One photo from Love, Victor Season 3 calls back to the Winter Carnival seen in Love, Simon and Love, Victor Season 1. This event is one of the strongest ties between the film and its spin-off series, beyond the guest-starring appearances from the film’s cast. Nevertheless, Simon’s experience on the Ferris wheel is vastly different from Victor’s, which could remain true in its third and final season. Love, Victor essentially confirmed this to be the case when it incorporated the Winter Carnival into its first episode, immediately differentiating Victor’s journey from Simon’s. It continued down that path in its second season.
Love, Victor is a spin-off series of the 2018 romantic comedy Love, Simon. The groundbreaking coming-of-age film followed Simon Spier’s journey to tell his friends and family his secret — he’s gay. One of Simon’s classmates blackmailed him and threatened to reveal his emails with an anonymous classmate Simon fell for during their correspondence. Love, Victor focuses on Victor Salazar, who moves to Georgia with his family and attends Simon’s alma mater, Creekwood High. Victor reaches out to Simon for advice about sexuality and the “coming out” journey, and during the series, the two become friends.
The now-iconic Ferris wheel is featured at the end of Love, Simon, and appears at the end of the first episode of Love, Victor. In the film, Simon tells his anonymous pen-pal and love interest (who goes by the alias Blue) to meet him at the Ferris wheel because they both deserve great love stories. Bram, the quiet boy who plays soccer and sits at Simon’s lunch table, shows up just in time to join Simon on the Ferris wheel and kiss him at the top of it. It’s a sweeping, romantic gesture that the whole school cheers on. Ms. Albright, Creekwood High’s former drama teacher and current vice principal, recalls the scene with great fondness.
Victor meets Ms. Albright in the series premiere, “Welcome to Creekwood,” and learns Simon and Bram’s love story is legendary in the high school. Their story sets a high standard for romance and shows how accepting (most) of Creekwood High is of Simon and Bram’s sexuality. Not to mention, Ms. Albright’s comments put great expectations on the Winter Carnival. When he doubts if he’ll make any friends at the event, Ms. Albright tells Victor, “Don’t dismiss the power of the Winter Carnival. Good things happen there.” That sentiment rings true for Victor by the end of the episode in a multitude of ways that kick off his story.
At the Winter Carnival, Simon messages Victor for the first time. That mentorship-turned-friendship gets its legs at that special event from the franchise. Simon encourages Victor to be and do whatever feels most authentic to him. Though Love, Victor is partially about Victor’s romantic relationships, Simon’s message references more than just romance. He implores Victor to find his friends — and himself — at Creekwood because that place can change his life for the better, as it did for Simon. Simon’s message makes Victor think about his family, his budding friendship with Felix, and who he would want to take on the Ferris wheel. Instead of asking Benji, Victor asks Mia to ride the Ferris wheel with him in the first episode.
Victor will likely make a different choice at the Winter Carnival in this final season. He could pick Benji or Rahim and have his own big kiss at the top of the Ferris wheel. Victor Salazar could join the growing list of Creekwood High’s legendary love stories. After all, Season 3 does seem interested in exploring the love triangle Season 2 sets up between Benji, Victor and Rahim. On the other hand, Victor could go on the Ferris wheel with his best friend Felix, his younger sister Pilar or by himself. There’s also the possibility that Victor may not go on the Ferris wheel at all, further differentiating his journey from Simon’s.
Whether Victor goes on the Ferris wheel or not, this final Winter Carnival sets the scene for a perfect bookend to Victor’s journey if it happens in the series finale. It could encapsulate the scope of his development since the first Winter Carnival. Similar to the first episode, it could allow Victor to reflect on how far he’s come with his family, friends… and himself. But, there’s also a high probability of Victor’s love story taking a turn at that event. Like Ms. Albright told him, the Winter Carnival is powerful, and good things happen there. Simon Spier always says that everyone deserves a great love story. There’s no better place for a great love story to begin its next chapter than at the Winter Carnival, and Victor deserves nothing but the best.
The first two seasons of Love, Victor are available to stream on Hulu. Season 3 premieres on June 15.
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