Lara Jean may have picked Peter Kavinsky over John Ambrose McCaren at the end of To All The Boys: I Still Love You, but fans are still divided between Team Peter and Team John. Here are what the two sides represent in the world of Lara Jean. After the events of To All The Boys I've Loved Before from 2018, its sequel picks with Lara Jean and Peter now officially an item. Based on the second book from Jenny Han's young adult trilogy of the same name, the sequel film also introduces John Ambrose McLaren (Jordan Fisher) - another recipient of Lara Jean's love letters, effectively setting up a love triangle.
With the arrival of John Ambrose, coupled with Lara's growing insecurity over Peter's relationship with his ex-girlfriend, Gen, she becomes more and more confused on how to navigate her complicated love life. It doesn't help that she grows closer with John Ambrose as they find themselves volunteering at the same care home while Peter becomes busy with his own life. After seeing a seemingly suspicious picture of Gen and Peter, Lara decided to break things off with him, which left them both heartbroken. Her newfound freedom, however, allowed her to finally explore her feelings for John Ambrose, but it didn't take long for her to realize that it's really Peter that she wants.
While the love triangle is already completely resolved by the end of To All The Boys 2, the discourse about whether Lara Jean made the right decision or not continues online. There's a lot to be said about the Team Peter vs. Team John Ambrose debate - both have their respective pros and cons. And looking at how things panned out in the show, there's a deeper meaning behind the comparison between the two characters.
What Team John In To All The Boys 2 Means For Lara Jean
For context, To All The Boys I've Loved Before already introduced John Ambrose played by Jordan Burtchett. In the original film's mid-credits scene, he knocks on the Coveys' door holding flowers and his letter from Lara Jean - obviously wanting to officially begin a relationship with her. To All The Boys 2 not only recast the role, but also totally changed the character's introduction. Instead of picking up from what they set up, the sequel showed John Ambrose replying to Lara Jean's letter first. She contemplated replying to him, not knowing that they'll eventually be together volunteering at the same care home. As she spent more time with him, she became more confused about her feelings for him and in turn, her feelings for Peter. John Ambrose is sweet and easy to talk to, he's charming and great at playing the piano. Her attraction to him stemmed from the idea that they have the same quirks and are on the same wavelength as she reminisced about their past Halloween together.
The problem with this is, Lara Jean was blinded by this fantasy of him as Prince Charming. Throughout To All The Boys 2, John Ambrose is depicted as the ideal boyfriend - he's accommodating, smart, playful, and to top it all off, can play the piano, which really helps in elevating the romantic atmosphere. His entry was inspired by the quintessential meet-cutes we see in rom-coms, while their first kiss was literally a fairytale scenario that came to life (Lara Jean's blue ball gown and John Ambrose's white suit were meant to mirror Cinderella's iconic ball scene). Lara Jean choosing To All The Boys 2's John Ambrose would've meant opting for this perfect relationship with a perfect boyfriend.
What Team Peter In To All The Boys 2 Means For Lara Jean
Starting with a fraudulent relationship to benefit their respective causes, it didn't take long for Peter and Lara Jean to develop mutual feelings for each other. Granted that Lara Jean was infatuated with Peter when she was much younger, but by the time they started fake dating she wasn't really pining for him. In fact, she was head over heels about Josh - Margot's boyfriend at that time. As they started to spend time together, the pair easily realized that they're good for each other - not just in a shallow boyfriend/girlfriend way. They discussed more serious topics like Lara Jean's fear of intimacy following the death of her mother. They cultivated this sense of camaraderie by actually spending time to get to know each other. So while they didn't have the most romantic start, their relationship progression provides a more solid foundation for their future.
Admittedly, the fake dating element in Lara Jean and Peter's love story is a beaten romantic trope. We've seen different variations of this on TV shows, movies and literature. However, everything that followed right after was rooted in reality. Peter is not perfect. But as we see in To All The Boys 2, he's not immune to making mistakes; he can be late and irrationally jealous, but he owns up to those flaws and actively makes up for it - not in a toxic, manipulative way. He has a history with other girls that fuels Lara Jean's insecurities, but he doesn't go out of his way to flaunt it. He chose Lara Jean, remained faithful all throughout their relationship, and even when they briefly broke up. Peter isn't perfect, but he's a good guy and by choosing him, Lara Jean is opting for a sustainable love affair that may not be a walk in the part, but is rooted in reality.
Why Lara Jean Made The Right Choice
Rom-coms sell us the notion of a perfect love affair - and more often than not, we buy it. In the case of Lara Jean, that fantasy was presented to her via the re-introduction of John Ambrose in her life. It didn't help that the timing lined up when she's becoming increasingly insecure when thinking about Peter's dating history and unsure about her abilities as a girlfriend. She was tempted to explore what her rekindled crush for John Ambrose would be like, and if it'll be any better than what she has with Peter. On paper, he's perfect for her - they've always had a connection and she feels comfortable around him. He doesn't have the baggage of a dating history like Peter's, meaning she doesn't have to deal with ex-girlfriends. And even if he had them, the fact that John Ambrose has liked her from the get-go would help her quell her personal insecurities.
Choosing John Ambrose would've undoubtedly been easy, and it seemed like the better option given everything we see from him in the sequel. However, it boiled down to Lara Jean simply being in love with Peter, so she goes to him. Yes, he tends to make more mistakes than John Ambrose and being with him puts Lara Jean in uncomfortable situations - forcing her to deal with her own issues, but all of this is part of being in a realistic relationship. Lara Jean choosing Peter, although fully knowing that it won't be easy, is a sign of personal growth. As someone who likes to keep to herself and live inside her mind, opting for the fairytale love story that John Ambrose was offering made sense.
Fortunately, Lara Jean recognized that big gestures and romantic moments don't guarantee a happy and long-lasting relationship before it was too late for her and Peter. Instead, it's something that needs constant work. It involves a lot of compromises and acceptance that both people involved are not perfect. There's no such thing as a flawless relationship, there are only those that are worth working on. And from the looks of it at the end of To All The Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, she and Peter are willing to put in the effort to make sure that theirs last a long time.