The ‘Glee’ Winter Finale 'On My Way' aired last night, February 21st delivering 2 unforgettable shockers: Karofsky’s (Max Adler) attempted suicide and Quinn’s accident. ‘Glee’ star Dianna Agron tweeted a teaser about episode ‘surprises’ on February 21st, with a photo of Quinn in her Cheerios uniform and no further or specific details.
Quinn’s accident is the last thing anyone sees coming after Karofsky’s sad and riveting story.
Both of these unforseen events will undoubtedly have serious and lingering effects for several 'Glee' characters. Will Rachel and Finn reconsider marriage altogether? Will Blaine and Kurt's relationship change if Kurt gets closer to Karofsky? Does Quinn die in the accident, or will she survive only to be in a coma or seriously injured? If Quinn is dead, how will her death change or impact Puck? Sue? Sanatana?
TEEN SUICIDE
As previously reported, ‘Glee’ as a series, has raised a loud voice in its anti-bullying campaign and this episode, ‘On My Way’ sends a very clear and sobering message: the physical, emotional and mental effects of bullying can cause a victim to attempt suicide and in many cases, a victim succeeds in taking his/her own life.
Karofsky goes into the locker room at school and finds guys giving him strange looks and then sees the word ‘fag’ spray painted across his locker. He hurries out, mortified. Then when he gets home, he logs onto the computer and finds a series of hate messages.
Darren Criss sings a very haunting ‘Cough Syrup’ as a backdrop against a montage of an overwhelmed Karofsky dressing in a suit and getting onto a chair to hang himself with a belt.
SEE EPISODE PHOTOS HERE
Kathy Davis of Flint has watched ‘Glee’ from its inception and offered these thoughts on the very intense scene:
‘I knew Karofsky’s intentions when he laid the suit out and my heart was breaking for him. I think this episode, out of all of them in the series, shines the biggest light on the kind of damage that bullying, taunting, hatred and intolerance can do to someone. I’m just so glad his dad got there in time. In real life, some parents aren’t so lucky. Young lives lost to this kind of thing are horrific tragedies and hopefully the episode woke some people up out there.’
Per their website, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth.
The site also reports the following alarming statistics:
- In the United States, more than 34,000 people die by suicide each year (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC 2007).
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among 15 to 24-year-olds, accounting for over 12% of deaths in this age group; only accidents and homicide occur more frequently (National Adolescent Health Information 2006).
- Suicide is the second leading cause of death on college campuses (CDC 2008).
- For every completed suicide by a young person, it is estimated that 100 to 200 attempts are made (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Survey 2003).
- Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth are up to four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers (Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey 2007).
- More than 1/3 of LGB youth report having made a suicide attempt (D’Augelli AR - Clinical Child Psychiatry and Psychology 2002
In Karofsky’s case, his dad finds him in time to get him to the hospital and ultimately save his life. Karofsky’s suicide attempt has a huge impact on Kurt (Chris Colfer), as he blames himself for turning Karofsky down for a date and then not returning his calls.
Mr. Schuester (Matthew Morrison) surprises everyone in glee club by admitting that he considered taking his own life when he was younger.
In the very poignant scene, Mr. Schue tells the kids there is something in each of us, one thing that can take us to that kind of an edge. He asks each of them to name something they are looking forward to in their own futures.
Later, Kurt visits Karofsky in the hospital and tells him about the exercise. He tries to offer Karofsky a glimpse at what his future can hold, and together they imagine him with a partner and a child, leading a happy life. The effort seems to help...
Chris Colfer and Max Adler do an amazing job in this very intense scene, in which Karofsky tells Kurt his best friend never wants to talk to him again and his mom thinks he has a disease that can be cured. He admits he felt overwhelmed and marvels (with shame) how Kurt could withstand everything he did to him for months, when he couldn’t take the ridicule for even one week.
Both actors shed many tears and brilliantly evoke the desperation and pain of that moment. Kurt and Karofsky share an awkward and painful history. Yet, Kurt is putting that aside to offer a helping hand, which also illustrates a tremendous amount of courage, hope and human kindness. Kurt's generosity also speaks to the power of forgiveness and how compassion and tolerance can lift the human spirit.
Karofsky’s attempt to end his life impacts many other people at McKinley and beyond:
Sebastian (Grant Gustin) seems to regret his wicked ways. He apologizes to Blaine and Kurt as he remembers harassing Karofsky at the bar. He also calls a truce with New Directions as they head into regionals.
Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) decide life is short and they push their wedding up and plan to get married right away after Regionals.
All Regionals performances are dedicated to Karofsky and New Directions takes home the top prize. While victory is sweet, everyone is still shaken by Karofsky's trauma.
QUINN'S ACCIDENT
A pregnant Sue (Jane Lynch) regrets telling Quinn she can’t rejoin the Cheerios. So, she gives Quinn her uniform and welcomes her back to the team. Quinn happily puts it on for a walk through the halls.
Quinn stops Rachel say she knows Finn makes her happy and she wants to support her by being at the wedding.
Rachel and Finn’s parents still feel they’re too young to get married and scheme about how to stop the wedding before it’s over.
Everyone waits in the Justice of the Peace’s office for Quinn because she had to go home for her bridesmaid dress. Time is ticking and Rachel sends Quinn a text asking where she’s at. Quinn takes her eyes off the road and looks down at the message and then types the reply ‘on my way’.
Her car is suddenly broadsided by a truck. There is the image and the sound of shattering glass and the screen goes black.
In that instant, everything has changed. Quinn’s hopes for the future have most likely come to an untimely end. In the wake of the impending tragedy ‘Glee’ addresses another hugely alarming concern: the dangers of cell phone use and texting while driving.
The CDC reports that each day, more than 15 people are killed and more than 1,200 people are injured in crashes that were reported to involve a distracted driver. Distractions include cell phone use, texting and eating while driving.
The report also states 52% of U.S. drivers ages 18-29 reported texting or e-mailing while driving at least once in the last 30 days, and more than a quarter report texting or e-mailing “regularly” or “fairly often” while driving.
NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports:
- In 2009, In 5,474 people were killed on U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving (FARS and GES).
- Of those people killed in distracted-driving-related crashes, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes).
- Of those injured in distracted-driving-related crashes, 24,000 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (5% of injured people in distraction-related crashes).
Local ‘Glee’ fan Linda Fouchea of Davison, was shocked by Quinn’s sudden accident.
While a report from E! earlier today says that Dianna Agron will come back this season in her role as Quinn, Fouchea doesn’t think it’s likely Quinn will be alive in the scenes. Fouchea said:
‘She can’t have survived that crash. She’s probably coming back in flashbacks or something.’
Overall, the strong musical performances at Regionals and the New Directions victory in this episode are clouded by Karofsky’s tragedy. While the message in the songs is uplifting, all of the singers (and the viewers) are still reeling from a very sobering blow.
The forthcoming aftermath of Quinn’s accident will most certainly shake the New Directions gang at its core—especially Rachel, who will probably blame herself for texting Quinn to begin with. It also seems likely Rachel and Finn's wedding will be interrupted or indefinitely postponed...
It’s possible Rachel may even feel compelled to nix her NYADA plans to punish herself if Quinn is dead and thereby robbed of her future and her Yale graduation.
Above all, ‘On My Way’ is arguably one of ‘Glee’s’ most serious episodes to date. It gives a sharp and intense look at the thin line and the fleeting moments between life and death.
There is a very graphic lesson about the danger of texting and driving. And, it offers a very intense and realistic picture of how destructive and damaging words and bullying behaviors can push a person into the kind of hopeless despair that leads to a suicide attempt or completed suicide.
'On My Way' underscores how plans can change and dreams can end in the blink of an eye as the result of a senseless tragedy.
On the contrary, it also presents this message of hope: Help is there if you need it, you are not alone. If you get help you need and find a way to love and accept yourself the way you are, the days will get better and your future will be brighter.
IF YOU NEED SUPPORT PLEASE CALL THE TREVOR LIFELINE AT 866-488-7386.
‘Glee’ will return in Flint to WSMH FOX66 on April 10, 2012 at 8 PM EST.
Comments