The end of an era begins tonight, as Bones airs its final season premiere on Fox.

Bones is back for its 12th season Tuesday night on Fox, and it's surely a bittersweet feeling among viewers. Fans are already aware that this is the crime procedural's final season, having been announced last February.

"A show this beloved by fans worldwide deserves a proper send-off, and that is just what we intend to do," David Madden, President, Entertainment, Fox Broadcasting Company, said in a statement. "These final 12 episodes will wrap up storylines and bid farewell to characters who have become part of the fabric of popular culture. Once again, we'd like to thank David, Emily and the entire BONES cast, as well as Hart, Stephen Nathan, Barry Josephson, and this season's showrunners, Michael Peterson and Jonathan Collier. In the pantheon of FOX series, BONES has carved out a unique place for 12 incredible seasons, and we couldn't be more grateful for its continued success over the course of this past decade."

The season 12 premiere, directed by star Emily Deschanel (who plays Brennan on the series), is titled "The Hope in the Horror", and picks up where last season left off.

Brennan was kidnapped by former assistant, Zack Addy (guest star Eric Millegan), and in the season premiere, "Booth (David Boreanaz) and the rest of the lab desperately search for her. Brennan's rescue is, however, just the beginning of their problems."

Other guest stars for this episode include Michael Grant Terry as Wendell Bray, Sara Rue as Karen Delfs, Ravi Kapoor as Dr. Mihir Roshan and Tim Guinee as Dr. Brandon Faulk.

The final season of Bones begins Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Fox. If you cannot watch the season premiere on television but still want to watch it live online, there is an option for you. Fox has its own live stream which you can find right here, though you'll need your (or a helpful friend's) cable subscription information.

To live tweet and follow along with others watching the final season of Bones, use hashtag #Bones on Twitter.