We got word late yesterday that two characters on the beloved Parks and Recreation will be making their way off of the series in the upcoming season. I don’t think it’s coincidental that it is raining today in Brooklyn, NY. Why God chose this borough to express Her anguish over the loss of these two characters, I don’t know — I don’t expect to understand all of Her mysteries — but I do know that rain = God’s tears, and as far as I know there isn’t much else going on in the world that She would be so upset about. Their upcoming exit was recently confirmed in a statement released by Michael Schur:

The news about Rob and Rashida is true — they will be leaving the show after the 13th episode of the upcoming season six. We’ve been working on their storyline (on and off) for four seasons now, and heading into this year, with the two of them contemplating parenthood, it felt like a natural time to move them into the next phase.

We absolutely love both Rashida and Rob, and will be sad to see them go. Rashida was one of the very first people we knew we wanted in the cast, and as important as Ann is to Leslie (and vice-versa), she’ll certainly never be far from Pawnee. Rob we initially thought we could only have for six or eight episodes, and we couldn’t be happier that he will have stuck around for 75.

They are wonderful, funny, committed actors, they’ve been a huge part of the Parks and Rec family, and we think we have a great Pawnee send-off in the works for them.

WHHHYYYY? IS IT BECAUSE THEY BOTH HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO AND ALSO IT IS CONVENIENT PLOT-WISE FOR EACH OF THEM TO EXIT, AND ALSO EACH OF THEIR CHARACTERS IS JUST ABOUT TO WEAR OUT HIS OR HER WELCOME, SO ACTUALLY IT SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DECISION FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED?! IS THAT IT?! UGGGHHHHH. I will never understand why awful things happen to terrific people. (Awful things = this, terrific people = us.) One thing I do understand, though, is MAKING A GAMEEEE OUT OF ITTTTTTTT! (The game is: How will the show say goodbye to them?) 

• They are shot into space.
• Ann has a baby with Chris and the baby is a demon, but they don’t want to give up their baby so they have to live in the woods with it.
• Ann and Chris move to an island and have a perfect life because you only live once.
• Ann and Chris were only ever a dog’s dream.
• Romeo and Juliet scenario.
• Ummmmmmmmm
• They leave to open a wacky restaurant.
• They are each “discovered” by agents and continue to exist in the world of the show by sometimes the characters will watch them on TV in their future projects.
• Shot into space?

I don’t know! I don’t write for television! You give it a shot!