Last night marked the end of the Dollverse as we know it.  Because I canceled my cable service a week too early not thinking about this, I just watched the finale online this morning.

The end of a favorite show is always bittersweet.  We get a little bit of closure, and a significant sense of loss in saying good-bye to characters we have come to love.  I find that this is especially true when it comes to Joss Whedon’s shows, as his characters are complex, charasmatic, despicable, and loveable – often simultaneously.  Although Eliza Dushku’s performances are often criticized (and her portrayal of Echo was no exception), I believed in Echo.  I watched her transform from a passive, agreeable creature into a fierce and confident leader.  And this is the type of leading character women and girls could stand to see more of.

Each of the characters evolved over the two seasons of the show – Topher grew a conscience and suffered from the mental fallout of what he had created; Adelle went from cold, hard bitch to warm and maternal (and back again a few times); Boyd and Paul showed us the gray areas between the light and dark sides; Sierra/Priya and Victor/Anthony taught everyone that there are levels of emotion and connection that are stronger than any wipe.  And the LA Dollhouse taught us that no matter how we kid ourselves, there is always a greater potential for harm and evil within human nature than we are willing to admit – but there are also people willing to stand up and fight against that.

Dollhouse didn’t live up to everyone’s expectations, but a lot of those expectations were really high.  There were a lot of themes (identity, individuality, agency, sex work, human trafficking, economic privilege, power) and little time to address them.  It was a bumpy road, and themes and storylines didn’t always get the attention they deserved, but Dollhouse gave us a show that was willing to take a look at the dark side of human nature and the future of technology.  Dollhouse made us think, made us feel, made us question.  I’ll miss it.  Until next time, Joss.

Check out these other send-offs from io9 and Adventures of a Young Feminist.