Glee - "Prom Queen"
You guys. I have so many feelings when it comes to this ep. And the longer I sit on it the more they hit me. I need to write fic and I need to rewatch every single moment of Blaine and Kurt and. This show. This pairing. It's killing me in the best way possible.
May I just begin by saying how Darren killed it on the acting front?? He stood toe-to-toe with that Golden Globe winner last night (who I'm pretty certain secured himself another win with his epic performance) and held his own. There's this ability that Darren has that I haven't seen from anyone else in this cast display quite as well, and that's the purest expression of love in his gaze. But, more on that later...
I'm torn between discussing the whole episode and just the Klaine scenes. I'll discuss the rest of the ep in bulleted points after I discuss my OTP because I pretty much live and breathe them anymore.
Their first scene together, in Breadstix - an actual Klaine date, something we've been clamoring for since "Original Songs". Can I just say how much this very brief scene gave us in terms of character development and relationship development? And how easy it would be for them to give us one scene like this an episode to continue delving into Blaine, as well as their relationship, without honestly interrupting any other storylines? This? Was perfect. Simple, short and gave us so, so much. One scene like this an ep - that's all I'm asking!!
But anyway, first "Give me your hand".
The lack of hesitation completely on Blaine's part to do as asked. The way Kurt covers his hand completely that just makes my heart melt. There is something just so perfect in that very brief moment of how these two are with one another, I just... Can I just wave a banner over how much Blaine has changed Kurt? How easy Kurt is with reaching out to people now? How comfortable he is with Blaine? And now... now it's Kurt's turn to change Blaine. To help him. I just dkjafkdjalkfjalkdj;alkdjfakldjfklasdjfkldjfklj.
How much do I love that Kurt calls him "Blaine Warbler"? It's like the best nickname ever because it was first said by Rachel during that terrible night, so it's both a subtle jab at past mistakes as well as endearing. I just ♥.
And then Kurt asks Blaine to go to prom with him and we get handed more Blaine development in a short sentence then we've had since he appeared in the sixth episode. First, there's the hesitation. And then, the adorable hand-chase as Kurt reverts to Kurt mode, and immediately bristles over Blaine's less-than-enthusiastic response at going to prom with him. (I was flailing during that whole moment because I swear I've written that more than once; Kurt immediate moves into offense, and Blaine instantly goes into reassurance mode to console his less-than-secure boyfriend that everything is okay.) And that's when Blaine tells us what so many Blaine fans suspected but never had confirmation of - his own exposure to bullying was a lot worse than he'd ever let on.
"These three guys beat the living crap out of us."
You guys. My heart. You have to think - Blaine was at most a freshman when this happened. Probably fourteen years old. Just came out. Stars in his eyes because he's attending his first dance with another boy. And he gets the crap beat out of him. We can speculate to the ends of the earth as to exactly how bad the beating was, but I don't think we've ever honestly been shown that Blaine has a tendency to exaggerate. The Warblers really were like rockstars at Dalton, and Blaine Anderson has never been portrayed as a drama queen. If anything, he's always been a little closed off, a little bit fake and that confession proved exactly how closed off this character truly has been. He's known Kurt for over six months now, and only when cornered and put into a situation where he was forced to be honest about his past or hurt his boyfriend can he bring himself to admit what happened in the past. And every single moment of this scene, from Blaine's confession to Kurt's "This is perfect. You couldn't face up to the bullies at your school so you can do it at mine. We can do it together." leads right back to "I ran, Kurt. I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something I really, really regret."
"Simple as that", my ass, Blaine Warbler.
Also? Nice lead-in to season three. Just saying.
(You guys. Considering this character wasn't meant to stick around initially? This show has done a BANG UP job of tying "Never Been Kissed" back to things like "Prom Queen". For all the hell we might give this show for the stupid things it does - the entire glee club are juniors? Really??? - they've handled the Klaine storyline so amazingly well that I don't even know how to deal without bawling when I think about it.)
Enough angst, let's go to relationship talk for a moment. Kurt is all sold on the idea of Blaine facing his demons at Kurt's prom until he notices how uncomfortable his boyfriend still seems. And then, just like that, Kurt's puts his dreams of attending prom with his boyfriend aside, and offers to go to the movies instead. Hello Kurt "This is what I'm like when I'm truly in love" Hummel. Just *flailz*. Selfless, understanding and completely supportive of whatever Blaine needs.
And in return? Blaine sees that. He knows Kurt is willing to give this up for him and he can't let him do it. Because he loves Kurt and he wants him to be happy, so he pushes those fears aside for the moment and, oh my god, the way he said "I'm crazy about you" - just the look in his eyes was so much "I love you" - and then the cutest moment of the episode:
That excitement and sheer joy from Kurt. That's what having Blaine in his life brings out in him, and it's the most amazing thing to watch when compared to the Kurt we saw in "Duets" and so many other eps early on.
These two. I can't.
And crap, that was just the first scene... Moving on.
Can we please have more Burt/Blaine/Finn interaction?? PLEASE?? Between Finn and Blaine just chilling together in front of the TV (with an enormous bowl of chips) while Kurt is upstairs trying on his prom outfit, and then Burt walking in and just, like, expecting Blaine to be there. It's no big deal - Blaine is there so often, obviously. And he checked on discounts for tuxes for both Finn and Blaine. There are few things I've wanted more than Burt to become that surrogate father to Blaine, and it's so obviously reaching that point, or has reached that point. From the awkward conversation in the garage to this - and I really think that conversation was part of it. Blaine was so honest and open and up front with Burt, however weird people might think it is to talk to your best friend's dad about sex talks, but he clearly showed how much he cares about Kurt, and I think that went a long way for Burt. This isn't about threatening the boy who is dating your son with a shotgun - this is about Burt wanting Kurt to be happy, and realizing Blaine is good for that. This is exactly what I've wanted from Blaine and Burt, and I am so, so happy it's what we were given. But Ian, of all people! If anyone was going to make their interaction awkward, it would have been him.
"Looked like Tony Orlando."
"Was that a designer?" OMG Blaine. Why do you do these things to me?? *dying* And the way he just sort of stares up at Burt, completely wrapped up in what he's talking about. I just get the feeling he and his dad don't talk with one another so easily.
And then Kurt appears, in all his gay 'Braveheart' glory (really, Finn?), and I have to admit, Burt laughing at his own little joke about Kurt wearing something that was already half-off kind of killed me a bit. But, the most important part to pay attention to in this entire scene is Blaine's body language. It's just another moment where Darren uses this really subtle ability he has during scenes (like his tendency to talk while eating) that just conveys so much about character. You see how uncomfortable he is - hell, I found myself squirming right along with him. He closes off the moment Finn makes the "Gay Braveheart" comment, crossing his arms over his chest, which Blaine rarely does (he did when talking to Burt about his dad and the bonding moment), and those arms only get tighter as the conversation continues. and when Kurt mentions "what you've been through", he flat out squirms and tightens up even more. (I want to write fic about the look of curiosity Finn gives him in that moment.) This is one of the first moments when it came to Blaine that I've actually found myself a little angry at Kurt. Not flat out but, more like, how do you not see that your boyfriend clearly doesn't want to do this at all, and he's doing it for you??
Now, on the other hand, I do get where Kurt is coming from at this point. Since he got back to McKinley, everything has been rainbows and roses. He's being protected, he hasn't been slushied, he's got a boyfriend and he's happy, and now he gets to go to Prom. He thinks Blaine is overreacting here. He's essentially telling him that just because it happened to you once, doesn't mean it's going to happen to you twice, and we're going to be okay at McKinley because I've been okay since I've been back. And it's honestly a beautiful attitude to see Kurt have because he hasn't had that, and I attribute that rainbows and roses attitude to Blaine and Dalton. It was very much how the world was at Dalton, and how Blaine has appeared to view the world (though we now know that has been nothing but a very clever act by a brilliant performer - once again, the characterization of Blaine Anderson pleases me to no end!).
And everything above is why this entire episode is so freaking painful to me.
While Ian's characterization of Burt isn't the best, I was overall happy with how this played out. Burt was, understandably, worried about Kurt drawing attention to him and Blaine that could prove to be worse than what Karofsky has done. It seemed pretty obvious that Kurt hasn't shared what happened to Blaine with his family (Finn's look was a clear indication) because I honestly believe Burt would have fought a lot harder against the kilt if he'd known about what Blaine had been through. The moment this all went down, I called that Blaine would be completely vilified for not telling Kurt his kilt was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and apparently, that has happened but luckily I see none of that in my corner of fandom. I don't plan on dealing with it - I love Blaine too much to let the idiots out there ruin it. But, why no one is equally mad at Burt for not agreeing with it as well is beyond me.
Anyway, this scene gave my Klaine shipper/Blaine stan heart: Finn/Blaine bonding, Burt/Blaine bonding, confirmation that Blaine spends a LOT of time at the Hudmel's, Blaine's fears really have an incredible hold on him, Darren's acting dkjfKLJDADFJA, Kurt's cynical little heart really has changed - but unfortunately in this case, it's not a good thing.
So, apparently everything worked out because suddenly Kurt and Blaine are at Prom. Oh, Ian. Your tendency to leave out important scenes (see: BIOTA lack of Klaine argument resolution) makes me sputter incoherently. But, this is what fanfic and RPing exist for, right? Still, a discussion, seeing them having dinner before Prom, whatever would have been nice. (And you know, could have filled in for the RIDICULOUS and POINTLESS Sue & Artie storyline.) But whatever, the boys are at Prom.
And not dancing. Why? Because Blaine is too afraid to get out there with his boyfriend and dance, thereby drawing more attention to them. My heart. The awkwardness of them just standing there side by side, and kind of dancing to the music without really dancing. They don't even sit down. I can only hope this means next year, for senior prom, things will be very, very different. But wow, watching them each time the camera showed them - obviously happy to be there together, but still uncertain of how far they can actually display that happiness in front of others. I just want them to dance, you guys!!
Cut to Blaine singing "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You". There... really doesn't need to be anything said here.
Okay, maybe one thing needs to be said.
Jesus, Darren. What the fuck are you trying to do to me???
Blaine sings. Everyone dances. I squeal a lot. Finn's idiocy luckily does not interrupt the song, which I had initially feared. Kurt looks cute dancing to his boyfriend's antics.
Everything is peachy.
And then, Prom Queen is announced, and this happened:
You guys. The sound of Blaine's voice when he yelled "Kurt! Stop! Kurt!" broke me. I was a quivering mess. And how he instantly chased after him - no one else in New Directions did that. The people who have been there from the beginning, who begged Kurt to come back, that things would be better now. We got some marvelous looks shock from Tina and Mike (they will forever be my second OTP) and just... *hand waves* Blaine shot after his boyfriend, chasing him down the hall, and oh my god, Kurt's tears. His sobbing. We've never seen him cry like this before. And poor Blaine couldn't do anything other than stand there. What was he supposed to do? Kurt needed space, and Blaine had clearly given up long ago. He tried to warn Kurt, he'd had his fears and reservations, but he went anyway, and had to watch this happen to the boy he cares most about in the world.
Knowing where Blaine stood coming in to this, let's take a look at Kurt. Kurt who months ago would have expected something like this. Would have likely stomped up on that stage, told the entire student body where to shove it, and closed himself off even more. Maybe to the point that no one would have been able to reach him, because that was where he had been headed when he finally met Blaine. This? Would have been his tipping point.
Instead, we got a far more almost vulnerable Kurt here. A Kurt who said to Blaine that prom was about "joy". A Kurt who has spent his time since returning to McKinley feeling safe. A Kurt who's still wearing a bit of those rose-colored glasses left over from Dalton - and this isn't a bad thing when coupled with a little caution - and comes into this only knowing that a) he's attending his prom, and b) he's attending prom with his boyfriend. Nothing can touch him, right?
Except the cruelty of the entire student body. (We will ignore how that many kids kept this entire thing a secret from the whole of the glee club and Karofsky...)
Kurt is devastated. We've never seen him quite this affected by anything because he's never walked into things with his heart this open before. That's something Blaine has given him. It means he can hurt like hell, but also he's allowing himself to feel, when past Kurt would have simply shut down. This Kurt wails against the hatred and Blaine can only stand there and listen, can only quietly support because he's been there. He's already moved past this - and his way of doing that was running away from it. Hiding at Dalton in an almost-Utopian world where something like this would never have been allowed to happen.
And this is where the differences between these two work so well - how they combine together to create this strength between them that, oh my god people, is going to be so amazing to watch come next season as it just grows and matures. Kurt feels the way he's never felt before, and he's using those feelings to strengthen himself in a way he hadn't been able to achieve before because he'd been so brittle. And Blaine is there to give him the quiet support he needs so that Kurt knows he's never alone through this, that someone truly understands him, while at the same time learning how to be strong through Kurt. And I could spend another three paragraphs going in to how much I am looking forward to Blaine's continuing storyline next season as we hopefully see him completely combat those fears and regrets he's harboring. This character! I can't.
So we all know how Blaine would have reacted to this situation - he would have left. Blaine knows how he would have reacted. But Blaine also knows that Kurt is different from him. Kurt is stronger. And so he simply asks him if he wants to leave.
You guys, this right here is what I'm talking about when I say Darren has this ability to convey love in an expression like no one else on this show:
Just look at the way he is gazing up at Kurt. At Kurt's strength and bravery and everything he loves about him. I flat out gasped at that look.
And then it's Blaine who gets up. Blaine who holds his hand out to Kurt. Who gets him on his feet and points him in the right direction, who continues to offer that quiet strength and support that Kurt needs to know he's not alone in his battles anymore.
So Kurt walks in - alone, I might point out because this isn't something Blaine can be with him for - and he accepts the crown with one of the most vulnerable moments I think we've ever seen out of him. And then, for a moment, the old Kurt resurfaces just a bit with his snarky comment about Kate Middleton. But guys, he's not okay here. He's not winning anything. He's not owning this. He's simply trying to survive it. To not run away. To not end up as fearful and trapped as Blaine seems to be. He came back to McKinley, and he's going to stay at McKinley, and this is right here comes back to Blaine's original advice to him - the advice Blaine couldn't bring himself to follow. (Not that, after his confession last night, I entirely blame him.)
And it's obvious a part of Kurt expected Karofsky to stand with him on this after his tearful confession in the hallway. It's just one more moment where Kurt's newly discovered expectations don't match up. He's left standing there alone, in his kilt and his crown, being stared at by everyone in his class, and not even his closest friends can help him here.
Then Blaine appears. Watching Kurt's bravery as he went up there on that stage and accepted that crown, knowing the cruelty and hatred that it represented, was enough to get Blaine to overcome his own fears. Throughout that entire dance he had kept a respectable distance from his boyfriend, trying not to draw attention, and now, when Kurt needed him the absolute most, Blaine moved past those fears and asked him boyfriend to dance right there under the spotlight in front of the everyone.
And this right here brings us right back to the importance of body language from both of them. This is truly one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed on TV.
Look at how their fingers are interlaced. At how Blaine is holding him, his hand literally braced against his back, cupping it securely, protectively. He's guiding him as they move, pushing Kurt to dance when he's clearly hovering on the edge of terrified to do so. Kurt is stiff at first, eyes trained on the rest of the crowd while Blaine just stares at him, focused completely on his boyfriend, smiling, as if saying 'Hey, ignore them. I'm here and we're in this together.' and I just djkafkljdfkl;ajfkl;djsfl;kajklfjdklj Blaine.
And slowly, Kurt looks away from the others and there's this moment:
Just look at them. Just look at the love conveyed there. These two are so perfectly matched and so in love and this is really and truly a moment where they got to stand together. And from there? Everything really does come up rainbows and roses.
Blaine spins Kurt.
Blaine sings to Kurt.
I think my life is complete.
No, wait. There's the photo.
And because only Tumblr can truly express everything I feel for these two anymore:
To me, Blaine will always be this guy that’s holding his hand out to people, waiting for them to take it. He asks with that open palm for all the love and acceptance he hasn’t had in the past. If it weren’t for Kurt, I think he’d still be waiting. He’s been looking for someone to take his hand forever. And this is why I will never understand why people hate Blaine. He's just a scared kid, but he has such a good heart that all he does is being honest and try to help everyone he can.
Finally, I can't look at this without thinking of Blaine after the Regionals loss:
"You did win. We both did."
And very quickly, the other points of the ep:
What I loved:
- Jesse and Rachel will never not be one of my fave pairings. I love Rachel when she is with him, and Jesse is always made of win. WB, Jesse!
- While Max Adler killed that scene with Kurt, Karofsky still isn't getting a pass from me.
- Brittany made me so proud when she didn't accept Artie's offer to go to prom
- The prom dress scene with Kurt and the girl's. Kurt calling Santana Satan will never not be funny. Also, I loved how happy they were to hear about him going with Blaine.
- Mercedes/Sam. Need I say anything more?? I really hope they weren't kidding when they hinted at that going somewhere. I am SOLD.
- Tina, Brittany and Blaine need to start a group together. Like Tony Orlando and Dawn, and the other girl who never got a name.
- The severe lack of Will.
What I didn't like:
- The Artie & Sue scenes. Was there a point there, at all? If it was just for comedic relief, they would have done best to leave it out because it wasn't even funny. Those wasted minutes could have been better spent on more story development. And it didn't even have to be Klaine (though I would have preferred it) but even what happened between Jesse and Finn when they were outside??
- Finn's characterization this season has me seeing red. He was an absolute douche last night. He only ever wants Rachel when someone else has her, and I've reached the end of caring anymore at all.
- Kurt's camouflage outfit. What was that?!?!
I honestly did not mean for this to be almost 4,000 words long... O.o
May I just begin by saying how Darren killed it on the acting front?? He stood toe-to-toe with that Golden Globe winner last night (who I'm pretty certain secured himself another win with his epic performance) and held his own. There's this ability that Darren has that I haven't seen from anyone else in this cast display quite as well, and that's the purest expression of love in his gaze. But, more on that later...
I'm torn between discussing the whole episode and just the Klaine scenes. I'll discuss the rest of the ep in bulleted points after I discuss my OTP because I pretty much live and breathe them anymore.
Their first scene together, in Breadstix - an actual Klaine date, something we've been clamoring for since "Original Songs". Can I just say how much this very brief scene gave us in terms of character development and relationship development? And how easy it would be for them to give us one scene like this an episode to continue delving into Blaine, as well as their relationship, without honestly interrupting any other storylines? This? Was perfect. Simple, short and gave us so, so much. One scene like this an ep - that's all I'm asking!!
But anyway, first "Give me your hand".
The lack of hesitation completely on Blaine's part to do as asked. The way Kurt covers his hand completely that just makes my heart melt. There is something just so perfect in that very brief moment of how these two are with one another, I just... Can I just wave a banner over how much Blaine has changed Kurt? How easy Kurt is with reaching out to people now? How comfortable he is with Blaine? And now... now it's Kurt's turn to change Blaine. To help him. I just dkjafkdjalkfjalkdj;alkdjfakldjfklasdjfkldjfklj.
How much do I love that Kurt calls him "Blaine Warbler"? It's like the best nickname ever because it was first said by Rachel during that terrible night, so it's both a subtle jab at past mistakes as well as endearing. I just ♥.
And then Kurt asks Blaine to go to prom with him and we get handed more Blaine development in a short sentence then we've had since he appeared in the sixth episode. First, there's the hesitation. And then, the adorable hand-chase as Kurt reverts to Kurt mode, and immediately bristles over Blaine's less-than-enthusiastic response at going to prom with him. (I was flailing during that whole moment because I swear I've written that more than once; Kurt immediate moves into offense, and Blaine instantly goes into reassurance mode to console his less-than-secure boyfriend that everything is okay.) And that's when Blaine tells us what so many Blaine fans suspected but never had confirmation of - his own exposure to bullying was a lot worse than he'd ever let on.
"These three guys beat the living crap out of us."
You guys. My heart. You have to think - Blaine was at most a freshman when this happened. Probably fourteen years old. Just came out. Stars in his eyes because he's attending his first dance with another boy. And he gets the crap beat out of him. We can speculate to the ends of the earth as to exactly how bad the beating was, but I don't think we've ever honestly been shown that Blaine has a tendency to exaggerate. The Warblers really were like rockstars at Dalton, and Blaine Anderson has never been portrayed as a drama queen. If anything, he's always been a little closed off, a little bit fake and that confession proved exactly how closed off this character truly has been. He's known Kurt for over six months now, and only when cornered and put into a situation where he was forced to be honest about his past or hurt his boyfriend can he bring himself to admit what happened in the past. And every single moment of this scene, from Blaine's confession to Kurt's "This is perfect. You couldn't face up to the bullies at your school so you can do it at mine. We can do it together." leads right back to "I ran, Kurt. I didn't stand up. I let bullies chase me away, and it is something I really, really regret."
"Simple as that", my ass, Blaine Warbler.
Also? Nice lead-in to season three. Just saying.
(You guys. Considering this character wasn't meant to stick around initially? This show has done a BANG UP job of tying "Never Been Kissed" back to things like "Prom Queen". For all the hell we might give this show for the stupid things it does - the entire glee club are juniors? Really??? - they've handled the Klaine storyline so amazingly well that I don't even know how to deal without bawling when I think about it.)
Enough angst, let's go to relationship talk for a moment. Kurt is all sold on the idea of Blaine facing his demons at Kurt's prom until he notices how uncomfortable his boyfriend still seems. And then, just like that, Kurt's puts his dreams of attending prom with his boyfriend aside, and offers to go to the movies instead. Hello Kurt "This is what I'm like when I'm truly in love" Hummel. Just *flailz*. Selfless, understanding and completely supportive of whatever Blaine needs.
And in return? Blaine sees that. He knows Kurt is willing to give this up for him and he can't let him do it. Because he loves Kurt and he wants him to be happy, so he pushes those fears aside for the moment and, oh my god, the way he said "I'm crazy about you" - just the look in his eyes was so much "I love you" - and then the cutest moment of the episode:
That excitement and sheer joy from Kurt. That's what having Blaine in his life brings out in him, and it's the most amazing thing to watch when compared to the Kurt we saw in "Duets" and so many other eps early on.
These two. I can't.
And crap, that was just the first scene... Moving on.
Can we please have more Burt/Blaine/Finn interaction?? PLEASE?? Between Finn and Blaine just chilling together in front of the TV (with an enormous bowl of chips) while Kurt is upstairs trying on his prom outfit, and then Burt walking in and just, like, expecting Blaine to be there. It's no big deal - Blaine is there so often, obviously. And he checked on discounts for tuxes for both Finn and Blaine. There are few things I've wanted more than Burt to become that surrogate father to Blaine, and it's so obviously reaching that point, or has reached that point. From the awkward conversation in the garage to this - and I really think that conversation was part of it. Blaine was so honest and open and up front with Burt, however weird people might think it is to talk to your best friend's dad about sex talks, but he clearly showed how much he cares about Kurt, and I think that went a long way for Burt. This isn't about threatening the boy who is dating your son with a shotgun - this is about Burt wanting Kurt to be happy, and realizing Blaine is good for that. This is exactly what I've wanted from Blaine and Burt, and I am so, so happy it's what we were given. But Ian, of all people! If anyone was going to make their interaction awkward, it would have been him.
"Looked like Tony Orlando."
"Was that a designer?" OMG Blaine. Why do you do these things to me?? *dying* And the way he just sort of stares up at Burt, completely wrapped up in what he's talking about. I just get the feeling he and his dad don't talk with one another so easily.
And then Kurt appears, in all his gay 'Braveheart' glory (really, Finn?), and I have to admit, Burt laughing at his own little joke about Kurt wearing something that was already half-off kind of killed me a bit. But, the most important part to pay attention to in this entire scene is Blaine's body language. It's just another moment where Darren uses this really subtle ability he has during scenes (like his tendency to talk while eating) that just conveys so much about character. You see how uncomfortable he is - hell, I found myself squirming right along with him. He closes off the moment Finn makes the "Gay Braveheart" comment, crossing his arms over his chest, which Blaine rarely does (he did when talking to Burt about his dad and the bonding moment), and those arms only get tighter as the conversation continues. and when Kurt mentions "what you've been through", he flat out squirms and tightens up even more. (I want to write fic about the look of curiosity Finn gives him in that moment.) This is one of the first moments when it came to Blaine that I've actually found myself a little angry at Kurt. Not flat out but, more like, how do you not see that your boyfriend clearly doesn't want to do this at all, and he's doing it for you??
Now, on the other hand, I do get where Kurt is coming from at this point. Since he got back to McKinley, everything has been rainbows and roses. He's being protected, he hasn't been slushied, he's got a boyfriend and he's happy, and now he gets to go to Prom. He thinks Blaine is overreacting here. He's essentially telling him that just because it happened to you once, doesn't mean it's going to happen to you twice, and we're going to be okay at McKinley because I've been okay since I've been back. And it's honestly a beautiful attitude to see Kurt have because he hasn't had that, and I attribute that rainbows and roses attitude to Blaine and Dalton. It was very much how the world was at Dalton, and how Blaine has appeared to view the world (though we now know that has been nothing but a very clever act by a brilliant performer - once again, the characterization of Blaine Anderson pleases me to no end!).
And everything above is why this entire episode is so freaking painful to me.
While Ian's characterization of Burt isn't the best, I was overall happy with how this played out. Burt was, understandably, worried about Kurt drawing attention to him and Blaine that could prove to be worse than what Karofsky has done. It seemed pretty obvious that Kurt hasn't shared what happened to Blaine with his family (Finn's look was a clear indication) because I honestly believe Burt would have fought a lot harder against the kilt if he'd known about what Blaine had been through. The moment this all went down, I called that Blaine would be completely vilified for not telling Kurt his kilt was the greatest thing since sliced bread, and apparently, that has happened but luckily I see none of that in my corner of fandom. I don't plan on dealing with it - I love Blaine too much to let the idiots out there ruin it. But, why no one is equally mad at Burt for not agreeing with it as well is beyond me.
Anyway, this scene gave my Klaine shipper/Blaine stan heart: Finn/Blaine bonding, Burt/Blaine bonding, confirmation that Blaine spends a LOT of time at the Hudmel's, Blaine's fears really have an incredible hold on him, Darren's acting dkjfKLJDADFJA, Kurt's cynical little heart really has changed - but unfortunately in this case, it's not a good thing.
So, apparently everything worked out because suddenly Kurt and Blaine are at Prom. Oh, Ian. Your tendency to leave out important scenes (see: BIOTA lack of Klaine argument resolution) makes me sputter incoherently. But, this is what fanfic and RPing exist for, right? Still, a discussion, seeing them having dinner before Prom, whatever would have been nice. (And you know, could have filled in for the RIDICULOUS and POINTLESS Sue & Artie storyline.) But whatever, the boys are at Prom.
And not dancing. Why? Because Blaine is too afraid to get out there with his boyfriend and dance, thereby drawing more attention to them. My heart. The awkwardness of them just standing there side by side, and kind of dancing to the music without really dancing. They don't even sit down. I can only hope this means next year, for senior prom, things will be very, very different. But wow, watching them each time the camera showed them - obviously happy to be there together, but still uncertain of how far they can actually display that happiness in front of others. I just want them to dance, you guys!!
Cut to Blaine singing "I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You". There... really doesn't need to be anything said here.
Okay, maybe one thing needs to be said.
Jesus, Darren. What the fuck are you trying to do to me???
Blaine sings. Everyone dances. I squeal a lot. Finn's idiocy luckily does not interrupt the song, which I had initially feared. Kurt looks cute dancing to his boyfriend's antics.
Everything is peachy.
And then, Prom Queen is announced, and this happened:
You guys. The sound of Blaine's voice when he yelled "Kurt! Stop! Kurt!" broke me. I was a quivering mess. And how he instantly chased after him - no one else in New Directions did that. The people who have been there from the beginning, who begged Kurt to come back, that things would be better now. We got some marvelous looks shock from Tina and Mike (they will forever be my second OTP) and just... *hand waves* Blaine shot after his boyfriend, chasing him down the hall, and oh my god, Kurt's tears. His sobbing. We've never seen him cry like this before. And poor Blaine couldn't do anything other than stand there. What was he supposed to do? Kurt needed space, and Blaine had clearly given up long ago. He tried to warn Kurt, he'd had his fears and reservations, but he went anyway, and had to watch this happen to the boy he cares most about in the world.
Knowing where Blaine stood coming in to this, let's take a look at Kurt. Kurt who months ago would have expected something like this. Would have likely stomped up on that stage, told the entire student body where to shove it, and closed himself off even more. Maybe to the point that no one would have been able to reach him, because that was where he had been headed when he finally met Blaine. This? Would have been his tipping point.
Instead, we got a far more almost vulnerable Kurt here. A Kurt who said to Blaine that prom was about "joy". A Kurt who has spent his time since returning to McKinley feeling safe. A Kurt who's still wearing a bit of those rose-colored glasses left over from Dalton - and this isn't a bad thing when coupled with a little caution - and comes into this only knowing that a) he's attending his prom, and b) he's attending prom with his boyfriend. Nothing can touch him, right?
Except the cruelty of the entire student body. (We will ignore how that many kids kept this entire thing a secret from the whole of the glee club and Karofsky...)
Kurt is devastated. We've never seen him quite this affected by anything because he's never walked into things with his heart this open before. That's something Blaine has given him. It means he can hurt like hell, but also he's allowing himself to feel, when past Kurt would have simply shut down. This Kurt wails against the hatred and Blaine can only stand there and listen, can only quietly support because he's been there. He's already moved past this - and his way of doing that was running away from it. Hiding at Dalton in an almost-Utopian world where something like this would never have been allowed to happen.
And this is where the differences between these two work so well - how they combine together to create this strength between them that, oh my god people, is going to be so amazing to watch come next season as it just grows and matures. Kurt feels the way he's never felt before, and he's using those feelings to strengthen himself in a way he hadn't been able to achieve before because he'd been so brittle. And Blaine is there to give him the quiet support he needs so that Kurt knows he's never alone through this, that someone truly understands him, while at the same time learning how to be strong through Kurt. And I could spend another three paragraphs going in to how much I am looking forward to Blaine's continuing storyline next season as we hopefully see him completely combat those fears and regrets he's harboring. This character! I can't.
So we all know how Blaine would have reacted to this situation - he would have left. Blaine knows how he would have reacted. But Blaine also knows that Kurt is different from him. Kurt is stronger. And so he simply asks him if he wants to leave.
You guys, this right here is what I'm talking about when I say Darren has this ability to convey love in an expression like no one else on this show:
Just look at the way he is gazing up at Kurt. At Kurt's strength and bravery and everything he loves about him. I flat out gasped at that look.
And then it's Blaine who gets up. Blaine who holds his hand out to Kurt. Who gets him on his feet and points him in the right direction, who continues to offer that quiet strength and support that Kurt needs to know he's not alone in his battles anymore.
So Kurt walks in - alone, I might point out because this isn't something Blaine can be with him for - and he accepts the crown with one of the most vulnerable moments I think we've ever seen out of him. And then, for a moment, the old Kurt resurfaces just a bit with his snarky comment about Kate Middleton. But guys, he's not okay here. He's not winning anything. He's not owning this. He's simply trying to survive it. To not run away. To not end up as fearful and trapped as Blaine seems to be. He came back to McKinley, and he's going to stay at McKinley, and this is right here comes back to Blaine's original advice to him - the advice Blaine couldn't bring himself to follow. (Not that, after his confession last night, I entirely blame him.)
And it's obvious a part of Kurt expected Karofsky to stand with him on this after his tearful confession in the hallway. It's just one more moment where Kurt's newly discovered expectations don't match up. He's left standing there alone, in his kilt and his crown, being stared at by everyone in his class, and not even his closest friends can help him here.
Then Blaine appears. Watching Kurt's bravery as he went up there on that stage and accepted that crown, knowing the cruelty and hatred that it represented, was enough to get Blaine to overcome his own fears. Throughout that entire dance he had kept a respectable distance from his boyfriend, trying not to draw attention, and now, when Kurt needed him the absolute most, Blaine moved past those fears and asked him boyfriend to dance right there under the spotlight in front of the everyone.
And this right here brings us right back to the importance of body language from both of them. This is truly one of the most beautiful moments I have ever witnessed on TV.
Look at how their fingers are interlaced. At how Blaine is holding him, his hand literally braced against his back, cupping it securely, protectively. He's guiding him as they move, pushing Kurt to dance when he's clearly hovering on the edge of terrified to do so. Kurt is stiff at first, eyes trained on the rest of the crowd while Blaine just stares at him, focused completely on his boyfriend, smiling, as if saying 'Hey, ignore them. I'm here and we're in this together.' and I just djkafkljdfkl;ajfkl;djsfl;kajklfjdklj Blaine.
And slowly, Kurt looks away from the others and there's this moment:
Just look at them. Just look at the love conveyed there. These two are so perfectly matched and so in love and this is really and truly a moment where they got to stand together. And from there? Everything really does come up rainbows and roses.
Blaine spins Kurt.
Blaine sings to Kurt.
I think my life is complete.
No, wait. There's the photo.
And because only Tumblr can truly express everything I feel for these two anymore:
To me, Blaine will always be this guy that’s holding his hand out to people, waiting for them to take it. He asks with that open palm for all the love and acceptance he hasn’t had in the past. If it weren’t for Kurt, I think he’d still be waiting. He’s been looking for someone to take his hand forever. And this is why I will never understand why people hate Blaine. He's just a scared kid, but he has such a good heart that all he does is being honest and try to help everyone he can.
Finally, I can't look at this without thinking of Blaine after the Regionals loss:
"You did win. We both did."
And very quickly, the other points of the ep:
What I loved:
- Jesse and Rachel will never not be one of my fave pairings. I love Rachel when she is with him, and Jesse is always made of win. WB, Jesse!
- While Max Adler killed that scene with Kurt, Karofsky still isn't getting a pass from me.
- Brittany made me so proud when she didn't accept Artie's offer to go to prom
- The prom dress scene with Kurt and the girl's. Kurt calling Santana Satan will never not be funny. Also, I loved how happy they were to hear about him going with Blaine.
- Mercedes/Sam. Need I say anything more?? I really hope they weren't kidding when they hinted at that going somewhere. I am SOLD.
- Tina, Brittany and Blaine need to start a group together. Like Tony Orlando and Dawn, and the other girl who never got a name.
- The severe lack of Will.
What I didn't like:
- The Artie & Sue scenes. Was there a point there, at all? If it was just for comedic relief, they would have done best to leave it out because it wasn't even funny. Those wasted minutes could have been better spent on more story development. And it didn't even have to be Klaine (though I would have preferred it) but even what happened between Jesse and Finn when they were outside??
- Finn's characterization this season has me seeing red. He was an absolute douche last night. He only ever wants Rachel when someone else has her, and I've reached the end of caring anymore at all.
- Kurt's camouflage outfit. What was that?!?!
I honestly did not mean for this to be almost 4,000 words long... O.o