Jane the Virgin fans were left with their jaws, not just dropping, but sprinting to the floor when the Season 4 finale revealed that Michael is still very much alive (and has apparently grown a beard during his time away). It was a shocking revelation, to say the least, but just in case this long summer hiatus has left you thinking it was all just a dream, Gina Rodriguez's Jane the Virgin Season 5 photo — which she uploaded to Instagram on Monday — proves that Michael's return is very, very real and signifies the return of this complicated love triangle between him, Jane, and Rafael.
In case you need a bit of a refresher on the matter, the Season 4 finale saw Rafael have a private meeting with Rose, who told him some life-changing news that was so upsetting that it promptly led to him distancing himself from Jane. Initially, we were led to believe Rose's intel had something to do with Raf's biological parents, however, that turned out not to be the case. He invited Jane over and as soon as he opened the door, Michael was standing there behind him, leaving Jane (and viewers) completely speechless. And given the photo that Rodriguez just posted, the shock from that moment still hasn't warn off, even as they gear up for the show's fifth and final season.
The image itself, while amusing, doesn't really give away any details or explanations in regards to how Michael is still alive in the first place. There are a lot of theories about Michael's return floating around out there. Some believe this guy is actually Michael's identical twin, while others think it's a complete stranger who's simply wearing one of Sin Rostro's convincing face masks. Maybe you think Michael has amnesia and doesn't remember who he is or what Jane means to him. Or perhaps he purposefully faked his own death, knowing that his life was in danger.
There are countless ways this storyline could play out, none of which get confirmed by this photo. However, it does confirm one very important piece of information: Brett Dier will be prominently involved in Season 5, which gives us all one good thing to be thankful for, regardless of how this all unfolds. But make no mistake — any outcome is sure to end with someone's heart being broken.
While it may have looked as though Rafael was upset with the fact that Michael is alive, it has more to do with the fact of what this will mean for him and Jane, who were starting to get really serious about their relationship — something that he's always wanted. If this really is Michael standing before both of them, then that means he and Jane are still married, leaving Raf out in the cold once more. But even though Jane still loves Michael, she's allowed herself to fall hard for Rafael. She can't just turn those emotions on and off like a light switch, which will definitely make things complicated between all three of them. How complicated, you may ask? You'll just have to watch Season 5 to find out.
