Orville's Love Stories

Happy mid-week, Fanaticals! Today we are going to dive into everyone's favourite part of fandoms: the ships. I have a massive soap box about this when it comes to this show, so bear with me because all of these theories are my own opinions with the theory of what should have been a happily ever after.

No one can argue that The Orville's greatest love story is Claire and Isaac's. Starting way back in Season 1, and the whole series ending with their wedding; theirs is a love arc for the ages when it comes to tv shows. Obviously, every show has their own love arc that is timeless, but Claire and Isaac's is so beautiful and complicated and actually the only real arc of the show.

There are plenty of others that come and go, but theirs is the only actual arc besides Bortus and Kylden who had been married before the show even started. Speaking of those that come and go, today we are going to dive into the love arcs that should have happened. For those of us obsessed with the show, we have those relationships that were blips on the show that should have gone a lot further, and today we are going to look into my personal top five. Let's get started.

5. Ed & Kelly

The reason their marriage broke apart was primarily Kelly's stint with Darulio, which we later find out was all because of his species and their pheromones they give off once a year; aka him and Kelly sleeping together really should never have happened, and it wasn't actually her fault.

While Kelly might have some legit arguments during the Season 2 premier as to why they shouldn't be together, they are also things that could have been dealt with and worked around. Such as when she tried to use the example of him choosing between her and Bortus for the mission, Ed is actually correct, and that more information would in fact be needed to make a decision. Just saying that they are both qualified and the landing party is guaranteed death means nothing; just because someone is qualified to do something doesn't mean that they can or should do it or that someone else couldn't do it.

Ed and Kelly had multiple second chances, it's like it was fate pushing them back together constantly. The fact that before the end they never got their second happy ever after, especially after the Season 2 finale, was just completely heartbreaking. It gets pointed out so many times, even by Talla, that they are still clearly so in love with each other. These two not getting their happy ever after was just absolutely not fair.

4. Alara & John

While they never really get together in the show, there are several scenes where you see them together that you can just feel the romantic tension between them. During the Ja'loja after party they are standing beside the piano very close together, and the sweet small smiles they exchange while talking just make you want to puke from the sweetness of it. Not to mention during the Season 2 finale when they are in the alternate reality, the blatant middle-of-a-war flirting is just as adorable.

It was clear for a while that they had some sort of chemistry bubbling underneath, and while they may not have been headed towards a happily ever after ending, they definitely would have worked as a long-term couple. It's actually a shame that we never see them get together, and this is definitely a non-canon ship that I back. However, it is not the end-all ship that I see for John, but it is definitely a relationship I would have loved to have seen.

3. Talla & Locar

I hated what they did to this, like I actually cried. Here is a Xelayan who talks about how hard it is to find someone that is compatible due to her strength, and she is literally handed someone who is a fish out of water in their own species and is not only attracted to her but could also keep up with her strength; at least better than a human could, anyways.

Their connection was so beautiful. Two people who felt so different and was able to find attraction and comfort in each other. Yet because of a highly prejudice berk, of whom it literally took his daughter almost dying to change his views, she lost someone that could have been so good for and even to her. The scene with them in the program Kelly showed her, where they were dancing, was honestly the sweetest moment and the moment that I was just 100% rooting for her to have a happy ending.

If Locar had requested asylum, gone through steps to separate from the Moclans, they could have been an amazing couple. I ever felt more than when she told Klyden to never speak to her again in the way that she did it; I backed her so much in that because honestly if he had never confronted Locar, then things could have gone a lot differently.

2. Talla & John

This one is honestly one that breaks my heart so much! This is the one I could have seen end-all for both of them. While I would have been happy seeing them in the respective couples listed above, the chemistry they have together is just SO MUCH MORE! When she cried after the last night they had together, I cried. Their chemistry and the sugary sweetness between these two was just so perfect.

While I understood her need to end things, considering how many times she broke something or nearly killed him, it was still so heartbreaking. When they were doing the bar crawl through history, their interactions at the bar was so adorable; and all their conversations afterwards were just as sweet. Like when they were in the office while the Janisi were on board... It's like watching your friend who has been in a multitude of bad relationships finally find a person that treats them right and they are just so adorable and sweet together that it always makes you smile when you see them interact.

Definitely one of the worst that wound up not together in the end.

1. Gordon & Laura

I... I cannot begin with the soapbox over this. Gordon fell in love with a woman across time, and when thrown back in time but not rescued he did what he could to survive. Yeah, so maybe he knew that she had originally gotten back together and maybe even married her ex, but he also met her at some point after her phone went into the time capsule, considering that the timeline was intact in that spot.

Honestly, though, in my household we agree that we would have shot Ed in the back as he walked away. Gordon had followed protocol to the best of his ability until it came time to where he HAD to act and do something to be able to actually live; so what that it included finding the girl he fell in love with...

However, the biggest middle finger they could have given in this episode was the fact that Ed and Kelly went and told him what they did, and he ACCEPTED IT! I actually refuse to watch this episode anymore; it is the only one I will not watch. It was bad enough they went back in time and took away his wife and son (who he NAMED after Ed!) but to actually go and tell him about it...

If they had gone and written Gordon off after that episode, I would have been okay with losing that character in the show as I knew he was happy with the woman he fell in love with, and he clearly had a successful career according to the records they had found. This couple, right here, was end all entirely, right up there with Claire and Isaac in my eyes.

What is a ship that you thought should have happened, or should have gotten their happy ending? Come join our community and exchange ships! Join me tomorrow as we take a look at the Planetary Union as a whole. Until then, keep on theorizing, Fanaticals!