Special Education

**Special Education** is the ninth episode of *Glee's* second season and the thirty-first episode overall. It premiered on November 30, 2010.

In this episode, the New Directions compete at the 2010 Western Ohio Sectional Championship. Rachel is distraught when she finds out that Finn lost his virginity to Santana and didn't tell her, and to make her even angrier, she isn't being featured at Sectionals. With all happiness taken away, Rachel helps Kurt with an audition solo for the Warblers. The New Directions have a large quarrel, causing none of them wanting to perform together at Sectionals.

This episode was directed by Paris Barclay and written by Brad Falchuk.

## Plot

The week of Sectionals arrives, and when Emma guesses exactly what the New Directions' setlist will be, Will realises it's time to change things up to let other members of the club shine, so he gives Rachel and Finn's duet to Sam and Quinn and suggests that Brittany and Mike perform a dance number at Sectionals as well. This does not sit well with Rachel, who loudly protests the decision, causing Santana to get fed up and tell Rachel that she slept with Finn last year. The rest of the New Directions look shocked while Rachel is very hurt by this and schedules a couples counselling session with Emma for the two of them. Rachel ends up storming out of the session.

Will told Puck that he needed to step up as one of the most well-known people in the school, and try to recruit more members. Puck made an announcement to the football team telling them to join, but the idea was quickly rejected by Azimio and Karofsky. The football team locks Puck in a port-a-potty, and he ends up stuck in it for twenty-four hours. He is finally rescued by Ashley Murdoch.

Meanwhile, Kurt is in Dalton Academy and struggling to adjust to the energy of the place. The Warblers invite Kurt to join them for a meeting and they allow Kurt to join, but first he must watch over The Warblers' mascot, an actual warbler. Kurt then suggests that the Warblers sing "Rio" by Duran Duran for Sectionals, which the council politely declines. Blaine comes over to him after the meeting and offers Kurt the chance to audition to sing a solo at Sectionals. Kurt goes to Rachel for advice and she helps him learn *Don't Cry for Me Argentina*. Kurt auditions for the Warblers and then patiently awaits the results of the audition alongside Warbler members Nick and Jeff, only to discover from Blaine that Nick and Jeff will be moving on and that he is out of the running for a solo and must resign himself to singing in the background.

Blaine comforts Kurt by reminding him the group is one of uniformity and, in time, he will find a place. Brittany is afraid that she will fail to perform well at Sectionals. To give her more confidence, Artie gives Brittany a "magic comb" that he actually just found lying around, and tells her it will help her win. Later, however, Tina tells Artie that Brittany and Mike are having an affair. Artie attempts to talk to Brittany several times but she keeps avoiding him, increasing his suspicions.

As the team gets on the bus to Sectionals, Will worries that his plan for Sectionals was a bad idea because the group is now so divided. Emma tells Will she cannot go because Carl doesn't want her to. They had a big fight about Will, and afterwards they made up and said they loved each other. Will says she will be missed, and sadly gets on the bus to go to Sectionals.

At Sectionals, The Hipsters perform *The Living Years* and then the Dalton Academy Warblers perform *Hey, Soul Sister*. In the green room, more drama unfolds as Quinn starts to panic about performing in front of an audience after going into labour the last time. Rachel finds out that everyone in the club knew that Finn slept with Santana other than her, and Artie confronts Brittany about being guilty of adultery, which she admits to. This causes Artie to storm off, and Tina also becomes angry at Mike. Rachel, Artie and Tina all refuse to go on until Will reminds the club that only a year ago, they had no setlist and no choreography, but they pulled through as a team. The club decides to go despite their differences.

Brittany tells Artie that she thought he had accused her of "a-dolt-ery," meaning that she was stupid, as the real reason she was avoiding him was that she lost his magic comb and doomed the team. Artie tells her that it was just a comb he found, and assures her that she can do it. Brittany smiles when Artie describes her as "magic" and tells him that she won't be dancing for the audience or the New Directions. She said she'll be dancing for Artie.

Sam and Quinn perform *(I've Had) The Time of My Life*, followed by Santana singing *Valerie* while Mike and Brittany do the dance number. The results are soon announces. The Hipsters made third place and the Warblers tied with the New Directions, and they will both be competing at Regionals.

On the following Monday, Emma tells Will that she and Carl went to Vegas together and they they got married. Will says he is happy for her and immediately leaves. Rachel tells Finn that winning at Sectionals the way they did made her remember that she was part of something special. She and Finn get back together, but Rachel reveals that she made out with Puck out of jealousy (Puck couldn't go through with having sex, not wanting to repeat what he had done to Finn with Quinn), and believed that Finn's actions with Santana would cancel hers out. Finn does not agree, as he was not dating Rachel when he had sex with Santana, and he immediately breaks up with Rachel.

Kurt tells Blaine that he is worried about Pavarotti, the warbler canary he has to take care of, because he is losing his feathers and won't eat or sing. Blaine tells him not to worry as the bird is just molting and getting used to its new environment, and it will be singing again in no time.

Tina and Mike make up, with Tina telling him that she was sorry for doubting him and they kiss. Will asks Rachel to perform a solo to celebrate their tie, but she is too sad about Finn and defers it to the unsung heroes, Ash, Mercedes and Tina. The three perform *Dogs Days Are Over* with the club as Rachel sadly cleans all the Finn-related things out of her locker and Emma and Carl kiss in the office that has a new sign on the door reading "Mrs. Emma Pillsbury-Howell."

## Cast

### Guest Stars

* Harry Shum Jr. as Mike Chang
* Chord Overstreet as Sam Evans
* Mike Hagerty as Pete Sosnowski
* Darren Criss as Blaine Anderson
* Max Adler as Dave Karofsky
* James Earl III as Azimio Adams

### Co-Stars

* Telly Leung as Wes
* Riker Lynch as Jeff
* Titus Mankin Jr. as David
* Eddy Martin as Thad
* Curt Mega as Nick
* Dominic Barnes as Trent

## Trivia

* Emma stated that Will always made Rachel and Finn start out with a ballad and finish with a classic rock song in which Mercedes belted the "last jaw dropping note." In fact, he only did once, but maybe she referred to other performances, for example, *Somebody to Love*. It is also a set list that is the most recognizable for *Glee* competition arrangements.
* This episode marks the first time Rachel and Finn don't sing lead vocals in a competition.
* Naya Rivera stated the song Santana sang (*Valerie*) was her second all-time favourite song.
* First *Glee* competition where the judges were not introduced to the audience.
* The episode refers back to The Power of Madonna, when Finn slept with Santana.
* It's revealed that Brittany does motocross, as, while telling Artie she lost the "magic comb", she mentions going to motocross practise.
* Kurt references the song *Rio* by Duran Duran towards the Warbler council. Ironically, in an episode of the new season, Blaine, who was another Warbler member, sang a mashup of *Hungry Like The Wolf/Rio* with his brother.

## Navigation

**Season Two**Audition • Britney/Brittany • Grilled Cheesus • Duets • The Rocky Horror Glee Show • Never Been Kissed • The Substitute • Furt • **Special Education** • A Very Glee Christmas • The Sue Sylvester Shuffle • Silly Love Songs • Comeback • Blame It on the Alcohol • Sexy • Original Song • A Night of Neglect • Born This Way • Rumours • Prom Queen • Funeral • New York
**Season Three**The Purple Piano Project • I Am Unicorn • Asian F • Pot o' Gold • The First Time • Mash Off • I Kissed a Girl • Hold on to Sixteen • Extraordinary Merry Christmas • Yes/No • Michael • The Spanish Teacher • Heart • On My Way • Big Brother • Saturday Night Glee-ver • Dance with Somebody • Choke • Prom-asaurus • Props • Nationals • Goodbye
**Season Four**The New Rachel • Britney 2.0 • Makeover • The Break-Up • The Role You Were Born to Play • Glease • Dynamic Duets • Thanksgiving • Swan Song • Glee, Actually • Sadie Hawkins • Naked • Diva • I Do • Girls (and Boys) on Film • Feud • Guilty Pleasures • Shooting Star • Sweet Dreams • Lights Out • Wonder-ful • All or Nothing
**Season Five**Love, Love, Love • Tina in the Sky with Diamonds • The Quarterback • A Katy or A Gaga • The End of Twerk • Movin' Out • Puppet Master • Previously Unaired Christmas • Frenemies • Trio • City of Angels • 100 • New Directions • New New York • Bash • Tested • Opening Night • The Back-Up Plan • Old Dog, New Tricks • The Untitled Rachel Berry Project
**Season Six**Loser Like Me • Homecoming • Jagged Little Tapestry • The Hurt Locker, Part One • The Hurt Locker, Part Two • What the World Needs Now • Transitioning • A Wedding • Child Star • The Rise and Fall of Sue Sylvester • We Built This Glee Club • 2009 • Dreams Come True