Entertainment

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Stephanie's Secret On 'Fuller House' Will Break Your Heart

by Leah Rocketto

As fans start streaming Fuller House on Netflix, they are quickly realizing that it's a TV series with a whole lot of cheese and whole lot of family love. But, much like it's predecessor Full House, it also isn't afraid to take on story lines that address large-scale issues while simultaneously tugging at your heart strings. I mean, think about it, both series are built around parents who loose their spouse in tragic accidents. But it goes beyond the premise of the series. In the fifth episode, middle child Stephanie reveals a secret on Fuller House that will break your heart.

(If you didn't wake up at 3 .am. and immediately start streaming the series, there are some serious spoilers ahead. You've been warned.)

After pressing pause on her own life to help D.J., the fifth episode finds Stephanie taking a break from her aunt duties and returning t life as a single millennial. And, like most millennials, that means going to Coachella. Bust despite taking the DJ stage and partying on a private plane, Stephanie realizes she misses the Tanner-Fuller family and returns home. In revealing all this to her sister, D.J. jokes that Stephanie is getting "sucked into the vortex of motherhood." Stephanie immediately goes quiet and, after a little probing, reveals the heartbreaking news: she can't have children.

Not only did this force me to grab the tissues, but it actually shocked me. In watching Fuller House, I saw Stephanie as the modern-day version of Uncle Jesse, who began Full House as a wild bachelor whose only child was his guitar. Stephanie's career as a DJ and her jet-setting lifestyle seemed to mirror Jesse's to a tee. But it turns out Stephanie didn't choose to be childless — it was forced upon her.

Michael Yarish/Netflix

Though Stephanie doesn't explain why she can't have children, she does share with D.J. that the news put a damper on her future plans. And she does so in a typical Tanner heart-to-heart

"I wasn't really thinking about starting a family then anyways. But then I moved in here and I got to know your kids; feel what it's like to have a family of your own. Things changed."

In attempt to give Stephanie hope, D.J. reminds her to see her nephews are her own children. And although that's a great offer, it's clearly not the same thing. But I also don't think Stephanie should write off her dreams of motherhood just yet. After all, Fuller House is meant to address modern-day issues. This means Stephane could pursue adoption or even try her had at being a foster mother. We just might have to wait till Season 2 to find out if she goes after her dream or not.