After what felt like much hemming and hawing over whether or not to actually put them together, Rachel and Sam officially kissed in the most recent episode of Glee's final season. How you felt about that kiss probably has something to do with whether you're a Samcedes shipper (aka someone who wants to see the football coach end up with Mercedes). The seeds for this smooch were planted way back in Season 5's Billy Joel tribute episode, when Blaine and Sam went to visit their graduated friends in NYC. Rachel helped prepare Sam for a photo shoot, and — while applying oil to his bare, toned torso — sparks noticeably flew.
Many fans were outraged at the time, worrying that it's too soon after Cory Monteith's/Finn's death to be giving Lea Michele/Rachel a new love interest. And so the brakes were applied and Sam was paired with Mercedes again in the latter half of that season. But now Samcedes has parted ways — again — and Samchel is locking lips in the McKinley choir room.
In true Glee fashion, the circumstances behind that kiss were decidedly strange. Sue had previously placed Sam under hypnosis to influence him into wooing Rachel and then forgetting all about it once they kissed, in an effort to undermine Ms. Berry's confidence. All in service of destroying the glee club, of course. Sure enough, as soon as they smooched, Sam had no recollection of it and even when Rachel asked him out on a real date, he turned her down, telling her that he was still in love with Mercedes.
So that's it, then, right? Samchel teased, Samchel briefly explored, Samchel over? Just another one of Glee's famous rando relationships. (Puck & Lauren Zizes? Artie and Emma Pillsbury's niece, Betty? Blaine and Dave Karofsky?? ) Sam specifically said he was still in love with Mercedes. So they'll end up back together, and Rachel will either end up a strong independent woman... or back in NYC basically taking over the world with her show choir soulmate Jesse St. James. (Hey — don't judge my headcanon, I won't judge yours.)
So you might be surprised to learn that Samchel is far from over. That plot line didn't end with Sam awakening from his hynopsis; in fact, it's only just getting started. Based on the plot descriptions and sneak peeks, it seems like any drama between the two will take a backseat in this Friday's episode, "The Hurt Locker, Part 2," to focus on the second half of the Invitationals episode started last week. But the following two episodes will feature a flurry of activity between the pair, leading to one inescapable conclusion: Samchel is on like Donkey Kong.
(Warning: spoilers ahead!!)
Episode 6, titled "What The World Needs Now," is a tribute to Burt Bacharach, the songwriter most famous for composing hits like "I Say A Little Prayer," "Wishin' And Hoping," and the titular track for Whitney Houston's cousin, Dionne Warwick. Here's a tidbit from the episode's press release:
Despite agreeing to stay just friends, Rachel and Sam try to negotiate bigger feelings they may or may not have for each other, but it takes the advice of an interested third party to move things along.
Who is said third party? Well, Mercedes is back in town for this episode and, judging by that promotional still above, it surprisingly seems like she might be the one who helps them through that emotional decision. (See guys, even Mercedes is a Samchel shipper!) Rachel and Sam might start the episode off by duetting on Bacharach's "I'll Never Fall In Love Again," but it definitely seems like they'll change their tune pretty quickly, judging by spoilers for the next episode.
Episode 7 is called "Transitioning" and will deal with several major upheavals in some characters' lives, including Coach Beiste's transition from a woman into a man. But it's this part of the episode's press release that has my eyebrows raised:
Rachel must come to terms with the fact her family home has finally been sold and all her memories appear to be going away with it. While she is despondent over the turn of events, Sam recruits the other gleeks to stage an intervention of sorts in order to help her get past the challenging milestone with a fun, song-filled sendoff. [...] And the romantic tension that has been brewing between Sam and Rachel finally boils over.
Red alert! Red alert! We're at DEFCON 1, people! Samcedes shippers can deny it all they want, but it seems like the Glee writers are really doubling down on this whole Samchel thing. We've got a promotional still of Sam Evans in Rachel Berry's bedroom in an episode during which the new glee coach will be in a highly emotional state; we know the romantic tension will be boiling over; and we know the pair will be singing their third duet in four episodes — Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time." That last piece of evidence is the most damning, since nothing on Glee is ever real until a character sings about it.
All you Samchel haters out there better start getting used to the idea of them being together, since it seems like the couple is now officially endgame. (Between Rachel/Sam, Blaine/Kurt, Santana/Brittany, Puck/Quinn, and Will/Emma, will there be a single major character not paired up by the show's end? Mercedes, I suppose. Quick, put her with Artie! There — crisis averted. That was a close one!)
Images: Jennifer Clasen, Beth Dubber, Mike Yarish, Greg Gayne/FOX
