HBO Max's The Sex Lives of College Girls is a bit more divisive than previous seasons of Mindy Kaling's teen comedy-drama, but it still managed to wind down to an enjoyable season 3 finale. Season 3, episode 10, "Essex Strong" ended on a pleasant note, after the classic cast was ed by some newcomers this season. The season 3 finale gave everyone a chance to shine, but it's Bela (Amrit Kaur), who gets center stage.

In a show like The Sex Lives of College Girls, the ensemble cast means that a lot of storylines have to weave in and out and hopefully be completed in a satisfactory way. You never know which minor character is going to have a fierce, devoted fanbase. Towards the end of season 3, there have been some developments. Whitney (Alyah Chanelle Scott) has gotten her whole soccer team to quit, Bela has broken up with Arvind (Nabeel Muscatwalla), and Taylor's (Mia Rodgers) estranged mother is getting remarried. Everything comes to a head in the season 3 finale.

What Happens In The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Finale

Episode 10 Wraps Up All The Major Season 3 Storylines

In The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 finale, there are notable breakups, political protests that cause trouble, moments of athlete solidarity, and a bisexual awakening that perfectly fits the arc of the character it happens to. Everyone in The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 has their moment in episode 10 and the title "Essex Strong" is an apt description, as all the girls we've grown close to have a moment of courage and strength. Of course, it wouldn't be The Sex Lives of College Girls if there weren't some hilarious moments of weakness too.

Bela Comes Out To Her Friends And Family

Haley And Bela Kiss At A Fraternity Party

In the most significant story of The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 finale, Bela is doing quite well after her breakup with Arvind. She's exploring campus as only a single college student can, and she's getting back into performing and comedy again. Bela has had a few fun hookups but not with anyone who has stuck around for more than a night, as she would prefer. While telling her new friend Haley (Belle Adams) about her most recent romantic entanglement, she spontaneously kisses her "friend". It turns out she likes it quite a lot.

For all of The Sex Lives of College Girls, Bela has only been interested in the opposite sex. It's taken her three years to realize she's bisexual, and she happily comes out to all her friends as soon as she sees them. Hilariously, while her friends are happy for her, they also don't seem to care that much, and Bela gets frustrated that no one is making a big deal about her coming out. She decides to use this all as material for her stand-up/storytelling act that night, and figures that will be enough of moment.

However, when she sees her mother in the audience, she changes to a story about how she's adept at impersonating Siri. It takes until the end of the episode for Bela to have an actually intimidating coming-out moment. Tearfully, she its her feelings about Haley and her mother responds with a kiss and by wiping her tears away. It's a lovely ending for Bela and a uniquely ive arc. Even great LGBTQ+ coming-out arcs have moments of people not accepting the news. It's refreshing to have one where everyone is happy for the character.

The Other Characters In The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Finale Get Happy Endings

Whitney Gets The Essex College Athletes To Stand Up To The istration

Around the rest of Essex College, all the other friends receive their happy endings. Whitney has continued her crusade against the athletics department. When the Athletic Board brings her in to discuss why she quit the soccer team, instead of assuaging her concerns, the board emboldens her and soon, she is leading representatives from all the sports teams who make a list of demands which the school eventually bends to. Kimberly (Pauline Chalamet) has her own student protest to worry about.

In the season finale, a controversial conservative speaker comes to campus and when the istration stops Kimberly and her fellow activists from protesting, she goes to more extreme lengths. With Bela's ID in hand, she sneaks her way into the server room and severs the connection to the live feed of the speaker. Though she does end up in jail, her bail is eventually paid, and she even manages to get back to campus in time to see Kacey (Gracie Lawrence) sing.

Each character fulfills a journey they've been going on in the final episode of season 3.

Kacey is singing because, after her breakup with Cooper (Roby Attal), she needs a pick-me-up, and a powerful rendition of "Never Enough" from The Greatest Showman is just the ticket. Taylor, who has been saving a large bottle of vodka, decides not to drink it, learning from Bela it's better to talk about her problems than drown them in alcohol. Each character fulfills a journey they've been going on in the final episode of season 3. Some may find the closed loops too tidy, but you can't deny that they're satisfying.

Co-showrunner Justin Noble's Thoughts On The Finale

Noble Specifically Wanted A Joyful Finale For His And Mindy Kaling's Characters

The Sex Lives of College Girls co-showrunner, Justin Noble, has spoken a lot about the season 3 finale. With all the complete endings for these characters, "Essex Strong" seems almost like a series finale, but Noble was quick to dispel that notion (via THR),

"No one told us to, like, wrap up the show or anything like that... I think just me as a creator, I'm losing interest in cliffhangers."

It is a surprisingly cliffhanger-less episode, with basically every story completed. Notably, every story has a happy ending too; another intentional choice by Noble,

"I'd rather just write something that gives me a smile as I hit pause."

He also said (via Deadline),

"Very intentionally, this is a finale that chooses joy. These girls have come into their sophomore year of school. They've been challenged severely, and it felt only right that we should show the wins for all these young women who succeed in all these different ways."

It's a joyful finale alright, with each character having their moment in the sun. As for the Bela storyline, Noble had this to say,

"I wanted Bela's coming out story to tell the opposite end of the spectrum of what Leighton's was. Leighton (Reneé Rapp) was someone who came to college knowing exactly what her sexuality was and who she was as a person. She just wasn't comfortable with it because of her upbringing, whereas Bella is the equally important and equally, in my experience, common coming out story, which is, they're not aware of it until a certain point too, and it's a realization to them."

While Bela's coming-out story is unique on television, as Noble puts it, it's actually a common tale for many LGBTQ+ people, making you wonder why it hasn't been done more often on TV.

The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 3 Finale's Real Meaning

The Girls Are Rewarded For Pushing Past Their Comfort Zones

The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 finale wears its meaning on its sleeve with all its nicely wrapped-up storylines. The message is a fairly simple one, but also a good one to . What each of these girls realize is how important it is to try and keep going. Each of them meets some pushback in "Essex Strong". Whether it's the istration getting them down, the fear of a parent's disappointment, or the depression that comes with a breakup, everyone gets back on their horse and accomplishes something.

What could be trite comes off as sincere in The Sex Lives of College Girls, which is an important message unto itself.

What could be trite comes off as sincere in The Sex Lives of College Girls, which is an important message unto itself. Don't worry about how others will perceive something. If you want something, you should go after it. If you feel something strongly about yourself, pursue that impulse. Don't worry about looking "try-hard". It's only in the pursuit of their honest desires, needs, and philosophies that these college girls get to end season 3 on a high note.

The Sex Lives Of College Girls Season 4 Is Not Confirmed

Justin Noble Is Ready And Willing To Create Another Season

While the finale of The Sex Lives of College Girls season 3 does have a series finale feel to it, no one has said that it's the final season of the show. The Sex Lives of College Girls season 4 may not be confirmed just yet, but Noble says he's hopeful the show will be renewed,

"I'm hoping the show goes on. It's always at the top of the Max [top 10 series] list, which is nice to see. And I think that's, at the end of the day, what's making decisions these days, it's numbers and dollars spent."

There was a two-year gap between seasons 2 and 3, so viewers could be in for another long wait, even if the show is renewed. Though the story arcs of season 3 were completed in the finale, there's still plenty more to tell in the world of The Sex Lives of College Girls.