Fonzie realizes he never accomplished a goal he set for himself as a child, and begins to lose his edge. Only after a pep talk from Chachi does he regain his confidence and set out to attain his dangerous goal. He and Chachi celebrate at the top of the mountain. Meanwhile, Howard, Marion, and Chachi find a prized possession of Fonzie's and unknowingly... misplace it.

Notes: In one scene, Fonzie wears an old beige windbreaker like the one he wore in the early seasons, before the network allowed him to wear black leather regularly. Also, this episode marked the final appearance of Pat Morita in his role of Arnold.

Chachi resents Joanie's busy college life and wants to settle down. Joanie decides that she and Chachi won't be able to resolve their differences.

Roger, Potsie, and Chachi trick Fonzie into going to a singles resort to help him get over his breakup with Ashley.

Note: Fonzie explains his offscreen breakup with Ashley to the character portrayed by guest star Rita Wilson.

Discharged from the Army, Richie and Ralph return home; but after life in the Army, Richie wants to move to California to pursue a career as a screenwriter, which doesn't sit too well with his parents.

Special guest stars: Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham; Don Most (billed as Donald Most) as Ralph Malph; Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth Cunningham.

Note: Richie, Fonzie, Potsie, and Ralph are reunited for the first time since the episode "Ralph's Family Problem" (the Season 7 finale).

Irritated at his parents' disapproval of his wanting to move to California so soon; Richie visits a local bar in search of solace, which he finds in a little too much to drink that makes him lose control. However, Fonzie finds Richie and encourages him to follow his dreams; and Richie and Lori Beth decide to leave for Hollywood, with the Cunningham's blessing.

Special guest stars: Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham; Don Most (billed as Donald Most) as Ralph Malph; Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth Cunningham.

Tired of Fonzie treating him as a kid, Chachi enters a boxing tournament to try to earn some respect. But when Chachi breaks his hand practicing, he tries to keep it a secret.

Roger and Fonzie are hired as the new administrative team at George S. Patton Vocational High School, a school notorious for disciplinary problems. Their plans to reform the school are easier said than done.

Guest starring: Crispin Glover, Ken Osmond, Kathryn Fuller

Note: Steven Baio, Scott Baio's real-life brother, guest stars as Joey. He makes two more guest appearances in this season. Ken Osmond guest stars as Mr. Bascomb, a shop teacher. Crispin Glover guest stars as a wayward student, who develops a respect for Fonzie.

Fonzie learns he has a long-lost brother (Michael Holden), who comes to Milwaukee with bad news.

When Howard is constantly forced out of the bathroom by the household's other inhabitants, he decides to build a second bathroom. He hires Fonzie as the contractor and the shop students of Patton High to do the work - which Howard later realizes was a big mistake.

Recurring guest: Steven Baio as Joey.

Joanie gets her first teaching job at the infamous Patton High School, but her pride gets in the way of her reasoning when she refuses to heed Chachi's advice. Joanie gets in way over her head when a student devises a plan to show his feelings for his teacher, whether Joanie likes it or not.

Notes: This episode is the last of several "Fonzie-comes-to-the-rescue" episodes of the series, where Fonzie shows up to save Joanie from being a victim of sexual assault at the hands of one of the Patton students. Also, this episode marks the final appearance of Steven Baio as Joey.

Fonzie allegedly strikes a student who is bullying another student. With Roger's help, he has to defend his actions at a school board hearing.

Howard gets jealous when Marion's old flame (special guest star Lyle Waggoner) comes for a visit, but gets really upset when he dates Joanie.

With Joanie and Chachi officially broken up, Chachi starts to doubt his ability to ask girls out. Fonzie tries to help, telling him he has "Fonzarelli Power."

While working on a 1950s car, Fonzie tells a few of his students that he wishes things could be the way they were in the '50s when he was younger, and he meets a young woman named Nancy Haley. When he later goes to Nancy's house to return her purse, he learns from the current residents that the previous residents had a daughter named Nancy - but she died in a car accident years ago.

Note: This episode is loosely based on the 1965 Dickey Lee hit "Laurie (Strange Things Happen)," which itself is based on the urban legends known as the vanishing hitchhiker and Resurrection Mary; and because of it, the episode also reflects the teen death song phenomenon from that period.

When it appears the Cunninghams are planning to sell their home (so Howard can accept a job as vice president of a hardware store chain based in New York state), Fonzie may have to leave, too. Fonzie eventually gets his own apartment and adjusts to his new life.

Joanie and Chachi realize that they were meant for each other, and Chachi proposes to Joanie, and she accepts. Meanwhile, Fonzie becomes a Big Brother to a young orphan named Danny (Danny Ponce), and decides to adopt him; however, Fonzie's dream may be derailed when he finds out about regulations prohibiting single parents from adopting. After Fonzie almost gets into trouble when Danny runs away from the orphanage to be with him, Howard learns of the restrictions, and he confronts the adoption agency on Fonzie's behalf - which leads to the agency reconsidering. On the day of Joanie and Chachi's wedding, Fonzie adopts Danny and Richie and Lori Beth arrive just in time to watch Joanie and Chachi tie the knot. Fonzie serves as Chachi's best man and Jenny is Joanie's maid of honor.

Notes:

• The pregnancy of Richie and Lori Beth's second child is unresolved.
• The series finale originally aired as a one-hour episode; in syndication, it is aired as a two-part episode. Though this episode is the finale, several earlier, unaired episodes were burned off by the network during the coming summer months. The finale was filmed on Stage 19 at Paramount Pictures Studios on November 27 & 28, 1983.
• Potsie and Ralph are the only two characters in the original cast who did not attend Joanie and Chachi's wedding.
• At the beginning of his speech to toast the newlyweds, Howard mentions that "Both of our children are married now," officially writing Chuck (from Seasons 1 and 2) out of existence.
• Howard ends his speech, as well as the episode (and thus the series), by "breaking the fourth wall," looking directly into the camera and thanking to them "Thank you all for being part of our family" before raising a toast "to happy days". Afterward, a closing montage of classic clips from past seasons is played over a portion of "Memories" by Elvis Presley, before a final shot of the current cast celebrating Joanie and Chachi's marriage.

Special guest stars: Ron Howard as Richie Cunningham; Al Molinaro as Al Delvecchio; Ellen Travolta as Louisa Delvecchio; Cathy Silvers as Jenny Piccalo; and Lynda Goodfriend as Lori Beth Cunningham.

Absent: Anson Williams as Potsie Weber.

Marion and Joanie spend a weekend with Marion's mother.

Note: This was the first of the next five previously unaired episodes to be aired in the summer months after the finale. Episodes #251-255 actually take place before "The Spirit is Willing," "Fonzie Moves Out," and "Passages."

Chachi gets a job as a ballroom dancing instructor to pay back the half of the rent he owes Potsie.

Guest starring: Linda Kaye Henning

Joanie tries to help one of her students who has a problem with drugs.

Guest starring: Elinor Donahue and Marta Kober.

Chachi is devastated when he learns he has diabetes.

Note: In the first scene, Scott Baio's song "Some Girls" was heard on the radio. "Some Girls" was included on Baio's second album The Boys Are Out Tonight (1983).

Howard's position as the Grand Poobah at the Leopard Lodge is threatened when he realizes he hasn't recruited any new members in the past five years; so Fonzie, Roger, and Chachi volunteer to join.