From the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls, it seems clear that the show will eventually come full circle. Single mom Lorelai raises Rory alone and asks her parents Emily and Richard for money for Rory's private school education, and since Lorelai hasn't had a real relationship with her parents in years, viewers are set up for a rocky and emotional journey.
When fans got the chance to catch up with these beloved characters in the Netflix revival A Year In The Life, they noticed that there were many moments where the story came full circle. These scenes are all moving and dramatic and they call back to earlier moments, showing how much things have changed or, in some instances, stayed exactly the same.
Lorelai Says 'Full Freaking Circle' At Richard's Funeral
In a flashback to Richard's funeral, Emily gets mad at Lorelai for not being able to share a good memory of Richard, and Lorelai replies that they have come "full freaking circle" as they're always repeating the same argument.
Fans had hoped to see an improved relationship between Lorelai and Emily in the revival, but that might not be super realistic given their difficult history. Instead, Lorelai and Emily spend these episodes fighting or ignoring each other, which is their pattern.
Rory Has A Dramatic Relationship With Logan, Like Lorelai And Christopher
In the revival, Rory is in a dramatic relationship with Logan, as they're sneaking around and he's actually engaged. While some fans like this, as Rory and Logan are meant for each other in some ways, others wish that Rory would find a happier love story.
Rory and Logan's relationship in the revival is just like Lorelai and Christopher's romance, which has spanned decades and only ended when they finally got married and then divorced. Fans can see that Logan rejects some parts of his wealthy upbringing like Christopher does and they're both cheeky and confident. In both cases, though, it doesn't seem healthy.
Sookie Finally Makes Lorelai's Wedding Cake
In season 2, Sookie is excited to make the cake for Max and Lorelai's wedding. Unfortunately, Lorelai cancels it and Sookie never shows her the wonderful cake she made, which she named Clyde.
In the revival, Sookie comes back to the Dragonfly Inn and makes several cakes for Lorelai to choose from. It's special and full circle since she is happy to finish what she started and to celebrate the love that Luke and Lorelai have always had for each other.
Rory And Paris Visit Chilton And Speak To Students
Fans enjoy watching Rory at Chilton, as it's a special and crucial time in her life. She applies herself and figures out what she needs to do in order to get accepted to Ivy League colleges.
It wouldn't be a Gilmore Girls revival without Chilton, as fans are nostalgic for this sometimes scary school. Rory and Paris go full circle when they talk to some students there. It's supposed to be a positive event as they can offer advice, but Paris yells at the students and then has a breakdown in the bathroom, sharing that she feels like a loser who can't get it together. Paris feels the same way that she did back in high school, which is interesting to see.
Lane Takes Over Kim's Antiques
Kim's antiques is a major setting on Gilmore Girls, at least in the early episodes, as Mrs. Kim bargains with customers and Lane is constantly moving through the mess of furniture and objects as she comes and goes.
In the revival, Lane has taken over the business, which is a full-circle moment for her, as she's now raising her kids and living with Zack in Stars Hollow. She might not have planned for this, but she seems content.
Rory Confronts Christopher About His Absence
In the revival episode 'Fall,' Rory visits Christopher and asks him why Lorelai raised her by herself and why he wasn't around much. He told her, "We were just so young. I was so young, and Lorelai was, much like yourself, she was a force of nature. Just uncontrollable. Sure about everything. I couldn't come close to competing with that, so I didn't."
In an interesting full-circle moment, Rory not only gets answers that she has been too afraid to ask all her life, but she also learns that she's more like her mom than she ever thought. Will Rory be too independent to find love and let someone in?
Emily Says Lorelai 'Needs Money' Just Like Richard Once Said
In 'Fall,' Lorelai tells Emily that she wants to expand the Dragonfly Inn, but she can't afford it. Emily repeats "You need money," which is what Richard tells Lorelai in the pilot when she asks them to pay for Rory's time at Chilton.
This is a beautiful and moving full-circle moment, as Emily doesn't hesitate to lend her daughter the cash, and they agree to visit regularly, like their Friday Night Dinners of the past. Fans felt nostalgic while watching this scene, realizing that while these two might never be close, they do love each other. Lorelai even ends the scene by saying, "To the circle of life."
Luke And Lorelai Dancing To "Reflecting Light"
Fans loved watching Luke and Lorelai get married in A Year In The Life, and they dance to "Reflecting Light" by Sam Phillips. The beloved couple also shares a dance to this same song at Liz and TJ's season 4 wedding.
In a great moment that brings the characters full circle, they aren't celebrating someone else's love but their own, and it's an opportunity for viewers to think about everything that has changed between these two episodes. Now they're so many years older but still together, able to move on from the question of having a child and looking to a bright future.
Rory Writing A Book About Her Life And Mom
While some might say that it's a cliche for Rory to write a book called Gilmore Girls about growing up with a cool single mother, others think this was a sweet and heartwarming way to continue Rory's story.
No matter how viewers see this storyline, it's a full-circle moment for Rory, who is back in her childhood home and getting the chance to reflect on her life. She's at a crossroads as her journalism career has stalled, and she feels that becoming an author is the right next move.
Rory Becoming Pregnant At A Young Age
For years, Gilmore Girls fans wondered about those "final four words," and the ending of the 'Fall' episode finally reveals them: Rory says "Mom?" and Lorelai says "Yeah?" and Rory says, "I'm pregnant."
Rory's pregnancy at a young age mirrors her mom's, who learned that she was expecting at the age of 16, and now it seems like Rory will be a single young (if not as young as Lorelai) mother just like Lorelai. This is definitely the biggest and most compelling full circle moment on the show.