Gilmore Girls: Every Main Character's Ending, Ranked

Published Nov 9, 2026, 7:45 PM EST Mary Kassel is a Senior Writer & Critic who joined the Screen Rant team in 2023. After graduating from Emerson College with a degree in Media Arts Production, Kassel started at Screen Rant with a focus on the critical analysis side of movies and television while continuing to work on set in film production. At Screen Rant, Kassel primarily writes for the Classic TV section, mining their encyclopedic knowledge of television history for content. However, they also contribute to the Books team and review both film and television as a critic. There's nothing that Gilmore Girls fans like better than a debate about the fates of the characters on the show. There's no shortage of discourse about the way every main character's arc ends. Some characters got satisfying, beautiful conclusions that made long-time viewers emotional. However, others left us disappointed, as even if their development made sense, it was still hard to watch. Every episode of A Year in the Life delves into the lives of not only the Gilmores but also their loved ones and the residents of Stars Hollow. It's a nostalgic return to the town and the beloved characters, as well as an opportunity for the series to right some wrongs that happened in the original series. There are some harsh realities of being a Gilmore Girls fan, as the characters don't always make the decisions we want them to, but many character arcs come full circle in the series. 10 Lane Kim Lane is one of the best and most underrated characters in all of Gilmore Girls, and there's a general consensus that she deserved a lot better than her ending in Gilmore Girls. After Zack nearly destroys the band's chances of making it big, Lane ends up marrying him and then almost immediately getting pregnant. After working so hard to establish an independent life and break out of her mother's constraints, Lane ends up with a life she didn't initially intend for. Of course, she loves her children and family, and she does seem content in A Year in the Life, but Lane deserved to see the world as a musician and leave Stars Hollow like she always dreamed of. Lane had just as much promise as Rory and was ready to work even harder than her friend to achieve her dreams. Lane should've had a different ending and gotten credit for being such a standout character in the series. 9 Rory Gilmore MovieStillsDB It's simultaneously true that Rory's arc on Gilmore Girls and A Year in the Life was disappointing and also deeply accurate. From the beginning of the series, it's hinted that Rory is doomed to repeat the same cycle of mistakes characteristic of the Gilmore family by not living up to the high expectations of others and the great promise she showed when she was young. To be a high achiever and then struggle to find her place in the world when she isn't constantly handled and sheltered by Lorelai, Emily, and Richard is exactly what was always going to happen to Rory. It's hard to watch her fail and make mistakes as she realizes her life didn't turn out the way she thought it would. However, it's fitting and narratively sound, even if it doesn't make it easy to side with Rory. 8 Logan Huntzberger Image via MovieStillsDB As Rory's final boyfriend in Gilmore Girls, and on-and-off flame in A Year in the Life, Logan is one of the most consistent and best-suited romances of Rory's life. It's unfortunate that season 7 undid some of his character development by having him give Rory an ultimatum to marry him and break things off when she wasn't ready. This went against much of the work that audiences saw him do throughout the show. In A Year in the Life, Logan and Rory are still seeing each other despite Logan's relationship with another woman and Rory's aimless lifestyle. However, it seems that he's found some balance between what's expected of him and what he wants to do with his life. His final adventure with Rory is a touching sendoff for their relationship, and shows that Logan will always have a rebellious streak, even if he's learned how to grow up. 7 Paris Geller It comes as no surprise that Paris is at the top of her game when we catch up with her in A Year in the Life. It's disappointing that she and Doyle got divorced, but Paris is doing everything she ever set out to do and hasn't lost an ounce of her high-achieving spirit. This is a sharp foil to Rory's floundering, and is a reminder that though Rory often bested Paris when they were young, that dynamic wasn't permanent. Paris' insults on Gilmore Girls are some of the funniest moments in the show, and the whip-smart character doesn't disappoint audiences in A Year in the Life. She's hilarious and great to spend time with in the revival, even if her anxiety at seeing Tristan again at Chilton was a little unbelievable, since Paris has come so far since high school. Paris as an adult is still intense, but she's a more compassionate and evolved person. 6 Sookie St. James In her breakout role of Sookie in Gilmore Girls, Melissa McCarthy is as charming and hilarious as ever. It was a treat to see McCarthy make a cameo in A Year in the Life​​​​​​, and hear about the amazing work Sookie is doing as a chef in the series. Of course, we wish we got to spend more time with Sookie in the revival, but her appearance provided the nostalgic moment fans needed. Though it seems like her career and family were in a good place in A Year in the Life, it's hard not to remember the difficulties Sookie faced in Gilmore Girls season 7. Jackson lying about his vasectomy and Sookie's accidental pregnancy is one of the worst parts of the final season. Though the couple works through it, this betrayal taints what was one of the best relationships on the show. The main series sees her pregnant and happy to send Rory off into the world, but we can't forget the trials of season 7. 5 Michel Gerard ©Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection Michel is one of Gilmore Girls' best scene stealers throughout the series, always providing a quip or sarcastic comment that makes it impossible not to appreciate his character. However, as a more supporting character, his personal life and development outside the Dragonfly Inn and his relationship with Lorelai aren't explored very deeply in the main show. Fortunately, A Year in the Life not only confirmed that Michel was part of the LGBTQ+ community, but the series also gave him a husband who seemed to be the other half Michel was looking for. It's incredibly satisfying to see this happen for Michel, and it gives him a fitting ending for a character whose romantic life was always implied but never confirmed. 4 Jess Mariano Jess has a few "endings" on Gilmore Girls, as the misunderstood, angry young man whom the Gilmores meet in season 2 changes a lot by the time he returns as an adult. Rory and Jess's romance in Gilmore Girls has been the subject of hot debate for years. When Jess was young, there's no question he didn't treat Rory well, even if he was a romantic bad boy viewers could idealize. However, it's when Jess comes back in season 6 that viewers can appreciate how vital it was that he grew up and found his purpose. Moving to a new city and following his dreams of writing and working in publishing is the kind of growth that Jess fans were hoping for. However, he continues carrying a torch for Rory throughout season 6 and A Year in the Life, which is compelling for the plot, but it's a part of his character that keeps him stuck in the past. 3 Luke Danes Watching Luke grapple with his loss of Lorelai and the poor way he handled integrating April into his life in seasons 6 and 7 is a moment of character development for Stars Hollow's diner owner. However, he comes back around to their relationship and learns how to be the partner Lorelai needs, and vice versa. In A Year in the Life, Luke couldn't be more committed to their life together and is able to weather Lorelai's struggle with finding her life's purpose better than he ever did in the past. He's serious and all in to their relationship and isn't afraid of making this known, telling her how he feels and how important she is in ways he failed to in the original series. For Luke's character, this is a big step, and his marriage to Lorelai is a beautiful full-circle moment for him. 2 Emily Gilmore Image via MovieStillsDB One of the saddest parts of A Year in the Life is the passing of Richard, and this loss and its aftereffects are the primary character for Emily Gilmore. In the main series, the viewer witnesses Emily, the third Gilmore girl, grow as an individual and begin to define herself and her value outside of the traditional rules she was raised with and attempted to pass down to Lorelai and Rory. Though Emily is far from perfect, even in the later seasons of Gilmore Girls, she becomes more understanding of her daughter and her choices and learns how to have a relationship with her through the repetition of her mistakes with Rory in season 6, when she drops out of Yale. Throughout A Year in the Life, Emily agrees to do therapy sessions with Lorelai, and while they don't always go well, she gains more respect for her daughter and is able to grieve Richard while finding new ways to enjoy her life without him. 1 Lorelai Gilmore After the season 7 finale, audiences could rest assured that Luke and Lorelai ended up the way they were supposed to, so when Lorelai returns for A Year in the Life, her arc had to be deeper than an extension of her will-they-won't-they dynamic with Luke. Of course, Lorelai was always much more than her romantic relationships, and this is clear in her ending. While it hits home when she and Luke finally, officially get married, it's her journey getting there that's the most compelling. Lorelai achieves actualization and a sense of contentment in her ending, allowing her to fully commit to her life with Luke and let go of some of the anger she was still carrying toward her parents. Though Lorelai will likely continue indulging in some moments of regression in the future, Gilmore Girls gave one of its protagonists a fitting conclusion, allowing her to move forward and support Rory as she figures out her path. Release Date 2000 - 2007-00-00 Network The WB, The CW Directors Jamie Babbit, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Lee Shallat Chemel, Kenny Ortega, Michael Katleman, Matthew Diamond, Michael Zinberg, Gail Mancuso, Lesli Linka Glatter, Steve Clancy, Bethany Rooney, Jackson Douglas, Robert Berlinger, Steven Robman, Alan Myerson, Lev L. Spiro, Rodman Flender, Adam Nimoy, Arlene Sanford, Bruce Seth Green, Danny Leiner, David Paymer, David Petrarca, Eric Laneuville 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.