'When It's Finally Time to have Intercourse...'

After three years in the making and RIB give the shippers three seconds worth! Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad it happened, I liked what I saw, I just wish there had been more of it. And here is why:

1.    I still hold a grudge with RIB for never showing enough Emma Pillsbury and

2.    Cutting out the Wemma scene from ‘New York’ in Season 2 and

3.     Not fulfilling their promise of  ‘hot Wemma action’ in season 3.

4.    But ultimately because I don’t think the montage satisfactorily recognized Emma’s achievement.

Emma, like all the characters this season has battled her demons (OCD) and as Will and New Directions individually and collectively conquered their demons and realized their dreams throughout the course of Season 3, Emma was the only one left with an unfulfilled ambition.  Therefore it was no surprise that sexual intercourse had to be on the agenda in one of the final episodes. Like a lot of story lines in Glee, they take forever suspending a resolution then deliver the resolution in a quick and snappy way or off screen so it leaves you feeling unfulfilled and wondering why you placed any emotional investment in the story in the first place. Wemma sex was no exception. It happened off screen. Thanks RIB. THREE YEARS!

Should the intercourse have happened after Nationals? Some believe no because it intimated that Emma’s virginity was a ‘reward’ for Will. I beg to differ. Emma has wanted to get physical with Will ever since ‘Hello’, but her OCD has stood in the way. Over the course of Season 3 she has slowly beaten back the OCD and by this episode stands on the brink of victory. She is inspired by Will’s success with the Glee club, the kids winning, Sue winning. She wants to be a winner too. In her mind, Will deserves to be with a winner and if anything motivates her to succeed it’s wanting what’s best for Will. It’s why she denied her love for him for so long, it’s why she told him to accept April’s offer. She wants to be the best for him. Just as he wanted to show her how special she was when she won tenure, she wants to show him how special he is winning Nationals. Therefore it was the opportune time, her man of action has succeeded and he’s turned her on, in a big way.

As Emma stands before Will dressed in her cream coloured skirt and top, she holds up the newspaper showing Will’s success on the front page, the pride is bursting from her face and the phallic symbolism of the flowering candle opening up to reveal the burning flame at Emma’s crotch was a metaphor for exactly how she was feeling about Will – her loins are on fire with desire! Her virginity is about to go up in flames. She’s caught up in the ecstasy of being a winner, which is just the aphrodisiac she needs. Emma wants to prove herself a winner too. Further symbolism was meant to convey Emma’s desire: the open curtains – not quite meeting in the middle – the camera lingers on them after Wemma disappear in hurry. Like the curtains, Emma is open for business. Her red nightdress representing passion, lust, vigour. Emma is back-lit, making her look like a flame burning with desire. The sped up footage conveyed their unbridled passion for each other and the similar nightdress and choreography as Emma’s fantasy in ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Toucha Toucha Me’ alluded to Emma’s dream becoming a reality. Emma and Will are ‘Tongue Tied’, there are no words left for them to express their love for each other, physicality can now say more than words can. It’s an upbeat, celebratory song about friendship and love and not wanting to let go of the euphoria that love and friendship brings. ‘I loved you then and I love you now’, succinctly wraps up their journey. Emma’s reason for wanting sex was delivered via film techniques but symbolism and allusion did not quite fulfil the emotional needs of this Wemma fan.

Then we got the following dialogue:

Will: Hey, thank you.’

Emma: It was my pleasure, literally. I just thought, you know, my man is a winner and he deserves to be treated as such. And it was as much for me as it was for you.

Will: Last night was, well worth the wait, but I meant thank you for everything. This whole year has been incredible and I am so grateful to have you by my side.

Emma: Many more years to come.

Of all the polished verbal gems that Wemma have delivered over the years, this wasn’t one of them. Only Wemma shippers would realize Emma’s motive and meaning in the line ‘I did it for me as much as for you.’ That line was meant to convey the magnitude of Emma’s achievement but it failed because it was overshadowed by ‘My pleasure, literally’ (we’re glad it went well!) and Will not responding to the line. Of course she did it for her, she’s been battling her OCD her whole life, it has been a cross to bear, of course she wants to get physical with Will - she loves him, she wants his children. This was a monumental achievement for Emma and it was rushed over. Just as the camera lingered on the faces of Will and the kids after their win showing their satisfaction and happiness at their success and then on Sue’s face at getting her Cheerios back, there should have been a shot of Emma’s face post coitus. It’s a fine line to tread, celebrating her achievement and not making a big deal of the sex because their relationship is so much more than that. The love they have for each other is profound which is reflected in Will’s response, ‘Last night was well worth the wait, but I meant thank you for everything…’ But it was a monumental step in their relationship and in Emma controlling her OCD and Will said nothing! Perhaps Will should have said, ‘I’m proud of you or I know how hard it’s been for you but you did it’, or words to that effect before he said ‘thank you for everything’. The writing downplayed Emma’s achievement and left room for misinterpretation and that is why I feel slightly let down by the end result.

Final complaint: Sue interrupting their kiss. I guess Rachel was busy warming up her voice!

On to other thoughts about the Wemma scenes:

This episode paid homage to so many golden Wemma moments in past episodes it was almost a ‘Best of Wemma’ episode:

·      Emma counselling and reassuring Will

·      Emma watching Will break up fighting kids

·      The Wemma hug

·      Emma wrapping her hands around Will’s hand to calm his nerves as he had clasped hers in ‘Asian F’. He kisses her in gratitude just as she had kissed him in gratitude.

·      Emma undressing Will

·      Will spinning Emma around in yet another of her glorious nightdresses.

·      Emma and Will sitting side by side watching the kids perform.

·      The Wemma deep and meaningful

·      The interrupted Wemma kiss.

·      Another Pillsbury Pamphlet conveying a personal message.

·      Swaying together to the music

·      Lots of hand holding (they just can’t get close enough to each other)

·      The Wemma look of love (so many adoring looks my heart melted)

·      Kisses

In conclusion:

Wemma mirror each other’s actions, guide each other’s thoughts; they are synchronized and physically attached. They forgive each other’s flaws, they reward each other’s achievements; they inspire and delight each other. They share mind, heart and soul.  Wemma have become one entity that radiates a love so divine that the shippers are entranced and cannot resist the pull to board the ship for Season 4.

In ‘Goodbye’ as Rachel’s train departs, she stares at Finn down on the platform, unable to reach him, separated by a glass window and a moving train. These are metaphors - life is taking her in another direction and her dream is a barrier that cannot be surmounted by Finn. He runs alongside the moving train, letting go of love. Behind Finn stand Will and Emma secure in each other’s arms, smiling and (Emma gives Will one of her looks of adoration) waving Rachel goodbye. They have overcome all obstacles that stood in their way. Emma is even wearing the clothes that represent her obstacles: the bow – her virginity/fear of sex; the yellow jacket – not confronting her OCD (she wore it to hide from Will the ‘Ginger’ tshirt she was wearing, instead of the OCD tshirt she should have had on); and the skirt she wore when she stormed out of Figgin’s office and was living in denial about her love for Will. Wemma are what Finchel could be in the future. The contrast of the two couples was poignant and once again highlighted parallels. As Will said to Emma at the end of Rocky Horror, ‘If I really love you I have to let you go, for now,’ Finn said the same to Rachel. Finn and Rachel are embarking on their journey, destination unknown. Will and Emma have been on their journey and arrived at their destination: each other.

In true Glee style let’s end on a song by Van Morrison:

‘There’s a love that’s divine

And It’s yours and It’s mine, like the sun…

And have I told you lately that I love you?

Have I told you there’s no one else above you?

You fill my heart with gladness

You take away all my sadness

Ease my troubles that’s what you do.’