Jane The Virgin – Chapter Forty-Two

By: Jennifer Verzuh

The season two finale of “Jane the Virgin” is fast approaching and as such the plot is deepening and the action is speeding up. This week Jane is unfortunately dealing with the aftermath of the actions of Petra’s sister, Anezka.

In a misguided attempt to please Petra (Yael Grobglas) and make Jane (Gina Rodriguez) appear less perfect, Anezka (also Yael Grobglas) placed an ad in Jane’s university paper that Jane would write essays for cash. Jane is confused and distraught when her professor tells her that regardless of whether or not she posted the ad, she’ll no longer be able to continue as a TA next semester. She’s determined to discover who was behind it in hopes she can save her job. She responds to the email associated with the ad and notices the email she gets back (from a phony Jane Hotmail account) uses the same incorrect phrases Anezka herself uses. She’s convinced it was her and talks to Petra, who had recently invited Jane and her family to a Mother’s Day brunch.

Anezka confesses when questioned by Petra, thinking it was what she wanted her to do. Petra says that’s not the case at all, but when Anezka says she overheard Jane on the phone telling someone Petra was a bad mother she seems to change her mind. Feeling hurt and also very protective of her sister, Petra decides to lie to Jane and tell her Anezka had nothing to do with the ad. It isn’t until a very awkward Mother’s Day brunch (though the event does include a very sweet video tribute to Jane) where Anezka faints out of anxiety that the truth is revealed.

Jane and Petra seemed to be making real progress with their relationship this season so it’s disappointing to see them backtrack. While things would always be somewhat awkward and strained between the two, it seemed they were starting to see each other as family as Petra even called Jane her friend at the beginning of the episode and went so far as to buy a house for her and Michael (Brett Dier) without their knowledge weeks ago. Based on Jane’s reaction when she learned Petra was lying to her this whole time, it looks like their back to square one.

Petra and Anezka aren’t the only siblings with problems though. Derek (Mat Vairo) has taken to blackmailing Rafael (Justin Baldoni). He wants the Fairmont, the new hotel Rafael purchased with the insider trading money. If Rafael doesn’t hand it over, then Derek says he’ll have him arrested for insider trading. And that’s not all! In a not so surprising reveal, we see Derek’s been in cahoots with their crime lord mother all along as the he joins her on a boat. Oh, brother (and mother)! Don’t worry too much though, Michael has a realization while on the set of Rogelio’s soap opera (where he’s working as security for Rogelio and helping choreograph the fight scenes) and decides he wants to close the case after all and to take a closer look at Derek.

Not everything was so dramatic though as this is a comedy after all. Whenever Rogelio (Jaime Camil) is involved we can expect some welcome ridiculousness and results in a Pygmalion type plot this week. Rogelio has been hooking up with the head writer of his time-traveling soap opera, “Tiago” (which may I add continues to be hysterical). While she isn’t his normal type, he discovers he’s developed a full blown crush on her. When he learns he wasn’t invited her to birthday party that weekend he’s hurt. He manages to convince her to invite him despite her warnings that he may not get along with her friends as they like to talk more about Science, arts and politics while he’s more concerned with the Kardashians.

Rogelio recruits Jane to help him master intellectual conversations, giving him lines to rehearse. Unfortunately, he realizes it’s a sit down dinner and not an actual party. Panicking, he convinces Jane to show up and text him intelligent responses and remarks from across the table. It’s actually going really well, that is until he remarks on the success of the “Nazi Alliance” thanks to a typo in a text from Jane. She meant to say NATO Alliance. Outed, Rogelio confesses to using Jane’s knowledge to impress Dina (Judy Reyes) and her friends. While she scolds him, she also admits it’s kind of sweet and they become an official couple.

Jane leaves, confessing while she’s happy for him she still had held out hopes her parents would get back together and it’s a little too soon for her to act as his wingman. Xo (Andrea Navedo) was also feeling hurt that Rogelio had moved on so quickly and acts out by sleeping with Rogelio’s rival, the star of another telenovela, which she soon regrets.