“Another run-in with Xavier”: Sophia Bush shares the story-line she would’ve changed in One Tree Hill finale episode

One Tree Hill fans know the finale feels like a warm hug, but Sophia Bush recently admitted there is one part she wishes had gone differently. On the last episode of the Drama Queens podcast, she laughed and said the exact thing she would erase if she could.

She literally said,

"I would have liked to have not maybe had another run-in with Xavier, like, for why? For what?"

For anyone wondering what she meant, the answer is simple. She felt Brooke didn’t need that fear again, and the finale already had enough heart without it.

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Why Sophia Bush thinks the Xavier twist in One Tree Hill’s finale didn’t belong

As a long-time fan, hearing Sophia Bush talk about this moment hit differently because every One Tree Hill fan remembers how terrifying Xavier originally was. He hurt Brooke in such a brutal way, and he shattered the whole group when he killed Quentin.

So when Sophia talked on Drama Queens about seeing him show up again in season nine, the disappointment sounded real. She explained it exactly how so many fans always felt. She wished the writers hadn’t brought that trauma back when everything in the finale was finally turning calm.

On the podcast, she told her co-hosts Bethany Joy Lenz, Hilarie Burton, and Robert Buckley that while she loved the finale overall, this was the one part she would undo in a heartbeat.

She said, "I was so happy with our last episode," but the Xavier stuff just felt unnecessary. She even added that she understood people sometimes complain that finales tie things too neatly, but she personally felt One Tree Hill deserved a good bow moment. She said,

"It really did feel kinda like a present. You know? You hear people say in a negative way about TV sometimes, like, 'Yeah, at the end of every episode, they wrap it up in a bow. Like, that's not real life,' but I actually think our show deserved an episode where we wrapped it up in a bow and made it beautiful."

Listening to her talk about the ending felt like hearing a friend defend characters she practically grew up with. She also mentioned that some of the writing in surprise season nine felt a little wild, and she joked that she wished it hadn’t been so sharky.

But she made it clear she still felt good about the direction. She liked the characters settling into their grown-up lives. For her, the finale was supposed to give everyone peace, and the Xavier part didn’t match the vibe. As a fan, it honestly made complete sense because Brooke finally deserved air to breathe.

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How the rest of the cast backed Sophia’s feelings about One Tree Hill’s last moments

What made the whole conversation even sweeter was how the other One Tree Hill stars agreed with her. Bethany Joy Lenz said the finale gave the characters a chance to have one pure, happy moment after everything they had gone through. She talked about how life doesn’t really have final endings, but this episode felt like the right ending for that stage of their story.

Bethany Joy Lenz says,

"To just be able to be connected and have these moments of happy endings — because there is no happy ending in life, moments end and new ones start, and then those end and new ones start, and some are happy and some are not...And it felt like it was done really well to me."

She sounded emotional in the best way, and it reminded fans why Haley was always the heart of the show.

Robert Buckley also shared how the finale felt more like a see you later than a goodbye. He said it worked as a thank you to the fans, and he loved that viewers got to imagine the characters living the lives they always hoped they would. His words felt so true for anyone who spent years watching the show after school.

Even with Sophia’s one tiny complaint, she still praised the overall ending. She talked about loving how everyone settled into a rhythm again. It reminded her of the early seasons, and that full circle feeling made her smile. The finale always felt special, and hearing the cast talk about it like this made it feel even more meaningful.

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Lastly, Sophia Bush’s honesty made fans appreciate the One Tree Hill finale even more. She adored the episode but simply wished Brooke didn’t have to face Xavier again.

Her reasoning felt real, especially for viewers who loved Brooke’s growth. And with the whole cast sharing their own memories, it became clear the finale wasn’t just a goodbye. It was a gentle sendoff to a town and the One Tree Hill group of iconic characters that fans will always carry with them.

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Also read: One Tree Hill cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the classic teen drama