Lorelai Gilmore and Christopher Hayden were two peas in a pod, partners in crime, and every other phrase that defines two people who are ride or die for each other. The friendly Gilmore Girls exes met when they were six years old and became fast friends. By the time they were teenagers, they were hot and heavy in love and together they conceived Rory. But that's where their love story ended (at least for a little).
Lorelai and Christopher drifted apart and found love elsewhere in their adult lives. But they never could seem to quit each other. They were both so similar and understood each other's every move. In a sense, they were both kids in adult bodies who didn't want to grow up. It's when they had to grow up that their differences really shone through.
Similar: Their Upbringing
The Gilmores and the Haydens are both powerful families. Not much is known about Christopher's parents but he has said it was his father's dream for him to go to Princeton. And when the Haydens stopped by the Gilmores' home for dinner, they behaved just as Richard and Emily did.
Both Lorelai and Christopher came from wealthy, stuffy homes. They were also considered misfits and disappointments because they didn't' follow in their family's footsteps.
Completely Different: Christopher Can't Handle Responsibility
Christopher and Lorelai both appear to have Peter Pan Syndrome — they don't want to grow up and be an adult. The difference between them is that Lorelai knew responsibility came with the territory when she had Rory. She was a single mother and had no choice but to do everything she could to better the future of her child.
Christopher, on the other hand, doesn't seem to do well with responsibility. He ran away from being a dad to Rory and his work was unstable until he met Sherry. Conversely, Lorelai is a business owner, single parents, and takes the heat from Stars Hollow on dramatic days.
Similar: Horribly Strict Parents
Gilmore Girls fans know how strict Lorelai's childhood was. According to her, she had no freedom and never fit in with her family's goals. Christopher was in the same boat as Lorelai. It was him and Lorelai against the world. As teens, they would sneak drinks from their parents' bar carts and listen to music. Their time together was a chance to escape their parents' grasp.
Completely Different: Parenting Styles
It's not known why Christopher wasn't a part of the early parts of Rory's life, but he was absent. He and Lorelai touched base here and there but he wasn't around consistently until Rory was in high school. Because of this, Lorelai wasn't sure what Christopher's parenting style was. That is until Gigi came into their lives.
When Sherry left Gigi and Christopher for Paris, it was his first taste of parenthood — single parenthood at that. Lorelai was shocked by how lackadaisical he was. He let Gigi do whatever she wanted and never said no. She definitely ran the show in his household. Only Lorelai was able to question his parenting style.
Similar: Their Love Of Pop Culture
Unlike Luke, Christopher understood most of Lorelai's pop culture references. Considering that Lorelai and Rory were best friends, Rory was the only one who truly understood her mom's Hollywood quips. Christopher was a close second. He knew how much Lorelai loved music, movies, and celebrity gossip, so he played into that. When Christopher came into money, on one of their first dates as adults he made their own drive-in theater for them to enjoy.
Completely Different: Logic
Lorelai isn't the most logical of people but she's more level-headed than Christopher. She and Christopher are both dreamers and live by the seat of their pants but there comes a time where they need logic to pull themselves out of the drama. Lorelai has the ability to snap out of her dreamlike haze and take control but Christopher loses himself.
One example of this is when he and Lorelai first got married. In the middle of the night, he talked about having more kids and moving into a bigger home. He never once thought that he was rushing things or bombing Lorelai with shocking revelations. Even when he and Lorelai were younger, he agreed to marry Lorelai when she became pregnant but she knew that wasn't the logical move for their future.
Similar: They Run When Things Get Hard
Lorelai and Christopher are natural runners. When times get tough, they escape. Lorelai ran away from Max a few days before their wedding, she ran into Christopher's arms and away from Luke when he wasn't ready to marry her, and she literally ran away with Rory when she and Chris broke up.
But it's not just Lorelai — Christopher runs too. when Richard landed himself in the hospital and Lorelai couldn't find Christopher? He also stayed away from Rory's upbringing because it was too hard for him to be a part of their life.
Completely Different: He's Not A Small-Town Guy
If Christopher knew Lorelai at all, he would have known from the start that she wasn't leaving Stars Hollow. After moving there as a teenager with her one-year-old daughter, the people of Stars Hollow took them in and took care of them. Lorelai owed Stars Hollow everything and loved her life there.
But as soon as she and Christopher and got married, he took her to see a few different houses in a nearby town. The only problem is that the house was in a bigger town and he never asked her if she wanted to move. He was never going to accept Stars Hollow.
Similar: The Green-Eyed Monster
Envy is a natural emotion and it tends to show its head in various ways. For Christopher, he was wildly envious of Luke Danes. He knew that Lorelai was still subconsciously in love with Luke and that was never going to change. Luke and Lorelai were always going to be in each other's lives and that drove Christopher crazy.
Lorelai's envy came in waves but one of her bigger moments was when they were at Sherry's apartment for the baby shower. She started going through Sherry's cabinets in the bathroom and judging everything that went on at the party. It's safe to say that envy does not become them.
Completely Different: His Eyes Are On Lorelai And Her Eyes Are On Rory
Christopher loved Rory but his eyes were always on Lorelai. In most of his scenes, his main interest was in what Lorelai was doing or thinking. He cared for his daughter, of course, but she was already a young lady when he came into her life. There wasn't much he could do in the parenting department, which is why he cared more about what Lorelai was up to. Meanwhile, Lorelai's eyes were always on Rory. She loved Christopher but her main priority was her daughter.