Gleeks and non-Gleeks across the nation came together Thursday night to remember a beloved member of the Glee family.
The episode, titled “The Quarterback,” would be unlike any other episode. Through the tears, the laughs and the memories the cast allowed their raw emotions to shine. It was not only a tribute to a beloved character---it was a tribute to a devoted, kind-hearted human being.
Gleeks and non-Gleeks fell in love with both Finn Hudson, the quarterback, and Cory Monteith, the actor. The world learned from him that we should not be afraid to show everyone who we truly are.
The tribute begins with a moving rendition of the iconic “Seasons of Love.” Dressed in all black and with sorrow in their eyes, New Directions appears on stage. In the distance we see a picture of Finn, flashing an ever so tender smile.
Mr. Schue brings the group back together to remember Finn. Mercedes begins singing “I’ll Stand By You,” a song Finn once sang to what he thought was his baby’s first sonogram.
Kurt takes us down memory lane to the very beginning, presenting his dad with the football from the first game they played together and keeping Finn’s letterman jacket for himself.
"Seeing him come down the hallway wearing this, it was like Superman had arrived,” he said.
Once Artie and Sam begin singing “Fire and Rain,” Santana storms out. She heads towards Finn’s memorial by the lockers and finds out that Sue is tampering with the memorial. Santana then physically confronts Sue in her office with no fear of getting in trouble.
A few scenes later we see Puck and Coach Beiste in the locker room. Puck opens up about Finn, breaking our hearts in the process, when he reveals that if he starts crying he may never stop. Finn brought out the best in him and now that he is gone Puck has to learn to be his own quarterback.
Santana melts our hearts with her tribute to Finn, singing “If I Die Young.” After not being able to show her vulnerability she breaks down, crying hysterically, and storming off. Kurt offers her Finn’s jacket, which later goes missing.
Everyone blames the missing jacket on Puck.
Puck plants a tree in Finn’s honor. He acknowledges that the line between 1994-2013 on Finn’s plaque represents all that Finn is. Puck is determined to make a man of himself and reveals his desire to join the Air Force.
We also see a different side of sue, a sensitive one. We see a Sue that is grieving for the loss of someone she truly cared for. Finn left and she was not able to tell him how much he meant to her.
“There's no lesson here. There's no happy ending. There's just nothing. He's gone,” Sue said.
Forty minutes in we witness the return of Rachel Berry, with a heartrending look in her eyes and wearing Finn’s necklace. She brings the whole cast to tears singing “Make You Feel My Love.” It’s the first song Rachel and Finn ever sang together in the car.
She’s afraid of one day losing the memory of his voice.
“He was my person,” she said.
The last scene shows the distressing breakdown of Mr. Schue. As he pulls Finn’s letterman jacket out of his briefcase he begins to cry, revealing just how far Finn’s reach was.
He left an impact on the show, the cast and the fans.
The episode focused on remembering a dear friend. It did not recreate a funeral or explain how Finn died. In the words of Kurt, what mattered was how lived and this is exactly what the show captured.
All profit from the episode’s music downloads will go to Project Limelight. Project Limelight, located in Vancouver, is an organization that provides a safe space for young children to learn and grow in the world of the arts.
Glee returns to FOX Nov. 7.
