As the leaves drop upon our paths and the weather dramatically changes, it is time to turn our televisions and our computers on, pull up our favorite streaming services, and begin the ultimate fall show: Gilmore Girls. And in the spirit of fall, I find it crucial to address a pressing Gilmore Girls argument, that of love and agency. Who should Lane Kim end up with? More importantly, should we be asking that question at all?
To most fans, the answer to the first question is obvious: Dave, the boy who read the entire Bible in one night in order to be with her. Some might even defend the earlier-introduced Henry, the boy her parents would have loved (yet indirectly pushed away). However, none of these relationships match Lane’s final and forever match, Zack.
Zack is nowhere near perfect. Fans will point out his “stupidity” in comparison to other characters on the show, or the fact that he was a bit of a ladies man before falling for Lane. These points are completely irrelevant, however. Zack may not be reading constantly or witty to the point of arrogance, but he is not the oaf many make him out to be. Even so, his down-to-earth talk creates a relief from the convoluted and manipulative conversations between other characters. Besides this, his character has sufficient development from his introduction to the revival that any negative traits he possessed are transformed into a kind soul with genuine affection for Lane.
Those opposed to Lane and Zack’s relationship hold up Rory and Logan’s as a beacon of love, citing Rory’s unchanging career-driven attitude and Logan’s charm. As a comparison, this is unfair, as Rory and Lane’s lives have taken very different turns. As a contrast, it is wonderful, providing evidence that Lane and Zack are perfect together. A particular shot that shows this parallel well is in season six, episode sixteen, “Bridesmaids Revisited.” This is when Rory learns that, during her and Logan’s break, Logan cheated on her with multiple women. We can get into the semantics of break, but without clear communication, Rory was left thinking their relationship was merely in a pause, and thus that her and Logan were still exclusive. This makes what Logan did wrong. Yet, the very next scene cuts to Lane and Zack, also coming off their own break but in a very different way. Zack expresses his loneliness and incomplete life without Lane, and then, he proposes to her. Here, the audience gets a direct and stark contrast between a toxic relationship and a healthy one. Rory and Logan were never meant to be the best relationship on the show, and, instead, Lane and Zack are presented to be just that in this scene. However, focusing on the “best relationship” presents its own problems. Rory begins to be interpreted through her relationship with Logan, as does Lane with Zack. The show falls into this same pitfall, as with the example from “Bridesmaids Revisited.” The episode prioritizes romance, and while deeper tones exist, inside and outside the characters, those are overshadowed by the drama of love. As audience members, we are pulled into the constant struggle of balancing the independence of characters with the opinions we have on their lifelong partners. With Lane, looking at her character through the lens of Zack diminishes her own value.
Rather, let us think how her decisions and goals in life clarify the merit of her own choices. There are some who, instead of pointing to inherent flaws in Zack’s character or the nature of their relationship, bemoan Lane’s arc. They watch her gain enough independence to join a band, to pursue something she loves, to break free from her home’s over-controlling atmosphere. Then, when they watch her marry Zack and settle into a normal life, they rage against a supposed slight against the character. Lane, they state, should have become a rock star, disregarding any temptation to start her own family. On the surface, this is a solid argument, yet it is gripping to an extreme form of feminism, one that discounts any life paths other than the most “successful,” the most “glamourous.” What is a strong woman? Is it someone who abandons pure love for her own ambitions? Is it someone who puts their career first? Or is a strong woman Lane Kim? Lane Kim, who broke from familial expectations but never pushed her family away. Lane Kim, who followed her dreams but never became obsessed with fame. This is not to invalidate the choices of women who decide differently than Lane, but rather to enforce the fact that her own decisions are not lesser, and that Zack’s addition to her life is not anti-feminist. The attacks on the writing of Lane’s character shed light on the fact that as a whole, we focus much more on the romantic happenings in Gilmore Girls than on the lives that are being built. We argue incessantly over what partner is best for who, but the subtler, more nuanced points of the show are often lost or ignored. The themes of losing oneself in college, of escaping emotionally abusive parents, of learning to appreciate your childhood (no matter how many CDs you had to hide under the floor) are covered by our obsession with “who should be with who.” Yes, this article began defending a relationship, but my argument is not to shove aside romance, but to ensure it doesn’t define a character’s experiences. As Gilmore Girls fans, we should stop arguing over lives that have already played out on screen. Instead, let us appreciate the story of a girl who loves drums and eventually finds happiness in the life she chooses (with Zack).
Jane Locke is a freshman in the College of Arts & Sciences. She can be reached at [email protected].