Character Analysis
For a guy with eight legs and a toolbox full of everything, J.Lo sure doesn't know how to get himself out of a jam. When we first meet the Boov, he's got a broken scooter and needs a ride. Not exactly what we'd expect from a handyman alien.
J.Lo Phone Home
At first, Tip isn't sure whether J.Lo's a guy or a gal, and she describes him as "wearing bright safety orange, easy to see, and maybe some kind of clear plastic helmet, and I thought, Radiation suit? and then we got close enough to see it was one of them" (1.48). You see that emphasis on them? Yeah, Tip doesn't like J.Lo at first—not because he's done anything, per say, but because he's a Boov. In Tip's defense, though, the Boov have taken over her planet and kidnapped her mom.
Fortunately for J.Lo and Tip, though, over time J.Lo manages to break down her barriers with his witty comments and observations. His ability to fix almost anything and wealth of knowledge when it comes to Boov and Gorg only helps, since this is all exactly what Tip needs.
The Last Song
This isn't just the Tip show, though, and this fun-loving alien isn't without a couple problems of his own. Eventually, he admits that he wasn't broken down or lost when he hitched a ride with Tip, but on the run from his peeps. Why? It turns out that when he fixed the radio tower, he sang a little song that goes something like this:
"Gorg are dumb, dumb like soap, their wives are wider than they should be." (2.702)
Not exactly testing, testing, 1-2-3, right? And when the Gorg heard his little ditty, they weren't too happy about it—even though they don't have wives. In other words, J.Lo is to blame for the Gorg coming to earth. On the scale of possible mistakes to make, then, this one is pretty high up there.
But we can't help but feel sorry for the guy. He didn't mean for the Gorg to hear him or trek on down to earth, nor does he want them there. It does make us think about consequences, though.
Because while it's true that J.Lo didn't mean to do what he did, it doesn't matter—he still gave the Gorg the address for earth. Now we're not saying everything the Gorg did on earth was J.Lo's fault, but we are pointing out that sometimes he doesn't think things through. It's funny (to him) to sing a song about how fat the Gorg are, but it causes horrible problems for his people and the humans. We don't think a snarky song is worth that.
Home, Sweet Home
Luckily, J.Lo and Tip save the day, and everything goes back to normal. Sort of. J.Lo goes to live with Tip and her family instead of going home with the rest of the Boov. You might think this is because he's still in hot water with his buddies after inviting the Gorg to earth, and perhaps you're right. We like to think it has to do with the fact that he cares a lot about Tip, though. Call us sentimental if you want, but check out what he says to her:
"[…] it seems it would be the best if I stayed. There are things here to do. I can be a help to my family." (3.1374)
Aw… He thinks of Tip as his family even though Boov don't have families. It's very sweet, especially considering how these two started off fighting and threatening one another. Plus they are from different planets—literally—and still manage to work out their differences. It's just one of the ways the book makes us think about the prejudices and stereotypes we use. The friendship between alien and human shows us anyone can form a friendship if they try hard enough. Yep, even that annoying kid in your math class.
(Intrigued by this inter-species relationship and what it means? Then head on over to our "Themes" section where we've got—surprise—plenty more to say on this topic.)
As for how J.Lo feels about his decision to stay behind with Tip long term, Tip tells us this about their life after the aliens left:
Every now and then I catch him looking at the sky, and I figure I know what he's thinking. But then he might notice me and say he's considering building an escalator to the moon, just for day trips, so I don't know what to think. (3.1571)
Hmmm… What do you think J.Lo is wondering as he looks up at the sky? Is he missing his home, or just staring at the stars? Over to you, Shmoopsters.
J.Lo's Timeline