Season 3, Episode 21: Nationals

Ownership of Glee: FOX, Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan, Brad Falchuk

= = =

Will walks into the girl's hotel room. "What's going on? How bad is it?" He asks.

"Her temperature's 101 degrees. Given the fact that Weezy's complaining about an upset stomach, it's either Amazonian dengue fever or the H1N1 super virus." Sue deducts.

"Or I have food poisoning." Mercedes states.

"We all wanted burritos for lunch, so we went to Chipotle, but Mercedes tried some dive called 'Señora Salsation.'" Santana reveals.

After talking with Sue for a minute, Will makes a decision. "So here's what's gonna happen: Mercedes, you're on bed rest, Quinn, you're stepping in." He says.

"No, no, no, I can't dance that number. I can't sing it, either, not like..." Quinn is cut off by Violet.

"The Trouble Tones need you." Violet says.

Tina nods. "And you're better than you think you are."

"Tina, you, too. You're in the Trouble Tones." Will decides.

"Mr. Shue, this is my last competition. I don't want to miss it." Mercedes states.

"Amen, to that, sister. That's why I'm putting you on a vitamin B-12 drip. We're flushing your system with Pedialyte, and I'm gonna fill that bathtub with ice and see if we can't get your ambient body temperature back down to normal. Worked in Jacob's Ladder." Sue informs.

"All right, we all have our marching orders. Let's do it." Will says.

= = =

While New Directions are rehearsing, infighting breaks out among a few of the members.

"Hey, calm down!" Beiste says.

"Hey, hey, calm down! Calm down!" Will encourages.

"Fight, fight, fight!" Sugar pushes.

"Hey, cool out!" Beiste tells Finn.

"He's studying for geography while we're trying to rehearse! It's bogus!" Finn points to Puck.

"'Cause I already know the dance! You dance like you got your feet caught in bear traps. You're trying to gnaw them off." Puck states.

"Mr. Shue, are you aware that while we're arguing about jazz squares, Unique is being handed the key to the city by Rahm Emanuel?" Kurt asks.

"Really?" Rachel asks.

"And plus my pillow and my blanket fell into the pool. Disaster." Brittany states.

"Look, I think everybody is just a little tired." Will says.

"We've been rehearsing for three straight hours." Sam states.

"Yeah, and we'll rehearse all night if we have to. We can rest after we've won!" Finn says pointedly.

"Just because we've lost Mercedes doesn't mean we can be anything less than perfect. Perfect!" Santana says loudly.

"That's easy for you to say." Artie says.

Violet loses her patience. "Okay, you know what? You know what? Hey! I don't want to hear any of this, "We can't do it without her," because guess what? We don't have a choice." She tells New Directions. Kurt's taken aback by her sharp tongue. It's scary but also sexy.

Santana nods. "So be warned: if you are not giving this everything you've got, I will go all Lima Heights on your sorry asses." She finishes.

"Listen to yourselves." Will says.

"I know. I'm sorry." Violet apologizes.

Santana nods. "Me too. I always go to the yelling place. I have rage."

"No, it's a good thing. A great thing. There is so much passion in this room. Even all your arguing, it's about the work. You guys really want this. Okay, so let's take a half-hour break, and then we'll run it from the top." Will says.

"Mr. Shue, is it okay if we keep going? We got the first slot, which is, like, the death slot. We have to be amazing." Blaine says.

"Yeah, "Edge of Glory's" a bitch." Tina comments.

"I said I'd be dancing by nationals. I'll be damned if I don't." Quinn says confidently.

Will nods. "Okay, then let's keep going. Mike, help the guys out with the choreography. Artie, help Puck with his geography. Ladies, "Edge of Glory." Come on. Violet, Brittany, run us through it." Will instructs.

"From the chorus?" Brittany and Violet ask.

Will nods. "Yeah, from the chorus. Let's do it."

"Watch out. We're gonna do it. Okay. Ready?" Brittany says. The girls nod and the two dancers start going through the choreography for 'Edge of Glory' with the other Trouble Tones.

"Five, six, seven, eight." Brittany says.

"One, two, three, four, five... six, seven, eight." Violet instructs.

"One, two, three, four..." Brittany trails off.

= = =

That night, Kurt's walking Violet back to the girl's hotel room after having a late-night pre-competition show circle.

"Do you really think we can win?" Violet asks.

Kurt smiles as they stop outside of the door.

"I don't think. I know."

= = =

New Directions are in their green room, preparing to go on first.

"All right, gather around, everyone!" Will says.

The kids cheer as they gather in their show circle.

"I just want to say a few words before we go out there." Will starts.

"Hold on, Mr. Shue. Hold on. You've given us a lot of pep talks over the years, but remember, you told us once that, you know, a teacher's job is done when his students don't need him anymore?" Finn asks.

Will smiles. "Okay. Finn, the floor is yours."

"Last night we all sat around in a circle after you went to bed and we told stories. But then we went around the room, and everybody said what they wanted to win this thing for, and we all said the same thing: we want to win this for you." Finn reveals.

Rachel nods. "Yeah."

"And I know every year at school Figgins gives away the Teacher of the Year award. But I don't think any of us have to wait to see how we feel about that. You're, like, our Teacher of a Lifetime." Finn finishes.

"Whoo!" Sam cheers.

"Yeah, definitely." Artie says.

Will smiles proudly. "Thank you, Finn, all of you. I love you guys so much." He says.

"New Directions, line up." Someone says over the P.A.

"All right, that's it. Show time. Hands in, everyone." Will says and they get ready to do their show circle cheer.

"Now I know you weren't planning on doing the show circle without me." Mercedes says.

"Weezy? You're alive!" Santana says while everyone cheers.

"Yeah, thanks to Sue. She's a miracle worker." Mercedes says.

Sue smiles. "Oh, well, it's amazing what a little TLC, some cortisone and a witch doctor will do."

"Thank God you're okay because that just means I'm not gonna fall on my face during that Trouble Tones number." Quinn says.

"Oh, screw that. This is our last time performing together. You're doing it, and so you are you, Tina. I'm not taking no for an answer. Plus I have so many steroids going through my body right now, I may turn into the Incredible Hulk if you piss me off." Mercedes says, making everyone laugh.

"Okay, if we don't get out of this room soon, none of us will be performing. Let's go!" Will says and they do their show choir circle cheer.

"A... mazing!"

= = =

Backstage, Violet is shaking out all her nerves. Kurt smiles and kisses her head.

"Don't sweat it. You'll do great." He says.

Violet nods. "I hope so. This is the last time I'm ever performing a competition with you seniors. It feels surreal."

Kurt smiles and kisses her. "I love you. And we're going to win this. Now go out there and show these people that the Trouble Tones are badass bitches."

Violet smiles. "I love you too." She says before she gets onstage.

"The Unholy Foursome..." Santana says as she walks up to Quinn, Violet and Brittany.

"Starting together..." Quinn adds.

"Ending together." Brittany inputs.

"Just the way it should be." Violet finishes and the four girls giggle before taking their places.

"Please welcome our first contestants, from William McKinley High School in Lima, Ohio, the New Directions!" The announcer says.

The curtains pull back.

The Trouble Tones perform Lady Gaga's 'Edge of Glory,' with notable solos from Mercedes, Santana, Tina, Quinn, Brittany and Violet.

[Edge of Glory by Trouble Tones]

They get loud applause.

Rachel performs her solo, 'It's All Coming Back to Me Now.'

[It's All Coming Back to Me Now by Rachel]

And last but not least, the New Directions perform 'Paradise by the Dashboard Light.' Notable duet sections from Barlie and Brittana.

[Paradise by the Dashboard Light by New Directions]

They receive thunderous applause.

= = =

Kurt and Violet head to Vocal Adrenaline's dressing room, where Wade isn't dressed as Unique.

"If you've come to mess with my head, don't worry, I'm not going out there." Wade says.

Violet smiles. "We came to wish Unique luck and give her this flower." She says kindly.

"Well, Unique has left the building. Try as I might, I can't conjure her." Wade says.

"Wade, this is just stage fright. Think of the last time you performed as Unique. You were smash." Kurt says.

"That was different. Nobody knew Unique. I didn't have to be any one other than the one I truly was. Now everyone is coming for me. Jesse, the rest of my team, I can't take the pressure. All I... All I ever wanted to do, was wear a dress and sing. And now I'm a poster to every child that's different. I can't handle it... I just can't handle it." Wade argues.

"You may not be able to handle it, but maybe Unique can." Violet encourages.

"You gotta move through that fear and expectation. At least that's what real stars do." Kurt adds on.

"Aren't we supposed to be enemies?" Wade asks.

Violet smiles. "Yeah, but that's not how we roll in the New Directions." She says.

"Not, really our style." Kurt nods.

Wade nods. "Alright, let me get ready. Which lipstick? Ruby red or sugar rose?" He asks.

"Sugar Rose." Violet answers.

Kurt nods. "Definitely."

"Good luck." Violet wishes.

"Break a heel." Kurt says.

"I'll tell you what. Unique might need to transfer schools next year." Wade says.

That puts a smile on Violet's face.

= = =

Vocal Adrenaline performs Nicki Minaj's 'Starships.'

[Starships by Vocal Adrenaline]

Their final performance is Elton John's 'Pinball Wizard.'

[Pinball Wizard by Vocal Adrenaline]

Everyone cheers for Vocal Adrenaline's performance.

= = =

It's now time to give out the results of Nationals. Violet is squeezing Kurt's hand, who squeezes hers back.

"And now it's time to announce the winner of this year's individual show choir MVP award. From Vocal Arednaline, Carmel High's Wade "Unique" Adams!" The announcer states.

There's applause and cheering.

"And now a round of applause to your top three finalists for this year's National Show Choir Championship." The announcer says, and the audience applauds.

"In third place... all the way from Oregon the Portland Scale Blazers!" Reveals the announcer.

There's applause.

Violet and Kurt squeeze each other's hands tighter. They either came in second or first place.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, quiet, please. Congratulations to both teams standing with us onstage. But not it's time to announce a winner." Says the announcer.

There's a lot of tension coming from the New Directions.

"The 2012 National Show Choir Champions... from McKinley High in Limo, Ohio, The New Directions!"

Violet's smile becomes wide. There's wild cheering and applause both from the audience and from New Directions.

Kurt smiles at his girlfriend and brings her in for a celebratory kiss.

They. Just. Won. Nationals!

= = =

The New Directions return to McKinley, with Artie holding their Nationals trophy in his lap. Every student in the school is looking at them.

Kurt and Violet's eyes widen when the hockey team walks up to them with slushee cups. Everyone embraces for the slushees.

Instead it's confetti.

The school breaks out into cheers and applause for the New Directions.

The New Directions perform 'Tongue Tied.'

[Tongue Tied by New Directions]

Kurt and Violet kiss in the hallway.

When they celebrate in the choir room, Sugar has opened a bottle of sparkling cider.

Charlie and Blaine share a kiss while they're drenched in sparkling cider.

Violet and Kurt share another kiss by the piano.

After three long years, they won Nationals.

= = =

The New Directions are onstage in McKinley's auditorium at the awards ceremony for the staff.

"And now the award you've all been waiting for: Teacher of the Year. To announce the winner, please welcome to the stage so-called Finchel." Figgins says.

There's tons of applause from the New Directions

Finn smiles as he and Rachel come up to the podium. "Hi. The 2012 William McKinley High School Teacher of the Year Award goes to..." Finn trails off.

Rachel smiles. "Mr. Will Schuester!"

"Yeah!" Sam and Puck cheer.

Will gets up to go and get the award, but Finn stops him. "Wait, just, uh... before you come up to accept the award, we just wanted to say a few things." Finn says.

Finn looks at some flash cards. "Uh... Three years ago, I thought I had it all. I was the quarterback of the football team, I was dating the head cheerleader. And then I met you, Mr. Shue, and I realized everything I was missing. There's a lot of great teachers at this school, who teach their students a lot of important stuff, like how to drive and-and fractions... but you teach your students how to dream. As far as I'm concerned, there's nothing more important than that."

Rachel moves to the front of the podium. "Mr. Shue... when I first met you, I was just an annoying Jewish girl with two gay dads and a very big dream. Today... I still have two dads, and I'm still Jewish, and I'm probably just as annoying, but... I stand before you headed to New York City come hell or high water and, um, I can honestly say that I couldn't have done it without you, and I will carry you every step of the way, so... Congratulations. Um... no one deserves this more than you. We love you and... this is for you." Rachel says.

There's applause as Finn and Rachel move the podium to backstage.

The curtain pulls back to reveal New Directions in their Nationals costumes, and they sing Queen's 'We Are the Champions.'

There are notable solos from these seniors:

* Finn Hudson
* Rachel Berry
* Noah Puckerman
* Santana Lopez
* Kurt Hummel
* Quinn Fabray

[We Are the Champions by New Directions]

Will gets onstage and New Directions stand in a line. Will takes the time to hug each and every one of his students.

He couldn't be more proud of them than in this moment in time.

= = =

2422 words

Songs Mentioned/Performed
1. Edge of Glory - Trouble Tones
2. It's All Coming Back to Me Now - Rachel
3. Paradise by the Dashboard Light - New Directions
4. Starships - Vocal Adrenaline
5. Pinball Wizard - Vocal Adrenaline
6. Tongue Tied - New Directions
7. We Are the Champions - New Directions

AHHHHHH! I LOVED WRITING THIS EPISODE SO MUCH!

Next update: Goodbye

LAST EPISODE OF SEASON 3 IS UP NEXT! HOLY CRAP GUYS!