When ‘Mad Men‘ aired its finale in 2015, it left fans all uneasy due to the blend of resolution and ambiguity, especially in the case of Don Draper, played by Jon Hamm. After seven seasons, fans watched Don, evolve, regress, and evolve again, all the while embodying the complexities of a man trying to outrun his past.
Additionally, when the show ended, it did not answer many questions. Did Don Draper find the peace he was searching for? Or did he simply return to his old ways?
Don’s Journey In The Final Episode, “Person To Person”
In the series finale, ‘Person to Person’, Don Draper finds himself at a crossroads. After years of running from the ghosts of his past, both literal and metaphorical, Don retreats to a coastal wellness center in California. Broken by the weight of his lies and failures, particularly his strained relationships with his ex-wife Betty and his children, Don seeks some form of healing, unsure of what that might look like.
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Throughout this episode, Don is portrayed as a man on the brink of emotional collapse. His ‘niece’ Stephanie takes him to some kind of spiritual healing retreat in California. Moreover, at first, Don is just like his old self. However, after Stephanie leaves him alone there, he starts to crack.
His final conversations with Betty and Peggy serve as markers for his journey. With Betty, who is dying from lung cancer, Don confronts the reality that he cannot fix everything. Her death is inevitable, and Don is powerless to change it. Additionally, with Peggy, he apologizes for abandoning her and seeks some form of closure.
However, the climax of the episode comes when he gives into the retreat and joins the meditation exercises. During a group therapy session, a fellow retreat guest named Leonard shares his story about feeling unloved and unnoticed. Moreover, this hits too close to home for Don who then breaks down into Leonard’s arms.
Don Finally Finds The Inner Peace
The most famous scene in ‘Mad Men’s finale comes just moments before the credits roll. As Don sits with the group in meditation, the camera slowly zooms in on his face, capturing a serene smile. Additionally, the smile while seemingly innocent is a contrast to Don’s emotional state.
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For the first time, Don Draper looks truly content, as if he has finally found some semblance of inner peace. And yet, the question remains: What does that smile really mean? The very next shot is a hard cut to the iconic Coca-Cola “Hilltop” commercial from 1971, one of the most famous ads of all time.
Additionally, this transition suggests that Don’s epiphany may not be about personal transformation at all, but rather another stroke of creative genius. The implication is that Don returned to his job at McCann Erickson. It further suggests that he was behind crafting a global feel-good advertisement based on his experience at the retreat.
The Coca-Cola Commercial: A Symbol Of Don’s Duality
The inclusion of the Coke ad is steeped in irony. On the surface, it’s a hopeful and optimistic piece. Yet, in the context of Don Draper’s arc, it serves as a stark reminder of the advertising industry and Don’s ability to commercialize human emotions for profit. Was Don’s enlightenment merely fuel for another iconic campaign?
Or had he truly found a deeper connection to himself and others? The finale was open to interpretation. However, the “ting” that came after Don’s smile might have suggested a new idea. More specifically, the Coke ad idea.
Additionally, Don Draper’s entire career was built on selling a lifestyle even as his own life crumbled behind the scenes. The finale leaves viewers wondering whether Don has once again turned his pain into profit or if he has genuinely come to terms with himself.
Did Don Really Change?
The open-ended nature of Mad Men’s finale invites endless debate about whether Don Draper truly changed. On the one hand, his smile in the final moments suggests a man who has found some kind of peace or at least acceptance. On the other hand, his legacy as an ad man casts doubt on the authenticity of that transformation.
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Matthew Weiner, the creator of Mad Men, has stated that the ending was meant to be ambiguous. Rather than provide a definitive answer about Don’s future, the finale encourages viewers to reflect on the nature of change itself. Can someone like Don Draper, whose entire life has been built on lies and reinvention, ever truly transform? Or is he doomed to repeat the same patterns?
