You bring up being worried for Blaine and that he was lucky his risk paid off this time & he shouldn't always try to include Kurt to his own detriment. I think by this point he knew Kurt was okay w/things either way. I think it was a little bit more about Blaine asserting himself. Showing June he's grateful, but is not willing to be "kept" or hide parts of himself. Stardom on June's terms wouldn't feel right to confident, proud Blaine anyway. He was trusting himself, which makes him a winner.
Well, he didn’t lose anything but it was only by a stroke of luck that he didn’t.
And yes, I agree with you that part of Blaine’s decision was about him regaining power after June proved his powerlessness in their previous conversation. She had a very specific idea about how he should proceed and he wanted something else but his attempt to change her mind was met by a not so subtle threat that he would be driftwood if he didn’t abide by her rules. And June was minimizing Kurt’s role in Blaine’s life, she kept referring to him as a friend and she saw him as a hindrance to Blaine. That doesn’t work for Blaine.
I’m talking more about Blaine’s own headspace though. Blaine often reacts to what people want or what he thinks they want, even if it’s at his own expense. He told Kurt that he doesn’t want to do the showcase anymore. He felt guilty and like he had to make a choice between the showcase and Kurt so that was a reaction to that but even after they made up, Blaine repeated it and said that they either fly together or they don’t fly at all. That’s what worries me, his willingness to let go of opportunities because Kurt doesn’t have that same opportunity. And despite some differences, we’ve seen Blaine willing to let go of things before, with Tony and West Side Story. He was perfectly willing to take a step back for Kurt. And I love his selflessness and his desire to see Kurt’s talent recognized and celebrated, but I don’t want him to have that idea in his head that they are a package or that he has to make a sacrifice like that or to let go of whatever opportunity he has because Kurt doesn’t have the same opportunity (And this is where I point out that American Boy was actually showcasing Kurt. Blaine picked a song that he knew Kurt had a big part in and sort of stepped back and led Kurt take the lead. I’m not saying that’s bad but it’s a sign of Blaine’s readiness to do something like this) It’s just….Blaine gives too much of himself in his relationships. It’s just the kind of guy he is, he responds to others’ expectations and hopes on his own. He is a people pleaser who often puts other people before himself. I’m worried about that. I’m worried about how perfectly willing he is to put Kurt before himself, at his own risk. Like, I don’t want him to be self-absorbed or to not care about Kurt, I just want him to reach a balance.
In my opinion, there were other ways for Blaine to assert himself and to tell June that no, Kurt isn’t a “friend”, he is a part of his life and he will remain a part of his life. There will be no breaking off the engagement like she advised him to do. Like you said, he knew that Kurt was okay and that he would support him no matter what (which is a development because I don’t think Blaine trusted Kurt’s support before. It’s not cut and dry, he still has trust issues but it’s progress) But let me ask, what would have happened if June hadn’t liked what she saw and joined them? What would have happened if she reacted harshly and delivered on her threat? Blaine would have lost the chance in a heartbeat and I believe he was ready for that to happen actually. And that possibility and his readiness for it makes me admire him but also want to slap the back of his head and tell him that there were other ways for him to send June a message and to show his love and passion without taking such a huge risk.
I was thinking this morning and I honestly wonder if part of Blaine’s readiness to pick Kurt always is because no one has ever picked Blaine?
Cooper chose his career, went to LA and never looked back. If Blaine had friends at his old school, who knows if they even attempted to keep in touch after his attack and transfer to Dalton. We know that The Warblers definitely did not choose Blaine. Kurt chose New York and who knows what the deal is with Blaine’s parents.
Maybe part of the reason Blaine is holding on to the idea of choosing Kurt, doing this together all the time is because it’s what he would want if the roles were reversed? Blaine wants someone to choose Blaine because they love him, not because of his talent. Does that make sense? Doesn’t make it healthy (but man I am getting sick of that word) or wise. And it’s kind of heartbreaking, but I relate. I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. But I don’t really care about the “what if” because it worked out for him. This time. I want him to understand the impulse and then knock it off. Lol.
I really like all of this conversation, and agree with the concerns and interpretations here re: Blaine. I think lately, and maybe especially now after the showcase, I’m simply coming to accept that Blaine isn’t going to make a different choice in these situations. He won’t settle for anything that isn’t a success for both of them—I mean, in a lot of ways he’s taking everything that happened in “Tested” to heart, because here was a moment (to use his race metaphor), he could’ve made himself feel like he was caught up to Kurt. At least that’s how this is set up, I think. But he’s tossed that metaphor, even if he still uses all-or-nothing thinking to work through these most recent conflicts.
When you compare how he felt in “Tested” to how he was during the showcase, I think you see such a huge contrast: he and Kurt are not at odds, they’re a team, and happily so. And I think this trait, this willingness to risk a big opportunity over his relationship (because I really do feel he risked it all and was totally aware of that), is what makes him different from Rachel. Their brand of ambition is different, that’s all. Blaine always shares the spotlight, even when he’s explicitly asked not to.
And “American Boy” is a clear capturing of Blaine’s essence, because of course Blaine’s showcase is going to feature Blaine actually showcasing Kurt, and while the song is about all the places they’ll go, those places are literally just depicted on Kurt’s jacket—on Kurt himself. Those priorities, I think, are never going to change.
It’s hard to tell sometimes if the show is just really presenting this core of who he is, or whether they’re laying the foundation for something to change (I think about the bird metaphors around Blaine, especially in TURBP). Right now I think it’s the former … but who knows what they have in store for the boys in season 6?
I love all of these thoughts. I also would like to think that pleasing June isn’t the only way for Blaine to succeed. First off, it wouldn’t be worth it for Blaine to hide himself if that’s what she insisted on. June is making a power play, similar to what Charlie Darling did (using power and the threat of damaging a career/losing a job) and Blaine isn’t going to accept this, which is a good thing. Second, there are many ways to succeed as a performer, let alone in life, and June isn’t the only path to success. Could she spread some meanness about Blaine? Maybe. But he could ignore her, focus on school (I know these Glee kids/Rachel don’t think much of school, but it’s important too) and pursue his dream like anyone else. Additionally, not only are there paths to musical success that don’t depend on. June, there are other variations of the career besides the fame monster she seems to want to create, and a zillion ways to use music in your life besides being a celebrity. Even Rachel has already had a variety of types of success, and is more than willing to be blackballed on Broadway for her choice.
So I guess I’m saying that I’m proud of Blaine for defying June, and I don’t think it signaled an unhealthy refusal to take care of himself, because letting someone else have power over his life and his relationship with Kurt was never going to be a constructive path to success. It isn’t a weakness to recognize the value of the relationships in your life and give them weight; it’s a strength.
