Hear Me Out
20 Years Ago, Peyton & Jake Kissed on ‘One Tree Hill’ — And Should Have Been Endgame
Peyton Sawyer should have ended up with Jake Jagielski. There, I said it. It’s been 20 years since the couple shared their first kiss on One Tree Hill (in the Season 2 Episode 14’s “The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows” that aired on February 15, 2005) and 19 since Jake left the show. So why can’t I get this couple (and that kiss) out of my mind after all this time? I think it’s about time for me to admit my truth.
While some couples from One Tree Hill were undeniably made for each other, I’ve always felt conflicted about Peyton (Hilarie Burton Morgan) and Lucas (Chad Michael Murray). While the couple literally drives off into the sunset with each other in their final episode, for me, that special oomph that would take Peyton and Lucas from pretty good to elite Nathan and Haley level status has always been missing.
In the pilot episode, we see Lucas pining after Peyton, who is introduced as the I’m-not-like-other-girls girlfriend of his half-brother/enemy, Nathan. While no one would argue that Peyton and Nathan were the true One Tree Hill OTP, Lucas becoming Mr. Steal Your Girl to get under Nathan’s skin isn’t exactly the meet-cute of the century. After all, who wants to be caught in the middle of a tug of war between angsty basketballers?
Sure, spite isn’t the only reason Lucas originally goes after Peyton. The pair obviously have a lot in common, and it’s established early that Lucas has had a thing for Peyton for quite some time. In fact, Lucas predicted marrying Peyton when he was in eighth grade, writing that “Peyton Sawyer would become Peyton Scott.” Some might say his all-consuming crush is romantic, but Lucas crushing that hard on Peyton, for that many years, before actually speaking to her… just doesn’t sit right with me. Good thing Lucas decides to start dating Peyton’s best friend, Brooke (Sophia Bush), instead.
Enter: Jake Jagielski (Bryan Greenberg), another (far superior) Raven, who swings in with a twinge of mystery and what Peyton refers to as zero “cool points.” Before getting to know Peyton, Jake introduces Lucas to his baby, Jenny, whom he has kept a secret from the rest of their team for nearly a year. With Lucas’ encouragement, Jake takes the stage at Open Mic Night, proudly introducing his friends to Jenny and then to playing “Lonely World” for the shocked audience. As a music fiend, his performance catches Peyton’s eye and the two become fast friends.
Fred Norris / Warner Bros. / Everett Collection
Unlike the constant drama of the Peyton-Lucas-Brooke love triangle, Peyton and Jake only have one obstacle, but it’s a biggie. Just as they begin to develop feelings for each other, Jake is forced to flee Tree Hill (with Peyton’s help) in order to avoid Jenny’s birth mother, who is threatening to take custody.
Fast forward to Season 2, when Lucas calls up Jake to help Peyton, after noticing that Peyton is struggling. Of course, Lucas isn’t in a place to do anything about it himself because he has royally screwed up his relationship with both Peyton and Brooke. Dare I say, thank you Lucas for being such a #Jeyton fan. Watching that camera pan up to reveal Jake Jagielski walking over to Peyton—I was moved. Almost as moved as I was for the next few episodes, watching Jake and Peyton’s reunion slowly burn into something more.
Cue: the kiss.
What’s more beautiful than Jake admitting that his biggest regret about skipping town was leaving Peyton before the two could finally be together? Maybe the impossible ease of the two reaching for each other and finally sharing their first kiss. Or perhaps the breathless moment, where the two notice that Jenny, who has been crying all night, has fallen silent, causing them to laugh their way into a second kiss. This one, even more passionate than the first.
For many, the biggest apprehension in naming Jake as Peyton’s true match is the Jenny of it all. And sure, we could sit here and ask if Peyton and Jake’s relationship was really love or if their relationship was simply fueled by Peyton’s desire to act as Jenny’s mother, having grown up as a motherless child herself. But between Jake’s fight for custody and untimely exit from the show, I would argue that Peyton and Jake were never given the opportunity to prove how strong their love was.
Jake and Jenny end up leaving Tree Hill for good at the end of Season 2, causing Peyton and Jake to break things off shortly after they begin. In Season 3, Peyton visits Jake following a short, but overwhelmingly weird fling with Pete Wentz. Yes, the real bassist from the real band Fall Out Boy. When Pete invites Peyton to Chicago, One Tree Hill finally gives the people what they want, revealing she’s flown to Savannah to see Jake instead.
In my humble opinion, the One Tree Hill writers had Peyton go to Savannah to give us closure on her relationship with Jake. We learn he’s happy, doing well in his pursuit to get custody of Jenny and, oh yeah, totally not over Peyton. In fact, he goes as far to serenade Peyton with a song he wrote about coming back to her called “Someday.” Naturally, later in her trip Peyton returns this sentiment. Except she doesn’t sing him a song, she flat out proposes to him, declaring that if Nathan and Haley aren’t too young to get married, neither are they. While Jake accepts at first, soon he changes his mind after hearing Peyton say “I love you” in her sleep… to Lucas. Not the kind of bow we were hoping to see tying up this relationship.
Turns out, this breakup was a classic case of an actor leaving a show before the audience was willing to let go of the character, making the whole situation very Dave Rygalski core. In 2006, Bryan Greenberg left One Tree Hill to pursue other acting opportunities ushering in the Peyton and Lucas redemption arc.
Now, I’m not here to argue that Peyton and Lucas didn’t end up having a beautiful, post-high school relationship. Nor would I ever fault an actor for leaving a project. But up until Jake was out of the picture, Lucas was clearly the inferior option. This makes it hard not to imagine what could have been if Jake had returned to Tree Hill. I’d even dare to say the writers alluded to the dissonance of Peyton returning to her crush on Lucas during the infamous “he’s on the damn door scene.” There, Peyton admits to having a renewed crush on Lucas and defends herself from an angry Brooke stating, “I didn’t wish for [Lucas], okay? I wished for Jake.”
Can’t help but sympathize with that one, Peyton.
Who do you think Peyton should have ended up with? Comment and vote below with your answer and any other One Tree Hill hot takes you’ve been dying to share.
