Lane Kim wasn’t the main character in Gilmore Girls but she was Rory’s go-to person for any event, no matter how big or small, in her life. Once Rory went to college, viewers didn’t see as much of Lane but her ongoing storyline to find independence and freedom continued.

As iconic as Rory and Lorelai Gilmore were, fans can agree that Lane was the hero of her own story. She was the one who came out on top and got better and better as time went on. While Rory continued to find herself in college and beyond, Lane knew who she was since middle school. With every season that went by, Lane continued to grow into the person she was destined to become.

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Lane Chased Her Dreams Despite Criticism

While Rory also chased her dreams of becoming a journalist, she halted when she received criticism from bad-guy Mitchum Huntzberger. Lane, on the other hand, loved music and always wanted to be in the industry. 

When a music shop opened in Stars Hollow, Lane fought with the owner until she agreed to let her practice drumming after hours. Lane developed her skills and posted flyers looking for a band. Shortly after, Dave Rygalski came her way with an audition. Lane stopped at nothing until she was a part of a band. 

Lane Landed On Her Feet When Mrs. Kim Kicked Her Out 

When Lane and the band had a late-night show at CBGB, Mrs. Kim went into Lane’s room and found her missing. Mrs. Kim inspected Lane’s room a little more and found her daughter’s hidden stash of CDs. Records, and posters. Lane tried avoiding her mom’s outrage but it all came to a head. 

Mrs. Kim kicked Lane out of the house for disobeying the family and their religion, and while Lane was upset, she landed on her feet. She found a place to live, she got a job, and she was able to do everything her mom didn’t think she’d be able to do. Her survival skills kicked in.

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Lane Stood Her Ground 

Lane and Mrs. Kim weren’t on speaking terms when Lane moved out. She could have easily folded and moved home to live a life that wasn’t making her happy but she stood her ground — she stayed strong. 

Eventually, Lane and her mom slowly started speaking, but Lane remained firm among her mother’s criticisms. Mrs. Kim’s hard-hitting quotes scared Lane, and she tried intervening with Lane’s living space, roommates, and even tried getting Lane to move home when she became pregnant, but Lane stayed true to herself and did what felt right for her.

Lane Stayed True To Herself Despite Hiccups

While growing up, Mrs. Kim wanted Lane to be a certain way. She wanted Lane to dress conservatively and stay away from boys. Lane followed her mom’s rules but there was a time where she also had to fit in and be happy with herself. 

Lane took her own advice to live a happy life and wore a nice sweater to impress her mom but would ultimately change shirts once she got to school. She studied and did her homework like she was supposed to; she just did it while listening to the music of her choice in her closet. It was all about balance for Lane. 

Lane’s Friendship With Rory Never Waivered

Rory and Lane had been best friends since they were kids. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with these Gilmore Girls characters? Even if their busy days kept them apart, it didn’t stop them from telling each other everything on the phone later that night. 

There came a time, however, where Lane was a better friend than Rory. Rory ignored Lane’s issue with her crush in the school band because she was too fixed on Dean. And when Rory went to college, there was a clear separation between the two because they were on different paths. Ultimately, Lane was a good listener for Rory and dropped everything when she needed her for drama with Dean, Yale, Logan, and beyond.

Lane Came Out Of Her Shell

Lane was worried about coming out of her shell and trying new things, but she was more eager to do it than hesitant. She performed with her band in front of a house party, she tried beer, she went on dates, she went to sporting events (even though she didn’t care much for sports)…

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Lane did things that were outside her comfort zone and became a more well-rounded person because of it. While Rory was timid and kept to herself for most of her teenage years, Lane had no qualms about trying something new and feeling alive. 

Lane Had Varied Interests And Passions 

Lane was a ball of energy. She allowed herself to feel every emotion as it came to her. If she needed to cry over her mom, she cried. If she wanted to scream because of the band, she screamed. Her influx of emotions resonated with viewers. That’s not to say that Rory wasn’t full of emotion but there’s a stark contrast between the portrayals of both characters. 

Lane is also a woman with varied interests. She had multiple passions that she was interested in and wanted to try them all. Her time with Hep Alien was a great Gilmore Girls storyline. Rory’s main interest was reading and going to Harvard or Yale, which is commendable but there was more to life for Lane.

Dying Her Hair Was More Than Just Cosmetic

A dramatic hairstyle change is a great form of expression and bravery. For Lane, she knew she wanted to dye her hair a funky color because she wanted to take ownership over her creative mind and appearance. 

With Rory’s help, they dyed her hair purple in a matter of hours. Lane adored the final product but she was also horrified because reality set in. As much of an independent as Lane was, once her mom saw her hair she’d be grounded for life. She dyed it back to black but it’s the fact that Lane took the chance and did something creative for herself that’s important to note.

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Motherhood Matured Lane & Made Her A Better Person

Fans were shocked when Lane found out she was pregnant. After marrying Zack and having a quick honeymoon in Mexico, the two were expecting twins shortly after. This was not part of Lane’s plan so early, but she handled the news the best as she could.

She found the courage to tell her mom, she stood up to Mrs. Kim that she wouldn’t be moving in with her just because of her pregnancy, and she found a way to be both a mom and a drummer. Lane took everything in stride and didn’t crumble just because life didn’t go like she expected it to.

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About The Author


Lynn Gibbs
(1645 Articles Published)

Lynn is a nomad who travels the globe on the hunt for her next adventure with her husband. A lover of being outside (and finding the best latte in town), Lynn is typically hiking, walking, or jogging when she’s not focusing on her love of writing. When it comes to shows streaming on Netflix or anything Bravo-related, Lynn’s your gal.

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