Scarlett finally admits to herself that she's in love with Gunnar and decides to tell him on the season finale. Unfortunately immediately after she does, her boss, the ridiculously annoying Autumn Chase, blurts out that she and Gunnar have been making beautiful music together (of the sexual variety) for the last two weeks. Scarlett is mortified and flees. When Gunnar finds her later, he accuses her of not really meaning it and trying to manipulate him. Ouch.

At first she didn't remember, then she didn't want to remember. On the season finale, Juliette finally comes clean about the circumstances surrounding Jeff's death. After being surprised by a reporter, Juliette confides in Glenn. Later, after an unknown source leaks the information to the media, Juliette does a sit down interview explaining everything. Hayden is so great in this episode as she sheds all of the lies, fear and shame of weeks past despite the consequences.

I actually liked Layla until she made it her mission to come between the beloved Juliette and Avery. For weeks, she subtly manipulated him as they went from strangers to co-songwriters to lovers. On the season finale Layla's lies finally catch up with her. Glenn confronts her first when he finds out that Juliette shared the circumstances of Jeff's death with her weeks earlier. Colt tells Luke that he also told her and Luke takes it upon himself to share this with Avery. When Avery confronts her she tries to lie again but he is having none of it. Poor Layla ends up alone with only her music to comfort her. CMT has announced that Layla won't return as a series regular but we have yet to see whether she will be a recurring character or just written out altogether.

I know Juliette and Glenn have had their ups and downs but I love that he somehow always ends up being there for her. He's the closest thing she has to a father figure. On the season finale, when Juliette confides in him about how she tried to commit suicide and Jeff saved her, he comforts her. Then when the information is released to the public and he finds out she previously told Layla, he puts two and two together and realizes that Layla was the one who leaked the information. Even though he also manages Layla, he accuses her of lying. Layla tries to say Juliette is the liar but he shuts her down and adamantly declares that he believes Juliette. You go, Glenn Coco-er Goodman.

When Maddie signs with a record label in New York Rayna is horrified to learn that she'll be working with a producer who had forced himself on her when she was a young, up and coming artist. She wants to reach out to Maddie to warn her but can't because of Maddie's emancipation. She finally decides to write an open letter that is published by the Huffington Post. This is easily something I could see happening in real life, especially today considering public opinion and concern for female rights and consent laws.

We know that Will has been struggling with his sexuality throughout the course of the show. During season 4 he made big strides towards acceptance but none were as great as what he did on the season finale. After being verbally attacked by Cynthia Davis, Will arranges a protest and concert outside her office. When she finally agrees to let him come on her show, he kills her with kindness and understanding.

Aside from being an awesome support system and wingman for Will, Luke doesn't play a big role in the season finale which is a shame because I truly love his character. However, there are hints throughout that he misses his family and may want to reconcile with his ex-wife. We know now that he won't be returning as a series regular; whether he'll appear in season 5 in a recurring role or not is yet to be seen. Personally I hope we see him in some capacity.

Maddie is working with Vince Pierce, an infamous producer who also happens to have forced himself on Rayna when she was younger. On the season finale, Vince invites Maddie and Cash to his house for a party. He quickly gets Maddie alone under the guise of a tour. When they arrive at an empty room where he allegedly likes to work, Maddies wants to text Cash to come see. He takes her phone and offers her a drink instead because apparently it's completely normal for a middle-aged man to drink with a teenage girl. Oy vey. Maddie eventually catches on and tries to leave but Vince grabs her arm and holds her in place. There are a few really uncomfortable moments when he's stroking her face ad hair before someone interupts them.

When Will decides to arrange the Cynthia Davis protest, he turns to his ex-boyfriend Kevin, who he claims is his only tie to the gay community. Kevin is happy to help since he suddenly has a lot of free time on his hands (subtext: he's single again.) The two of them smile and dance around their obvious chemistry all episode until finally sharing a publc kiss after Will kills it on Cynthia Davis's show.

It was heartbreaking to watch Juliette struggle with postpartum depression and make it worse with drugs and alcohol. It was even harder to watch her lie to Avery and push him away which ultimately lead to the dissolution of their marraige. I love Avery and Juliette. The show did a great job of building their relationship in a real and honest way. On the season finale, Avery learns that Juliette was present for Jeff's death because she was on the roof trying to commit suicide. He realizes that it happened the same day he served her with divorce papers. Avery feels horrible but Juliette insists it wasn't his fault. She's worried she'll lose everything but Avery assures her he and Cadence will still be there.

For weeks Deacon had been trying to win Maddie back but he kept on making it worse. It was to the point where it was even causing problems between him and Rayna. But on the season finale he finally steps up like the Deacon we know and love. He finds out Maddie is at Vince's party and tracks it down. He's the one that interupts them before anything can happen. Maddie runs into his arms crying and just when you think Deacon is about to starting fighting as he tends to do, he stops himself. Instead he menacingly threatens Vince then walks away.

I had to include this moment because Cash had been SO ANNOYING for weeeeeks. She started out as a friend to Maddie, then somehow became her pseudo-sister/mother and manager despite the fact that she had no real experience in any of those roles. She also urged Maddie to become emancipated and sign with the record label in New York. On the season finale, Cash abandons Maddie to talk to Chris Martin almost immediately after they walk through to door, leaving Maddie to fend for herself with Vince. Just as Deacon and Maddie are leaving Cash suddenly appears. Maddie goes off on her and despite her apologies and claims that it won't happen again, chooses to leave with her dad.

Deacon and Rayna have had more than their share of ups and downs but everyone knew they were end game. The show made it official in season 4 when the two finally got married. Nonetheless, Maddie's emancipation and Deacon's issues with violence caused problems between them. On the season finale, Deacon brings Maddie to the concert Rayna is throwing and she is so happy to see her daughter that she immediately embraces and kisses her husband. Season 5 will tell us whether all is forgiven between them.

When Gunnar and Scarlett can't come to a resolution about their feelings, the Exes decide that they can't work together anymore. This will be their last show as a duo, after which they'll become solo acts. Autum is thrilled but she's the only one. They play their last set which ends with a beautiful duet ("Just come with me and you won't be alone, let me love you home") and as the song ends Gunnar grabs Scarlett and kisses her. The crowd went wild and I screamed "Finally!" in my living room.

After speaking with Avery, Juliette realizes she has somewhere more important to be and leaves the Oscars before her category is even presented. She doesn't end up winning but that doesn't matter. The last time we see her she is on a plane flying back to Nashville.

Maddie has been estranged from her family for much of season 4. She feels she's growing as an artist and woman and can't do that within the confines of her childhood home. On the season finale, she allows Deacon to take her from Vince's party to Rayna and Daphne's concert where her younger sister races into her open arms. I loved this picture of onscreen and real life sisters, Lennon and Maisy Stella. Maddie says she wants to go home but we won't know exactly what that looks like until season 5.

After speaking with Juliette, Avery takes Cadence to the airport to await the arrival of her plane. Not much of substance is said but he seems genuinely excited to see Juliette. Unfortunately, an airport employee asks them to come with him. When Avery pushes for more information, he tells him they recieved a distress call from Juliette's plane and have since lost all contact with it. This would have been the worst series finale ever because of this scene alone. Thank you, CMT.