Hello y’all, and welcome to one last Love, Victor recap! Last time, Victor (Michael Cimino) got offered The Gay Award and wasn’t sure he wanted to accept. Rahim (Anthony Keyvan) convinced him the award was a good thing.
In the Love, Victor series finale, Season 3 Episode 8, “Brave,” everyone works their way toward their own version of a happy ending. Let’s see if it’s a satisfying conclusion!
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As this is a recap, it’s got more spoilers than Victor has storylines about being gay. You’ve been warned.
“#Velix is one year old.”
We open on Felix (Anthony Turpel) waiting for Victor outside their apartment building. He greets him with a “Happy Friendiversary.” It’s the day of the winter carnival, the day they met, a year ago. Victor gives him a toaster strudel to celebrate.
Felix really misses his mornings with the family Salazar, but he thinks it’s too soon, what with his breakup with Pilar (Isabella Ferreira). Victor tells him not to fret, the Salazars are attending The Gay Award ceremony so he’ll be able to see them then. Also coming? Nick (Nico Greetham).
Victor thinks things are easy with Nick. He wonders if that’s a good thing. Felix doesn’t think he’s a good source of relationship advice, considering how his relationships have ended. Lake (Bebe Wood) had his mom hospitalized and Pilar’s dad, Mando (James Martinez), wanted to kill him.
Speaking of Lake … after she came over the other night, Felix isn’t sure they’re over. Not loving the optics on this, show. It’s not that I don’t like #Flake, I do. But I don’t love breaking up a sapphic relationship and an interracial one to get back there.
“Felix is cozy and familiar, like a hoody. But a human boy.”
Over at Lake House, Lake and Mia (Rachel Hilson) chat about Lake’s possible re-crush on Felix. Does she like him? Or is it just that he’s familiar? That conversation is cut off when Lake finds Mia’s very conspicuous transfer papers.
Mia is moving to Palo Alto next week. It might be sudden, but after meeting her baby brother and being in her family’s new house, she felt too pulled. Lake makes her promise that they’ll FaceTime every morning. Yikes. Those are gonna be some early mornings for Mia.
Lake asks about Andrew (Mason Gooding). Mia’s not planning on doing long distance, which means she’s about to break his heart.
I’m glad that Lake took Mia’s news well. As someone who’s bopped around the world for the last two decades, I can assure you that with a little planning, maintaining long-distance friendships is totally possible. Romance on the other hand …
“Slow down, you are going to choke to death on donut holes. That’s not a good way to die.”
Next, we head to Casa Salazar, where Mando has come home a mere hour after leaving for work. He’s fuming. Something happened at work and this being Love, Victor, it’s a gay thing.
Mando’s project manager was making a bunch of gay jokes at work. Honestly, if they weren’t fueled by homophobia, they’d be kinda funny. Sorry, but “homo-owners” made me giggle. Mando asked him to stop, ’cause his son is gay. In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need a gay child to ask him to stop, but, go on …
The project manager then got personal, telling Mando he couldn’t believe he let his kid “be like that” and bring “boys to the house.” Isa (Ana Ortiz) is ready to throw her chancla at the jerk. No need. Mando already quit.
Isa’s not mad; he’s a great electrician. He’ll find work soon. Mando doesn’t think it’s gonna be that easy. Considering he punched his former boss and cursed this one out.
“Sorry for the ominous text.”
Victor meets Benji (George Sear) at the coffee shop. The latter had texted him, wanting to Talk. He really wanted to see Victor before leaving Creekwood for boarding school, which didn’t want to attend until he saw Victor kiss Nick. Yikes dude, don’t tell him that. How unfair.
Benji has accepted that Victor’s moved on. He has to, too. But he can’t do that in Creekwood. Maybe they’ll see each other when Benji comes home for the holidays. They hug goodbye.
At school, Andrew meets Mia. She also wants to Talk and rips the bandaid off right away. Andrew’s skips right into “we can make it work” mode. He’ll miss some school to help her move, quit basketball to see her on the weekends.
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She doesn’t want him to miss basketball. Basketball is his future. He argues that no, she is. That’s not a given, Mia says. She breaks up with him because she can’t have him throw away his life for her.
“You look like a sexy senator.”
In the hallway, Victor is all dressed up to receive his award for being gay. He sees the water fountain where he first saw Benji. We get a flashback to him thirsting over the boy. His reminiscing is interrupted by Nick. He likes Victor’s outfit.
Victor thanks him for coming. Nick doesn’t think he’d be a good boyfriend if he missed the award speech. Victor gulps at the “b” word. Oh no.
At the ceremony, Felix wants to sit with the Salazars, but Pilar glares at him, so he grabs a seat next to Lake.
Rahim, on the other hand, sits next to the Salazars. Mando takes advantage of Rahim’s immaculate style to ask him photo advice for his LinkedIn profile. Rahim doesn’t approve of the choices given.
Pilar cannot stop staring at Felix, and Rahim tries to be supportive about it. That devolves into Rahim lusting after Felix’s likeness to Shawn Mendes, which is not helping the sitch. He calms down long enough to ask why she’s worried, considering Lake’s with Lucy (Ava Capri).
They broke up, Pilar says. Rahim shrugs and that’s that. I love how the issue isn’t, “Isn’t she gay now,” but rather, “isn’t she dating someone?”
“You’re like my grandmother, but with less facial hair.”
Back with #Flake, Felix offers her a butterscotch, because he’s secretly 80. She thanks him for keeping her company the other night. He invites her to join him at the winter carnival. She accepts.
On stage, Coach (Andy Richter) introduces Victor’s Gay Award. Excuse me, “Bravery Award.” Victor straight up acknowledges that it is a Gay Award. He tells the audience he was conflicted about accepting it, until he talked to a friend about it (Rahim).
When Victor first moved to Creekwood, he didn’t know any gay people. Then he met so many wonderful people and was able to be brave and come out. He realized the true definition of bravery: Not being afraid of being scared. Oh, love that.
In the hallway, Nick says the speech made it v clear Victor isn’t over his ex. Victor apologizes. Nick is still glad he met Victor; he wasn’t sure he could be a relationship person, but he realizes now that he can.
Sigh. I don’t know about this, y’all. Do you think you need to be fully over someone to fall in love with someone else?
After Nick and Victor part ways, gay jerk Liam (Joshua Colley) and Nick literally bump into one another. So I guess that’s that sorted.
“He’s really into a dramatic sprint, that kid, huh?”
Then, the family Salazar comes to congratulate Victor, but he runs away because he’s got something to do. That thing, of course, is to go see Benji.
Benji is loading up the car and his dad (Kevin Rahm) is there to try to stop Victor from his proclamations. Seriously. This is a train wreck. Though, Victor is right in that Benji can decide for himself whether he wants to hear Victor out.
Victor needs Benji to know he hasn’t moved on. He only tried to because Benji and his dad told him to stay away. Right. Benji didn’t know that last part. Victor acknowledges that Mr. Campbell was just scared, but that he thinks he was wrong that Victor caused the relapse.
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Oh I can’t even. Victor tells Benji that if he thinks his dad is right, he should go to boarding school and never look back. But if he thinks Victor’s right and they belong together, he should stay. He loves Benji. Benji already decided. Victor’s too late.
“I don’t think you’re his type.”
At the Lake House, Felix arrives to pick Lake up. They kiss hello. They’re not so into it. Lake’s been thinking a lot about Victor, more specifically his speech. Falling back into the ease and comfort of a relationship with Felix wouldn’t be very brave. Because she’s in love with Lucy.
Does Lucy know? Lake hasn’t told her, but she’s going to be brave and do so. Just then, Mia runs down the stairs. She can’t talk, as she too is going to go be brave. Felix wonders if Victor should be a life coach.
Mia pulls up to Andrew’s. She loves Andrew and of course they’re worth fighting for! She was just scared he’d get tired of an LDR — they’re not easy. Mia’s still terrified, but she’s embracing the scary. Andrew doesn’t think there’s anything to fear; they’re gonna go the distance.
Next up we have the deus ex machinas to end all deus ex machinas. Lake leads Lucy to her mom, Georgina’s (Leslie Grossman) extra condo, where she stays there when she’s got super early call times. Apparently Lake told Georgina about Lucy’s situation, and Georgina agreed that Lucy could move into this condo upon graduation.
Lake knows that Lucy wants a fresh start. She’ll understand if this condo isn’t far away enough for her. Lucy cuts her off; for a long time she was miserable in Creekwood, but now everything reminds her of Lake. She’ll take this condo.
They love each other.
“We’ll go halfsies on your therapy”
It’s time for the winter carnival! The whole family Salazar — even Adrian (Mateo Fernandez) — is there. And surprise, Victor’s speech inspired even more people. The parents Salazar are starting their own electrician business. They start making out. Adrian cannot believe he’s soon gonna be left alone in the house with these two.
Felix calls to Pilar from across the lawn. He wants to Talk. She thinks he’s getting back together with Lake. No, he’s not. He actually wants to apologize. He launches into an excuseplanation. Before the Salazars moved in, he was really alone.
After they arrived, Felix had a place to go, one that included friends, parents and the surety of food. Mando kicking him out was terrifying. The worst part was he lost the entire family, including Pilar. She deserves a boyfriend who will put her first. He’s sorry he can’t be that guy.
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Pilar grabs his hand and pulls him to join the Salazar family photo. OK, I don’t mind Felix having given an excuseplanation. Unlike all the parents on the show, it was absolutely necessary that Pilar (and we) understand how much of a safety net the Salazar family has been for him.
It’s strange for me that on a show filled with queer and/or people of color, the cishetero white guy’s story is often the most affecting. I don’t know if that says something about me, the writing on this show or society. Perhaps all three?
“Enough with the sad. We are at a carnival.”
Next, Lucy, Lake, Mia and Andrew are playing around with popcorn when #Velix joins them. Andrew asks Victor why he seems so down. Benji left for boarding school.
Lake tells them chin up. They’ve gotta enjoy the night. It’s the last time they’re gonna be a sextet for a while. Mia tells Victor she’s moving to Palo Alto.
Victor says he’s gotta do something before he joins his friends. Slow-mo. He walks past Rahim and Connor (Tyler Lofton) playing a carnival game. Then Nick and Liam flirting. He looks up to see the Ferris wheel.
He goes to ride it solo. And he’s OK with that. URGH. Benji shows up. He joins Victor on the ride.
After Victor left Benji’s house earlier, Benji and his parents had a really long heart-to-heart. He told his parents that Victor isn’t his trigger, they are. He wants #Venji to be together.
Benji still has a lot of work to do, he doesn’t know how their story ends and that’s scary. Does it scare Victor? Yes.
Then Benji asks if Victor ever wonders what would have happened if they’d ridden the Ferris wheel together back in Season 1. Victor doesn’t ’cause that’s not their story.
They kiss.
End episode. End series.
Happily ever after?
I’m sorry, but that was not satisfying. I’ve loved Love, Victor and I wanted so much more from the finale than the pat, overly-neatly tied bows we got. This show has never been one for nuance, but “Brave” took that to another level.
I was so happy when Victor said he was OK being single. For a hot second I thought maybe Love, Victor was going to break tropes and actually let our hero be single. I understand the importance of the queer kid getting the win. However, the win doesn’t have to be a romance!
Victor has had romantic love, has had relationships. Most importantly now, Victor loves himself. As he said in his speech, he has a very solid community. We did end the show with one queer couple intact, and that could have been enough. It’s OK to be single in high school, especially as a queer kid. It’s OK to be single at any age!
Further, prioritizing ending the series with #Venji intact ignores the very real struggles Benji still faces. His parents are his trigger. If that’s so, boarding school would be a good choice for him. Love, Victor allowed Felix to put his personal safety and mental health first, why doesn’t Benji get that chance? Couldn’t they have at least mentioned family therapy?
What did y’all think of the Love, Victor finale? Am I just being cynical? Let us know! As always, thanks for having joined us for these recaps!
Silly sex joke of the ep: “I can finally say Benji is in my rear.”
Romcom line of the ep: “I’m saying that you had me at your batsh*t definition of (sic) ‘pied-de-terre.'”
All episodes of Love, Victor are streaming on Hulu now.
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