OK I'm sorry, I'm back with this same monologue again because the wording here. "found out I was gonna have a chance", not found out you liked me, no, not found out about Maya's feelings. He was gonna have a chance, as if he'd thought about it before, considered the possibility, but ultimately decided he didn't have a chance. And we do know from season 1, that he did consider it, from the conversation he had with Farkle about asking one of them out, where he asked Farkle about what he'd do if he asked each of them out. But that seemed more hypothetical, until now. He wanted a chance with her and never thought he'd get it, but he did... and he gave it up. Like, you can't tell me this man doesn't or didn't ever have feelings for Maya, that he only ever liked Riley, because the wording here suggests otherwise, and I feel like most people have accepted that, yes, Maya's feelings for Lucas were genuine and Maya turning into Riley was a cop out. I genuinely believe Maya and Lucas's characters would've ended up together eventually.
I feel like it's a shame Lucas didn't ask more questions when she told him he'd picked Riley either way, because season 1 or 2 Lucas would've shut that down and been like no that's absolute nonsense, you're you. Like the fact everyone just went along with that is insane. They made her feel bad for developing as a person and being happy and forced her to go back to how she was before. That's just sad. Could you imagine if anyone but Riley did this? I feel like Riley only got away with this because she's Riley. And to be clear I don't hate Riley, I don't think she had bad intentions here, but Riley has been shown to dislike change, and that could apply even if that change is good. I don't think Riley really considered how much of Maya's change came from the fact her home life, her personal situation had changed. Because Riley's always had a loving family and frineds that support and protect her, so she doesn't quite realise how much that would change for someone who never really had it. An the Matthews did try to treat Maya like one of the family, and while I do think Maya wanted to be part of the family, I don't think she ever truly believed she was. They were a family, but they weren't her family. And a lot of what Lucas said, if i remember that scene correctly, came from before she "became Riley" so no he didn't pick Riley either way. We'll never know who he picked by the end of that episode. But, either way, whoever he picked, he chose them because of who they were.
Also I genuinely feel like the season 1 and 2 versions of most of these characters would punch their season 3 versions in the face, but none more so than Riley who would never stand for anyone talking to her best friend the way Riley does in season 3. Even late season 2, not yet in a love triangle but clearly heading that way Riley would destroy season 3 "you became me" Riley. This season only really happens if everyone is put of character which they were
ok sorry but how did farkle not get a reading 😹😹 like when zay said he would choose riley, lucas seem surprised thinking why zay would choose riley then sad that zay said “decision over, it’s riley” but when he brought up maya, he was like ���what 😐😠” like he don’t wanna picture maya with zay 😹😹😹
DISCLAIMER : IM INTERPRETING IT THAT WAY LIKE YALL CAN INTERPRET IT THE OTHER WAY AROUND