Who does Paige marry in Scorpion?

As a long-time Scorpion viewer and Walter-Paige shipper, this is a question I‘ve thought a lot about since the cliffhanger series finale back in 2018. And the simple answer is: no one. By the show‘s end, Paige did not ultimately marry any of her love interests from the series. But it was one wild romantic ride for her character!

Paige‘s On-Screen Romances

Throughout Scorpion‘s four seasons, Paige had major romantic arcs with two characters:

• Walter O‘Brien (Elyes Gabel), the genius leader of Team Scorpion
• Tim Armstrong (Scott Porter), Homeland Security agent assigned to the team

She also briefly dated Elia Al-Fadhil (Jadyn Wong) in Season 3 before realizing she still had feelings for Walter.

Here‘s a quick breakdown of how viewers rated Paige‘s major relationships:

As you can see, the Walter/Paige or "Waige" pairing overwhelmingly dominated fan preference polls and online discussions. But did this epic romance ultimately result in wedding bells for Scorpion‘s heart and Walter‘s mind?

The Walter-Paige Romance Arc

Walter and Paige‘s relationship spanned all four seasons of Scorpion in an emotional rollercoaster ride. Upon their initial meeting in Season 1, the genius Walter was intellectually fascinated by Paige‘s high EQ (emotional intelligence) which balanced out the team. However, he struggled to process romantic feelings as an antisocial genius.

Over the seasons, Walter and Paige grew closer through high-stakes missions and late nights working together. They relied on each other, confided in one another, and Paige helped Walter emotionally open up. As Walter wrestling with new feelings, fans swooned over every glance, touch, and heart-felt conversation.

But the course of true love never did run smooth. Jealousy issues, communication problems and Walter‘s emotional walls caused rifts. Paige occasionally pulled away or dated someone else, like Tim. Walter seemed unable to confess his true feelings, scared of failure in romance.

By Season 4, Walter finally admitted he loved Paige and wanted a relationship. But in the devastating Season 3 finale, he made an ill-advised attempt to "protect" Paige by pushing her away and alarmingly firing her from Scorpion. We later learned that Walter had confessed his love but felt too insecure to make Paige happy, leading to this rash decision.

Would Walter and Paige Have Ended Up Together?

The Season 4 premiere resolved the messy firing plotline quickly, with Paige revealing she quit. She soon returned to the team, unable to abandon the mission or Walter. But lingering trust issues plagued their working relationship and hopes of romance.

In the final episodes, they grew close again while working a dangerous case. Longing looks and tension built. It seemed like the long-awaited Waige reunion was imminent!

Fans have endlessly theorized whether Walter and Paige would have finally ended up happily together in Season 5. The cast and showrunner strongly indicated this was the plan. Katharine McPhee herself said Paige likely would have "put her foot down" and insisted on clear commitment from Walter soon.

So the biggest tragedy of Scorpion‘s cancellation after Season 4 was robbing loyal Waige fans of seeing their favorite couple formalize a real romance. Within the show‘s timeline, Walter and Paige never did get engaged or married. But perhaps they would have found their happy ending…if only there had been a Season 5!

The Ambiguous Cliffhanger Ending

Which brings us to the shock last scene of the Scorpion finale, "A Lie in the Sand."

After four seasons of build-up, fans expected some closure on Walter and Paige‘s relationship status. Instead, the show cut to Walter returning from an overseas trip…finding Florence wearing a wedding ring and kissing him. They were seemingly married!

This completely blindsided the audience. Walter marrying Florence instead felt entirely out of left field. She had been an intermittent ally helping Scorpion, and sometimes showed romantic interest in Walter, but was far less developed.

Very little about her mysterious marriage to Walter made sense with his characterization or the Waige plot arcs. With zero build-up or explanation, it came across like a bizarre attempt to surprise viewers, rather than a meaningful character shift. Even Walter and Florence‘s actors expressed dismay over it!

Of course, with no Season 5, fans will never know why or how Florence married Walter in what seemed like mere days during his travels. We can only speculate endlessly:

• Was it an impulsive, convenience "green card marriage" to help Florence?
• Did Walter panic that Paige would reject him and propose recklessly to Florence instead?
• Would Florence‘s claims of marriage prove false or Walter back out upon seeing Paige again?

It appeared wildly out-of-character writing aimed solely for shock value. With cancellation looming, perhaps the creators thought any surprise was better than predictable Waige closure! But it remains an infuriating cliffhanger we‘ll never see resolved.

Paige‘s Legacy and Popularity on Scorpion

Regardless of disappointing romantic outcomes for Paige, she stands as one of Scorpion‘s most beloved characters. As the heart of the genius team, she gave viewers an emotional anchor amidst the super-brain antics.

Audience ratings and fan forum activity always spiked dramatically for Paige-focused episodes. Her character resonated strongly, especially among female viewers who related to managing geniuses (relatable for tech workers!).

And Paige‘s steamy, soap opera-esque dynamic with Walter fueled passionate engagement from shipper fans who lived for their every interaction. For many viewers, Waige was the core reason they tuned in!

So while Paige didn‘t get the fairy-tale wedding payoff fans may have hoped for, she remains etched in Scorpion history as the emotional core fans couldn‘t get enough of each week. The rabid Waige fandom lives on, rewatching old episodes and forever wondering…what might Season 5 have brought for Paige?