The story of Gilmore Girls revolved around single mom Lorelai and her brilliant daughter Rory, but there was another major figure in this beloved series. Luke Danes was a constant on the series, with his love of baseball caps and plaid shirts, and fans consider him to be the heart of Stars Hollow.
When he wasn't working at the diner, he kept to himself — until he and Lorelai finally admitted their love for each other, that is. While the series is known for being about Lorelai and Rory, it's possible to see Luke as the main character based on his history and personality.
He's Lived In Stars Hollow His Entire Life
Lorelai and Rory love living in the adorable small town of Stars Hollow, but it's Luke who had lived there his entire life. He took over his dad's business and decided that a diner would be better for him than a hardware store, and he has many memories of growing up in this charming place.
Because Luke is such a big part of the town, that suggests that he could be the show's main character. He's a really important person who everyone loves and respects, even if he can be a bit gruff sometimes.
His Love Story With Lorelai Frames The Whole Series
While Luke fell for photographer Rachel, he was definitely always meant for inn owner and single mother Lorelai.
Luke and Lorelai's love story frames the whole series. The first scene is about Lorelai asking Luke for coffee, letting fans know that these two characters have a unique connection that would be explored in the coming episodes. Every few episodes, it seemed like these two were flirting with each other, and after a few seasons, they were finally together. In the last few seasons, the main drama came from Luke and Lorelai's troubles, and in the Netflix revival A Year In The Life, they finally got married.
He's Got A Quirky Sense Of Humor Which Matches The Show's Tone
The tone of Gilmore Girls is light-hearted and quirky. While the series did delve into tricky family dynamics and the money differences between the major characters, each episode made fans laugh thanks to Lorelai's impressive pop culture knowledge and ability to talk super fast.
Luke has the same sense of humor as the show in general. He was always snarky, whether talking about food or asking people not to talk on their cell phones in his diner. In one hilarious scene, he said to Lorelai, "Well, I accidentally dropped triple the amount of cocoa powder in the batter so I either had to dump the batch or find someone with some sort of superhuman chocolate tolerance. Only one name came to mind."
He Has Storylines Focusing On His Love And Family Struggles
Luke learned that he had a daughter named April, and this created a lot of issues for him and Lorelai. Because Luke has storylines that focus on his love life and his relationship with April, that suggests he's really the protagonist of the show.
If Luke simply poured coffee and gave people pie and burgers at his diner, that would make him a minor character. But he got much more screen time than that, and he always had his own issues to work out.
He Goes Through Some Serious Self-Development
When fans were first introduced to Luke, he was someone who kept to himself. He didn't seem to date or even hang out with many friends. His interactions with Lorelai and the other Stars Hollow residents seemed to be enough for him, and he had a quiet life where he went to bed early and woke up early to start work.
Over time, Luke realized that he wanted to find love. He started doing some self-development work and even listened to some tapes. He worked up the nerve to ask Lorelai out as he knew that he wanted to make some changes. This suggests a really fascinating and important character arc.
He's The Voice Of Reason
Lorelai often went to Luke for advice and in his own unique way, he always helped her out. For example, when she was upset that Rory liked Dean but wouldn't talk about her personal life, she explained, "I have to make her understand that I'm okay with the guy thing. 'Cause not talking about guys and our personal lives — that's me and my mom. That is not me and Rory." Luke made her see that she was actually upset about Rory dating when he asked if she was really alright with it.
Luke can be seen as the voice of reason on the show, which makes him a perfect contender for the main character. He liked to be there for people and he was so blunt and no nonsense that he helped them see what they needed to do next.
His Diner Is The Show's Main Location
Lorelai and Rory loved the coffee and treats at Luke's diner, and it's safe to say that this is the show's major setting.
Besides Yale, Chilton, and the Dragonfly Inn, this is where the mother-daughter duo spent much of their time, whether stopping by on the way home from Friday Night Dinner or enjoying a quick weekday breakfast. Luke was always at the center of the drama and the good times on this show since he happened to run everyone's favorite diner.
He Has Relationships With All The Other Characters
Luke quickly became part of Lorelai and Rory's lives as the show progressed. He was a staple at parties and town events, even if he got annoyed during town hall meetings, and he interacted with pretty much everyone on the show.
Because Luke had relationships with all of the other major characters, that helps the case that he could be the main character. He took in Jess, got upset when Dean broke up with Rory, and didn't like hanging out with Logan. He was polite to Emily and Richard although they intimidated him, and he knew Sookie since they lived in the same town.
He's Part Of A Love Triangle
Luke was always kind to Rory, though he hated being around her father, Christopher. Luke became part of a love triangle in the later seasons when he wanted to be with Lorelai but the situation with Christopher was super messy.
Love triangles often feature a show's major characters, whether Brenda-Dylan-Kelly on Beverly Hills 90210 or Dawson-Joey-Pacey on Dawson's Creek. Luke was always at the forefront of the romantic drama on Gilmore Girls.
He Has A Major Role (And Many Funny Quotes) In The Revival
With humorous and tragic scenes, fans felt many emotions while watching A Year In The Life.
Luke was given a starring role in these four episodes, as he and Lorelai pondered having a child together and finally tied the knot. If Luke wasn't such an important character, it's likely that he would have been featured less here. Instead, he was in most of the scenes, from being confused about surrogacy to talking about Rory's journalism career. He also had many hilarious quotes that fans still remember.
Whether in the seven seasons that aired on the WB and the CW or the Netflix revival, Luke can definitely be considered the show's main character.