Tamal Kundu
John “Preacher” Middleton (Colin Lawrence) is one of the main characters of Netflix’s ‘Virgin River.’ He is a former Marine like Jack, with whom he has served in Iraq. When the series opens, he works as a chef at Jack’s bar. Preacher later declines a job in San Francisco to accept Jack’s proposition to be his business partner. In Robyn Carr’s original series of novels, Preacher is the male lead of the second book, ‘Shelter Mountain.’ Earlier in the TV series, Preacher grows close to Paige Lassiter (Lexa Doig), a local baker who operates the bakery truck Paige’s Bakeaway, and becomes a father figure to her son, Christopher. Paige is forced to leave Virgin River in season 2. In season 4, Preacher becomes romantically involved with Julia (portrayed by Lawrence’s real-life wife, Lucia Walters), a new resident of the town and an Aikido teacher. If you are wondering whether Preacher will end up with Paige or Julia, we got you covered. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Does Preacher End Up with Paige or Julia?
Like Preacher, Paige is introduced in the very first episode of the series. When Mel meets her, Paige comes off as open, friendly, and kind. Paige has presumably known Preacher since she arrived in the town. As their friendship heads toward romance, certain discrepancies appear in her story. It is ultimately revealed that Paige’s real name is Michelle Logan, and she is on the run from her abusive husband, Wes. She doesn’t have a bank account because she fears that Wes will be able to track her and their son Christopher through it.
Wes eventually shows up in Virgin River and tries to force Paige and Christopher to leave with him. he chokes Paige, and when he makes his way toward Christopher, Paige pushes him down the stairs, killing him. When Preacher arrives and discovers what has happened, he urges Paige to run away with Christopher. Meanwhile, Preacher takes care of Wes’ body, burying it in the woods.
When Vince, Wes’ twin brother, begins looking for Paige and Christopher, Paige decides to leave her son with Preacher. In a twist of cruel irony, Vince succeeds in separating Preacher from Christopher and abducts his nephew in the season 3 finale. Preacher spends most of the fourth season looking for Christopher. He hires multiple detectives, but they fail to find anything.
Meanwhile, Preacher meets Julia, and they quickly become intimate. At Virgin River’s Renaissance Fair, Julia introduces Preacher to her niece. However, things become complicated when she finds Christopher’s drawings of him, Preacher, and Chloe together inside a picnic basket. Initially, Preacher is reluctant to divulge any information. While he does have good reasons, it’s understandable that Julia grows irritated by his silence.
In season 4 episode 10, titled ‘Fire and Rain,’ just as Preacher begins to open up to Julia, Paige comes back into his life. Preacher later discovers that Christopher is back, but now, Vince has taken Paige to exact revenge for the death of his brother. In the season 4 finale, titled ‘The Long Goodbye, Preacher manages to subdue Vince, rescuing Paige. So, when the fourth season ends, both Paige and Julia are in Virgin River. So, this brings up the obvious question: Who Will Preacher End up with?
In Carr’s original book, Paige is the female lead opposite Preacher. However, the series creators have taken significant creative liberty that has driven the show in a different direction from the books. So, in season 5, the creators can take the romantic triangle between Paige, Preacher, and Julia in a completely new direction. Paige and Preacher share a deep bond, even if it never became romantic. In season 5, Preacher might decide to provide her and Christopher the stable home they deserve and find his personal happiness through it. It is equally possible that he might decide to stay with Julia. After all, he has already told her how serious he is about their relationship. Despite the close bond, he and Paige were never this intimate. Either way, it appears that Preacher might have to make a decision in season 5.
Read More: Who is the Twins’ Father in Virgin River? [Theories]
