Santana Lopez

Santana Lopez promo image

Santana Lopez is the main character in Name In Lights. She is an alumna of William McKinley High School and a future student at Columbia University. She currently attends NYADA extension classes.

Santana is an out and proud lesbian. Despite her recent breakup with her high school sweetheart Brittany S. Pierce, she is on the dating scene, often going to lesbian bars.

Santana currently lives in an apartment in Bushwick, New York with her frenemy from high school, Rachel Berry.

## Biography

### Part 1

#### Chapter 1

She is first seen from Brittany Pierce's perspective, her girlfriend. Despite plans to move to New York for semester one of the year, starting at Columbia University in semester two, she has not packed. Santana shows no sign of worry, while Brittany (her girlfriend) does. This continues for the next week, concerning Brittany. A week before her planned departure Brittany has a serious talk with her, stating that she knows why she has been avoiding preparing for New York. It is revealed that Santana has always looked after Brittany, and she is hesitant to go to New York to start her adult life because it means leaving Brittany to fend for herself. Brittany assures her that she will be fine on her own, and she wants Santana to go. She admits her guilt of leaving her girlfriend and suggests putting off moving until second semester. Brittany opposes this and takes drastic measures. She tearily breaks up with Santana, encouraging her to go and start her life. She tells her that she will always be here for her, and wants to be with her, but she knows Santana won't go if she feels responsible for her. Brittany reveals she convinced Rachel to let Santana live in the apartment that her Dads' are paying for. They share a sad goodbye, when Brittany leaves Santana finally starts packing.

## Personality

Santana is first seen to be loyal to a fault, she is willing to put her future on hold to stay with her girlfriend. Despite her tough exterior, Santana is afraid of venturing into the "real world". She flourished in high school by presenting a cruel persona to everyone who she wasn't extremely close with, but after joining the New Directions she slowly allowed herself to be less hostile.

Venturing into New York scared Santana, causing her to try and retract into her former 'bully' identity. Brittany, Kurt, and Mercedes helped her gain the courage to just be herself when facing new people and challenges. Without her walls up Santana is shown to be caring, honest, protective, and perceptive. Despite no longer being the bully she was in high school, she still takes pride in being sheming and manipulative, but now she uses these skills to help her friends, not just herself.

## Sexuality

Santana is introduced as an out and proud lesbian. She takes pride in her relationship with Brittany and enjoys openly praising her. After their break up she doesn't try to hide her sexuality and will even lead with it in an introduction to a woman she finds attractive.

During high school Santana struggled with her sexuality and identity. She denied being a lesbian and having feelings for her best friend, Brittany, for a long time. A lot of this stemmed from insecurity and the fear of social alienation, but also from being rejected by friends and family. When she came out to her parents she was accepted, which was a relief. But when she came out to her Abuela, Alma Lopez, she was scorned and disowned. Santana still carries the rejection with her as her Abuela is her role model and she strives for her validation.

## Relationships

### Brittany Pierce

Santana and Brittany are introduced as a couple who started in high school. Both care deeply for each other and have no issue showing it. Santana is infatuated with Brittany and will do anything to help her. Unfortunately this trait becomes self destructive. When she suggests putting off her move to New York to stay with Brittany, she realises that Santana will actively sabotage her own future due to her dedication to her. After figuring this out Brittany takes matters into her own hands and organizes Santana's residence in New York. She reveals this to Santana and reluctantly breaks up with her, clarifying that she still loves her and will be there for her, but she wants her to be free to start her future. Santana is distraught at losing her girlfriend, but still doesn't want to disappoint her and uses the break up as motivation to prepare for her transition to the "real world".