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'Black-ish' Season 7 Episode 8: DeVante and Zoey missed Christmas too, but 'at least they mentioned' the two

Zoey was still there for their grandparents' wedding. but Devante has been gone forever. Here's how the show brings them back

It was the grand winter finale on 'Black-ish' Season 7 and even though the whole episode was a dollop of wholesomeness, fans had a bone or two to pick with the Johnsons. At the very end of the episode, they took to Twitter to express confusion and frustration over how the show doesn't even remember the 'bookend' kids - Zoey and Devante. Zoey was still there for their grandparents' wedding but Devante has been gone forever. Within a few moments, however, fans were met with some satisfaction and Zoey and Devante were finally addressed, with voice cameos. So relax, they are still very much part of the show. 

The episode saw Junior called out Dre for being a 'valley dad' and that propelled the Johnson patriarch to drag the family to Compton to show them where he came from. But as Dre suffered an identity crisis, Bow tried engaging the kids in some much-needed charity work to make them realize the true meaning of giving in the holiday season. In the end, each parent decided there's no point fighting who they are and where they come from and Dre made peace with the fact that he moved to the cushy life and now is providing for his kids to live in comfort and that was more than enough.

All this while, Zoey - their eldest and Devante - their youngest, never even got mentioned, let alone shown on the episode. That prompted fans to ask "Ummm... where's Devante and Zoey? A whole Christmas episode without the bookend kids?" Another mentioned: "Still waiting for #Blackish to mention Devante / Devonte... WHO IS WATCHING THAT CHILD RIGHT NOW?" A third fan also asked "Zoey taking winter classes huh? How you don't come home for Christmas?"

It wasn't until the very end of the episode, in its final two minutes that not only do Zoeyy and Devante get mentioned, but also Bow's Aunt Denise whom fans have only met on the show's spinoff series 'Mixed-ish' shows up too. But it's a joyful day in the fandom because the 'bookend' kids have finally been mentioned. Zoey is sen through a video call, and Devante's voice can be heard as what fans have labeled as the 'invisible baby'.

"Ahhh just when I wondering why they don't even refer to Zoey and Devante off-screen, they do just that in the final scene," tweeted a fan. Another noted "At least they mentioned zoey and devante lol." A third fan tried explaining Zoey's absence saying "I’m assuming (she is) at the college/university Zoe is at, since she’s also on #Grownish. The real question is, where is Devante / Devonte." Another however took to Twitter to reason with the toddler's absence, pointing out: "#Blackish about Devante. He is a toddler & there is a pandemic. Either they're trying to keep him safe or they need his parents permission to put him on the show. I'm glad they didn't age him an extra 5 years."

'Black-ish' Season 7 will return with the latter half of its episodes in January 2021, on Tuesdays at 9 pm only on ABC.