Samcedes Episode Analysis: 2.08 Furt

Samcedes Episode Analysis: 2.08 Furt 

by Akilah

Sam: Sam is in the locker room lifting weights when Finn walks in. The two boys are standing in front of mirrors, which is symbolic for their relationship to each other. Sam is Finn's proxy and his replacement, his mirror image. Sam does not have a storyline that does not involve Finn up until this point. Finn is the one who takes him under his wing and manipulates him into joining the Glee club (2.01 and 2.04). Sam takes Finn's place as QB (2.01). Finn gives Sam a bad play during 2.03 that causes him to dislocate his shoulder, which makes Finn QB again. Finn picks out Sam's duet partner (2.04). Finn rigs the duets competition so Sam can win (2.04). Finn and Sam both have body issues (2.05). Finn gives Sam advice on how to "cool down" during make out sessions (2.06), and it leads to disaster. Sam is always in Finn's shadow, allowing the other boy to direct and manipulate him. Its not until this episode that Sam breaks away from Finn and begins to become his own man.

Back in the locker room, Finn tells Sam that he should be careful lifting weights since he may reinjure his shoulder. Finn doesn't say this because he cares about Sam, he just really wants to rub it in Sam's face that Finn took the QB position back from him. Sam catches on, he's starting to be able to "read" Finn. Sam tells him that he's working on it because he wants to get his QB position back. He explains that he's "on the cusps of being one of the most popular guys in school," and being QB will help solidify it. "I didn't think you were the type to care about that stuff," Finn says. This is interesting. Finn has heard Sam talk about popularity before so it should be no surprise that Sam cares about it. But I think Finn also sees something in Sam that Sam doesn't see in his self yet. Its Sam's integrity, and Finn witnessed it first hand.

Back in 2.04, Finn tells Sam that he can't duet with Kurt because he'll be teased and bullied if he does. Sam tells Finn that he can't renege on it because he gave Kurt his word and in his "world, that's that." Finn was taken aback. It was the opposite of what he would have done in that same situation. Finn is someone who looks out for hisself first. In 2.02, after promising Artie he'll get him on the football team, he reneges because he says he has to "look out for myself." Finn is selfish, but he also knows that Sam isn't. Finn was impressed by Sam's integrity, and this is something that distinguishes him from Finn.

Sam may have a lot of integrity, but he's also motivated by his quest for popularity. "Everybody cares," Sam says, regarding popularity. He explains it means being on top and not having to take crap from people, "no teasing, no slushie facials." Was Sam teased before coming to Mckinley? It would explain why he's trying so hard. Sam is obviously insecure and uncomfortable in his skin. Perhaps being bullied before is a reason why. Finn tells Sam that being QB won't put him on top (he knows from experience), "especially since you can't even get Quinn to be your girlfriend." Sam says he's working on that. That's one thing you can say about Sam, if he wants something then hes going to work for it.

Sam not only replaced Finn as QB and as one of the most popular guys in school, he replaced him as Quinn's boyfriend. Quinn is re-doing her Sophmore year, the year she got pregnant, lost Finn, lost her popularity, lost her home and lost her "perfect" body. This year, Quinn is starting from the time before she got pregnant and before Rachel entered her life. Back then Quinn was with Finn, the QB and she was the head Cheerio. In this re-do, Sam is playing Finn. So, right on que, Sam takes her back into that room where he mistook Mars for Venus, war for love, and completely opens his heart up to Quinn.

"These mobiles aren't the stars of Mckinely, we are," he says. "I'm going to be quartback soon and you're already head cheerleader," and he gets down on one knee. Its almost like something he saw in a teen romantic comedy. The whole relationship is predicated on their popularity status. In Sam's mind the quarterback dates the head cheerleader because that's how its suppose to go. Again, Sam is playing a role. He doesn't know who he is yet so its easy for him to feel comfortable playing a part in Quinn's story, which is nothing more than a do over of her previous year of high school.
"I think I love you," Sam tells Quinn, and this is the furthest their emotions ever go for each other. They never do more than "think" they love each other. This phrase comes up again in 2.12 when Quinn tells Finn that she "thinks she loves Sam." They never really feel love because its not there. He pulls out a ring box and presents it to her. Its his heart, wide open for Quinn to take. She mocks him,"What are you six?" Quinn knows how immature he's behaving because she really is much more mature than she wants people to think. She's been through too much to be that naive.

Sam says that he wants to marry her one day, but for now, he wants her to be his girlfriend. The funny thing is, Quinn never admits that shes dating Sam. They are obviously dating but she won't even acknowledge him. Its a form of control. She wants the status that comes from dating him, and she wants him to be Finn all over again, but she doesn't want to be hurt again the way Finn hurt her. She is completely confused, but no one really understands that, especially not Sam. Quinn closes the box he holds in his hands as he grovels at her feet. Its foreshadowing for what she'll do to his heart. He'll eventually learn not to be so "wide open" with his emotions after Quinn gets through with him. He asks if that means "no" but she won't even give him that. She tells him "maybe" and keeps him in limbo. Its the ultimate form of control.

When the boys of ND approach Karofsky about his bullying of Kurt, Sam is the one who really steps up to the plate. After Karofsky pushes Mike into Artie, Sam retaliates and shoves Karofsky into a locker. Karofsky is a lot bigger than him, but Sam does not hesitate and manages to get a few hits in before Karofsky gets the better of him. With these actions Sam stepped out of Finn's shadow and behaved like a leader. Finn told Rachel he wouldn't get involved in approaching Karofsky because he had to look out for his self. Again, Finn is selfish. But Sam proved that he can be selfless. This is the integrity that Sam has. This is the honorable side of Sam that Kurt mentioned in 2.04. Sam did something that Finn wouldn't do and he was rewarded for it. The other guys on the football team called him a "true leader." Sam learned that he didn't need the title of QB to be on top. All he needed was to be his self.

Sam also got the girl. Quinn wore his ring and decided to become his girl friend. The interesting thing about this is that she broke into his locker to get the ring. She used a nail filer. Quinn could have just asked him for it and he would have gladly given it to her, but she decided to steal it from him instead. This shows that she may be giving in a little, but she wants to be the one in control. She could not humble herself enough to tell him "yes," and asks for the ring. She had to use a "nail filer" to break into his locker to get it. "Nail filer," and the "breaking" into the locker are foreshadowing for the way she breaks his heart and hurts him. But for now Sam is happy.

This episode marked a shift in Sam's character. He went from trying so hard to be someone else (Finn) to gain popularity and a pretty girlfriend, to learning that he can earn respect and get girls to like him by being true to his integrity. He learned that being his self was okay. After this we start to see a change in the way Sam presents his self. He becomes much more relaxed and his "dork" side shows up a lot more.

Mercedes: Rachel calls a meeting for ND girls who have boyfriends on the football team. Mercedes is absent of course. She isn't invited because she doesn't have a boyfriend, let alone one on the football team. Santana crashes the meeting but is humiliated and kicked out because she doesn't have a "real" boyfriend either. Its no wonder Santana and Mercedes formed the TTones. They have both been marginalized within ND.

Mercedes is Kurt's date at Carol and Burt's wedding. She comes dancing down the aisle with Kurt and stands besides him, opposite Rachel and Finn, at the alter when Carol and Burt exchange vows. Kurt talked a lot about her using him as a substitute boyfriend, but he's using her as a substitute girlfriend as well.

At the end of the episode, Kurt tells New Directions that he's leaving Mckinley and transferring to Dalton. Mercedes stands up and walks over to hem. "I've gotta go," he tells her, mirroring her words and demeanor from the previous episode (2.07). The break up between Mercedes and Kurt is complete. They remain friends for the rest of the season, but its never the same.

Samcedes: Mercedes and Kurt dance down the aisle together. Kurt spins Mercedes and she dances between Sam and Quinn. The four of them dance together. Its a cute scene.

What's more important is that in this episode we see how open to love Sam is. Sam is a hopeless romantic. He proposes to a girl he's only known for six weeks, and pledges his devotion to her. Sam is someone who wants love and desires love and isn't ashamed of showing it. He wears his heart on his sleeve and isn't afraid of taking chances on love because he believes its worth it.

Mercedes on the other hand is guarded. Shes closed her heart to love. She may want love and wants to be wanted, but she wouldn't dare let anyone know this. We learn this in the previous episode (2.07). Its an interesting juxtaposition. One episode featuring a girl who's lonely and wants love but is too afraid to let anyone know and wont even admit it to herself. The next episode features a boy who loves love and isn't afraid of being open to it and letting everyone know how he feels. These two are the same and yet they are opposite. They are a perfect balance for each other. Mercedes needs to learn to open up and Sam needs to learn how to hold back a little bit. When they each get to that point, they end up finding each other.