In the sixth season of Gilmore Girls, Luke unexpectedly found out that he was the father of a 12-year-old girl named April. She was the product of his former relationship with Anna Nardini but after they broke up, Anna kept the news of the baby to herself. Luke tried making up for lost time and formed a sweet connection with his daughter.
However, April wasn't the only one looking at Luke as a father figure. There were plenty of characters that were Rory's age (and older) who viewed Luke as the dad they never had. He was aloof and cranky but always there when he was needed.
Lane And Zack Asked Him To Be The Godfather Of Their Babies
When Lane was pregnant with her twins, she and Zack invited Luke over for dinner to thank him for being so flexible and giving at the diner. Luke hired both Lane and Zack when they fell on tough times and gave them a chance to redeem themselves.
Over pie, Lane and Zack asked Luke if he would be the godfather of their children. He was the one constant male figure in their lives, and who better to protect your kids than Luke Danes?
He Took Jess In And Raised Him As His Own
When Luke heard that his nephew Jess was on the wrong path and his mother couldn't control him anymore, he stepped in and took Jess into his home. He gave Jess boundaries, rules, a curfew, a job, and forced him to go to school. Jess was a bright kid but he didn't know how to apply himself.
Jess hated Stars Hollow but did enjoy being around Luke. The two men had a tight bond since Jess' dad wasn't in his life. Eventually, Jess moved away from Stars Hollow but the reboot proved that he and Luke were closer than ever.
He Took Care Of Dean On His Bachelor Night
As Luke was clo the diner, Dean and his drunken buddies stumbled in to order some late-night food. Luke knew by the sight of Dean that he had too much to drink and had to sleep it off. He gave Dean a safe space to crash for the night and took care of him. It was that night that Luke found out that Dean wasn't over Rory and warned Rory not to go to his wedding because of it.
The Countless Sweet Things He Did For Rory
Luke was written as an alternate father to Rory. While Christopher was her biological father, he was always in and out of her life. The two didn't become close until she was 16! Luke, on the other hand, had always been there. He's that one consistent guy who's always there for her regardless of his relationship with Lorelai.
Luke was there for Rory's Chilton graduation, he helped move her into Yale, he fed her at the diner her entire life, and he was there for every celebration. He loved Rory and treated her like his own.
He Stepped Up To Be A Dad For April
Luke could have walked away from the Nardinis after April strolled into his diner that fateful morning. She could have grabbed a sample of his hair and ran out the door and that would have been the end of it. But Luke followed his curiosity and decided to be as present as he could for this little girl. After all, it was he and April who had been robbed of a relationship because of Anna.
Luke offered to help financially, he threw hew a birthday party, he planned spring and summer breaks in Stars Hollow for the two of them... He was the perfect dad.
He Was A Father Figure For Zack
The reason why Zack wanted Luke to be a protector in his kids' lives is because he looked up to him. Zack hasn't always been the brightest character and he hasn't always treated Lane the way she should be treated. But he was self-aware about that, which is why he turned to Luke.
Zack showed up early to the diner one morning and essentially told Luke that he was nervous to be a dad and didn't know how because his own wasn't in his life. A young man going to another man for father advice proved how influential Luke was.
He Helped The Local School
When Luke and Lorelai broke up, he found out that she signed them up to work on the production of a local school's play. Luke didn't want any part in the play but he was persuaded by the kids — and by the thought of seeing Lorelai again. Even though Luke didn't have any kids at that school or any interest in the play, he followed through with it and to help the community.
Taking Care Of Liz And T.J.'s Baby
When Liz and T.J. had their baby, Doula, they wanted Luke to involved in her life. They even moved closer to him for that very reason.
On many occasions, Liz dropped Doula off at the diner without warning. If she had too many things to do that day, she trusted Luke with her baby for an hour or two. Sure, Luke wasn't always happy with this because he was a busy guy but Doula was his niece. How could he say no? He happily paraded Doula around in her pink ensembles.
He Sponsored A Soccer Team
In one episode, two girls stopped into Luke's to ask him to be a sponsor of their soccer team. He originally didn't love the idea but after a second thought, he happily took on the challenge. As a sponsor, all of the girls would have Luke's Diner branding on their gear and he'd get to female sports. It was a win-win. Adorably, Luke even went to the games to cheer on the girls.
He Gave Kirk Daily Advice
Kirk and Luke were completely different individuals but they had one thing in common: determination. They were two of the most low-key successful people in Stars Hollow. Kirk had every job a person can imagine and saved thousands of dollars. Luke was also wealthy under the table.
The two didn't always understand each other but they shared a mutual respect. Kirk, in particular, went to Luke for daily advice — especially when it came to Lulu and his mother. It proves that Luke could have that fatherly effect on people of any age.