Jane the Virgin' season 2 finale postmortem: Showrunner talks gunshot, cliffhanger

Have you recovered from the whiplash that was Jane the Virgin’s season 2 finale? It was a blockbuster hour, with all sorts of heart-pounding, head-shaking, omg-worthy moments: Jane nearly missed her wedding thanks to a last-minute thesis presentation and a car snafu. Anezka put Petra (Yael Grobglas) under, stole her identity, and later slept with an unsuspecting Rafael (Justin Baldoni). Michael (Brett Dier)’s partner Susanna (Megan Ketch) turned out to be Rose (Bridge Regan) in a super-creepy rubber mask disguise. Xo (Andrea Navedo) discovered she was pregnant. And Rose shot Michael in the chest after the wedding, effectively ending all hope that the episode would see Jane lose her virginity.

With a hefty nod at nostalgia, fun comedic references (anyone hungry for Este-buns?), a megawatt musical performance (Bruno Mars for the win!), and plenty of drama straight from the classic telenovela handbook, the night ended with major changes for all characters involved. So what’s in store for The CW’s hit show in season 3? EW snagged some time with showrunner Jennie Snyder Urman, who answered burning questions about the finale and teased the season ahead.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: First things first: Does Michael survive his bullet wound?

JENNIE SNYDER URMAN: You’re going to have to wait until the third season to find out. You’ll find out right when we get back within the first act.

Tell me about the decision that lead to Jane remaining a virgin. It was so bittersweet — after all, it was her wedding night!

I always had it in my mind that I didn’t want her to lose her virginity in a season premiere or a season finale. That’s not what the show is inherently about. It made me feel icky that we’d [build to how] this interesting and passionate smart woman lost her virginity. But it will happen, and it will be happening pretty soon. I just didn’t want it to be in the finale.

I think it’s safe to say that the Jane wedding goes down in TV history as one of the best of all time.

Gina [Rodriguez] was saying after we taped, “How am I going to get married?” I just had the best wedding ever. [Laughs]

What aspect of the wedding felt the most personal or important to you?

I loved when Michael said his vows to Jane in Spanish. It was just so emotional. One of my writers pitched it, and it was one of those things when you hear, you think, “That’s perfect.” I also loved Jane and Michael’s first dance, and the father-daughter dance. Those were my favorite moments.

Tell me the story behind getting Bruno Mars to appear on the show.

He’s a fan of the show and a fan of Gina’s. We’re obviously huge fans of his. It came together very easily; we didn’t reach out. It was kind of a mutual thing. He had this song that they hadn’t released that he thought would be great, and when I heard it I was overwhelmed at how perfect it would be for the show and for Jane’s wedding. We were just so grateful for the fact that he would want to perform in the finale.

Are there any plans to release “Rest of My Life” as a single?

I don’t think so. He recorded a version just for the show specifically, and it was such a gift. I’m so glad it didn’t get out before.

Are there any artists you’d love to have on the show next season?

It’s hard to top Bruno. But I will say that Ricky Martin is friends with Rogelio [de la Vega]. And Gloria Estefan is one of Rogelio’s dear friends. We love her.

Team Rafael fans were holding out for a major declaration of love, which would lead to Jane calling off her wedding to Michael. What tipped the love triangle in Michael’s favor?

Rafael has very strong feelings for Jane. They’ve come up at various moments but ever since episode 12, our midpoint this year, she hasn’t wavered. It took awhile for Jane to make her decision, but once she made it, she didn’t waver. Michael is the person she believes she belongs with. That was important for me and for the character, since you start to lose faith in someone if they go back and forth all the time. I feel like Rafael fans got something better than a declaration, since they got to hear what was in his heart, but also saw him do something pretty selfless. I think it was a good moment for Team Rafael, even if it didn’t end the way they wanted it to.

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Rafael took a big leap of faith when he decided not to say anything to Jane about his love for her, but ended the night in Petra/Anezka’s arms. What does this say about where Rafael is emotionally?

He was honest with her and said he wasn’t over Jane. And Petra, or Anezka, said she didn’t care. So I feel like Rafael is allowed to have sex with whomever he wants. He’s not in a relationship, and he had a tough night. Beyond that, Anezka’s plan does not center around a love story with Rafael. In fact, Magda really doesn’t want her to have any feelings for him. She feels he’s Kryptonite for the sisters. [Laughs]

Speaking of Magda, where was she this episode? And what is she and Anezka’s end game?

She’s still in jail — we just couldn’t show it, because we had a lot of plot to get through. Petra didn’t try to get her mother out of jail, but Aneka could potentially hire a great lawyer and get her out of jail. They have a few things they want to accomplish, like money and control of the Marbella.

Will Petra recover by the season 3 premiere?

Anezka has to keep medicating her to keep her in this state, and ultimately is going to make a pitch to bring her home to take care of her, which will be very scary for Petra.

Will a pregnancy change Xo’s mind about having a baby? Or will we see her consider other options?

She’s definitely going to consider other options. Xo has been very, very clear about the fact that she doesn’t want another kid. She’s raised Jane, and feels this is the time in her life where she can go after what she wants. Not only is the pregnancy unexpected, it’s with someone she doesn’t want to parent with. That’s going to be something we get into as soon as we return.

You just said she doesn’t want to parent with her child’s dad. Does that mean Esteban is the father?

Yes. She hasn’t slept with Rogelio in a little while.

Was Rose always in disguise as Susanna?

She was always Susanna. She fabricated a backstory and everything. She was first after the… money, and once she got that, then she could focus more on her heart. Everybody’s heart burns for someone on the show, and Rose and Luisa both believe on some level they are meant to be. It was a two-pronged plan. One was the practical and one was the personal.

Will Rose be a part in season 3?

I hope you’ll see her next season.

Will the Sin Rostro storyline always be a part of the show?

I’m more interested in the personal interconnections of Sin Rostro than the crime. She’s always going to be up to something and doing certain things, but I like the idea that Rose and Luisa on some level are meant to be and have this magnetic love. What happens when you fall in love with a crime lord? It feels like something we can explore. I’d like to see them go to couple’s counseling, and talk in code, like, “You killed my fish” instead of “You killed my father.”

The first season of the show was about Jane coming to terms with an unplanned pregnancy, while the second season saw Jane struggle to reconcile her personal responsibilities with her professional goals. What’s ahead for her in season 3?

The balance of being a mom and your career and dreams is always going to be really present, since that’s something that a lot of people struggle with. The first year of motherhood is about getting your bearings, while the second year you’re settling in a bit. I want to get into that feeling of growing up, and that loss of innocence. Do you lose something? What does it cost you? What do you gain? Jane will try to find balance and find answers, but in general, I want to explore what it means to grow up, through [her], Mateo, Jane, Alba, and Xo as they go through the next stage of their lives.