On May 6, 2004, millions of hearts broke as Monica, Chandler, Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe said one final goodbye to the apartment, left their keys on the counter and walked out to get one last coffee at Central Perk in the emotional Friends series finale.
But what if the iconic TV show had ended differently?
A Twitter user called @strnks has a theory. And it’s a far cry from the sad but heartwarming final scene of the 10-season sitcom.
In the alternate ending, there are only five friends. Their names wouldn’t be Monica, Chandler, Joey, Ross and Rachel — those identities, as well as the events of the show itself, are the figments of the imagination of a homeless, meth-addict Phoebe as she stares at them through the window of their favorite coffee shop.
There are several references during the show to Phoebe’s character previously having lived on the streets, and this ending — which has since gone viral fits in quite well with that.
Still, we’re glad @strnks (whose Twitter bio says he is a designer) wasn’t one of the show’s writers.
Here’s the entire alternate ending, which will give you chills.
31 Famous Friends Cameos
Brad Pitt – While he was still married to Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt played Ross' old high school friend who hated RachelNBC/Getty ImagesGeorge Clooney – Spoofing his E.R. fame, Clooney plays a dreamy doctor who takes care of Rachel's sprained ankleNBC/Getty ImagesAdam Goldberg – After Joey moved out, Adam Goldberg played Eddie, Chandler's creepy roommateNBC/Getty ImagesAisha Tyler – The Archer star played Charlie, a paleontologist who first dates Joey and then RossNBC/Getty ImagesAlec Baldwin – Alec Baldwin guest-starred as Pheobe's way-too-enthusiastic dateNBC/Getty ImagesAnna Faris – Anna Faris had a season-long role as Erica, whose twins Chandler and Monica adoptNBC/Getty ImagesBen Stiller – Ben Stiller appeared as Rachel's date who angrily yells at everyoneNBC/Getty ImagesBilly Crystal – Crystal plays one of two crazy strangers (with Robin Williams) whose conversation the friends overhear at Central PerkNBC/Getty ImagesRobin Williams – Williams plays that other crazy guy in Central PerkNBC/Getty ImagesBrooke Shields – Joey ends up regretting going on a date with his crazy stalker played by Brooke ShieldsNBC/Getty ImagesBruce Willis – Things get complicated when Rachel starts dating Paul Stevens (Bruce Willis), the father of a student Ross is datingNBC/Getty ImagesChristine Taylor – Rachel convinces Christine Taylor's Bonnie to shave her head so that Ross will break up with herNBC/Getty ImagesChristina Applegate – Along with Reese Witherspoon, Christina Applegate played one of Rachel's spoiled sistersNBC/Getty ImagesDermont Mulroney – Gavin, played by Dermot Mulroney, fills in for Rachel while she's on maternity leave and later becomes a love interestNBC/Getty ImagesCharlie Sheen – When Charlie Sheen's Navy man visits Phoebe for an erotic weekend, they both come down with chicken poxNBC/Getty ImagesCharlton Heston – Charlton Heston plays himself and gives Joey some acting adviceNBC/Getty ImagesDakota Fanning – Dakota Fanning offers Joey some advice on how to handle Chandler and Monica moving out of ManhattanNBC/Getty ImagesDanny DeVito – Danny DeVito plays a stripper at Phoebe's bachelorette partyNBC/Getty ImagesFreddie Prinze Jr. - Freddie Prinze Jr. is perfect as a sensitive male nanny who takes care of Ross and Rachel's daughterNBC/Getty ImagesHelen Hunt – In a confusing crossover, Hunt (a Mad About You star) mistakes Phoebe for her twin sister Ursula (a real character played by Lisa Kudrow in both Friends and Mad About You)NBC/Getty ImagesHugh Laurie – The stranger sitting next to Rachel on her flight to England (Hugh Laurie) mocks her plan to break up Ross' weddingNBC/Getty ImagesJay Leno – Leno plays himself interviewing Chandler's mom, an erotic novelist, on The Tonight ShowNBC/Getty ImagesJon Favreau – Jon Favreau spent almost a whole season as Monica's super-rich boyfriend who wants to become an Ultimate Fighting ChampionNBC/Getty ImagesJon Lovitz – Jon Lovitz guest-starred as a restauranteur in season one and a blind date for Rachel in season 9NBC/Getty ImagesJulia Roberts – Julia Roberts plays "Susie Underpants," a girl whose skirt Chandler pulled down on stage in elementary schoolNBC/Getty ImagesKristin Davis – The Sex and the City star is befriended by Rachel and Phoebe after she starts dating JoeyNBC/Getty ImagesReese Witherspoon – Reese Witherspoon guest-stars as Rachel's younger sister who goes on a date with RossNBC/Getty ImagesSean Penn – Phoebe must tell her twin sister Ursula's fiancée, played by Sean Penn, that Ursula has been lying to him about her pastNBC/Getty ImagesSusan Sarandon – In a plot line on Days of Our Lives, Joey gets Susan Sarandon's character's brainNBC/Getty ImagesTate Donovan – Real–life couple Jennifer Anniston and Tate Donovan played a couple on the show, tooNBC/Getty ImagesTom Selleck – Tom Selleck's mustachioed Dr. Richard Burke dates Monica on-and-off for several seasonsNBC/Getty Images
