Friday night’s episode of Jane the Virgin proved that Season 4 will definitely not be short on scandal, romance and surprise. Animal references were out in full force as Rogelio planned a photo shoot for his newborn daughter, Baby Michaelina. The extra AF father deemed Jane the mama bear, Xiomara a protective she-wolf and Alba the “wise old owl.” While Rogelio has a new baby, Jane is diving into a new relationship, and Petra and Rafael are conniving a new plan to win back the hotel, Alba is the one character to keep everybody sane.
JtV wouldn’t be the same without Jane’s life going awry and Alba preaching some beautiful advice to help her granddaughter (and me) make sense of the world. The Villanueva women would be nothing without their rock, who never fails to provide clarity and just a little bit of sass. Alba has been a voice of reason for just about every character throughout the series, and this season is no different.
In the most recent episode, “Chapter Sixty-Eight,” the wise owl guided Rogelio toward a name for his new daughter and encouraged Jane to listen to her heart rather than her maternal instincts. In a moment when the future of Jane and Adam’s relationship was on the line, Alba offered words of wisdom that warmed my heart.
“Stepping into a child’s life is a big deal. I like that Adam took a week. That’s mature. It sounds like he’s being realistic about what having a child means…Maybe you’re doing the same thing as Rafael. Making it about protecting your family, when it’s really about protecting yourself.” God bless Alba! Team Tyler Posey—I mean, Adam—all the way!
We could all use an Alba in our lives—someone to make even the hardest of situations a little easier to handle. And while I’d love to borrow Jane’s abuela, it looks like the wise owl is going to have her hands full with her own family for a while.
As I wait for more life lessons in coming episodes, I can’t help but reminisce on past Alba-isms that Jane, and her fans, should never forget. When Michael died, Alba kept Jane grounded as she grieved for her husband. She knew exactly what to say to help Jane move on, and she gave her the push to keep doing what she loves. Not to mention Alba’s basically an encyclopedia of information when it comes to love and motherhood, and she always knows how to make Jane feel better.
If Abla Villanueva has taught us anything, it’s that wisdom really does come with age. And you’re never too old to be a badass.