Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 3 Review: Chapter Eighty-Four
Lizzy Buczak
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Michael REMEMBERS!
Michael's memory came back on Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 3 -- at least, it seemed like it did -- but the way it happened was rather unexciting.
I've thought about how this could possibly unravel plenty of times since the season premiere.
I'd envisioned numerous ways that he could have gotten his memory back that would be more drama-filled: Michael could have remembered when Jane was getting married to Rafael thus halting the wedding or he could have remembered upon seeing Mateo.
But alas, it was snowfall-- a signature moment in the show that indicates romance between Jane and Michael -- that did the trick and clicked in his mind.
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Sure, it's a cute touch, but I'd rather the snowfall during some romantic moment, not because a fishing rod chipped the ceiling and triggered the memories.
Instead of feeling the emotions of those memories flooding in, all I could think was "that damn fishing rod."
This is going to trigger some of you Michael fans, but as a Rafael fan, I'm kind of upset he remembered at all.
There was finally a resolution that would move past this love triangle.
Jason: Hi there. It's a beautiful day, and I was hoping you might join me on a picnic.
Jane: What are you doing?
Jason: I'm comin' a courtin'. See, I got to thinkin' about this whole divorce thing and I'm not so sure about it anymore. I wanna take you on a date. Make sure the spark is really dead.
Jane finally made a decision about her future which involved Rafael, her family, and possibly even more children in the future.
And Jason was going back to his life in Montana.
Everything was decided.
Jane and Jason were on the same page; they shared some good memories, but overall, they were two different people who wanted different things out of life.
Their goodbye was heartbreaking, but it also felt necessary. It felt as if two people who once loved each other parting on friendly terms.
But, of course, the writers had to mess it all up and reel us all back in. Fishing pun intended.
It's as if the writers don't want us, or Jane, to ever find happiness. And they looooove messing with our shipper's hearts.
While the way Michael's memories returned is tame for a telenovela, it deepens the love triangle even further.
Related: Jane the Virgin Season 5 Episode 2 Review: Chapter Eighty-Three
What now? Will Michael turn around, knock on the door, and say, "Hey Jane, it's me, Michael, I remember"
Will he recognize that Jane's in a different place in her life and truly happy with Raf? Will he want to preserve that?
Will he even have feelings at all? Or will he still be Jason but with Michael's memories? After all, Jason said, "it felt like a way back to something, but that something, it isn't you."
My guess is that Michael will either feel absolutely nothing for Jane despite getting his memory back or he'll fake his amnesia for a little longer because he won't want to ruin Jane's happiness.
There were many moments sprinkled throughout the episode that alluded to Michael being part of Jane's past but not necessarily part of her future.
When Mateo hilariously saw Michael return from the dead (that kid is going to be scarred for life), his biggest concern was what would happen to him and Rafael.
Jane told him nothing was going to change which, in my opinion, means regardless of memories, she will choose her family.
And, as much as it pains some fans, her family is with Rafael now.
She's put Mateo through so much, but he's finally at a place where he has both his mother and father together. I don't think she'd want to mess that up again.
They probably should have told Mateo about Michael-Jason's return from the get-go.
Jane: I just want you to know you're a good person. You deserve a good life.
Jason: I know that now. I must have been for someone like you to love me.
Did they really assume Mateo would attend daycare at the Marbella and Jason would live there and neither would run into each other?
Seems like a silly oversight on Jane's part.
And during her chat with Petra, Jane recalled feeling no spark during her fishing date with Jason despite thinking feelings could come up again.
Petra assured her that it's because Jason isn't Michael and technically a stranger, but remember, he's still Michael and smells just like him.
Wouldn't Jane fall into those feelings because they are familiar?
This leads me to believe that Jane and Michael's love story has fizzled out quite possibly because she mourned him and then forced herself to move on.
And though he's alive now, her feelings haven't resurrected.
We'll see what happens if and when Michael reveals that his memories are back, but I truly think Jane is going to stay with Rafael, and that has nothing to do with me being Team Raf.
Who knows, maybe there's something greater in store for Michael after all the suffering he's been put through.
There were even some "old school" Jane and Michael moments, but these also underlined just how different these two are now.
The fishing date was reminiscent of their good times together, and much like Jane only like camping when it was with Michael, fishing seemed to evoke a similar emotion.
Jane: Would you ever consider having more kids?
Rafael: I have three.
Yet, it also proved that she's more in-sync with Rafael now.
To be quite frank, I really thought Jason was working for Rose and assumed he was going to try to kill Jane during that scene. I guess my brain is wired to assume the worst!
Even without his memories, there's still so much hostility between Michael and Rafael.
Related: Jane the Virgin: Is Mateo Sr. Alive?
I don't think those two could ever be friends.
Michael pulling the "she's my wife" card was crude and made it seem like Rafael never respected Jane's relationship when in reality, Michael is back in Jane's life because of Rafael's selflessness.
Rafael knew bringing Michael back into the fold could damage what he had built up with Jane yet he did it because he knew it was the right thing to do.
Rafael was also there for Jane in a non-romantic way for years after Michael's death. As we saw, he even read at Michael's funeral.
He never crossed a line until the feelings were mutual.
Those feelings evolved naturally as you'd expect them to when it comes to the mother of your child.
If Rafael loses Jane to Michael, at least he's become the best version of himself.
Admittedly, I loved the silliness of the catfight scene. How much fun do you think Justin Baldoni and Brett Dier had filming that?
Also heartwarming?
Rafael: What the hell do you think you're doing?
Michael: Dude, she's my wife.
Rafael: She is not your wife.
Michael: Legally, she is.
Rafael: She's with me.
Michael: I got that but, I've been learning a little about my history and the way I see it, Jane was with me. And you tried to steal her away, but she still chose me. We got married, then I died, and you moved in on her. So yeah, I'm taking my wife out on a date.
Jane and Petra's honest heart-to-heart.
We've been laser-focused on Michael-Jason's return and how it affects Jane's relationship with Rafael, we've ignored her only friendship with Petra.
Maybe the real soulmates on this series are Petra and Jane?
Considering Petra's sound advice and their touching heart-to-heart, Jane should have turned to Petra for help before anyone else.
Jane doesn't really have too many girlfriends and though Alba gives great advice, she needed to get some perspective from a female friend.
Much like Mateo, Petra was feeling neglected because she was the only one who Jane didn't talk to about her Jason issue.
Seriously, what gives Jane?
Their friendship, or sister-ship, is one of the strongest assets of the show.
They've gone from enemies to tolerating each other to having a blended family to loving the hell out of each other.
They may disagree on parenting methods, but at the end of the day, they want the same for their children.
Jane: You know I love you.
Petra: But do you like me?
Jane: Well, yeah, mostly. I mean, do you like me?
Petra: Sometimes.
Petra's advice to Jane was really the catalyst to her choosing Rafael and sending Michael away.
I got all teary-eyed when Petra told Jane, whom she once considered the "other woman," to protect the good she's built up with Raf.
It shows just how much Petra has grown as a character -- she's no longer vengeful and bitter.
And it was adorable to see them talking about their crushes like two school girls!
There was even a butt-dial involved. And it worked! Apparently, JR texted back.
Jane the Virgin likes to tackle important issues in comedic ways.
If you watch Jane the Virgin online, you know that last season it was immigration reform, while this season they took a stand against pay parity.
And while initially, Rogelio didn't fully understand that it was a women's plight, he did have a woke moment and poetically pointed out that it's also an issue also affects minorities in America.
As a show that offers representation to the Latinx community, it's pertinent that they give voice to such problems.
How heartbreaking was the scene when he pondered he was vying for the approval of a country that didn't want to give it to him.
Thankfully, Xo, aka the Rogelio whisperer, explained the situation to River Fields who agreed to stand by him even after he'd horse-kicked her and paralyzed half of her face.
You have to hand it to her for sticking around through the THIRD injury.
River: So, Xo told you.
Rogelio: That you're a backstabbing, backstabber who stabs people in the back? Yes, she did!
Also, how did they get her face to stay like that? Was it some kind of editing effect?
There wasn't much movement on the Sin Rostro/Luisa front.
We still don't know what she's up to, but maybe with Michael's memories back, he can shed some light? Maybe they can use his memory return to their advantage to take her down?
Straight Out of a Telenovela Thoughts
- Petra yelling "don't touch my body" at Jane was hilarious.
- Mateo and the twins are like sponges copying their parent's actions. Hopefully, now that Jane and Petra are on good terms, the kids will also.
- Seriously, my heart melted when Jane and Raf talked about more kids! Maybe the writers will throw in a pregnancy curve? Maybe Raf isn't sterile as he was led to believe?
What did you think of the episode? Share your reactions, thoughts and theories below!
And remember, we're all allowed to ship whichever relationship we want.
Lizzy Buczak was a staff writer for TV Fanatic. She retired in June 2021..
