I have always had a sneaking suspicion that if One Tree Hill hadn't snatched up Chad Michael Murray, Logan Huntzberger may have never existed on Gilmore Girls . Think about it: Had Tristan stayed and continued his burgeoning romance with Rory, having Logan show up a few years down the line would have been redundant. My conspiracy theory? Logan and Tristan were basically the same person. Since the Tristan storyline never got to play out, the bare bones of the story (rich kid falls hard for Rory) were dropped into a college setting and included Logan Huntzberger picking up where Tristan left off way back in Season 2. Rory was always going to fall for a rich boy from the world Lorelai tried so hard to keep her away from — whether that guy was Tristan or Logan didn't make a whole lot of difference, as long as the story was told.
Don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to downplay Rory and Logan's relationship. He was obviously a hugely important part of Rory's life, and their romance was a major part of the final chapter of Rory's story. All I'm saying is, Logan and Tristan are suspiciously similar to the point where they are almost identical in attitude, backstories, and even looks.
So, ready to have your mind blown? Then stay with me here as I show you all of the evidence I have gathered that point to Logan and Tristan's characters being one and the same.
1. They Were Both Entitled Rich Kids
There was nothing in this world that Tristan and Logan didn't think could be bought when Rory met them. They grew up in a world of privilege and they simply could not see the world from a different point of view. That's why Tristan thought Rory could be bought with PJ Harvey tickets, and why Logan didn't understand why it upset her to see Logan and his friends treat Marty like he was their servant.
2. They Both Had Major Daddy Issues
Tristan and Logan didn't want material things, but they both could have used a confidence boost from their fathers. Logan's dad Mitchum was a disaster of a human being who was constantly knocking his son's choices. Tristan's father was only seen onscreen once, but his domineering nature was alluded to by Paris and confirmed when he sent his son to military school so he wouldn't have to discipline him.
3. They Both Had Special Nicknames For Rory
In the beginning, calling Rory "Mary" was meant to be an insult — but by the time Tristan and Rory had parted ways, it was a term of endearment. As for Logan, he bestowed the title of "Ace" on Rory when she first started sniffing around the Life or Death Brigade, and he kept calling her Ace right up until they parted. Know who didn't have a nickname for Rory? The other two important men in her life, Dean and Jess.
4. They Had A Two Man Possé
Logan and Tristan were the leaders of their friends groups, and while they were the kings of their respective schools, they each had two main guys to back them up. Logan had the witty troublemakers Colin and Finn to join him in his various acts of debauchery. Poor Tristan, on the other hand, was stuck with Duncan and Bowman, who definitely helped him manage some mischief, but who were seriously lacking in the personality department.
5. They Embraced The "In Omnia Paratus" Lifestyle
Tristan wasn't a member of the Life and Death Brigade, but he was as up for anything as Logan was. Both guys had a serious adrenaline junkie side. Tristan was always pushing the boundaries of what he could get away with, whether it was teasing Dean or breaking into Bowman's dad's safe. To his credit, Logan took his escapades to a whole new level by climbing mountains and stealing a yacht with Rory.
6. They Were Both Willing To Change For Rory
Neither guy had been in a serious relationship before Rory, and even though Tristan never earned the title of boyfriend, he was willing to change his ways for Rory. He went out on a date with Paris because he thought it would make Rory happy, and she was the only person he ever let himself get earnest around. As for Logan, the serial dater made himself a one girl kind of guy when Rory told him she wasn't OK with the whole open relationship thing — and he stuck with it. He ultimately became so enamored with Rory that he proposed to her.
7. They Look Like Brothers
I'm sorry, I know it's superficial, but physically, these two dudes look almost exactly the same. I have no doubts these rich, blond, semi-reformed bad boys came from the same mold.
I mean, it's literally either all this, or Logan and Tristan's similarities are the most suspect coincidence in TV history.
Images: Warner Bros. Television (3)
