Joe Burgess' try with just two minutes left sent Wigan back to Old Trafford as Shaun Wane attempts to claim back-to-back Super League titles for the first time in the club's illustrious history.
Wane's men again showed the grit and determination they showcased when beating Warrington 30-16 in last season's showpiece as Wigan came out on top on Friday following an epic play-off clash at the DW Stadium.
Joel Tomkins – back with Wigan after a spell with rugby union side Saracens – went over for the first try of the night before Joel Monaghan and Gareth O'Brien crossed either side of half-time as Warrington battled from behind to lead.
Anthony Gelling edged the hosts back in front, only for Stephen Ratchford to draw the sides level.
Then came Burgess' big moment as the 19-year-old put Wigan on a collision course with bitter local rivals St Helens on October 11.
Wigan started strongly and led 2-0 after Matty Smith successfully slotted a seventh-minute penalty.
A couple of handling errors kept Warrington pegged back in their own half, but Tony Smith's men defending resolutely until they were eventually undone by nifty Blake Green footwork after 24 minutes.
Green – playing his last game at the DW Stadium before heading back to the NRL at season's end - dummied before bursting clear from the halfway line and offloading for Tomkins to power over. Smith duly converted.
Tempers frayed three minutes before half-time when Warrington halved the deficit in bizarre fashion through Monaghan.
The Wigan defence stopped in their tracks when Richie Myler's pass appeared on first glance to have gone forward, but Monaghan followed it up to ground it.
The decision went to the video referee and the replays showed that Myler's throw struck the face of a team-mate to change direction.
Ratchford missed with the boot from the touchline as Warrington went in 8-4 down at half-time.
Within six minutes of the restart, though, Warrington sensationally went ahead for the first time.
O'Brien caught his own high kick and scored after Matty Bowen was wrong-footed by the bounce of the ball, and he converted his own try for good measure.
Wigan, however, responded with a fine break down the left before a cross-field attack ended with Gelling showing great athleticism to get the ball down with one hand. Smith's kick sailed wide.
Liam Farrell was penalised for holding with 15 minutes remaining and Ratchford made no mistake to level the game at 12-all.
Myler and Smith then both missed one-point attempts as the game ebbed from end to end in a pulsating last 10 minutes before Dan Sarginson thought he had won it for Wigan when he crossed following Gelling's run, only for play to be called back for a forward pass.
But Wigan did clinch victory with less than two minutes remaining when Burgess cut in from the left flank and initially stumbled before hurling himself low over the line to cap a pulsating contest.