As Madoka learns of the sacrifice that Homura had made for her – turning back time, reliving the same moments, fighting the same fights, over and over again – all to save Madoka from becoming a Puella Magi, and ultimately a Witch, Madoka makes the ultimate sacrifice for Houmra, and all the other Mahou Shojou across the globe.
There was no doubt that Madoka was ever going to contract and become a Mahou Shojou; in fact, the idea that we wouldn’t see Madoka become a Magical Girl until the very last episode was tossed around a lot when the show was around three episodes in. How right those rumours were; but in all the wrong ways. For a while, I couldn’t help but wonder what wish Madoka could make that would make “everything better”, because she didn’t seem like the kind of girl who could just sit on the side and let things go as they were. Not with the deaths of her friends, old and new, and not knowing the truth about what Puella Magi were, and what their fates would inevitably be.
Madoka’s wish certainly was a great one, even if I didn’t understand it at first. When she wished to erase all Witches before they were born, I instinctively thought that she was erasing the existence of Puella Magi altogether (because Puella Magi are what Witches are born from) other than her own. And then I thought: Well if there are no Puella Magi to turn into Witches, then what is Madoka going to fight all on her own? …Actually, I’m still asking this question: What are those things that Homura fights at the end of the final episode?
The interesting thing is that Madoka didn’t change the Puella Magi system; I suppose it’s because Kyubey revealed to Madoka how instrumental him and his wish-granting kind have been in the development and progression of human civilization. In the new reality where Kaname Madoka is a god, girls still have the option of forming contracts with Incubators, and in trade for their wish, they gather despair and turn it into a compact and convenient form that closely resembles kitty treats. When their time is done, they simply disappear.
It was nice to see Mami and Kyoko – and Sayaka again. When Mami died, I was like, “Madoka: Wish Mami back to life!” And when Sayaka became a Witch and Kyoko died destroying her, I was like, 
“Madoka: Wish Mami, Sayaka, and Kyoko back to life!” Madoka’s actual wish does bring Mami and Kyoko back to life – or perhaps she simply (“simply”) erased their deaths by Witch. With Sayaka, though, it seems she would have wished for Kyosuke’s health regardless of everything else, and in the end, use up all her energy to carry the burden of the outcome of that wish. Kyoko’s right though: What is the point of disappearing for the sake of the guy you love? Romance like that doesn’t make any sense Sayaka. Better to stick around and become a fantastic woman to show him what he’s missing out on.
The battle against Walpurgis Night was… overshadowed by everything else that happened (and by everything, I mean as if the events of episodes 11 and 12 were the same episode, because that’s how I watched it), but still fantastic. With a Witch as strong and terrifying as Walpurgis Night, you have to wonder what kind of Mahou Shojou she was. I know when Puella Magi become Witches, their power/strength/energy is greater than when they were Puella Magi, but why couldn’t Homura beat Walpurgis Night? Even after all the many times she turned time back? If Walpurgis Night was the event that always caused Madoka to choose to become a Mahou Shojou, couldn’t Homura have tried to “prevent” Walpurgis Night from becoming a Puella Magi? Okay I know Homura doesn’t love Walpurgis Night the way she loves Madoka, but I’m just saying.
Despite the delay of the last two episodes, Madoka Magica was easy to get back into as it was hard to forget. And it ended well. Sure there are things I don’t get, but that’s probably just because I… don’t get a lot of things, haha. I love that the direction and story of Madoka Magica was shockingly different from what many people (myself included) were expecting; for every ounce of pink, frilly, fluffiness, there was a pound of harsh, dark reality. But all the elements of a typical magical girl show were still present: the innocence of youth, the transformations from regular to magical girl, the determination to fight for hope and protect the ones you love… It’s just that in this show, you don’t get to take those things for granted; everything has a price – a heavy price. And that just made everything fantastic.
blindability
Brian
Poro
jGLZA
Loba
TeamZer0
thaivuN
Bokutachi no BLOG 
For me the “demons” the magical girls must fight now could be different things. They are probably the doubts, despair, and evil that lives in the hearts of EVERYONE in the world. Not just the despair of magical girls in their last moments but everyone. That would mean they aren’t as strong as the witches were but there are way more of them. This would explain why Mami is still alive as she hasn’t been taken out by a stronger witch but can handle these new lesser demons.
Madoka the…spirit is going to continue to fight before the witches are born. Because the concept of witches could still exist, just that Madoka takes away the despair right before the transformation can happen thus no one else knows about it and the girl simply disappears.
Something that I didn’t catch in the show myself but had to read on the internet is Sayaka was (maybe) fighting to protect the concert hall that her man was performing in. She went too hard on her final attack but died happy because it allowed him to play for all those people. Still a very dumb reason to die and I still don’t know how people gathered that from the episode.
A theory also floating around the web was that the ultimate witch WAS Homura. Just as she super powered Madoka by going back in time so many times it is possible that witch was Homura. I tend not to think that because girls who turned into witches disappeared and girls who were killed by witches were brought back to life (to die in different ways of course). But one of the familiars flying around the ultimate witch did look like magical girl to me, as if that represented all magical girls. I still want to know too.
After this show the Spring 2011 season seems almost boring. That is the problem with excellent shows. You can’t wait for more and when it finishes you are like oh….I still wanted more.
But to sum up this show Madoka ceased to exist (for almost everyone), Homura lost her friend, Mami is not WOOHOO about the future as she knows about the ultimate fate of magical girls, Kyoko loses her girlfriend, and Sayaka dies…again. So I am not sure why people are calling this a happy ending type deal. XD
I like your explanation of how Witches do still essentially exist within the realm of the universe, but just not in reality since Madoka deals with them before they can form in reality. So I guess Sayaka did still become a Witch then, but seemingly just “disappeared” to the other girls (and according to their understanding of what it is to be Puella Magi in the new order of Madoka).
You think Spring 2011 is BORING!? … I think there are so many good shows. Maybe not as heavy and thought-provoking as Madoka Magica, but still some pretty good ones.
For Walpurgis I think that the simplest explanation is the corret one. In German mythos “Walpurgisnacht” is the night of April 30 when witches and demons gather on Mount Brocken to hold a festival. That’s what Walpurgis is IMHO, a conglomeration of many witches.
Ah. Thanks for the insight! It would then make a lot of sense that Walpurgis Night is so strong. But I wonder how that many Witches would come together and collectively form one. Oh well. Walpurgis is done and dealt with by Madoka who is became the god of all Puella Magi.
The Puella Magi are fighting giant, deathly white Buddhist monks now, truly a threat to us all. Personally, I think they embody the most primal of negative emotions now that they aren’t being channeled into witches.
It was a good ending, even if a few plot points were left unresolved. At the very least, Kyubey’s “HOSHI-” face as soon as he was granting Madoka’s wish made it worth watching.
Madoka temporarely became stronger than Goku 🙂
Only temporarily?
madoka magica is the best anime this year for me.
now im looking forward for oriko magica and kazumi magica. I hope they’ll be animated by SHAFT as well.
And with that, I will officially start watching Madoka. 🙂
AWSOME!!! I just watched the finale this weekend (twice!) and wasn’t disappointed at all! I think the demons are built out of bad energy, but have no human core like the witches did. The wish decision was interesting, not completely surprising that Madoka would sacrifice herself for the sake of the other Puellas, but becoming a God-like figure was unexpected for me…
The last scene, with Homura fighting the demons while Madoka whispers supporting words was just tearful.. 😥
Would like to say that I want a second season or some kind of follow up, but the truth is that I consider that this show is a masterpiece as it is. I’d rather say that I hope they don’t spoil it for money sake…