To Sum Up Steve Carell's Last Episode on The Office: Be Still My Beating Heart

First I'll get this out of the way: I was bawling my eyes out from the time this scene started till the credits rolled. Now let's get this out of the way: If Steve does not win an Emmy--or the equivalent of a goddamned Oscar--for his stunning, flawless performance as an emotional Michael Scott in "Goodbye, Michael", there will be hell to pay. He demonstrated the slow but much-loved maturity that Michael has come to own since the beginning of the series in 2005, and in this final episode, everything we love about the quirky, coworker-loving boss just exploded into our hearts and then some. Our glasses were overflowing with pride, as if watching a child go off to college.
One scene in particular where he absolutely transcended every moment he's ever been onscreen was his private reaction after giving Oscar his hideous, hand-made "scarecrow" gift. Absolutely nailed it.
At the final scene in the airport, I became a bubbling buffoon, nearly soaking a paper towel with tears and nose drippings. Pam had been out of the office all day and no one but Jim was aware that Michael was leaving not the next day, but that night and Michael desperately wanted to so say his goodbyes to Pam. But she missed him! His taxi left just as her SUV pulled into the parking lot! But then, at airport security, just after Michael hands over his pocketed microphone to documentary film crew for the final time, Pam runs in, her heels in hand, and stops him for a silent goodbye, mimicking the end of Lost In Translation.
Sigh. Be still my beating heart....
[Hulu]