You forget about the time when Jem came into the picture too. Barbi had ran off with GI Joe and Ken was obviously upset, he tried to make Barbi jelous by hooking up with rocker Jem, unbeknowist to Ken, Jem lead a double life as Jerrica, and even deeper the ironic twist , Jerrica was actually GI Joe's old highschool flame. So, while his fling with Jem had little affect on Barbi, GI Joe was the jealous type and swooped Jerrica off her feet, leaving Barbi. Her affair with Ken and Gi Joe would have gone on for years probably had Midge not discovered her true double life indentify when she was moonlighting as a flower delivery girl. Barbi and Ken did make up, but their reunion would be short lived. Jem befriended Barbi and they started a band. Barbi went on the road, and Ken would not follow as a groupie.