Why Emily is such an unlikable character on Friends? Explained

Emily is an unlikable character on Friends because her husband Ross accidentally said his ex Rachel’s name at the altar on the day of their wedding. It turns out that, after that incident, Emily didn't forgive Ross, and she became extremely overbearing and possessive as a result.

From the start of their relationship on Friends, everyone was pulling for Ross and Rachel to end up together. Nevertheless, their brief separation was only caused by Ross's acquaintance with Emily Waltham, who coincidentally happened to be Rachel's boss's niece. The couple got engaged in London a week after meeting for the first time and were married there six weeks later.

After their marriage, she hid out of embarrassment. She made sporadic appearances in Season 5 of Friends until Ross persuaded her to accompany him to New York. She agreed, but only if he promised not to see Rachel going forward.

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Friends: Ross and Emily’s fast-paced relationship explained

The night Rachel went on her first "date" with Joshua, Rachel's boss invited her to take his niece Emily to the opera; she persuaded Ross to accompany Emily instead. After the date, she and Ross checked into a bed and breakfast in Vermont, and the rest of their relationship moved at a similarly rapid speed.

Ross found Emily at the airport as she is leaving to return to England, and he told her he loved her. Emily said, "Thank you." She subsequently confessed that she was seeing Colin. But she decided to break up with him and told Ross that she also loved him.

Emily's constant movement between New York and London bothered Ross, so much so that he proposed marriage after just six weeks of courtship. Although she was initially hesitant, Emily eventually agreed, and Ross made a suitable proposal.

Emily began arranging her wedding and allowed Monica Geller, her future sister-in-law, to select her wedding gown. Emily was unaware that Monica had worn the dress that she had chosen out, and that Phoebe and Rachel had received separate bridal gowns.

When Rachel found out about Ross's engagement, she was hurt because still had feelings for Ross. She was devastated and decided to tell him during the London wedding. Ross and Emily got into a fight because the London building they planned to get married in was beginning to be demolished early. Before Ross made amends with Emily and decorated the partially demolished structure, he and Emily were on the verge of calling off their wedding.

Rachel decided, at the last minute in Friends, to keep her feelings from Ross hidden. She gave him a quick hug. Nevertheless, Rachel resurrected old (and genuine) feelings in Ross, and he inadvertently said, "I, Ross, take thee, Rachel..." rather than "I, Ross, take thee, Emily..."

The marriage went ahead and was consummated. Emily, however, left the wedding celebration after feeling degraded. In an attempt to salvage the moment, Ross asked Emily's parents to let her know he would be waiting for her at the airport in the hopes that she would still choose to go on her honeymoon. Ross eventually decided to take Rachel with him after what appeared to be an embarrassment for Emily, only to be seen on camera departing with her. After escaping Ross once more, Emily went into hiding.

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After that, Ross went back to the US in Friends to call Emily and asked her to forgive him. Upon her eventual phone call, he persuaded her to visit New York. She consented, but only on the understanding that Ross wouldn't see Rachel ever again.

Ross agreed to this, but he also warned Emily that their marriage would fail if she didn't trust him and that their union would dissolve the moment she acknowledged this.