Things have really changed at SC&P since we rejoined Don and the others at the start of 1969. It’s been an incredible half season, full of all the Mad Men trademarks, and a lot of attentive fans looking for clues as to how it’s all going to end.

Perhaps the show is a tragedy about the excesses of capitalism. Maybe it’s only supposed to be a historical drama, telling the tale of America’s changes in the 1960s. Or it might just be what we have been talking about all season: a story of redemption.

Western culture is flush with redemption stories, to the point where it almost becomes nauseating. Yet we expect it. We want our protagonists to make it out of the story alive and to become better people for taking the journey. We like it so much that when a television show decides to end on a more somber or ambiguous note, we end up pretty frustrated.

As fans, many of us have taken hold of the idea that season 7 of Mad Men is supposed to be the story of Don Draper’s redemption. Could it be?

All of the signs are there. Don has finally made peace with his children, sharing a touching moment with his daughter Sally. He’s also finally shown some respect to Peggy Olson, which he eventually earned back in another touching moment when the two creative geniuses shared a dance to Frank Sinatra. Don has been drinking less, with a few exceptions, since he returned to SC&P, and he’s even been working hard at his job to try and earn back the esteem of his partners.

Even the bad moments Don has had seem to be pushing him toward a better life. He and Megan are getting a divorce, but in a civilized and friendly way, unlike his split with Betty. The end of the relationship is a necessary next step for Don’s growth, as their marriage seemed doomed from the beginning. It was rushed, contrived, and had a lot more fighting early on than fans had probably expected. Sure, Don refrained from cheating for a while, but eventually, the girl from Freaks and Geeks changed that. (I still haven’t forgiven her for breaking up Cory and Topanga.)

Don and Megan’s marriage isn’t even ending because of his infidelity but simply because they are growing apart as the world around them changes. Their ability to get a divorce for such reasons is also an incredible indication of how times have changed since the early days of Mad Men.

For so long, Don’s character has been defined by the women in his life — his marriages to Betty and Megan, his strained relationships with Peggy and Sally, and his flings with all of his countless paramours over the years. Don’s ties to each of these women were always representative of the times. He was the face of corporate America and the ideal 1960s man, and his attitudes toward these ladies were defined by his era.

He treated Betty as a trophy wife for most of their time together. He shouted at Peggy so often that it was hard to keep track of why he was angry at her. And Sally was such a distant person to him that it was hard to believe he was her father. But as the show has evolved, so has Don. He has now regained favor with the women in his life, even as he faces a second divorce. Even he and Betty haven’t been in any arguments in a long time.

However, is Don making peace with his extended family part of a larger road to redemption, or is it all leading to a much more heartbreaking demise?

Don’s continued flaw is his addiction to his career. He can’t function without the ad agency. The potential buyout of SC&P by McCann Erickson requires a five-year contract from Don Draper, which he appears to be happy to sign. Ironically, Don started the show terrified of contracts and the prospect of being held down; he was only willing to change his tune when practically blackmailed by Bert Cooper. Could his old fear of contracts prove to be a valid one, with his new contract bringing Don back to his lowest levels? Is signing the contract going to be akin to Don signing away his soul and his creative freedom to a company he has been fighting for years?

And will the millions of dollars he stands to make drive a wedge between him and Megan, with her deciding to take Don up on his offer of financial security? Perhaps Don’s conversation about divorce with Harry Crane was another bit of genius foreshadowing.

With Lane Pryce’s name being brought up all the time, it seems the show runners are hinting at something equally big happening. Is it truly inevitable that Don live out the scene from the series opening, or is that only a red herring?

Maybe the contract with McCann won’t be his undoing, but rather, his salvation. Perhaps Roger Sterling is about to prove that he truly is a leader by playing a chess game against McCann Erickson at the most Machiavellian level. Without dad watching over the agency anymore, it’s time for someone to step up, and Roger is not about to let Jim Cutler, McCann, or anyone else take away his birthright. If Roger gets his way, we may see Sterling and Draper take over McCann from within and become the leaders of the top agency in the country. If they succeed, will Roger and Don finally be happy?

Perhaps we’ve been looking at it all wrong, and the answer is for Don to move away from New York. He clearly loves Stephanie and the actual Draper family in a very real way. He always seems happiest when he’s in L.A., and the west coast has clearly done a lot for Pete. Don Draper’s creativity knows no bounds, and Hollywood is about to enter a golden age in the 1970s. Dick Whitman is a good man, and he needs to be in a better environment.

So many questions have yet to be answered. Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, and the rest of the cast and crew at Mad Men continue to spin an incredible tale of America in the 1960s, packed with intrigue, twists, and tragedies. It’s going to be a long year before season 7 resumes, but I look forward to the conclusion of Matthew Weiner’s masterpiece.