Live from the 7,000 seat Nokia theatre in downtown L.A. was the highly entertaining, but probably pointless last week of American Idol season seven performances, none of which were disappointing.

For the finale, each of the Dueling Davids were given three chances to solidify Archie’s win win over any undecided votes and reinforce why they are still standing after these many weeks. The voting will come down to the tweens (Archuleta) vs. the cougars (Cookie) - a term which is pop culturally relevant, but that I, personally, find repugnant.

The production team must have Rocky fever because we’re going with the boxing-Eye of the Tiger-oohh so manly fight theme. Guh. I can’t think of two guys more likely to never get themselves involved in a physical altercation than these two. Cookie is just too laid back and Archuleta probably couldn’t understand the concept of someone wanting to beat him up and would smile them into submission. I do have to admit the boxing filler is only slightly less nausea inducing than the normal kinds of filler they give us.

Guiding the boys tonight are Crypt Keeper and Sony/BMG legend, Clive Davis and returning “glamourpuss,” Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, because…well, I don’t really know why ALW is there. If it’s to continue to make both Davids uncomfortable with the familiarity he shows them and to creep me out, well played AI. Well played, indeed.

First song selection has Clive choosing, U-2’s “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” for Cookie and Elton John power ballad, “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me” for Archie.

DC (my favorite contestant and favorite comic publisher…coincidence? I think not.) starts out in a place we’ve not heard him explore much this season. That place is his upper register only he’s not driving, he’s head toning. He still has the whiskey gravel to his voice and it’s a very lovely, subtle beginning. He, of course, does what he does best, which is end the song with one of those “off” minor type notes and then slide up into the “right” note. The judges collectively loved it, with Simon calling it “phenomenal.” Can’t say I can disagree with that.

Archie starts out “Don’t Let the Sun….” sitting on the steps in the middle of the stage and it’s at this point that I realize just how teeny tiny he is on the stage. He is pure lilliputian and oompa loompa. Vocally, he does the song complete justice putting in crazy power notes and awesome runs. Visually, this may be the most uncomfortable I’ve ever seen him. He looks very nervous and even goes into the white boy bob - the dance of nervous performers everywhere. While the judges praise him for the Golden Child he is, he looks like he’s this I—-I close to puking all over the mosh pit. Agreeing with Simon - Round One - Archuleta.

Oh sweet mercy save me from the second performance - the “best” of the song writing competition submissions. Now I think I may puke all over the mosh pit. David C. gets “Dream Big” written by someone who isn’t even important enough to mention and David A. will be blessing us with “In This Moment.”

Cook does the best he can with a song that is the musical and lyrical equivalent of James Van Der Beek’s “Varsity Blues” locker room speech.  Only unlike the Beek, I am neither inspired nor optimistic. There’s lots of vocal acrobatics that take place with notes jumping all over, but in the end, it’s very meh and in no way a “winning” song…the fault of which is not Cook’s.

Archuleta’s “In This Moment” is far more AI-like, resembling the abandoned song child of Diane Warren and Barry Manilow as sung by Richard Marx. It’s a soft ballad-y “I’m in the moment and I am totally going to win this thing and you will all be SO sick of this song by Friday after you’ve heard it eleventy thousand times but please buy the single on iTunes, K thnx.” While the song is a dud, the kid singing it definitely is not. It takes a bit of hutzpah to hit something so musically tepid out of the park, but he completely does and in this round, is WAY more comfortable doing it. Again - Round Two - Archuleta.

Final performance of the night is the contestant’s own selection - traditionally something they’ve done previously that was popular and will make us all remember why we fell in love with said contestant.

However, because he is awesome and doesn’t care for tradition, Cookie will be doing “The World I Know” by Collective Soul. Ok, so for the first time tonight I was very, very, minimally wanting Cookie to do more with his song. I actually kept waiting for him to change keys or go big at the end before ending quietly, but instead he just…ended quietly. Still a stunningly beautiful performance, but could have been more and OMG!! He’s crying!!! His tears are my kryptonite. The judges liked it, but, like me felt there could have been more to it, with the exception of Paula who thought it was full of truth and light from the 7th sun of Zolton or some such Quaalude nonsense. Props to Cowell for showing class and complimenting David Cook on being one of the nicest, most sincere contestants on the show.

And now the most predictable, but incredibly smart performance of the night - Archie’s repeat knock ‘em, sock ‘em performance of “Imagine.” It’s the song that made him a household name and won him the competition before we even left the top 24. His intense and incredible vocal styling of the song is just as good, if not better, than the first time and sets him up as a very deserving winner of this season. I’m waiting for his win and eventual road tour with the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus at which point the world will explode from an overload of adorable. Simon reiterates how great a job David A. did and how the difference in the two contestant’s performances was due to his coming out to “knock out” the competition.

I disagree a bit on that. The difference to me is that David Archuleta came out like he does every week - seeking daddy’s the audience’s approval with every note he hits. David Cook knew he could have sung the equivalent of ending world hunger and still not won, so he had fun and did what he wanted to. Oh, and he used the word, “trite.” Well spoken guys win all day long in my book.

The two hour results show will air tomorrow on FOX at 8/7 central. SPOILER ALERT - You’ll be hearing “In This Moment” yet again only this time, there’ll be sparklers, pyrotechnics, and a weepy little boy.