- The Glee Club gets ready to perform at the Nationals in New York. Finn and Rachel have an emotional moment on stage during the competition.
- We open in New York City. Rachel (Lea Michele) says: "I made it." The gang talks about how fired-up they are to be in the big city. Finn (Cory Monteith) reminds them they still have to write two songs. Rachel walks up with tickets to Cats, a show which closed more than a decade ago.
Based on budget, Will (Matthew Morrison) is going to have the whole team stay in two rooms. Rachel tells Finn she's impressed with how well Quinn (Dianna Agron) is taking the break-up.
Will calls a team meeting up in the room. He tells them they're on lockdown until they come up with two songs. He tells them he has to leave to fill out paperwork. He seems nervous.
We see Will pull up at the theater which is hosting "Crossrhodes: The April Rhodes Story."
Brittany's songwriting attempt is a pop offering literally about her cup--a song entitled "My Cup," sang as a duet with Artie (Kevin McHale). The kids then decide they're going to leave and have the city helps them come up with inspiration.
We see the kids walking around the city singing a mash-up of "I Love New York" and "New York, New York."
Back in the hotel room, Finn asks about doing a duet with Rachel. The guys seem cool with it. Puck (Mark Salling) and Sam (Chord Overstreet) think he should ask Rachel out on a date while they're in New York. The girls room is a pillow fight. Rachel gets a text from Finn asking her to meet in Central Park.
Will steps on the stage and sings "Still Got Tonight," a song coincidentally featured on the album of the actor who plays him. (With the fourth wall broken, this re-capper passes out for two minutes.) A man walks into the theater. He tells Will he's got serious talent.
Rachel and Finn meet at a bridge in the Park. He gives her flowers, but says it's strictly professional. Finn then takes her to a restaurant, but just before he's about to tell her how he feels Rachel spots Patti LuPone. Rachel tells LuPone that she's is her idol. LuPone says choir was her favorite class and makes Rachel promise never to give up.
On their way back to the hotel, Rachel talks about how much the night felt like something from a romantic comedy. As they walk, the rest of the guys serenade them with "Bella Notte" (from Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure (2001)). Finn tells her this is the point when they are supposed to kiss but Rachel says "I can't" and runs off.
The next morning, Kurt (Chris Colfer) and Rachel have breakfast at a Tiffany & Co. store. They both say they intend to return to New York for college. Rachel is worried Finn will keep her from her "Manhattan destiny." Kurt thinks she'll have to choose between love and career. They break into the theater in which "Wicked" is being staged. A security guard realizes they are there to sing on a real Broadway stage but lets them have 15 minutes anyway. Kurt thinks she needs to visualize both of the options. He tells her to imagine she's performing in front of a full house. They perform a duet of Wicked's "For Good." Afterwards, Rachel says she doesn't have to choose because Broadway is her true love.
Quinn threatens to Brittany (Heather Elizabeth Morris) and Santana (Naya Rivera) that she might tell Will about Rachel and Kurt sneaking out, an offense which would get them suspended. Quinn doesn't care about "stupid show choir." Quinn is upset she can't find love. They think a haircut will help her.
In the lobby, Will is apologizing to management for how the kids have been treating the rooms. Vocal Adrenaline coach Dustin (Cheyenne Jackson) walks by and ominously wishes Will luck on his Broadway debut. They sit at the bar. Dustin says he read about the debut on a showchoir blog. He advises Will not to tell the kids, saying he hates the kids on his team because they remind him what he's missed out on. Will responds he loves his kids. Working with them has been the joy of his life.
Up in the room, the kids have already heard about Will leaving to be on Broadway. He says he hasn't made up his mind, but they seem devastated. Apparently Dustin told them. Will tells them that he's changed his mind and is going to stay with them. They get to work on songs.
Rachel gives us a quick bit of exposition: The top 50 choirs in the country are there. The top 10 move on to showcase with five ultimately competing for the national championship. Will tells them he thinks they have a "really good shot at winning this thing."
As one of the show choirs performs Usher's "Yeah!", Will follows Dustin into the lobby. Dustin thinks New Directions has no chance.Will responds He'll send Dustin a t-shirt after they win nationals.
Rachel finds Sunshine (Jake Zyrus) throwing up in the bathroom. She says she no longer enjoys singing and nerves are making her sick. She is headed to the Philippine consulate to ask for her visa to be revoked. It's the only way she can escape Vocal Adrenaline. Rachel says the reason she treated her so poorly when she was at McKinley was because Sunshine is so talented. Rachel tells Sunshine she must sing and tells her to look to her for support if she feels nervous.
Vocal Adrenaline takes the stage with Sunshine alone in front of he mic. After a thumb's up from Rachel, she sings "As Long As You're There" by something called . . . Glee?
Backstage, Finn asks why Rachel all of a sudden isn't interested in him. She says New York is her dream and she can't let anything keep her from it. "There's nothing you can say to change my mind," Rachel says. They perform a duet of "Pretending," one of the New Directions' original pieces. During the song, we see Jesse (Jonathan Groff) sit down next to Will, saying he can't stay away. At the conclusion of the song, the couple kisses deeply and stares at each other. Jesse asks Will if the kiss was scripted. Will says "no." New Directions performs their second original song as an ensemble ("Light Up The World"). It brings the crowd to its feet.
Afterwards, Jesse tells Finn the kiss was an unprofessional mistake probably costing them nationals. Finn tells him to back off. The ten teams qualifying for showcase are posted. Vocal Adrenaline is on the list but New Directions did not reach the top 10. The kids are devastated.
Kurt fills in Blaine (Darren Criss) on what happened afterwards. There is a sense that Finn kissing Rachel was a critical error. Santana went ballistic at Rachel in the hotel room. The plane ride was silent. Blaine wonders why Kurt doesn't seem all that sad. Kurt says the experience was still amazing. They tell each other "I love you." Sam and Mercedes show up. They walk away. We see Sam and Mercedes are holding hands.
Brittany tells Santana this year wasn't about winning for her. She thinks the club is like her family and is excited to spend another year with the people she loves. Brittany tells Santana she loves her and that she thinks anything is possible.
Rachel finds Finn hiding in the library. He thinks he screwed up and everyone hates him. He says in the moment all he was feeling was he loved her. "You gave it all up for one kiss," Rachel says. They both think it was worth it. She tells him after graduating she's leaving and never coming back. He asks if she has plans until then and they kiss.
Before the final club meeting of the year, we see a banner hanging that congratulates them on finishing 12th at nationals. Will holds up the 12th place trophy and they cheer.
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