Jane the Virgin “Chapter Ninety-Eight” was written by Carolina Rivera and was directed by Gina Lamar. I can’t believe this fabulous show only has two more episodes left! But that’s the telenovela life, isn’t it? This episode begins to wrap things up, and we see an end to both Michael’s (Brett Dier) and Rose’s (Bridget Regan) stories. Michael’s was disappointing but Rose’s was a fabulous call back to the first season! And kudos once again to the fabulous Gina Rodriguez (Jane) who reminds us that she can do comedy and drama with equal aplomb…
As the episode opens, Jane is traumatized by Rose being once again on the loose. Luisa (Yara Martinez), who apparently volunteered to help the police to protect Rafael (Justin Baldoni) and his family, has gone into protective custody. Eventually, Jane seeks professional help, which leads to her learning EFT – Emotional Freedom Technique – and some hilarious tapping moments throughout the episode.
Jane is also dealing with some good news when Lily (Emmy Raver-Lampman) tells her that publishers love her book and want to have lunches with her. Before she can get to even one, however, it’s cancelled because Michael hasn’t signed off on giving them his life rights to his part of the story – and if you are wondering, that is a real thing.
Naturally, this leads to Michael coming back into Jane’s life. I loved that Rafael is absolutely fine with Jane seeing Michael even though he thinks that this is a ploy by Michael to try to win Jane back. In fact, it turns out that this was really a test by Michael’s pregnant fiancé Charlie (Haley Lu Richardson). I was hating Charlie just as much as the first time – and was glad that it appeared Michael _had_ to marry her (shotgun wedding), but Richardson shows that she really can act when Charlie reveals that she didn’t want Michael to sign because she was insecure about his former relationship with Jane. It’s only when she overhears him tell Jane that he’s going to support Charlie because she’s his life partner that she gives in – and Jane can go back to selling her novel.
And, of course, then Rose shows up in Jane and Rafael’s home! She takes Jane hostage – and this is really a terrific scene between Regan and Rodriguez. I loved that Faith the cat found Regan’s performance so genuine that she started to react to it! Rose forces a terrified Jane to call Luisa and force Luisa to come to the premiere of This is Mars. In the middle of waiting for Luisa to call back – because, of course, Jane got voicemail, Lily calls again with an offer from Little Brown to buy the book for $25,000! Rose grabs the phone and turns the offer down – as Jane’s lawyer – they’ll take the risk that someone will offer more, and of course, Rose isn’t risk averse! In the end, of course, this works to Jane’s advantage, so Rose actually did Jane a favor in the end.
Things are going really well at the Mirabella for Petra (Yael Grobglas) and Rafael. She has a lead on the first new hotel in the chain – in Britain! She suggests that Rafael quit his real estate job and commit completely to working with her again. It’s the life he always wanted – in season one. She even offers to let him move back into his penthouse – then his entire family would be under one roof and he’d get to see them all more. We get a terrific scene with Rafael in the empty penthouse calling Jane to tell her. It’s both a nice throwback to season one – and a terrific metaphor that that life is now empty to him.
Petra learns that JR’s mother has died – and we get the super creepy detail that Krishna (Shelly Bhalla) likes reading obituaries! Petra is tempted to go to the funeral, but Rafael convinces her that that’s no place to rekindle a romance. In the end, Petra settles for sending flowers and a note.
Rogelio (Jaime Camil) and Xo (Andrea Navedo) continue to make plans to move to New York for the show. Xo finds a nursing school to transfer to, but Rogelio is having trouble convincing Darci (Justina Machado) to move back to New York – she’s from there after all! Rogelio refuses to miss any of Baby’s childhood – it’s why he agreed to be a second banana after all! Darci won’t move because Esteban (Keller Wortham) won’t move. He pretends that he’s now more interested in being a wellness counselor than acting!
Rogelio thinks he has to convince Esteban that he still wants to act - and is, of course, inspired by himself! In the end, of course, the whole thing is simply a plot to get Esteban a juicy role on This is Mars – and he gets to be the villain – how appropriate! I love how meta this show is! I’m really, really going to miss how clever the show is. I did love the scene at the end where Darci and Esteban celebrate by jumping up and down as soon as Rogelio is out of the room too.
Naturally, the climax of the episode comes at the premiere party. Once again, Jane is in a silly costume – this time as an alien not a mermaid! – serving drinks. It’s painful as she hopes all her friends and family will recognize her. It’s also pretty funny to notice the height difference between the two aliens! While we go from one group to another, we stop briefly with Rafael and Petra who are wondering where Jane is. Petra confides to Rafael that maybe she’s just going to be alone – married to the hotel. I’d rather Petra ended up with someone – but I really, really hope that someone isn’t Luisa… who is also gay and who tells us at the end that she knows all kinds of great vacation spots….
Rose takes Jane up to the roof where Luisa is supposed to meet them. Jane finally snaps and confronts Rose. And then, of course, Rafael realized it was Jane – and he tackles Rose from out of nowhere! Then Rose turns the gun on them, but is distracted by Luisa’s appearance. Luisa pretends to swallow cyanide, and Rose kisses her so that they can die together, but it’s just a tictac! Luisa uses the distraction to push Rose off the roof and she lands on Rogelio’s tail! I love the way this makes that tail so important! But even more, it’s a perfect mirror to the murder that started the Rose story to begin with in the first season. And just to make sure that Rose is really, really dead, she gets set on fire too – and everyone thinks it’s just part of the show!
Rafael later thanks Luisa, and then both Rafael and Jane invite her to the wedding and back into their lives. Lily calls to tell Jane that she is going to put the book up for auction. Rafael tells Jane that he quit the Mirabella and that his dream has changed. All he wants now is that little house with the white picket fence and his family. Jane worries that he won’t be happy with a “smaller” life, but Rafael has finally realized – like even Rogelio has – that it’s not a smaller life.
I loved the scene as Jane and Rafael nervously wait for the bids to come in. Baldoni and Rodriguez are both terrific in this scene. And of course, in the end, Jane gets $500,000! They’re rich! Xo and Rogelio are thrilled – but Xo suddenly realizes that she will miss so much of what comes next for Jane – she doesn’t know how she can say goodbye – and I don’t know how I can say goodbye to this clever writing and these wonderful actors! SOB!!!!!
What did you think of the episode? Did you like how they wrapped up Michael’s and Rose’s stories? Should Petra find love before the end? Will everyone move to New York in the end? Are you ready for the end? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
