Episode 3.21 05.13.03

[This episode has both the regular Stars Hollow etc. scenes, and scenes with Jess in Venice. The Stars Hollow stuff is posted here first, followed by the Venice stuff, though the scenes are actually interspersed throughout the episode.]

Lorelai finds out that Rory doesn't qualify for financial aid at Yale.

Rory and Emily are both very stressed about Rory's graduation. Rory is struggling with finishing school, scheduling everything out, and when Lorelai tries to schedule in some "chill time", Rory flips. Emily is stressed about the graduation itself; what to wear, etc. She's even getting on Rory's nerves, as she does things like calling Rory and berating her for not returning her calls. "I don't care how busy you get, young lady. You have to call your grandmother back." She wants Rory to help her figure out what to wear to the graduation.

Lorelai goes to pick up Rory from Emily's (where they've been having a fashion show of sorts), and gets into a fight with Emily. Rory ends up telling Emily that she (Emily) is being stupid.

Luke tells Lorelai that Jess is gone. He feels like he's failed Jess, but Lorelai tries to reassure him that he's done the right thing. "You supported him, you defended him, you gave him a chance. If he chose not to take it, there was nothing more you could do." Luke still isn't totally convinced and leaves after saying that he's got a pretty good idea of where Jess went.
Lorelai tells Rory that Jess is gone. Rory doesn't really react all that much, since she's really stressed about finishing all of her high school stuff.

At the end of the episode, we find out that Rory made valedictorian.

[Venice stuff:]

Jess gets off of a bus in Venice. He looks tired and out of place in his dark clothes and backpack filled with books. He pulls out a map and a crumpled piece of paper and looks at the street signs around him. The sun is brighter than what he's used to, so he's squinting. An old man offers to help him out, since Jess looks lost, but Jess turns him down with the usual sarcasm. "A little sun will be good for you, young man!" Jess continues to walk down the street, passing all of the usual fare: the sunglass stands, the palm readers, the beaded jewelry makers on sitting on the pavement. He passes a bookstore and pauses to write down the name and address.

Suddenly a sixteen-year old girl named Ivy (with long wild hair, a multi colored knit cap, tee shirt, shorts over tights with socks and Vans) shoves Jess down on the sidewalk. She yells at him for stepping on a painting that was on the ground. Jess doesn't know what to make of this. Then a thirteen-year old boy named Chance (dressed very similar to Ivy, hands stained different colors, paintbrushes sticking out of his back pocket) runs up and sees his painting. Ivy becomes gentle and tries to comfort him while he tries to remember how what mixture he used to make the green paint. Jess asks if Chance made the painting, since it's a really good painting, and Ivy tells him to go away. "You know, you're pretty tough for someone dressed like Pippi Longstocking." Jess says. Ivy then sees Jess's backpack on the ground and picks up one of the books that has spilled out ("Ask the Dusk" by John Fante). She makes fun of the title and then refuses to give it back. Jess grabs the skateboard that she's holding and refuses to give it back until she gives him back his book. Jess is getting really pissed, and they yell at each other for a while. Jess then makes a move towards Ivy, but a boy (Skinner) suddenly jumps in front of him, blocking his path. Then other kids (Chuck, Tree, and Bob, a girl) appear from the stop of stairs, from behind buildings and trees. "Wow. It's Newsies." Jess says. Skinner replies, "And who, pray tell be you?" Ivy tells the others that he stepped on Chance's painting and they all agree that it was really rude. Then they talk about Jess as though he's a dog. Jess says that he's tired of the Apple Dumpling Gang and asks for his book back. Then Ivy states that she's getting bored, hops on Skinner's skateboard, and heads off. Jess follows her on her board, and the three other kids follow.

Jess and Ivy have a skateboard chase, through alleys and around tourists. Finally Ivy falls off of her board. Before she can make another break for it, Jess kicks away her board and then picks it up. As the three other kids arrive behind them, he asks for his book again.

Later, on the Boardwalk:
Jess is standing in front of an apartment building. The number on the fence says "422", which matches a number he has written down on a piece of paper. After an internal struggle, Jess makes up his mind and starts to open the gate, but suddenly a bunch of mutts come running over, barking like maniacs. Jess jumps away from the gate. Not knowing what to do, he yells "Is anybody home?" from the sidewalk. A woman, Sasha, appears on the roof of the building and tells the dogs to pipe down. They stop barking immediately.

Sasha: You selling something?
Jess: No.
Sasha: So what can I do for you?
Jess: Does Jimmy Mariano live here?
Sasha: Does he owe you money?
Jess: No. He owes me a burger.
Sasha: What?
Jess: I'm his… Jess. I'm Jess.
Sasha: Jess...?
Jess: Jess Mari...
Two of the dogs start going at it.
Sasha: [to the dogs] Frodo! Back off! Now! [back to Jess] Sorry. What were you saying?
Jess: I just want to see Jimmy, okay?
Sasha: Hey, did you ever see the Wizard of Oz?
Jess: Yes.
Sasha: Remember when they went to the Emerald City and they rang the bell and the guy with the beard stuck his head out and they said that they wanted to see the Wizard and he said 'No,' and they said she's got the ruby slippers and he said 'Well that's a horse of a different color come on in,'?
Jess: Yes.
Sasha: Well, I'm the guy with the beard and I'm saying that no unless you can come up with the ruby slippers.
Jess: I'm his son.
Sasha: His son.
Jess: Yes. His son.
Sasha: [stunned] Well, that's a horse of a different color. Come on it.
Jess looks at the dogs still congregated on the other side of the gate.
Jess: Do they bite?
Sasha: Only those two.
Sasha disappears. Jess looks at the pack of yapping mutts.
Jess: [calling up] Which two? Hey! Which two?
Jess pushes the gate open, walks in, and stands on the patio. Sasha comes out of the bottom apartment. She apologizes, as she didn't know he was coming. Jess explains that he didn't plan it, he just followed up on an open invitation. She welcomes him and introduces herself as Jimmy's girlfriend. She also introduces the dogs (Angus, Chowder, Rufus, Legolas, Resputin, Jimmy Stewert, Mudhead, PawPaw, Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, and Spot). Sasha then tells Jess that Jimmy's not home, and he says that he'll go walk around for a while, but she asks him in and says that she'll call his work. He starts to decline but she's already going inside, so he follows her.

The place is small but colorful. Jess looks around the room very carefully, looking for clues about this guy who calls himself his father. So far he doesn't see any. Sasha goes into the kitchen and offers him some tea. Jess notices some cats sitting on the top of a bookcase, watching him.

Jess enters Jimmy's office, which is piled floor to ceiling on three sides with books. On the fourth wall are cases and cases of vinyl all in plastic all pristine. Jess has walked into heaven. He looks around in disbelief. He goes over to a desk cluttered with paper and magazines. There's a black and white photo of a hot dog stand right at the base of the pier. A plump happy family poses proudly in front of it. A banner reading "Dante's Inferno: the World's Greatest Hot Dog's Grand Opening" is hung above their heads. The logo is a large hot dog with a Satan's horns cape and a devilish grin. Under that picture are a series of pictures depicting the stand through out the years generally getting crummier and crummier as the years progress until finally the shell of the stand is there but it's a tee-shirt stand. Then another picture with Jimmy standing with his arm around an old man. A sign reading " Dante's Inferno Grand Re-Opening" hangs above their heads. And then several pictures of what looks like construction on the place are scattered around. Jess stares at the picture of Jimmy. Smiling happy. Next to a faded but still evil-looking hot dog.

Finally Jess tears himself away from the pictures and moves over to an armoire. He opens it and inside sees a small girl who looks like an owl sitting there, reading a book. She stares up at him with her huge eyes when Sasha enters the room. Sasha tells Lily (the girl) to put the books back in the armoire when she's done. She then asks Jess if he's ready, and they leave. Lily calls Jess back and tells him to shut the door of the armoire.

Jess and Sasha walk down the Boardwalk, making small talk about LA. Sasha tells Jess that Lily is her kid, but not Jimmy's. Sasha's surprised that Jess didn't know that Jimmy and she aren't married. Without missing a beat, Sasha makes comments to passerby; giving someone back their lost keys, offering to mend a pocket, telling a woman to "Give Reilly a kiss." She obviously knows a lot of people in the town. They arrive at the base of the Santa Monica Pier, and Sasha announces, "We're here."

In front of them stands the same Dante's Inferno hot dog stand that he saw in the black and white pictures and the other pictures around Jimmy's desk. It is completely restored with a very shiny tall devil dog standing ten feet tall. There's an awning and several tables set up in front. There's a roller blade and bike rental next door so there is a ton of activity around. Sasha asks the kid at the counter where Jimmy is, and they're directed to go around back. They go around the side of the stand. Sasha opens the side door and heads in. Jess hesitates for a second and then follows her.

At first Jimmy doesn't want Jess to say, but they do have a good conversation near the end of the episode and Jimmy says Jess can stay if Sasha says it's okay.

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Episode 3.22 (Season Finale): Those are Strings, Pinocchio
Airs 05.20.03
Written by Daniel Palladino

The episode focuses on Rory's graduation. Rory and Lorelai are leaving for Europe after it's all over.

During one of the last Chilton lunches, all of the seniors have the opportunity to take part in a Senior Video Diary -- they each get two minutes in front of the camera to talk about their experiences at Chilton. While they wait in line, Paris tries to freak Rory out by telling her all kinds of nasty statistics about past Ivy League valedictorians (death, obesity, bankruptcy). When it's Paris' turn at the camera, she demands and receives six minutes instead of the usual two. She begins a spiel about the lackluster next-year's senior class. Everybody in line looks bummed.

The Independence Inn closes down, leaving Lorelai and Sookie out of jobs. Lorelai tells Sookie that she can't buy the Dragonfly, since she has to use the money from her dad for Yale, and since she has no job she has no other money.

Rory asks her grandparents for the money for college. She and Richard have a great scene negotiating the terms of the loan, which include Friday night dinners for Rory (not Lorelai). Lorelai can then use the $75,000 investment that Richard made in her name (she was originally going to pay them back for Chilton with it) to buy the Dragonfly.

Rory tells Lorelai about the deal with Richard and Emily. Lorelai freaks, but Rory calmly explains the terms of the deal with her.

Paris still has to decide where to go to school.

Rory's valedictorian speech goes off fine.

Luke, Jackson, and Richard talk finances at the graduation while Sookie takes tons of pictures. Paris Eustace Gellar goes up right before Rory; she shakes Headmaster Charleston's hand and says, "No hard feelings." He's a bit confused.

Neither Christopher or Max attends Rory's graduation; they're not in this episode.

After the graduation, Emily tells Lorelai that she'll see her at Friday night dinner when Lorelai and Rory get back from Europe.

Jess calls Rory but doesn't speak. Rory, however, has plenty to say and unleashes all of her pent-up anger and disappointment: she's over him, he messed up, etc. etc.

Luke is going on a cruise with Nicole. Lorelai teases him about it, saying that a cruise is a good place to get engaged. He freaks and calls off the trip, until Lorelai tells him that she was just teasing him about the relationship getting that serious, and tells him to go.

After he gets back from Rory's graduation, Luke has a dream that Lorelai tells him not to get engaged while she's in Europe. He's a bit unsettled by the dream and doesn't know what to think or do about it,

Lorelai and Rory say good-bye to the empty Independence Inn. They wonder what it will be like when they come back from Europe; it could still be empty or be in use as something else. Lorelai fondly remembers via flashbacks the ten years she lived there with Rory. Chelsea Brummet plays Young Lorelai in these flashbacks.