The Season 3 finale of Glee was the throwback episode to top all throwbacks since it featured tears, dance numbers, and of course, love. Each Glee senior got a chance to reflect on their time at McKinley High, from past regrets to the moments that made them grow into the students ready to graduate. And there was no greater Glee gift in the season finale than a guest appearance by Gloria Estefan, who played the mother of Santana Lopez, except for maybe the opening number in which Burt Hummel performed the “Single Ladies” dance for Kurt as a graduation present.
The Season 3 Glee finale was a chance for fans to finally get closure on some of the biggest storylines of the year. There was no better way to hand over command of the National Championship Glee club than a song from the seniors. But despite the musical vibe, it wasn’t the perfect end for some characters since fans learned that Brittany wouldn’t be graduating with Santana because of her 0.00 GPA. However, the season end was a bit brighter for Puck after Noah regained his long lost confidence thanks to help from Coach Beast and Quinn Fabray.
As the Glee season came to a close in “Goodbye,” Mercedes got the chance to be a potential backup singer in L.A. due to the video that Sam posted on YouTube while Mike got an opportunity to dance in Chicago.
But after the series of Glee reveals, Santana had to rethink her future. In a shocking turn, Santana chose to forgo her scholarship to Louisville in favor of NYC in order to follow her ambitions. Aside from Rachel Berry, there was no more determined individual in the Glee club than Santana. Even more surprising but no less heartwarming, was the support that Santana received from her mother who, in the end, got behind her daughter not only emotionally but financially as well. We love you Gloria!
Of course no Glee finale would be complete without some sort of drama and it came in a landslide for Rachel, Finn, and Kurt.
Although it wasn’t a shock that Finn didn’t get into to the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University, it was a surprise that Kurt was rejected by the New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts. As for Rachel, thanks to Tina’s last ditch effort to convince Carmen Tibideaux that she deserved a spot at NYADA, New York City became a reality.
With Rachel bound for the east coast, and Finn’s dreams temporarily dashed, what were Finchel to do? Finn broke with Rachel so that she could go to NY just like she’d always planned while he’d head to Georgia to enlist in the army to honor his father’s memory. Rachel took it hard, as would any girl who went from engaged to single in a span of 30 seconds. But fans got a glimmer of happiness when Rachel finally arrived in NYC and was able to smile despite the heartbreak.
So what does this mean for the Glee cast in Season 4?
Although Glee creator Ryan Murphy has already revealed that the entire cast will return next season, there’s been no word on how long some will remain on the show. The “story within a story” concept has been tentatively developed for some of the cast, with Rachel and Santana a lock and potentially Kurt and Finn. Like always, nothing is ever set in stone when it comes to Glee. And with ratings dropping to an anemic 6.6 million average this season, Ryan Murphy and Co. might be under pressure to revamp the show to rediscover the magic that made Glee a cultural phenomenon.
What did you think of the Season 3 finale of Glee ? Will you watch next season?