Tina Belcher and Jimmy Junior have evolved to be a television couple loved by many. But, Zeke has proved himself to be a worthy suitor through the seasons. Tina may have eyes only for Jimmy Junior now, but surely his unrequited affection and fickle relationship status with her will grow old.
Tina, firstly, will grow to be a strong woman. Even if her morals occasionally falter in the episodes, it’s important to note that she is only 13. And for 13, she already is the embodiment of feminism and self-love.
Jimmy Junior is not strong enough for the person that Tina will grow up to be. Jimmy Pesto is likely the man that Jimmy Junior will grow to be, and Tina would overpower him. She knows who she is and what she loves, and Jimmy Junior would change himself to fit into the same category as his popular peers. He associates himself with Tammy and Jocelyn positively and frequently, and Tina is going to grow out of that scene early on- just as Zeke will.
Zeke is already so far ahead of Jimmy Junior. He isn’t as book smart, surely, but he’s street smart and morally smart. He has so much respect for women, especially Tina. In the Oeder Games, Zeke even vocalizes Jimmy Junior’s lack of respect for Tina. He and Peter Peskadero head the woman’s issues club at Wagstaff while Jimmy Junior always falls short in his success and in his perspectives; like in the magic competition where he claims his “dancician” status rather than truly honing any magic tricks and during the class president elections where he says he “only wants to be able to pick the songs at dances”. Had Zeke put his mind to it, he would have surely outdone Jimmy Junior in both competitions.
Zeke’s ambition is exemplified when Bob teaches the school’s home economics class. He begins with the “cool kid” attitude, but when his passion is flared there is nothing that can stop him. Not only is he passionate, but his passion was placed into something that just happens to perfectly fit into Tina’s life.
Tina is the eldest Belcher child. The Burger empire will no doubt be passed to her when Bob steps down, and Zeke is the perfect candidate to step into his place. Jimmy Junior doesn’t have the ambition or the favor with Bob that Zeke does. Jimmy Junior is the best candidate as Jimmy Pesto’s own heir as well. There would be no easy way to welcome the young Pesto into the Belcher family nor is there an easy way that Jimmy Junior could break away from the family pizzeria.
Zeke doesn’t simply happen to fit well into the business, but he genuinely likes Tina and Tina seems to have a soft spot for Zeke. Zeke comments when Tina gets him the Wagstaff Wailer uniform that “now I have a story I can tell on our wedding day- you don’t think it’ll happen, girl, but I’m gonna get you”, to which Tina doesn’t deny him. In the same episode, she gives up her hall monitor promotion to even get him the mascot uniform. She could have had the promotion, as Mr. Frond offered it to her with an ultimatum, but she would rather get Zeke out of trouble than have her promotion. When Tina begins her own Wagstaff news broadcast covering the Mad Pooper, the close of the episode unmasks Zeke as the pooper where he says that he was doing it so Tina could have a story. Plus, Zeke and his cousin Leslie were cool enough to drive Tina and Lousie to the Boyz 4 Now concert.
Tina may have eyes for Jimmy Junior now, well, mostly for his butt, but his antics will lose favor with her. Surely Tammy or Jocelyn will find themselves in a relationship with Jimmy Junior once high school hits, and it seems that Zeke may simply be waiting for that moment. He spends every moment with Jimmy Junior, but their secret animosity was revealed in the Order Games when Tina pitted them against each other in the water balloon fight. They may have reunited in the end, but that dispute is noteworthy. Tammy has already set out to obtain Jimmy Junior’s favor, most likely for the simple fact that Tina likes him, but Jimmy Junior will fall under her spell eventually. We already saw hints of it during the magic show.
Zeke is the only suitor that will be a match for Tina’s personality and for her future. The dance king will surely boot-scoot his way out of Tina’s favor and Zeke will step right in.
