AlthoughGilmore Girlsis widely regarded as a comfort TV show, it does have its emotionally heavy moments, and it took me years to realize how tragic one specific moment really is. Back in 2000, viewers were taken to the small town of Stars Hollow to meet Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her daughter Rory (Alexis Bledel).
Lorelai had Rory when she was 16 years oldand raised her on her own in Stars Hollow. Lorelai and Rory are very close, and the former does everything she can to make sure Rory can fulfill her dream of going to Harvard, even if that means having to talk to her estranged parents.
The tense relationship between Lorelai and her parents, Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard (Edward Herrmann), is a main point throughoutGilmore Girls, and they go through many ups and downs together. One of their most memorable moments happens early on in the series, but it’s actually one of the most tragic moments in Lorelai’s story.
Lorelai’s Graduation In Gilmore Girls Season 2 Is So Much Sadder Than I Realized
Lorelai’s Graduation Meant A Lot To Her & Her Family
Lorelai comes from a wealthy family, but she never felt like she belonged to that circle. Lorelai was rebellious and often snuck out of her house, and her pregnancy further broke her already tense relationship with her parents. Lorelai didn’t marry Rory’s father, Christopher, but they kept a friendly relationship, and he visited Rory from time to time.
Due to her pregnancy, Lorelai didn’t finish high school, and when she was in labor, she left a note for her parents and drove alone to the hospital. After living with her parents for a while, Lorelia ran away to Stars Hollow with baby Rory, where she asked the owner of the Independence Inn, Mia, if she had a job for her as a maid.
Lorelai got to where she was, got everything she had, and gave Rory everything she needed through her hard work.
Mia took Lorelai and Rory in, giving the former a job and letting them stay in the inn’s renovated shed. Lorelai worked her way up at the inn, and by the time of the events ofGilmore Girls, she was already the inn’s executive manager. Lorelai got to where she was, got everything she had, and gave Rory everything she needed through her hard work.
However, in season 1,it’s revealed that Lorelai is taking a business classto gain the knowledge and skills she needs to open and run her own inn, a plan she had with her best friend, Sookie (Melissa McCarthy). InGilmore Girlsseason 2,Lorelai finally graduates, and all she wants is for Rory to be there.
Meanwhile, Rory secretly invites Emily and Richard, despite Lorelai not wanting them there. However, Rory makes the impulsive decision to skip school and take a bus to Manhattan to visit Jess (Milo Ventimiglia). Although she has a nice day with Jess and even buys a graduation present for Lorelai,Rory takes the wrong bus home and misses Lorelai’s graduation.
Emily and Richard never saw Lorelai graduate from high school and college and resented that.
Lorelai’s graduation is sad not just because Rory, the only person she wanted there, wasn’t, but also becauseit was a very meaningful moment for Lorelai, Emily, and Richard. Emily and Richard never saw Lorelai graduate from high school and college and resented that, but they made sure to be at Lorelai’s graduation, and she ultimately appreciated it.
How Rory Missing Lorelai’s Graduation Highlights What Lorelai’s Life Could Have Been
Rory’s Absence Gives More Meaning To Lorelai’s Graduation
Rory missing Lorelai’s graduation is a sad and tense moment for them, more so when Rory reveals what she did, but there’s a lot more to it. Rory rarely has impulsive moments like these, and they are a funparallel to Lorelai’s younger years(fun to the audience, of course, but not so much to Lorelai and definitely not to Emily and Richard).
However, it was necessary that Rory didn’t attend Lorelai’s graduation ceremony, especially as Emily and Richard did. As mentioned above, Lorelai hadn’t had any graduation before due to her pregnancy while she was in high school, soher parents being there and Rory missing it was a glimpse of what Lorelai’s life could have been like.
As thisReddituser points out, Rory not being there serves as a sort of alternate universe look at what Lorelai’s high school and college graduation could have been like, with her parents there. Even better, Emily and Richard are visibly moved by seeing Lorelai get her diploma, which is what would have happened had Lorelai’s life gone a bit differently.
There’s One Silver Lining To This Tragic Gilmore Girls Moment
It Was A Big Moment For Lorelai, Emily, & Richard
Having Rory and her parents at the graduation ceremony would have been a perfect moment for Lorelai (even if she didn’t want her parents there at first), and it would have been a very heartwarming moment – butGilmore Girlsopted for a more tragic approach with that glimpse into what Lorelai’s life could have been like.
However, despite the tragic parts of it, there’s a big silver lining in this: Emily and Richard’s reaction. Richard isn’t the most expressive man (except with Rory, who brings out his most sensitive side), buthe’s visibly proud and moved to see Lorelai on stage.
Emily always presents herself as a strong and in-control woman, but at that moment, she let her feelings take over her.Emily is also proud of Lorelai and is moved to tearsby seeing her only daughter get her diploma. Despite their many problems over the years, Lorelai’s graduation was a sad but important moment for the Gilmore family.
