Ted Lasso Season 3 finale is less than a week away, and the sports dramedy’s fans are pouring in their share of speculations and theories about how the season will end. There’s a major possibility of this also being the overall series finale and last chapter of the Apple TV+ show developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt and Joe Kelly.
Sudeikis has led the charge as the titular character who moved to England in Season 1 and took over the task of managing Richmond AFC, without having any grasp at all on the sport. Hannah Waddhingham’s character, Rebecca Welton aka the owner of the football club may have initially tasked him with this job out of spite, but over the three seasons, they’ve both cultivated a healthy friendship and talked each other out of going the wrong way.
Season 3, has also garnered a lot of ‘TedBecca’ shippers who believe that the pair may end up with more than friendship in their fate. Yet, with the final episode in sight, the show hasn’t taken any overt steps in the direction. As we know, the Apple TV series has loved playing it subtle in this department. Another perceptible possibility has led us to believe that Ted may actually be going back to Kansas, and that may be the truth bomb he’s about to drop on Rebecca next time we meet them.
What are the Chances of Ted Leaving for Kansas in the Ted Lasso Season 3 Finale?
1. Yes, He May Leave for Kansas Since His Work Here is Done
Since his arrival in Season 1, Ted has helped cultivate a positive and healthy dynamic around Richmond. With Season 3, he opened up the gates to the fans of the football club and further made room for the goodness to spread across. Even Trent (James Lance) acknowledged this contribution from his end this season. In Episode 7, Crimm finally had the epiphany that ‘The Lasso Way’ has been alive and kicking over the three seasons – “by slowly but surely building a club-wide culture of trust and support… all leading to the inevitable conclusion”, which finally culminated with his master stroke of having the boys play the Total Football way.
Now that he’s achieved all that, with all the redemptions arcs of every individual character having wrapped up for the better, his work here is officially done. Moreover, he’s been facing a crisis ever since the third season began. Although he’s questioned his role in England time and again, but it’s never been as pronounced as it was this season. That same question ties up with his relationship with Henry, his son.
Ted has been on edge regarding the matter, a lot like walking on eggshells. He was already feeling insecure about how his family situation would function after his divorce with Michelle and though Henry’s been to England a couple of times this season, in Episode 11, when Ted’s mom makes an unprecedented appearance, she further reveals that his son misses him deeply, just as much as Ted misses him.
Ideally, this would’ve been the way to go about his arc finishing with him going back to his family. However, it would again raise the question how he’d been working out the dynamic with his ex-wife. So far, he’s been obsessing over it despite them splitting up. It makes for an unlikeable characteristic of his personality unlike how his character came to be respected when he decided to be the bigger person and let go of her, seeing how much their relationship irked her.
While going back to Kansas would help him build a better relationship with Henry, one that doesn’t pit varying timezones as a communication gap between them, it would also be interesting to see if he rekindles his marriage with Michelle or not.
2. He May Not Leave and TedBecca Becomes the Endgame
TedBecca fans however are still holding on to their “rom-communist” agenda and they’re dearly hanging on to the belief that the team watching Sleepless in Seattle is but a hint of what’s to come next in the season finale. Over the three seasons, both Rebecca and Ted have formed a profound “platonic soulmates” like bond. Yet with the third season, the fans of the show have especially rooted for them to end up together, given the fact how both of them have organically supported and helped each other in moving on from each other’s ex-spouses.
With Episode 11 having ended on a cliff-hanger, we don’t know yet officially what truth bomb Ted is going to bombard on Rebecca. However, it’s not too hard to guess the same as he’s quite likely to admit that he’s going back to Kansas with the game season also nearing its end. Again, we can’t anticipate exactly how Rebecca would react to this, but due to their growing friendship, she wouldn’t want to see this essential piece of her life removing itself from the equation.
While her romance with Sam (Toheeb Jimoh) hasn’t quite been on the top of the writers’ to-do list this season, we’ve seen them exchange some looks with each other, and Trish’s premonition has also hinted at the green matchbook playing a huge role in her life. Rebecca has also been promised the possibility of starting a family and becoming a mother. Now, though the green matchbook does fit in with Sam, the other half of the vision doesn’t quite do so, rather it fits in more with Ted especially since he’s more of a “Shight in Knining Armour” than Sam is, and, more importantly, he already has a son.
If you’ve heard anything about the aforementioned Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan starrer rom-com film, then you would know that both main characters had their separated lives, with Hanks’ character even having been married initially. But following many years after his wife’s death, his son helps him move on by finding him a suitable companion. Ryan’s character, too, in the end is about to marry someone else but she eventually leaves that guy and the movie ends with a last minute reunion of the couple. This could be exactly how Tedbecca’s story may end as well.
Additionally, the case becomes ever more intriguing when you realise how the show creators deceived us by making us believe that Rebecca was texting Ted over Bantr in Season 2, when it was actually Sam on the other side. They could be playing the same deception game again, but with the roles reversed this time.
Making it seem as if all’s good with Sam on her side, and then flip over the table, revealing Ted to her her partner. While it would be better to see a healthy friendship flourish between a man and a woman in mainstream media – as was depicted through Ted and Rebecca’s connection, there’s too much to claw at for us to ignore the possibilities of their ship being the endgame despite the lack of overt portrayal of that arc.
All shall be revealed in time. Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 12 premieres on Apple TV+ on May 31, 2023, Wednesday.
Also read: Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 12 Preview: When, Where and How to Watch!