Suits ended its nine-year run on a high note with an emotional finale, and it even referenced the very first episode of the series, which aired almost a decade ago. The overall narrative of Suits was set into motion after Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) met. At that point, Harvey had just been promoted to a junior partner at Pearson Hardman; therefore, he needed to find his own associate.
While conducting interviews, Mike stumbled upon his make-shift office in a hotel as he eluded the police officers chasing him for dealing marijuana. Donna (Sarah Rafferty), thinking that he was there for an appointment, let Mike in, assuming that he's different from all that other boring Harvard applicants they have. Mike didn't lie about the predicament he was in with Harvey, but the best closer in New York was so impressed with his wits and intelligence that he decided to take him in anyway - despite not being a law graduate. This moment was the crux of Suits' story and we saw a version of this sequence in the show's final moments.
After leaving the keys of the New York firm to Louis (Rick Hoffman) in preparation of his move to Seattle, Donna informed Harvey that his new boss will be waiting to talk to him. Little did he know, that it's going to be Mike he'll be talking to. Simply glad to see his protege-turned-friend in the Big Apple before they begin work in a new city, Harvey was caught off guard when Mike implied that he still needs to an interview before he can officially his team.
During their made-up interview, the two referred to their first meeting years ago, ending with Harvey telling his future employer: "you give me this chance, I promise you, I will school those Harvard douches and be the best lawyer you've ever seen." This was almost the same promise Mike told Harvey a decade ago as he asked for the opportunity to be his associate. Mike then broke the seriousness of the moment by joking about Harvey's too-wide-tie, another reference to their early days of working together where he always got criticized for sporting a skinny one.
The decision to call back to Suits' premiere episode was a treat for long-time viewers of the show who stuck by it despite the numerous cast changes. But more importantly, that final one-on-one between Mike and Harvey was a reminder that the show was built on their dynamic. The unique premise that brought them together was a great way to kickstart their journey together, but it was their relationship that got people hooked. It's the secret sauce that kept Suits enjoyable for years - the same one missing from the series since Adams' exit at the end of season 7. We all know that they're both going to be re-teaming in Seattle, albeit their adventures won't play out on the screen anymore, but having that last moment with them was a great way to send them off to their new life on the West Coast.