The Best Moments From Stephen Colbert's 'The Late Show' Final Episode: From the Emotional Opening Monologue to Surprise Final Guest and More

Stephen Colbert stepped onto The Late Show stage for the last time.

On May 21, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert aired its final episode, which also marked the end of the 33-year run of The Late Show franchise. In his final hurrah, the late-night host delivered his last opening monologue.

"This show… I want you to know this show has been a joy for us to do for you," he told his audience and TV viewers.

"In fact, we call this show The Joy Machine. We call it The Joy Machine because to do this many shows it has to be a machine, but the thing is, if you choose to do with joy, it doesn't hurt as much when your fingers get caught in the gears, and I cannot adequately explain to you what the people who work here have done for each other, and how much we mean to each other," Colbert continued.

He then referenced his old Comedy Central show, reminiscing, "On night one of The Colbert Report, back in the day, I said, 'Anyone can read the news to you. I promise to feel the news at you.' And I realized pretty soon in this job that our job over here was different. We were here to feel the news with you, and I don't know about you, but I sure have felt [the news] and I just want to let all y'all know, in here and out there, how important you've been to what we have done. The energy that you've given us, we sincerely need that to have done the best possible show we could have for you for the last 11 years."

Colbert joked about OnlyF--- before sharing the history of the Ed Sullivan Theater, expressing how they had been honored "to have been just a small part of it."

As Colbert shared his final monologue, the audience went wild when Bryan Cranston stood up to make the first cameo.

The Saving Private Ryan star asked the host if he wanted a "surprise celebrity cameo popping up out of nowhere," to which Colbert replied, "No, Bryan, those always feel kind of forced."

"Maybe I could be your last guest," Cranston suggested.

Colbert teased, "That would be great, Bryan. The thing is, we already have a pretty special one lined up."

A few seconds after Colbert resumed his monologue, Paul Rudd interrupted him.

"I'm just curious when our interview starts? I have an extremely long poem I want to recite, and I don't want to run out of time," he asked, later showing his gift to Colbert: five bananas.

Colbert's old Second City pal Tim Meadows also popped in for a surprise visit in addition to Tig Notaro and Ryan Reynolds.

The Emmy-winning late night star later sat down for The Colbert Questionert, answering questions from special guests Jim Gaffigan, Tiffany Haddish, Josh Brolin, John Dickerson, Robert De Niro, Mark Hamill, Billy Crystal, Jeff Daniels, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Sedaris, Ben Stiller, James Taylor, Martha Stewart and "Weird Al" Yankovic.

The Late Show First Lady and Stephen's wife, Evie McGee-Colbert, also dropped by during the segment.

Later in the segment, Paul McCartney joined Stephen onstage as the show's actual final guest.

The rocker presented the host with a framed photo of The Beatles during the band's appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964.

"It's always fantastic to come back here. Like you say, I always remember the girls in the back of the balcony," Paul said of his return to the venue.

After a slight glitch appeared in the backdrop, Stephen's interview of Paul was interrupted again when a "wormhole" emerged backstage.

The father-of-three paused the discussion, and he later met Neil deGrasse Tyson and Jon Stewart.

"The hole's here, you can't ignore it," said The Daily Show host. "The only choice you have now is how you choose to walk through it. You can go in kicking and screaming that one, or you can do what you've done for the past 30 years when faced with something dark, stare it down, and you can laugh."

After Stephen said good night, Paul and the musicians on the show performed The Beatles' "Hello, Goodbye." The host's family and friends then joined him on stage.

Stephen's fellow late-night and "Strive Force Five" podcast co-hosts — Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver — also reunited during The Late Show final episode.

"You guys have been wonderful friends and great models for me, and I'm so glad to know and love all of you," Stephen told his pals.