Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 13 Review: Chapter Ninety-Four
Lizzy Buczak
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Fear was making everyone act irrationally on Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 13, but it's how they overcame their fears that really strengthened the episode and gave it weight.
To quote Jane, she and Rafael are "engaged, finally!"
It's been a long time coming, but the road hasn't been an easy one.
Rafael and Jane's relationship has been bumpy and filled with ups and downs, so it only made sense that their decision to get married was just the same.
In the span of an hour, Rafael proposed to Jane, they agreed to a courthouse wedding, attempted to plan something classier, settled for a next-day option, and eventually, postponed things altogether.
Related: Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 11 Review: Chapter Ninety-Two
And they even addressed the elephant in the room: Michael, which was overdue and necessary.
Jane and Rafael's reunion on Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 12 had the makings of a genuine JTV moment, even if the musical was a little too much, but the consensus from the fandom was that there wasn't enough build-up leading up to it.
One minute they were over and the next, they were madly in love again.
It was as if someone flipped a switch.
And it's so easy to get caught up in the romantics of it all, but it seemed like they wanted to gloss over all Jane and Raf's relationship issues as he got down on one knee and proposed to Jane.
But alas, Mateo brought them all down to reality again by admitting that he wasn't excited about a potential wedding because he didn't think it would actually happen.
So, it's not just us getting sick and tired of this pattern between #Jafael? Good to know.
Petra: You need to leave.
Jane: Why?
Petra: Because I'm upset with you, Jane.
Jane: Clearly, but why?
Petra: Why do you think? Okay, first you abandon me and now this whole maid of honor thing. I've never been one. Okay? And even though I don't want to wear some poofy mint green dress, I was willing to do it because it's something people do when they have good friends, and you are my only chance.
Jane: Oh, Petra.
Kids are much more receptive than we realize.
Mateo forced his parents to talk about what went wrong between them and admit why they were rushing the wedding in the first place.
Rafael wanted to lock things down with Jane because deep down inside, he was insecure and afraid she'd leave.
His feelings were valid, though, I wasn't interested in seeing him throw tantrums over Montana again. I thought we accepted that Jane needed to explore her feelings!
As for Jane, she agreed to a quickie wedding out of guilt; she didn't want to keep disappointing Rafael anymore than she already had.
There was nothing romantic about their desire to get married, which made it a recipe for disaster.
If Jane and Raf couldn't work through their issues before getting married, they'd never work after getting married.
It's not a magical cure. Marriage only works if the relationship works.
Everything about their upcoming nuptials was wrong.
And maybe it'll take time for you to trust this, but I want you to know that I want to marry you and spend my life with you because I chose you Rafael, and I will keep choosing you every single day for the rest of our lives. I'm serious. If you ever try to leave me, I'm going with you.
Jane
The fact that Jane referred it to "just a quickie wedding" was enough to tell you that this shouldn't have been happening.
For someone who has grown up watching telenovela style fairytales, this wasn't the wedding Jane would ever want regardless if she previously had her big dream wedding.
Secondly, she's a planner for goodness sakes -- you cannot spring up last minute situations on her and assume she's going to be cool, calm, and collected.
Rafael should have known better, and I'm slightly disappointed that he didn't.
She didn't even look happy on a day that's supposed to be one of the happiest in your life, probably only second to her first wedding.
When Jane and Raf eventually talked things through, they realized there was a lot to work on and rushing things wasn't going to fix them.
Rafael: Please, I don't have anyone else on my side. You have your mom, and your grandma, and your dad, I used to have Luisa but not anymore. I know what it's like to feel abandoned, and through it all, Petra has been a constant in my life for better or worse. I really want her by my side for this.
Jane: Ugh, ok, fine.
Petra; So, it's settled. I'll be Rafael's best man.
Raf needed to learn how to trust Jane again; Jane needed to own her decisions about Michael and Montana and stop feeling guilty about them.
As a #Jafael fan from the get-go, I let out of happy sigh of relief when they decided to postpone the wedding until they could properly plan it.
Though, I'm not reassured by the narrator hoping the "real wedding would go as smoothly" before adding that it "was not in the cards."
The series has purposefully pushed to the side every storyline concerning Sin Rostro and Luisa.
Will they be responsible for screwing up Jane and Raf's big moment?
Does that mean they'll never get their happy ending?
We know the wedding is happening because of all the leaked TMZ spoiler photos!
To make up for all the Rafael and Jane drama, and the fact that their big epic kiss fell a bit flat on Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 12, the episode gave us not one but three insanely adorable moments.
The first was Rafael's proposal.
How impressive is he at winging marriage proposals?
The cards from Loteria both called back to Jane the Virgin Season 1. The siren was the costume Jane was wearing the first time they locked eyes, and the tree, well, it's the tree where they shared their magical first kiss.
It would have been slightly more touching if Loteria had been a game that the Villaneuva women played throughout the series.
Jane's pre-wedding vows about always choosing Rafael have now cemented themselves into one of the cutest moments in the show's history.
Pour your heart out, girl!
Rogelio: So, then why have you been acting weird?
Xo: You said you'd respect my privacy.
Rogelio: No, Alba said she would. I have no respect for your privacy. I need to know.
And you'd be heartless not to smile at Mateo marrying Jane and Rafael in the living room while asking Raf if he "wants to marry his mommy."
For those of you who guessed that Krishna was playing for Team Petra, you were right!
This whole time, Krishna and Petra were in cahoots to fool Milos into handing over his hotel shares.
I feel like a weight has been lifted now that Krisha doesn't have it out for Petra, but can she be fully trusted?
I'm slightly concerned that in the end, she won't give Petra her shares back.
If she held onto her 2/3 shares, she'd have more stake in the Marbella than Petra and thus, would become Petra's boss.
Doesn't that seem like the perfect revenge? Even better than whatever salary Petra is paying her.
Krishna also said something that could have foreshadowed a possible relationship with Petra.
"I think I'm in love" is a bold statement to make about your boss.
Jorge: So, what's the rush?
Mateo: So Michael doesn't come back and take mommy away again.
Narrator: Jeez kid, way to kill the mood.
Can I say how relieved I am to find out that Xiomara's cancer hasn't returned?
Xo was being rather secretive and dodging calls from her oncologist, which made everyone think she was lying about her cancer.
When pressured, Xiomara revealed she was considering a career in nursing.
Related: 17 Shocking Cliffhangers That Wrapped Up the Spring 2019 TV Season
Considering Alba was a nurse and Xo's been looking for a calling, it's a sweet way to bring everything full-circle.
Rogelio may be the silliest character on the show, but despite wearing an animatronic tail, he managed to spew some wisdom that we could all tuck away in our pockets for a rainy day: "dreams don't come easy."
Xiomara was set on beating Alba in Loteria so that she could make her own decision and not pursue nursing, but in reality, she was only running away because she was scared.
In the words of Hilary Duff on A Cinderella Story: "don't let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game."
Okay, fine, Babe Ruth said it, but I always recall it said by Duff.
Anyways, Xiomara failed herself before she could even try, and that's unfair to everyone.
For a season that has been mediocre at best, one of the strongest aspects has been Petra and Jane's relationship.
And now, because of you, I have to get married looking like Quasimoto.
Jane
Petra's come so far since Jane the Virgin Season 1, so much so that she was upset about not being asked to be Jane's "poofy, mint" dress-wearing maid-of-honor.
And sure, she may have said she didn't mean any of it, but you know on some level, Petra was hurt.
Jane's decision to go out of her way to get Petra the exact dress she wanted was heartfelt and spoke to how important the friendship has become.
It got to a point where Raf and Jane actually fought over Petra when it came to their new wedding date.
If you watch Jane the Virgin online, you know Raf's history with his ex-wife and that he doesn't have any other family, which is why she deserves to be his "best man."
Petra and Raf have each others' support systems throughout so many of life's trials and tribulations.
With Petra standing by Raf's side hopefully, Jane brings in Lina, her OG best friend to help celebrate.
Related: Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 12 Review: Chapter Ninety-Three
Sometimes, I just miss the bathroom floors talks those ladies had at the Marbella.
Other Marbella Musings
- Alba's hair when she was younger was terrible. I understand they wanted to make her young, but it was brutal.
- Jane getting her hair stuck in the sewing machine was such a Jane moment. Of course, she'd end up with a bruised eye and lopsided hair for her wedding.
- Does anyone feel like there's been more and more mention of Mateo Sr.? Alba spoke to the sacrifices he made for his family, but essentially, the episode highlighted that he wasn't above cheating to get his way.
- Where are they going to find 150 people to invite?
- Will we ever find out who Raf's parents are?
Are you happy Jane and Raf are back together?
What do you think is going to sabotage their wedding?
Will Michael return for the wedding?
Leave all your thoughts and comments below!
Jane the Virgin continues Wednesdays on The CW!
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
