Developmental education sits at the nexus of all things educational, yet developmental education research seems asleep, unaware of the valuable and critical perspectives the field can provide. In that light, this article addresses the developmental education identity crisis addressed by Arendale (2005) in "Terms of Endearment," suggesting principles for a new wave of developmental education research. These principles suggest an innovative research imperative that includes the exploration of new learning contexts with new theoretical perspectives and analysis techniques. A new commitment to innovative research ideas should help revive research in the field and help students reach their educational goals.