If you’ve kept up with the chaos of the Shameless crew since the show premiered in 2011, you know how much has changed over the nine seasons of the critically acclaimed Showtime drama.

Audiences have watched the Gallagher kids grow up, get into trouble, connive their way out of trouble, and then inevitably get into even bigger trouble. Through it all, Fiona Gallagher, the eldest sibling and most consistently responsible, held the family together with love, compassion, and the occasional violent act. But as season nine comes to a close, fans have to adjust to the idea of Shameless without Fiona, as actress Emmy Rossum moves on from the show.

To say goodbye to one of the best characters on TV, we’ve compiled five moments that capture what we love most about the most badass Gallagher sibling.

Fiona never took any shit. If you were nice to her, she’d be nice to you, but if you started something, she wasn’t afraid to finish it. Southside doesn’t back down.

While a big part of what makes Shameless so good is the high quality acting from every cast member, Emmy Rossum was always a standout. This monologue is one of the finest moments of dramatic acting in recent television history and shows Fiona’s inner strength in conflict with her vulnerability, part of the dynamic that makes her such a fascinating character.

Shameless US | Fiona’s Speech to Monicawww.youtube.com

As tough as she is, Fiona also has very human moments. In this scene, you see Fiona find out that their deadbeat mother stole the family’s emergency funds.

She goes through a range of emotion, from panic to anger, to despair, and delivers the performance so viscerally she brings the audience on the journey with her.

Shameless US – Fiona finds out about the moneywww.youtube.com

Even when things got complicated, Fiona got things done. When Monica died, the whole family dealt with a lot of complicated feelings, but not Fiona. Her mother had been dead to her ever since she abandoned the family, so getting her buried was merely another thing on the to-do list.

Shameless | ‘Get Her Into the Ground As Soon As Possible’ Official Clip (Ep. 12) | Season 7youtu.be

While she may make mistakes, Fiona always acted out of love. She didn’t need to sacrifice her life to raise the other Gallaghers, but she did, and this emotional speech, that ultimately won her custody of her siblings, shows why.

Shameless Season 3: Episode 7 Clip – Family Comes Firstyoutu.be

Fiona knows how to have fun. In this scene, she enjoys a rare moment of alone time and dances in her underwear, showing a glimpse of the carefree youth she may have been if life hadn’t dealt her such a difficult hand.

Shameless – Fiona Dancing [8×8]www.youtube.com

Brooke Ivey Johnson is a Brooklyn based writer, playwright, and human woman. To read more of her work visit her blog or follow her twitter @BrookeIJohnson.

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