What is it about a glitzy Sectionals performance that gets me all giddy? Watching Glee Season 6 Episode 11, the penultimate episode in the series, and knowing that this was the last time we'll see the New Directions in competition just has me feeling a little weepy.
My emotional reaction makes almost zero sense because it's not like this was even the best Sectionals episode we've ever had in the show's six-season run, but man. I'm sad that this is ending.
Maybe that's a normal reaction when you've dedicated six years of your life to a TV show, through all of its good moments and bad. All things have to end eventually, Glee included, but it really feels like we just sailed away.
Sectionals episodes are always good if for no other reason than their extra-heavy dose of Glee music. Tonight was no exception. Roderick's "Take Me To Church" followed by the entire group coming together for "Chandelier" were beautifully done. In fact, Roderick is pretty fantastic as long as he's singing and not trying to act.
The same goes for Spencer. That's part of the reason why their scenes together tonight were among my least favorite. The other part of that is because they're the new new class and I just can't care much about them.
Spencer sprained his ankle and he's willing to go full Varsity Blues for the New Directions. Meh. Roderick comes up with a plan to keep Spencer from getting himself shot up with cortisone so he can dance horribly which includes Spencer not having to dance at all and it ends up being amazing and stealing the show. Meh.
I mean, it was great. The performance was great. But we didn't need that setup in order to have Roderick go rogue and change their choreography, complete with putting Myron in a nudey-suit and a wig to have him dance around like the girl from Dance Moms who performed in Sia's original video.
He could've done all that without having Spencer injured. A simple "hey, guys, I have an idea..." right before going on stage after a few earlier discussions about being afraid their set wasn't enough would've sufficed. Basically anything to prevent Spencer and Roderick from having to act.
Anyway. It all worked out. The New Directions won Sectionals and Sue claimed credit for ensuring Will Schuester will always have a job at McKinley High School. Because of course she did.
25 BEST Glee Performances of All-Time
1.
Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Season 1
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Remember when the New Directions donned those red t-shirts in Glee Season 1 and made believers out of us all? Yeah, that's the moment we knew we were on to something good.
2.
Defying Gravity - Glee Season 1
Kurt and Rachel were the definition of frenemies when Glee started. "Defying Gravity" was the moment we realized Kurt wouldn't play second fiddle to Rachel for long. He threw the sing-off to save his dad, not because he wasn't as good as her.
3.
And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going - Glee Season 1
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Eve's Jane Adams Girl's Choir might have stolen this number straight from the New Directions set list, but Mercedes Jones sang it better. Almost as good as J. Hud herself.
4.
I Dreamed a Dream - Glee Season 1
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Rachel Berry met her mother, Vocal Adrenaline coach Shelby Corcoran, during Glee Season 1, but that was AFTER their duet of "I Dreamed a Dream" from Les Miserables.
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5.
Faithfully - Glee Season 1
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After quite a rough start to their relationship (which didn't prove to get any easier in later seasons) Finn declared his love for Rachel just before the Glee stars took the stage to sing "Faithfully." Finchel forever!
6.
Teenage Dream - Glee Season 2
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Meet BLAINE ANDERSON and the Warblers! From the minute he and his backup singers began "Teenage Dream" fans knew they wanted him to stick around.
7.
Thriller / Heads Will Roll - Glee Season 2
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Who doesn't love a good "Thriller" cover, complete with accompanying dance sequence? Right? That's why it's on the list.
8.
Landslide - Glee Season 2
It was the moment Santana realized she was willing to give it all up for Brittany. "Landslide" thrust Naya Rivera's character into the spotlight and we're forever thankful for that moment.
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9.
Loser Like Me - Glee Season 2
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After nearly two complete seasons, fans began to wonder if we'd ever see an original song on Glee. "Loser Like Me" filled the gap and even got some radio play!
10.
For Good - Glee Season 2
While the fandom longed for couples Finchel and Klaine to be together forever, "For Good" marked the moment when Rachel and Kurt's friendship became the show's central story.
11.
Cool - Glee Season 3
Mike Chang finally got a story of his own when he faced his parents about his love for dancing during Glee Season 3's "Asian F" when the New Directions put on Westside Story.
12.
Rumour Has It / Someone Like You - Glee Season 3
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During part of Glee Season 3, Santana, Mercedes, Brittany, and Sugar formed their own group, the Trouble Tones, under the direction of Shelby Corcoran. The "Rumour Has It / Someone Like You" mashup was the highlight of their program.
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13.
Somebody That I Used to Know - Glee Season 3
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It was THE hit song of the moment, and Glee HAD TO cover it. (Fans were seriously begging!) Matt Bomer guest starred as Cooper Anderson, Blaine's older brother, and the two sang Gotye's "Somebody That I Used to Know." This one's on the list because MATT BOMER.
14.
We Are the Champions - Glee Season 3
After helping Principal Figgins announce Will Schuester as Teacher of the Year, the New Directions serenaded him with "We Are the Champions," a testament to his tireless efforts to help them all succeed.
15.
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It) - Glee Season 3
At the end of Glee Season 3, Burt Hummel proved, once again, that he really is TV Father of All Eternity by performing "Single Ladies" for his son, Kurt.
16.
New York State of Mind - Glee Season 4
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Glee Season 4 introduced the world to Glee: The New Class, featuring none other than Marley Rose as the new Rachel, with whom she (sort of) sang "New York State of Mind." The song's meaning to both girls solidifies its place in this lineup.
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17.
Teenage Dream (Acoustic) - Glee Season 4
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Remembering the moment they were first smitten with one another, Blaine played a haunting, tearful acoustic rendition of "Teenage Dream" during a visit to New York City to visit Kurt. It was during this episode that Kurt found out Blaine cheated.
18.
The Scientist - Glee Season 4
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In what will probably go down as the BEST Glee performance EVER, "The Scientist" featured the show's four main couples breaking up: Finchel, Klaine, Brittana, and Wemma all split, and so did our hearts.
19.
A Thousand Years - Glee Season 4
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While the writing for Jake Puckerman was somewhat inconsistent (is he a jerk? is he a good guy? is a jerk who wants to be a good guy?), diehards fell in love with Jake and Marley. Their duet on "A Thousand Years" helped.
20.
Girl on Fire - Glee Season 4
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Santana Lopez left life in Louisville for the bright lights of New York City and showed up as a legit "Girl on Fire." She crashed Kurt and Rachel's apartment and made a home for herself. Plus we love it any time Naya Rivera's given a chance to shine.
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21.
Got To Get You Into My Life - Glee Season 5
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Glee sang the Beatles for the first two episodes of season 5, and most of the tribute centered around Blaine proposing to Kurt.
22.
If I Die Young - Glee Season 5
Glee Season 5 Episode 3, "The Quarterback," dealt with the real life loss of Cory Monteith and his fictional character Finn Hudson. Santana's moving tribute, "If I Die Young," was the perfectly fitting memorial song for the character and the man.
23.
Make You Feel My Love - Glee Season 5
The most moving tribute to Finn Hudson, "Make You Feel My Love," came from his love, Rachel Berry. Lea Michele's performance was also a tribute to Cory Monteith, whom she met and fell in love with while filming Glee.
24.
I Believe In A Thing Called Love - Glee Season 5
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Adam Lambert, as Elliott "Starchild" Gilbert, joined Kurt's band in Glee Season 5. His was, by far, the best guest starring role of the season, if for no other reason than the flawless way he fit with the theme of the show.
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25.
I'm the Greatest Star - Glee Season 5
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In "Opening Night," Rachel realized her dreams of becoming "the greatest star," or at least a small star on Broadway. Soon, however, she left that dream for the glamour of Hollywood and became a fallen star.
The End.
Up Next: "25 BEST Glee Performances of All-Time ."
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When Will and Sheldon were the only two people to stand up for her during her Geraldo Rivera interview, Sue set in motion a plan to guarantee Vocal Adrenaline would lose at Sectionals, and she did it from the inside. By choosing a set list she new the judges would dislike and staging choreography which would remind one of them of a traumatic event, she tanked Vocal Adrenaline's chances at winning without their even knowing.
It actually made sense and it was kind of sweet in that Sue Sylvester sort of way. What was sweeter was that Will refused to thank her which set her on a mission to scheme up new ways to ruin him. It's a game of cat and mouse that won't end and somewhere, they both have an understanding of their friendship and what it means.
There was a little finality there. Closure for Will and Sue. They are friends and always will be, but they have dastardly ways of showing it. They'll continue their song and dance as long as they're both breathing. Some things will never change.
Rachel, however, will. She'll grow and change and adapt and ultimately come out better for it. She already has.
Jesse St. James returned to ask Rachel to star opposite him in the Russell Simmons Broadway production. Sam urged her to return to college and get her education.
It was Kurt who helped her see the light.
By coming home to Lima, Rachel got a do-over, an opportunity few people get, and she didn't squander it. Kurt told her she was standing at the same crossroads she was at a year ago and that the chance to go back and choose a different path is so very rare.
She listened and made a choice which gives everyone the best of all worlds.
Rachel will return to NYADA and then pursue Broadway, but in the meantime, she might pursue Jesse. No one's complaining about that. Having her end up with Jesse is still a solid promise for her future.
It may not be the way we would've ended the series, but we don't get the chance to have our ideal ending where Rachel walks into the choir room and tells Finn she's home.
Oh, Finn. I watched those closing flashbacks as the new New Directions moved the "old guard's" trophies into the trophy case eager to catch a glimpse of Cory Monteith. It didn't seem right to leave him out, and for a second there I thought that's what they'd done. Then there he was, standing next to Rachel staring at their shared win.
Ending this without him next week is going to be so bittersweet.
What did you think of "We Built This Glee Club"? Are you ready to say goodbye to the New Directions?
Glee Season 6 Episode 12 and Glee Season 6 Episode 13 will air next Friday night as a two-hour Glee series finale. See all your favorite moments from the series now and watch Glee online!
Glee Series Finale Photos
1.
Kurt and Rachel's First Meeting - Glee Season 6 Episode 12
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On Glee Season 6 Episode 12, "2009," we'll go back in time to the moment Kurt and Rachel met. As the night progresses, we'll flash forward to their respective futures.
2.
Introducing Rachel Berry - Glee Season 6 Episode 12
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On Glee Season 6 Episode 12, we'll go back in time to 2009 and the show's humble beginnings to see what drew Rachel Berry to the choir room at McKinley High School.
3.
Puck and Karofsky - Glee Season 6 Episode 12
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Take a look at Puck and Karofsky from 2009, before Puck joined the New Directions and before Karofsky came out!
4.
Will and Sue - Glee Season 6 Episode 12
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Will and Sue take a moment by the water cooler in this still from Glee Season 6 Episode 12.
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5.
Klaine Looks Back - Glee Season 6 Episode 13
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Blaine and Kurt reminisce during Glee Season 6 Episode 13, the Glee series finale. We'll also be treated to a glimpse into their life together post-Lima.
6.
Blam! - Glee Season 6 Episode 13
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It's a bird! It's a plane! It's BLAM! Blaine and Sam have a discussion in the locker room on Glee Season 6 Episode 13.
7.
Celebrate Good Times - Glee Season 6 Episode 13
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The group celebrates something magnificent during Glee Season 6 Episode 13. Rachel Berry is absent. Might she be winning a Tony Award?
8.
In the Choir Room - Glee Season 6 Episode 12
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The New Directions assemble in the choir room for a farewell performance on Glee Season 6 Episode 12.
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9.
Jam Session - Glee Season 6 Episode 13
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Will and Sam lead the group in a sing-along on Glee Season 6 Episode 13. (Imagine that! A sing-along on Glee!)
10.
Take A Bow - Glee Season 6 Episode 13
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The cast of Glee takes a final bow on Glee Season 6 Episode 13. Sue captures the moment with a selfie stick!
The End.
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