Tornado

## Episode navigation

**"Tornado"** is the twenty-second episode of Season Two of *Superstore*, and the thirty-third episode of the show overall.

## Summary

*Glenn must decide who is laid off during an approaching storm.*

## Plot

It's a rainy day as manager Glenn holds a staff meeting in the store front to discuss a raccoon problem but everyone wants to know who is going to be laid off. Marcus finds out he wasn't invited to Cheyenne's wedding and is upset that new employee Alisha was. Glenn tells them he has until the end of the day to decide but the staff don't want to wait that long. At Coffee & Bakery, Amy and Dina consult with Glenn. Dina is uncharacteristically sympathetic to Glenn until she finds out management isn't affected by the layoffs and leaves.

Jonah confesses to Garrett that he told Amy she is sexy at Cheyenne's wedding and is trying to find a way to deal with it. Mateo starts to form various alliances as protection against lay-offs beginning with an Asian alliance that includes Brett, Sandra and Hiro. Glenn receives a call from district manager Jeff Sutton asking who will be laid off but Glenn still can't decide. Freddy pours apples into both the organic and regular bins. Jonah starts trying to devalue the word "sexy" by using it to describe various people and items and offends Alisha. Seeing staff getting squirrely, Amy goes to Glenn's Office and finds he's spread all the employee files on his office floor.

Dina tells Garrett that her job is safe and he is put off that she doesn't care about whether he will be let go or not. Amy tries to help Glenn rate the employees but his rating system keeps escalating making it meaningless. In frustration, Amy says everyone would have a different opinion of who should be fired prompting Glenn to gather all employees into the Break Room and have them decide. Marcus and Sandra are singled out. Eugene reminds Glenn he has three minutes to decide and Glenn sneaks out of the room. In the parking lot, Brett is taking down a sign as shopping carts race by blown by the wind. (♫ CCR - Have You Ever Seen the Rain? ♫)

Glenn tries to sneak out of the store but is blocked by the staff. He prays for help and finally when the deadline is reached, blurts out Chris, Alex, Cody, Justine, Henry and Marcus are laid off. Dina approves and Mateo starts backing out of his alliances. A tornado warning siren sounds and Dina locks down the store. Staff and customers discuss where best to shelter and what to do. Brett is again seen pushing carts in worsening wind and rain. (♫ CCR - Who'll Stop the Rain ♫) Staff start calling their loved ones. In front of Sandra, Carol leaves a voicemail for Jerry and lies that Sandra has herpes.

Glenn, some customers and staff shelter in the Stock Room including several staff whom he just fired. Sheltering under a table, Cody confronts Mateo as to why he backed out of the Catholic alliance. Dina has found an extra baseball helmet and flips a coin to decide whether Garrett or Alisha (who Dina has never met) should get it, much to Garrett's annoyance. Amy and Jonah shelter in the Pharmacy. Jonah tries to comfort Amy but doesn't do a good job. Then, the lights go out. (♫ Europe - The Final Countdown ♫) In the Stock Room, Glenn tries to calm everyone by singing. Larry interrupts Jonah and Amy with a question about razors, oblivious to the impending danger. In the parking lot, Brett looks up to see the tornado funnel bearing down on him and the store. He speaks for the first time and curses.

The tornado hits the store and starts tearing it apart. Glenn starts praying to various gods while Cheyenne laughs hysterically. Garrett and Dina are holding onto displays and yelling at each other. Myrtle is clinging to an overturned basketball net and is blown horizontally. Sandra saves several customers by ushering them into the Photo Lab but she shuts Carol out. Mateo calls Jeff to say he loves him despite the breakup. Hiding under a shaking counter, Amy kisses Jonah. Having prayed to several gods, Glenn prays to Allah and the storm stops.

The staff come out from their sheltering places to find that the store has been destroyed and there is a large hole in the roof. (♫ Mazzy Star - Into Dust ♫) Emergency crews attend to the staff in the parking lot. Carol glares at Sandra. Dina does a roll call and tells Garrett she's glad he survived. Brett is missing but there are no injuries among the staff. Glenn believes a higher power was looking after them and appears angry. Amy thanks Jonah for comforting her, seems uncomfortable and is interrupted by the arrival of her husband Adam and daughter Emma. Jonah invites Mateo and Marcus for a drink and Marcus is thrilled. Glenn and Garrett find that Glenn's car has been destroyed

## Cast

### Main cast

America Ferreraas Amy DubanowskiBen Feldmanas Jonah SimmsMark McKinneyas Glenn SturgisLauren Ashas Dina FoxColton Dunnas Garrett McNeillNichole Bloomas Cheyenne LeeNico Santosas Mateo Liwanag
### Featured cast

Michael Buninas Jeff Sutin (voice)Kaliko Kauahias SandraIrene Whiteas CarolJon Barinholtzas MarcusLinda Porteras MyrtleKelly Schumannas JustineFelipe Esparzaas CodyDave Fergusonas EugeneNikhil Paias PeterBlair Beekenas MaryNiccole Thurmanas AlishaJon Miyaharaas BrettSelisha Shertickas SarahDanny Guraas EliasJudd Lawrenceas HenryMariana Toscaas HeatherChristopher Riordanas ChrisAndy Loboas TimHermie Castilloas DarrenRyan Gaulas Adam DubanowskiIsabella Dayas Emma DubanowskiKyriakias ReporterMaury Morganas Home Shopping HostDoug Hurleyas CustomerMatt Obergas LarryKiel Kennedyas Emergency Worker

## Running Gags

* Amy's name tag: Amy wears a different name tag in every episode. For this one it's "Dottie". It usually is a shortened form of "Dorothy", who, in the famous movie "The Wizard of Oz" is brought from Kansas to the land of Oz by way of a tornado.
* **Crazy Customers and music**: For all customer interludes and music see Tornado (music).
* Glenn's Car: A sign from a taco restaurant destroys Glenn's car.
* Glenn's tie: Large cartoon clouds.
* **Raccoon**: At the morning staff meeting, Glenn says they're not sure if the raccoon is the same one as in the past, a cousin or a new raccoon.
* Cheyenne's hair thingy: In the reckage, Cheyenne finds her green hair thingy that she once again has misplaced.

## References

* Garrett references Gloria Estefan and Pepé Le Pew as those who use the word "sexy" a lot.
* A customer watching a store TV hears a warning from the National Weather Service.
* One of the alliances Mateo forms includes him and Marcus as fans of the Dave Matthews Band.
* When Dina reaches into her pocket for a coin to flip and decide whether Garrett or Alisha gets an extra helmet, all her coins are from Dave & Buster's.
* The tornado in this episode was foreshadowed several times throughout the season.
	+ In episode 3 Back to Work, Amy says that during a tornado, one should try to head towards the eye of the tornado where it is the safest.
	+ In episode 8 Election Day, Glenn says that the building received an F in tornado preparedness, and that it could very well collapse like a house of cards if hit by one.
	+ In episode 9 Seasonal Help, Glenn starts to go over tornado safety, but is cut off by Garrett.
	+ In episode 18 Mateo's Last Day, during the morning meeting, Glenn says that it has been 8 years since the last tornado drill.
* When the tornado hits the store, Glenn prays to Jesus, "Jewish God", Buddha, Ganesha and Allah.

## Trivia

* Coffee & Bakery, Glenn's office, the Pharmacy, the Stock Room, Stratus, Larry the Indecisive Shopper, the Photo Lab and Glenn's car make an appearance.
* Brett finally speaks.
* The date and time of Amy and Jonah's kiss was May 4, 2017 at 5:17pm. ("Safety Training")
* Goof: At the beginning of the episode, one of the Warehouse staff beside Marcus is seen with the name tag "Jimmy". After the tornado, the same staff member is seen outside the store with the name tag "Sal".
* Brett says his only line of the show when he sees the tornado heading to the store.

## Quotes

“*Nobody loves you. You're going to die alone.*”— **Cody to Mateo**

## Video

Superstore - Stolen Moment (Episode Highlight)