Glee: Secret, Not Sly
Over the last couple of days on Tumblr, I’ve found myself making a few comments about Blaine and his penchant for secret meetings—and those comments are in response to “Sweet Dreams,” where Mr. Schue is furious at the glee kids for going behind his back and questioning his set list for the regionals competition. He targets Blaine in particular, after being told, “We kinda got together as a group after you gave us these songs yesterday, and we came up with some . . . alternatives.” Mr. Schue asks back, “Why would you do that?” and then tells Blaine, “I am disappointed in you for allowing this to go on.” Schue’s assumption that Blaine is some kind of assistant manager aside, Blaine’s push for a secret meeting got me wondering, and it was only once I listed all of his secret meetings that I started to get really curious. We’ve got:
- Blaine starts a Fight Club at Dalton, which by its very nature meets secretly [ETA, thanks to Sam in the comments section].
- The garage “fight” in Michael, which is Blaine’s idea after leaking the regionals set list.
- The Thunderdome-style contest to be the New Rachel, which is Blaine’s idea.
- The plan to help Brittany (which involved lip-syncing).
- Blaine’s leading the Secret Society of Superheroes (and the related secret mission to take back the Nationals trophy).
- Blaine and Sam’s secret meetings with Trent to unseat Hunter and the Warblers.
- “Shout,” which is Blaine and Brittany’s idea to do the mashup competition in a way other than Mr. Schue laid out.
- The plan to give Finn and Mr. Schue an assignment for the week.
- Blaine and Sam’s “guilty pleasures” assignment, which happens without Mr. Schue’s input or apparent knowledge.
- Blaine’s undercover Cheerio operation to unseat Coach Sue.
- “Say,” which is part of yet another secret meeting—one that removes them from a mandatory assembly (so this is acting contrary to Principal Figgins) [ETA, thanks to Amy in the comments section].
- This most recent meeting of the New Directions to generate an alternate set list for regionals.
It’s not a big surprise that Blaine would rather take matters into his own hands, given adult authority figures’ track record with him, from the teachers who ignored Blaine’s bullies at his old school to the Dalton headmaster (and Schue, for that matter) not doing enough regarding Sebastian’s tainted slushy. So in many of the cases above, Blaine, often with the help of other team members, finds ways to work out problems within the group itself, without the involvement of authority figures.
Blaine’s approach sets up a different dynamic in the group. Is this one of the reasons why it feels so much like the new New Directions truly rely on and support each other? Not that the old New Directions didn’t have each other’s backs, too, but there’s a sense of the group’s ownership over the entire process that feels different here. It really feels like joint ownership, since there’s so little infighting.
Sadly, that level of close, self-motivated teamwork (which should be desirable!) is seen as suspicious and sly by authority figures. In “Sweet Dreams,” both Schue and Coach Roz have this reaction, as they are either offended that someone is questioning their choices or are worried about protecting themselves from their underlings’ schemes.
In spite of authority figures’ distrust, Blaine still shows respect for Will or Finn as stated leaders of the group (with symbolic gifts, even). At the same time it’s clear he sees them as mere ceremonial figureheads. He doesn’t ask authority figures for advice, for instance. He asks them to do things for him instead, like Beiste wearing her own superhero costume, or Emma finding schools that might accept Sam. He shows respect, of course, and is the first to apologize on behalf of the team—but I can’t help but wonder how much of that is ceremonial, too.
The gavel we see so often associated with Blaine is a symbol from Dalton’s Warbler’s Council, run by students without any visible adult authority figure. That gavel is a symbol for order and fairness—it’s a promise that voices will be heard. Even when there’s no meeting, the idea of giving people voices (getting the bird to sing) is an important part of Blaine’s missions, as in the case of Trent’s discomfort with Hunter’s doping scheme, or more recently, the case of Becky’s role in the shooting incident. And how ironic is it that, in “Sweet Dreams,” after Mr. Schue’s tirade, the apology that comes is about that very concept. “I’m sorry,” he says, “if I made any of you feel like you don’t have a voice in this room. You do.” Whether or not Mr. Schue can deliver on that promise, it seems clear that the new New Directions has it covered, even if they have to continue to work in secret.
Another possible example of this is in The New Rachel, after talking to Kurt, Blaine asks Marley to come and sing lead on a song. He doesn’t go through Will.
The gavel is very much a Dalton symbol, although the actual gavel he uses appears to be the one Mercedes lead the God Squad with in Heart, so to some extent gavels were a thing in McKinley clubs to some extent before Blaine did it?
Great post, it has seriously given me some brilliant food for thought about how Blaine is going about this. In early s3 we did see Blaine try and take charge/make suggestions in Will’s presence, but he was shut down by Finn, who was never criticised for that action by Will. Yet another reason for him to not keep trying that way.
Oh, hi, Januarium! That is a good example. I was even thinking about a non-glee club example as I wrote this, of how in DWS Blaine secretly practices what it will be like without Kurt. But that has nothing to do with authority . . . anyway.
Yes, gavels are things that likely exist in McKinley. On the show, however, no character is associated with them the way his is, so the gavel as an image becomes extra-relevant!
I love thinking about how this comments on season 3 Blaine, and I’ve mentioned a few times on Tumblr the HOTS quote to Kurt, where Blaine says, “I know what I’m doing!” in response to Finn’s treatment of him. Between having an authority figure in Will and having Finn/the old ND dynamic to fit into, it’s no surprise he struggled the way he did. And the one time he did something that probably made sense to him (the garage fight), he got slushied and sent to the hospital.
I agree – though you missed a big one. “Say” at the end of Shooting Star is, we are told, a secret meeting for the ND (who are meant to be at an assembly). It is their way of coming together and healing after the shooting, and Will isn’t any part of it (we don’t know if Blaine arranges it, but he is the lead on Say, so it’s implied)
I do hope that the tension between the Glee club and Will, or at least the acknowledgement that the group are actually successfully leading themselves and that Will has to either get onto their wavelength or find himself redundant is continued, not least as a way for Will to actually develop some sustained growth out of Sweet Dreams.
I’m intrigued by how Wonder-ful will play out – I found the mentoring in Thanksgiving annoying (really – the graduate “legends” are needed to teach the NDs, ignoring the abilities of the seniors who were just as much a part of the old NDs?) but the new NDs were still developing at that stage.
How will Mike, Mercedes and Kurt interact with the group which has developed a more cohesive dynamic than the old NDs achieved, and done so largely themselves? Will they feel the need to impart their new adult wisdom to the group – which won’t sit right given the group’s response to Will’s authority? Or will they take (I hope) a more integrated approach. Since Will doesn’t seem to be in the one group still we have, this may also be played as the latter ie. is this another “secret meeting” – we know Blaine meets up with them at the Lima Bean, does he arrange it?
Mainly I just want Mercedes and Kurt in particular, characters who were often unfairly pushed aside and ignored by Will in the old NDs in favour of his favourites, Rachel and Finn, to recognise and appreciate what the new NDs have become. Remember Kurt’s advice to Blaine in New Rachel – that Rachel made everyone feel included? What Blaine and the new NDs has achieved is even better – everyone has an equal voice.
I thought of that one, and I don’t know why I didn’t include it! I think my recollection was Ryder made it sound like it was “special”—because of their being locked down in the choir room—and it was implied they were excused from the official assembly.
BUT NO: Ryder says, “we have a secret meeting.” Very good! Very good! If you don’t mind, I’m going to edit the post to add that one, because yeah, it’s HUGE.
Adding a few more thoughts for you, Amy. I’ll be curious to see how 4×21 plays out. Don’t want to spoil too much out here. But one thing that I’ve found odd all season, just like you, is the role old ND members have played with the new group, with them brought in as mentors. Obviously it’s a way to bring those cast members in, but I wonder about their function, or relevance, in the end. What did they teach them, if anything? I mean, Santana and Quinn got right back into fighting with each other.
And since the shooting incident, and even before, this new group is so close with each other, so respectful. And talented, too. I want to see them do well without extra “help” from authority figures or quasi-authority figures.
Mike and Kurt are at two incredibly prestigious colleges and Mercedes is doing some singing work professionally (and probably studying music, not sure we’ve been told what she is studying). So, if they mentor the new ND from that perspective it would be interesting, but I agree if it is more like the thanksgiving mentoring it would be annoying. For Grease Mike and Mercedes were there providing their skills and a repeat of that wouldn’t be a bad thing, I’d think.
You’re right, of course. And for what it’s worth, Mercedes and Mike seemed very supportive during the musical . . .
Yes, I agree. I think/hope it will be played out this way, ie. the graduates using their expertise is a way that is supportive and beneficial, but importantly doing so through the team and becoming a temporary part of that team – mainly because I want to see how they integrate with the new ND dynamics – not just sitting at the front being teachers.
Really fantastic post.
I find it really interesting that Blaine not only questions Mr Schue’s leadership abilities but also doesn’t go out of his way to please him. Blaine certainly doesn’t hero worship him the way some of the old ND members did. I’ve been getting the vibe that Blaine is getting really tired of the current leadership, especially since it’s been proven several times that they don’t need it and that a student council like the Warblers had might be more effective. I also get the feeling that Blaine has lingering distrust for Mr Schue, distrust that is arguably justified.
Blaine taking matters into his own hands is interesting. He does it in a way that doesn’t go against Mr Schue, but that inadvertently renders him useless. He doesn’t do it for himself either and it’s never his intention to outshine authority. He just does.
Blaine will always respect authority (or at least act like he does) but I think he sees leaders as figureheads, as you said. As a leader himself, it makes me question where he sees himself in all of this.
Watching Blaine’s reactions when Schue comes back to the choir room to apologize is really fascinating, because yeah, he doesn’t outright question things (remember when Kurt did so long ago), in fact the closest we get to that is his “Why do you ALWAYS do that?” after the mash-ups in “Guilty Pleasures.”
And yes, I think it’s important to note that his reasons aren’t self-serving. He’s invested in the group (and does want that win for regionals).
I’d love to know what he thinks of himself. Although he did call himself the “Honorary Rachel,” this week . . .
Interesting post! The number of secret meetings he’s had never occurred to me. Blaine also started Fight Club at Dalton, and you know the first rule. As for the gavel, Tina also used it during the Too Young To Be Bitter Club.
I like the pre-McKinley example, that’s a good one, because as you reminds us, Fight Club by its very nature is secretive.
One of the most interesting Blaine moments in this episode (at least, to me) is when he’s listing the songs. He calls them “great”, but rejects the thought of performing them on account of their age. Yet, he’s been shown to be the one of the only members to love disco, and idolises Brian Ferry.
I think that he’s using their age as an excuse. His real problem is the approach Schue takes towards it. This is the boy who saw “Cough Syrup” as inspirational, performed Robin Thicke to seduce Jeremiah – he “can act it out in song” but only if the songs have a personal meaning to him. With Schue dictating them on a topic so personal, forcing them to misrepresent their dreams because an external panel of judges don’t take their jobs seriously (which links to the point you made about the community of the New New Directions – they’re a family now, they’ve gone through a terrifying experience and now they’re asked to dumb themselves down in a subject that, so close to death/graduation, they must be obsessing over?)
Personally, I wish I’d seen the alternative song list. Unlike the last “dreams” episode, where Bryan Ryan asked them to directly state their dreams, this one is left up in the air. Blaine seems the most interested in Marleys original songs, and *spoiler* will eventually sing one in a competition setting. I wonder how this fits in with the image of Blaine, especially as *another spoiler* these last episodes seem to focus on the relationship between him and Kurt. Is this his dream? Is this his “all or nothing?”
And don’t forget Wham!
We know the songs (I won’t mention them here), so yes, thinking of that “dreams” theme should interesting (I know I have some thoughts on them already), given the way Blaine tends to work off themes . . .
I suppose Blaine’s mentioning the age of the songs is a way of saying Schue is out of touch with the new ND. Even in the choir room during the episode, when they’re discussing the songs, someone brings up that Finn used to let them get involved . . .
I thought of another and this one is different because Will embraced it: Disco! Blaine, Mike and Britt got everyone into the auditorium and did “You Should Be Dancing” independently. It fit in with Will’s desire to repeat himself constantly, so he didn’t criticise it and then with Sue’s idea it inspired an assignment. But the initial song was something they put together without him.