Fans could tell that Rory was intelligent, sweet, and special when they met her in the first episode of Gilmore Girls. She loved hanging out with her mom, didn't have much dating experience, and hung out with her best friend, Lane. But as time went on, viewers saw that Rory wasn't perfect and that she made the wrong decision on many occasions.
While Gilmore Girls fans love Rory and appreciate her journey from young teenager to 20-something, fans take issue with some of her plotlines. Sometimes Rory messes up in her academic or personal life and she could have prevented it, but other times, she made honest mistakes that prove she's relatable.
Big Mistake: Yelling In Max's Classroom
Rory made a huge mistake when she screamed at Tristan, Max, and Paris in the season 1 episode, "The Deer Hunters." She was devastated she had overslept and couldn't take her English exam, as this had been the focus of several days of intense studying.
While Rory was upset with herself, she should have been more polite and mature in this scene. Season 1 has both funny and sad moments and this is one that sticks out to viewers, as it's a turning point for Rory. Does she remain at Chilton, even if it means not being the best all the time?
Not Her Fault: Sleeping In And Missing Her English Test
While Rory did mess up by yelling at Chilton, she made an honest mistake when she slept in and realized that she would be late for her big English test.
It's understandable that Rory was so stressed out and nervous about being at a new school that she forgot to set an alarm and that she wasn't in her usual frame of mind. The academic environment at Chilton was so much more dramatic than Stars Hollow High, and she was so exhausted from memorizing dates and facts that it really affected her. Fans felt bad for Rory and knew that she really cared about doing well on the test.
Big Mistake: Kissing Jess On Sookie And Jackson's Wedding Day
Watching Rory and Jess kiss at Sookie and Jackson's wedding was tough. On the one hand, fans shipped these characters and knew they had such a powerful, interesting connection. On the other hand, Rory and Dean had been in a serious relationship for a fairly long time.
Fans can see this as a mistake that Rory could have avoided making, as she could have waited to sort out how she really felt. If she really wanted to end her relationship with Dean, then she could have done that without kissing Jess first, and it would have been cleaner and nicer for everyone.
Not Her Fault: Developing Strong Feelings For Jess
It's not Rory's fault that she falls in love with Jess while she's already in a relationship. It's not something that she could have stopped, as she didn't plan on dating someone other than Dean while in high school, and she definitely had no idea that Luke's nephew would come to town and completely change everything.
Fans love Jess for many reasons, and it's hard not to sympathize with Rory, as she's in a difficult and painful situation. She finds it hard to it that she likes Jess and she knows that it's a delicate moment in her life with no easy answers.
Big Mistake: Mes Her Orientation Date
It was wild to see Rory write down the wrong date for her Yale orientation week, as viewers thought she would be more on top of things than this. This was a mistake that she didn't need to make, and it's still confusing as to why it happened.
For many college students, orientation is super important, as it's a chance to take part in campus tours, learn more about freshman life, and spend time getting used to being on their own before classes begin. Rory realized her mistake and was still able to start school on time, but she could have really missed out.
Not Her Fault: Getting A Low Grade At Yale And Being Too Overwhelmed
When Rory got bad grades, it wasn't for lack of studying, trying, or work ethic, as she always did her best in her classes. So, it definitely wasn't her fault when she got a low grade at Yale.
Fans could relate to this situation, as many people struggle in at least one class in high school or college, and it's not always possible to achieve perfect grades all the time. Starting college is super stressful and it makes sense that Rory became overwhelmed.
Big Mistake: Sleeping With Dean
Rory chose to sleep with Dean at the end of season 4 of Gilmore Girls, ignoring many reasons why this was a horrible idea. In fact, fans see this as one of the worst things that she has ever done.
Rory didn't want to it that Dean was taken and that it was time to move on from the time that they shared, and Rory could have prevented lots of heartache and pain if she had thought twice about sleeping with someone who was married. Even when it was clear that this was a bad idea, Rory hung on to the idea that Dean belonged to her because of their history.
Not Her Fault: Getting Caught Up In The Early Days Of Dean
When Rory and Dean began dating in season 1 of Gilmore Girls, she was so excited to be in a relationship, and this hurt her friendship with Lane. It was an honest mistake because viewers understood her behavior and knew that she had good intentions.
When Lane shared that she missed Rory a lot and felt abandoned, Rory felt really badly. She didn't realize that she was ignoring her best friend, as falling in love for the first time is overwhelming and she was so caught up in having a partner that she couldn't balance the parts of her life.
Big Mistake: Stealing The Boat
Fans liked watching Rory's Chilton scenes the most and it was tough to watch her steal a boat at the end of season 5. When she made this choice, it's hard for viewers to see it as anything but a big mistake that could have been avoided.
This was a strange way for Rory to work through her hurt feelings over Mitchum's statement that she wouldn't be a good reporter. Fans would have expected Rory to ask her mom for an emergency movie night, or maybe she could have enjoyed a relaxing date night with Logan instead.
Not Her Fault: Ruining Paris's Project And Getting On Her Bad Side
Rory had a terrible first day at Chilton and quickly realized that her classmate Paris didn't like her. She ruined Paris's project, which was due that day, and Paris made her an enemy right away.
This was definitely an accident, and it wasn't Rory's fault that she got on Paris's bad side, as Paris would have hated any new student at Chilton. Paris wanted to be the number one, smartest, best student, and Rory couldn't do anything about that. Thinking back on these early days makes it even more rewarding that the two characters did become friends.