This is going to have to be quick. I’m doing NaNoWriMo again this year and I have a 5000 word day ahead. Still there are things that must be said. In fact, most of it is being said elsewhere. I want to talk about Finn and Rory.

Rory: I thought America was all about different, unique people coming together and accepting one another.

Finn: That’s a pretty old brochure, dude.

This exchange is pretty pivotal when you consider it against the congressional race, and the division between the glee clubs. Yes, the creation myth of the United States of America is all about this whole melting pot ideal but has that ever really worked? I suppose it depends if you ask Finn or if you ask Rory. And really? Finn and Rory? There are ridiculous Irish plays with less Irish sounding characters than that (and I know because I’ve been reading a lot of ridiculous Irish plays). And while Finn may not understand the concept of ancestral Irishness (what a breath of fresh air actually), Rory’s right. They’re not that different. Chances are pretty good that Finn Hudson is as genetically Irish as Rory Flanagan is. The difference is belonging/allegiance or perceived allegiance.

The colour theme for the episode was unmistakably red, white and blue. It was everywhere, so Rory in his green really stood out. Actually, the variations on the red,white and blue outfits are really interesting (who’s wearing yellow and purple? and who never wears any red, white or blue?) but possibly way too involved for the time I have right now. And of course it was red, white and blue. We have the glee club, which is a micr0-melting pot if ever there was one, we have a congressional battle being waged in the halls of McKinley, as well as a high school presidential race being fought within the glee club. Rory even mentions one of his favourite things about America is “your half-black president”.

But we’re not talking race here — we’re talking nationality, citizenship, and allegiance. Race is there, along with ability and sexuality and gender, but this is primarily about belonging.

So we have Finn, who we can probably call “All-American”. He’s tall and strong and plays football and loves his mom. He’s good to his girlfriend. Other dudes like him. Finn tells us that Rory’s ideal of everyone coming together and belonging is an “old brochure”. He thinks that Brittany should stop being Brittany, just like he thought once that Kurt should probably tone down all that Kurt-ness. He wants Blaine to fall into line with the established order and stop being all Blainers. If everyone else would just be like him, then they’d all belong and it’d all work out really well. Finn has his better moments, but his instincts are exactly this.

There are other issues with Blaine too because Finn feels like the leader and wants to be the leader, but he sees another leader in Blaine. And this cannot be extricated from his half-brotherhood with Blaine’s boyfriend. I keep thinking Finn is going to join the Troubletones, actually, until I remember it’s an all girl group, and also, Rachel.

Rory is looking for something else.He was expecting that he could come to America/glee club and be himself, and that everyone else would be too. That instead of living in a country that is still very much culturally homogeneous, he’s in a country that is demographically a patchwork quilt.

Brittany, of course, has already pronounced Rory magic by the time Rachel reaffirms it. Finn is always having ro prove himself around magical (distressed) creatures it seems. With Kurt he mostly failed until he figured stuff out. He seems to be taking those lessons somewhat to heart with Rory, but we shall see.

Ugh, sorry for total incoherence, but I must go NaNo. Also, flailing over spoilers and preview for next week’s episode.

PS: Blaine looked way too into Rory’s solo. I’m sorry, but he did. Kurt/Kurtchel was perfection.