Best Jane the Virgin Fan Theories
Jane the Virgin has been captivating audiences for four hilarious seasons, but it only has one left: It was just revealed that the fifth and final season will premiere on Wednesday, March 27. Anchored by the enigmatic Jane Villanueva (Gina Rodriguez), the show is a laugh-out-loud tribute to telenovelas that both embraces and subverts tropes—including evil twins, secret identities, undercover crime bosses, and minor characters who wind up dead under cartoonishly suspicious circumstances.
As the show enters its final season—following the most shocking cliff-hanger ever—fan theories are popping up all over social media. Here are nine that will keep you up at night. Warning: Spoilers ahead.
Michael’s death, caused by an undiagnosed complication from a gunshot wound, left Jane a bereaved widow. In the last few seconds of the season-four finale, Jane walks into her boyfriend Rafael’s apartment and sees Michael, her dead husband, standing there. It was a jaw-dropping scene that lit up social media, and JtV fans have been digging for the truth ever since. So far, the most popular theory is that he’s been living with amnesia. A couple of things back this up: Amnesia is a frequent novella storyline and one that Jane’s famous father, Rogelio, mentioned several times in the network pitch for his new TV show, The Passions of Steve and Brenda. For the split second the audience sees Michael’s face, he does seem confused, almost as if he doesn’t recognize his wife.
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Is it possible that Sin Rostra (Rose), who’s long been obsessed with Rafael, Michael, and Jane, hired someone to change a man into “Michael”? It’s not that far-fetched. After all, Rose did run a plastic surgery ring that changed the appearance of criminals so they could escape the police. (Sin Rostro, interestingly, translates to “faceless.”)
Viewers know Rose isn’t above using incredibly realistic-looking costumes to disguise herself. Could she have used her expertise to disguise a man as Michael, thus giving Rose the opportunity to hold the real Michael captive? Some fans suspect Michael faked his death in order to prove Jane would always end up with Rafael, but that would be super extra of him.
Long-lost twins are always a possibility in telenovelas. Could Michael have a brother who’s been hidden for all these years? Maybe, but this scenario is less likely than the others for a few reasons. First, they have the evil-twin angle covered with Petra and Aneska. Second, Michael’s grieving mother has been a part of Jane’s storyline, and it’s unlikely she’d ignore the existence of another child.
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The Solanos have more family drama than the Kardashians. Early in the series, Raf finds out his mother—who abandoned him when he was four, leaving him with his mercurial father—is a crime boss. She’s also the stepmother of his stepmother, Rose (Sin Rostro). See? Confusing. After his mother is murdered by Rose, he finds out the parents who raised him are not his biological parents (meaning Luisa is not his biological sister). He’s able to trace his ancestry through his family’s stolen art collection, which came from a convent in Italy, where his adoption took place.
There are two popular theories in the running. Possibility number one: JR is his sister. That would explain why her mother, who has dementia, has been mentioned. Possibility number two: Rose, his father’s ex-wife and his adopted mom’s step-daughter, is his biological mom. That could explain why she’s a constant, albeit evil, presence in his life.
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PHOTO: Album / Alamy Stock Photo
Evil twins are a staple in soap opera storytelling. Aneska was introduced as Petra’s homely and meek long-lost sister, but her three-point plan was quickly revealed. (Step 1: Force Petra into a coma. Step 2: Sleep with Rafael. Step 3: Take control of the Marbella.) To say the Petra and Aneska had a fraught relationship after that is an understatement, but no one could have predicted that Petra, in a flash of rage and fear, would murder Aneska, then lie about it to her new lover and lawyer, JR. But as soap operas across the globe have proved over and over again, evil twins never really die. That, combined with Aneska’s knack for imitation, gives fans some trust issues. Is this another double-take deception? Could it be that Petra was the one who was killed by Aneska?
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Petra and JR barely have time to deal with their traumatic breakup before they’re confronted with a mysterious intruder. (This is, presumably, the same person who’d been blackmailing JR.) As a horrified Petra whispers, “Oh my God, it’s you” and braces for a gunshot, JR rushes toward the would-be shooter and kills them. But who is it? There are several possibilities because Petra has a lot of enemies, with Aneska at the top of the list.
The soothing voice that guides viewers through the world of Jane the Virgin has become a character in his own right. He’s there to recap twisted storylines, offer insight into the characters’ motivations, and give hints about what’s to come. Who is he, though? Fans have a few ideas. It could be Jane’s father, Mateo Sr., who passed away long ago and is watching over his family. On the flip side, it might be young Mateo, who grew up watching all this drama unfold.
In season four, Jane has an artistic breakthrough and decides to write her book as an intergenerational tale of love and family. Could the Jane the Virgin world simply be Jane’s imagination or a plot line for her novel? Hopefully, we get closer to the answers in season five.
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