well that was a really stupid thing to cut out of the finale. instead they left in a million clips from old episodes that we've already seen but left us wondering how her best friend is still alive? EYE ROLL.
@@Bethanysummer actually this is only partially correct. Ben does in fact cheat. That is why he apologizes at the end of the show and Felicity says that she forgave him.
I just rewatched the show and there was definitely room for these scenes. We didn’t need to hear the entire life story of felicity allover again in that last episode. I even fast forwarded that part
Thank you for sharing this. I rewatched Felicity and needed to see these deleted scenes. I've been thinking about the importance of the audience experience. The confusion impacted the credibility of the show, also leaving many people feeling dissatisfied. I'm much happier seeing it explained and wish when you stream a show, you get to watch extra bits like this included in the DVD, rather than researching and stumbling upon them randomly. Now I'm wondering what else was edited out ... Still glad I watched Felicity a second time. It was brilliant and I'd forgotten so much of it. It is / was one of my favourites.
Im about to release the show with the original aired music. And yes my finale has this in it. My Instagram is @felicityrestorationproject. You can actually see how this stuff was included in clips I posted last summer. Also the show needs to be seen with the original music. The DVDs and steaming never had the original music and that's the worst thing ever.
So glad to have found these scenes. It was a major glaring plot hole that didn't go unnoticed by the real fans. I can't believe the network wouldn't just air a longer finale and instead opted to cut out the storyline of one of best characters on the show and leave viewers scratching their heads. It is interesting how only Elena and Felicity are the ones who remember the alternate timeline. Maybe the writers were early subscribers of the Mandela Effect. Alternately, I choose to believe that Felicity went back in time to save Elena rather than just go back in time to see what life would have been if she choose Noel.
i just watched the whole series on hulu and as soon as i saw elena, i was so confused. so i'm glad that we got an attempt at an explanation, but like the commenters say below, it doesn't make any sense, because if felicity truly changed elena's outcome, then noel would be dead still. it would have been better if they just cut elena out of the finale, unfortunately.
I can accept this... fine. maybe it wasn't well thought out, they could've left it out all together as it had nothing to do with the bigger story arch. The audience needed to see why choosing Noel in the end wouldn't have worked out because we all couldn't get over the "what if".. her choosing Ben in the end is what it was all about. I'm more upset we never found out who the heck Sally is!
It really bothers me that they killed off the one person of color on this show and then to not even give her the respect of having a real final storyline or explanation of her death/returning seems like a slap in the face. She was an integral part of the show and the creators are just like laughing about how they didn't feel her finality was important. It seems absurd. If they were going to bring her back and "keep" her in the show, why kill her off at all? She was like Felicity's first real friend on the series! Maybe there was some behind the scene drama because for her finality to be handled with such little care, just seems nuts.
I agree, it's a really bad choice. And it's bullshit they couldn't have left those scenes in and not removed some of the clips from old episodes, like... huh? I love Sean but like, we didn't need a Sean clip show over the Elena explanation, jeez.
It’s crazy that those scenes were cut!! I just rewatched whole series and was like, “wait, why is Elena alive in the end??” I had to hop online and find the answer. This show has a great fan base (at least I liked it.) How could they think we wouldn’t notice Elena. I bet Tangi Miller was upset to have her scenes cut. 🙁 They could have cut out Felicity walking through her college years with Paul K. We didn’t need to see that since it was just a summary of past seasons.
Even if you buy that about Elena it unfortunately means that everything else that happened in that jump back in time was also true and therefore Noel should be dead and no wedding. Ill thought-out premise. I'll just stick with The Graduation as the definitive final episode.
This just shows that Elena wasn’t important enough for them to give her a full final story arc. It was disappointing at the time and even more disappointing to know that they cut this out.
I'm sure they could have shaved a few seconds here and there from all the flashback scenes to make room to explain the Elena thing. This was a ridiculous decision. I've just re-watched the whole series for probably the 8th time or something. I still love this show and get an overwhelming sense of sadness when "I Will Remember You" starts playing as I know that it's over, but I do think that this whole Elena thing makes no sense. Why have her die to begin with??
yeah it is ridiculous. I am working on a full restoration of the show with all the original music. and an extended finale that includes these scenes. you can find me on inta: felicityrestorationproject
I feel like every 2 years I end up finding this clip and think to myself "did they ever explain what happened to Elena?" Tonight I was having dinner with a big fan of some of JJ Abrams work and I asked him "what is the best time example of time travel paradox in all of his work" and he started discussing Star Trek and Lost and he'd never seen Felicity (except for his comment that "I know she cut her hair and that was a big deal"). I basically spoilered him on Season 4. So now that the night is over, I'm back on youtube going down the Felicity rabbit hole. Great show. I started college in the fall of '98 when Felicity started and it was definitely a cultural moment. #teamanyonebutsimonrex
find me on Insta under @felicityrestorationproject. The show was mutilated on home release changing all the songs. I'm fixing all of that. And I will be extending the finale to include this Elena scene.
It was also "magic" so there is some leeway as to why Noel is still alive. If you suspend your disbelief, it makes sense. Future Felicity goes to see Korsakoff to undo what happened to Noel: it was why the main part of the spell had Noel's picture. The magic allowed Felicity to undo her actions and return her to the future (her present) to preserve Noel. But if you remember, she was telling Korsakoff the whole reason her life went off track was because Elena died which caused her distance, which set up the situation for Ben to cheat, which starts her journey back into time. So Korsakoff's [newer] spell then allowed Felicity to also change Elena's fate. But since time travel is a circle, there still needed to be a conflict for Felicity to go back in time upon her return to the present, which is why Ben cheats. So to prevent the universe from collapsing into itself, time corrected itself and maintained the focal point in Felicity's time travel while changing the circumstances (i.e. keeping Elena alive through Felicity's actions in the past).
The fact that Matt has the AUDACITY to admit that he hoped we wouldn’t notice this plot hole 💀. The worst part is that this also doesn’t make sense. If Elena was alive, wouldn’t that change everything? One of the reasons why Ben cheated was that Felicity was closed off after Elena’s death, so if this didn’t happen… why did Ben cheat? Honestly I’m so pissed, I have just ended the whole show for the first time, came here to find explanations and this is it??? IDGAF about what the network wanted, they should have pushed for keeping “the graduate” as the series finale. I just can’t comprehend why did they have to chose Elena for this circus, couldn’t they kill Richard or something? They didn’t even tried to explain why she is back with tracy and what happened with the other dude (he was an ass though, so I’m not mad about it). My point being, they really did her dirty. From being my favorite character in the first two seasons to being an irrelevant one with no important storylines in the last path, it’s so sad. I really love this show and I plan on rewatching in the future, but everything after the first two iconic seasons seem just average, I can’t explain but it was lacking that feeling season one & two gave. Anyways, thanks for coming to my Ted talk 🧍🏻♀️
I feel your pain. I've struggled with this for years hah. I do enjoy the time travel for the "fun." But here's how I look at it...there's no straight line. She changed some events but not all. yeah it doesn't make sense because if Elena is alive Noel should be dead but eh. I'll look over that.
Agree with everything u said here…The Elena death & Ben cheating storyline frustrated me so much cause it really made no sense..those last 3 eps were unnecessary
I totally agree..i know this is an old post but judt finished watching it...agree that season 1 and two were it and after that it went down hill. But why would noel still be dead if elena lived?
Why would they cut that out and keep in all of those annoying flashbacks? Note to filmakers, nobody likes multiple flashbacks. So dumb! Also if they kept her dead they could have had Felicity have a moment with Zoe where Zoe mentions being in the institution which would confirm Felicity’s “dream” was real
Ok. So here's the way I understand it. 1. Elena died before Megan did the time travel spell. 2. This means, Elena died in real life. 3. The time travelling ended up being a dream. 4. In this dream Noel dies. 5. In this dream Felicity warns Elena about choosing Duke (to avoid the car accident). 6. Reality for Elena is changed because of Felicity's dream. 7. Reality for Noel does not change because he died in the dream. Not in real life. Therefore, he is alive. 8. Imagine you fall asleep and dream that a friend of your's (Noel) died. But also in this dream you prevented another friend (Elena) from a dangerous situation. You could wake up and find out that your friend (Noel) never died (you only dreamt it) and that through your dream, you changed someone's destiny (Elena's). 9. THE BIG PROBLEM for me is not believing you can predict the future through a dream, but believing all the characters who went to Elena's funeral would act so normal seeing her alive in the wedding. 10. I loved the show and I just finished watching it. It feels like at the end the only way both Noel and Elena can be alive, is because what we thought for almost 4 seasons that was 'reality', was really an alternate reality (half reality-half fantasy kind of thing). So, in Season 4 Felicity went through reality in the first chapters and fantasy in the last one's to give us a half true-half lie resolution. Moral: Just as it is in our life, we can't tell what is real and what is not real. Everything is surreal and we as human beings are time travellers in our own way through memories (past), moments (present) and wishes (future expectations) that may or may not be real.
I like your way of thinking, but it's too much even for J.J. I think they only needed some way to finish the show so they try some finals, and during the edition and post-production of the chapter, they mixed some of the alternative endings. This was obviously a mistake, by they din't realize for some reason so they show us Elena in the wedding and they invented this one hour-42:50 minutes of tv show and deleted scenes. Just. Nothing about how human beings are time travelers in some philosophical way... this is overthinking...
I love the show! It's my all-time favorite show, no doubt! But this explanation doesn't make sense and I got really disappointed with the series finale. It's like they were rushing things up and just got lost with so many details.
It makes no sense that they would have cut this out. They included so many things that didn't even matter, but they couldn't bother to leave something in that would actually explain a huge plot hole? Not only was Elena alive, she was randomly back with Tracy.
How it should have gone. Felicity realizes she didn't come back for Ben or Noel. She came back for Elena. Instead of going forward, she goes back again she makes the same decisions but saves Elena this time. Then goes back to the future.
Yes it's ridiculous she didn't care at all about Elena when going back in time. There should have been an entire episode based around her spending the day with Elena or something
This is so stupid. If this was true and she actually time traveled and changed Elena's fate then Noel would be dead and all of the other stuff would be true also... But if it was just "a dream" like they tried to play it off like she got sick and Elena was alive all along and never died then that means Felicity wouldn't have had a reason to pull away from Ben and he wouldn't have cheated on her so why does he still apologize in the end? None of it makes any sense.
+Jeremias Sørensen How about this?Still sloppy by the producers, because what im writing here is far fetched...If what she did in the dream, which the producers still call it - a dream, can affect the original timeline, Noel would be dead too. You can't have it both ways.Only way you can get around this is something like this:Events that happen after Felicity leaves the dream (Elena's choice of med school) can be changed in the original timeline future.Events that happened before or during felicity's time in the dream (Noel's death), will be as it originally were in the original timeline. Does that make sense?
They thought people would just not notice? How insulting to viewers. These scenes needed to be in the finale for it to make any sort of sense.This was just sloppy writing and editing. I loved this show but seriously. And the missed scene itself doesn't even make sense. Why the hell would Elena even listen to her when what she says just sounds crazy? There are still so many unanswered questions. :(
@@aliali-ce3yf -- Obviously, they didn't film scenes for this...but the implication would be that Felicity was so gung-ho about Elena picking Duke that Elena did extra research into Duke and discovered some new details about it that she loved...so she went with her gut (via Felicity's advice) and turned down Columbia. Also, maybe Tracy gets accepted into Duke but rejected by Columbia...so Elena and Tracy decide to attend the same school into which they both got in?
I just rewatched all seasons again, as this was my to-go show during my University years. Those 5 last episodes were stupid. I'm sorry. And it just goes to show how the creators ego took over. J.J. Abrams is really good at the fantasy and sci-fi, and I guess he just couldn't help himself by adding that sci-fi aspect to a show where it was totally out of place. Especially with this whole Elena part. I'm not expert in time-travel, but, c'mon, if you change one character's future, how is Noel alive and everything else? MAKES NO SENSE! They did that black and white episode on season one that sort of explored an alternative reality, if they wanted to explore how it would've been like if she had chosen Noel, they could've done something like that. In any case, I thought episode 17 of season 4 was quite satisfying and I didn't even care how it would've been if she had chosen Ben. When you binge watch a show, you see a lot more of the things you miss when waiting weekly for an episode (like, for instance, the mic popping up from the top angle... hahahaha). In any case, the only thing I hated about the finale (for me episode 17 was the finale), was that Felicity gave up on her long dream of being an artist because it was too difficult, to study to become a doctor, which is what was expected to her after all. I thought that, after 4 years of trying to figure herself out, and the fact that things just sort of lost importance (like her finally getting accepted to the Honors programme of art), were annoying. Not too mention all the cliché graphic design notions used in the show (that's what I studied... lol).
Butterfly effect. Elena's new actions in the newly-created timeline could have reverberated across the other characters' lives, even if in tiny, subtle little ways. All Noel would have needed to do was make one teensy decision differently and he could have placed himself in a scenario where he was able to avoid the fire. Presumably, Ben still cheats on Felicity -- albeit due to different circumstances than Felicity being distraught over Elena's (now-reversed) death.
They should have included these scenes especially because Elena was barely in season 4. There were too many episodes where she'd only show up for one or two scenes. These deleted scenes helped explain why she got back together with Tracy because she had been dating Trevor before; then the character stopped showing up and there was no explanation given. They should have included this instead of that weird storyline about Elena and Javier getting into an argument about his audition.
If you follow my instagram @felicityrestorationproject we are just about in that weird time of Elena barely showing up. It is so heartbreaking. I know a lot about Felicity but I've never heard of any rumblings behind the scenes. But you would think the creators hated her with the way she was treated in season 4. It's kind of insane...but mostly so sad for what was once a rich, strong character.
I'm glad I found this. I was always mad that they killed Elena, and never understood this and other plot holes in the show. The answer seems to be that they weren't able to write for the time they had. So they cut things that mattered while leaving in things that didn't. Why kill Elena in the first place? There was no shortage of drama already on the show.
Ok wow people. No, it would've been stupid to take elena out of the finale, she was one of pilars that held the show up and made it what it was . All the writers needed to do is not have elena die at all, boom... simple. That way they couldve made it like it was just a surreal dream that made felicity realize her destiny.
Exactly! Everything should have been a dream, from Elena’s death to all the shit that follows it… they could have just made Felicity dream all of this after she received Noel’s invitation. It would have been such a waste of episodes and time but at least it would have made sense 🥴
I also noticed that at one point in the final episodes Ben called Noel BEN!! I had to rewatch it to make sure, but it’s crazy to me that no one caught that.
Just a Bruin I just went back and watched it lol I swear it sounded like he said “Hey ben how you doing?” but now I think he said “hey man”.😂 Season 4 episode 20 at about 12 minutes is the scene. I just finished the final episode today and it left me so confused!! Still a great show overall
@@julianacarter7091 Yeah he def says "Man" but Ben is so hard to understand 😂 If you're on instagram I have created @felicityrestorationproject. Going to release the series with all of its original music. Most of this music hasn't been scene and heard since its original broadcast. DVDs and streaming changed the music.
Amen! The last half of season 4 to me honestly was a bit half-assed and weird at times. Season 2 i my personal favorite. I just love the transitions that Ben and Noel both make throughout that season, both because of their love for Felicity. Awesome! :)
Um, ok but then that doesn't explain why Ben still cheated with that random blonde girl when Felicity and Ben reunited? To go even further, why did Ben still have a baby with Lauren? I mean this last time he cheated was supposed to be because Felicity pushed everyone away because she couldn't get over Elena's death. So if Elena didn't die everything the happened between Ben and Felicity doesn't make sense and shouldn't have happened. If Elena went to Duke because of Felicity and Ben and Felicity were still together during the time Ben's dad was in the hospital. This would now have to be a whole new timeline. When did Ben and Lauren hook up? Wouldn't they have stayed in New York? The entire ending doesn't make sense. I need more of an explanation, Elena going to Duke, and having that note, proofing Felicity went back in time, means a lot more things should have been affected.
My thoughts exactly. The truth is they didn't have time. But Felicity was with Ben so there was no Lauren and Ben hookup. Which means Andrew doesn't exist. If you think about it Ben was breaking Felicity out of the nut house instead of moping around hooking up with Lauren...trying so hard to get Felicity out of his heart. Ben believes Felicity because of the phone call with Lauren that Ben's dad is in the hospital. So if you think about that fact they never get close, she is just some lady calling abut bens dad, which makes Ben close to Felicity again because he knows she's t3elling the truth. Also I don't recall ben ever talking about that kid again after the graduate episode. Even in the wedding scenes they are back together moving past the supposed cheating which you are 100% accurate why did that happen if Elena was alive. All these questions in my mind as a fan, Felicity going back in time changed the future. Elena is alive, Ben and Felicity are together, there is no Lauren baby mama drama and everyone is happy healthy and amazing. In truth they would have had to make at least one more at minimum episode to clear everything up and they just didn't have that. It's all crazy.
@@DylanLovesBrenda just reading this now as I started watching all over since I hadn't watched in forever... I also was thinking .. that if she was able to tell ben about his father then he also knows about Lauren and avoid that whole situation.. so what do you think is the ending? that she went back in time to change the death of her elena? that because of Elena ben cheated? it seems to be she was already not speaking to ben at the funeral scene -- she seems to be with noel.. right? idk im confused
That is another detail that doesn't makes sense! When she went back in time, Ben never slept with Lauren. He never got that chance. He was all concerned about breaking Felicity out of the mental hospital and being with her. So, if he never slept with Lauren, then he never had a kid with her. I'll bet when she goes back to future, he probably still has that kid.
I just re watched the whole series again and I had forgotten the ending. Pretty disappointed. They should have just left Elena out of the wedding. These deleted scenes don't make sense. It was a dream not time travel. The whole reason for the break up was felicity pulling back after Elena's death and Ben looking for comfort elsewhere. Elena should not have been in the final scene.
I think it does. They're saying it wasn't a dream. It's a little nod to Meghan being a real witch. I know it's out-there for a show like this but it was fun. So, basically Elena followed Felicity's advice and went to Duke. And that changed her course....I think all time travel movies have that one little thing that gets changed.
@@justabruin Then Noel shouldn't be alive. In general I find the time travel arc fairly ill-conceived, but it would have worked better if they'd left it ambiguous as to whether it was real or not (simplest way to do that would have been for Elena not to die in the first place). It seems to me they tried to do too many things and wrote themselves into a corner...
@@justabruin it was ridiculous to introduce sci-fi/fantasy elements to a show's final episodes when they weren't present at all during the rest of the series. i think it would've been better if Elena had really died. It could've been a real powerful storyline losing someone that young with a bright future. Besides no way she would turn down Columbia for Duke, especially since her family was from NYC too
I'm sorry, but that made NO sense. If they chose to cut this explanation out, they could have just as easily cut out Elena's death all together, it didn't move the plot forward in any meaningful way anyway!
So that's it? SMH, they really messed up the show. Why would they all of a sudden have sci-fi elements to a show for its resolution? When Elena died suddenly, i thought it was a good choice because she wasn't a great character, her story was pretty much wrapped up, and the sudden shock of dying young was something the show had not explored yet. But to have this? ugh. Idk , the whole last season of Felicity was bad. It basically negated the other 3 seasons , she turns her back on her passion of art and ends up doing medicine (what her father wanted anyway) but really because that's what Ben was doing and just followed Ben across the country back to California.............it's like she never learned anything and back where she started as a high school senior at graduation.
I'm guessing Tracy also went to Duke for medical school. That is what seems to be implied with Elena's statement, "If it wasn't for this card, we wouldn't be engaged." I guess because she chose Duke, she rekindled her relationship with Tracy, as he was there, too.
How you gonna leave out such an important key to the puzzle like that!?! There was no reason to even kill Elena off, that scene did nothing to the story line, everything would had worked out the same way had she lived.
Why would Elena remember things from when Felicity time traveled but no one else does? The whole point of Felicity going back to the future is so things go back to exactly how they were. So she travels back in time and the only thing she corrects is Elena dying? That doesn’t make sense.
How about they just shouldn’t have had the plot line that Elena died to begin with?!?! There I saved you all that time of confusion. This was so stupid. By this logic Noel should be dead then. Makes 0 sense. Now I get why “Lost” was confusing too
well that was a really stupid thing to cut out of the finale. instead they left in a million clips from old episodes that we've already seen but left us wondering how her best friend is still alive? EYE ROLL.
And I know this is an old comment... but elena doesnt die... felicity doesnt come withdrawn and ben doesnt cheat..
@@Bethanysummer actually this is only partially correct. Ben does in fact cheat. That is why he apologizes at the end of the show and Felicity says that she forgave him.
I said the same thing, I would have think that’s one important things Felicity would try to have Elena avoid
I just rewatched the show and there was definitely room for these scenes. We didn’t need to hear the entire life story of felicity allover again in that last episode. I even fast forwarded that part
Yes! What were JJ and Matt thinking???
Thank you for sharing this. I rewatched Felicity and needed to see these deleted scenes. I've been thinking about the importance of the audience experience.
The confusion impacted the credibility of the show, also leaving many people feeling dissatisfied.
I'm much happier seeing it explained and wish when you stream a show, you get to watch extra bits like this included in the DVD, rather than researching and stumbling upon them randomly. Now I'm wondering what else was edited out ...
Still glad I watched Felicity a second time. It was brilliant and I'd forgotten so much of it. It is / was one of my favourites.
Im about to release the show with the original aired music. And yes my finale has this in it. My Instagram is @felicityrestorationproject. You can actually see how this stuff was included in clips I posted last summer. Also the show needs to be seen with the original music. The DVDs and steaming never had the original music and that's the worst thing ever.
So glad to have found these scenes. It was a major glaring plot hole that didn't go unnoticed by the real fans. I can't believe the network wouldn't just air a longer finale and instead opted to cut out the storyline of one of best characters on the show and leave viewers scratching their heads. It is interesting how only Elena and Felicity are the ones who remember the alternate timeline. Maybe the writers were early subscribers of the Mandela Effect. Alternately, I choose to believe that Felicity went back in time to save Elena rather than just go back in time to see what life would have been if she choose Noel.
i just watched the whole series on hulu and as soon as i saw elena, i was so confused. so i'm glad that we got an attempt at an explanation, but like the commenters say below, it doesn't make any sense, because if felicity truly changed elena's outcome, then noel would be dead still. it would have been better if they just cut elena out of the finale, unfortunately.
I can accept this... fine. maybe it wasn't well thought out, they could've left it out all together as it had nothing to do with the bigger story arch. The audience needed to see why choosing Noel in the end wouldn't have worked out because we all couldn't get over the "what if".. her choosing Ben in the end is what it was all about. I'm more upset we never found out who the heck Sally is!
This…
I was more frustrated not ever knowing what the heck was inside Meghan’s box!!!
@@MayaPapaya-89 ahahahaha yes !!! so frustrating
@@MayaPapaya-89 right?! I wanted to know what was in the damn box too!
It really bothers me that they killed off the one person of color on this show and then to not even give her the respect of having a real final storyline or explanation of her death/returning seems like a slap in the face. She was an integral part of the show and the creators are just like laughing about how they didn't feel her finality was important. It seems absurd. If they were going to bring her back and "keep" her in the show, why kill her off at all? She was like Felicity's first real friend on the series! Maybe there was some behind the scene drama because for her finality to be handled with such little care, just seems nuts.
I agree, it's a really bad choice. And it's bullshit they couldn't have left those scenes in and not removed some of the clips from old episodes, like... huh? I love Sean but like, we didn't need a Sean clip show over the Elena explanation, jeez.
@@BorkBorkBork19 Yes and YES!
It’s crazy that those scenes were cut!! I just rewatched whole series and was like, “wait, why is Elena alive in the end??” I had to hop online and find the answer. This show has a great fan base (at least I liked it.) How could they think we wouldn’t notice Elena. I bet Tangi Miller was upset to have her scenes cut. 🙁 They could have cut out Felicity walking through her college years with Paul K. We didn’t need to see that since it was just a summary of past seasons.
10000% i skipped thru all those scenes. I hate it when tv shows have those flashback episodes too. That was such a let down
Even if you buy that about Elena it unfortunately means that everything else that happened in that jump back in time was also true and therefore Noel should be dead and no wedding. Ill thought-out premise. I'll just stick with The Graduation as the definitive final episode.
Exactly. I ignore the "dream episodes" because they were nonsensical and filler.
Oh my!! Thank you, I needed that closure.
This just shows that Elena wasn’t important enough for them to give her a full final story arc. It was disappointing at the time and even more disappointing to know that they cut this out.
I'm sure they could have shaved a few seconds here and there from all the flashback scenes to make room to explain the Elena thing. This was a ridiculous decision. I've just re-watched the whole series for probably the 8th time or something. I still love this show and get an overwhelming sense of sadness when "I Will Remember You" starts playing as I know that it's over, but I do think that this whole Elena thing makes no sense. Why have her die to begin with??
yeah it is ridiculous. I am working on a full restoration of the show with all the original music. and an extended finale that includes these scenes. you can find me on inta: felicityrestorationproject
the last episode was basically just a clipshow, they could’ve cut so much of it in favor of this
I feel like every 2 years I end up finding this clip and think to myself "did they ever explain what happened to Elena?" Tonight I was having dinner with a big fan of some of JJ Abrams work and I asked him "what is the best time example of time travel paradox in all of his work" and he started discussing Star Trek and Lost and he'd never seen Felicity (except for his comment that "I know she cut her hair and that was a big deal"). I basically spoilered him on Season 4. So now that the night is over, I'm back on youtube going down the Felicity rabbit hole.
Great show. I started college in the fall of '98 when Felicity started and it was definitely a cultural moment. #teamanyonebutsimonrex
find me on Insta under @felicityrestorationproject. The show was mutilated on home release changing all the songs. I'm fixing all of that. And I will be extending the finale to include this Elena scene.
It was also "magic" so there is some leeway as to why Noel is still alive. If you suspend your disbelief, it makes sense. Future Felicity goes to see Korsakoff to undo what happened to Noel: it was why the main part of the spell had Noel's picture. The magic allowed Felicity to undo her actions and return her to the future (her present) to preserve Noel. But if you remember, she was telling Korsakoff the whole reason her life went off track was because Elena died which caused her distance, which set up the situation for Ben to cheat, which starts her journey back into time. So Korsakoff's [newer] spell then allowed Felicity to also change Elena's fate. But since time travel is a circle, there still needed to be a conflict for Felicity to go back in time upon her return to the present, which is why Ben cheats. So to prevent the universe from collapsing into itself, time corrected itself and maintained the focal point in Felicity's time travel while changing the circumstances (i.e. keeping Elena alive through Felicity's actions in the past).
So mad they cut these scenes!
The fact that Matt has the AUDACITY to admit that he hoped we wouldn’t notice this plot hole 💀. The worst part is that this also doesn’t make sense. If Elena was alive, wouldn’t that change everything? One of the reasons why Ben cheated was that Felicity was closed off after Elena’s death, so if this didn’t happen… why did Ben cheat?
Honestly I’m so pissed, I have just ended the whole show for the first time, came here to find explanations and this is it??? IDGAF about what the network wanted, they should have pushed for keeping “the graduate” as the series finale. I just can’t comprehend why did they have to chose Elena for this circus, couldn’t they kill Richard or something? They didn’t even tried to explain why she is back with tracy and what happened with the other dude (he was an ass though, so I’m not mad about it). My point being, they really did her dirty. From being my favorite character in the first two seasons to being an irrelevant one with no important storylines in the last path, it’s so sad.
I really love this show and I plan on rewatching in the future, but everything after the first two iconic seasons seem just average, I can’t explain but it was lacking that feeling season one & two gave.
Anyways, thanks for coming to my Ted talk 🧍🏻♀️
I feel your pain. I've struggled with this for years hah. I do enjoy the time travel for the "fun." But here's how I look at it...there's no straight line. She changed some events but not all. yeah it doesn't make sense because if Elena is alive Noel should be dead but eh. I'll look over that.
Agree with everything u said here…The Elena death & Ben cheating storyline frustrated me so much cause it really made no sense..those last 3 eps were unnecessary
I totally agree..i know this is an old post but judt finished watching it...agree that season 1 and two were it and after that it went down hill. But why would noel still be dead if elena lived?
episode 17 when they graduated that to me was the final episode as far as 18-21 screw that lol
exactly.. after ben followed her in palo alto.. thats the end there..
For me too!
Late to the party but I agree
@@hey.noah. better late than never lol
Why would they cut that out and keep in all of those annoying flashbacks? Note to filmakers, nobody likes multiple flashbacks. So dumb! Also if they kept her dead they could have had Felicity have a moment with Zoe where Zoe mentions being in the institution which would confirm Felicity’s “dream” was real
This doesn't make any sense at all! J.J. Abrams, f***ing up time travels since 2002.
Ok. So here's the way I understand it.
1. Elena died before Megan did the time travel spell.
2. This means, Elena died in real life.
3. The time travelling ended up being a dream.
4. In this dream Noel dies.
5. In this dream Felicity warns Elena about choosing Duke (to avoid the car accident).
6. Reality for Elena is changed because of Felicity's dream.
7. Reality for Noel does not change because he died in the dream. Not in real life. Therefore, he is alive.
8. Imagine you fall asleep and dream that a friend of your's (Noel) died. But also in this dream you prevented another friend (Elena) from a dangerous situation. You could wake up and find out that your friend (Noel) never died (you only dreamt it) and that through your dream, you changed someone's destiny (Elena's).
9. THE BIG PROBLEM for me is not believing you can predict the future through a dream, but believing all the characters who went to Elena's funeral would act so normal seeing her alive in the wedding.
10. I loved the show and I just finished watching it. It feels like at the end the only way both Noel and Elena can be alive, is because what we thought for almost 4 seasons that was 'reality', was really an alternate reality (half reality-half fantasy kind of thing). So, in Season 4 Felicity went through reality in the first chapters and fantasy in the last one's to give us a half true-half lie resolution. Moral: Just as it is in our life, we can't tell what is real and what is not real. Everything is surreal and we as human beings are time travellers in our own way through memories (past), moments (present) and wishes (future expectations) that may or may not be real.
I like your way of thinking, but it's too much even for J.J. I think they only needed some way to finish the show so they try some finals, and during the edition and post-production of the chapter, they mixed some of the alternative endings. This was obviously a mistake, by they din't realize for some reason so they show us Elena in the wedding and they invented this one hour-42:50 minutes of tv show and deleted scenes. Just. Nothing about how human beings are time travelers in some philosophical way... this is overthinking...
I think these scenes should have been restored since it would have explained Elena's repearance at the wedding
I love the show! It's my all-time favorite show, no doubt! But this explanation doesn't make sense and I got really disappointed with the series finale. It's like they were rushing things up and just got lost with so many details.
That scene shoudn´t have been cut! It makes a hell whole lot more sense now! But the final episode is still one great big mess!
same shit JJ did w Lost
It makes no sense that they would have cut this out. They included so many things that didn't even matter, but they couldn't bother to leave something in that would actually explain a huge plot hole? Not only was Elena alive, she was randomly back with Tracy.
How it should have gone. Felicity realizes she didn't come back for Ben or Noel. She came back for Elena. Instead of going forward, she goes back again she makes the same decisions but saves Elena this time. Then goes back to the future.
Yes it's ridiculous she didn't care at all about Elena when going back in time. There should have been an entire episode based around her spending the day with Elena or something
So then Felicity would have been single, basically just still platonic friends with both Noel and Ben during the finale?
This is so stupid. If this was true and she actually time traveled and changed Elena's fate then Noel would be dead and all of the other stuff would be true also... But if it was just "a dream" like they tried to play it off like she got sick and Elena was alive all along and never died then that means Felicity wouldn't have had a reason to pull away from Ben and he wouldn't have cheated on her so why does he still apologize in the end? None of it makes any sense.
+xnycheartx22 Excatly tihs. Pretty sloppy, and too bad really.
Anyways it was a great show, just a bit miffed about the last 4 episodes.
+Jeremias Sørensen
How about this?Still sloppy by the producers, because what im writing here is far fetched...If what she did in the dream, which the producers still call it - a dream, can affect the original timeline, Noel would be dead too. You can't have it both ways.Only way you can get around this is something like this:Events that happen after Felicity leaves the dream (Elena's choice of med school) can be changed in the original timeline future.Events that happened before or during felicity's time in the dream (Noel's death), will be as it originally were in the original timeline.
Does that make sense?
They thought people would just not notice? How insulting to viewers. These scenes needed to be in the finale for it to make any sort of sense.This was just sloppy writing and editing. I loved this show but seriously. And the missed scene itself doesn't even make sense. Why the hell would Elena even listen to her when what she says just sounds crazy? There are still so many unanswered questions. :(
exactly, no way Elena would turn down Columbia for Duke. Columbia is more prestigious plus its in NYC where all her family and friends are.
@@aliali-ce3yf -- Obviously, they didn't film scenes for this...but the implication would be that Felicity was so gung-ho about Elena picking Duke that Elena did extra research into Duke and discovered some new details about it that she loved...so she went with her gut (via Felicity's advice) and turned down Columbia. Also, maybe Tracy gets accepted into Duke but rejected by Columbia...so Elena and Tracy decide to attend the same school into which they both got in?
I just found this clip and I can’t believe they cut out those scenes! I’m so happy now that I know but still omg! 😳
They shouldn't have cut elena scenes
Love this show !! bring back for reunion
I just rewatched all seasons again, as this was my to-go show during my University years. Those 5 last episodes were stupid. I'm sorry. And it just goes to show how the creators ego took over. J.J. Abrams is really good at the fantasy and sci-fi, and I guess he just couldn't help himself by adding that sci-fi aspect to a show where it was totally out of place. Especially with this whole Elena part. I'm not expert in time-travel, but, c'mon, if you change one character's future, how is Noel alive and everything else? MAKES NO SENSE! They did that black and white episode on season one that sort of explored an alternative reality, if they wanted to explore how it would've been like if she had chosen Noel, they could've done something like that. In any case, I thought episode 17 of season 4 was quite satisfying and I didn't even care how it would've been if she had chosen Ben. When you binge watch a show, you see a lot more of the things you miss when waiting weekly for an episode (like, for instance, the mic popping up from the top angle... hahahaha). In any case, the only thing I hated about the finale (for me episode 17 was the finale), was that Felicity gave up on her long dream of being an artist because it was too difficult, to study to become a doctor, which is what was expected to her after all. I thought that, after 4 years of trying to figure herself out, and the fact that things just sort of lost importance (like her finally getting accepted to the Honors programme of art), were annoying. Not too mention all the cliché graphic design notions used in the show (that's what I studied... lol).
Butterfly effect. Elena's new actions in the newly-created timeline could have reverberated across the other characters' lives, even if in tiny, subtle little ways. All Noel would have needed to do was make one teensy decision differently and he could have placed himself in a scenario where he was able to avoid the fire. Presumably, Ben still cheats on Felicity -- albeit due to different circumstances than Felicity being distraught over Elena's (now-reversed) death.
They should have included these scenes especially because Elena was barely in season 4. There were too many episodes where she'd only show up for one or two scenes. These deleted scenes helped explain why she got back together with Tracy because she had been dating Trevor before; then the character stopped showing up and there was no explanation given. They should have included this instead of that weird storyline about Elena and Javier getting into an argument about his audition.
If you follow my instagram @felicityrestorationproject we are just about in that weird time of Elena barely showing up. It is so heartbreaking. I know a lot about Felicity but I've never heard of any rumblings behind the scenes. But you would think the creators hated her with the way she was treated in season 4. It's kind of insane...but mostly so sad for what was once a rich, strong character.
P.s. my project IS restoring these scenes
I'm glad I found this. I was always mad that they killed Elena, and never understood this and other plot holes in the show. The answer seems to be that they weren't able to write for the time they had. So they cut things that mattered while leaving in things that didn't. Why kill Elena in the first place? There was no shortage of drama already on the show.
These people were so high when they had this idea .... Ridiculous
Ok wow people. No, it would've been stupid to take elena out of the finale, she was one of pilars that held the show up and made it what it was . All the writers needed to do is not have elena die at all, boom... simple. That way they couldve made it like it was just a surreal dream that made felicity realize her destiny.
Exactly! Everything should have been a dream, from Elena’s death to all the shit that follows it… they could have just made Felicity dream all of this after she received Noel’s invitation. It would have been such a waste of episodes and time but at least it would have made sense 🥴
I also noticed that at one point in the final episodes Ben called Noel BEN!! I had to rewatch it to make sure, but it’s crazy to me that no one caught that.
do you know which scene and episode?
Just a Bruin I just went back and watched it lol I swear it sounded like he said “Hey ben how you doing?” but now I think he said “hey man”.😂 Season 4 episode 20 at about 12 minutes is the scene. I just finished the final episode today and it left me so confused!! Still a great show overall
@@julianacarter7091 Yeah he def says "Man" but Ben is so hard to understand 😂 If you're on instagram I have created @felicityrestorationproject. Going to release the series with all of its original music. Most of this music hasn't been scene
and heard since its original broadcast. DVDs and streaming changed the music.
Just a Bruin That sounds awesome! i’ll go follow right now
Amen! The last half of season 4 to me honestly was a bit half-assed and weird at times.
Season 2 i my personal favorite. I just love the transitions that Ben and Noel both make throughout that season, both because of their love for Felicity. Awesome! :)
The Cloverfield Paradox (J.J. produced) may help this theory out. Felicity returned to another version of her world in which Elena is alive. : )
Um, ok but then that doesn't explain why Ben still cheated with that random blonde girl when Felicity and Ben reunited? To go even further, why did Ben still have a baby with Lauren? I mean this last time he cheated was supposed to be because Felicity pushed everyone away because she couldn't get over Elena's death. So if Elena didn't die everything the happened between Ben and Felicity doesn't make sense and shouldn't have happened. If Elena went to Duke because of Felicity and Ben and Felicity were still together during the time Ben's dad was in the hospital. This would now have to be a whole new timeline. When did Ben and Lauren hook up? Wouldn't they have stayed in New York? The entire ending doesn't make sense. I need more of an explanation, Elena going to Duke, and having that note, proofing Felicity went back in time, means a lot more things should have been affected.
My thoughts exactly. The truth is they didn't have time. But Felicity was with Ben so there was no Lauren and Ben hookup. Which means Andrew doesn't exist. If you think about it Ben was breaking Felicity out of the nut house instead of moping around hooking up with Lauren...trying so hard to get Felicity out of his heart. Ben believes Felicity because of the phone call with Lauren that Ben's dad is in the hospital. So if you think about that fact they never get close, she is just some lady calling abut bens dad, which makes Ben close to Felicity again because he knows she's t3elling the truth. Also I don't recall ben ever talking about that kid again after the graduate episode. Even in the wedding scenes they are back together moving past the supposed cheating which you are 100% accurate why did that happen if Elena was alive. All these questions in my mind as a fan, Felicity going back in time changed the future. Elena is alive, Ben and Felicity are together, there is no Lauren baby mama drama and everyone is happy healthy and amazing. In truth they would have had to make at least one more at minimum episode to clear everything up and they just didn't have that. It's all crazy.
Ben wasn't ready to settle down and frankly Felicity smothered him, making him freak out, so he cheated to feel freedom.
@@DylanLovesBrenda just reading this now as I started watching all over since I hadn't watched in forever... I also was thinking .. that if she was able to tell ben about his father then he also knows about Lauren and avoid that whole situation.. so what do you think is the ending? that she went back in time to change the death of her elena? that because of Elena ben cheated? it seems to be she was already not speaking to ben at the funeral scene -- she seems to be with noel.. right? idk im confused
Does Felicity also tell ben not to have sex with Lauren LOL cause thats probably smart LOL
That is another detail that doesn't makes sense! When she went back in time, Ben never slept with Lauren. He never got that chance. He was all concerned about breaking Felicity out of the mental hospital and being with her. So, if he never slept with Lauren, then he never had a kid with her. I'll bet when she goes back to future, he probably still has that kid.
How is NOEL alive, then?!?!?!
I just re watched the whole series again and I had forgotten the ending. Pretty disappointed. They should have just left Elena out of the wedding. These deleted scenes don't make sense. It was a dream not time travel. The whole reason for the break up was felicity pulling back after Elena's death and Ben looking for comfort elsewhere. Elena should not have been in the final scene.
I think it does. They're saying it wasn't a dream. It's a little nod to Meghan being a real witch. I know it's out-there for a show like this but it was fun. So, basically Elena followed Felicity's advice and went to Duke. And that changed her course....I think all time travel movies have that one little thing that gets changed.
@@justabruin Then Noel shouldn't be alive. In general I find the time travel arc fairly ill-conceived, but it would have worked better if they'd left it ambiguous as to whether it was real or not (simplest way to do that would have been for Elena not to die in the first place). It seems to me they tried to do too many things and wrote themselves into a corner...
@@justabruin it was ridiculous to introduce sci-fi/fantasy elements to a show's final episodes when they weren't present at all during the rest of the series.
i think it would've been better if Elena had really died. It could've been a real powerful storyline losing someone that young with a bright future. Besides no way she would turn down Columbia for Duke, especially since her family was from NYC too
I'm sorry, but that made NO sense. If they chose to cut this explanation out, they could have just as easily cut out Elena's death all together, it didn't move the plot forward in any meaningful way anyway!
I know this is years later but speaking of unfinished business...what the hell was in Meghan's box?!
probably weed
Something that can't be thrown out, according to Meghan's father. So I can't even begin to imagine.
So that's it? SMH, they really messed up the show. Why would they all of a sudden have sci-fi elements to a show for its resolution?
When Elena died suddenly, i thought it was a good choice because she wasn't a great character, her story was pretty much wrapped up, and the sudden shock of dying young was something the show had not explored yet.
But to have this? ugh. Idk , the whole last season of Felicity was bad. It basically negated the other 3 seasons , she turns her back on her passion of art and ends up doing medicine (what her father wanted anyway) but really because that's what Ben was doing and just followed Ben across the country back to California.............it's like she never learned anything and back where she started as a high school senior at graduation.
I still want to know how Elena ended up back with Tracy.
I'm guessing Tracy also went to Duke for medical school. That is what seems to be implied with Elena's statement, "If it wasn't for this card, we wouldn't be engaged." I guess because she chose Duke, she rekindled her relationship with Tracy, as he was there, too.
How you gonna leave out such an important key to the puzzle like that!?! There was no reason to even kill Elena off, that scene did nothing to the story line, everything would had worked out the same way had she lived.
this doesn't make any sense.
Why would Elena remember things from when Felicity time traveled but no one else does? The whole point of Felicity going back to the future is so things go back to exactly how they were. So she travels back in time and the only thing she corrects is Elena dying? That doesn’t make sense.
I mean Elena was dead. So it would make sense that that is now a real memory for her. Also don't overthink it 😏
Crazy guys! Cutting scenes that make things have no sense, why not cutting some of the scenes of her in the hospice
Oh my god its Lexi from Grey's Anatomy and now she's in another medical drama
How about they just shouldn’t have had the plot line that Elena died to begin with?!?! There I saved you all that time of confusion. This was so stupid. By this logic Noel should be dead then. Makes 0 sense. Now I get why “Lost” was confusing too
JJABRAMS= time travel.
THIS WAS MORONIC WHY WOULD THEY LEAVE YOU OUT