I think House got the idea when he saw Wilson standing outside the building, come to rescue his friend from the fire. In that moment, I doubt House could ignore the depths of Wilson’s selflessness and he decided that he would go to drastic measures to be there for Wilson the way Wilson was always there for him.
Again, Gregory House was a poison in their relationship. Gregory House was abusive to Wilson, no matter how kindly Wilson treated him. But with Gregory House out of the picture, this new, improved man can devote all his energy to paying Wilson back for every kind deed he ever performed. To take on Wilson’s pain, if need be, and allow his best friend to live in the moment, rather than dreading the future. To be there to tell Wilson that “Cancer’s boring” – a perfect final line for the series – and give him an exciting new series of adventures to occupy his final days.
And it starts, of course, with a motorcycle ride.
I honestly couldn’t be happier, or more moved, by what David Shore and company achieved in this final hour. As a show, House has made almost as many missteps over the years as its title character did, and by embracing and owning up to those mistakes – House’s subconscious exploration of his flaws played like a thinly-veiled meta-commentary on the show’s own stubborn refusal to make meaningful change – they crafted a finale that honored and improved upon everything that came before, rather than just cherry-picking and revisiting the best moments in a rocky eight-season run.
The finale was everything I loved about House distilled into one wonderful hour, and after years of feeling hurt and betrayed by the downfall of what started as such a great series, I now feel nostalgia and warmth towards the show once more. If that isn’t above-and-beyond what we require of any finale, let alone House, we’re being far too critical.