500 Days of Summer ending explained: Why didn't Tom and Summer end up together?

Marc Webb's indie flick 500 Days of Summer starts off with a warning in one of the very first minutes into the movie, as the narrator tells us that "this is not a love story, it's a story about love." Starring two characters who belong to completely different worlds and have different perceptions of love, the film explores the intricacies of love, loss and emotional growth through a non-linear narrative that mirrors the chaos of heartbreak.

The film's title is a reference to the five hundred days Tom Hansen, the protagonist spends while being in love with his colleague Summer Finn. The storm of differences between their ideologies, that later caught up to their relationship, form the core of this story that acts as a lesson on the dangers of idealization and the importance of self-awareness even while in love. The film's depiction of two flawed characters has become a major discussion among cinephiles who often find themselves arguing over who was on the right, long after the credits roll.

At its heart, 500 Days of Summer is raw, gentle and absolutely realistic as it delves deeper into a complicated relationship between two people who are looking for different things but are momentarily swept up in each other’s worlds. Here's why Tom and Summer don't end up together in 500 Days of Summer, and what the film's ending means for Tom.

Tom and Summer's relationship

Still from 500 Days of Summer (Image via Youtube @/SearchLight Pictures)

Tom and Summer's relationship is mostly shown through Tom's lenses, which is why one might find themselves being more empathetic towards his longing for her and his pain of loss after they separate. Ever since the beginning of the relationship, it's pretty clear that his feelings for her are far more complicated than hers. She treats the relationship like something casual, fleeting, even fun, while Tom romanticizes every moment, every glance, every shared song. He sees Summer not as a person, but as an idea: the perfect woman who will give his life meaning. That imbalance becomes the emotional core of the film.

In multiple scenes we see this imbalance being loud and clear. A scene when this imbalance becomes especially clear is the infamous “Expectations vs. Reality” sequence. Tom shows up at Summer’s party, hoping to rekindle something, imagining a romantic reunion. But what actually happens is far more painful—he realizes she’s moved on, and he's left standing alone with his shattered expectations. The split-screen format highlights how deeply he’s trapped in his own idealized version of her.

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Even in the IKEA scene, which is often viewed as quirky and sweet, you can sense the difference in investment. For Tom, it’s a fantasy of domestic bliss; for Summer, it’s just another playful day. She’s not cruel—just emotionally unattached in a way Tom refuses to accept.

Summer constantly puts her feelings out to him, while he tries to dodge her cynical beliefs and somehow is convinced he can change her perception of all things romantic. In the end, it's not Summer who breaks his heart. It’s his own expectations. Tom builds Summer up to be the answer to all his emptiness, projecting onto her every romantic fantasy he's ever had. He ignores her words, her boundaries, and even her silences all in the hope that love, or his version of it, will be enough to sway her. Tom’s heartbreak is less about losing Summer and more about the collapse of his fantasy.

How does Tom and Summer's relationship end?

Shortly after their casual relationship starts and the honeymoon phase ends, the arguments start. Tom constantly asks her for a label and for her to address what they feel for each other, Summer always declines and eventually they start arguing a lot. Soon enough, they break up and Summer quits the company. Tom gets depressed and even though he tries going on dates, he finds it difficult to forget her.

During the "Expectations Vs Reality" scene, Tom gets to know Summer is engaged, which sends him into a depressing spiral as he quits his job, turns to alcohol and junk food and goes through a difficult period. Upon more reflection he realizes how he and Summer were always incompatible and how he was forcing a connection to be there when there wasn't any between them. He reflects on her shortcomings, and all the warning signs of the relationship. Eventually he picks himself up, secures job interviews and focuses on his passion for architecture.

Soon enough, he meets Summer, who's married now and Tom finds it difficult to wrap his head around that. He tells her how he doesn't understand how she never wanted to be anyone's girlfriend and now she's someone's wife. To which she responds that she felt sure and she just knew. Something she was never sure of with Tom.

He then tells her about how all his true love fantasies are false and farcical but Summer tells him it's very much real and exists, Tom was just wrong to think he would find it with her. They both proceed to wish each other the best and part ways.

Epilogue of 500 Days of Summer

In the last scene of the film, Tom is in an office for a job and meets a woman doing the same. They talk for a while and they realize they both have the same favorite spot. As he goes up for his interview, he comes back and asks her if she wants to get coffee sometime. She declines at first, but then agrees. He smiles and introduces himself. She smiles back and says her name is Autumn.

After 500 days of idealization and heartbreak, Tom finally lets go—not just of Summer, but of the fantasy he built around her. The film's ending isn’t about new love, but growth. Autumn symbolizes change. Tom no longer chases fate; he embraces reality. In the end, the message the film gives out is that heartbreak is born from our own illusions, and sometimes, letting go of a fantasy is the first step toward finding something real.