#ego and pride and putting himself above the law - that argument could have been with almost anyone

[lisbonsteresa]

climbing the walls over this

[snappedwands]

𝐃𝐈𝐆  𝐀  𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐓𝐋𝐄  𝐃𝐄𝐄𝐏𝐄𝐑  !

𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡  𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐭  𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐝  𝐚𝐫𝐞  𝐲𝐨𝐮  ?

the  hierophant.  the  plan  is  perfect  in  every  way.  everyone  where  they  need  to  be,  at  exactly  the  right  moment,  with  exactly  the  right  smile.  you  have  moved  and  manipulated  the  situation,  but  did  you  remember  to  put  yourself  in  the  correct  position ?  you,  after  all,  are  still  a  player  in  the  game  —  whoever  thinks  they  control  the  pieces  still  has  to  make  the  next  move  eventually.  whoever  is  playing  the  game  is  playing  against  an  opponent.  ensure  that  they  have  not  played  better  than  you.

the  thing  that  sticks  out  to  me  as  the  hierophant,  beyond  the  way  that  this  is  written  and  the  implications  of  the  chess  master  (  as  laz  thinks  himself  to  be  ),  is  that  it  is  a  card  of  tradition.  rather  than  continue  on  with  the  status  quo,  lazarus  seeks  to  put  himself  in  establishing  a  new  tradition  that  he  thinks  is  better  for  the  wizarding  community  through  a  near  sense  of  divine  providence.  his  understanding  of  the  world,  his  desires  to  see  it  changed  and  renewed  in  his  image,  is  palpable  and  though  he  is  charismatic,  he  is  also  keenly  aware  of  the  way  he  sounds.  

toeing  the  line  between  extremist  and  pragmatist,  there  is  a  chaos  that  is  nestled  in  his  bones  that  takes  a  significant  amount  of  energy  to  hold  back.  he  wants  to  be  impulsive,  craves  this  need  to  show  the  world  how  he  wants  to  shake  things  up,  but  he  knows  and  values  the  privilege  of  having  supporters  to  his  cause  and  that  is  the  thing  that  prevents  him  from  trying  to  start  a  revolution  on  his  own.  the  board  has  been  set,  now  he  waits  for  his  opponents  and  allies  alike  to  make  their  moves. 

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐦𝐛𝐭𝐢  ?  

the  mbti  type  estj  is  represented  by  the  executive,  a  person  of  great  fortitude  who  emphatically  follows  their  own  sensible  judgment.  they  serve  as  a  stabilizing  force  among  others,  able  to  offer  solid  direction  amid  adversity.  this  personality  type  are  representatives  of  tradition  and  order,  utilizing  their  understanding  of  what  is  right,  wrong,  and  socially  acceptable  to  bring  families  and  communities  together.  embracing  the  values  of  honesty,  dedication,  and  dignity,  people  with  the  executive  personality  type  are  valued  for  their  clear  advice  and  guidance,  and  they  happily  lead  the  way  on  difficult  paths.  taking  pride  in  bringing  people  together,  executives  often  take  on  roles  as  community  organizers,  working  hard  to  bring  everyone  together.  

at  first  glance  the  mention  of  honesty  might  seem  out  of  place  for  lazarus  but  there  is  a  beauty  in  being  a  manipulator:  it  doesn’t  inherently  mean  you’re  always  lying.  he  is  very  much  the  type  to  stick�� to  the  letter  of  the  law,  whether  or  not  it  flies  in  the  face  of  the  spirit  of  the  law.  the  spirit  of  the  law  provides  a  kind  of  gray  area  to  be  argued  for  or  against  an  action,  to  follow  the  law  to  its  letter  is  to  provide  no  wiggle  room  for  a  case  to  be  made  against  you.  

overall,  this  is  a  spot  on  evaluation  of  how  lazarus  is  perceived  by  others  and  how  he  hopes  to  present  himself.  the  mention  of  traditionalism  and  order  is  a  solid  affirmation  of  both  his  dedication  and  also  the  pull  of  the  hierophant  card  for  him.  the  world  is  on  the  precipice  of  change  and  he  intends  to  ignite  the  dynamite  to  shake  it  up,  as  well  as  lead  his  faction  through  with  the  fewest  incidents  possible.  this  goal  of  their’s  is  not  one  that  is  as  easy  as  point  a  to  point  b  but  there  is  something  to  be  said  for  the  efficiency  with  which  he  approaches  the  task  at  hand  and  the  plan  he  has  crafted.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐞𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦  ?

type 8, wing 9 — the diplomat. eights  are  charismatic  and  have  the  physical  and  psychological  capacities  to  persuade  others  to  follow  them  into  all  kinds  of  endeavors  —  from  starting  a  company,  to  rebuilding  a  city,  to  waging  war.  eights  have  enormous  willpower  and  vitality  and  they  feel  most  alive  when  exercising  these  capacities  in  the  world.  they  use  their  abundant  energy  to  effect  changes  in  their  environment,  to  leave  their  mark  on  the  world,  and  to  keep  that  environment  and  other  people  from  hurting  them  and  those  they  care  about.  at  an  early  age,  eights  understand  that  this  strength,  will,  persistence,  and  endurance  are  qualities  to  develop  in  themselves  and  to  look  for  in  other  people.  as  well,  eights  with  a  wing  type  nine  fear  being  hurt  by  others  and  avoid  situations  in  which  they  have  less  control,  generally  preferring  to  be  in  positions  of  leadership.  to  guard  themselves  against  threads  and  to  control  their  own  destiny  leads  to  developing  a  sense  of  independence  at  a  young  age.  diplomats  defend  themselves  by  building  emotional  walls  and  denying  vulnerabilities.  these  people  tend  to  be  naturally  energetic  and  confident,  see  a  variety  of  different  perspectives,  fear  being  controlled  by  others,  and  tend  to  be  seen  as  stubborn  or  rigid.  

lazarus  avery  could  not  be  summed  up  more  perfectly  than  the  description  provided  by  the  enneagram  test.  though  it  lacks  mention  of  tradition,  it  highlights  his  need  to  lead,  his  desire  to  keep  his  fears  hidden  and  prevent  them  from  being  realized,  indicates  his  potential  as  someone  worth  following  into  battle,  and  his  appreciation  for  those  of  high  wisdom  and  high  intelligence.  being  classified  as  a  diplomat  is  a  boon  to  his  ego  and  serves  as  a  reminder  for  himself  that  he  is  in  the  right  place,  at  the  right  time  and  he  is  doing  what  is  right  for  the  people  he  cares  for  most  and  for  a  majority  of  the  wizarding  community  at  large.  they  should,  as  far  as  he’s  concerned,  follow  the  sentiments  that  the  americans  hold  and  to  institute  more  stringent  codes  around  the  international  statute  of  secrecy  in  britain.  removing  the  muggle  influence  from  the  wizarding  world  is  desperately  important  to  the  survival  of  their  kind.  let  it  be  noted  that  their  kind  here  means  purebloods  and  not  the  wizard  as  they  are.

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭  ?

a  lawful  evil  villain  methodically  takes  what  he  wants  within  the  limits  of  his  code  of  conduct  without  regard  for  whom  it  hurts.  he  cares  about  tradition,  loyalty,  and  order  but  not  about  freedom,  dignity,  or  life.  he  plays  by  the  rules  but  without  mercy  or  compassion.  he  is  comfortable  in  a  hierarchy  and  would  like  to  rule,  but  is  willing  to  serve.  he  condemns  others  not  according  to  their  actions  but  according  to  race,  religion,  homeland,  or  social  rank.  he  is  loath  to  break  laws  or  promises.  this  reluctance  comes  partly  from  his  nature  and  partly  because  he  depends  on  order  to  protect  himself  from  those  who  oppose  him  on  moral  grounds.  some  lawful  evil  villains  have  particular  taboos,  such  as  not  killing  in  cold  blood  (  but  having  underlings  do  it  )  or  not  letting  children  come  to  harm  (  if  it  can  be  helped  ).  they  imagine  that  these  compunctions  put  them  above  unprincipled  villains.  some  lawful  evil  people  and  creatures  commit  themselves  to  evil  with  a  zeal  like  that  of  a  crusader  committed  to  good.  beyond  being  willing  to  hurt  others  for  their  own  ends,  they  take  pleasure  in  spreading  evil  as  an  end  unto  itself.  they  may  also  see  doing  evil  as  part  of  a  duty  to  an  evil  deity  or  master.  lawful  evil  is  sometimes  called  diabolical,  because  devils  are  the  epitome  of  lawful  evil.  lawful  evil  is  the  best  alignment  you  can  be  because  it  combines  honor  and  dedicated  self-interest.  however,  lawful  evil  can  be  a  dangerous  alignment  because  it  represents  methodical,  intentional,  and  frequently  successful  evil.  

it’s  important  to  know  in  the  detailed  results  breakdown  that  lazarus  got  a  30  in  lawful  evil  responses  and  a  28  in  lawful  good.  though  he  is  actively  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  argument,  he  still  perceives  himself  as  lawful  good  for  the  good  he  does  for  the  people  around  him,  who  are  close  to  him  in  some  way.  though  the  above  is  a  good  starting  point,  it  should  be  noted  that  there  are  a  pair  of  corrections  that  laz  would  make:  

he  plays  by  the  rules  but  without  mercy  or  compassion  (  his  compassion  is  selective,  only  taking  special  care  of  those  who  care  for  him  ).  

he  is  comfortable  in  a  hierarchy  and  would  like  to  rule,  but  is  willing  to  serve  (  temporarily,  so  long  as  it  gets  him  into  a  position  of  leadership  ).

ultimately,  laz  being  pegged  as  lawful  evil  is  wildly  accurate  and  though  his  perception  allows  him  to  view  himself  as  lawful  good,  there’s  no  doubt  that  he’s  evil  and  lawful  evil  at  that.  as  i  said  in  the  answer  regarding  his  mbti  result,  it  benefits  him  to  work  according  to  the  letter  of  the  law  instead  of  in  the  moral  gray  area. 

𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬  𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫  𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐥  𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐭  𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞  ?  

born  at  3:33,  the  height  of  the  witching  hour,  he  is  a  hurricane  of  personalities  meshing  together  to  form  a  formidable  beast.  a  scorpio  -  sagittarius  cusp  with  a  capricorn  moon  and  libra  ascendant,  lazarus  is  concerned  deeply  with  justice,  honor,  and  revolution.  his  is  a  sign  determined  to  do  what  is  right,  what  is  ultimately  good,  and  had  he  been  born  to  another  family  perhaps  he  wouldn’t  be  a  nuclear  weapon  in  the  arsenal  of  the  pureblood  cause.

as  a  sun  in  scorpio  and  sagittarius,  he  displays  the  intensity  indicative  of  both  a  scorpio  and  any  fire  sign.  the  combination  of  these  signs,  who  are  both  attuned  to  psychic  gifts,  are  blessed  with  a  sixth  sense  that  allows  them  to  get  to  the  heart  of  the  matter  which  manifests  in  lazarus’  talent  for  divination  (  though  his  early  readings  in  third  year  were  not  nearly  as  refined  as  they  are  now  ).  it’s  important  to  acknowledge  that  scorpios  have  intense  amounts  of  willpower,  incredibly  conscious  of  what  they  want  and  knowing  when  to  go  for  it  at  the  right  time.  they  are  powerful  strategists  and  can  have  incredibly  patience,  combined  with  their  staying  power  and  refusal  to  give  up.  scorpios  are  not  intimidated  by  anybody  or  anything  and  confrontations  are  not  a  problem.  

his  capricorn  moon  combines  very  well  with  his  scorpio  /  sagittarius  sun  as  lunar  capricorns  tend  to  keep  their  emotions  in  check  and  do  not  favor  taking  unnecessary  risks.  capricorn  moons  also  tend  to  have  a  deep  respect  for  tradition  and  authority.  these  natives  are  more  likely  to  keep  their  lives  structured  and  well  controlled,  practically  dealt  with  instead  of  passionately  felt  which  leads  to  a  selectivity  in  romantic  attachments.  though  capricorn  moons  are  reserved  and  cautious,  they  tend  to  be  deeply  attracted  to  politics,  positions  of  leadership,  and  not  getting  carried  away  by  love.  

the  libra  ascendant  indicates  an  active  love  for  creating  harmony  or  upsetting  balance,  contentious  beings  who  bring  a  particular  change  to  the  pursuit  of  either  war  or  peace.  these  people  tend  to  be  socially  active  and  find  it  natural  engaging  in  one  on  one  and  group  settings  alike,  similarly  they  find  it  easy  to  make  and  retain  acquaintances  but  close  friends  are  few  and  far  between.  their  particular  sensitivity  for  chaos  causes  them  to  be  selective  with  their  inner  circle.  libra  ascendants  tend  to  quickly  hone  in  on  the  many  sides  of  an  issue,  allowing  them  to  weigh  their  scales  in  the  manner  that  best  suits  what  they  need.  combined  with  the  resoluteness  of  a  scorpio  sun  and  capricorn  moon,  it  makes  lazarus  incredibly  decisive  about  the  choices  he  makes.

[spaceorphan18]

Finding Kurt Hummel: Diva

Masterpost

4x13: Diva

Hey did you know guys can be divas, too?  I’m surprised this episode concept didn’t come up in, like, season 1 -- but I think it fits well here in season 4, and I think there’s a good Santana story here about her figuring out her shit and getting herself to New York (which should have been the from beginning).  The Tina story, on the other hand, is one that I’m glad I don’t have to touch.  

I would also like to point out - Blaine has a shrine to Kurt in his room.  I bring it up because there’s no Klaine in this episode, but there are little touches in the background that shows that the story is far from being over - Blaine mentioning Kurt, the shrine, the edits that cut from Kurt’s story to Blaine’s and vice versa.  A the little things we held on to way back then. 

Sarah Brightman in Training

Yeah Kurt, we all kind of feel that way about Rachel right about now.  To be honest, I think this set of episodes was supposed to bring Rachel down from her high -- which kind of all leads up to her break up with Brody.  I think there’s supposed to be some humbling elements, too, but that never really happens.  

Anyway -- Kurt says this class is free sing? What does that even mean? These writers didn’t attend a performing arts class, did they.  But Kurt’s just beyond annoyed.  And you know, I don’t really blame him.  She has got to be one of the most difficult people on the show. 

Kurt, at home, still not having it.  I will say -- roommates are hard.  And if you haven’t even had siblings, though I suppose Kurt did have Finn for the previous year, it can be even harder.  

Kurt back at school, apparently drinking his way through this Rachel business.  

We see the beginning of Rachel’s posse -- the two sycophants (did they ever have names?) who follower her around, are bitchy gossipers, and are generally annoying.  How the hell did these two get into NYADA.  Man, the issues I have with this school are unending.  

She’s even having Kurt take her messages for her.  God.  Kurt claims he always knew this might happen.  Man - Kurt needs an apartment by himself -- one of those little shoebox things that might be a tight fit, but he makes it work.  (Personally, the loft seems like an awful place to live.) 

Kurt claims he’s the only one who can take her down - and god were we all ready for that.... 

Truth Time

So -- Kurt’s pretty cranky if you wake him up before he needs to get up.  Geez - if you’re going to live in a place that has no walls you have /got/ to set boundaries.  Why Kurt doesn’t seem to learn from this, I don’t know.  

Anyway - Rachel comes bounding in demanding that Kurt make her some tea.  Rachel’s so used to doing this kind of thing that I doubt she realizes she’s even doing it.  And Kurt -- well, he doesn’t do well with confrontation.  In the same pattern as we always see, Kurt lets things build, and build, and build (as we see in the above montage) until he finally explodes.  

So, we finally get to some Truth Time.  Rachel believes he’s jealous of her success.  I don’t know if I buy that.  Kurt’s had his ups and downs, but in the last month or so, things have been swinging back up.  It’s more as he says here (and in the earlier voice over) she’s become an unbearable diva, and that her ego is a bit out of control.  

Kurt then says they became close because she became tolerable.  When exactly was that Kurt? I’m blanking.  Maybe those foursome dates with Finn and Blaine balanced out Rachel’s personality.  

To be fair -- I can see Kurt being strict about his regimen and routines, so I doubt he’s really that easy to live with either.  Rachel’s just being more outward at the moment.  And, as Kurt points out, Brody moved in and Kurt is not happy about that --- and she’s got an annoying group of friends that Kurt really does not want to spend any time with.  It’s just a whole bunch of things rolled into one.  

Rachel’s really bad at sparring now that I think of it -- because her only rebuttal is that Carmen only let him in because of her.  Which is kinda low since he was so insecure about that earlier in the season, but also untrue.  And Kurt’s wise enough to see through that little bit of shenanigans.  

Kurt, however, knows right where to stick her -- by attacking her performances, the one thing that Rachel prides more than anything else.  He not only tells her that his performance at Winter Showcase blew hers away, he claims he can do it again.  And he drops the big bombshell -- he threw their original diva-off back in Wheels.  That’s right, Kurt tanked the note on purpose to spare his dad.  

Rachel can hardly believe this, as she built her confidence around that win.  (Eesh, really Rachel?) but Kurt is offering no sympathy here.  He’s on a mission and he’s determined to take her down, even if it’s taking a big sledge hammer to her self-esteem.  

Idk - now that I think about it -- it is really interesting that Kurt is really good at getting under Rachel’s skin, but she can’t even touch him.  Way back in Hairography, she was able to because she knew his weak spot.  But here, she’s kind of so in her own little world, he’s a bit unbeatable by default.  It’s also interesting, as an aside, that Rachel doesn’t believe he’d tank the note on purpose -- cause why would you ever do that?  

And thus, all of this illustrates, despite the fact that yes, they do have a lot of similarities, these two are very different people. 

Bitchy Gossip

So, Rachel needs to have Midnight Madness explained to her because unlike Kurt, she doesn’t do her research (plus, you know exposition and I guess Brody needed something to do).  But we find out that it’s basically a sing-off, or an underground fight club for vocal performers, and winners get bragging rights.  And along come her sycophants talking about how awful Kurt’s gonna be.  And that he has a turtle face.  I don’t really see that, but whatever.  Thankfully, Rachel sticks up for Kurt -- because deep down they really are friends.  And personal issues between them are just that -- between them. 

Kurt however, is here to hear it.  And he takes them down, a first time, by telling them that the bitchy gossip isn’t going to throw him off his game.  For a kid who’s dealt with psychological terror and physical assault, these guys aren’t any worse than Santana or Quinn.  

However, while he puts on a confident face in front of them, when they walk away, he kind of deflates.  It’s not easy constantly having to put that much of an effort in the face of that much judgment.  And having to deal with what he thought he had left behind in high school is still hard, no matter how awesome you are at dealing with it. 

Midnight Madness

So, Kurt’s looking a little nervous as Brody spits out the rules and tries to make it  out to be like some kind of bloodsport.  It’s interesting, Adam’s there at his side as his confidant.  Kurt looks to him a few times for reassurance, which Adam is welcome to give.  Rachel doesn’t really have anyone besides those shallow sycophants.  It’s kind of sad actually.  

Anyway - the song that was chosen was Bring Him Home from Les Mis -- probably because the movie remake had come out around this time, and Glee does that.  But, I want to say how amazing a choice this is for Kurt.  Because here’s a song that is traditionally a male song, but meant for a high tenor.  (This version might have been raised a little to fit Rachel’s voice, but not much I don’t believe.)  Rachel looks a little nervous at the choice.  Kurt knows he has the edge.  And his nerves seem to go the minute he steps up there.  He stares her down and is ready. 

So Bring Him Home.  I’m afraid I don’t have a whole lot of meta to go along with this song, and I’m looking forward to what people have to say about it.  I do think it’s interesting that Kurt has these lines: 

In my need You have always been there

Which he throws a look over to Rachel.  And I feel like it’s a nod to the fact that despite the fact that they’re in the middle of this argument over Rachel’s personality, they’ve still pretty much got each other’s backs.  

I guess I also find the mantra of ‘let him live’ interesting after Kurt’s already sung Being Alive.  Kurt’s already spent this year trying to be more alive than he was during the fall -- being on his own and okay at NYADA, asking Adam out, taking down Rachel.  He’s putting himself out there the best he can.  But it’s not always the easiest thing.  And as we’ll see in episodes coming up, he’s still got a bit of work to do.  

I suppose -- also, I could tie this loosely with Burt and the fact that he has cancer.  This song is sung by a father to his possible son-in-law.  It’s interesting that this sentiment might be reversed.  

As for the vocal performance -- I think they’re pretty evenly matched. (That is until Rachel screeches her way into the final note.  God, I hate when she does that.)  Rachel definitely has the technical training on her side, but -- Kurt has come such a long way since they sang Defying Gravity.  His chops are there on this one, and he gives the song something that Rachel really doesn’t, emotional delicacy.  

I love that everyone is enamored by the performances - as are all of us in the audience.  Oh Adam, don’t fall in love.  It’s not going to end well. 

And the winner is -- Mr. Kurt Hummel.  

I love that when they’re choosing sides and that sycophants join Kurt’s side he snickers a little.  Of course Kurt’s delighted.  He needed a good win on his side.  But it never really occurred to me how much this probably does knock Rachel off her pedestal.  Kurt’s had to deal with self-doubt for a long time, and this validation every once in a while that he’s great is fantastic.  But Rachel is coming from the other direction -- being told that this is the only thing she’s good at.  So when she fails at this, though a near tie would hardly be failing, she doubts her self worth completely. 

Take Down

Kurt doesn’t revel in his win for long because the next day (I assume) Kurt’s walking around with Adam feeling guilty about the song choice because he’s known the score of Les Mis since he was a kid.  Which is funny to me - because I’m sure Rachel does, too, so it’s not like it’s /that/ unfair.  Adam seems to agree and reminds him that he’s an awesome singer who should be proud of that.  I mean, that is why Adam recruited him into the Apples -- not just because he looked cute doing a plie.  Adam is a nice guy, and again I’m sad they didn’t allow this story more development. 

Anyway - now that Kurt’s won, he’s also won a bit more popularity (I hesitate to say respect because these guys are leeches).  The two sycophants come bouncing over, completely changing their tune -- and now want to hang out with him until someone else does something noteworthy.  Kurt’s on to them in a second, and he has not time for this bullshit, calling them out about how they’re awful people who need to suck up to others because they clearly can’t make it on their own.  (Wait - how did these guys get into NYADA in the first place?)  

Kurt also mentions that if there’s one more bad thing about Adam’s Apples out of their mouths again, he’ll challenge them to a Midnight Madness sing-off -- and they should know how that turns out.  They slink off, licking their wounds.  Meanwhile, Adam looks adoringly over at Kurt, as if before he was like - oh, here’s this cute guy who can sing and now it’s like, wow, Kurt is this amazing creature.  Oh, Adam - don’t get too attached, Kurt’s heart belongs to someone else. 

Also, as an aside, it cracks me up at how Adam looks at the sycophants during this scene - like what hell is wrong with the two of you? 

As nice as Kurt finds it to not only take those two down, but receive lots of flattering comments from Adam -- he sees Rachel in the distance and feels that he should probably go deal with that mess.  

Rachel’s sulking around feeling sorry for herself (**sigh** fine.)  and in an attempt to bright her day, Kurt suggests they go to the Funny Girl audition together.  She kind of just walks away -- telling him he should go because he’d make a good Fanny Bryce.  (Wait, what? I don’t even begin to understand that comment.)  But the point is Rachel’s throwing herself a pity party and wants to wallow in that longer. 

Repairing Rachel’s Ego

Kurt’s wearing different clothes in this scene, so I’m guessing he’s let Rachel sulk for a while before coming in to talk with her.  

He mentions that he signed them up for the open call auditions for Funny Girl (that’s not really how that works, but ignoring that...) and again prompts her to come with him.  She’s whines that if she does get it, she’ll be awful and lose everyone she loves because her ego will be too much.  And Kurt, while rolling his eyes, tells her the same boring pep talk he’s been giving her since Born This Way -- she’s great and wonderful and one-of-a-kind, blah blah blah.  And that she should bring the diva but hold the nightmare.  

Here’s my thing - I know this is the 8000th version of this scene, and yeah, it is getting a little annoying to keep seeing it, but I’ve softened to it over the years.  I do think it’s fair to have this kind of scene if they want to keep Hummelberry as a viable friendship.  I mean, Rachel apologizes, and Kurt forgives her, and they move on, which is great! 

But the really nice thing is that going forward Hummelberry as a friendship becomes more balanced.  Sure the narrative is still going to do that thing where it starts with a Kurt plot line and end with a Rachel plot line for a while, but it’s a good long while before we see him being used as a clear prop for her. And she’s going to go back to feeling more Rachel-ish in the second half of the season.  

I know people wanted to the Kurt vs Rachel thing to go on longer -- sure, that would have been interesting to play out over a few episodes! But this is Glee, and sometimes less is probably better. 

Santana

Before we get to the ending twist, two thoughts. 

1. The whole part of the episode that I wasn’t talking about had to do (partly) with Blaine and Tina, and Blaine asks Tina to be his date to Will and Emma’s wedding.  Which confused us at the time because Ryan Murphy had already mentioned that Kurt would be Blaine’s date, but I’m digressing.  The big thing is that Adam is not Kurt’s date.  This wedding is right around the corner, and I’m guessing Kurt thought it was way, way too early to bring this guy he’s sorta seeing back home.  I’m interested in the New York stuff stays in New York part of it.  But also, I think speaks volumes that Kurt and Adam aren’t really that much of a couple -- that Kurt can kind of leave him behind and not really think too much about it. 

2. Brittany mentions to Santana that Kurt found a new guy -- and I know this kind of rubbed people the wrong way at the time.  And I say, first of all, she probably gets her gossip from Lord Tubbington and Tina - both of whom are going to spin the truth.  But more so, it’s there so that the make out in the car is seen as a surprise.  Besides, it’s really more about Brittany telling Santana to go off and conquer the world, not about Kurt and his love life.  

Which brings us to -- Santana singing her way to New York and showing up at the loft. It somewhat astounds me that they let Santana stay, I suppose they are both nice enough people, but it’s good for the narrative for Santana to be there -- as the New York side is finally going to get more fleshed out.  Except -- we won’t see it for a little bit because next up is a wedding.  And everyone hooks up at weddings. ;)