[Warning: This story contains spoilers from Thursday's "Swan Song" episode of Glee.]
After last week’s sectionals episode, which ended with Marley (Melissa Benoist) fainting during New Directions’ first number, this week’s show reveals the glee club’s fate, and also introduces us to a new couple – who defend their choice to critics right from the start.
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The New Directions find out that they have been disqualified from sectionals because they left the stage early, and the Warblers have won. Well, that was fast. Their season is essentially over, so what will they do now?
In New York, Kurt (Chris Colfer) is prepping for an audition at NYADA, and Rachel (Lea Michele) wants to be one of the only freshmen to ever get one of the 10 golden tickets to perform at NYADA's winter showcase.
Back in high school, Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) is on a mission to take the glee club’s space for her Cheerios now that the singing club is done for the season. But Finn (Cory Monteith) encourages his club to keep their heads up, and focus on preparing for the holiday concert. “If this is our swan song, let’s make it the best one it can be,” he says.
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Brittany (Heather Morris), who we learn is not afraid to eat cereal off the high school floor, is wooed by Sam (Chord Overstreet), who says he’s “totally” into her. After making a little music together (literally), they nearly share a kiss, but Brittany says she can’t. Although Sam reminds her that she’s broken up with Santana (Naya Rivera), Brittany says it’s not just about that. She says it’s because of "all the lesbians of the nation," who have been big supporters of “two super hott, popular girls in love.”
"I'm nervous they'd turn on you and get really violent and hurt your beautiful face and mouth," she says, in a message directed at Brittana fans.
Back in New York, Rachel gets her golden ticket, but still has to deal with the terrifying, ab-tastic Cassandra (Kate Hudson). (How long can this rivalry really go on for? Does Hudson get tired of doing the same shtick every week? Because it's definitely getting tired.) This week, it's a dance off! To Chicago’s “All that Jazz,” of course. Rachel admits she’s not as good of a dancer, but she is a better singer, which she plans to use to her advantage during the showcase.
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And, all of a sudden, Brittany has warmed up to the idea of dating Sam due to some sappy thing about “last chances.” She asks him out on a date, but he asks how the lesbian blogger community is going to feel about it.
“They’re not going to like it, but the way I feel about it is, they know they’re my sisters, and love is love,” she says, before kissing Sam.
Rachel chats with Brody (Dean Geyer) before going onstage for her golden ticket performance, and she seems confident that she could win it. The new, confident Rachel has apparently disposed of any sign of the girl we used to know from last year. She plants a kiss on him before heading onstage to sing a fantastic rendition of "Being Good Isn't Good Enough.”
Kurt is called to the stage to perform his audition. After a slight freakout, he decides to sing "Being Alive," to show he’s not just “surface.” It’s a winning evening for Rachel (who becomes the first freshman to ever win the showcase) and Kurt (who is accepted to NYADA in the spring).
The episode ends with Finn writing an email (with plenty of cheesy voice-over and “Don’t You (Forget About Me)" playing, Breakfast Club style) to the glee club to inspire them to keep loving the music, and ask them to meet him for rehearsal. Outside. In the snow. And hey, look, everyone shows up to sing "Don't Dream It's Over” and freeze their butts off!
What did you think of Thursday’s episode? Did Brittany (and the show’s writers) defend her choice to date Sam? What did you think of Rachel and Kurt’s performances? Hit the comments with your thoughts.
