A Million Little Things season 5 episode 12: Gary and Maggie make life-changing decisions

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A Million Little Things' penultimate episode hits hard and changes everything.

Chance Hurtsfield, Stephanie Szostak, David Giuntoli, Colin, James Roday Rodriguez, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Grace Park, Cameron Esposito, Christina Moses and Lizzy Greene in A Million Little Things
Chance Hurtsfield, Stephanie Szostak, David Giuntoli, Colin, James Roday Rodriguez, Romany Malco, Allison Miller, Grace Park, Cameron Esposito, Christina Moses and Lizzy Greene in A Million Little Things (Image credit: ABC/Darko Sikman)

NOTE: this post contains spoilers for A Million Little Things season 5 episode 12, "Tough Stuff."

Based on how emotional A Million Little Things is, it's no surprise the penultimate episode is a beautifully crafted hour of television that will have you in tears from beginning to end. Gary (James Roday Rodriguez) and Maggie (Allison Miller) have a tough road ahead of them and we might be saying goodbye in a bigger way than we expected as the show comes to an end.

Gary's fight takes a turn 

Unfortunately, the episode starts off with the news that Gary's (James Roday Rodriguez) cancer has spread to his other lung and the treatment is no longer working. While they can continue to fight, it's going to be even more extreme now. We see Gary return to chemotherapy and shave his head before skipping to Javi's first birthday. Gary is still alive, but it is obvious that the cancer has taken its toll. 

The oncologist visit does not go well as the doctor shares that at this point the best option is keeping Gary comfortable. Like longtime viewers, Maggie (Allison Miller) is not ready to give up, even suggesting an experimental trial in Mexico City. When she leaves the room, Gary thanks the doctor for getting him this far and later on he shares with Dr. Jessica (Bresha Webb) that at this point he's just tired rather than scared. But Maggie comes home with good news: Gary got a spot in the trial. Flights are already being booked and she dares her boyfriend to fight. He agrees, but it's only for her sake, not wanting Maggie to be left with the blame of not doing enough.

Everyone except Danny (Chance Hurstfield) goes to the airport to say their goodbyes, leading to what can be considered the most emotional scene of the episode. Before getting on the plane, Maggie realizes that going to Mexico City isn't what Gary needs, he needs to be with his loved ones instead.

Katherine and Greta have an important conversation 

We find out that Greta (Cameron Esposito) had frozen some of her eggs and had them stored for years. She had kept it from Katherine (Grace Park) because Julia, her ex-wife, had been worried about their children inheriting her bipolar disorder. Katherine says that if she wants to be a mother, Greta deserves to have that opportunity. To put her worries to rest, she also assures her wife that if their child did have bipolar disorder, there would be no one better to parent and help them. 

Eddie and Delilah's big move 

Eddie (David Giuntoli)  and Delilah (Stephanie Szostak) are embracing being together, planning on buying a house so that their family is not all cramped in his small apartment. They do find a house in Springfield, but that means they would be more than an hour away from their friends. Financially, it seems like the only choice.

However, they end up buying a condo down the hall from Gary and Maggie instead. Eddie explains that they wanted to be close for Maggie and their son, basically promising Gary that they will not be alone.

A surprise proposal and wedding 

Maggie finally breaks down after the hospice coordinator mentions that maybe Gary should sleep in a hospital bed since he is having trouble resting, offering to bring one to the apartment. Delilah finds her friend in the hallway and comforts her, their conversation leading to a big realization for Maggie.

The two of them manage to track down the engagement ring that Gary originally got for Maggie and then had pawned to pay for Eddie's rehab. In a full circle moment, she proposes and the episode ends with them getting married in their living room, surrounded by all of their friends in a stunning ceremony.

The series finale of A Million Little Things premieres Wednesday, May 3, at 10 pm ET/PT on ABC. All episodes are streaming on-demand on Hulu.

Editor's Note: We have corrected this article previous headline that referred Maggie by actress Allison Miller's name.

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Sophia Soto
Sophia Soto

Sophia Soto has a passion for all things entertainment and currently writes for The Nerds of Color. You can see her work on What To Watch, Remezcla, Looper, Den of Geek, Young Hollywood and more. Some of her favorite shows include Grey's Anatomy, The Goldbergs, Riverdale and Roswell, New Mexico. She is a complete Marvel nerd as well!