Top 10 Unforgettable Santana Moments on Glee
#10: Calling Out Mr. Schue “The Spanish Teacher”
According to the Glee kids, Mr. Schue is basically the greatest teacher of all time. But Santana knows that not all of his lessons deserved gold stars. When Mr. Schue gets a complaint for his, let’s say, inappropriate behavior in his Spanish class, he decides to incorporate his lesson into glee. The idea backfires when he performs while dressed as a matador de toros. Santana’s look of absolute disdain gives away that she is the one who complained about him. When Schue has the nerve to condescendingly tell her that she’s messing with things she doesn’t understand, the student completely destroys him and his disrespectful lessons. We’re used to Santana’s silver tongue, but to see her use her powers to make such a serious statement is a whole new side of her.
#9: Stealing Rachel’s Thunder “Frenemies”
Just as much as Rachel Berry loves being the center of attention, Santana loves - whenever the opportunity presents itself - to take digs at her for it So when she discovers that Rachel needs an understudy for her Broadway role of Fanny Brice, she naturally takes it upon herself to audition. But it's not enough to just go out for Rachel's part: she does it in style, and sings Rachel's classic, “Don't Rain On My Parade.” She performs a more pop style arrangement of the song, and she absolutely kills it. If you agree with Santana that Rachel Berry got way too much attention in high school, then the look on Rachel’s face during Santana’s performance is everything.
#8: Firing Back at Kurt “Jagged Little Tapestry”
Santana’s wrath can be swift and savage, but honestly, Kurt kind of deserved it this time. When she proposed to Brittany, the whole glee club was shocked, but very supportive. Except for Kurt. He could have quietly expressed his doubts in private, but instead he openly voices his disapproval in front of everyone. He goes on about how they are too young and that it won't work out, completely ruining the moment. In response, Santana completely rips him in the middle of the hallway. She goes on a minute long rant about how he's projecting his own insecurities from his failed relationship with Blaine onto her and Brittany. Santana is infamous for her brutal insults, but this one has to top them all. Did she even take a breath?
#7: Playing Anita “The First Time”
Rachel may have gotten the lead in West Side Story, but there is no doubt that Santana stole the show. Up until now, Glee musicals have been unmitigated disasters, but, as Mr. Schue said, this is by far the best musical McKinley has ever done, and they owe it in big part to Santana. Her performance as Anita is nothing short of epic despite being relatively short lived on the screen. We get a glimpse of a possible future for Santana as a stage actor and that future looks very bright. She proves herself to be a triple threat. We already knew she could sing and dance, but now we know she can act too. Her performance in “America” is especially unforgettable.
#6: Coming Out to Her Abuela “I Kissed a Girl”
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Santana struggled with her sexuality for quite some time, but after she’s publicly outed, she has to muster up the courage to talk to her abuela Alma about it. Santana is usually full of sarcastic sass, but two things she takes very seriously are the way she feels about her abuela and the way she feels about Brittany. So, she speaks vulnerably and sincerely to her grandmother about her sexuality. Unfortunately, things don't go how she would have hoped, but it is still an empowering moment for her. She speaks her truth. And though Santana’s love for Brittany seemed to have ruined their relationship forever, Santana showed us her forgiving side when she welcomed her abuela back when Alma came around and showed up to their wedding.
#5: Her Sectionals Solo “Special Education”
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Santana has always had one of the most powerful voices in the glee club. But, as it is an important running storyline in the show, she, like all the other glee girls, is quite often stuck playing second fiddle, especially during competitions. But this time, in a twist of events, Santana gets her first solo during the New Directions’ second run at Sectionals. We’ve seen Santana dish out some jaw dropping performances before, but here we finally get to see her truly get the spotlight as she leads the New Directions to a win. Step aside Rachel Berry, there’s a new star in town.
#4: Her Un-Pep Talk to Rachel “Opening Night”
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Santana and Rachel have had a very up and down relationship over the years, but they have always been there for each other when the other truly needed it. When Rachel is cripplingly scared to perform in her opening night on Broadway, the rest of the club knows that the only person who can snap her out of it is Santana. Santana isn’t exactly the pep talk type, but she gives Rachel exactly what she needs in perfect Santana fashion. Through a series of backhanded compliments, she reminds Rachel that there is no one better at this than her, and she encourages her to get out of bed and perform.
#3: Performing “River Deep, Mountain High” “Duets”
It is a running theme throughout the show that the Glee girls feel neglected by Mr. Schue. They feel that he constantly gives Rachel all of his attention and she is his first pick for any and all solos. Santana is tired of standing in the back and swaying, so she goes to her fellow glee diva, Mercedes, with an offer: team up on their duets assignment and show the glee club exactly what they’re missing by always putting them on the sidelines. These two glee powerhouses totally kill it with this show stopping performance. No one was overlooking them now.
#2: Expressing Her Complex Feelings for Brittany “Sexy”
We don’t often get to see the softer side of Santana, and as much as we love her usual viciousness, seeing Santana be vulnerable is equally as amazing. Santana has spent a long time trying to sort out her feelings for Brittany. She even turned to Holly Holiday for help, and performed “Landslide” with Brittany as a way of expressing the feelings that they just couldn’t say. When Santana manages to find the words, she finally tells Brittany exactly how she feels about her. Unfortunately, it doesn't go exactly the way she wanted. It is heartbreaking to see Santana finally put herself out there and get rejected, but it is refreshing to see her truly open up. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Unofficially Breaking Up with Brittany “The Break-Up” Adele Mash-Up & Slapping Finn “Mash Off” Defending Kurt & Blaine “A Night of Neglect” Her TV Commercial “Tina in the Sky with Diamonds” Her “Smooth Criminal” Duel “Michael”
#1: Her Tribute to Finn “The Quarterback”
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Speaking of Santana being vulnerable, she has always had a really special relationship with Finn. So much so that she assaults Sue when she takes down a mural for him after he died. Though it’s easy for her to express her anger, she finds it even harder than usual to let her guard down when it comes to expressing her sadness. She insults Finn before performing a heartbreaking rendition of “If I Die Young.” But she can't keep her feelings in for long as she breaks down during the song and runs off in tears. She later reveals to Kurt that she had a list of nice things to say about Finn, which shows how she truly felt about him.
