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The John Lane series neatly sidesteps such romantic entanglements by having John and Daria naturally gravitate to each other and no one else. Monique is Trent’s off-and-on girlfriend, as in the TV series, but Daria has no canon attraction to the older Trent. As the series progresses, each chapter spins off from one or two TV episodes in sequence, and divergences with the TV series begin to accumulate. The romantic relationship between John and Daria spawns a host of predictable troubles, especially after John is taken in by the Morgendorffers when the Lane home is lost. [[Jake Morgendorffer|Jake]] and [[Helen Morgendorffer]] fear that Daria and John will become sexually active and finally decide to face the matter by introducing them (and a horrified [[Quinn Morgendorffer|Quinn]]) to birth control, an option that Daria and John make an effort to avoid despite their deepening physical relationship.
However, a far greater cascade of well-reasoned consequences ripples out from the change from Jane to John. Other students, particularly [[Brittany Taylor]], notice how John and Daria act as a couple, and their romantic relationships change as well. The once antagonistic Quinn becomes Daria’s closest supporter and ally. Jake begins to rant less often about his father as his friendship with John improves. Daria the loner is forced to be a joiner, taking a position with the school newspaper. This increased participation also lead to a closer friendship with [[Jodie]]. John becomes a trophy-winning track runner, but he remains on the school team as no romantic conflict exists to force him to leave (as did between [[Jane Lane]] and [[Evan]], over Jane’s friendship with Daria). [[Vincent Lane|Vincent]] and [[Amanda Lane]] reappear and take hesitant steps to repair the emotional damage their long absences in John’s life have caused. Even the misanthropic loner [[Penny Lane]] helps them out. In a significant break with canon, [[Tommy Sherman]] is not accidentally killed, instead becoming a pariah for bullying John. John’s presence as Daria’s boyfriend short-circuits a number of plot possibilities (e.g., dates between Daria and [[Ted DeWitt-Clinton]]), as John is protective of Daria and rather jealous of potential suitors.
The John Lane series plays off nicely on the popular perception that Daria and Jane make a great couple in canon, and they would make an even better couple if either they were both lesbians or one of them was a male. The overall tone of the series, despite the ingrained cynicism of John and Daria, is warm and hopeful. Daria matures more rapidly here than in the TV series, and her personality is markedly more positive. This is in striking contrast with the situation in “[[Darius]],” by [[The Angst Guy]], a tale about the tormented relationship between [[Darius Morgendorffer]] (Daria as a male) and the rest of the world, including his new-found girlfriend, Jane Lane.
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