When the best TV mother/daughter duo ever wasn't bonding over junk food, indulging in classic films, inserting pop culture references into their daily conversations, or heading to Friday night dinners at Emily and Richard's, Lorelai and Rory Gilmore were inspiring each other on Gilmore Girls. They just had the knack for influencing one another in amazing ways, which, in turn, also inspired viewers. So, why not celebrate that by talking about a few of the times the Gilmore Girls inspired each other to be better and do better? This is a big part of who Lorelai and Rory were and something fans admire.
No matter how dark it things got for them, and no matter how many times Lorelai and Rory weren't on the same page (it happened on more than one occasion), they always managed to find a way to transform one another in significant ways that would also end up benefiting them. Whether Rory was obsessed with school and needed her mom's advice or whether Lorelai needed Rory's input on the construction of her new business, the Dragonfly Inn, they both repeatedly stepped up to the plate.
Sometimes they even inspired each other indirectly or without the other one's knowledge. That's just how powerful of a relationship they had. Here's the proof.
1. When Lorelai Pushed Rory To Not Quit Yale
It was definitely out of Rory's character to quit Yale. It was something Lorelai didn't expect, respect, or support. So much so that she and Rory stopped talking for a while over it. What made it even worse is that Rory moved in with Richard and Emily, who chose to back Rory. As awful as this time was for Rory and Lorelai, the way Lorelai pushed Rory to not give up and to fight for her future is something that ended up influencing Rory in the long run. She ended up taking her mom's advice and finally went back to school after way too long of a hiatus.
2. When Rory Gave Her High School Graduation Speech
If this GG moment still doesn't make you cry every time you watch it, then you clearly have no emotions. Just looking at this GIF is causing me to tear up. Moving on. Sitting at Lorelai's high school graduation and listening to her daughter praise her had to be an amazing feeling for Lorelai. To know that she inspired her daughter so much made Lorelai want to continue to do great things for Rory and to ensure Rory never stopped doing amazing things for herself.
3. When Lorelai Committed To Friday Night Dinners
In the pilot, Lorelai reluctantly committed to Friday night dinners with her parents. Why go through that agony? For Rory, that's why. To make sure Rory could go to Chilton and get the education she deserved and so desperately wanted, Lorelai agreed to attend Friday night dinners with Richard and Emily if they paid for Rory's tuition. She did this without Rory's knowledge, which showed fans how much Lorelai wanted Rory to succeed in life.
4. When Lorelai Was Excited For Rory's Education
Never once did Lorelai bash Rory's hopes or dreams. She was always genuinely excited for her daughter to not only receive an education, but to be able to experience things that she never got to herself. Lorelai never stopped being proud of Rory.
5. When They Toured Harvard
Remember when Lorelai and Rory took a road trip to Harvard, so Rory could explore Harvard University, aka her dream school? Unlike many parents, Lorelai turned the experience into something unforgettable for Rory. She did everything to make it a positive memory, because her daughter's education was just as important to her as it was to Rory.
6. When Rory Left Stars Hollow
It was a hard day for both Lorelai and Rory when the younger Gilmore officially left home at the end of the series to follow Senator Barack Obama on his campaign trail. As much as Lorelai would've loved for Rory to stay and live with her forever, she pushed Rory to go. Rory's independence and career were the most important thing for Lorelai, which is another example of how amazing of a mom she was.
7. When Lorelai Supported Rory Rejecting Logan
When Gilmore Girls ended, so did Rory and Logan's relationship. He wanted to marry her, but she wasn't ready. Rory needed to explore the unknown and see what else was waiting out there for her in the world. It was a decision Lorelai let Rory make completely on her own, because she knew it wasn't up to her, nor did she want her opinion to sway Rory. Fans could tell that Lorelai didn't want Rory to marry Logan, because she was so young and had so much life ahead of her. But, if Rory would've accepted the proposal, Lorelai would've supported her. In the end, Lorelai respected Rory's decision and was there for her daughter during the difficult time.
8. When Rory Told Christopher To Stay Away
Without Lorelai's knowledge, Rory visited Christopher in Season 5 to tell him to stay away from her mom. Lorelai and Luke were finally together, something Rory didn't want Christopher to mess it up. By interfering (which maybe wasn't really her place, but, hey she cared about her mom, OK?), this was Rory's way of wanting Lorelai to actually have a successful relationship and experience true happiness without her dad ruining it. Luke was better for Lorelai than Christopher ever was and inspired her to do better, so Rory's interference was a good thing.
9. When Lorelai Stayed With Rory At College
The first life-changing milestone for both the Gilmore Girls was when Rory moved to Yale. It was a hard transition, but Lorelai made it easier by sleeping over the first night in Rory's dorm when Rory asked her to. That was her way of helping Rory become comfortable during a time of her life where she'd be on her own without her mom constantly by her side. By staying over, that small gesture provided comfort to Rory and showed her that she would be absolutely fine at Yale and would end up doing great things.
10. When Rory Gave Lorelai A Pep Talk
During the Festival of Living Art, Rory needed to give Lorelai a pep talk when it was her turn to shine on stage. Even when it came to the smallest life events, they were always there to encourage each other. Guess what? Lorelai totally rocked it when she got on stage at the festival. Good job, Rory.
11. When Lorelai Wanted Rory To Speak To Her Grandparents
It's no secret that Lorelai and her parents didn't have the greatest relationship. There was a lot of tension, history, and stubbornness between them. So, it said a lot when Lorelai wanted Rory to reconcile with them after they got mad at Rory for her not wanting them to pay for Yale anymore, because Christopher offered to pay for it. The damage control done by Lorelai was her way of not wanting Rory to turn into an even more stubborn person like her mother, especially when it came to Richard and Emily. Lorelai really wanted Rory to better than her in this moment.
12. When They Finally Stopped Arguing
It was an awful time when Lorelai and Rory stopped talking after Rory quit Yale. Thankfully, they found their way back to on another, apologized, and hugged it out. The way they both owned up to their mistakes showed not only how much they missed one another, but how they knew they could do better when it came to their relationship, making huge decisions, listening to one another, and respecting each other in the process.
They really were the best thing to have ever happened to TV, weren't they?
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