While "Gilmore Girls" is best known for the close bond between mother-daughter duo Lorelai and Rory, Rory's friendship with her fellow Chilton ( and later Yale) classmate Paris Geller is another example of the show's incredible portrayals of female friendships. Starting out as feuding academic rivals, the relationship between Rory and Paris naturally develops from a kind of begrudging respect to a compassionate friendship as they both let their guard down and realize they actually have a ton in common.
Despite many arguments (and one intense fencing duel), Rory and Paris always understood each other's goals and feelings in a way that no other characters on the show could. They challenged each other in class and on the high school paper, provided much needed words of advice and comfort when dealing with boy drama and family woes, and always stood up for each other when no one else would.
From high school frenemies to college roommates to lifelong BFF's, Rory and Paris always stuck by each other's side and proved again and again that they are they are, in the words of Lorelai herself, total soul-sisters.
1. Like when they went to The Bangles concert together and realized that maybe they didn't actually hate each other after all
2. When Paris totally covered for Rory by saying she had a crush on Jess just so Rory could avoid a big fight with Dean
3. When Rory helped Paris get ready for her first real date and reassured her that everything would work out
4. When Rory comforted Paris after she was rejected from Harvard and had a complete meltdown
5. And then when she used some tough love to get Paris to go back to school
6. When Rory agreed to run as Paris' Student Council Vice President to help her win the popular vote
7.When Paris requested to be Rory's college roommate at Yale because her life coach advised her that "their journey wasn't over"
8. When Paris kissed Rory on Spring Break because she wanted to know if she was a good kisser but didn't want to seem insecure by asking a guy
9. When they both got trashed on Ms. Patty's Founder's Day Punch and vowed to quit worrying about their dude drama for good
10. When Paris gave Logan a total verbal smackdown for cheating on Rory with his sister's bridesmaids
11. When Paris stood up for Rory's friendship after her new college pals ditched her
12. When they knew that there is nothing better in life than eating takeout in your apartment with your BFF at your side
For 7 seasons Paris and Rory were an amazing example of a realistic, complex, strong female friendship on television. Let's hope that when the "Gilmore Girls" revival hits Netflix in 2017 that they'll be tons more supportive, heartwarming moments between them now that they've both entered into the adult world and are dealing with the challenges of career life. Even after all these years we can be certain that this friendship will last the test of time.
