Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron absence EXPLAINED in HSMTMTS Season 4 finale

Season 4 of High School Musical: The Musical: The Series capped off with a satisfying reunion of the original cast, sans Vanessa Hudgens, Zac Efron, and Ashley Tisdale.

Corbin Bleu, Monique Coleman, Kaycee Stroh, and Lucas Grabeel came together for the final time to attend their high school reunion, where they also touched on the missing characters’ whereabouts.

Showrunner Tim Federle previously told People in 2022 that he had extended an invitation to all of the original HSM stars to appear in the final season, however, claimed it all relied on their availability.

“It's a matter of juggling and holding my breath and praying and lighting candles and seeing who wants to come play with us,” he shared at the time.

During the episode, the missing iconic trio was addressed a few times, with Martha, played by Stroh, telling Coach Bolton, played by Bart Johnson, “They have been silent in the group chat.”

In a later scene, Chad, played by Blue, also offered an extensive update on each of their characters, revealing, he was happily married to Taylor, Coleman, Martha found her ilk in choreography, Ryan found his love with Pentatonix singer Scott Hoying, meanwhile, Gabriella, played by Hudgens, and Troy, played by Efron, are ironing out their differences in “couples therapy.”

Speaking to the outlet, Federle dished on the importance of having the characters stay true to the original franchise, noting he came to their respective conclusions with the help of the cast members themselves.

“It really was about High School Musical was an extraordinary thing in all of their lives,” he said. “[But] also, they've had these big lives outside and their own heartbreaks and successes and ups and downs.”