"It's the start of a new day. That was both literally true and a metaphor."
In the season finale, our doctors race against time to save not only their patients' lives, but even their own.
- All for Nothing: The whole reason Morgan had the surgery was so she could continue her career despite her arthritis. Not only is that ruined, but her hands will be permanently disfigured in 10 years.
- Anguished Declaration of Love: After surviving the earthquake, Lea finally admits to Shaun that she loves him.
- Anyone Can Die: Melendez dies from the injuries sustained in an earthquake.
- Big Damn Kiss: Shaun and Lea end the episode by giving each other a passionate kiss, after three seasons of Will They or Won't They?, and allow the episode to end of a hopeful note after almost forty minutes of tragedy.
- Bittersweet Ending: Easily one of the darkest episodes of the show and probably would have gone full blown Downer Ending if not for the last five minutes. Morgan is able to save her patient and earn back Andrews' respect, but she ends up doing permanent damage to her joints likely ending her career as a surgeon. Park is unable to save his patient and has to pretend to be his father to comfort the boy before he dies, a process that deeply traumatizes him and makes him decide to return to Phoenix and his family. Melendez's condition is inoperable and he dies by the end of the episode but not before saying his goodbyes to Lim, Glassman and Claire the latter of whom reveals her feelings for him who reciprocates and the two spend his last moments together. In the aftermath Claire and Lim comfort each other and decide to go out drinking some time. The only unambiguously happy ending is Shaun and Lea the latter of whom reciprocates Shaun's feelings after believing he died which ends the episode on a hopeful note as the two kiss.
- Dying Declaration of Love: Melendez and Claire confess their feelings to eachother, but by then it's too late. Melendez has sustained fatal injuries in an earthquake and passes away soon after.
- Easily Forgiven: Lea declares her love to Shaun at the end of the episode and doesn't seem to hold any kind of grudge against him for humiliating her and threatening to break her car a few days ago. Granted, a near-death experience changes ones priorities.
- Heroic BSoD: Park suffers one once Casey dies after he pretends to be his father so he can comfort him breaking down into tears while cradling Casey's body. The experience is so traumatising that Park decides to move back to Phoenix so he can reconnect with his family again.
- Innocently Insensitive: When Shaun and Vera's place begins to flood, Shaun coldly tells Vera that he could leave at any time (and by extension let her die). Despite that comment, he never really does.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Morgan has ultimately earned this title by the end of this episode, ruining her future as a surgeon to save a pregnant woman's life.
- Let Them Die Happy: As Park's patient, Casey, slowly dies, he become delirious and mistakes Park for his dad. Park, knowing that Casey's father won't arrive in time, goes with it. Casey admits that he knew about his mother's drug addiction, but didn't say anything, resulting in her overdosing. Park says that he already knew, and it wasn't Casey's fault. Casey dies happy, without guilt, and believing that his father is with him.
- Loophole Abuse: Shaun promises Vera that he will give up his love for Lea. When he is about to say this to Lea, she kisses him and declares her love. After the initial surprise, Shaun immediately says that the promise was in case Vera didn't survive, which means he doesn't have to keep it.
- Only the Leads Get a Happy Ending: The only ones who get a happy ending are Shaun and Lea.
- Pet the Dog: After spending the previous episode, and the beginning of this one, believing her to be a self centred career climber after learning that she hid her arthritis diagnosis, Andrews tells Morgan that he was wrong about her and that she does genuinely care for her patients.
- Will They or Won't They?: After three seasons, Shaun and Lea finally become a couple.
