Bury Your Gays Chapter 20: Season Finale Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Misha has spent weeks using a rideshare app to search for Lily, the driver who submitted the screenplay he admired. He cancels rides until her name appears, then finally gets a ride from her. During the drive he admits he called her former employer and knows she was fired. Lily confesses she lost her job because she was distracted while thinking about the script. Misha reveals that he has been actively looking for her because he wants to help produce her script, not cowrite it. Overcome with emotion, Lily stops the car and hugs him.

Later, at a party hosted by Tara to watch the season finale of Travelers, Misha and Zeke stand by Echo Park Lake. Misha carries a ring box in his pocket and considers proposing on a swan boat. Zeke tells Misha he is proud of him. They kiss, and Zeke points out party favors Tara made: purple matchbooks reading “CONGRATULATIONS, BABY” with illustrations of Lexa and Naomi. Misha realizes he no longer fears matchbooks; the symbol of his trauma has been transformed through art and experience. He declines a matchbook, saying it is now just a cute craft project.

The group gathers to watch the finale. Onscreen, Agents Lexa and Naomi share their first kiss, prompting cheers from the friends. Misha reflects on the inevitability of endings and tragedy, but also of joy, and looks ahead to the two new seasons of his show that have been greenlit.

Key Events

Misha locates Lily through repeated rideshare requests and offers to produce her screenplay rather than cowrite it.
Lily discloses she was fired for being distracted on the job and cannot afford her website anymore; Misha reassures her that her writing is strong.
The two share an emotional hug on the side of the road after Lily understands his genuine offer.
At a watch party, Misha and Zeke kiss by the lake; Misha is tempted to propose on a swan boat but postpones.
Tara distributes matchbook party favors; Misha realizes his matchbook phobia is gone.
The season finale of Travelers airs: Agents Lexa and Naomi finally kiss, and the room erupts in applause.
Misha learns the show has been renewed for two more seasons and thinks about the eventual end of the story.

Character Development

Misha becomes an active protagonist: he systematically hunts for Lily, chooses to use his success to lift another writer, and openly discusses his past pattern of hiding and not helping others. He also reaches a state of peace regarding the matchbook—what once triggered panic now seems harmless.
Lily is revealed as talented but overwhelmed by life; she is grateful for Misha's support and shows raw emotion when she realizes he is serious.
Zeke continues to offer steady, loving support. His line “I’m really proud of you” and his playful “no spoilers” response show he understands Misha’s journey without needing to control its pace.
Tara remains an energetic, loyal friend who orchestrates the watch party and crafts the matchbook favors, symbolically helping Misha reclaim the object from his trauma.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Transformation of trauma: The matchbook, once a trigger for cold sweats, becomes a party favor. Misha’s ability to decline it without fear shows that horror can be metabolized through community and creative recontextualization.
Found family: The watch party and the support from Zeke, Tara, and other friends emphasize the importance of chosen family over the toxic industry environment Misha escaped.
Storytelling as healing: Both Misha’s offer to produce Lily’s script and the payoff of Lexa and Naomi’s kiss demonstrate how stories—whether personal or on screen—can forge connection and catharsis.
Endings and joy: Misha acknowledges that endings and tragedy are inevitable, but insists that joy is equally inevitable. This philosophy frames his decision to propose (the beginning of a new chapter) alongside the show’s renewal.
Active protagonist: Misha explicitly thinks “I take the initiative—an active protagonist” before kissing Zeke, tying his personal growth to the craft of narrative itself.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter serves as the emotional and thematic capstone of the novel. It resolves the long-running matchbook subplot by showing Misha completely free from its grip. It also rewards Misha’s professional journey: he successfully gets his show’s queer romance on screen (the Lexa/Naomi kiss) and uses his influence to support a new creator (Lily). His willingness to “pull others up the ladder” marks a definitive break from his former self. The proposal setup with the swan boat points toward a hopeful personal future, while the party scene confirms that his chosen family will be part of it. The chapter emphasizes that even after near-death experiences and industry betrayal, joy can be reclaimed.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Misha’s search for Lily reveal about how his character has changed since the beginning of the novel?

Answer: Misha actively seeks out Lily rather than waiting for opportunity. He admits he used to focus only on hiding himself and not helping others. By tracking her down and offering to produce her script, he demonstrates a new willingness to leverage his success for someone else, proving he has moved from survival mode to generativity.

2. Why is Misha’s reaction to the matchbook party favor significant?

Answer: Earlier in the book, the sight of a matchbook could trigger intense fear. In this chapter, he calmly declines the favor, thinking of it as “nothing more than an adorable craft project.” This shows that his trauma has been transformed through his experiences, relationships, and artistic expression, marking a major step in his recovery.

3. How does the onscreen kiss between Lexa and Naomi relate to the novel’s overall message?

Answer: The kiss is a culmination of a will-they-won’t-they arc, mirroring Misha’s own journey toward living openly. The friends’ cheering reinforces the idea that queer joy on screen matters, and that stories can heal both creators and audiences. Misha’s reflection that tragedy and joy are both inevitable ties the scene to the novel’s theme of embracing hope despite hardship.