With all the serious drama that happened during Season 5 of “Suits,” Mike (Patrick J. Adams) and Rachel (Meghan Markle) remained committed to each other. Their relationship has survived through so much already that it seemed not even Mike’s two-year prison sentence could tear them apart.
But that was last season and things aren’t looking so great for the couple in Season 6.
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Even though Mike’s choice not to walk down the aisle before heading to jail was devastating, it was an entirely unselfish decision. However, it seems Rachel’s mind was too emotionally clouded to truly understand that. Even with her parents fighting against the ceremony from happening, she didn’t care. Rachel was really intent on officially marrying Mike before he was incarcerated.
However, as we move along in Season 6, it appears Rachel might stop hating the fact she and Mike never got hitched. In fact, she may begin feeling relief because of it. Making it through two whole years without Mike by her side is going to be a nearly impossible feat for the woman who turned into a basket case on night one.
Grasping at straws, trying to find a way to stay sane, Rachel ends up finding solace by burying herself in work. But, she’s not okay. It’s obvious she misses Mike and in every scene, she is on the brink of tears in every scene.
How long can she keep this up? If Mike and Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) plan with Cahill (Neal McDonough) doesn’t work out — and he doesn’t get released early — Rachel’s going to relive that wedding day grief all over again. Then, it’s diving back into her work for distraction’s sake.
With Rachel’s main focus on this current Innocence Project case — along with the fact that she was already an incredibly smart and quick witted legal aide — winning this high profile case will put her name on the map. Especially since she’s already a legacy with the Zane last name.
Rachel is going to learn what it’s like to take lead on a case, fight for what’s right and how great it feels to get earn that kind of win. It’s obvious she loves her job and wants to, one day, be just like Jessica (Gina Torres).
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Rachel’s brain has been clouded with her love for Mike for far too long. It’s been blocking her from realizing the brevity of her situation. Being the wife of a convict who went to prison for being a fake lawyer will be a constant rain cloud over her head.
That goal of becoming a respected partner at a prestigious law firm will be a Sisyphus-like uphill battle. And as she and Jessica have previously discussed, it’s already a tough fight for that prestige being both a female, and woman of color.
Now, we could be wrong. And it’s not fair that Rachel may have to pick between a career and her future husband. But life’s not fair, is it?
Rachel may be willing to constantly defend her personal life and stick it out with Mike no matter what. Maybe executive producer Aaron Korsh has a story line up his sleeve in which Mike is able to somehow redeem himself in the legal world, and remove the tarnish he left on Pearson Specter Litt … and Rachel.
But “Suits” has already bravely taken that risky jump away from what’s comfortable. Mike can no longer practice law. The jig is up. And the repercussions have never been glossed over, or minimized in any way.
So, it would be out of character for the series to not hone in on Rachel’s plight during Mike’s ordeal. And with each day her fiancé remains in prison, the likelihood becomes less and less that she will one day become Mrs. Ross.