Girl Meets World Season 2 Finale Review: What Legacy Did Everyone Choose to Leave?

It seems like just yesterday we were giddy over a Boy Meets World sequel. Now here we are, at the end of the second season of Girl Meets World. As everyone moves into a new chapter, we look back one last time at what they’ve learned so far, and what lies ahead.

With graduation approaching, the gang is preparing to head to high school. Cory gives his class one last assignment (and I say last while keeping in mind they’re probably going to Feeny this until the very end). Cory asks his students to think about what kind of legacy they want to leave behind. They’re not quite ready to tackle what this means, since they rightfully suspect it means that life gets harder, and so they have tough decisions to look forward to. Here’s where the parental legacy comes in. Cory and Topanga remind Riley that no matter what happens, the greatest legacy they can leave as parents is to be there for their kids. Topanga chimes in further, comforting the girls on how they can’t be afraid to continue to say what they need to say.

Change has a way of pushing people into thinking they should make final decisions. It’s not necessarily the wrong way of thinking, and it’s definitely something that happens when you make a big life transition. Therefore Lucas has come to the conclusion that it is time his triangle with Maya and Riley come to an end. The situation has dragged on for so long even Cory is pushing for someone to make some kind of move. Alas, after much thought (and a lot of flashcards), Lucas chooses neither of the girls. He cares too much about both of them to risk his friendship with either one of them, so he chooses to just remain friends with both of them. Not that this helps. It’s just something that’s going to carry on into the next season, where we find the gang in the depths of the even more complicated waters of high school.

Now for the part that brings everyone to tears, the Last Lesson before graduation. Cory continues to push the kids into thinking about what they will give back, what they want to be remembered for. The kids start off by saying goodbye to the people they are leaving behind. Lucas’s goodbye to Janitor Harley about making good choices from here on out brought me to tears. Then there’s Cory’s unbelievable admission to the kids-he was wrong. Like Mr. Feeny before him, he can’t shelter them and tell them to keep their feelings inside, because they’re not kids anymore.

In one final test, Cory asks the kids comprehensive questions about what they learned in middle school and how they learned it. They all discuss the most important lessons they’ve learned in the last two years, with the most important lesson being that People Change People. This is what they leave behind to the next class, in the form of a new bench with a placard that says just that. They want to leave behind a place others can go to freely talk things through and ask questions. Unbeknownst to Cory, the kids have also chosen to take something with them when they leave.

The kids decide that they can’t figure out what legacy to leave behind yet without Cory to guide them. So they decide to take Cory with them. Turns out Riley placed a call to “Uncle Jonathan”, who as you’ll recall is now the Superintendent, and got Cory promoted to be a high school teacher with a little help from a committee of parents. Cory is now Feeny 2.0.

What do you think is ahead in Season 3 as everyone tests out the jungle that is high school?