What’s a show that had the perfect series finale?

My favorite show of all time is the Kirby: Right Back at Ya! series, which first aired October 6, 2001, and was concluded on September 27, 2003. It follows a baby puffball named Kirby, who crashes in Cappy Town while in his Warp Star. He basically becomes a baby brother to Tiff and Tuff Ebrum, the Cabinet Minister’s children. Together, they work to solve problems, help others, and guard their precious town from being annihilated by Nightmare’s forces.

The first ninety-five episodes were pretty straightforward and always ended the same way—the bad guy was beaten and Kirby always came out the hero. Simple. There were a few times of excitement, suspense, weirdness, and even horror, such as when Kirby battled Kracko; Meta Knight was paralyzed by Wolfwrath’s fang and nobody was sure he’d make it; the animators made a comedic, ludicrous anime of Tiff; and Dedede even tried to murder Tiff by nearly crushing her with his five-hundred-pound Dedede Stone.

With the last four episodes—which altogether made up the “Fright to the Finish” movie—the show got a little more intense. Tiff and Kirby were attacked by Destroya ships, Cappy Town was wrecked, Meta Knight revealed the Battleship Halberd, the crew stormed Nightmare’s fortress, Nightmare kidnapped Tiff, Kirby fought Nightmare while in a dream, and the crew escaped before the bomb they set up exploded. Cappy Town was rebuilt, and everything turned out happily.

But in the Japanese version—titled Kirby of the Stars—as Tiff and Kirby fly away, Nightmare’s voice resounds throughout the air, telling them that as long as fear was in the hearts of the villagers, he would surely return someday. The series ended on a mysterious note as to whether Nightmare would come back. There was talk of a sequel being made to the anime, but it never occurred.

In a way, I debate whether that was the proper ending to the story of Cappy Town and its destruction and fear by Nightmare. On one hand, I wish the story had continued. But on the other hand, maybe it’s best to leave the story the way it is for now. I dream of someone coming along and finishing what the Japanese started. Maybe it’ll start with my writing of Starmonia and her adventures. Maybe it’ll start with someone else. I don’t know.

I believe in this case, it’s not about whether the ending is perfect or not; it’s about how you define the ending.