# Did any long-term intricate story ever end well? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798 "2011-09-27T19:52:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Slade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@Slade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slade)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/61 "2011-09-28T21:34:13Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > I am hoping the last bit of the NuWho (hopefully many years down the road) ties it ALL up in one nice package. And good luck with _that_. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/62 "2011-09-28T21:42:08Z")
Technically, LOTR qualifies, it was originally six books. Then released as three books. ---
**Author:** ![davidw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c4cdca/32.png) [@davidw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidw)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/63 "2011-09-28T22:57:02Z")
> [@Slade](#): > > How did Lone Wolf and Cub end? I don’t think the English-language run I’ve got ever reached that point. Dark Horse Comics printed the complete series in English about 10 years ago. Definitely worth seeking out. As for the ending… Itto Ogami kills the entire Yagyu clan. Every hidden branch and secret spy. All of them. But the final members of the Yagyu break his sword and seriously wound him right before his final duel with Retsudo Yagyu. Retsudo manages to kill Itto, but he is immediately killed by Diagoro in turn. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/64 "2011-09-28T23:22:56Z")
> [@](#): > > Technically, LOTR qualifies, it was originally six books. Then released as three books. Or one book, depending on how you look at it. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/65 "2011-09-28T23:47:05Z")
> [@Slade](#): > > And good luck with _that_. Now come on, the Doctor never lets anyone down 🙂 Well, besides the people whose ass he is kicking… ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/66 "2011-09-29T00:23:22Z")
> [@Kolga](#): > > I completely 100% agree, and you and I are in the VAST minority regarding this ending. My quibble isn’t with the _Dark Tower_’s ending per se, but with all the subpar writing that led up to it. ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/67 "2011-09-29T00:58:21Z")
This is kind of a weird example, but I’ll nominate Steven Brust’s Kaavren Romances. It’s sort of a fantasy version of The Three Musketeers (not the exact plot, but heavily inspired by), and it follows the same book + sequel + three-part-sequel, which ends up being five full-length novels. Because of the structure, the last three novels do a lot more threads-interwoven-throughout than the first two, but there’s a very satisfying arc that ends very nicely. There’s a lot of political maneuvering, but it’s not super-heavy on reveals, so that might disqualify, but it’s one of the best wrappings up of a series I’ve ever read. Cannot recommend it highly enough. ---
**Author:** ![Vicullum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/6de8d8/32.png) [@Vicullum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vicullum)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/68 "2011-09-29T02:05:12Z")
As far as anime goes I thought Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood came to a satisfying conclusion to its myriad plot lines that were fleshed out over 64 episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Monkey\_Chews](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@Monkey\_Chews](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monkey_Chews)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/69 "2011-09-29T02:59:41Z")
I’m another person who thought that the ending of **Battlestar Galactica** was wonderful, and completely satisfying. One of the best TV show endings ever. Also thought **Deep Space Nine** did a pretty good job with its ending, although it would have been nice if they’d tied up Bajor’s entry into the Federation. You know, the entire basis of the show at it’s beginning But that’s about all. **Babylon 5** ’s a bit of an odd case - there’s nothing about the ending, or even the final season, that makes it a bad ending per se, it’s just that the quality of most of the episodes in season 5 were so low compared to the previous seasons that it kind of feels that way. The ending itself - both “Sleeping In Light” filmed at the end of season 4, and the actual resolution of most of the ongoing plot lines in the final few episodes of season 5, was great. I’m fairly optimistic about a great ending to **Breaking Bad**. And curious to see what they whip out for the ending of **How I Met Your Mother**. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/70 "2011-09-29T17:22:40Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > The Dark Tower. > > No, really, I thought the ending was perfect, and the only way it could have ended. I was perfectly fine with the actual ending, meaning the last page or so. I was definitely NOT fine with a lot of what came before. ---
**Author:** ![MostlyClueless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@MostlyClueless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MostlyClueless)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/71 "2011-09-29T17:52:01Z")
[Legend of Galactic Heroes](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/LegendOfGalacticHeroes). It’s a 110-episode anime, based on a 10-volume bookseries. (There have been add-ons and prequels, but I’m not counting these right now). All together it’s over 38 hours of material, released from 1988 to 2000. It’s pretty much the definition of a space opera in terms of scope, characters and story. Quoting TVtropes: _The meat of the story is this: sometime in the 36th century, humanity has spread out amongst the stars and has split off into two great superpowers which are now sadly engaged in a decades-long knock-down, drag-out war with each other. Fighting in the forces of the Galactic Empire (whose government is based on 19th century Prussia,) is an ambitious young noble named Reinhard von Müsel, better known by the name granted to him later, Reinhard von Lohengramm. Fighting for the opposing Free Planets Alliance (a government which resembles a crumbling, bloated 20th Century democracy,) is Yang Wen-Li, an easygoing historian who reluctantly joined the military because he was broke. Together, these two men (both tactical geniuses) are destined to commit great deeds, eventually becoming the series’ titular Galactic Heroes._ The animation is dated. Between the space battles there’s loads of talking about tactics, history, the problems of leadership and so on. And it doesn’t matter, because it’s all so damn intricate and _interesting_. [If you want to give it a shot, you can start here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLPnsZCXdcw&feature=player_detailpage#t=91s) ---
**Author:** ![BlinkingDuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eada6e/32.png) [@BlinkingDuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlinkingDuck)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/72 "2011-09-29T18:55:22Z")
> [@obfusciatrist](#): > > My standards must be low, I’m completely fine with the conclusions to Battlestar Gallactica and Lost. You are correct! Your standards are low. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/73 "2011-09-29T21:14:25Z")
> [@gonzoron](#): > > Did I not say NO BSG SPOILERS in the OP? Please, knock it off. I just got 4.5 from the library and will be watching it this week. I really don’t want to be spoiled after getting this far. Thanks. Yikes–I completely missed that in the OP. Sorry! ---
**Author:** ![With\_Rye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@With\_Rye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/With_Rye)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/74 "2011-09-30T03:49:31Z")
Great thread, I’ll be keeping an eye on this one. Avatar: The Last Airbender has a pretty complete and satisfying ending after three seasons, and never left any doubt that the writers had planned out everything. But I don’t think it’s complex enough for your OP though. ---
**Author:** ![Woeg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Woeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woeg)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/75 "2011-09-30T18:58:35Z")
Roger Zelazny’s Amber series was excellent - lots of Machievellian twists and turns - though the last five books are arguable of lesser quality than the first five. Don’t bother with the dreadfully bad “prequels” by Bethancourt - I’ve seriously read better fan fiction. I also really enjoyed Jim Butcher’s Codex Aleria books, and found myself regularly delighted by “throw away” plots from one book being brought in a couple books later, villains with, for the most part, understandable motivations, and in the end it all wrapped up pretty nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/76 "2011-09-30T20:54:20Z")
Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series might fit. It started as 5 books, ended up 7, each told from the perspective of a different character. (Wiki says there are 8 now). The premise is that various mythological gods/figures are held by humans who somehow take on the office and hold it for some time, then pass the office on and resume being mortal. They include Death, Time, Fate (3 incarnations), Nature, War, Good, and Evil. The characters interact throughout the books, with a couple of them being related, and the events told overlap from different perspectives. I thought he did a good job of keeping the various overlapping details straight and making something of a coherent hole out of it. Caveat - I actually tired of the series (mostly the premise) and stopped reading. I think I missed out on Nature and Good. But the parts I read were tied together well. IIRC from over a decade ago. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/77 "2011-09-30T21:13:11Z")
Jeff Smith’s _**[Bone](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_%28comics%29)**_ ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/78 "2011-09-30T21:25:12Z")
_ **Middlemarch** _, by George Eliot. A bunch of Dickens’ ridiculously long works, too. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/79 "2011-09-30T21:25:14Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series might fit. It started as 5 books, ended up 7, each told from the perspective of a different character. (Wiki says there are 8 now). The premise is that various mythological gods/figures are held by humans who somehow take on the office and hold it for some time, then pass the office on and resume being mortal. They include Death, Time, Fate (3 incarnations), Nature, War, Good, and Evil. > > The characters interact throughout the books, with a couple of them being related, and the events told overlap from different perspectives. I thought he did a good job of keeping the various overlapping details straight and making something of a coherent hole out of it. > > Caveat - I actually tired of the series (mostly the premise) and stopped reading. I think I missed out on Nature and Good. But the parts I read were tied together well. IIRC from over a decade ago. _Being A Green Mother_ (Nature) was pretty rambling. And _And Eternity_ was a mess, unfortunately, and not terribly tasteful…Anthony’s customary undercurrent of ephebephilia breaks the surface for long stretches. I’ve never read the last one about Nox. ---
**Author:** ![gonzoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a6a055/32.png) [@gonzoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzoron)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2011, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798/80 "2011-10-02T14:41:12Z")
Having just watched the finale of BSG last night, I will join what appears to be the minority. Aside from a few small missteps here and there, it stuck the landing nearly perfectly. Gives me hope that any ongoing story that seems to be floundering can still pull it out at the end (I’m looking at you WoT and ASoIaF…) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-any-long-term-intricate-story-ever-end-well/597798.md?page=5)