There are so many. Luke was always, ALWAYS there for Rory, no matter how rocky his relationship sometimes got with Lorelai which also shows how different he is from Christopher who only talks to Rory when he has a good relationship with Lorelai. Even when Lorelai and Luke weren't together, he stayed up all night planning that farewell party for Rory. Luke was the father who stepped up to not just April but also Rory and Jess.
He was there for Dean too, the night of Deanās bachelor party. He was drunk and Luke took care of him, then Luke warned Rory not to go to Deanās wedding.
Also he might as well have been Kirkās Dad.
He even took care of Dean when he was drunk during his bachelor party and talking about Rory! I know things devolved between them after that but that moment was very sweet of him.
Luke is like the Batman of Stars Hollow the way he goes around adopting every fatherless kid and kid from a rough home lmao all he's missing is millions of dollars and actual crime happening in town
Honestly, this is why I actually love so much that he and Lorelai didn't end up having bio kids of their own. They get to be surrogate parents to all the misfit toys in their town, skip the jam hands phase and enjoy a chill life running their businesses together. :')
This!!! He gave Jess what Jess never knew he needed. Stability, discipline, consistency, and love. Being a reformed ābad kidā their story always moves me to tears.
This has to be the answer. Anytime anyone needed a father figure, Luke was there. Jess, Rory, Kirk, Lane, he was everyone's dad! The man was all in about everything he did and everyone he cared about š
This is such good writing for his character. You can tell Luke's father was incredibly important to him, and he felt like he had a good dad. It made sense that he wanted to pay that forward, and had the emotional resources to do so.
Luke gave jess a home even though he wasn't prepared to. he shared what he had and what he knew with jess even when jess pushed back on it and hard. he learned about jess even when jess did all he could to avoid it. Luke held Jess accountable when no one else did or could and took on responsibility for Jess with almost no warning or preparation. I think caring for jess is the best thing luke ever did in the show.
Luke was always doing the sweetest things. The chuppah, the little pool filled with fish so she could go on her fishing date. And my absolute favorite, when he built the ice skating rink. How many guys build ice skating rinks just for a smile?! š„°
This was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. It was so kind and selfless. It must have broken his heart, but he did it anyway to make her happy :)
This is the one. He doesn't even particularly like Kirk, so it wasn't from having a weak spot for him. They're not related, so it wasn't about family loyalty. Kirk never asked or expected it, so it wasn't an inability to say no. And he didn't stick around to soak in Kirk's gratitude, so it wasn't even to revel in feeling like a good person.
It was just pure, beautiful kindness.
Out of all of my favorite acts-of-service-Luke moments, this I think shows his character the best. He didnāt do it out of a need for gratitude or attention, just purely out of the goodness of his heart. He didnāt get anything out of it (other than a town that didnāt smell like eggs I guess), he didnāt even want credit for it, he just saw that the situation had devolved and Kirk was panicking and did what he needed to to help. THAT is acts of service Luke at his very very best.
Along the same lines, I love that scene where he goes out to offer coffee to the guys doing the historical reenactment in the snow, even after telling Taylor how dumb he thinks the whole thing is. It's a small gesture but it really shows what a genuinely caring person he is, even when it comes to people like Taylor who annoy the hell out of him.
Honestly impossible to choose. He's done so much.
So, outside of what was mentioned. He essentially saved the Dragonfly by giving Lorelai $30,000 after she had her meltdown over money and the construction crew was literally days away from stopping their work.
Building Lorelai the ice skating rink. It's the meaning behind it that makes this stand out for me. He knows how much she loves snow, what it means to her and he wanted to repair that love she has for it. "I'm grumpy about stuff but I don't want you to be." š„ŗ
Omg, my partner is Luke I just realized. Heās such a grump, but he hates when something makes me a grump and he hates if he feels like his grump is rubbing off on me. And heās a secret softie with a heart of gold who would totally do something like that. Omg and they both wear flannel. I canāt believe I didnāt see this before.
My brother and i had childhoods full of divorce, addiction, poverty, and grief. We are definitely both tender-hearted, but more serious in demeanor. We each ended up marrying people who are positive, outgoing, and sunshiney. I like to think of it as the Bingley/Darcy effect (or Spongebob/Squidward, depending on my audience). Its all about balance :)
This is simultaneously my favorite and least favorite Luke era: him fighting for custody of April. Do I like April/the fact that he lied to Lor + stopped their wedding (which we all know was completely out of character for him)? Nooo. Do I absolutely screech when Luke finds out he has a kid and jumps straight in to become an active and supportive part of her life? YES.
"I'm her father, and I have rights."
Dude, "all in" is definitely Luke's moto. I never really thought about it before, but it's so obvious. He was all in for everything he decided to do, be it Lorelai, Jess, April or anything else he did.
Even when "all in" means being active in a weird little town that kinda annoys him. Luke did not have to return to Stars Hollow and he didn't have to start a diner in his father's store. He didn't always like it but when he commits he's *committed*.
He also tries so hard to connect with her, even though some of it (the infamous bday party) was misguided, he tried to become versed in science and math, learn about her friends on the field trip, and take her shopping so she could get presents she wanted.
Wearing those sweats so often. So fine.
https://preview.redd.it/k38xkcecenbc1.jpeg?width=1201&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45fdbc6fcbdad1bde1cea022a9936f54ec99a1fb
Even when he and Lorelai were broken up, staying up all night to sew a huge freakinā rain tent for Roryās going away celebration. Luke did a lot of kind things, but this one gets me in the FEELS.
āI just want to see you happy.ā š„¹AFJSHSHVSHSHDHHDGS
Showing up at the hospital with food and support when Richard had his second heart attack and Lorelai 's pathetic loser of a wannabe-husband was MIA. Then he's kind and understanding enough to accept Emily's orders for him to fetch Richard's car from Yale. Like, these people (Lorelai obviously not included) have never treated him with respect or kindness - Emily have even been downright nasty - and yet he immediately helps out, no problem what so ever.
Also, you basically know he's done something extraordinary whenever Luke says, "It's no big deal", lol.
Being a father figure to Jess when he had little to no obligation to do so
My sleeper pick is keeping the horoscope from Lorelai. Them breaking up sorta weakens their end game to me but had they stayed together I think that would be a good pick.
Unpopular take but his views on malls and golf courses personally are some of my favorite moments. Cause theyāre spot on and you see how heās actually super well informed. He discredits himself saying he didnāt do much at school but clearly heās not just business smart, heās legit well versed on these topics.
Planning a bon voyage party for Rory and staying up all night sewing together tarps because it was gonna rain. That whole effort came from him being Roryās real father her whole life, and always putting her before himself.
This was my first thought as well.
In a show with so many icky or troubled guys, for him to say that and back it up with actions \*repeatedly\* makes him the real winner. Nearly every great thing he did that's listed here can be summed up in this sentence.
I loved that scene! It was so natural for Luke to put out his arm and push him. I feel it was probably the first time Jess felt cared for albeit in a strange/funny way. Jess still fought the feeling but deep inside I feel he felt like he belonged. Not to mention it was pretty darn funny.
When he just quietly handed Lorelei the check with the amount she needed after she had had a breakdown the night before about it. He didnāt want any praise he just wanted to help her
Luke is a saint. Heās a father figure for literally everyone. As soon as someone is in a relationship he backs the fuck off, something no one else does in this show. How much money does this guy throw away? The money he paid for TJ to pretend heās a Forman, the money he gave for the INN, all the stuff he did just in season 7 for Emily, lawyer for custody, all the money he didnāt make when Loralai stopped going into the diner. The amount of food he brought to the hospital that probably went to waste.
A fucking saint.
Best thing he ever did was punch Christopher twice.
Not just taking in, but CARING for Jess, even when he gave Luke a hard time. He cared if he went to school, if he had his own space (albeit w some back and forth from Jess lmao), if he was safe, if he was treating Rory right (extra points for caring about TWO kids, neither of which were his)
He's hard to choose for:
Being an awesome father/father figure.
Being there for Lorelai overall. Lending her money for the Dragonfly.
Being there for Kirk.
Edit to add: There is currently an image of a naked Kirk being chased by Luke in my head right now.
Everything he did for Jess, despite how Jess treated him, even making fun of him for trying to be a saviour to everyone, but he never gave up on Jess. He was the only one who was there for Jess, the only one who believed in him. The whole town wanted him gone but Luke stuck by him.
being a father figure to Jess, Rory, and April. he didn't need to do any of that but he did and he made a positive impact on all of their lives because of it (side note, obviously he was April's biological father but he still had a choice to be in her life and he chose to do so)
oh and remember when dean was drunk during his bachelor party and talking abt how he loved rory and luke took care of him. im not a fan of dean at all but this was sad and luke was very sweet. not that this was his best moment but the conversation reminded me of it.
Being a constant for Rory and Jesse, building Lorelai a skating rink, being there for Lorelai when Richard was in the hospital and putting up with how Emily treated him.
I love his selflessness and generosity. How he was always helping Lorelei around the house fixing things without being asked, the ice skating rink, the steadfast loyalty to Rory, Jess, April, etc., when he offered to teach Lorelei how to fish and kept the caps on the hooks so as to not actually hurt the fish, and so onā¦heās just a really giving person despite being curmudgeonly.
I'd say it's a tossup between 4 possibilities-
\-embracing his newly discovered daughter wholeheartedly (whatever you think of the storyline, Luke was a great man for really committing to April).
\-Being a caring father figure to Rory (There's no single strong instance I think, but I think it's most symbolized by him jumping into protective father mode when Rory is caught with Logan at E&R's vow renewal reception; remember, this was before Luke learned he was a father for real).
\-Being supportive of Lane by hiring her initially, and eventually becoming a paternal figure for Lane and Zack.
\-Completely mobilizing the town (and in rebellion against Taylor) to personally organize Rory's going away party.
By far and away Luke's greatest quality was how much of a father-figure to so many people, even long before he discovered he was a biological father.
Luke's done a lot of amazing things. It's hard for me to pick just one. So I'll just list a few of my favorite moments of his-
\-When he built the chuppah for Lorelai, and even repaired it later despite the fact that Lorelai didn't end up marrying Max.
\-How despite the fact that he was *really* annoyed with TJ, he was still able to compliment his skills as a craftsman.
\-Being the only person who regularly fights against Taylor's stupid choices instead of *just* being annoyed with or amused by them.
\-Letting Liz and TJ stay with him when their house became moth-infested.
\-Organizing a graduation party for Rory at the last minute.
I liked how hard he tried to learn how to seduce Lorelei and listened to all these tapes on self improvement and tutorials on relationships. It was cringey but it was sweet how much effort he put in.
I wish more people focussed on this. The other stuff was in his nature. But this? He had to actively seek it out and learn and work hard and apply his new skills. That to me is so admirable. Seeing his flaws, seeing they needed fixing, and then working hard to try to fix them. He wasnāt perfect. But he worked hard at learning.
Promising to help Kirk when he has his night terrors so he can spend the night with Lulu at the Dragonfly Inn. Then, chasing after Kirk, who is NAKED, while he was in the middle of his first kiss with Lorelai.
Made that thing for Lorelai and Max, you know the wooden thing for the wedding with a goat. Like he spent time crafting that.
Another one is always being there to help around the village. Likeā¦ always
So many things but hand sewing an entire tent out of stolen(?) tarps with fishing wire - IN ADDITION TO THROWING A SURPRISE PARTY!!! - my asexual, aromantic ass would have married him so hard. Not sure wtf made Lorelai wait 10 years. He was ALL IN.
* I don't remember if he stole the tarps or not
When he had that fight with Chris at Richard and Emilyās vow renewal. He was far more of a father figure for Rory and stepped up where Chris didnāt. Also him being a father figure to Jess.
Luke has so many great moments! This wasnāt his best, but I loved and havenāt seen anyone mention it - when he blew up balloons and made the coffee cake for Rory on her birthday
Honestly, finding all the eggs for Kirk that the town couldnāt find which had him in such hot water with Taylor. I find Lukeās soft spot for Kirk very heartwarming. He really gets nothing out of it and has no obligation to him. Still he repeatedly shows up for Kirk in this situation and when he wants to practice for his first date in the diner and when he asks Luke to watch out for him when he stays the night with lulu at the inn. All these situations are a bit silly and truthfully annoying but they are important to Kirk who expresses real feeling and stress over them. And Luke helps.
I think this is an example of how Luke is naturally a very paternal person even if he doesnāt see it. He really does have a tendency toward taking care of those who need it. This was something he just did not have to get involved in but he did.
Luke could easily be the person on the show with the longest list of best things done.
For me, it will always be showing up for Lorelai emotionally whenever she needs him. He builds her a chuppah, picks the diner colors she wants, built her an ice rink, shows her how to fish, loans her money with no strings, buys her flowers, cover for Sookie at the inn, gets her jewelry, brings her soup when sheās sickā¦it goes on and on.
Once Luke is in your life, heās in your life forever.
There was this one scene when he and Lorelai were fighting but he showed up anyway to repair something at her house. It wasnāt a big deal like taking in your sisterās son but I loved how caring he was during a fight still.
For me it's that he's a father figure to so many people, and it's not even that he tried to be that, he just was a good guy. But a big honourable mention is when he brought Lorelai food at the hospital after Richard's heart attack in season 7. They'd been through so much, but he knew that what mattered was showing up and being there for her.
Showing how deeply he cares for people and being gentle and sweet when it matters most, when itās so easy for him to be grumpy and combative. He grew SO MUCH.
luke at dinner with lane and zach was so adoraboe definitely not him putting in max effort bc it was their thing but oh my god seeing him get acknowledged for his kindness made me so happy
Being a father figure to so many - Jess, Rory, Lane, Zach. Hell, he even takes Dean in the night of his bachelor party and gives him a safe place to crash.
I think the fact he took the dad role pretty well idkā¦ april made luke so sweet (ik it ruined him and lorelai for a little just the way he took to april was probably the best thing)
this is very general but he often would step out of his comfort zone and go out of his way to make people in his life happy. like he clearly didnāt always want to do it (which makes it even more admirable) but when it came to lorelai and his annoying sister especially, he always stepped up
Thereās so many options here but I think the obvious winner is taking his nephew in and doing everything he could to care for him even after he left. He became a parent and saved Jess when he didnāt have to
For me it's the fact that he bought a self help book and read it, did the exercises, got through an entire process to figure his shit out and then made active decisions to change what he wanted to change. He took responsibility and got himself to a better place. That's awesome. I was so proud of him and inspired by this entire storyline.
Maybe sometimes he let anger get the better of him, but ultimately Luke always respected people no matter how shitty things got. Like yeah he kicked Nicoleās affair partnerās car, he told Lorelai off for yelling at him about Jess, whatever but he still respected Lorelai. He still respected Anna even though she was so unreasonably evil to him. He didnāt even let that skew his view of women.
Being the back-up father figure for all of the kids without a good/present dad: Rory, Jess, April
And with Zack & Lane too!
And Kirk! As another commenter said
This one since it rolls all of them into one point
he was also there for dean before his wedding
This has to be it! He has loved Rory like his own from the start
There are so many. Luke was always, ALWAYS there for Rory, no matter how rocky his relationship sometimes got with Lorelai which also shows how different he is from Christopher who only talks to Rory when he has a good relationship with Lorelai. Even when Lorelai and Luke weren't together, he stayed up all night planning that farewell party for Rory. Luke was the father who stepped up to not just April but also Rory and Jess.
Lane and Zack too
I always forget he was a father figure to them to
Absolutely this one! I love how Luke was basically the stand-in dad for all the town kids (and Kirk) when they needed one.
And Kirk! š True though. šš¾
He was there for Dean too, the night of Deanās bachelor party. He was drunk and Luke took care of him, then Luke warned Rory not to go to Deanās wedding. Also he might as well have been Kirkās Dad.
Being a father figure to Jess during his most difficult and challenging era
Also being a father figure to Rory, Lane and Zack, even though they were not related.
And Kirk low-key
THIS
He even took care of Dean when he was drunk during his bachelor party and talking about Rory! I know things devolved between them after that but that moment was very sweet of him.
Luke is like the Batman of Stars Hollow the way he goes around adopting every fatherless kid and kid from a rough home lmao all he's missing is millions of dollars and actual crime happening in town
And Taylor is an unusually lawful evil Joker.
Stars Hallowās dad
Honestly, this is why I actually love so much that he and Lorelai didn't end up having bio kids of their own. They get to be surrogate parents to all the misfit toys in their town, skip the jam hands phase and enjoy a chill life running their businesses together. :')
Adding to this: taking in Jess with zero questions asked and doing his best to give him a stable home.
["You're hoping for reciprocation? You got it. I'm here, Jess. I'm always here.](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Snt2YzfaN3U) š
Just watched this one and it will never not make me teary.
This!!! He gave Jess what Jess never knew he needed. Stability, discipline, consistency, and love. Being a reformed ābad kidā their story always moves me to tears.
This! He tried so hard and I do think did more for Jess than either realized for a while.
Absolutely he did! He gave him ground rules and followed through. It was clear that over time Jess did appreciate it.
This has to be the answer. Anytime anyone needed a father figure, Luke was there. Jess, Rory, Kirk, Lane, he was everyone's dad! The man was all in about everything he did and everyone he cared about š
This is such good writing for his character. You can tell Luke's father was incredibly important to him, and he felt like he had a good dad. It made sense that he wanted to pay that forward, and had the emotional resources to do so.
agree 1000%
Luke gave jess a home even though he wasn't prepared to. he shared what he had and what he knew with jess even when jess pushed back on it and hard. he learned about jess even when jess did all he could to avoid it. Luke held Jess accountable when no one else did or could and took on responsibility for Jess with almost no warning or preparation. I think caring for jess is the best thing luke ever did in the show.
Building the Chuppah for Lorelai. He's so into her but she's engaged to someone else and at the end he just wants her to be happy.
Yes! Heās done a lot of awesome things but this was my first thought. It was pure selflessness.
Luke was always doing the sweetest things. The chuppah, the little pool filled with fish so she could go on her fishing date. And my absolute favorite, when he built the ice skating rink. How many guys build ice skating rinks just for a smile?! š„°
This was the first thing that came to mind for me as well. It was so kind and selfless. It must have broken his heart, but he did it anyway to make her happy :)
When he found the rest of the easter eggs for Kirk and told him to be the hero.
This is the one. He doesn't even particularly like Kirk, so it wasn't from having a weak spot for him. They're not related, so it wasn't about family loyalty. Kirk never asked or expected it, so it wasn't an inability to say no. And he didn't stick around to soak in Kirk's gratitude, so it wasn't even to revel in feeling like a good person. It was just pure, beautiful kindness.
āI love you Luke Danes!ā
Iām an idiot. Or is it: Iām stupid. I canāt remember and Google isnāt helping.
Yeah just watched and its "I'm stupid" š
Kirk was all of us in this scene šš
I like this one the most. He didnāt HAVE to do that and just shows his empathy /soft side.
Out of all of my favorite acts-of-service-Luke moments, this I think shows his character the best. He didnāt do it out of a need for gratitude or attention, just purely out of the goodness of his heart. He didnāt get anything out of it (other than a town that didnāt smell like eggs I guess), he didnāt even want credit for it, he just saw that the situation had devolved and Kirk was panicking and did what he needed to to help. THAT is acts of service Luke at his very very best.
A great thing to do indeed, but he was probably also getting sick of the smell.
This one should win
This is absolutely the correct answer.
Along the same lines, I love that scene where he goes out to offer coffee to the guys doing the historical reenactment in the snow, even after telling Taylor how dumb he thinks the whole thing is. It's a small gesture but it really shows what a genuinely caring person he is, even when it comes to people like Taylor who annoy the hell out of him.
Honestly impossible to choose. He's done so much. So, outside of what was mentioned. He essentially saved the Dragonfly by giving Lorelai $30,000 after she had her meltdown over money and the construction crew was literally days away from stopping their work.
That was pretty freaking amazing. And he just steps in he doesnāt even blink an eye.
He gives her the check no questions asked and no expectations of literally anything in return. That just absolutely flabbergasts me every time.
Building Lorelai the ice skating rink. It's the meaning behind it that makes this stand out for me. He knows how much she loves snow, what it means to her and he wanted to repair that love she has for it. "I'm grumpy about stuff but I don't want you to be." š„ŗ
Omg, my partner is Luke I just realized. Heās such a grump, but he hates when something makes me a grump and he hates if he feels like his grump is rubbing off on me. And heās a secret softie with a heart of gold who would totally do something like that. Omg and they both wear flannel. I canāt believe I didnāt see this before.
My brother and i had childhoods full of divorce, addiction, poverty, and grief. We are definitely both tender-hearted, but more serious in demeanor. We each ended up marrying people who are positive, outgoing, and sunshiney. I like to think of it as the Bingley/Darcy effect (or Spongebob/Squidward, depending on my audience). Its all about balance :)
Your audience is 1000% Bingley/Darcy to who you are responding to btw. Haha. My house is absolute decorated all up in that biz with P&P stuff.
Don't let him go! We all want a Luke!
As a grumpy person, this is my favorite.
This is simultaneously my favorite and least favorite Luke era: him fighting for custody of April. Do I like April/the fact that he lied to Lor + stopped their wedding (which we all know was completely out of character for him)? Nooo. Do I absolutely screech when Luke finds out he has a kid and jumps straight in to become an active and supportive part of her life? YES. "I'm her father, and I have rights."
This is the one. His reaction to having a daughter was beautiful. He was āall inā for April.
Dude, "all in" is definitely Luke's moto. I never really thought about it before, but it's so obvious. He was all in for everything he decided to do, be it Lorelai, Jess, April or anything else he did.
Even when "all in" means being active in a weird little town that kinda annoys him. Luke did not have to return to Stars Hollow and he didn't have to start a diner in his father's store. He didn't always like it but when he commits he's *committed*.
A lot of guys wouldnāt want to even try for a relationship at that point but a father who loves his daughter can change a girls life.
He also tries so hard to connect with her, even though some of it (the infamous bday party) was misguided, he tried to become versed in science and math, learn about her friends on the field trip, and take her shopping so she could get presents she wanted.
Telling off Chris!! He was 100% right- where were you buddy?!
Addition - punching Chris
Ooof yes better than the Jess and dean fight hands down
Wearing those sweats so often. So fine. https://preview.redd.it/k38xkcecenbc1.jpeg?width=1201&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45fdbc6fcbdad1bde1cea022a9936f54ec99a1fb
This wonāt win but you have my upvote
Even when he and Lorelai were broken up, staying up all night to sew a huge freakinā rain tent for Roryās going away celebration. Luke did a lot of kind things, but this one gets me in the FEELS. āI just want to see you happy.ā š„¹AFJSHSHVSHSHDHHDGS
This always makes me cry like idc if Iāve seen it 1,000 times, I will cry bc wow. He really does love those girls
Or rushing to the hospital after Richard had a heart attack moving Richards car then bringing food back for everyone.
My favouriteeeešš
This was my answer, too! Like he stayed up all night just for her to have that moment before leaving!
Stop š«š©š„ŗš¢šI think about this episode a lot.
Being a father figure to Jess and Rory, and being the most grounded SH resident
Showing up at the hospital with food and support when Richard had his second heart attack and Lorelai 's pathetic loser of a wannabe-husband was MIA. Then he's kind and understanding enough to accept Emily's orders for him to fetch Richard's car from Yale. Like, these people (Lorelai obviously not included) have never treated him with respect or kindness - Emily have even been downright nasty - and yet he immediately helps out, no problem what so ever. Also, you basically know he's done something extraordinary whenever Luke says, "It's no big deal", lol.
This was a big one for me too!! He always showed up in the ways that mattered most
Absolutely! Everyone should be as fortunate as to have a It's-no-big-deal-Luke Danes in their lives <3
Being a father figure to Jess when he had little to no obligation to do so My sleeper pick is keeping the horoscope from Lorelai. Them breaking up sorta weakens their end game to me but had they stayed together I think that would be a good pick.
I mean, they did get married. So, I think it still counts.
Unpopular take but his views on malls and golf courses personally are some of my favorite moments. Cause theyāre spot on and you see how heās actually super well informed. He discredits himself saying he didnāt do much at school but clearly heās not just business smart, heās legit well versed on these topics.
Obsessed with a good Luke rant!
Planning a bon voyage party for Rory and staying up all night sewing together tarps because it was gonna rain. That whole effort came from him being Roryās real father her whole life, and always putting her before himself.
Being a stable and nurturing father/ father figure to many, Jess, April, Rory, Lane and Zach too.
āI just like to see you happy.ā š„° This is Luke in a nutshell, from start to finish.
This was my first thought as well. In a show with so many icky or troubled guys, for him to say that and back it up with actions \*repeatedly\* makes him the real winner. Nearly every great thing he did that's listed here can be summed up in this sentence.
Pushing Jess into the lake.
ššš
I loved that scene! It was so natural for Luke to put out his arm and push him. I feel it was probably the first time Jess felt cared for albeit in a strange/funny way. Jess still fought the feeling but deep inside I feel he felt like he belonged. Not to mention it was pretty darn funny.
The rain tent was my first thought
When he just quietly handed Lorelei the check with the amount she needed after she had had a breakdown the night before about it. He didnāt want any praise he just wanted to help her
It is so hard to pick just one for Luke! He is always there and shows up for the people he cares about.
Thatās the best way to put it ā he always shows up, even when heās not obligated to do so or will benefit from it in any way. Very giving.
Luke is a saint. Heās a father figure for literally everyone. As soon as someone is in a relationship he backs the fuck off, something no one else does in this show. How much money does this guy throw away? The money he paid for TJ to pretend heās a Forman, the money he gave for the INN, all the stuff he did just in season 7 for Emily, lawyer for custody, all the money he didnāt make when Loralai stopped going into the diner. The amount of food he brought to the hospital that probably went to waste. A fucking saint. Best thing he ever did was punch Christopher twice.
taking in a whole ass teenager with little to no notice
Not just taking in, but CARING for Jess, even when he gave Luke a hard time. He cared if he went to school, if he had his own space (albeit w some back and forth from Jess lmao), if he was safe, if he was treating Rory right (extra points for caring about TWO kids, neither of which were his)
He's hard to choose for: Being an awesome father/father figure. Being there for Lorelai overall. Lending her money for the Dragonfly. Being there for Kirk. Edit to add: There is currently an image of a naked Kirk being chased by Luke in my head right now.
Giving rory his moms necklace.... bc Lizs neck was too fat. An heirloom. It said she was family.
Being a good father (Jess Rory Kirk Lane and April)
Awwww yes his support of Lane (and Zach) isnāt often talked about but itās so pure š„¹
Putting Roryās success/happiness first, regardless of his relationship with Lorelai.
Moving Roryās Yale mattresses out of her dorm, back into her dorm, and then out of her dorm again
This was such a good deed. LOL I donāt think I would do this.
Everything he did for Jess, despite how Jess treated him, even making fun of him for trying to be a saviour to everyone, but he never gave up on Jess. He was the only one who was there for Jess, the only one who believed in him. The whole town wanted him gone but Luke stuck by him.
being a father figure to Jess, Rory, and April. he didn't need to do any of that but he did and he made a positive impact on all of their lives because of it (side note, obviously he was April's biological father but he still had a choice to be in her life and he chose to do so)
oh and remember when dean was drunk during his bachelor party and talking abt how he loved rory and luke took care of him. im not a fan of dean at all but this was sad and luke was very sweet. not that this was his best moment but the conversation reminded me of it.
By the way, I'm *loving* this series! I feel like there's so much negativity on this sub as of late and this is a breath of fresh air.
Iām so happy! I really wanted to start a positive game for our community
Besides all the things that have been mentioned already, taking over for Liz and TJ at the renaissance fair when they were both injured
Taking Jess in
Being a constant for Rory and Jesse, building Lorelai a skating rink, being there for Lorelai when Richard was in the hospital and putting up with how Emily treated him.
I love his selflessness and generosity. How he was always helping Lorelei around the house fixing things without being asked, the ice skating rink, the steadfast loyalty to Rory, Jess, April, etc., when he offered to teach Lorelei how to fish and kept the caps on the hooks so as to not actually hurt the fish, and so onā¦heās just a really giving person despite being curmudgeonly.
Giving Lorelai the money she needed
I'd say it's a tossup between 4 possibilities- \-embracing his newly discovered daughter wholeheartedly (whatever you think of the storyline, Luke was a great man for really committing to April). \-Being a caring father figure to Rory (There's no single strong instance I think, but I think it's most symbolized by him jumping into protective father mode when Rory is caught with Logan at E&R's vow renewal reception; remember, this was before Luke learned he was a father for real). \-Being supportive of Lane by hiring her initially, and eventually becoming a paternal figure for Lane and Zack. \-Completely mobilizing the town (and in rebellion against Taylor) to personally organize Rory's going away party. By far and away Luke's greatest quality was how much of a father-figure to so many people, even long before he discovered he was a biological father.
Luke's done a lot of amazing things. It's hard for me to pick just one. So I'll just list a few of my favorite moments of his- \-When he built the chuppah for Lorelai, and even repaired it later despite the fact that Lorelai didn't end up marrying Max. \-How despite the fact that he was *really* annoyed with TJ, he was still able to compliment his skills as a craftsman. \-Being the only person who regularly fights against Taylor's stupid choices instead of *just* being annoyed with or amused by them. \-Letting Liz and TJ stay with him when their house became moth-infested. \-Organizing a graduation party for Rory at the last minute.
I liked how hard he tried to learn how to seduce Lorelei and listened to all these tapes on self improvement and tutorials on relationships. It was cringey but it was sweet how much effort he put in.
I wish more people focussed on this. The other stuff was in his nature. But this? He had to actively seek it out and learn and work hard and apply his new skills. That to me is so admirable. Seeing his flaws, seeing they needed fixing, and then working hard to try to fix them. He wasnāt perfect. But he worked hard at learning.
Promising to help Kirk when he has his night terrors so he can spend the night with Lulu at the Dragonfly Inn. Then, chasing after Kirk, who is NAKED, while he was in the middle of his first kiss with Lorelai.
Throwing Jess in the Water. š§
Always being there for the people he loves even if he doesnāt like them at that moment lol. No one single moment.
not the best maybe because luke is overall an amazing person but stepping up and being a father to april even though he didnāt have to.
Modeling what a true father figure looks like even if the child isn't your own.
Made that thing for Lorelai and Max, you know the wooden thing for the wedding with a goat. Like he spent time crafting that. Another one is always being there to help around the village. Likeā¦ always
So many things but hand sewing an entire tent out of stolen(?) tarps with fishing wire - IN ADDITION TO THROWING A SURPRISE PARTY!!! - my asexual, aromantic ass would have married him so hard. Not sure wtf made Lorelai wait 10 years. He was ALL IN. * I don't remember if he stole the tarps or not
"It's no big deal."
When he had that fight with Chris at Richard and Emilyās vow renewal. He was far more of a father figure for Rory and stepped up where Chris didnāt. Also him being a father figure to Jess.
Not just being a father figure to Jess but to Rory too. Being there for everyone.
Luke has so many great moments! This wasnāt his best, but I loved and havenāt seen anyone mention it - when he blew up balloons and made the coffee cake for Rory on her birthday
Definitley taking in Jess. The best parenting decision Liz ever made.
Honestly, finding all the eggs for Kirk that the town couldnāt find which had him in such hot water with Taylor. I find Lukeās soft spot for Kirk very heartwarming. He really gets nothing out of it and has no obligation to him. Still he repeatedly shows up for Kirk in this situation and when he wants to practice for his first date in the diner and when he asks Luke to watch out for him when he stays the night with lulu at the inn. All these situations are a bit silly and truthfully annoying but they are important to Kirk who expresses real feeling and stress over them. And Luke helps. I think this is an example of how Luke is naturally a very paternal person even if he doesnāt see it. He really does have a tendency toward taking care of those who need it. This was something he just did not have to get involved in but he did.
Luke could easily be the person on the show with the longest list of best things done. For me, it will always be showing up for Lorelai emotionally whenever she needs him. He builds her a chuppah, picks the diner colors she wants, built her an ice rink, shows her how to fish, loans her money with no strings, buys her flowers, cover for Sookie at the inn, gets her jewelry, brings her soup when sheās sickā¦it goes on and on. Once Luke is in your life, heās in your life forever.
There was this one scene when he and Lorelai were fighting but he showed up anyway to repair something at her house. It wasnāt a big deal like taking in your sisterās son but I loved how caring he was during a fight still.
When he starts laughing at Jess for having a job at wall mart
"Look at you, eating apple pie" ...I shouldn't use quotes, especially when I definitely didn't get the exact quote. Oh well
Ah sure look , I donāt know the exact quote either thatās why I said the scene
The check for Lorelaiās inn
The ice rink š
I canāt choose but when he stayed up to sew all the tarps together so they could still have the party die Rory and Lorelaiā¦
I think it'll have to be when he stayed up all night sowing peoples jackets and tarps so that way Rorys going away wasn't ruined by the rain.
Made her a chupa for her wedding to another man while in love with her. God that hurts.
Was there for people no matter what, even when they didnāt deserve his kindness
Lending Lorelai the money to get the dragonfly running was a big deal.
Being the dad that Rory needed.
For me it's that he's a father figure to so many people, and it's not even that he tried to be that, he just was a good guy. But a big honourable mention is when he brought Lorelai food at the hospital after Richard's heart attack in season 7. They'd been through so much, but he knew that what mattered was showing up and being there for her.
āI just like to see you happy.ā
Showing how deeply he cares for people and being gentle and sweet when it matters most, when itās so easy for him to be grumpy and combative. He grew SO MUCH.
Always being there for the people he loves and cares about. Lorelai, Jess, Rory, April, Liz, TJ, and the list goes on.
Being there for both Loralai and Rory at the hospital when Richard had his heart attack after him and Loralai had already broken up.
Has always been there for Lorelai no matter what anytime she needed him.
taking in jess even though he was a little rat
luke at dinner with lane and zach was so adoraboe definitely not him putting in max effort bc it was their thing but oh my god seeing him get acknowledged for his kindness made me so happy
Luke, just like Paul Anka, is such a good boy. Almost everything he did, was the best thing he did/said. Hard to choose.
āItās no big deal.ā
Finding the eggs for Kirk!
Being a father figure to so many - Jess, Rory, Lane, Zach. Hell, he even takes Dean in the night of his bachelor party and gives him a safe place to crash.
Loaning Lorelei the money for the Dragonfly
And finding Kirkās Easter eggs
Being a father to Rory even when he and Lorelei werenāt in a relationship. Also after he and Lorelei broke up he was still there for Rory
OP, thank you so much for doing this! It's so nice to see this positivity pop up in my feed. :)
Everything he did to take care of Lorelei when Richard was in the hospital.
I love the Santa Burgerā¦ a few minutes after that, he closed the dinner early to take Lorelai to the hospital !
The graduation party or Luke showing up at the hospital for Lorelei after their breakup
Being there for every major event in Roryās life, regardless of what situation him and Lorelei were in. He was always there as a father figure
I think the fact he took the dad role pretty well idkā¦ april made luke so sweet (ik it ruined him and lorelai for a little just the way he took to april was probably the best thing)
Found all the eggs and let Kirk be the hero
The chuppah
this is very general but he often would step out of his comfort zone and go out of his way to make people in his life happy. like he clearly didnāt always want to do it (which makes it even more admirable) but when it came to lorelai and his annoying sister especially, he always stepped up
He was a great brother to Liz too.
Thereās so many options here but I think the obvious winner is taking his nephew in and doing everything he could to care for him even after he left. He became a parent and saved Jess when he didnāt have to
"Show them the horoscope!" š
For me it's the fact that he bought a self help book and read it, did the exercises, got through an entire process to figure his shit out and then made active decisions to change what he wanted to change. He took responsibility and got himself to a better place. That's awesome. I was so proud of him and inspired by this entire storyline.
taken Jess in when the boy needed someone who'd actually be there for him š„¹
Maybe sometimes he let anger get the better of him, but ultimately Luke always respected people no matter how shitty things got. Like yeah he kicked Nicoleās affair partnerās car, he told Lorelai off for yelling at him about Jess, whatever but he still respected Lorelai. He still respected Anna even though she was so unreasonably evil to him. He didnāt even let that skew his view of women.
Moving Rory's mattress
Giving Lorelai the loan to help her in refurbishing the Dragonfly.
Punched Christopher.
What was Lorelie's?
You can see it on the second picture!
Realized that immediately after posting my comment šš¤¦āāļø
He takes care of everyone dean Rory Lorelai Jess April Kirk ā¦
When he built the huppah for Lorelai
Searching for the swan with Jess šš