Dean And Rory: meant to be?

Avid fans will recall the cringeworthy flirting and “will they won’t they” moments between a married Dean and going-through-a-dry-spell Rory. This particular scene, at least in my opinion tells us everything we need to know about these pair.

Here Dean is bringing an extra bookcase from Lorelei to Rory’s dorm room. Now, Lorelei would already have known a bookcase would fit- why else would she has it hauled there by someone being paid to renovate her inn? Therefore, it’s reasonable to assume that open space on the wall behind Dean is where this bookcase may have fit- however as we all know this act of kindness turned sour.

That is because the conversation was never about the bookcase. Instead this was a coded conversation between the star-crossed lovers. Dean says, I have this bookcase (himself) and I want to know if it fits in your room (Rory’s life as a student at Yale). Rory already pretty stressed from events already happening is snappy and insists this bookcase can’t fit (the pair can’t be together). We see Dean immediately retort back, upset as well. The rejection of the bookcase and kind gesture is seen as a rejection of Dean. In classic Dean fashion he raises his voice to assert dominance and makes absolutely no coherent sense whatsoever. However looking at this exchange instead as a way for Dean to determine if Rory and he could be together helps identify immediately why he was so upset. (Hint: never about the bookcase!)

However inappropriate all of this is, seeing as Dean is, in fact, married; we see that he still continues to push boundaries- just as he does THE WHOLE RELATIONSHIP WITH RORY IN GENERAL. CLASSIC DEAN.

I want it noted that this bookcase COULD have fit. Had this pair (whom never should be matched together in any universe) sat a moment in the uncomfortable feelings and perhaps looked around the room…they would see the issues preventing them from being together and perhaps some genuine conversations could be had. Or at the very least, the bookcase could be placed in the OPEN SPOT that is clearly behind Dean. The fact the bookcase was not made to fit was a omen on the eventual relationship.

We see that Rory and Dean under pressure and with real world issues tend to spiral and bring out the worst in each other. From being unable to communicate about where to put a bookcase, to falling into bed together these two continuously treat their affection for each other as the guiding light for their decisions. Lindsey is collateral damage; and Rory’s inability to use her brain when around Dean proves too much. Of course, we know Rory to be extremely smart; something that truly bugs me when she discusses her affair with Dean to her mother. Rory’s mental gymnastics to refer to Dean as “her Dean” justifies their bad behavior only solidifies the idea that they are not meant to be together and bring out the worst in one another.

If you are team Dean; I apologize, in my dissertation here I completely neglect to mention any of Deans redeeming qualities. Unfortunately, as a married man I do not see any. He was in the wrong pursuing Rory; he was the one that made Rory “believe” (she should have known better) that he was leaving his wife. This particular version of Dean, in my opinion is not the man I would ever want for Rory (or anyone I know.) I can forgive younger Dean for his transgressions, pre-marriage that is. He genuinely had some good things going for him then, and I imagine after being divorced he eventually went to therapy and returned to his roots as seen in AYITL he is remarried with children; unaffected by seeing Rory again. This Dean I can get behind and root for; but Bookcase Dean, is a thumbs down.