The Five Shocking Moments In 'And Just Like That... Season 3 Episode 9' That Defined The Series Finale

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The conclusion of And Just Like That... Season 3, Episode 9, titled "One Hundred Percent," which aired on July 24, 2025, served as the true emotional climax for many of the series' most anticipated storylines, setting the stage for the now-confirmed series finale. This episode delivered a gut-wrenching, definitive answer to the question fans had been asking since the revival began: Can Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw finally make it work? The answer, as revealed in a deeply nuanced and painful conversation, was a resounding 'no,' cementing this episode as one of the most pivotal in the entire Sex and the City saga. Given that the show ended with Season 3, this episode's weight in the overall narrative cannot be overstated, providing the closure many viewers needed before the final bow.

The episode, coming just a few weeks before the announcement that Season 3 would be the show's last, felt like a deliberate and necessary clearing of the emotional deck. It wasn't just about Carrie; Miranda Hobbes faced her own truth, and Seema Patel navigated a new, quirky relationship hurdle. From a dramatic perspective, "One Hundred Percent" was a masterclass in character-driven conflict, forcing the women to confront the past and admit their deepest vulnerabilities to secure their futures. The central theme of the episode—being "one hundred percent" committed—was tested across multiple storylines, proving that even in midlife, true commitment requires radical honesty and a clear reckoning with old wounds.

The Final Chapter: Carrie Bradshaw and Aidan Shaw's Definitive Breakup

For fans of the original series, the on-again, off-again romance between Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and Aidan Shaw (John Corbett) was a central pillar of the franchise. After their dramatic reunion in Season 2, Season 3 saw them attempt to build a stable, adult relationship, but Episode 9, "One Hundred Percent," delivered the final, heartbreaking verdict.

  • The Core Conflict: Trust Issues. The conversation that ends their relationship is driven by Aidan’s lingering, deep-seated trust issues. He admits that he still struggles with the memory of Carrie's infidelity from decades ago—the affair with Mr. Big.
  • Aidan's Confession: Carrie, believing they had moved past it, is stunned when Aidan uses the past tense, saying he *had* trust issues with her, but then corrects himself, revealing the wound is still open. He confesses that he cannot fully trust her, not "one hundred percent," and that the pain of her past betrayal remains an insurmountable barrier to a future together.
  • Carrie's Realization: Carrie counters that she "was one hundred percent in" this time, but Aidan's inability to fully commit or move past the history forces her to accept the inevitable. For the first time, the breakup is not due to a mistake on her part, but a failure of his own emotional healing.
  • The End of the Storyline: The two agree to separate, finally putting an end to a storyline that spanned over two decades. The writers, according to executive producer Elisa Zuritsky, decided on this separation "pretty early on" in the season's development, suggesting it was a necessary narrative choice to return Carrie to her independent, single status for the series finale.

This resolution was bittersweet but narratively crucial. It allowed Carrie to embrace her life as an independent woman, finally unburdened by the ghosts of her past relationships, paving the way for her final, single-focused arc in the series finale, "Party of One."

Miranda's Radical Honesty: The Confession to Joy

While Carrie’s storyline was about a painful end, Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon) found a moment of profound new beginning. Her relationship with Joy, introduced earlier in the season, had been one of the most stable and mature connections the character had ever experienced. However, Miranda was holding back a crucial piece of her truth: her struggle with alcoholism and her journey to sobriety.

  • The Vulnerable Moment: In "One Hundred Percent," Miranda finally opens up to Joy, admitting, "I'm an alcoholic." This confession was a moment of radical self-acceptance and complete vulnerability, a stark contrast to Miranda's often guarded personality from the original series.
  • Joy's Supportive Reaction: Crucially, Joy’s reaction is not one of shock or judgment, but of unwavering support and understanding. This response solidified Joy as a truly healthy and compatible partner for Miranda, a major step forward after her tumultuous relationship with Che Diaz.
  • The Power of Truth: This scene underscored the episode's theme: being "one hundred percent" honest is the only path to a genuine, lasting relationship. By being fully truthful about her past and present struggles, Miranda secured the future of her new romance, suggesting a quiet, contented end to her character arc.

This storyline was praised by critics and fans for its mature handling of addiction and recovery, providing a satisfying sense of stability for a character who had spent the entire spin-off searching for her true self.

The Essential Side Stories: Seema, Charlotte, and Lisa

Episode 9 also kept the show’s ensemble nature intact, providing key developments for the other main characters as the series barreled toward its conclusion.

Seema Patel and the Deodorant Dilemma

Seema Patel (Sarita Choudhury), who had become a fan-favorite, faced a humorous but telling relationship test with her new love interest, Adam. The subplot involved Seema trying "Adam's alternative to deodorant." This lighthearted moment highlighted the small, awkward negotiations that come with merging lives in a new relationship, contrasting sharply with the high-stakes drama of Carrie and Aidan. It showed Seema, a woman who values luxury and perfection, being willing to compromise for a man she genuinely cares about, a significant step in her own journey toward commitment.

Charlotte and Lisa’s Parallel Priorities

While not central to the episode's A-plots, Charlotte York Goldenblatt (Kristin Davis) and Lisa Todd Wexley (Nicole Ari Parker) continued to navigate their own midlife challenges. Charlotte struggled with the realities of motherhood and her return to the art world, while Lisa grappled with the demands of her career as a filmmaker and the pressures of her family life, all of which led to the ultimate resolutions in the finale. The constant struggle of balancing career, family, and personal identity remained a key topical entity for both characters throughout Season 3.

The Legacy of "One Hundred Percent"

Looking back from late 2025, "One Hundred Percent" is the episode that defines the end of the *And Just Like That...* era. It was the moment the show finally closed the door on the past, allowing the characters to step into their final, individual futures. The breakup of Carrie and Aidan, a relationship that was arguably the most significant 'what if' from the original series, was handled with maturity and realism, acknowledging that some wounds simply cannot heal. This definitive conclusion provided a sense of closure that the series finale, which was often criticized for being "underwhelming" and "half-formed," arguably failed to deliver.

The episode’s success lies in its brutal honesty. It demonstrated that true love in middle age isn't about grand gestures or fairy-tale endings; it’s about acknowledging your past, being "one hundred percent" honest with your partner, and accepting that sometimes, a deep, decades-long love must end for both people to finally be free. It was a mature and fitting conclusion for the most iconic television relationship of the last 25 years.

Key Entities and Topical Authority: Carrie Bradshaw, Aidan Shaw, Miranda Hobbes, Joy, Seema Patel, Adam, Charlotte York Goldenblatt, Lisa Todd Wexley, John Corbett, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Sarita Choudhury, Nicole Ari Parker, Michael Patrick King, trust issues, alcoholism, sobriety, series finale, Sex and the City spin-off, midlife relationships, emotional closure, "One Hundred Percent."

The Five Shocking Moments in 'And Just Like That... Season 3 Episode 9' That Defined the Series Finale
and just like that... season 3 episode 9
and just like that... season 3 episode 9

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