Top 10 Memorable On My Block Moments

#10: The Crew Says Goodbye to Olivia
“Chapter Eleven”

Season two opens with one of the biggest reveals to season one’s cliffhanger: the fate of Ruby and Olivia. It’s revealed that while Ruby is still alive, Olivia did not survive after being shot by Latrelle at the end of season one. Though overcome with survivor syndrome, it’s not until the very end of the episode that we see Ruby breaking down in tears at her memorial site. The four friends, Monsé, Jamal, Ruby, and Cesar remember Olivia for the great friend she was, even joking about how bad she was at speaking Spanish. Thanks to the tears, forgiveness, and a sweet, intimate exchange to honor a fallen friend, this is one of the most beautiful examples of their bond in the series.

#9: Season Two Finale Cliffhanger
“Chapter Twenty”

On My Block doesn’t shy away from cliffhangers that range from sad to shocking and even confusing. In the season two finale, everything seems to be back to normal. Ruby’s on the road to healing. Cesar is welcomed back into the Santos gang. Monse returned from staying with her mom in Brentwood. And owing to the wits of Jasmine and Jamal, the group cleaned the RollerWorld money. But things take a shocking turn when they’re kidnapped. Viewers initially end up seeing what Monse doesn’t see while she’s walking away from her friends, which is that they’re hauled into a van. A few moments pass and it’s her turn to get taken with them. It’s not the only season finale to leave viewers perplexed. But it’s moments like this one that make viewers want to watch even more episodes.

#8: The Other Side of Jasmine
“Chapter Thirteen”

Jasmine is easily one of the most fun characters in the series. She’s confident, outgoing, and keeps the crew on their toes. But in season two, Jasmine’s arc is flushed out. When Ruby visits her house, he discovers that Jasmine is the caregiver of her father who is in a catatonic state after serving in the war in Afghanistan. Ruby comes to the conclusion that maybe he summed her up too quickly. This is a sweet moment in the series that solidifies Jasmine as more than a trope or side character, and rather a friend. In the next episode, she further shows this side of her when she comforts Ruby after a panic attack. In short, Jasmine effortlessly steals each moment she’s on-screen.

#7: Cesar & Spooky Frame the Prophet$
“Chapter Nineteen” & “Chapter Twenty”

When Cesar held Latrelle at gunpoint but chose not to pull the trigger, he wasn’t the only one who suffered the consequences. Desperate to protect his friends, Cesar made a deal with the Prophets, but it backfired. Or so it seemed. His brother, Oscar, also known as Spooky, devised a plan to frame the Prophets with marked cash from a recent robbery that led to the Prophets’ mass arrest. Very few moments take precedence over that “on the edge of your seat” feeling viewers got while watching Cesar walk alone and unarmed into the Prophets’ territory. And just when we thought Cesar was doomed, he and Spooky drive off into the sunset, laughing mischievously for pulling off one of the best twists on the show.

#6: New Year’s Eve Surprise
“Chapter Eleven”

“On My Block” is also known for its quirky and unforgettable side characters. Mario, Ruby’s older brother, is last shown in season one giving the core four unsolicited advice for surviving high school. When he makes an appearance on New Year’s Eve, his family is delighted. That doesn’t last long, however. He brings home a pregnant girlfriend that no one in the Martinez family even knew existed, which leads to some cringey moments at the dinner table.
Despite this out-of-the-blue segway, this moment, doubled by the discovery in a later episode that Mario is in fact not the father, is comedic gold.

#5: An Unfamiliar Face
“Chapter Four”

The whereabouts of Monse’s mother are unknown at the beginning of the series. However, it is mentioned that she left Monse and her father several years prior. On Halloween night when the crew traveled to Freeridge’s neighboring suburban city of Brentwood, Monse and her mom cross paths. She’s seen walking door to door with two little trick-or-treaters, but doesn’t even recognize her own daughter. Yikes. This catches viewers off guard and develops more of a purpose for Monse other than as “the glue that keeps the four friends together”. Little did we know that this moment is the beginning of a threat to Monse’s relationship with her friends, Cesar, and her father later in the season.

#4: Buried at the Goal Line
“Chapter Ten”

There’s always that one conspiracy theorist in every friend group. In “On My Block,” Jamal is that friend. Legend has it that the money from the RollerWorld heist of 1981 had never been found. Jamal embarked on a treasure hunt for the cash, with the help of Ruby’s cool abuelita, Marisol. Though Cesar needed that money to get out of town, the group had their doubts Jamal would find it. Sure enough, he rode off into the night with the duffle bag full of cash, making the comical and often frustrating adventure a satisfying one. Isn’t it ironic how Jamal’s father wanted him to play football only for him to find the money buried under the field?

#3: Jasmine & Ruby’s Dance Routine
“Chapter Fourteen”

Jasmine takes it upon herself to audition girls to be Ruby’s date for the Valentine’s Day dance to cheer him up. Though he usually distances himself from Jasmine, Ruby decides he wants her to be his date instead. The two then partner up for the event’s annual dance competition. The contestants’ auditions, albeit thoroughly entertaining, barely prepare us for the moment when the two take the dance floor in an iconic routine. How could any forget those matching outfits? Even though it’s brief, the moment is a fun break away from the heavier subjects in the show and foreshadows a budding romance between the unlikely pair.

#2: Time Jump or Dream Sequence?
“Chapter Twenty-Eight”

“On My Block” fans are used to having unanswered questions at the end of each season. But the season three finale takes the cake. Aside from the teen romance, quarrels, and Jamal’s shenanigans, this coming-of-age series mainly focuses on friendship. Monse, on her way to boarding school, says goodbye and makes the others promise to stay in touch. Seems sweet, right? Jumping two years later, Monse has made new friends at her new school. Jamal is a football player. He and Ruby, who’s seen walking hand-in-hand with Jasmine, exchange a strange look but don’t say hi or act like friends. And Cesar. We can only hope one of the characters is having a bad dream.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Lil’ Ricky Lives, “Chapter Twenty-One”
Jamal & Spooky Dig Up Lil’ Ricky’s Grave

Drunken Speech Gone Wrong, “Chapter Fifteen”
Mario & Spooky Accidentally Get Ruby Drunk at a Santos Party

“All Fall Down!”, “Chapter Six”
Jamal Scores the Winning Touchdown

Spooky to the Rescue, “Chapter Four”
Spooky Defends the Friends at a Halloween Party in Brentwood

Cesar & Oscar’s Heart-to-Heart, “Chapter Eight”
Oscar Opens Up to Cesar about His Lost Dreams

#1: Latrelle’s Revenge
“Chapter Ten”

As heartbreaking and shocking as it is, this will forever go down as a stand out moment from the show. Earlier, Oscar convinces Cesar to kill Latrelle after Latrelle threatens Cesar and Monse. But when he doesn’t go through with it, choosing to scare the Prophet member into leaving town, Latrelle retaliates instead. Olivia’s Quinceañera seems like it’s going to end well, only for it to be disrupted by Latrelle, who ends up shooting Ruby and Olivia while aiming for Cesar. This scene goes from heartwarming, as Ruby finally has the girl he’s pined over the entire season, to sudden horror and utter sadness, when everyone realizes what really happened. The gut-punch of Ruby gasping for air while Olivia reaches out to him and the missed call from her parents are tough to shake.