Who does Rachel end up with in Friends?

Friends is an American super hit sitcom that aired from 1994 to 2004 with a successful 10-season run. The show revolves around the lives of six friends- Monica, Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Phoebe, and Joey. Among all the storylines of the show, Ross (played by David Schwimmer) and Rachel’s (played by Jennifer Aniston) on-and-off relationship is one of the most loved storylines.

Ross and Rachel’s relationship was a complete rollercoaster ride because of all the ups and downs they faced. From breakups to drunk marriage to giving birth to their baby, they experienced a whole lot of things that make the couple iconic. By the end, it was exciting for the audience as they were eager to know who Rachel ends up with. Even after so many miscommunications and other relationships, Ross and Rachel found their way to each other and reached their endgame.

Ross and Rachel’s Relationship: A Complete Timeline

Ross liked Rachel since childhood and had a crush on her but Rachel was not aware of his feelings. Throughout the first season, Ross was hesitant to express his feelings to Rachel because of the feeling of rejection. In the final episode of season 1, “The one where Rachel finds out”, Rachel got to know about Ross’s feelings on her birthday but she couldn’t confront him as he was off to China.

Things get complicated in Season 2 as Ross has a new girlfriend, Julie, who he met in China. After getting jealous and feeling sad about the situation, Rachel expresses her feelings to Ross in Episode 7, “The one where Ross finds out” and they share their first kiss which is one of the most iconic moments of the show. At the end of the season, after resolving the complications, the two of them started dating.

In season 3, Rachel got a new job at Bloomingdale’s where she meets her co-worker, Mark. Ross gets insecure and jealous of Rachel’s friendship with Mark as he has feelings for her. His possessiveness created tension between them which led to Rachel taking a break from Ross. All of this leads to the infamous fight “ We were on a Break” as Ross sleeps with another woman. Rachel feels betrayed and heartbroken by it and breaks up with him. This is one of the most emotional moments of the show.

In Season 4 Episode 1 “The One with the Jellyfish” the two get back together for a small period where Rachel expresses her feelings by writing him a letter of 18 pages. She wanted Ross to accept his mistake and take responsibility for it but due to their disagreement, they decided to end their relationship. They both moved on and decided to stay friends. Ross starts dating Emily and in a short period, he announces his wedding with her in London. Rachel still had feelings for Ross and didn’t like Emily at all and she even tried to ruin the wedding by traveling to London. In the last episode of Season 4, “The One with Ross’s Wedding”, things get complicated as Ross accidentally says Rachel’s name instead of Emily’s during his wedding vows.

In season 5, Ross tries to correct his mistakes and apologizes to Emily for his actions. Emily kept the condition that she would come back only if Ross cut his relationship with Rachel. Things get complicated and ultimately Emily ends their marriage. With all of this happening, Rachel decides to not tell Ross about her feelings. At the end of the season, the group decides to take a trip to Las Vegas to see Joey’s shooting. Ross and Rachel get completely drunk and get married in a 24-hour chapel.

In Season 6, after a crazy night of drinking, in the morning, Ross and Rachel realize that they are married. Even though Ross wanted an annulment, they ended up getting a divorce because their annulment application got rejected. After this incident, both of them went to date other people while maintaining their friendship.

In Season 7 Episode 1, “The one with Monica’s thunder”, Rachel feels lonely and decides to have a one-night stand with Ross which is interrupted by Monica who blames them for stealing her thunder on her engagement night. They moved on from that considering it as a mistake. Later in the season, it is revealed that someone is pregnant at Chandler and Monica’s wedding. Things get dramatic when it is revealed in Season 8 Episode 1, “The one after I do” that Rachel is the one who is pregnant. Later on, all of them realize that Ross is the father of Rachel’s child. The pregnancy got both of them closer and they decided to co-parent their daughter, Emma, without being in a relationship.

Things take a bit of a turn in Season 9 as Rachel starts liking Joey, one of her best friends. Ross finds it difficult to come to terms with this news, creating tension between him and Joey. This pairing was a bit of a shock for the audience also. After dating for a short period, Rachel and Joey realize that they are better off as friends as there is no depth in their relationship.

In the final season, Rachel is offered a job in Paris and she decides to take that offer and move to Paris with her daughter, Emma. The fact that Rachel and her daughter will be living away from him, makes Ross realize his feelings for Rachel and that she is the one who he wants to spend his life with. In the final episode, “The Last One”, Ross runs to the airport along with Phoebe to confess his love to Rachel but unfortunately, she boards the plane to Paris. In the hope that Rachel got off the plane, Ross was listening to her voicemail, and to his surprise he found her at the entrance of his apartment. In the end, they got back together for good.

The ups and downs of Ross and Rachel’s relationship for a whole decade is what makes their story exciting, filled with love and breakups. From having a crush on Rachel to being together and having a baby with her, life comes full circle for Ross in the final season. The audience was satisfied as they gave Ross and Rachel a happy ending. Their couple is one of the most loved and memorable couples in TV history.

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