10 Times Rebecca Welton Was the Best Part of ‘Ted Lasso’

Ted Lasso is a feel-good show that leaves us feeling happy and hopeful after every episode. With fun, emotional, meaningful storylines, it features characters that will be remembered long after the show is over.

One of those amazing characters is Rebecca Welton. A tall, strong, independent woman who, at first, lets herself be driven by revenge. However, as the episodes go by, she becomes more vulnerable and human.

It is that complexity in her character that makes her one of the most lovable members of AFC Richmond. If Ted Lasso is the heart of the team, she is what helps it beat.

In chronological order, here are 10 times Rebecca Welton was the best part of Ted Lasso:

1. Panda or Lion? (Season 1 Episode 2)

From the beginning of the show, we are aware of Rebecca’s revenge plan. It technically makes her the villain of the show. However, there is something about her that prevents her from being hated.

She’s a strong character and has never tried to hide that (nor should she). During Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 2, “Biscuits,” this is reaffirmed as she answers Keeley’s question: would you rather be a lion or a panda?

Ted Lasso, to no one’s surprise, would rather be a panda, but his then nemesis would rather be a lion. That answer is what sets the tone for Rebecca’s character throughout the season.

As we keep watching the show, we realize Rebecca was turned into a lion, but deep down she is still a panda.

2. Her Vulnerable Side (Season 1 Episode 4)

The panda or lion discussion can be indirectly perceived throughout Season 1. During Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 4, “For the Children,” we are witnesses to Rebecca’s threatening lion, Rupert Manion.

In front of this man, she more obviously becomes a panda. She feels helpless and defenseless. As an audience, we get to see her more vulnerable side.

“I don’t want to be alone,” she says to Ted Lasso when he finds her crying outside the gala. In that moment, we understand Rebecca is more afraid and lonely than she lets on.

These glimpses into her deeper feelings and emotions are what allow us to create a connection with her character and fall in love with her.

3. “Fuck the haters!” (Season 1 Episode 6)

Although the end of Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 6, “Two Aces,” leaves us mad at Rebecca for sending Jamie back to his original team, there is a moment that makes us want to protect her.

Rebecca’s complexity makes fans switch between loving her and disliking her throughout the entire series. When we see her diving into the news to find out more about Rupert’s new girl, we want to protect her.

As she stands in the locker room with the rest of the team, we know what a big role she plays in AFC Richmond. She tries to keep them at arm’s length and not get invested in the players, but deep down she knows she cares about them.

“Fuck the haters,” makes us realize how much she truly is affected by what is being said about her in the media. Even though she tries to appear as strong and unbeatable, we know there is a vulnerable woman underneath.

4. A Disney Twist (Season 1 Episode 7)

Most Disney movies make us cry and laugh, leaving us a bit happier than they found us. Frozen is one of those movies that disrupted the world and made everyone fall in love with Arendelle and its sisters. So, no surprise, we all cried when Rebecca started singing “Let it go.”

Fans of Hannah Waddingham before the show knew her talent went beyond acting and that her voice was out of this world. But to those new to the Waddingham-mania, Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 7, “Make Rebecca Great Again,” was a revelation.

Although ‘Let it go’ is a world-renowned song that everyone knows, Rebecca gives it her own twist because the song means something to her. We learn she has a goddaughter she hasn’t seen in years because of her marriage.

Rebecca dedicates the song to Nora, helping us understand her persona a bit more.

5. A Helping Hand (Season 1 Episode 7)

As a Rebecca-centric episode, Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 7, “Make Rebecca Great Again,” gives more details about who this woman is and what she is capable of. We see her singing, having a one-night stand, and enjoying her friends.

But we can also see her taking care of the hero of the story, Ted. Her relationship with Ted Lasso is a complicated one. She is using him for revenge, but she realizes he isn’t what she expected; he is better.

When Ted finds himself running out of the karaoke bar with a panic attack, it is Rebecca who follows him. She kneels down next to him and holds him until he can breathe again. She helps him through it.

This moment makes us wonder if Rebecca has dealt with panic attacks herself in the past. How was she able to tell so fast? How is she able to help him?

Once again, she shows there is much more to her than a revenge plot.

6. Saying Sorry (Season 1 Episode 9)

The good kinds of friends are those who can hold you accountable and help you realize when you’ve made mistakes. That is exactly what Keeley does when she finds out about Rebecca’s revenge plan.

She tells Rebecca it is time to make Ted aware of what was going on. Keeley threatens to tell him herself, but we all know it wouldn’t be the right thing to do. So, the boss does what is right.

As she apologizes to Ted, he is the one to encourage her to continue in her apologies journey. Next stop: Higgins.

Although the apology to Higgins was needed, many believe he should have apologized to Rebecca as well. He was the one helping Rupert cheat on her, and we never see him really give her an apology.

However, Ted Lasso Season 1 Episode 9, “All Apologies,” proves once more that Rebecca is a complex human being who is willing to learn from her mistakes. Our love for her continues to grow.

7. A Godmother (Season 2 Episode 3)

Season 2 brings us a different Rebecca. She is no longer seeking revenge, she is seeking love.

We remember from Season 1 that her biggest fear is being alone, so the search for a romantic partner doesn’t come as a surprise. She is struggling to find the person who makes her feel “like you’ve been struck by fucking lightning.”

However, what Rebecca doesn’t realize is that she isn’t alone. In comparison to the beginning of Season 1, she has a huge support system that only wants to see her succeed.

One of those people is her goddaughter Nora who we finally meet on Ted Lasso Season 2 Episode 3, “Do the Right-est Thing.” Nora calls her out on having forgotten about her and pushes her to be a “boss ass bitch.”

Hopefully, in time Rebecca will realize her fear won’t come true.

8. A Christmas Miracle (Season 2 Episode 4)

Ted and Rebecca’s relationship, whether it takes a step in the romantic direction or not, is the thread that holds Ted Lasso together.

During Season 1, he is the one to humanize her and help us see her more vulnerable side. Although Season 2 Rebecca is more human, they seem to always pop up in each other’s lives when they need it most.

Season 2 has these two characters exploring themselves and keeps them at a certain distance, only meeting when necessary. Ted Lasso Season 2 Episode 4, “Carol of the Bells,” is one of those moments.

As Ted finds himself sad because he is spending Christmas away from his son, Rebecca walks in to turn his day around. She gets him out of the apartment and out of his sad self.

By doing so, she is also giving a part of herself that no one has seen before. Rebecca shares with him an intimate moment, a tradition she created for herself. Once again, they connect on a deeper level than boss-coach.

The episode ends with both of them singing outside Higgins’s house and bringing the entire team out into the streets. This final moment proves none of them will ever be alone, they have a chosen family.

9. The Assertive Queen (Season 2 Episode 5)

If there is one thing Rebecca Welton knows how to do it is carry herself and leave an impression in every room she enters. She is an elegant woman who knows how to act and what to say.

That is exactly why Keeley goes to her to help Nate feel more confident and fight for what he wants. Rebecca encourages him to be more assertive and to take control of the situation.

As the season goes by, we are able to see this backfires as Nate goes entirely against the team. Maybe he became a little too assertive.

However, Ted Lasso Season 2 Episode 5, “Rainbow,” allows us to see deeper into the kind of woman Rebecca is. She is always willing to help those she cares about. But she has also learned how to care for them.

Her immediate reaction to Nate’s problem was to offer to buy the restaurant he wanted to eat at with his parents. But, with Keeley’s help, she realizes Nate needs more than that. He needs help gaining confidence.

The Rebecca from Season 1 would have thrown Nate out of her office. But in Season 2 Rebecca is one who listens, helps, and gives a bit of herself to every situation.

10. Rebecca is Great (Season 2 Episode 10)

Towards the end of Season 2, Rebecca loses her father and faces a trauma from her childhood. Although at first, we don’t understand her anger, in the end, we want to hug her and keep her safe.

Rebecca tells her mother she was aware of her father’s infidelity in what could be considered the best parallel of the season and one of Hannah Waddingham’s most incredible performances. From that moment on, no one can say they dislike Rebecca Welton.

It is during the funeral that Rebecca is able to come to terms with every challenge life has thrown her way. Her father cheating, her mother knew, and her own choice to marry a man who was exactly like her father.

Our reformed villain stands in front of everyone who loves her and breaks down in tears and a song. But it isn’t until Ted Lasso walks in and picks up the song where she left off, that Rebecca realizes she is not alone.

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Rebecca Welton is an important piece of Ted Lasso. Her personality brings a complexity to the show that we have loved from the very beginning. Her journey has been one to remember.

As a strong, independent woman, she proves it is okay to be vulnerable and have doubts and fears. Rebecca’s storyline proves, however, that owning your mistakes will drive you away from your fears, and that is why she is the best part of Ted Lasso.

Did your favorite Rebecca moment make the list? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Ted Lasso is now streaming on Apple TV+.

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