History Recap / GleeS5E11CityOfAngels

* TheBadGuyWins: At this point, Sue finally won the battle, and the war, as New Directions is done for good.
* TheCameo: Amber Riley as Mercedes Jones.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: Los Angeles is the city of angels, and they also take Finn with them to be an angel. Possibly also a ShoutOut to either [[Film/CityOfAngels the film]] or [[Theatre/CityOfAngels the musical]] of [[NamesTheSame the same name]], though InNameOnly.

* "Mr Roboto" by Stix, performed by Jean Baptiste and Throat Explosion

New Directions goes to Los Angeles to compete at Nationals, dedicating their performance to their late co-director Finn Hudson. They also take along his mother Carole Hudson-Hummel (Romy Rosemont) and stepfather Burt Hummel (Mike O'Malley) to see them compete. Former member Mercedes Jones (Amber Riley), who now lives in Los Angeles, also attends.

* FanDiscontinuity: First, remember that Will wasn't starting an all new club back in the Pilot, he was just taking over after Sandy Ryerson got fired. There was no budget, but the club ran. Sue got them another year after they lost at Regionals, and even though they came 12th that time there was no question if they would keep going, they just did. They won Nationals the next year, which apparently became the new minimum standard -- the last few years it had been "exist" with Sandy and then "place (1st or 2nd) at Regionals" with Will -- because now that they came second at Nationals, the school board has to get rid of them because every other school team did better. Which is, first, basically impossible and, second, stupid: if every school board took the same view that if you don't come first the club has to end there wouldn't be any clubs to compete with the winner ever again. Fans replaced all this nonsense with something, anything, that was somewhat realistic, the most common theory being that Sue was lying out of her ass because she didn't wanna blatantly gloat about the fact that she won. [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness OOC for her]], but that makes more sense than what we got.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment: The only member of another glee club who gives sympathy to New Directions for losing Finn is Jean Baptiste. He was named after Kyle Jean-Baptiste, a musical star in Ohio. He would later go on to be the youngest person and first African-American to play [[Theatre/LesMiserables Jean Valjean on Broadway]], but died in a freak accident during its run aged only 21.

We start Episode 99 with Will in his office as Sam arrives. He is actually more pragmatic than we thought, having been drilled on choreography, and because Joe is permanently cocooned in his dreads and Sugar went back to her own time, three unnamed Cheerios are also joining them. One of them is one of Music/LadyGaga's current two dancers (the other of these is part of Throat Explosion). Will tells him not to worry, then proceeds to make him worry by invoking the name of the deceased. See, this episode also serves as a small-scale tribute to Cory, in fact the songs heard here were some of his favorites. Will claims that Sam wasn't brought in just as a new member, but as a successor. Yes, Sam is officially the new Finn. Well, if this show wasn't already about to head downhill... although, this will have a bit of a payoff in the GrandFinale. Anyway, Will puts all the pressure on Sam as Tina informs Will that, because the spirit of Finnegan (and Cory) is permeating this whole episode, the Hud-mel's will be co-chaperones along side Will. That and because, in what we forgot to mention last time, Emma has a Schue in the stomach. They say that Finn always thought that while winning Nationals was a triumph, coaching ND was the best time of his life. Burt then says not to win it for Finn, but as he would say, go out and have the time of your lives right now. And since this is LA we're talking about, Brad cues up the relevant Newman and we cut to the cast outside of Paramount Studios. See, Nationals was set in LA because apparently, Murphy was saving the budget for the post-Episode 100 debacle to come. Anyway, we cut to the group of them singing on the roof level of a double-decker tourist bus in LA, a counterpart to when they ran around New York a few seasons ago. They really love LA as we hit the TitleCard.

ND is at their hotel, when Kitty and Unique, in a reminder that they're still here, claim to see someone famous. We don't, all we see is Mercedes with faux fur and a stuffed chihuahua. See, he was selling her CD's out of her car, when, Music/KanyeWest's housekeeper bought a copy. This lead to Kimye, which led to Sony Records which led to a songwriting contract. Hmm. Will tries to check in, but even being on the other side of the country won't stop the Tracksuit, as Sue called the hotel to try and keep him from checking in. Because Sue. Anyway, ND run into Throat Explosion and their leader, Jean Baptiste. He's from Quebec and was an acrobat, which Blaine found out on the show choir blogs. After the expected posturing, we see that apparently the S4 newbies are getting one last episode of relevance. That and ND seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. Anyway, in the category of characters who've basically served their purpose, Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her Website/{{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Look at what post-modern America has come to. He hasn't actually noticed that she's sad or stopped writing music and suggesting original songs, no, he Facebook stalked her and read it there. Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving after Nationals. Marley, you won't need to worry about that. As the future real-life exes commiserate, we cut to ND having broken into the Orpheum Theater to get a feel for the stage and everything. Sam reminds ND that before he died, Finn promised them they'd be at Nationals once again. And just because Finn's not here physically, doesn't mean he's not here, as we see that Sam brought the plaque of Finn with him. Of course, Throat Explosion arrive because they planned to break in to the theater as well. As they're about to kick out ND, Jean Baptiste shares his sympathies, because everybody knows they're the glee club whose hero died, and it's sad. He kicks his own team out, telling Sam that they'll leave them for the night. But they'll go even harder at them tomorrow.

After the break, we find Sam and Tina getting ready with Burt, discussing the camaraderie between friends when it comes to competitions. Tina makes the mistake of saying he life will be empty from now on, as we see a knitting Carole mutter that at least Tina gets to still have one. The kids leave to let Burt comfort Carole, because they've got to be kids with the time they have as kids, and that includes complaining. Still, this woman has watched her husband and son be buried, she's allowed to be a little mad at people for a bit. She says that being around Finn's friends, his other family, is just setting her off some more and asks to go home because she's overwhelmed. Cut to Jake for his last turn at relevance, as Ryder and Jake come up with a foolproof plan to make Marley want to be a songwriter again: ask Mercedes to talk to her. [[SarcasmMode Genius, boys, sheer genius.]] And now, MoodWhiplash as we cut to Sam discovering Finn's picture is missing. Obvious culprit is duh, so Sam confronts Throat Explosion. Now nominally Jean Baptiste is AffablyEvil, except it's competition day and so he must start trash-talking ND, saying that all their good performers have graduated and a picture of a dead guy isn't going to make the team they have now any better. Well that told them. As Sam nearly completes his transformation by preparing the [[Film/AClockworkOrange 'ol ultraviolence]], the teams separate. On the bus, Sam has to turn around and say that Finn is with them in spirit and will be cheering them on. Great pep talk, Sammy.

And now, Nationals 2013, the judges being Creator/MarleeMatlin (heh), [[Series/TwoTwoSeven Jac]][[Series/SisterSister kee]], and a fitness instructor. Yes. We start with the Oklahoma City Amazonians getting their Go-Go's on, as we see the Hud-mel's pack up and clear out. Throat Explosion is next; they're supposed to be amazing, but you have to watch them a few times to start believing that because at first it seems damn awful.

After the break, we see ND backstage, Sam noticing no Hud-mel's. This is of course a swerve, as they arrive for the showcircle, Carole saying Finn would never forgive her for bailing. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). First, some ''Music/{{Boston}}'' to set a tone, followed by a bit of ''Music/NeilDiamond'' and then the showstopper, some ''{{Music/U2}}'' to close. This last one is especially poingant, as it's intercut with some Finn scenes, adding pathos to a sadly fitting song. Also sadly, you have to watch this a few times for it to stop being lame and boring. Yes, the more you watch the performances this episode the better they get (which is good, because on first viewing there's a temptation to just stop watching instead of suffer through), but sadly much of the dwindling audience did not want a repeat viewing. Oh, if they only knew what was to come. Afterwards, we find the team prematurely celebrating. All but one, as Will finds Sam is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much, heh. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there. Psychic are we, Trouty Mouth?

After the break, we find Marley outside moping. Mercedes of course finds her, and tells her that she shouldn't be sad about her songs being rejected, because it's happened before with songs that have become hits and with people that go on to be stars. Take her for example, she was constantly told she wasn't good enough and lost out to Rachel Berry because it's Rachel Berry, but she now has a recording contract because of her original songs. When did Mercedes start writing original songs? And if they're so good why weren't they used before instead of the abominations that Rachel created before Quinn decided to save our ears and give her a helping hand, then help her write decent songs? Anyway, it's time for the results. Now, remember in the last episode teaser when we said this was a ForegoneConclusion DownerEnding? This is what we mean. It was announced that graduation would be in episode 13. This, as we've mentioned, left seven episodes that will prove to be Glee at it's worst. Now since the plot of those seven episode conflicts with the plot up to this point, the gleeks that were still left at this point put two and two together and came up with sadness. Yes folks, the results are in no way surprising:

->1st: Throat Explosion
->2nd: New Directions
->3rd: Amazonians

It seems reasonable that placing second in the country when they came first last year and have been through nearly a complete team overhaul and the death of the director of the group should be treated as an amazing near-impossible accomplishment. However, they all believe that it's a massive failure. It's Glee, of course they do. And for once, they have a right to believe that. For this time, there's no reprieves, and no second chances. New Directions is done for good. They stand numb as we go to break.

We return for the home stretch, as Sam hangs Finn's picture back up. Seems Jean Baptiste raided his team's stuff after they won but before anyone left LA and found it, kicked the offending member out and mailed it back. He's the least hate-worthy of all the rival team leaders on this show. As Will puts the 2nd Place trophy in its temporary holder, we see ND try to say sorry to Burt and Carole because they wanted to give Finn a win, but the pair tell them that coming second is better than everyone else but one. It's an achievement that's hard to get under normal circumstances. Becky summons him to Sue's office, where Roz Washington sits. She won her Nationals, so the Cheerios! stay. All the other school teams have suddenly become good and all placed higher in their own competitions so there's no point funding glee club if it's bottom of the heap. Wait, that means that every single club in school came first in the country? Surely a school that does that would get some sort of award from the President because holy fucking hell what kind of kids have you got here!!???!?!!? They should be able to afford a glee club with that, or at least let Will fund it again like in season 1. Sue actually says she wants to keep the club around and is sad about having to scrap it, but the school board has to cut a program a year or some bullshit like that, and this year glee did worst. Given how completely crap this explanation is, we're going to ignore it for something more reasonable like... Sue finally gets rid of glee, being Principal with the excuse that they didn't win, and she's putting up a sympathetic face while secretly gloating. Maybe all the overspending on technology she's been doing means she has to cut something, and she knows she'll get least resistance from the glee club. There are plenty of these that fans made up, just in case the creators ever want to end a glee club and can't think of a way to shoehorn it into their story. Sue's genuinely apologetic, so it appears, because she's been told she has to do this, and tries to cheer up Will by reminding him of how amazing he has been. Cut to the Diner, where someone Hummelpezberry (seriously? They have the number of the diner and just know that all three of them will be there right now?) to tell them the news. Presumably, they or the NY gang also tell everybody else so they can convene in Lima. Even Quinn...

* StockFootage: A mix of previously seen shots as well as unseen footage is used, the stock shots marking the first appearances of Quinn and Brittany this series and some of the new shots featuring Cory as Finn. This meant that CoryMonteith was necessarily given an acting credit for the episode.

ND is at their hotel, when Kitty and Unique, in a reminder that they're still here, claim to see someone famous. We don't, all we see is Mercedes with faux fur and a stuffed chihuahua. See, he was selling her CD's out of her car, when, Music/KanyeWest's housekeeper bought a copy. This lead to Kimye, which led to Sony Records which led to a songwriting contract. Hmm. Will tries to check in, but even being on the other side of the country won't stop the Tracksuit, as Sue called the hotel to try and keep him from checking in. Because Sue. Anyway, ND run into Throat Explosion and their leader, Jean Baptiste. He's from Quebec and was an acrobat, which Blaine found out on the show choir blogs. After the expected posturing, we see that apparently the S4 newbies are getting one last episode of relevance. That and ND seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. Anyway, in the category of characters who've basically served their purpose, Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her Website/{{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving after Nationals. Marley, you won't need to worry about that. As the future real-life exes commiserate, we cut to ND having broken into the Orpheum Theater to get a feel for the stage and everything. Sam reminds ND that before he died, Finn promised them they'd be at Nationals once again. And just because Finn's not here physically, doesn't mean he's not here, as we see that Sam brought the plaque of Finn with him. Of course, Throat Explosion arrive because they planned to break in to the theater as well. As they're about to kick out ND, Jean Baptiste shares his sympathies, because everybody knows they're the glee club whose hero died, and it's sad. He kicks his own team out, telling Sam that they'll leave them for the night. But they'll go even harder at them tomorrow.

After the break, we find Sam and Tina getting ready with Burt, discussing the camaraderie between friends when it comes to competitions. Tina makes the mistake of saying he life will be empty from now on, as we see a knitting Carole mutter that at least Tina gets to still have one. The kids leave to let Burt comfort Carole, because they've got to be kids with the time they have as kids, and that includes complaining. Still, this woman has watched her husband and son be buried, she's allowed to be a little mad at people for a bit. She says that being around Finn's friends, his other family, is just setting her off some more and asks to go home because she's overwhelmed. Cut to Jake for his last turn at relevance, as Ryder and Jake come up with a foolproof plan to make Marley want to be a songwriter again: ask Mercedes to talk to her. And now, MoodWhiplash as we cut to Sam discovering Finn's picture is missing. Obvious culprit is duh, so Sam confronts Throat Explosion. Now nominally Jean Baptiste is AffablyEvil, except it's competition day and so he must start trash-talking ND, saying that all their good performers have graduated and a picture of a dead guy isn't going to make the team they have now any better. Well that told them. As Sam nearly completes his transformation by preparing the [[Film/AClockworkOrange 'ol ultraviolence]], the teams separate. On the bus, Sam has to turn around and say that Finn is with them in spirit and will be cheering them on. Great pep talk, Sammy.

After the break, we see ND backstage, Sam noticing no Hud-mel's. This is of course a swerve, as they arrive for the showcircle, Carole saying Finn would never forgive her for bailing. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). First, some ''Music/{{Boston}}'' to set a tone, followed by a bit of ''Music/NeilDiamond'' and then the showstopper, some ''{{Music/U2}}'' to close. This last one is especially poingant, as it's intercut with some Finn scenes, adding pathos to a sadly fitting song. Afterwards, we find the team prematurely celebrating. All but one, as Will finds Sam is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much, heh. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there. Psychic are we, Trouty Mouth?

* RousingSpeech: Sam and Will actually suck at pep talks this episode, but hopefully they were only made worse than usual so that Carole's speech before ND go on to tell them to win it for Finn seems even better.

ND is at their hotel, when Kitty and Unique, in a reminder that they're still here, claim to see someone famous. We don't, all we see is Mercedes with faux fur and a stuffed chihuahua. See, he was selling her CD's out of her car, when, Music/KanyeWest's housekeeper bought a copy. This lead to Kimye, which led to Sony Records which led to a songwriting contract. Hmm. Will tries to check in, but even being on the other side of the country won't stop the Tracksuit, as Sue called the hotel to try and keep him from checking in. Because Sue. Anyway, ND run into Throat Explosion and their leader, Jean Baptiste. He's from Quebec and was an acrobat, which Blaine found out on the show choir blogs. After the expected posturing, we see that apparently the S4 newbies are getting one last episode of relevance. That and ND seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. Anyway, in the category of characters who've basically served their purpose, Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her Website/{{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Look at what post-modern America has come to. He hasn't actually noticed that she's sad or stopped writing music and suggesting original songs, no, he Facebook stalked her and read it there. Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving after Nationals. Marley, you won't need to worry about that. As the future real-life exes commiserate, we cut to ND having broken into the Orpheum Theater to get a feel for the stage and everything. Sam reminds ND that before he died, Finn promised them they'd be at Nationals once again. And just because Finn's not here physically, doesn't mean he's not here, as we see that Sam brought the plaque of Finn with him. Of course, Throat Explosion arrive because they planned to break in to the theater as well. As they're about to kick out ND, Jean Baptiste shares his sympathies, because everybody knows they're the glee club whose hero died, and it's sad. He kicks his own team out, telling Sam that they'll leave them for the night. But they'll go even harder at them tomorrow.

After the break, we find Sam and Tina getting ready with Burt, discussing the camaraderie between friends when it comes to competitions. Tina makes the mistake of saying he life will be empty from now on, as we see a knitting Carole mutter that at least Tina gets to still have one. The kids leave to let Burt comfort Carole, because they've got to be kids with the time they have as kids, and that includes complaining. Still, this woman has watched her husband and son be buried, she's allowed to be a little mad at people for a bit. She says that being around Finn's friends, his other family, is just setting her off some more and asks to go home because she's overwhelmed. Cut to Jake for his last turn at relevance, as Ryder and Jake come up with a foolproof plan to make Marley want to be a songwriter again: ask Mercedes to talk to her. [[SarcasmMode Genius, boys, sheer genius.]] And now, MoodWhiplash as we cut to Sam discovering Finn's picture is missing. Obvious culprit is duh, so Sam confronts Throat Explosion. Now nominally Jean Baptiste is AffablyEvil, except it's competition day and so he must start trash-talking ND, saying that all their good performers have graduated and a picture of a dead guy isn't going to make the team they have now any better. Well that told them. As Sam nearly completes his transformation by preparing the [[Film/AClockworkOrange 'ol ultraviolence]], the teams separate. On the bus, Sam has to turn around and say that Finn is with them in spirit and will be cheering them on. Great pep talk, Sammy.

After the break, we see ND backstage, Sam noticing no Hud-mel's. This is of course a swerve, as they arrive for the showcircle, Carole saying Finn would never forgive her for bailing. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). First, some ''Music/{{Boston}}'' to set a tone, followed by a bit of ''Music/NeilDiamond'' and then the showstopper, some ''{{Music/U2}}'' to close. This last one is especially poingant, as it's intercut with some Finn scenes, adding pathos to a sadly fitting song. Also sadly, you have to watch this a few times for it to stop being lame and boring. Yes, the more you watch the performances this episode the better they get (which is good, because on first viewing there's a temptation to just stop watching instead of suffer through), but sadly much of the dwindling audience did not want a repeat viewing. Oh, if they only knew what was to come. Afterwards, we find the team prematurely celebrating. All but one, as Will finds Sam is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much, heh. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there. Psychic are we, Trouty Mouth?

We start Episode 99 with Will in his office as Sam arrives. He is actually more pragmatic than we thought, having been drilled on choriography, and because Joe is permanently cocooned in his dreads and Sugar went back to her own time, three unnamed Cheerios are also joining them. One of them is one of Music/LadyGaga's current two dancers (the other of these is part of Throat Explosion). Will tells him not to worry, then proceeds to make him worry by invoking the name of the deceased. See, this episode also serves as a small-scale tribute to Cory, in fact the songs heard here were some of his favorites. Will claims that Sam wasn't brought in just as a new member, but as a successor. Yes, Sam is officially the new Finn. Well, if this show wasn't already about to head downhill... although, this will have a bit of a payoff in the GrandFinale. Anyway, Will puts all the pressure on Sam as Tina informs Will that, because the spirit of Finnegan (and Cory) is permeating this whole episode, the Hud-mel's will be co-chaperones along side Will. That and because, in what we forgot to mention last time, Emma has a Schue in the stomach. They say that Finn always thought that while winning Nationals was a triumph, coaching ND was the best time of his life. Burt then says not to win it for Finn, but as he would say, go out and have the time of your lives right now. And since this is LA we're talking about, Brad cues up the relevant Newman and we cut to the cast outside of Paramount Studios. See, Nationals was set in LA because apparently, Murphy was saving the budget for the post-Episode 100 debacle to come. Anyway, we cut to the group of them singing on the roof level of a double-decker tourist bus in LA, a counterpart to when they ran around New York a few seasons ago. They really love LA as we hit the TitleCard.

After the break, we see ND backstage, Sam noticing no Hud-mel's. This is of course a swerve, as they arrive for the showcircle, Carole saying Finn would never forgive her for bailing. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). First, some ''Music/{{Boston}}'' to set a tone, followed by a bit of ''Music/NeilDiamond'' and then the showstopper, some ''Music/U2'' to close. This last one is especially poingant, as it's intercut with some Finn scenes, adding pathos to a sadly fitting song. Also sadly, you have to watch this a few times for it to stop being lame and boring. Yes, the more you watch the performances this episode the better they get (which is good, because on first viewing there's a temptation to just stop watching instead of suffer through), but sadly much of the dwindling audience did not want a repeat viewing. Oh, if they only knew what was to come. Afterwards, we find the team prematurely celebrating. All but one, as Will finds Sam is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much, heh. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there. Psychic are we, Trouty Mouth?

This is a pseudo-tribute episode for Cory.

It's time for Nationals, the host city this year being LA as apparently the budget was being saved for the post-episode 100 debacle to come. The city of angels. The episode opens with Will telling Sam that he's the new Finn. Well, this show is about to head downhill. Sayonara.

Then Burt and Carole appear to be chaperones with the group in LA, because Emma's stuck at home pregnant. Also, because Joe and Sugar are not there, Joe getting caught in his dreads and Sugar [[{{Fanon}} having already gone back to her own time]], three unnamed Cheerios are also joining them. One of them is one of Music/LadyGaga's current two dancers (the other of these is part of Throat Explosion). We cut to the group of them singing on the roof level of a double-decker tourist bus in LA, a counterpart to when they ran around New York a few seasons ago. When they arrive at their hotel, they run into Mercedes who has got a record deal. Mercedes has to run off to the studio to make room for New Directions to then run into Throat Explosion and their leader, Jean Baptiste. He's from Quebec and was an acrobat, which Blaine found out on the show choir blogs. Jean Baptiste shares his sympathies, because everybody knows they're the glee club whose hero died, and it's sad. But don't expect him to go easy tomorrow.

The club seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. In the category of characters who've basically served their purpose, Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her Website/{{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Look at what post-modern America has come to. He hasn't actually noticed that she's sad or stopped writing music and suggesting original songs, no, he Facebook stalked her and read it there. Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving the club after Nationals. Don't worry, Marley, Sue saves you the trouble. This is in fact the last episode where the newbies do anything of significance.

Sam then rallies the troops to break into the theater they'll be performing in to get a feel for the stage and everything, having brought the plaque of Finn with him so he's with them. Throat Explosion arrive because they planned the same thing, and as they're about to kick out ND, Jean Baptiste realizes they're having a moment with Finn and kicks his own team out, telling Sam that they'll leave them for the night. But they'll go even harder at them tomorrow. In the morning, Sam and Tina are getting ready with Burt and complaining in the Hummels', with Carole watching from the side. She finally snaps at them for being so dramatic about unimportant things because at least they're still alive. The kids leave to let Burt comfort Carole, because they've got to be kids with the time they have as kids, and that includes complaining. Still, this woman has watched her husband and son be buried, she's allowed to be a little mad at people for a bit. She says that being around Finn's friends, his other family, is just setting her off some more and asks to go home because she's overwhelmed.

Ryder and Jake come up with a foolproof plan to make Marley want to be a songwriter again: ask Mercedes to talk to her. [[SarcasmMode Genius, boys, sheer genius.]] In other news, Finn's picture is missing. Sam asks Jean Baptiste if anyone from Throat Explosion took it, because this guy's decent. Except, it's competition day and so he must start trash-talking ND, saying that all their good performers have graduated and a picture of a dead guy isn't going to make the team they have now any better. Well that told them. Sam has to turn around and say that Finn is with them in spirit and will be cheering them on. Great pep talk, Sammy. At the theater there are celebrity judges, and the other two groups perform because ND is on last. Throat Explosion is supposed to be amazing, but you have to watch them a few times to start believing that because at first it seems damn awful.

Just before New Directions go to perform, Carole changes her mind and wants to watch them. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). These are some of Cory's favorite songs, actually. You also have to watch this a few times for it to stop being lame and boring. Yes, the more you watch the performances this episode the better they get (which is good, because on first viewing there's a temptation to just stop watching instead of suffer through), but sadly much of the dwindling audience did not want a repeat viewing. Oh, if they only knew what was to come.

After the performance the team are all happy except Sam, who is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there (and the team doesn't win, so he might be right). Mercedes goes to tell Marley that she shouldn't be sad about her songs being rejected, because it's happened before with songs that have become hits and with people that go on to be stars. Take her for example, she was constantly told she wasn't good enough and lost out to Rachel Berry because it's Rachel Berry, but she now has a recording contract because of her original songs. When did Mercedes start writing original songs? And if they're so good why weren't they used before instead of the abominations that Rachel created before Quinn decided to save our ears and give her a helping hand, then help her write decent songs?

Throat Explosion, even though they performed second, win. New Directions comes in second. It seems reasonable that placing second in the country when they came first last year and have been through nearly a complete team overhaul and the death of the director of the group should be treated as an amazing near-impossible accomplishment. However, they all believe that it's a massive failure. It's Glee, of course they do. Jean Baptiste gives Sam the picture of Finn, he raided his team's stuff after they won but before anyone left LA and found it, he's sorry and at a loss that one of them would do that. He's the least hate-worthy of all the rival team leaders on this show. The team try to say sorry to Burt and Carole because they wanted to give Finn a win, but the pair tell them that coming second is better than everyone else but one. It's an achievement that's hard to get under normal circumstances.

Will and Roz are in Sue's office. Roz won the cheerleading championship, even though some of her cheerleaders were off singing in LA, and so the glee club has to end. All the other school teams have suddenly become good and all placed higher in their own competitions so there's no point funding glee club if it's bottom of the heap. Wait, that means that every single club in school came first in the country? Surely a school that does that would get some sort of award from the President because holy fucking hell what kind of kids have you got here!!???!?!!? They should be able to afford a glee club with that, or at least let Will fund it again like in season 1. Sue actually says she wants to keep the club around and is sad about having to scrap it, but the school board has to cut a program a year or some bullshit like that, and this year glee did worst. Given how completely crap this explanation is, we're going to ignore it for something more reasonable like... Sue finally has a chance to get rid of glee, being Principal with the excuse that they didn't win, and she's putting up a sympathetic face while secretly gloating. Maybe all the overspending on technology she's been doing means she has to cut something, and she knows she'll get least resistance from the glee club. There are plenty of these that fans made up, just in case the creators ever want to end a glee club and can't think of a way to shoehorn it into their story. Sue's genuinely apologetic, because she's been told she has to do this, and tries to cheer up Will by reminding him of how amazing he has been.

Somebody calls Kurt, Rachel and Santana at work (seriously? They have the number of the diner and just know that all three of them will be there right now?) to tell them the news. Presumably, they or the NY gang also tell everybody else so they can convene in Lima. Even Quinn. And Quinn's boyfriend. Who she very quickly gets rid of. Just go to the next episode. Our heads hurt.

* {{Foreshadowing}}: Kitty and Unique are the only new kids deemed important/meaningful enough to get solos. They're the only two who are seen again after 100/101.

* TheBadGuyWins: Though it was revived in the final season, at this point, Sue finally won the battle, and the war, as New Directions is done for good.

The club seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. In the category of characters who've basically served their purpose, Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her {{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Look at what post-modern America has come to. He hasn't actually noticed that she's sad or stopped writing music and suggesting original songs, no, he Facebook stalked her and read it there. Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving the club after Nationals. Don't worry, Marley, Sue saves you the trouble. This is in fact the last episode where the newbies do anything of significance.

* FanDiscontinuity: First, remember that Will wasn't starting an all new club back in the Pilot, he was just taking over after Sandy Ryerson got fired. There was no budget, but the club ran. Sue got them another year after they lost at Regionals, and even though they came 12th that time there was no question if they would keep going, they just did. They won Nationals the next year, which apparently became the new minimum standard -- the last few years it had been "exist" with Sandy and then "place (1st or 2nd) at Regionals" with Will -- because now that they came second at Nationals, the school board has to get rid of them because every other school team did better. Which is, first, basically impossible and, second, stupid: if every school board took the same view that if you don't come first the club has to end there wouldn't be any clubs to compete with the winner ever again. Fans replaced all this nonsense with something, anything, that was somewhat realistic.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/glee_cityofangels_7.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:En la ciudad de los angeles[[note]]In the city of angels[[/note]]]]

This is a pseudo-tribute episode for Finn.

* HarsherInHindsight: The only member of another glee club who gives sympathy to New Directions for losing Finn is Jean Baptiste. He was named after Kyle Jean-Baptiste, a musical star in Ohio. He would later go on to be the youngest and first African-American person to play [[Theatre/LesMiserables Jean Valjean on Broadway]], but died in a freak accident during its run aged only 21.

Throat Explosion, even though they performed second, win. New Directions comes in second. It seems reasonable that placing second in the country when they came first last year and have been through nearly a complete team overhaul and the death of the director of the group should be treated as an amazing near-impossible accomplishment. However, they all believe that it's a massive failure. It's Glee, of course they do. Jean Baptiste gives Sam the picture of Finn, he raided his team's stuff after they won but before anyone left LA and found it, he's sorry and at a loss that one of them would do that. He's the least hate-worthy of all the rival team leaders on this show. They team try to say sorry to Burt and Carole because they wanted to give Finn a win, but the pair tell them that coming second is better than everyone else but one. It's an achievement that's hard to get under normal circumstances.

* DoubleMeaningTitle: Los Angeles is the city of angels, and they also take Finn with them to be an angel.

It's time for Nationals, the host city this year being LA. The city of angels. The episode opens with Will telling Sam that he's the new Finn. Well, this show is about to head downhill. Sayonara.

Then Burt and Carole appear to be chaperones with the group in LA, because Emma's stuck at home pregnant. Also, because Joe and Sugar are just not there even though they're still meant to be there, three unnamed Cheerios are also joining them. One of them is one of Music/LadyGaga's current two dancers (the other of these is part of Throat Explosion). We cut to the group of them singing on the roof level of a double-decker tourist bus in LA, a counterpart to when they ran around New York a few seasons ago. When they arrive at their hotel, they run into Mercedes who has got a record deal. Mercedes has to run off to the studio to make room for New Directions to then run into Throat Explosion and their leader, Jean Baptiste. He's from Quebec and was an acrobat, which Blaine found out on the show choir blogs. Jean Baptiste shares his sympathies, because everybody knows they're the glee club whose hero died, and it's sad. But don't expect him to go easy tomorrow.

The club seem to have more money this year (well, they didn't need to fly the cast across the country) because they have more than two rooms. Ryder goes to Marley's room and asks her why she changed her {{Facebook}} status from "singer-songwriter" to "undecided". Look at what post-modern America has come to. He hasn't actually noticed that she's sad or stopped writing music and suggesting original songs, no, he Facebook stalked her and read it there. Marley thinks she's useless and is planning on leaving the club after Nationals. This totally happens, even though Ryder talks her out of it, because they're all forced to by Sue.

Sam then rallies the troops to break into the theatre they'll be performing in to get a feel for the stage and everything, having brought the plaque of Finn with him so he's with them. Throat Explosion arrive because they planned the same thing, and as they're about to kick out ND, Jean Baptiste realizes they're having a moment with Finn and kicks his own team out, telling Sam that they'll leave them for the night. But they'll go even harder at them tomorrow. In the morning, Sam and Tina are getting ready with Burt and complaining in the Hummels', with Carole watching from the side. She finally snaps at them for being so dramatic about unimportant things because at least they're still alive. The kids leave to let Burt comfort Carole, because they've got to be kids with the time they have as kids, and that includes complaining. Still, this woman has watched her husband and son buried, she's allowed to be a little mad at people for a bit. She says that being around Finn's friends, his other family, is just setting her off some more and asks to go home because she's overwhelmed.

Ryder and Jake come up with a foolproof plan to make Marley want to be a songwriter again: ask Mercedes to talk to her. [[SarcasmMode Genius, boys, sheer genius.]] In other news, Finn's picture is missing. Sam asks Jean Baptiste if anyone from Throat Explosion took it, because this guy's decent. Except, it's competition day and so he must start trash-talking ND, saying that all their good performers have graduated and a picture of a dead guy isn't going to make the team they have now any better. Well that told them. Sam has to turn around and say that Finn is with them in spirit and will be cheering them on. Great pep talk, Sammy. At the theatre there are celebrity judges, and the other two groups perform because ND is on last. Throat Explosion is supposed to be amazing, but you have to watch them a few times to start believing that because at first it seems damn awful.

Just before New Directions go to perform, Carole changes her mind and wants to watch them. It's a good move, because they dedicate their performance to Finn and perform all his favorite songs (as Carole tells us, because she apparently hasn't seen them rehearsing or a setlist before). These are some of Cory's favourite songs, actually. You also have to watch this a few times for it to stop being lame and boring. Yes, the more you watch the performances this episode the better they get (which is good, because on first viewing there's a temptation to just stop watching instead of suffer through), but sadly much of the dwindling audience did not want a repeat viewing.

After the performance the team are all happy except Sam, who is crying in a corner. Because he was secretly in love with Finn and it's all gotten too much. He tells Will he doesn't think that they did their best for Finn out there (and the team doesn't win, so he might be right). Mercedes goes to tell Marley that she shouldn't be sad about her songs being rejected, because it's happened before with songs that have become hits and with people that go on to be stars. Take her for example, she was constantly told she wasn't good enough and lost out to Rachel Berry because it's Rachel Berry, but she now has a recording contract because of her original songs. When did Mercedes start writing original songs? And if they're so good why weren't they used before instead of the abominations that Rachel created before Quinn decided to save our ears and give her a helping hand?

Throat Explosion, even though they performed second, win. New Directions comes in second. It seems reasonable that placing second in the country when they came first last year and have been through nearly a complete team overhaul and the death of the director of the group should be treated as an amazing near-impossible accomplishment. However, they all believe that it's a massive failure. Of course they do. Jean Baptiste gives Sam the picture of Finn, he raided his team's stuff after they won but before anyone left LA and found it, he's sorry and at a loss that one of them would do that. He's the least hate-worthy of all the rival team leaders on this show. They team try to say sorry to Burt and Carole because they wanted to give Finn a win, but the pair tell them that coming second is better than everyone else but one. It's an achievement that's hard to get under normal circumstances.

Will and Roz are in Sue's office. Roz won the cheerleading championship, even though some of her cheerleaders were off singing in LA, and so the glee club has to end. All the other school teams have suddenly become good and all placed higher in their own competitions so there's no point funding glee club if it's bottom of the heap. Wait, that means that every single club in school came first in the country? Surely a school that does that would get some sort of award from the President because holy fucking hell what kind of kids have you got here!!???!?!!? They should be able to afford a glee club with that, or at least let Will fund it again like in season 1. Sue actually says she wants to keep the club around and is sad about having to scrap it, but the school board has to cut a program a year or some bullshit like that, and this year glee did worst. Given how completely crap this explanation is, we're going to ignore it for something more reasonable like... Sue finally has a chance to get rid of glee, being Principal and with the excuse that they didn't win. Maybe all the overspending on technology she's been doing means she has to cut something, and she knows she'll get least resistance from the glee club. There are plenty of these that fans made up, just in case the creators ever want to end a glee club and can't think of a way to shoehorn it into their story. Sue's genuinely apologetic, because she's been told she has to do this, and tries to cheer up Will by reminding him of how amazing he has been.

Somebody calls Kurt, Rachel and Santana at work (seriously? They have the number of the diner and just know that all three of them will be there right now?) to tell them the news. Presumably, they or the NY gang also tell everybody else so they can convene in Lima. Even Quinn. And Quinn's boyfriend. Who she very quickly gets rid of. Just go to the next episode.

* FanDiscontinuity: First, remember that Will wasn't starting an all new club back in the Pilot, he was just taking over after Sandy got fired. There was no budget, but the club ran. Sue got them another year after they lost at Regionals, and even though they came 12th that time there was no question if they would keep going, they just did. They won Nationals the next year, which apparently became the new minimum standard -- the last few years it had been "exist" with Sandy and then "place (1st or 2nd) at Regionals" with Will -- because now that they came second at Nationals, the school board has to get rid of them because every other school team did better. Which is, first, basically impossible and, second, stupid: if every school board took the same view that if you don't come first the club has to end there wouldn't be any clubs to compete with the winner ever again. Fans replaced all this nonsense with something, anything, that was somewhat realistic.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: Kitty and Unique are the only new kids deemed important/meaningful enough to get solos. They're the only two who are ever seen again after 100/101.

* "Mr Roboto" by Music/{{Stix}}, performed by Jean Baptiste and Throat Explosion