This week, we finally saw the confrontation between Tori and Jordan. When Jordan came into the house, it was quite clear that it would take Tori’s head out of the game. They two had a very serious relationship that ended, so it’s impossible for them to ignore their past. During the first couple of episodes, it seemed like they would be able to cohabitate — possibly even be friends. But now that Nurys is in the picture, things aren’t so nice.
If you followed pres-eason drama, it appeared that the two were throwing subtle jabs at each other. Now, this tension is smarting to make sense.
Based on the story we saw on episode 9, Tori still holds onto hope that she’ll rekindle things with Jordan. Meanwhile, Jordan has been entertaining the idea, but he’s also leading Nurys on. If he really did lie in bed with Tori and exchange I love yous, it’s understandable that she’d be hurt to see Jordan pursue someone else.
As it stands now, it’s unlikely the two will be anything more than friends any time soon. But this begs the question: Are the two really able to move on? Well, it’s seems they’ve been taking different approaches to life post-relationship.
Tori’s been open about the fact that she’s needed professional help, and it’s quite refreshing and admirable for her to be so forthcoming and vulnerable. She revealed she’s been taking antidepressants and worked with a therapist, but she’s now in a house with Jordan. Despite her best efforts, I doubt the close proximity to Jordan is doing her any favors.
She even revealed that she apologized to Jordan for hooking up with other people so publicly, something she once denied. And Jordan claims he’s not hooking up with Nurys for revenge — but also insists that he was uncomfortable watching Tori hook up in a public setting post-breakup. But at this point, Jordan can’t fully protect Tori from watching him hook up. He’d already done All Stars 3 and had a fling with Nia (though the season had just begun airing when they started filming Ride or Dies). So there’s no avoiding the fact that she now has easy access to watch him hook up.
When the two announced their break up, they tried to make it look cordial. We later saw some minor tiffs publicly, and it was even revealed that Jordan broke up with Tori. Episode 9 gives some credence to this when Jordan talks about being in the “Tori show” and needing to take her side with every little thing.
But is there hope for the future?
Based on social media, Jordan and Nurys are still hanging out. It doesn’t appear they’re in a committed relationship, but they’re still friends (at least). Meanwhile, Tori appears to be single.
There’s also no denying the two of them have evolved since we last saw them as an item on Total Madness. Tori has worked with a therapist, and Jordan has become less argumentative and apologized for past mistakes. Some of his most offensive incidents are on the Real World: Portland when he used racist language while talking to Nia. He acknowledges his mistakes, but let’s be honest here (and I hope this isn’t the case), his relationship with Nurys could be to protect his image. This could either be an attempt to stay relevant and get cast on future seasons after a hiatus, or a continued effort to show he’s not racist.
While I hope his intentions with Nurys are genuine, this doesn’t write Tori out of the picture. The two will be on The Challenge: Global together, and if they’re both invested in continuing with the franchise, they’ll see each other a lot.
So I’m just going to say this — from my own perspective — I wouldn’t rule a rekindling out of the picture. The two are still working on themselves, and will be in each other’s presence while involved with The Challenge. Flings like the one we saw on Ride or Dies may not be an isolated incident.
But if they move on, that’s fine too. I’m just not so sure either one wants to fully let go.
Stop Being Polite 