2 couples achieve perfection in 'Dancing With The Stars' finale; dance-by-dance recap

LOS ANGELES -- This is it dance fans! Season 20 of "Dancing With The Stars" has kicked off its two-night finale. We saw each of the three remaining couples dance twice: a repeat dance from earlier in the season and the always fun freestyle.

Here's a rundown of scores, from highest to lowest:

RIKER LYNCH - 40 out of 40 for Paso Doble; 40 out of 40 for freestyle; 80 out of 80 total

Captain Jack is back! Riker and Allison Holker chose to re-do their Paso Doble, which was their favorite dance of the season. Riker once again totally immersed himself in the Johnny Depp inspired "Pirates of the Caribbean" character. This time around, he had a little more technique to bring to the floor as well. The couple earned a standing ovation from head judge Len Goodman, who told them the routine was epic. Julianne Hough praised the way he harnessed and controlled his energy. Bruno Tonioli kept with the pirate theme and thought the routine had a treasure trove of content. Carrie Ann Inaba let Riker know he is worthy of being in this final.

Allison seemed a bit nervous about the choreography for the freestyle because it's her first time in the finals. She came up with a great blend of old time dance and music with updated beats and steps. Bruno called it Fred Astaire reinvented and repackaged for a new generation! Len said he thought Fred was looking down and would be as proud of Riker as Len is.

RUMER WILLIS - 40 out of 40 for Foxtrot; 40 out of 40 for freestyle; 80 out of 80 total

Rumer and Val Chmerkovskiy took on the very first dance they did this season: the Foxtrot. She remembers being a little bit scared on that opening night and wants to re-do it with her new found confidence. Len told them on that night back in March that it could be Rumer's season and Val wants to validate that comment. Len said they did, and loved the dance. Bruno called it pure ballroom bliss. Julianne said they were flawless. Carrie Ann described the dance as pure poetry in motion.

Val has been to the finals before, but has yet to take home the Mirror Ball Trophy. He was inspired by Rumer to NOT have a big and flashy freestyle. Rather, he created a stripped down dance that showcases her skills as a performer, and not just as a dancer either. She also sang Britney Spears' song "Toxic." During their journey together, both Val and Rumer realized they have always been compared to others (Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Maksim Chmerkovskiy), and this is their time to collectively shine. Carrie Ann said the dance was off the charts. Julianne loved their rawness, honesty and dynamic. Bruno thought every move was perfect and every intention in focus. Len appreciated that they took a chance and just danced, calling the routine pure and brave.

NOAH GALLOWAY - 32 out of 40 for Argentine Tango; 40 out of 40 for freestyle; 72 out of 80 total

Noah let us know he only expected to last about three weeks in this competition, so each additional week he's lasted has been gravy. He wants to show the fans that he belongs in this competition and that he's proud to be here. He believes he has a shot at winning. He and Sharna re-do the Argentine Tango, and all the judges said they saw improvement. Yes, they were a little unsteady on a big lift, but Noah and Sharna recovered nicely. Bruno and Julianne both complimented Noah on his growth, not just in dance skills, but also in attitude and commitment. Carrie Ann told him not to let his nerves get the best of him and to find that survivor spirit for the freestyle.

Sharna has been amazing with her choreography all season, but she knocked it out of the park with the freestyle. She told Noah it was about his real comeback story -- full of raw emotion and power. The music was an incredible mash-up of Sia's "Titanium" and Coldplay's "Fix You" -- two songs that seem made for Noah. Len acknowledged that Noah's journey has been the toughest, but he's also come the farthest. Julianne called the dance a celebration. Carrie Ann thought it was beyond words and this art of dance they performed inspired us.

For part two of the season finale on Tuesday, we'll have a reunion of all 12 of this season's couples. One of the finalists will perform an encore of their freestyle dance as decided on by the judges. Then there's one last element of competition: the couples will perform a new routine as part of a "24-Hour Fusion Challenge." The challenge is to fuse two contrasting dance styles that they've performed this season in less than 24 hours! On the line: additional judges' points. At the end of the night, the winner of the gold Mirror Ball Trophy will be announced.