The relationship between Dylan Michalchuk and Marco Del Rossi is known as Darco (Dylan/Marco). It began in the third season of Degrassi: The Next Generation.
Relationship History[]
Overview[]
Marco and Dylan started their first relationship in It's Raining Men, though Marco had been interested in Dylan for some time prior. They broke up in Moonlight Desires because Dylan cheated on Marco and wanted an open relationship. They got back together in Total Eclipse Of The Heart but it ended in Standing In The Dark (2) because Dylan put no effort into their long distance relationship.
Season 3[]
In Pride (1), Marco, Paige Michalchuk, Spinner Mason, Jimmy Brooks, Hazel Aden and Ellie Nash are driven to the beach by Paige's brother Dylan, who is openly gay. Though there is an obvious attraction between Marco and Dylan, however, Marco still poses as Ellie's boyfriend because he isn't ready to come out to his friends yet.
After a game of beach volleyball, Marco tells Dylan how well he plays. The two subtly flirt as Dylan gives Marco tips on perfecting his serve.
Later, Paige and Hazel talk while Marco, Jimmy, and Spinner horse around on the beach. Dylan joins Hazel and Paige, and the three talk about relationship dynamics between the group of friends. When Dylan learns that Ellie and Marco are "together", he seems upset. Paige notices this, and teases Dylan about his crush. Though Dylan says that he too has dated girls before coming out, Hazel insists that Marco and Ellie are "soulmates".
Ellie tells Marco that she is beginning to grow tired of Marco's unwillingness to accept his sexuality, and later tells everyone that the two of them broke up. Marco, who is now forced to deal with his homosexuality, runs off to be by himself. Dylan follows him. The two boys sit together quietly.
At school the next day, Marco tries to talk to Dylan but is interrupted by Jay Hogart, who makes homophobic remarks.
The two begin to grow closer throughout the season and seem to have a mutual attraction to each other, but do not go on a date until It's Raining Men. Marco and Dylan go on their first date with some help from Spinner. It is later revealed that Marco is afraid of bees. At the restaurant, Marco and Dylan run into Marco's homophobic Italian parents, who make the evening awkward. This episode ends in a kiss between Dylan and Marco.
Season 4[]
Dylan and Marco are dating steadily, but certain things come in between their relationship. In King of Pain, Dylan is frustrated that Marco hasn't come out to his parents yet, and says that they are "just friends." However, Marco eventually reveals his sexuality to his mother Louisa Del Rossi, which Dylan is happy about.
In Voices Carry (2), Dylan met Marco and his best friend Craig Manning at the mall to help them with their shopping spree but they were finished by the time that he arrived. Craig, who was experiencing a euphoric high because of his as yet undiagnosed bipolar disorder, was excited about attending the wedding of his girlfriend Ashley Kerwin's father Robert Kerwin and Christopher. Before he left, he said, "I'm so glad that gays can get married! That YOU guys can get married! You gays! I mean if you ever wanted to. Great, great!" A confused Dylan thanked him for his support.
University life is also coming between them, and in Moonlight Desires, Marco suspects that Dylan is cheating on him, which he's right about. When Marco catches Dylan in bed with another man, Marco kissed Craig in an unsuccessful attempt to make his boyfriend jealous. When he learns that Dylan wants an open relationship, Marco decides to break up with him.
Season 5[]
In Total Eclipse Of The Heart, while Marco, Paige, Ellie, and Alex NuƱez are studying at The Dot, Dylan arrives to pick Paige up, which surprises Marco, as he did not know that Dylan was back in town. He quickly introduces Tim, the boy he has been seeing, to him, but looks back at Dylan as he and Paige leave. The next day, Paige convinces Marco and the rest of the group to let loose and go to a gay club that night before an English exam the following day. She asks Marco if Tim is going to come, and stresses that Dylan is back and single. Marco tells her that Dylan broke his heart, and does not reply to Paige when she asks why he isn't moving on.
That night in the line outside of the gay club, Hazel, Alex, Paige, Ellie, Marco, and Tim are excited about entering the club and getting a break from their studies. In the club, Tim and Marco have a conversation about the Oscars, before Marco spots Dylan dancing in the crowd. He leaves Tim alone at the bar for a moment to talk to go talk to Dylan. Marco questions why Dylan is there, and Dylan reveals he put Paige up to getting him there. He says he misses Marco and that he made a huge mistake. Marco tells him his mistake was coming to the club that night and calls Tim his "boyfriend", before kissing him in front of Dylan, which causes Dylan to walk away in anger.
The next day, Marco tries to compare his situation to characters in books to try and help Ellie understand his situation. After receiving a text message from Dylan, he goes over to his house to tell him to leave him alone and that they are over. Dylan remarks that they are far from being over, and that he came home for that summer for him, saying he is still in love with Marco.
Before his English exam the next day, Tim gives Marco a four leaf clover to wish him luck for his exam. After the exam is finished, Marco arranges to go over to Paige's house with everyone and Tim for a "Ryan Reynolds movie fiesta" that night. Paige promises that Dylan won't be in the house because he has hockey practice. Later, while arriving at Paige's house, Marco discovers that Dylan is playing poker in the living room with his friend, as hockey practice had been canceled. Upon Marco's arrival, Dylan takes off his shirt and shows his friend his new tattoo. Tim has to remind Marco about the movie fiesta, as he was too busy staring at shirtless Dylan. Dylan invites Marco to play a game of poker, which he refuses, but eventually complies to after Dylan taunts him, saying he "only plays it safe".
During the game, Marco makes a reckless move in the game, and makes a snarky comment referring to Dylan. Dylan flips the board over and asks him what his problem is. Marco asks him how Dylan could hurt him like that in the past, and Dylan replies he doesn't know, but that he has apologized. He says Marco isn't over it and that he is stuck, saying it will always come down to him and Marco after everything.
After leaving their house, Marco breaks up with Tim, saying he is still in love with Dylan. Tim tells him he deserves Dylan before leaving. The next day, Dylan gives Marco a ride to school, and the two sit on the hood of his car. Dylan tells him Marco means everything to him and wants another chance. Marco calls him a jerk before kissing him, reaffirming that the two get back together.
Season 6[]
Dylan and Marco are back together and steady again. When Marco graduates and goes to Toronto University in Here Comes Your Man (1), they decide to move in together, after convincing Marco's dad that they are "just friends". When Dylan is looking for roommates so that he can pay the rent, Marco's best friend Ellie gets kicked out of her dorm. Marco and Dylan let Ellie move in, after promising she would help pay rent.
In True Colours, Ellie cooked a big meal for herself, Marco and Dylan in their house as she was stressed over the fact that Jesse cut her article and the fact that she was "being treated "like the new Core tramp." Marco said, "Wow. I can feel my overpriced designer jeans not fitting as we speak." Dylan tasted the food before leaving and said, "I think your designer jeans are safe."
Marco and Dylan's relationship slowly begins to deteriorate, as Dylan blows him off and barely ever leaves time for the two of them together. Dylan then leaves to go to Switzerland, his friends often calling it Sweden, to play hockey, and Marco becomes depressed at the long distance relationship. Marco steals money from his dad and decides to play poker with it, even when Spinner told him to stop. He ends up in jail, but someone bails him out. When Marco's dad asks why he is so sad, Marco tells his dad it's because Dylan's in Switzerland.
Season 7[]
At breakfast in Standing In The Dark (2), Marco reminded Ellie that they had a study date at four, for which he had made notes. She told him that he was perfect and he said that she should tell that to Dylan as it was their anniversary and he had not contacted him. Ellie said, "Marco, the boy has checked out." An offended Marco then told her that he had to get to class. Ellie called after him and apologized, saying that she was sure that Dylan would call.
Later that day, Marco visited The Core to get a textbook from Ellie and began chatting with Eric, one of her co-workers who was also gay and had a crush on Marco. Ellie told Jesse that Marco kept "holding onto a guy who treats him like crap" and she suggested that they set him up with Marco. Jesse advised her to mind her own business. In any event, he believed that since Marco was loyal to a fault, he would never let her set him up with Eric. Ellie said that this meant that they would just have to be sneaky. When Marco returned home that evening, he found that Ellie and Jesse had invited Eric over for pizza. Ellie awkwardly told Jesse that she wanted to show him "the thing" and they left them alone. Marco was irritated that they had set him up like that. When Eric said that he thought that there was something between them, Marco told him that there was: Dylan, his boyfriend. Eric got the message and promptly left.
The next morning, Marco was still annoyed at Ellie, saying, "Hey, youāre still in the doghouse, Nash." However, she got him to admit that he was attracted to Eric and he agreed to have a cup of coffee with him on the condition that Ellie promised to back off, which she did. Although his date with Eric was awkward, Marco told Dylan that they needed to talk when he rang him later that day and they broke up.
Timeline[]
- First Relationship:
- Start Up: It's Raining Men (319)
- Broke Up: King of Pain (403)
- Reason: Dylan thought Marco didn't like him and wasn't ready for a relationship.
- Second Relationship:
- Start Up: King of Pain (403)
- Broke Up: Moonlight Desires (419)
- Reason: Marco caught Dylan cheating on him with Eric, and Dylan wanted an open relationship, while Marco did not.
- Third Relationship:
- Start Up: Total Eclipse Of The Heart (517)
- Broke Up: Standing In The Dark (2) (702)
- Reason: Dylan seemed to put no effort into their long distance relationship, so Marco broke up with him.
Rival Relationships[]
Trivia[]
- They were the first gay couple to appear in Degrassi: The Next Generation.
- Marco lost his virginity to Dylan prior to Moonlight Desires.
- In Season 4, Marco's hair was curly like Dylan's.
- Marco is best friends with Dylan's younger sister Paige Michalchuk.
- They were both friends with Ellie Nash, who previously dated Marco. The three of them lived together from September to December 2006.
- They were both romantically involved with a guy named Eric, although they were two different Erics.
- Dylan's first line was spoken to Marco. ("Hey Marco.")
- In Moonlight Desires, Dylan cheated on Marco and when Marco found out, Dylan asked if they could have an open relationship. They were the first same sex couple where this happened. The second is Jack Jones and Imogen Moreno.
- They are two years apart in age: Dylan was born in 1986 while Marco was born in June 1988.
- They both graduated from Degrassi: Dylan in 2004 and Marco in 2006.
- They both attended Toronto University.
Quotes[]
- Marco: "Take this picture and make your dormmates jealous."
Dylan: "They're straight."
Marco: "Then make them uncomfortable!" - King of Pain.