In this week’s DIVA Dating Digest, we take a look back at these Litchfield lovers
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
Join us as we delve into the romance between Piper Chapman and Alex Vause in Netflix’s iconic show Orange Is The New Black. As one of the most captivating relationships on screen, their journey from passion to heartache has kept audiences gripped ever since the show was first released in 2013.
Brace yourself for a journey through pivotal moments in their tumultuous love story, sprinkled with spoilers as we revisit the highs and lows of their entangled relationship.
Their fateful reunion in Litchfield
Piper Chapman’s arrival in Litchfield Penitentiary throws her into a whirlwind when she unexpectedly encounters her former flame, Alex Vause in the first episode of the show. The shock and emotion on Piper’s face are palpable as their eyes meet, setting the stage for the rekindling of their complicated romance.
We learn that the pair met in a bar 10 years before they both ended up in Litchfield and had a complicated on-and-off relationship. Piper got caught up in the drug ring that Alex was a part of at the time and carried a suitcase full of drug money once for Alex. It’s actually due to the sour way they ended things that Alex named Piper during her trial, landing them both in prison together.
Their chemistry ignites once again
Amidst the bleakness of prison life, Piper and Alex’s fiery chemistry ignites once more despite Piper’s best intentions to dampen it. Their (very) heated encounter in the prison chapel serves as a catalyst, reigniting the passion that lingers between them despite the challenges they face.
Piper learns that Alex named her during the trial
Things with this pair could never be simple, could they? Trust is shattered when Alex’s past catches up with them and Piper’s world is rocked by the revelation of Alex’s role in her arrest. After confessing to Larry about her infidelity, he reveals that it was in fact her lover that had got her sent to prison in the first place. This new information creates a huge wedge between the pair.
The pair go back to their old on-again, off-again dynamics
Piper and Alex’s relationship becomes a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows as they navigate the complexities of prison life. After breaking her parole, Alex finds herself back in good old Litchfield after Piper ratted on her. Despite this, the pair seem to grow closer together.
Piper proposes to Alex in Frieda’s bunker
In the aftermath of Poussey’s death, riots take over the entire prison. In the midst of the chaos, Piper proposes to Alex who says yes. However, the pair can’t rejoice for too long as even more carnage emerges. With both thinking the other was killed in the attack, it seems like the pair will once again be separated.
The pair are “prison married”
After reuniting, the pair finally get married, officiated by Nicky (played by queer icon Natasha Lyonne). Piper is released from prison not long after this but promises to wait for Alex.
Alex tells Piper to see other people
In yet another strange twist in the pair’s relationship, Alex suggests that Piper sleeps with someone else. However, when Piper does this it only makes her miss Alex even more. Both of them sleep with other people, but naturally, they can’t stay away from one other. Despite all of their back and forth, and their trust issues, the pair end up choosing each other.
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