Shameless ended off their ninth episode of season seven with a bit of a cliffhanger. Lip and Fiona were sitting outside in front of the Gallagher house when a car pulls up with really bright lights. Finally, an unknown man gets out of the car and asks the siblings if Ian was home. Ian comes outside and the man, who revealed himself to be a detective, dropped the bombshell Shameless fans have been waiting for: Mickey is out of prison!
The problem is, in typical Mickey fashion, he broke out of prison, and now the hunt is on. The detective was looking to see if Ian had seen or talked to Mickey recently, given he had been a frequent visitor of his former boyfriend while he was in prison. While he did not make a physical appearance, the announcement of Mickey’s return is one that is set to have some significant implications over the course of the final three episodes in season seven of the hit Showtime series. Particularly for Cameron Monaghan’s Ian Gallagher.
This season has seen Ian moving forward in his life, as he dumped Caleb and ended up with Trevor. At first, Ian was a bit skeptical about dating Trevor, who is transgender, as Ian did not fully understand what that meant. But as the episodes have gone on, the two have grown closer, and their relationship has taken a few steps forward and has reached a fairly serious level.
But it has not been total paradise for the two, as they engaged in a fight in the ninth episode. After finding out their favorite late night spot was closed for the evening, Ian suggested they go elsewhere. But the place Ian wanted to go to cards at the door, and Trevor was not a fan of the idea since his driver’s license still has an old picture of him before his transformation. The situation was not helped by Ian’s bipolar mother, Monica, showing up. Things ended with Ian walking off on his own as Monica and Trevor seemed to be taking the same side after the argument grew.
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Now let’s fast forward to the end of the episode, which we already touched upon. While Fiona was forking 20 dollars over to Lip as the two sat outside, Ian and Trevor were inside. The two had calmed down and seemed to have forgiven one another. They were back to hanging out on the couch drinking beers like they had done before as they looked to push the issue in the past. Then the detective shows up, and Ian is called outside, with Trevor following.
Upon hearing the detective say the full name of his former lover, Ian responded with “Mickey?” in a tone that surely made it sound like he still cares for Mick. The two shared a very complicated relationship over the course of many seasons, but eventually grew into many fans favorite couple on the show. The relationship was even dubbed “Gallavich” by fans, incorporating the last names of both men. Bottom line, with Mickey back out, Ian is going to have to face Mickey and answer a very important question: Who will he choose to have in his life moving forward, Mickey or Trevor?
It was no mistake that Mickey’s return came on the same night that Trevor and Ian had their first big fight. The care shown in Ian’s voice when he said Mickey’s name also highlights he has not gotten over the most serious relationship he has ever had. But I do not expect him to just throw Trevor aside, as he has opened Ian’s eyes to a much larger world. With only three episodes remaining in season seven, expect Ian to be a primary focus, and also seeing him go through some rough times.
My best guess says he will initially try to resist Mickey, as he wants to move on with his life. He is happy with Trevor, and Trevor appears to be good for him, while Mickey’s hot temper can lead to some serious issues. But assuming the show is back for an eighth season, I think Ian’s relationship with Trevor will begin to crack. The appeal of Mickey will grow larger and larger. Fans have wanted to see the two back together again ever since Noel Fisher (Mickey) left the show. When the series finally comes to its end, those two ending up together would make the most sense given the narrative of the series as a whole. So while I expect Ian to try to resist Mickey at first, his feelings deep down will result in him and Mickey getting back together, even if it does not happen this season.