ManyGilmore Girlsfans did not care for the revival series,A Year in the Life, but a particular fan theory about Rory’s ending fixes some of its big problems.Rory’sAYITLstorylinewas especially frustrating, as her maturity totally regressed. Everything she did, from having an affair with the engaged Logan to floundering in her career, ruffled fans' feathers.
Then there’s the controversial four words that endedA Year in the Life — “Mom?” “Yeah?” “I’m pregnant.” Rory confessing her pregnancy to Lorelai was a massive bombshell that had us clamoring forGilmore Girlsseason 9. It also sparked myriad conversations on who the father of Rory’s baby is, and this theory answers that question in a mind-blowing way.
Rory Could Be A Surrogate For Paris’s Fertility Clinic In The Gilmore Girls Revival
Many Assumed It Was An Unintentional Pregnancy
The most common opinion regarding Rory’s pregnancy is that Logan is the father, though there are other candidates in Paul, the boyfriend she keeps forgetting about, and the unnamed man dressed as a Wookiee with whom Rory has a one-night stand. However, Logan makes the most sense as he’s the one she’s intimate with the most, and from a plot standpoint, it’s just a better story.
But a certainGilmore Girlsfan theory claims that Rory didn’t get pregnant from sex at all, but that she’s a surrogate for Paris’s thriving fertility clinic. Rory even jokes to Lorelai about her desire to be a candidate. While it’s certainly less poetic than having a baby with Logan, in many ways, Rory being a surrogate makes a lot of sense.
Rory spends most ofA Year in the Lifebroke and directionless. She finally finds purpose when Jess encourages her to write a memoir, but that doesn’t solve her financial issues.If Rory were to become a surrogate, she would have money coming inand the opportunity to complete her book.
Rory’s Surrogacy Fixes A Year In The Life’s Worst Storyline
Luke & Lorelai’s Exploration Of Surrogacy Was Awkward & Uncomfortable
For as much flak as Rory’sA Year in the Lifestoryline gets, the revival had no idea what to do with Luke and Lorelai. It’s a relief thatAYITLdidn’t seriously jeopardize their relationship for the umpteenth time, but their exploration of potentially having a child together was clumsily handled.
It seems like the decision to have Paris be a fertility doctor was entirely for the purpose of shoehorning her intoLuke and Lorelai’s storyline, andthe whole idea of surrogacy was treated as a punchline. The fact that Luke had no idea how surrogacy worked, and thought he himself had to sleep with the surrogate, made no sense and was insulting to his intelligence and the viewers.
…hits onGilmore Girls' theme of motherhood in a refreshing way.
I would have been fine with the surrogacy exploration storyline if it had been taken more seriously, but that’s where the Rory fan theory comes in. Even if it doesn’t excuse Luke and Lorelai’s tacky scenes,Rory choosing to become a surrogate makes Paris’s fertility clinic less of a joke. It also hits onGilmore Girls' theme of motherhood in a refreshing way.
Unfortunately, Rory Being A Surrogate Doesn’t Make Sense For Her Character
The Gilmore Girls Creator All But Debunked The Theory
Rory may have wised up a bit by the end ofA Year in the Life, but she didn’t change completely. ThroughoutGilmore Girls,good things always happened to Rory, and she skated through life on privilege and adoration. The revival showed that she never learned how to take care of herself, and her life was a mess because of that.
If Rory were to become a surrogate, it would be an entirely pragmatic choice. It’s not like she knows anyone who wants her to carry their child —she’d be doing it for the money, plain and simple, and that’s not who Rory is.
She expects dream opportunities to come her way — I’m sure she’ll be shocked if herGilmore Girlsbook isn’t an instant bestseller — and being a surrogate wouldn’t be glamorous enough for her.
Gilmore Girlscreator Amy Sherman-Palladino also revealed the meaning of Rory’s pregnancy, and while she didn’t confirm any concrete details, her words prettystrongly suggest that Rory’s journey is meant to mirror Lorelai’s(viaVogue):
…the purpose of leaving Rory in this position was always supposed to be that history repeats itself—daughter follows mother; where you lead I will follow.
This essentially rules out the surrogacy fan theory, as Lorelai getting pregnant with Rory was unintentional, meaning that Rory’s pregnancy is too. ASP’s statement also makes the “Logan is the dad” theory more likely because he is the most similar to Rory’s father, Christopher, out of all her paramours. Both are hyper-privileged, immature, and can’t seem to quit their respective Gilmore girls.
While Rory’s pregnancy speculation definitely got fans talking, it’s not enough to make up for the failure of the revival. Sherman-Palladino and several cast members have stated that they’reopen to returning for aGilmore Girlsseason 9, and honestly, the fans deserve it. Then we can solve the baby mystery once and for all.
Gilmore Girls
Cast
In the fictional town of Star’s Hollow, single mother Lorelai Gilmore raises her high-achieving teenage daughter Rory. Mother and daughter rely on each other throughout their own life changes, romantic entanglements, and friendships.
Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life
Acting as a follow-up to the original series, Gilmore Girls, A Year In The Life is a comedy-drama series. Having completed her stint on the Obama campaign trail, Rory now finds herself as a freelance journalist with an inconsistent life. Meanwhile, Lorelei finds herself lost in life before her upcoming marriage to Luke. This four-part mini-series follows the titular mother-daughter duo as they continue to navigate their mother-daughter relationship in Star’s Hollow.
