Firefly Lane Season 2 Ending Explained

Netflix's emotional drama Firefly Lane comes to an appropriately emotional conclusion.

Sarah Chalke and Katherine Heigl on Firefly Lane
Photo: Netflix

This article contains spoilers for all of Firefly Lane.

Firefly Lane’s second season is an emotional rollercoaster filled with heart, life changing moments, and most importantly, friendship. The series, which is inspired by Kristin Hannah’s beloved novel, follows the thirty year friendship of Tully (Katherine Heigl) and Kate (Sarah Chalke). 

In part one of the final season, which was released in December of 2022, we not only learn what was bad enough to break these Firefly Lane girls apart, but we realize how drastically everything is about to change when Kate gets diagnosed with stage 3 of a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer. Part two wraps up their story in a way that is true to life. 

Do Kate and Tully Make Up?

Tully returns from Antarctica to work on a documentary in episode ten of the season, which is the first episode of part two. After that she is by Kate’s side, doing her best to help and support in any and all ways that she can. By the finale, we see them have probably their most important heart to heart, Kate expressing that she knows her best friend is mad at her for leaving after promising that she never would. While Tully tries to keep avoiding it, she finally breaks at the thought of what’s coming. She cannot fathom the thought of existing without her.

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Kate concludes by giving her permission to be happy.

Do Tully and Danny End Up Together?

Tully throws herself fully into everything happening with Kate, too scared to allow herself to be happy with a relationship during such a grim time. But after receiving her best friend’s permission, she finally does see him again. The problem is, Danny (Ignacio Serricchio) has decided to move to New York for a new work opportunity. He’s been trying to call and tell her, but she hasn’t answered him for weeks. 

For a moment, it seems like that’s it for them, but Tully isn’t ready to lose him. This is the push she needs to fight for him, asking him to stay and saying she wants more. Danny doesn’t hesitate, walking over and kissing her as a yes. He’s going to stay for her.

What Happens to Kate? 

As we found out in episode 14, Kate’s cancer has come back and by the finale, she’s in the hospital after having a seizure. Tully and Danny rush there only for Johnny (Ben Lawson) to reveal that the cancer has spread to her brain, which means this disqualifies her from the study that she was accepted for and it could be a matter of weeks now. Tully refuses to give up, not able to face reality, but Kate tells her that all she wants at this point is to go home and spend time with her loved ones. Tully tearfully agrees and that’s exactly what they do. 

In a beautiful moment, Kate’s mother tells her daughter that she has surpassed her full potential, calling her better in every way and reassuring her how proud she is. That same night, Kate finishes her book and tells her husband that it’s the story of her life, which she wrote for their daughter (Yael Yurman). It’s filled with all the monumental moments that made up the series, called, “Firefly Lane.” It’s truly the perfect way to relive and reflect on her life. 

After Johnny brings her downstairs, she asks him if he’s washed Marah’s witch suit, which is something that flashbacks have shown their daughter wore in 1997, never wanting to take it off as a child. It’s a reminder for audiences and the characters of what is only a matter of time. Tully then comes back over to make dinner, telling her best friend all the details of what happened with Danny like she asked. However, when she goes to refill her tea, we see Kate pass away peacefully. 

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They have a funeral for her, Johnny and Marah greeting familiar faces that we have met throughout Kate’s story. Tully comes supported by her mother (Beau Garrett) and Danny, but she can’t go inside. Kate anticipated this and Johnny gives her a box filled with a letter, Kate’s book, cigarettes with a lighter, a signed picture of David Cassidy, and an iPod that has a special playlist. “Dancing Queen” turns on, which we saw their younger selves dancing to earlier in the episode.

Who Is Getting Married in the Flash-Forward Wedding? 

We do a ten year time jump after Kate and Tully’s big fight as well as the cancer diagnosis, taking us to Marah’s wedding. We see the family gathered while Tully imagines talking to Kate about their girl’s big day. Tully has stepped up since Kate’s death, being there for Marah when her mother couldn’t, but she gives all credit to her best friend when it comes to how the younger girl turned out. 

All episodes of Firefly Lane are now streaming on Netflix