Glee S4 Ep18 – Shooting Star

Sue makes an epic sacrifice for a student.

The Aftermath:

Life at McKinley is turned upside down. The police search lockers as students reenter the school through metal detectors. Cameras are installed in the ceiling.

In the Teacher’s Lounge, Sue, Beiste, and Will watch the students file in. Will is sad for the loss of innocence his students experienced. Beiste worries kids won’t come back to school – half of them didn’t show up today. Sue thinks everyone is overreacting, but Will points out that they are searching the entire school, interviewing every student. When they find the gun, the student will be expelled from McKinley.

Sue says no student is going to be expelled. It was hers.

She goes to Figgins and explains it was her gun. It’s licensed and registered; she brought it to school because recent events have left her afraid for her safety. She was doing a safety check; it went off and then she dropped it and it went off again. She’s covered everything up and now – she’s sorry. She’s ready to take her punishment.

Figgins reminds her of the zero tolerance policy. She will be reported to the police.

Sue points out how many Cheerios she has coached to amazing futures, but this mistake is the only thing she’ll be remembered for.

In the hall, Tina and Blaine talk. Their parents weren’t keen on them coming back to school, still shaken by the shooting. Tina knows it’s crazy, but she wishes she was in the choir room with all of them. Not being able to get to her friends, or do anything to help, was terrible. She  was afraid she wouldn’t get to even say goodbye to people she considers family. And she didn’t want the last thing she said to them was a snarky comment about getting a solo. Blaine comforts her as they embrace.

Kitty’s had some revelations in the choir room, but snark is not off the menu. She delivers a verbal smack-down to Ryder over the mere mention that she could be his Catfisher and stalks off. Ryder still thinks it’s her. After all, Britt is dating Sam, Tina and Sugar weren’t in the room, and Unique’s ring tone is Bootylicious… Regardless, he’ll find out today at 3:30.

Sam has a gift for Brittany – he’s ready to put some effort into his cool relationship with Lord Tubbington, for her sake. And to that end, he presents her with Lady Tubbington, a plump girl cat that will be his lordship’s life companion. Brittany is truly touched by the gesture, and they exchange “I Love Yous.”

Sue packs up her office. Will wants to know why – because he doesn’t quite believe her story. In an inter-cut flashback, Sue has a tearful Becky in her office. She’s scared and worried – and pulls out her father’s gun that she brought to school. Sue talks her favorite Cheerio down, asks her for the gun. The gun discharges then drops, two shots fired. Sue promises to take care of it as an apologetic Becky cries.

In the present, Sue asks Will to keep an eye on Becky. She acts tough but sometimes she gets scared. And with that – Sue leaves McKinley.

As the strains of “Say” by John Mayer play, we see Ryder waiting for Katie. Blaine sings as he leads Tina onto the stage, where the rest of the Glee club waits. They sit close to each other, singing a song that summarizes their lesson learned this week. Say what you need to, because you don’t know what tomorrow brings.

Ryder texts Katie. No answer.

He runs down the hall to join his friends. Jake and Marley welcome him with embraces as they sing the last notes of the song.

In the final moments, we get more of the filmed messages. Sam tells his parents he loves them – and to please feed the cat in the duffel bag in his locker. Unique tells everyone to never stop being themselves. Kitty sends her parents love, and while it might not seem like it, this has been the best year of her life. Finally, Artie says he’s had the best experience of his life in this room, and “I love these people more than anything.”

That seems to be the message all of them had to say in the end.

New Directions singing together – as it should be.