Jess Mariano

Jess is the troubled son of Liz Danes and Jimmy Mariano, and nephew of Luke Danes. Jess is incredibly smart, quick-witted, and interested in the arts and literature, but not academically motivated. His lack of parental support from his mother and the absence of his father leaves Jess feeling very alone and scared of the world, which causes him to test or lash out at most people. Jess tends to distance himself from people, despite people reaching out to him, he often pushes them away Jess comes to Stars Hollow when his mother, Liz, "can't handle" his rebellion due to her neglect, so on a whim she sends Jess to live with her brother, Luke Danes. Jess is unhappy being sent away without any say in his own future and has no interest in making things work in Stars Hollow as he has been neglected and lashes out due to the low self-esteem his parents neglect brought him. From the start, Jess and Luke share a very complicated relationship as Luke can't relate to his nephew, and Luke has no experience with parenting, especially someone who really needs a steady parental force in their life, but tries his best to help Jess feel more comfortable in the town. Early on, Luke states that in order for Jess to live with him, he must attend school and graduate. Jess also works part-time in the diner his uncle owns. After staying with Luke for a while, it is evident that the two care for each other even if it isn't directly stated.