South Park's riskiest finale in years finally freed the show from Randy Marsh

South Park has always been known for pushing boundaries, but season 28's finale took a gamble that nobody saw coming. The animated series made a bold choice by sidelining most of its main cast for the season's final episode. This risky move actually paid off in ways that long-time fans are still talking about.

The show has been running for decades now, and it needed a reset. For years, Randy Marsh had slowly taken over as the main character. This shift left the original four boys in the background.

Season 28's finale changed all of that. By focusing on Stan and reintroducing classic characters, the episode effectively wrapped up multiple storylines.

The evolution of storytelling in South Park

The early days of South Park were completely different from what viewers see today. Season 1 featured silly jokes and toilet humor without much depth. Kenny died in nearly every episode back then, only to return the following week with no explanation. The show didn't care about continuity or making sense. Everything was just absurd fun.

Around season 4, things started to change. The creators began focusing on current events and political commentary. But serialized storytelling didn't arrive until much later. The Tegridy Farms plotline lasted seven years, but the show spent its first fifteen years avoiding long-term stories. Season 28's finale demonstrated the series's significant progress in terms of complex plotting.

South Park: A crowded finale with missing faces

Season 28 episode 5 brought together multiple storylines into one chaotic finale. The episode featured Satan, President Trump, JD Vance, and even the Woodland Critters from a 2004 Christmas special. These adorable yet demonic creatures had one goal: to aid in bringing about the Antichrist. Stan found himself caught in the middle of this bizarre situation. He teamed up with the critters and Towelie because Jesus refused to help him.

The hospital showdown included Satan and his allies facing off against Trump, Vance, Peter Thiel, and Jesus. The shocking twist came when the Antichrist was said to have died before being born. South Park managed to pack all this chaos into one episode by using a clever trick. Kyle, Cartman, Kenny, and Butters were utterly absent from the finale.

Why did the main characters take a backseat?

This absence might seem strange at first glance. However, it made perfect sense for what the episode needed to accomplish. Randy Marsh had dominated the show for thirteen seasons. He became the main character during seasons 14 through 27. The boys were pushed aside while Randy's Tegridy Farms took center stage. Season 27 finally began to change this pattern.

Randy's ketamine addiction led to the farm's downfall in episode 3. Kyle, Stan, Kenny, and Cartman began reclaiming their roles as main characters. The boys dealt with AI videos, kidnappings, and Saudi Arabia's Turkey Trot throughout seasons 27 and 28. South Park proved it could create wild storylines without relying on Randy.

Stan's role in restoring balance

The finale needed Stan more than any other character. His presence was essential for closing out the two-season arc. Since Tegridy Farms closed, Stan's family had been living in a retirement home. They could no longer afford their old house. This left Stan's future looking uncertain heading into season 29. The finale satisfyingly solved this problem.

Satan intervened and helped Stan's family return to their original home. This moment was crucial for South Park because it finally reversed changes made back in season 22. The show returned to its classic setup after years of focusing on Randy.

The payoff of taking risks in South Park

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South Park took a massive gamble with this finale. Removing most of the main characters from a season-ending episode could have backfired badly. Instead, it worked perfectly.

The episode wrapped up loose ends while setting up a fresh start.

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