‘Gilmore Girls’: Why does Logan call Rory ‘Ace’?

Something about Gilmore Girls still makes it fun and relevant now, 15 years after it ended its original seven-season run. The witty writing, centered around unique women and famously filled with pop culture references, never fails to bring comfort to longtime fans. Thanks to the 2016 revival miniseries Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life and joining the Netflix catalog, the show has gained a new following over the last few years.

If you’re just now getting to know Lorelai and Rory Gilmore and catching up on catchphrases like “Oy, with the poodles already,” there are some things you might be wondering. The way that characters refer to one another reveals a lot about their personalities, and some of them might be easier to understand than others. A good example of that is how Logan Huntzberger calls Rory “Ace” in season five. Maybe you’re having trouble understanding what he meant by that. We can help.

Spoilers for Gilmore Girls season five below.

When does Logan start calling Rory “Ace” in Gilmore Girls?

It all begins in episode six of season five (“Norman Mailer, I’m pregnant!”), when Rory is doing research for a feature on the Yale Daily News, the college newspaper she, Logan, and Paris work at. She stumbles into a secret society from Yale called “The Life and Death Brigade” after spotting some strange behavior around campus, and decides to investigate. Though the little information she uncovers about the society is not enough to run an exposé, one name stands out: Elias Huntzberger, Logan’s grandfather. He is a former member of the Brigade, which means his son and grandson likely followed course.

When she confronts Logan with all her findings and asks for an exclusive interview, he pretends not to be a part of the Brigade or even know what it’s about. After that, however, when both of them are back at work, a message from him pops up: “Hey Ace. I’ve got a proposition for you.”

That is the first time he calls her “Ace” on the show, and it later becomes his official nickname for her.

Why does Logan call Rory “Ace” in Gilmore Girls?

While the character never says it directly, it is most likely a reference to her dedication and commitment to researching the Life and Death Brigade. Rory’s career goal at this point in the show is to become an investigative journalist and reporter like Christiane Amanpour, her role model. The work she put into that research likely caught Logan’s attention — work he deemed worthy of an “ace reporter.”

An Ace is the playing card with the highest value in a deck of cards, and therefore “ace” is an expression used to describe a person who excels at something. “Ace reporter” is a common expression to describe someone with strong investigative skills, like Rory — at least in Logan’s eyes.

It speaks to the popularity of the show that 15 years later, people still debate whether Rory should be with Dean, Jess, Logan, no one, or even Paris. Despite everything that happens after the events of this specific episode and season, one of the most positive aspects to Logan as a partner is how he respects Rory’s intelligence. He never takes anyone or anything seriously, but he does respect her as a journalist, offers feedback when needed, and most of the time, encourages her to follow her dreams. “Ace” is his term of endearment for her.