Warning: Spoilers for Veronica Mars season four ahead!
There are a lot of twists and turns in the Hulu-revived fourth season of Veronica Mars [1]: as Veronica and her father scramble to find the culprit behind the bombings interrupting Neptune's Spring break, they have to juggle a shifty congressman, a stubborn police chief, the machinations of real-estate tycoon Richard Casablancas Sr., and hitmen from Mexico. It's a lot. But even with all their dangerous dealings and close calls, nothing prepares them for the most unexpected development, the loss of one of their own. Right after Veronica and Logan finally seem to get it together enough to claim each other as husband and wife, the Navy Lieutenant meets his end in a violent explosion, a final goodbye from the Neptune Bomber.
If you're feeling a little dizzy reading that last sentence, I don't blame you. Any Marshmallow worth their fluff has a special place in their hearts for Neptune's troubled bad boy, and despite their many breakups, his place as Veronica's one and only has never been truly questioned. To have their story end in such a brutal way is heartbreaking, especially since they seemed to finally have a hope at happiness.
When Logan makes his first appearance in season four, he's freshly returned from a mission abroad, one whose location Veronica tries to deduce by going through his luggage after a passionate round of welcome-home-sex. During her search, Logan teases her about marriage and she quickly realises it's no joke when she finds a ring in one of his pockets. Logan (literally) gets down on one knee to propose, but Veronica quickly shoots him down before he can even fully get the question out, citing both of their parents' relationships as clear examples on why they shouldn't mess with a good thing.
The rejection throws their relationship off for two reasons: Logan accepts Veronica's answer with maturity, though he pushes for her to join him in therapy, noting that Veronica seems to crave the destructive dynamic they had years ago. For Logan — who has definitely changed from his 09er days — it's disturbing that his partner seems to enjoy seeing him lose his temper. But Veronica stalls on agreeing, admitting that she feels like his newfound zen has made him a "pod person" and she's unsure of how to handle their relationship.
As the season progresses and Veronica gets sucked into the Neptune bombing case, the two attempt to find their balance with one another. Logan lands a job as the security detail for congressman Daniel Maloof, whose younger brother Alex was caught in the first Neptune bombing at the Sea Sprite Motel. Alex lost his fiancée, Tawny Carr, in the bombing and her family members violently accuse the Maloofs of stealing her engagement ring after her death. Logan steps in when the Carr brothers attempt to attack Daniel, which earns him the older man's respect and gratitude. Logan alternates between helping Veronica and Keith out with the case and keeping Daniel safe, and for a hot minute it looks like the couple find their groove.
The reappearance of Leo D'Amato, Veronica's former flame and one of the FBI agents assigned to the bombing case, puts a noticeable strain on the couple. Logan gets called back for active duty and Veronica and Leo reconnect, the two obviously still attracted to one another. Veronica doesn't cheat on Logan — though she's definitely tempted — and a close call with two Mexican cartel hitmen make her realise how deeply in love with Logan she is. When he surprises her with his return that very night, she agrees to marry him, but it'll have to wait until she catches the bomber. After a wild goose chase and another bomb scare at the Kane High School dedication ceremony, the second bomber is revealed to be Penn Epner [3], and Veronica is free to marry her longtime love.
The two get married outside City Hall [4] with Keith and Wallace as their witnesses and head back home to prepare for their honeymoon in Sedona, AZ. As they quip back and forth about their impending holiday, Logan gets a text alert to move their car for street cleaning, a task that Veronica has put off several times before. As Veronica packs a bag, she suddenly recalls that a phrase in Penn's limerick teasing the location of the final bomb said, "Their flesh we will squeegee at midday 'round Fiji, plus the heroes around whom we're doting," realising that it actually refers to her and Logan. Remembering that the backpack Penn insisted on bringing with him is still in her car, she rushes to the window to warn Logan, but it detonates before she can, causing an explosion that rocks her back onto her bed and presumably kills her new husband instantly.
A year later, Veronica visits Logan's therapist Jane, revealing that the town has been completely taken over by high-end shops and she's been evicted from her beachfront home. "By next year, there won't be a property on the beach costing less than $10 million," she says. She's leaving Neptune for a case, but before she goes, Jane sends her a recording of Logan from the day of their wedding. In it, he explains why he wants to marry Veronica, saying, "Is it weird to say you want to marry someone because you respect her? Because you want to be like her? Because you want children who will inherit her qualities? I want to marry Veronica because she's the toughest human being I've ever met. Blows that would destroy most people — she always picks herself back up."
It's a bittersweet ending for everyone involved: yes, Veronica is a strong woman who can pick herself up from this grief and move on. But there's something resigned about her face that says she never really believed that she could have something good for long anyway. And after the two finally got their sh*t together long enough to make an official commitment, they lose is all in one blow. Even if Veronica Mars gets a season five [6], it won't be the same with the ghost of Logan and those five minutes of wedded bliss hanging over it.
Of course, the powers that be — aka Rob Thomas — could pull off a switcheroo if season five does happen, since we never actually see Logan perish. The car that was coming towards him could have been someone rushing in to warn him, or he could have managed to sense the danger quickly enough to run for cover. After all, Logan's entire job involves him running off to secret locations for long periods of time, and Veronica carrying the charade could be part of keeping his secret safe. The two of them being separated due to secrets would totally be on-brand for them.
Either way, we won't know until a decision is made about another season. So until then, we'll just be here mourning what could have been and basking in those precious moments of pure happiness that existed between the new Mr. and Mrs. Veronica Mars.