Teach Your Children Well

Was it just three weeks ago that I used this space to complain about Jane The Virgin's Alba, a hypocritical, slut-shaming scold who would react to her daughter's pledge of chastity -- even as she knows said daughter is in love with a pretty great man -- with smug satisfaction at having had any part in limiting her potential happiness? Yes, that was me. Was it just last night, in the middle of watching this week's episode, that I doubled down on my anti-Alba sentiment?

"Jane The Virgin" is great but I will never care about Alba.

— Tara Ariano (@TaraAriano) February 10, 2015

Apparently it was. Then I got to the end of the episode, and I guess I have to revise my opinion of Alba if she was instrumental in totally making me cry.

It's time for Jane to graduate from teacher's college, and everyone is thrilled for the obvious reasons: Jane has overcome a lot of challenges in this last 10% of earning her degree; there's no greater validation for a Type A nerd like her than getting to walk the stage in her cap and gown; and she's the first woman in her house to go to college. But because nothing in Jane's life can be easy, there's a problem. Jane's latest ultrasound shows abnormalities that may be nothing at all, or may indicate chromosomal damage. Jane can have amniocentesis to screen for issues, with the (slight) risk of miscarriage. At first, Jane decides against having the test, since -- as she tells Xo when she asks -- even if she did find out that she was about to give birth to a baby with special needs, she wouldn't terminate the pregnancy. But when she can't stop fretting about it, she changes her mind, and her obstetrician gets her in right away. However -- because nothing in Jane's life can be easy -- the rush to get the test has an unfortunate side effect: she'll be required to take forty-eight hours' bed rest, which means she won't be able to attend her convocation. Those of us who've done it know this is kind of a blessing in disguise, because that shit is boring. (Maybe I only/mostly think so because my dad is a university registrar and I've attended way more than most people, earning a few bucks handing out caps and gowns. But I do sincerely think that if you search your heart, you know I'm right.)

In the night, Jane expresses her self-recriminations to Rafael -- permitted, under the extenuating circumstances, to sleep on her bedroom floor -- who calmly reminds her that they can't take back the decision to get the test now, and sure enough, the baby kicks, so at least the miscarriage fear is off the table for now, not that it was really ever on the table; did any of us really think the show was going to kill Jane's miracle baby?! And in the morning, Jane's week improves even more.

Since Jane can't go to her graduation, her dearest loved ones have brought graduation to her -- apparently trusting that her deep, deep pregnant-lady sleep wouldn't be disturbed by their putting up decorations, which it evidently hasn't been. Rogelio having named himself the event's designated speaker (who else), he takes it very seriously (of course).

It's his phone, with a job offer in Mexico, about which I assume we'll learn more next week -- or, at least, we better. But it doesn't matter, because the main event is the heartfelt tributes to Jane from the people present who've known her all her life: Xo and Alba. Xo is inspired by and proud of the woman Jane's become, and hopes Jane gets to have a moment like this with her own child someday. And Alba calls this the day she dreamed about, for the granddaughter she dreamed about, and then some God stuff that Jane seems to appreciate. But what got me is this little gesture.

I am obviously on the record as chafing at the way Alba has co-parented Jane, particularly how judgmental she still is not just of her but of Jane's actual mother. But kissing Jane's hands is a sweet sign of how precious Jane is to her, and how humbled she feels by her. Her strictness is the best way she knows to love Jane. Would it be an even nicer scene if it didn't have to end with yet another reminder of what a disappointment Xo has been to Alba? Sure. But seeing Jane embraced and celebrated by the women who've treasured her all these years and gotten her to this point is just a lovely moment and brings me back around to appreciating Alba's place in Jane's life, and on the show. And while I kind of still don't care that much about her new potential love interest, if moving on from her late husband means she has a little more empathy for the romantic choices of others, I'll get all the way on board.