On a show that follows a romantic protagonist who is a romance novel writer, it’s impossible to avoid all the relationships, good and bad. Jane the Virgin is rife with love triangles, heartache, and blooming love. While Jane Gloriana Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez) is the focus of most of the show’s relationships, there were also some pairings among the supporting cast of characters that fans cheered for or hated.
From first loves to lust at first sight, Jane and company were no strangers to falling head over heels. Here are the five relationships fans were behind and five they rejected.
BEHIND: Jane and Michael (In the Beginning)
The rivalry between Michael and Rafael kept fans watching and sparked heated debate among the shippers online. But ultimately, the bond Jane and Michael shared overcame all the jealousy, mistrust and mistakes made along the way. Michael knew Jane inside and out and wanted what was best for her.
Jane cherished the love and safety Michael gave her, giving her the freedom not to be an adult all the time. This is why so many fans were heartbroken when he died and their love story came to an end.
REJECTED: Petra and Rafael
Petra and Rafael’s romance was among the most toxic relationships on the show. They brought out the worst in each other and lost whatever love they had in the past. They spent so much of their time contemplating vengeance on one another in retaliation for the smallest slights it made no sense when they gravitated toward one another.
In the end, after much personal growth on both parts, they became incredible co-parents and best friends. But romance and marriage were never in the cards for these two.
BEHIND: Alba and Jorge
Jane’s grandma could come off as preachy with her steadfast beliefs about sex and marriage, so seeing Jorge start to crack that exterior was delicious fun for the audience. Sweeter still is the fact that Jorge was the first man Alba fell in love with after so many years of mourning the loss of her first husband, Mateo.
This pairing showed the world that love is not only for the young, and you’re never too old to fall in love. Theirs was a sweet friendship that blossomed into a comfortable romance.
REJECTED: Jane and Fabian
Three years after Michael’s death Jane is reluctant to jump back in the saddle. She fumbles for a time until she meets Fabian, her father’s younger telenovela co-star. Fabian inspires a lustful passion that Jane has never allowed herself before.
While it’s refreshing to see her embrace her sexual side freely, horndog Jane without the love and romance feels like a hollow version of the character. Fabian’s volatile reaction to her desire for only a physical relationship also showed he wasn’t a good match for Jane.
BEHIND: Petra and JR
When Jane Ramos (Rosario Dawson) enters the picture, fans saw Petra lose her cool for the first time. JR awakened a side of Petra that had not been explored before and turned her into a gooey romantic like Jane.
Likewise, though JR was originally sent to bring Petra down, she couldn’t help but fall for the tough and smart “Momtrepreneur.” Petra did crazy things in her attempt to keep JR, but the craziest thing she did was learn to be a better person and be honest.
REJECTED: Jane and Professor Chavez
It should be enough to say that the student-professor dynamic is inappropriate in a romantic relationship. Professor Chavez knew he held a position of power in the relationship even if he wasn’t her advisor or teacher anymore by the time they got together.
Jane also was not in a clear state of mind when she entered the relationship as she had been torn between Michael and Rafael for so long. When Jane later finds out Professor Chavez has a pattern of dating students it becomes clear that relationship was never right.
BEHIND: Xiomara and Rogelio De La Vega
Known as Xo and Ro to fans of the show, this quirky and overly affectionate couple had quite the journey toward finding one another. They started as high school sweethearts who broke apart when Xo got pregnant with Jane. Then when Rogelio reconnected with Xo and became a part of Jane’s life, he and Xiomara were on and off again.
But as Jane said in their wedding vows, “These two weren’t meant to be together. They chose each other.” Xo and Ro proved that love isn’t easy, but it’s worth it.
REJECTED: Petra and Chuck
Opposites indeed attract but that doesn’t mean they should stay together. Chuck Chesser was crass and grimy while Petra was polished and classy. He may have allowed Petra to give in to her most guilty pleasures but at the end of the day, that wasn’t Petra.
Plus, his creepy vibes when he tried to take her on a romantic getaway made for a messed up and mistrustful relationship. Petra would never give up her status and high maintenance lifestyle and Chuck never wanted to belong to that world.
BEHIND: Jane and Rafael (In the End)
After many years and many romances, Jane and Rafael found their way to one another. The Jane and Raf from the beginning of the series would have never worked long term, but the people they became so many years later were perfect for each other.
Their relationship is an ideal example of how timing and growth have a huge influence on whether or not it can last. By the show’s end, they weren’t just co-parents; they were partners. They were so in sync that it didn’t matter what life threw at them.
REJECTED: Jane and Adam
The return of Jane’s first love Adam Alvaro (Tyler Posey) came during a crucial time in her life when she thought she’d never love again after Michael. While Adam may have shown Jane how to have fun again he also taught her that her heart could still be broken.
Jane gave him several chances to decide if he was in it for the long haul and he couldn’t keep his promises. Not to mention he made her a bit reckless. Adam was fun but Jane needed a grownup.
