Summary
- Fry and Leela's relationship has developed over all eleven seasons of Futurama, from strangers to a committed couple.
- The decision to Planet Express allowed Fry and Leela to be constantly around each other and allowed their romance to bloom.
- The series has had multiple endings, but the original finale showed Leela falling for Fry, and they eventually married and grew old together.
Fry and Leela's relationship is one of the most significant overarching storylines in Futurama, so here is a complete breakdown of the duo's romance, explained. While there are plenty of recurring arcs in the series, none have been as ever present as Fry and Leela's relationship, with the dynamic between the two characters being developed across all eleven seasons of Futurama. The series has taken Fry and Leela from strangers in season 1 to a committed couple in season 11, but they've hit some bumps along the way. Lots of major events have occurred regarding their relationship throughout the show, and here are the most important ones.
Futurama is finally back, with Hulu reviving the beloved Matt Groening sci-fi series for an eleventh season more than a decade after the show last went off the air. Season 11 has finally wrapped with the episode "All the Way Down," which explores the Futurama universe from a new perspective, pondering if the Futurama timeline could actually be a simulation. Although Fry and Leela's relationship is not the main focus of this episode, it is present, highlighting how integral the duo's dynamic has become to the series. After over two decades on the air, some details of Fry and Leela's relationship may be forgotten, necessitating a recap.
Fry & Leela First Meet In 2999
On December 31, 1999, Philip J. Fry fell into a cryogenic freezing chamber and was transported to the world of tomorrow: 2999. Upon arriving there, Fry met a purple-haired cyclops named Leela who attempted to imbed him with his career chip. A terrified Fry attempted to evade Leela, with the fact that the two would be life-long lovers being unknown to him. Eventually, the two begin to bond over their loneliness, with Fry having lost everyone and Leela being an outcast mutant. This was the first spark of the pair's relationship, one that would grow over the subsequent seasons.
Planet Express Hires Fry & Leela
Fry and Leela make what might be the most significant decision of their lives later in the pilot episode, "Space Pilot 3000." Discovering that Professor Farnsworth is his relative, Fry, Bender, and Leela track him down, only to discover that he owns a delivery company called Planet Express. Fry and Bender are jobless, leading them to the company, and Leela quits her job to work alongside them. This decision allowed the trio to constantly be around each other, with Planet Express acting as the catalyst that allows Fry and Leela's romance to bloom.
Fry & Leela Have Their First Kiss On The Titanic
While onboard the space Titanic in season 1, episode 10, "A Flight to ," Fry and Leela finally share their first kiss. Throughout the cruise, DOOP commander Zapp Brannigan harasses Leela, leading Leela to lie by saying that her and Fry are engaged. In an attempt to prove her lie, Leela kisses Fry in front of Zapp, throwing Zapp off her trail. Although Fry and Leela's first kiss may have been a ruse, with their true first kiss not happening until the season 3 episode "Insane in the Mainframe," it was a significant moment in their relationship.
Teenage Versions Of Fry & Leela Begin Dating
Futurama continues to tease Fry and Leela's relationship in season 4, episode 9, "Teenage Mutant Leela's Hurdles," although this development is an odd one. In the episode, the Planet Express crew is accidentally made younger by a powerful tar, with Fry and Leela becoming teenage versions of themselves. While teenagers, the pair begins dating, although this doesn't carry into their adult life. However, it is the first time that the pair is actually a couple in the series.
Leela Falls For Fry In The Original Series Finale
Futurama has had multiple endings, but season 4's "The Devil's Hands Are Idle Playthings" was the show's original finale. In the episode, Fry makes a deal with the Robot Devil which allows him to play the Holphonor. Fry does this in order to impress Leela, and while this works at first, the Devil comes to get his due. After swapping their hands back, Fry can no longer play the Holphonor even though he composed an opera for Leela. Leela doesn't care about Fry's talent, as she happily listens to a poorly-performed version of the opera, with the season ending as Leela falls for Fry.
Leela Gets Engaged To A Timeline Variant Of Fry
The Futurama movie Bender's Big Score again puts a strange twist on Fry and Leela's relationship, with Leela falling for a timeline variant of Fry. In the movie, an alternate version of Fry comes to the future and takes up the mantle of Lars Fillmore. Unaware that Lars and Fry are the same person, Leela falls for Lars and plans to marry him. Although Lars breaks the relationship off, Leela discovers that she was actually in love with Fry, proving that a successful relationship is possible.
Fry & Leela Officially Begin Dating In Season 7
Futurama season 7 sees Fry and Leela's relationship officially begin, although it is hard to pinpoint the exact moment that it started. Robot Fry and Robot Leela confess their love for each other in the season 7 premiere, but the real versions of these characters don't seem to comment on it. However, Fry and Leela go on various dates and perform other romantic activities throughout season 7, signaling that they are finally dating.
Fry & Leela Have Sex For The First Time (In Zoidberg & Farnsworth’s Bodies)
"The Prisoner of Benda" is all about body-swapping, but it just so happens that Fry and Leela have sex for the first time in this episode as well. In an attempt to repulse each other, Fry and Leela swap bodies with Zoidberg and Farnsworth. However, while in their disgusting new bodies, Fry and Leela sleep together for the first time in the show's history. While the implications of this situation may be problematic, it is a big deal in the duo's relationship.
Fry & Leela Grow Old Together In "Meanwhile"
The Futurama season 10 finale "Meanwhile" is all about Fry and Leela's relationship, and it is quite beautiful. In the finale, Fry and Leela are caught in time loop, with them eventually freezing everything in the timeline except themselves. Unable to fix the universe, Fry and Leela decide to get married, with them spending decades in the frozen universe. The two grow old together, but the episode ends with Farnsworth somehow arriving to reset the timeline, retconning the events of these years.
Fry & Leela Move In Together
Fry and Leela are still dating in Hulu's Futurama revival, with the biggest event in the season being that the two move in together. Futurama season 11, episode 5, "Related to Items You've Viewed" sees Leela move in with Fry and Bender permanently, with the three residing together in Robot Arms Apts. This status quo change carries over into the subsequent episode, meaning that this relationship change will most likely continue to be part of Futurama moving forward.