9. The Answer

Complete story — includes the ending

Michael restores Chidi's memories, which he relives as he wakes up: during his childhood, his arguing parents reconcile after he lectures them against divorce; he becomes convinced that every question has a single correct answer, causing him to develop his indecisiveness. In adulthood, his girlfriend Alessandra breaks up with him over this obsession, and thesis advisers drop him over his lack of emotional perspective and inability to address a single meaningful question. In the afterlife, he asks his friends about their motivations: Jason acts on what he thinks is important, Tahani's confidence comes only after learning through failure, and Eleanor rejects rules if she thinks they are wrong. Just before wiping Chidi's memory, Michael admits he used the "soulmate" concept to torture Chidi, but true soulmates are people who choose to do the work of maintaining a relationship. Chidi writes something on a piece of paper, and gives it to Janet for safekeeping. When he wakes and learns of the situation, he is at peace with the idea that many answers or no answers may exist. He retrieves his note from Janet and opens it. It reads: "There is no 'answer.' But Eleanor is the answer."