Despite being the ending Act, there is not much of a denouement - a lot of loose ends remain. It can be classed as a comedy, in that comedies end with a marriage (Hero and Claudio, and substantially, Benedick and Beatrice); but it is highly unsatisfying otherwise. We are however left with a concluding judgement of characters though.
Firstly, there is Leonato. Antonio confronts the grieving Leonato and pleads with him not to be so suicidal. Leonato points out that everybody enjoys to moan at some point, and Antonio tells him to resolve it by taking his suffering out on the people that accused Hero. They try to start a fight, but are put aside by Claudio and Don Pedro insisting they have evidence and justification for Hero's death. This shows that even though Leonato is the most powerful person of the play (in that he owns majority of the setting), he still gives way and knows when he cannot win. This makes him most agreeable and easy going of the entire play.
Don Pedro and Claudio greet the approaching Benedick with the news that they narrowly avoided a fight with two old, toothless men. This shows the forms of slight disrespect they have, mostly on Claudio's behalf. We can conclude from this, previous and leading events, that Claudio probably has the most personality flaws. He is gullible (easily fooled), disrespectful, arrogant, and he depends on majority's vote rather than personal logic and/or reasoning. Benedick calmly asserts that Claudio is a villain, and is responsible for the wrongful death of Hero. Furthermore, Claudio doesn’t seem to take to account what he has done, nor Benedick’s threats very seriously. Claudio makes light of every situation, vaguely saying to Don Pedro that Benedick has accused him of being all kinds of stupid (which he sort of is). Don Pedro and Claudio then launch into a series of silly taunts about Beatrice’s love for Benedick, which they claim they heard from Hero (who is to their knowledge, dead, so they’re being pretty insensitive). Finally they ridicule Benedick, saying that when he marries Beatrice, he’ll be hung with cuckold’s horns, though he claimed to once be an untamable bull. Benedick doesn’t think any of this is funny. He says the men may be full of jokes now, but they’re like braggarts who talk big, but don’t know how to use a sword. Benedick goes on to thank Don Pedro for his many courtesies, but he says he’ll have to part ways with Don Pedro’s company from here on out. Further, he informs Don Pedro that his brother Don John has fled from Messina, and all three of them are implicated in the wrongful death of Hero. He calls Claudio "Lord Lackbeard," playing on Claudio’s youthful lack of a beard -this could perhaps explain his immaturity.
As Don Pedro wonders about why Don John suddenly skipped town, Dogberry enters to clear up the matter, followed by Verges and the watchmen, with Borachio and Conrade in tow. Don Pedro recognizes Conrade and Borachio as the henchmen of his brother, Don John. Don Pedro wonders at what offence the men committed in order to be brought forth in chains. Dogberry, as usual, muddles his explanation. After playing with Dogberry for a bit, Don Pedro finally asks Borachio what he’s done. Borachio breaks the mood of merriment, and finally reveals all of the truth, even though he’s scared Claudio will kill him (further proof that Claudio may be well known to make rash decisions, with no or little thought). The whole evil scheme is brought to light, and Don Pedro understands why Don John skipped town -but why he started the whole thing is unknown [Don John is a villian without reason].
Claudio realizes his mistake, and Hero's beauty and innocence as when he ''loved'' her. It's pretty shallow and fickle of him. Dogberry breaks up the scene by ordering the accused away (though he wrongly calls them the plaintiffs. A bit of a moment killer in such a dramtic phase).
It is possible to say that Borachio is just, in that he tries to take all the blame and explains that he only did it for the money:
When Borachio claims the fault is his alone, Leonato jumps to his defense and blames primarily Claudio, Don Pedro, and Don John, as well as Borachio. Leonato then thanks Don Pedro and Claudio for their roles in all this villainy -he's very big on the manipulation thing. Claudio and Don Pedro are brief with Leonato, but full of sorrow. Claudio says Leonato can have any revenge desired, though he’s quick to point out that his only actual sin was mistaking. Don Pedro jumps on the "I’m completely guilty, except…" bandwagon, though he says that whatever punishment Leonato wants to put him through, he’ll accept. Leonato says he just wants his daughter be alive again, and that isn’t within either of the perpetrator’s power -seems like more reverse psychology.Leonato's punishment for Claudio is an explanation to the people of Messina that Hero was actually innocent, and to hang an epitaph for her, and mourn over her (bizarre that people should be told when to mourn over the loss of a love). Claudio will be accepted back into Leonato’s fold if he shows up at Leonato’s house tomorrow morning for another wedding; this time Claudio will marry Leonato’s niece, to which he agrees (further evidence how sincere his love for Hero really was, unless he had a hunch it was Hero?), and thanks Leonato copiously for his kindness.
It's when Leonato is about to ask Margaret her part in the scheme when Borachio speaks up again, saying Margaret had no idea what she was doing, she wasn’t involved in the plot, and is a just and virtuous girl. This is somewhat romantic, in that true love is shown -he defends her name, unlike some people (hint hint, Claudio).
Margaret is with Benedick at this time, joking about his poems to Beatrice. Benedick’s inability with words on the page is rather funny, given how quick he is in his speech, and thus love makes more fools than poets. Beatrice enters, but doesnt ask about what happened between him and Claudio first. Instead, they dabble in words of love for each other. This leaves the question if she was entirely serious about Claudio's murder. Ursula rushes in with curative news. It has just been discovered that Hero was falsely accused, Claudio and Don Pedro were misled, and Don John is to blame for it all. Benedick makes a joke about how he’d like to be in Beatrice’s lap (which woven in well contextually) and he and Beatrice run off to go inside Leonato’s house and witness the chaos
At the wedding, Benedick points out that Beatrice likes him,and Benedick also points out that he loves Beatrice (which Leonato then credits to himself, Don Pedro, and Claudio). Benedick doesn’t quite piece Leonato’s cryptic speech together, but he does say he’d like to be married to Beatrice today if Leonato gives his blessing, and the Friar gives some service. Everyone agrees that blessing, service, and a bride will soon be handed over to Benedick. Then Don Pedro, Claudio, and some others enter. Leonato asks if Claudio is still ready to marry Antonio’s daughter, and Claudio graciously replies that he’ll marry her even if she’s an Ethiope (not too sure what views of race were in Shakespearean times, but nevertheless, it's safe to assume it wasnt regarded a great thing -but it also shows Claudio's emotional flaws). Claudio gets handed a n''mystery'' lady by Antonio, and swears that he’s her husband, if she’ll have him. The lady is then revealed to be none other than Hero.
Benedick asks which masked lady is Beatrice. Beatrice steps forth, and Benedick publicly asks Beatrice if she loves him -the first confrontation of the play. She denies it – kind of. So Benedick also kind of denies it when she throws the same question back at him. Both seem a little taken aback, first by how publicly their word is being tested, but also by the fact that they each had "inside information" about the other’s secret crush. They’re about to shake hands and relegate each other to a life of being nothing more than friends, even though they blatantly feel something for each other, abut Hero and Claudio interupt.Each reveal a love letter of sorts, and Benedick and Beatrice realize their hands have revealed their hearts. A lot of teasing commenses, and its noted that Claudio jests that he hoped Benedick wouldn’t marry Beatrice, as Claudio wanted to see Benedick become a married man and also a cheater. Still, Claudio teases that Benedick might end up being a cheater anyway, if Beatrice doesn’t keep a close eye on him. Benedick calls for dancing, though Leonato thinks they really should have marriages before dancing. The old man is ignored, and Benedick calls for music. Then Benedick teases Don Pedro about needing to get a wife, and this is where his sadness (perhaps loneliness) shows, as he is the only character unmatched.
The greatest untied end is when finally, randomly, a messenger comes in and announces that Don John was captured and brought back to Messina. Benedick counsels Don Pedro to not worry about this right now, and instead, to be merry. We are not let known what happens after the play, but perhaps that was as Shakespeare intended.
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