Throughout its 10-year run, Friends became one of the most influential and popular sitcoms ever. It finally concluded in 2004, with an incredibly emotional finale that saw the core group of characters all move on to the next chapter of their lives.
Looking back, it's interesting to hear each of the main character's exact last line. After all, the series received plenty of praise over the years for both its writing and how it handled its ensemble cast. Did every single one of them say something significant that perfectly epitomized them as a character? To find out, here is everyone's last words (disregarding one-word comments).
Richard: “I Know. I Hate That.”
Naturally, as Monica's ex-boyfriend, Richard didn't stay in the show for its entire run. In fact, his last appearance came in the classic proposal episode in season six.
During the episode, he almost got in the way of Chandler and Monica's relationship. In the end, though, he encouraged Chandler to learn from his mistakes and propose to the woman he loves. That prompted him to call Richard a good man, a personality trait that Richard comically lamented.
Janice: “Goodbye, Chandler Bing.”
As far as Chandler's exes go, they don't get much better or more memorable than Janice. She made plenty of appearances during the early years of the show, despite everyone finding her annoying.
Janice turned up again in the 10th season when she attempted to buy a house next door to the Bings. Desperate to avoid this from happening, Chandler chose the risky option of pretending to still be into her, in the hopes of scaring her off. It worked, but not before Janice kissed him and said goodbye.
Gunther: “I Just Have To Tell You … I Love You. I Don’t Know If That Changes Your Plans At All, But I Thought You Should Know.”
Ross's feelings for Rachel were clear throughout the show. Yet, he wasn't the only one in love with the fashion designer, as Gunther also had a serious crush on her for many years.
In the finale, he finally summoned the courage to tell her. He did it before Ross, who waited until she was on the verge of physically leaving. However, Rachel's reaction to Gunther's declaration of love wasn't as good. She wasn't mean to him, but she also didn't feel the same way he did. At least he gave it a shot.
Mike: “Seriously. You Want To Make One Of Those?”
Paul Rudd's Mike joined the series in its later years and quickly entered into a romantic arc with Phoebe. By the finale, the two were happily married. And based on Mike's final words, they were about to take the next step.
After seeing Chandler and Monica's new twins, he asked his wife if she also wanted a baby. Naturally, Phoebe answered in her usually quirky way, but she still seemed just as excited as he was.
Ross: “Do You Realize We Almost Made It 10 Years Without That Coming Up?”
One of the most emotional moments in the show's history came when the core group was saying goodbye to Monica and Chandler's apartment. While it was a heavy scene, there was still time for jokes.
In one such case, Monica pointed out that Ross used to live in the apartment when he was trying to be a dancer. Ross glared at her and then mentioned how annoying it was that that particular secret got revealed on the group's last day together.
Phoebe: “So, I Guess This Is It.”
While Phoebe often said some hilariously odd things, she was completely serious in the show's final moments. After everyone had put their keys on the counter, Phoebe sadly summed up what everyone was thinking, that their time together as a group was over.
Seeing such a bubbly character so dejected was one of the reasons why the final scene was so heartbreaking, although it also showed how much they all mean to each other.
Joey: “Yeah. I Guess So.”
Joey was never an eloquent speaker. And his last line in the finale was no different in this regard, as he just backed up what Phoebe said. Yet it didn't diminish his final words whatsoever, as the pain in his voice could be felt as he delivered the line.
The whole moment must've been even harder for him than everyone else, as at least they were all moving on to exciting things. Nothing was changing for him besides losing his friends, that is, until he moved to Los Angeles for his spin-off.
Monica: “We Got Some Time.”
After the keys were on the counter and the tears had mostly been shed, Monica confirmed that they had some time before they had to leave.
The line itself wasn't particularly interesting, nor did it truly sum up Monica as a character, but at least it set up the ending to the show. Plus, it gave a reason for the characters to stop crying, as they had more time to hang out.
Rachel: “Okay, Should We Get Some Coffee?”
As every fan knows, coffee was always a major part of the show. Not because the characters were addicted to caffeine, but because they spent a lot of their time at the Central Perk coffeehouse.
Both Rachel and Joey worked there for a time, and Phoebe sang there regularly. Mostly, though, they all visited the place to hang out together. So it was fitting that their last activity as a group was to go for coffee, and it was nice that Rachel got to suggest it, as Central Perk was where she joined the friend group.
Chandler: “Sure. Where?”
There is no doubt that Chandler was one of the funniest characters on Friends. Throughout the 10 seasons of the series, he delivered so many laugh-out-loud jokes, most of which were sarcastic. Thus it was no surprise that his final line in the show was also dripping with sarcasm.
After Rachel asks if they want to get coffee, he hilariously asks where they should go, even though they've been going to the same coffee place for at least 10 years. Not only was it Chandler's last line, but it was the last thing said by anyone in the show. And it was nice that the finale ended on a joke after such an emotionally heavy episode.