] warship and an army of Atavus warriors on the unsuspecting Earth. Surprisingly, no one else came back. [[spoiler:William Boone, the protagonist of Season 1,]] was brought back earlier in the season, only to be unceremoniously KilledOffScreen while performing a very uncharacteristic action.
* A number of old characters made appearances in the last few episodes of ''Series/{{ER}}'', including, most notably, Drs Carter, Corday, Weaver, and (via flashback) Greene.
** Dr. Ross (George Clooney) and Nurse Hathaway (Julianna Margulies) also made an appearance together in an episode the last season.
** Corday, Benton, and Lewis also returned for the final episode (and Benton even managed to appear in an episode before that). In addition, Romano returned in the same flashback episode as Greene (this due to Romano also being KilledOffForReal in Season 10).
* The series finale of ''Series/{{Eureka}}'' brought back Jordan Hinson as Zoe Carter.
** Brought back Matt Frewer as Taggart as well. Even had him chasing down the dog Lojack.
* Several editions of the Series/EurovisionSongContest find a way to bring all the participants back together for either the grand final interval act (such as all the 2014 finalists joining Emmelie de Forest's performance of "Rainmaker") or the winner's reprise. A notable example of the latter was in 1999, when the other 22 contestants and the dancers from the interval act not only returned to the stage to dance along to Charlotte Nilsson's reprise of "Take Me to Your Heaven," but also to sing 1979 winner "Hallelujah" together as a tribute to the victims of the Balkan War.
* "The Peacekeeper Wars", the WrapItUp for ''Series/{{Farscape}}'', brought back departed regular character Jool, only to kill her off as a KickTheDog moment for the villains.
* The Season 3 finale of ''Series/{{The Flash|2014}}'' brings back Jay Garrick, Gypsy, Harry (although he appeared in a few scenes in the previous episode), and the Black Flash to battle Savitar. Additionally, the Speed Force itself makes an appearance as Nora Allen [[spoiler:to take Barry into the Speed Force, as he has reached his finish line]]. The Season 4 finale brings back Wally, who is now a regular on ''Series/LegendsOfTomorrow'', for the final few minutes. And also [[spoiler:Ralph, who was thought dead but has managed to regain his body from [=DeVoe=]]].
* The series finale of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' brought back Anthony LaPaglia as Simon, Daphne's brother.
* ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' brought back Lincoln and Altlivia in the first hour of the two-part finale. The various means the team uses to battle [[spoiler: the Observers]] is also a greatest-hits collection of prior Fringe events.
* Steve, DJ's boyfriend in ''Series/FullHouse''.
* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': The GrandFinale brought back Robin Arryn and Edmure Tully, both last seen in Season 6.
* The series finale of ''Series/{{Glee}}'' brought back almost every former member of New Directions for one final performance, with the exception of Finn, Marley, Rory, and Myron. Finn's actor was deceased, and Marley and Rory's had scheduling conflicts. The actor who played Myron filmed the final number but was edited out since he wouldn't realistically be able to portray an 18 year old in the DistantFinale - though he does appear earlier in the episode. The final season also worked to bring back several non-glee club recurring characters, including some who had been PutOnABus earlier in the series, such as Will's ex-wife Terri, former bully Karofsky (as Blaine's brief boyfriend), and Jesse St. James (who later [[spoiler: marries Rachel]]).
* ''Series/GossipGirl'' had [[spoiler: Jenny and Eric returning for Serena and Dan's wedding]]; the finale also saw [[spoiler: Juliet, Vanessa and others]] in cameos finding out [[spoiler: Dan]] was Gossip Girl.
* Carol Seaver on ''Series/GrowingPains''; the actress who played her suffered from anorexia, and while she was being treated her character was PutOnABus to London to explain her absence. But she was allowed to come back for the series finale.
* The ''Series/HappyDays'' finale had Richie and Lori Beth turning up for Joanie and Chachi's wedding.
* ''Series/HeadOfTheClass'': precocious pre-teen Janice, who was already several years ahead in school, had left high school early to attend college, returned for Graduation.
* The final two-part episode of ''Series/HighlanderTheSeries'' featured the returns of Tessa and Richie, as the episode took place in a world where Duncan [=MacLeod=] never existed.
* In an alternate ending, ''Series/TheHills'' saw the return of Lauren Conrad, who had left the show two seasons prior.
* The series ending movie of ''Series/HomicideLifeOnTheStreet'' included every single regular the series had, including those who had been killed off.
* ''Series/{{House}}'' brought back Cameron, Stacy, Masters, Dominika, and Chase (who admittedly hadn't been gone for very long), though some of them were cameos of the "hey look, there's X in the third row" variety. [[spoiler:Kutner and Amber also reappeared as hallucinations.]]
* During the last season of ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'', most of the minor characters came back for a cameo or WhereAreTheyNowEpilogue moment. Many were done in a 30-second montage in the penultimate episode before the finale (Ted even remembers [[BlahBlahBlah Blah Blah]]'s name, finally.)
* The final episode of ''Series/{{Hustle}}'' features the return of Stacie. [[spoiler: Also of Danny, but we don't find that out til the end]].
* Before the final battle of the original ''Series/IronChef'', every previous challenger from the entire series entered Kitchen Stadium one last time. [[BadExportForYou A scene sadly cut from the Food Network version.]] Out of over three hundred competitors, the only one who didn't appear was the late Rory Kennedy (from episode 504, "European Pigeon"). Before the final tournament began, all seven past and present Iron Chefs took the stage together, including former Iron Chefs Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba and Koumei Nakamura and original IC French Yutaka Ishinabe.
* ''Franchise/KamenRider'':
** ''Series/KamenRiderDouble'''s summer movie brings back several [[VictimOfTheWeek victims of the week]], who cheer Double on during his FinalBattle with Eternal and give him his movie-exclusive EleventhHourSuperpower.
** In ''Series/KamenRiderOOO'', Akira's entire motivation for being Kamen Rider Birth in the first place was to [[spoiler:get enough money to pay for the delicate surgery needed to remove a bullet lodged in his head before it's too late]]. So roughly two thirds of a way through he [[PassingTheTorch passes the torch]] to Goto, and travels overseas to have that sorted out. And then comes back in the last few episodes, [[spoiler: with the surgery a success]], as Birth Prototype, and proceeds to fight side by side with his protegé, Double Riders style.
** The ''Franchise/KamenRider'' franchise has an odd version of this with the annual ''Movie Wars'' film, which acts as either a GrandFinale or a [[PostscriptSeason Postscript Movie]] for last year's Rider and has the cast CrossOver with the heroes from this year's series.
* The season 4 finale of ''Series/{{Leverage}}'' brings characters from as far back as season one. Nate's father Jimmy Ford plays a very prominent role in it. His ex-wife Maggie is gathered to help with the con along with, Hardison's EvilCounterpart Chaos, Eliot's Not-as-EvilCounterpart Quinn and Parker's adoptive father Archie. The villain is [[spoiler:Victor Dubenich, the series ''very first'' VillainOfTheWeek]].
* The final episode of ''Series/TheKilling'' saw a brief appearance from [[spoiler:Mayor Darren Richmond]], who had not been seen since season two, and proceeded to [[spoiler:sweep Linden's involvement in Skinner's death under the rug, in order to avoid the political fallout of Skinner's crimes being revealed]].
* The sixth season of ''Series/{{Lost}}'' had the flash-sideways timeline, which allowed for dead or disappeared characters to return. The actual series finale brought back [[spoiler:Shannon, Boone, Juliet, Daniel, Charlotte, Libby, Charlie, Christian, Rose, Bernard, Penny, Dr. Chang, Eloise Hawking and John Locke.]] (The rest of the final season also saw the return of [[spoiler:Arzt, Frogurt, Alex, Danielle, Roger Linus, Keamy and Omar, Ana Lucia, Anthony Cooper, Helen, Nadia, Michael, George Minkowski, Mikhail, Marshal Mars and Ethan]])
** [[spoiler:Walt]] shows up in the epilogue.
** [[spoiler: Mr. Eko]] was also supposed to appear in the final episode, but contract talks with the actor broke down.
* ''Series/{{Luther}}'' brings back Alice Morgan for the Series 3 finale after she'd left in the middle of Series 2.
* ''Series/{{Martin}}'': Female lead Tisha Campbell-Martin left the show before filming of the final season after accusing Creator/MartinLawrence of sexual harassment, which made things awkward for the writers since she played the title character's ''wife''. Usually her absence was explained by her being away on business, or in one case, the group went on a cruise but Gina just barely missed the boat. However, Campbell-Martin returned for the series finale after being promised she wouldn't have to be in the same room with Lawrence, and they not-so-subtly have one actor leave the set before the other one enters.
* ''Series/TheMaryTylerMooreShow'' finale had appearances from Rhoda and Phyllis, both of whom had long since departed for their respective spinoff shows. They even appeared in the end credits curtain call.
* Although not a series regular, Major Sidney Freedman (Alan Arbus) returned for the ''Series/{{MASH}}'' finale and was a major (sorry) character in it.
* Joe Bastianich left as a judge for the U.S. ''Series/MasterChef'' at the end of Season 5, but returned as a guest judge for the finale of Season 8.
* ''Series/{{Merlin|2008}}'':
** The third season finale brings back [[spoiler:Lancelot, Elyan, Leon and Gwain]] as future knights of the Round Table, [[spoiler:Excalibur and Freya, the Lady of the Lake]], and, among the villains, [[spoiler:Cenred and Morgause]].
** Merlin's mother Hunith return in the first part of the two-part fourth season finale, after a three year hiatus.
** For the series finale, [[spoiler: Balinor reappears as a spirit.]]
* In a subversion, Sharona Fleming from ''Series/{{Monk}}'' is supposed to 'fly in' during the last episode of the sixth season. Then the problem resolves itself, and she never shows up. It's zig-zagged for the final season, as she does return during it, but ''not'' during the final episode, instead showing up a few episodes prior, though she does make a cameo via a picture that Randy brings with him when he transfers to New Jersey to live with her.
* ''Series/MurphyBrown'' brought back Phil for the series finale despite the fact that ''he had died'': his death was retconned as having been faked by the CIA due to Phil knowing too much about Whitewater.
** While Phil is the most surprising example, the finale also brought back Miles and Eldon, both of whom had been absent for some time.
* The fourth season of ''Series/MyKitchenRules'' introduced the "Comeback Kitchen", where previously eliminated teams are brought back to the show and must compete each other for a spot in the final.
* A strange, extended version of this trope was used in the series finale of ''Series/{{Newhart}}.'' For the series finale, they actually brought back Bob Newhart's wife from ''Series/TheBobNewhartShow.'' This was used to reveal that the entire series was AllJustADream.
** And in a TV special about that show, in which Bob is shown dealing with this dream, at the very end he meets a trio of elevator repairmen who introduce themselves by saying, "Hi, I'm Larry, this is my brother Daryl ..."
* The last episode of ''Series/NightAndDay'' featured a montage roll call of the most significant characters from throughout the show’s run. In addition Jane Harper, whose disappearance forms the backbone of the show, returns in the flesh for the final few episodes - while deceased regular Will Radcliffe enjoys a robotic reprise.
* Medavoy came back for a minute in the last ''Series/NYPDBlue'' after retiring an episode or two before.
** Bobby Simone came back to give Andy spiritual advice in an episode of the final season, after having been previously KilledOffForReal early on in Season 6.
* The first season finale of ''Series/OddSquad'' ended with a massive battle against all the odd creatures released from the containment rooms, in which just about every named squad member takes part, with plenty of {{Callback}}s to go with them.
** Again in TheMovie: when showing the agents all over the world [[ItMakesSenseInContext activating their mirror suits]], all of the side-character agents are shown again.
* ''Series/TheOfficeUS'' spread this out over its entire final season. [[spoiler: Roy, Jan, David Wallace, and Gabe]] came back during the final season.
** Also, [[spoiler: Ryan and Kelly]] came back for the finale, after leaving at the beginning of [[spoiler: Season 9 due to the actors' commitments to ''Series/TheMindyProject''.]]
** [[spoiler: Steve Carell]] returns as [[spoiler: Michael Scott]] in the finale to be the best man at Dwight and Angela's wedding.
** Several long forgotten side characters also make brief cameos in the finale including Elizabeth the stripper, Meredith's son Jake, and Michael's ex-girlfriend Carol.
* ''Series/OnceUponATime'':
** The season one finale brought back the Huntsman and Maleficent in the fairytale world. Belle also returns, in Storybrooke. (Maleficent's [[ScaledUp other form]] appeared in Storybrooke as well but she herself did not.)
** Season three sees a lot of the past versions of the cast that hadn't been seen since the the winter finale, along with the return of Red Riding Hood after being relegated to cameos.
** The GrandFinale brings back just about everyone, especially notable after a season that had a SoftReboot leading to [[FinalSeasonCasting an almost entirely new cast]].
* ''Series/OrangeIsTheNewBlack'' checked in with nearly the entirety of its cast in its final episode, many of whom hadn't been on the show for seasons (having been sent to different prisons after the riot).
* Robert Leckie, despite being one of the three protagonists of ''Series/ThePacific'', is absent for several episodes in the series' latter half and reappears only in the finale.
* [[spoiler: Ann and Chris]] return in the finale of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation.''
* Almost every minor character in ''Series/PersonOfInterest'' either appeared or was mentioned in its final season.
* The very first episode of ''Series/PeeWeesPlayhouse'', each character is given their own little scene throughout the episode, most of them disappearing shortly after that, but most of them return for the very last scene.
* ''Series/ThePractice'' ended with [[spoiler: Eugene Young being on trial for being an AmoralAttorney, and Bobby Donnel returning to defend him.]]
* ''Series/PrisonBreak'''s broadcast finale does this to the point of ContinuityCavalcade - and to the point where it makes the absence of the few major characters who DON'T return really, really noticeable. [[spoiler: Sucre, C-Note, Kellerman, Sofia and Felicia all make an appearance, with Kellerman's being the most notable since he had been dead for two seasons and provided the DeusExMachina.]]
* During the reunion shows for ''Series/TheRealHousewives'', controversial side characters are brought back for confrontations with the main cast.
* Dr. O'Hara comes back from London to see Jackie for the ''Series/NurseJackie'' finale.
* ''Series/PrettyLittleLiars'': [[spoiler: Ella, Ashley, Veronica, Pam, Byron and Wren]] all show up. [[spoiler: Well, Aria and Ezra ''do'' get married.]]
* The Sheriff of Nottingham and Marian came back for the final episode of ''Series/RobinHood'', the former after a NotQuiteDead situation, and the latter for a TogetherInDeath scene with Robin.
* ''Series/{{Roswell}}'''s penultimate episode saw the return of Tess, who bore Max's child in season two. She doesn't stay for the last episode, and is only there to quickly close the main arc in season three.
* Hilda returned for Sabrina's wedding in the finale of ''Series/SabrinaTheTeenageWitch'', which to be fair is certainly a good reason to return... except that it drew attention to all the people who ''weren't'' making a cameo (like Valerie).
* ''Series/{{PeepShow}}'': The ninth season features the return of several past characters: Dobby (episode 2), April (episode 3 onwards), Sophie (episode 5) and Jeff (episode 6).
* ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'', via a JD-fantasy.
** There were some notable absences. Lisa the gift shop girl and Franklyn the lab tech weren't allowed to come back by the show's former network NBC. Jordan's siblings were both absent, as were Dr. Molly Clock, Dr. Kevin Casey, and recurring patient Harvey Corman. But the most inexplicable absence was Doug the mortician, who had appeared earlier in the season and had no known conflicts.
* The final episode of ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' had many minor characters on the show coming back to testify against them. Creator/LarryDavid, who was the {{showrunner}} until season 7 and wrote many episodes also came back to write the finale.
* The ''ShowWithinAShow'' in the final episode of ''Series/{{Sliders}}'' had The Professor show up and save everyone.
* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'''s final season has featured the returns of [[spoiler:Jonathan Kent, Brainiac, Lionel Luthor, Chloe Sullivan, Kara Kent, Zod, and Martha Kent. Along with ComicBook/LexLuthor, Chloe Sullivan, Lionel Luthor, Martha Kent, and Jonathan Kent return again in the actual finale.]]
** Aaron Ashmore also reappears as [[spoiler:[[{{Retcon}} Henry James Olsen's little brother]]...the ''real'' Jimmy Olsen]].
* The final episode of ''Series/{{Spooks}}'' has a brief appearance by [[spoiler:Tom Quinn]], one of the few major characters to get PutOnABus instead of KilledOffForReal when leaving the show.
* It's pretty clear that ''Series/StargateAtlantis'' brought back everyone they could get from [=SG1=] and [[Series/StargateAtlantis Atlantis]] for the series finale (one can only assume that Richard Dean Anderson was unavailable).
* [[Recap/StarTrekTheNextGenerationS7E24AllGoodThings The last episode]] of ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' saw the return of recurring villain/ally Q, Lt. Tasha Yar and Miles O'Brien, who was by then a regular on ''[[Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine Deep Space Nine]]'' and had not appeared since season 6.
** ''Series/StarTrekVoyager's'' [[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS7E23Endgame finale]] featured a cameo by Neelix, as well as a couple of other recurring characters including Admiral Paris, and Lt. Barclay, as well as the Borg Queen, played by Alice Krige herself.
** ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'''s [[Recap/StarTrekDeepSpaceNineS07E25E26WhatYouLeaveBehind finale]] had everyone who was ever a recurring character on the show back, most out of makeup in the Sisko / Vic duet scene. The only glaring absence was Creator/TerryFarrell, who didn't even appear in archive footage.
*** Justified; the ''character'' persisted thanks to [[BizarreAlienBiology being a Trill]], she just acquired [[TheNthDoctor a new body]]... and apparently [[InNameOnly a different personality]]. (Somehow, ItMakesSenseInContext.)
*** Also no archive footage of Jadzia was allowed because of ScrewedBytheLawyers.
** ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise'' has a unique case in its GrandFinale, by bringing back... William Riker and Deanna Troi. [[Recap/StarTrekEnterpriseS04E21TheseAreTheVoyages The whole episode]] is a holodeck reconstruction of historic events aboard the ''Enterprise''-D, which Riker uses to help him through a crisis. An expanded universe novel uses this tidbit to RetCon [[spoiler:Trip's StupidSacrifice]], which many fans didn't like.
* ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'':
** The show was originally planned to only run for five seasons, so this trope was intended at the time for a number of old characters who were brought back to have their plots wrapped up or at least get in one last appearance. Meg (Season 1 TheDragon and BigBad of one Season 2 episode, then MIA for all the Apocalypse build-up with even the show creator asking the writers what she was up to), Jessica's ghost (TheLostLenore in the pilot episode but recurring through Season 1 and Season 2 in nightmares, visions, and LotusEaterMachine; fittingly since [[spoiler:we never saw the real her after the first episode, the "Jessica" that returns for Season 5 is really Lucifer disguised as her to manipulate Sam]]), Jo, Ellen, Ash (the Harvelles and Ash were recurring characters in Season 2 but Jo had been written out to appease fans who saw her as TheScrappy, Ellen and Ash were more popular but Ellen's return in Season 3 got axed by the 2008 writer's strike and [[spoiler:Ash had been KilledOffForReal in Season 2 by the then-BigBad for knowing too much]]), The Trickster (an EnsembleDarkhorse who'd made two appearances in Season 2 and Season 3), Rufus (a minor EnsembleDarkhorse who'd appeared in one episode near the end of Season 3 and was referenced near the end of Season 4), the Winchester brothers' parents (who'd both appeared in Season 1 and made appearances in Season 2 and Season 4 [[spoiler:after dying in Season 1 (Mary) and Season 2 (John)]]; it was a younger version of the couple seen in "In the Beginning" who returned for "The Song Remains the Same" via TimeTravel, though the older version of Mary [[LotusEaterMachine sort]] [[DeadPersonImpersonation of]] reappeared too in "Dark Side of the Moon"[[note]]Separately, Jeffrey Dean Morgan returning as John was teased to the audience in "Fallen Idols", but the monster about to shapeshift into him was killed before it could pull it off[[/note]]), and Pamela (from Season 4 and like Ellen, one of the show's few popular recurring female characters) were among those brought back for their final bow in the last season. The angel characters introduced alongside Castiel in Season 4 (Zachariah, Anna, and Uriel) also came back to help tie up the Apocalypse storyline. Lisa (from Season 3, and Dean's best-received GirlOfTheWeek) also turned up late in the season to make [[spoiler:Dean going to live with her]] after the season finale feel slightly less jarring, but by the time of her reappearance the show had already been renewed and she was probably already been planned as a recurring character in [[PostScriptSeason Season 6]].
** The GrandFinale downplays this. The only other notable character who appears aside from Dean and Sam is Bobby Singer, [[spoiler:who was killed back in Season 7 and mostly guest starred as a ghost (by this time, there is another, alive, Bobby, but he came from an alternate universe)]]. [[spoiler:Castile]] is also mentioned by Bobby as being BackFromTheDead, but he never appears on-screen. According to the showrunners, they planned for the finale to be a love letter for the fans and wanted to have many absent characters returning, but [[SerendipityWritesThePlot the COVID-19 pandemic forced them to shelve the plan]].
* Carey, Kurt, and Arwin were brought back for the finale of ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'', but not Marcus.
* Eric left ''Series/That70sShow'' after the end of the seventh season, and Kelso left four episodes into the eighth. Both return for the final episode (or rather, final ''scene'' in Eric's case). Counts in-universe too, as the series finale was New Year's Eve 1979.
* Jimmy Doherty (Eddie Cibrian), Kim Zambrano (Kim Raver) and "Doc" Parker (Michael Beach) returned for ''Series/ThirdWatch's'' finale, although only Doc had lines.
* ''Series/UglyBetty'' starts this early, with Gio and Christina coming back in the third to last episode, Henry in the penultimate ep, and Connor for the finale.
* The ''Franchise/UltraSeries'' often crosses it over with GondorCallsForAid in the GrandFinale:
** In the two-part finale of ''Series/UltramanTiga'', a large number of one-time characters from previous episodes appear to help GUTS save Tiga when he is turned to stone by [[EldritchAbomination Gatanozoa]], [[spoiler:including Keigo Masaki and Professor Tango (of Episodes 43 and 44), Makio Kirino (of Episode 39), Captain Hayate (of Episode 48), and Tomoki Iruma (Captain Iruma's son from Episode 25). The [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Kyrieloids]] also make a brief return to mock the petrified Ultraman Tiga.]]
** ''Series/UltramanGaia'''s three-part finale sees many Earth {{kaiju}} that Gaia had fought in earlier episodes come in defense of their planet alongside XIG when [[AGodAmI Zogu]] and [[HordeOfAlienLocusts the Dobishi]] arrive. This is not a case of EnemyMine though, as by that point the characters had realized that the Earth kaiju also oppose the aliens trying to destroy their shared planet. [[spoiler:These are Geel (from Episode 2), Mizunoeryu (from Episode 11), Zonnel (from Episode 17), Gomenos (from Episode 23), Shazak (from Episode 33), and Tigris (from Episode 38).]]
** The "Final Trilogy" of ''Series/UltramanMebius'' sees the return of [[spoiler:Ultraman Hikari (who got PutOnTheBus in Episode 17), Zamsha (from Episode 16), Kako (from Episode 36), and Alien Fanton (from Episode 7)]] to help GUYS defeat [[EvilOverlord Empera]].
* ''Series/TheVampireDiaries'': [[spoiler:Creator/NinaDobrev, who portrayed Elena and Katherine, returned for the finale.]]
* The Season Four finale of ''Series/TheWalkingDead'' contains several flashbacks with characters who had died earlier in the season, including [[spoiler: [[IDidWhatIHadToDo Karen]], [[IncurableCoughOfDeath Patrick]]]], and especially [[spoiler: [[HandicappedBadass Herschel]]]].
* This trope can apply to whole networks too. [[WesternAnimation/OneFroggyEvening Michigan J. Frog]] returned for the final week of Creator/TheWB before the launch of Creator/TheCW, having disappeared from The WB's imaging two years earlier.
* In ''Series/TheWestWing'', one of the final episodes was Leo [=McGarry's=] [[MeaningfulFuneral funeral]], which was attended by a number of characters that hadn't been seen for a long time.
** Sam Seaborn also returned to the series for the last few episodes. There was some talk of Creator/AaronSorkin coming back to write the final episode, but the idea fell through.
* ''Series/TheWire'' pulls this off spectacularly over the course of its final season with every living major character and many minor ones making cameos across the season. Surprisingly, all of them feel natural and don't interfere a bit with shows realism as most of the characters return for about 1 or 2 seasons and most of the previously departed characters had not been said to have ever left Baltimore making it all rather plausible.
* Fox Mulder (Creator/DavidDuchovny) from ''Series/TheXFiles'' left the show at the end of season 7, returned for the second half of season 8, and for the last season only appeared in the finale. Alex Krycek, Marita Covarrubias, Gibson Praise, Jeffrey Spender, Knowle Rohrer, Mr. X, all three of the Lone Gunmen, and the Cigarette-Smoking Man also returned. Notably, about half of those characters were already dead.
* Chase, who got PutOnABus, for the finale of ''Series/Zoey101''.
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