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Gary used the codeword Rutledge in the A Million Little Things series finale. It called back to the series premiere, but what did it mean?

There were a lot of moments in the A Million Little Things series finale that called back to earlier seasons. One of those was the codeword Gary used to know that it was time to end his life.

If you forgot “Rutledge,” you’ll be forgiven. It was a word not used since the first season. However, it was a meaningful word and connected Gary’s death to Jon’s death in the series premiere.

The meaning of Rutledge in A Million Little Things

You’ll want to think back to the envelope Jon left on his desk when he died by suicide in the series premiere. It said “Rutledge” on it. Ashley took the envelope and hid it at first, but then she shared it all. Inside was a life insurance policy with Rome, Eddie, Gary, and Barbara Morgan as beneficiaries.

The name Rutledge had to mean something, but it would be some time before we’d find out. It called back to when the group of friends met in the elevator. Rutledge was the name of the person who had inspected the elevator last. If it wasn’t for that elevator breaking down, the friends would never have become friends, and they honored Rutledge with that.

MORE: Why did Gary die in the A Million Little Things series finale?

What did you think of the series finale? Did you get the meaning of Rutledge right away? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

A Million Little Things* is available to stream on Amazon Video.