Jane the Virgin Season 5, Episode 1 recap: Jane the forgotten?

After a long break, Jane the Virgin returned last night with answers to last season’s big Michael cliffhanger. And our Jane is not handling it very well.

Here we are, friends. The final season of Jane the Virgin has begun, and it’s kicked off with an awkward start. Last season we ended with Rafael revealing that Michael is alive! The first episode picks up right where we left off, and then explores all the feelings involved with this revelation. Meanwhile, Petra deals with her own cliffhanger: who did JR shoot?

Throughout the first four seasons of the show, we have hit every telenovela stereotype, or at least we have thought so. With Michael’s return, we have hit another very popular soap opera trope: amnesia. Michael, or should I say, Jason, doesn’t remember anything. Turns out Rose orchestrated his fake death and then gave him electroshock therapy in his hippocampus to give him amnesia. He’s been living in Montana this whole time.

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Jane is understandably shocked by his return. And she really doesn’t know how to deal with everything. Because what do you do when your husband comes back from the dead? The doctors basically tell her and Michael’s mom that there is not an exact science to the brain, and he may or may not gain his memories back.

Jane spends the episode taking Michael/Jason on a tour of his life, but nothing is triggering his memories. He tells Jane that she can send him back to Montana, but she can’t. She decides to help him get his memories back.

Meanwhile, Petra deals with the return of her ex-husband, Milos, who now owns Luisa’s shares of the hotel and her breakup with JR. And, speaking of Luisa, she decides to help Rafael figure out why Rose did what she did to Michael, while Rose is apparently training a gang.

Each week, I’m going to use these recaps to highlight the top three tearjerker moments in the episode.

Jane’s monologue(s)

In a fantastic moment of the episode, we get a completely uncut monologue from Jane. She’s trying to process everything going on with Xo and Alba, and she doesn’t let them get a word in edgewise.

With no visible cuts in the scene, even as Jane moves from room to room and answers the door for the movers. Her speech never waivers and there are only a few pauses while Jane catches her breath.

The emotions Jane feels waver from humorous to heartbreaking as she tries to process what to do when your dead husband comes back to life, and with amnesia.

The whole scene feels raw and real, and for a show like this, completely grounded.

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Rafael breaks down

Throughout the episode, Rafael, who was on the cusp of moving in with Jane and proposing to her, is the pillar of strength and support. He is the one who brings back Michael/Jason in the first place, and he’s the one telling Jane that she can take all the time she needs.

Rogelio is sent by Xo to help support Raf during this time, and Raf ends up comforting Rogelio when he has his own breakdown about Michael not remembering who he is.

Raf seems to be handling the whole situation very well until Xo comes and checks on him. The two of them really bonded through her breast cancer last season. So when Xo asks if Raf is doing okay, he breaks down. He begins sobbing. He doesn’t want to lose Jane. And with her dead husband back, the person she chose over him before, it’s a real possibility.

Jane’s writing

Near the end of the episode, Jane finally sits down at her computer to write. She’s been trying to figure out how to fit in “dead husband comes back to life” into the narrative of her life story. As she sits down, her relationship with Michael flashes before her eyes. And stops at the funeral when she couldn’t give her eulogy and Rafael steps up to help her.

She comes to the realization that Raf was there for her when she needed him most, and that he was there for her for the last four years. She goes to his work and confesses to him that they’re still going to move in together and that she still loves him. She has chosen him. Nothing has changed.

What did you think of this week’s episode? Are you excited that Michael is back? Are you frustrated that the love triangle has returned? Do you think Michael will regain his memories? Let us know in the comments below.

Jane the Virgin airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW