As graduation approaches, Joey has a tough time preparing her speech, and Dawson helps her find some bittersweet inspiration. Joey gets an unexpected surprise gift from her late mother. Pacey wonders if he's going to graduate at all, and he worries that his last final will be the toughest one. He walks out of it after the teacher makes a comment on him, costing him his diploma. Meanwhile, Andie McPhee returns home for the cap and gown ceremony, and is surprised to meet Jack's new boyfriend, Tobey, and a devious Drue, who has just moved to Jen's after being kicked out of his home by his mother after a fight, convinces Jen to help him pull a hilarious senior prank. Pacey tells Andie he has decided to take the job offer on a boat for the summer.
Set in the fictional town of Capeside, MA, Dawson's Creek is the coming of age story of four friends on the verge of adulthood. Dawson, Joey, and Pacey are life long friends, whose lives start to rapidly change when a new girl, Jen, moves in next door to Dawson Leery and the foursome start high school. Along the way they are joined by two other newcomers to Capeside: Jack and Andie and, when they go to college, by Audrey. Often characterized by its intelligence, sharp wit, and SAT vocabulary, Dawson's Creek was created by Kevin Williamson. It was loosely based on his life, with each character incorporating a different aspect of himself.