What ultimately happened to House and his best friend after Wilson’s cancer diagnosis, House faking his death, and the ambiguous House season finale?

A very convincing theory suggests what happens to House and Wilson after the House season finale. House and his best, and only, friend, Dr. James Wilson exhibit an adorable friendship throughout House, even if at times it indicates an unhealthy codependency. House often pushes this friendship to its limits, but later redeems himself by finally prioritizing Wilson in the series finale.

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During the final season of House, season 8, episode 18, "Body & Soul," Wilson (played by Robert Sean Leonard) reveals to House (Hugh Laurie) that he has cancer. Throughout the remainder of the season, Wilson and House do their best to fight and treat Wilson's cancer but are unsuccessful. In the season finale, episode 22, "Everybody Dies," House fakes his death, so the pair can live out Wilson's remaining days together. What happens next is speculative, but previous events in House indicate a likely conclusion.

Theory: House Euthanized Wilson After The Finale

A theory posits that House euthanized Wilson sometime after the House season finale. Wilson's cancer is described as widespread and aggressive, and during the season finale, Wilson had been given less than a year to live. House is also on the verge of going back to prison, which collectively prompts House to fake his death. The two friends reunite after House's funeral and are last seen riding motorcycles across America. Many have since theorized about House and Wilson's potential future, with many viewers concluding the obvious outcome is House helping Wilson to die when his cancer becomes appropriately severe.

In House season 8, episode 19, "The C Word," Wilson states that he does not want to spend the remainder of his life in and out of hospitals, which, at the time, prompts House and Wilson to try an experimental treatment rejected by Wilson's doctor. But this also implies that Wilson would not want a long, drawn-out death and would welcome help dying when the time came. With House officially considered dead, there is no possibility for House to face legal repercussions for euthanizing Wilson. But additionally, House has expressed support for euthanizing terminally ill patients in the past.

House's History Supports This Dark Ending Theory

There is a precedent in House for assisted suicide being a viable, or even respectable choice for doctors and terminal patients. In season 3, episode 3, "Informed Consent," Cameron (played by Jennifer Morrison) uncharacteristically aids a terminally ill patient called Ezra Powell (Joel Grey) to die, for which she is comforted and praised by House. Just four episodes later in "Son of Coma Guy," House helps a patient to hang himself in order to donate his heart to his dying son. Later, in House season 6, episode 16, "Lockdown," House euthanizes a dying patient he feels sorry for by increasing his morphine to deadly levels.

Finally, during House season 7, episode 18, "The Dig," House promises to kill Thirteen in the future when her health deteriorates significantly from her Huntington's disease. Evidently, House has no problem helping patients, or colleagues, to die if it will ease their suffering in their final days. Wilson himself advocates its use in House season 6, episode 6, "Known Unknowns," during which he intends to deliver a speech discussing euthanasia. House ultimately delivers the speech instead of Wilson, which, interestingly, mirrors Wilson's theorized assisted suicide: proposed by Wilson and ultimately delivered by House.

House Euthanizing Wilson Perfectly Ends Their Story

House faking his death is a beautiful act of love and friendship, where House finally behaves in a completely altruistic manner, sacrificing the rest of his life in order to accompany Wilson during the remainder of his. It feels like this is the selfless act House has been building up to, redeeming House's previous appalling behavior throughout the show. Furthermore, specifically within their friendship, Wilson is routinely the one who gives more than he receives, often on the short end of House's selfishness.

Finally, House is making a sacrifice for Wilson, and one comparable to those accumulatively made by Wilson. House euthanizing Wilson is the logical and appropriate conclusion of this. It may be an upsetting and emotional notion, but it is apt when considering their history and perspectives on medically assisted suicide. It is a bitter-sweet ending for their friendship, which is ultimately doomed but has now reoriented Wilson as the priority after years of House's behavior dominating both of their lives. For once, House's tenuous grasp of ethics seen throughout House can work in Wilson's favor.