Glee': Finn Hudson's 5 Most Valuable Lessons -- and Why Not to Forget Them

As the Fox musical begins its fifth season, it's important to remember what Cory Monteith's New Directions captain meant to the series.

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Cory Monteith

Glee kicks off its fifth season Thursday with two Beatles tributes, a notably upbeat start that will likely shy away from addressing Cory Monteith's death, which instead will be the focus of the third episode.
The actor's July 13 death at the age of 31 will cast a shadow over the first two episodes of the season, which had to be updated to write Monteith's beloved Finn Hudson out.
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While the focus of the first two hours will see Kurt and Blaine ponder their future as well as Tina running for prom queen, talking about spoilers pales in comparison to what really matters. Instead, it's important to remember during these two happy episodes what Finn meant to Glee.
While Finn was by no means perfect, ultimately the New Directions captain and former star quarterback typically learned from his mistakes -- enriching the lives of those near and dear to him. Here are five of Finn's most valuable lessons -- and why Glee fans should never forget them.
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1. Never count the underdog out. Finn -- and perhaps Rachel -- best represent the underdog, which at its core is what Glee is about. It's impossible to keep track of the number of times New Directions had its back up against the wall and turned to Finn to lead the team. Even after graduating, Finn ultimately returned to New Directions to find his path in life (teaching) and in filling in for Mr. Schue, helped save the club from elimination. Right now, Glee itself may be the underdog as fans new and old wait to see how the series that has meant so much to so many reboots itself following Monteith's tribute episode. If we've learned anything from this series, it's to never stop believing -- or bet against a good underdog.
2. Be able to admit that you were wrong. Finn initially took issue with Kurt's sexual orientation when he learned that his step-brother-to-be's father would marry his mother. After first denouncing Kurt's homosexuality, Finn manned up and admitted he was wrong with a cover of Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" that ranks as one of Monteith's best Glee performances. The late actor's ability to effectively play both sides of this story without overcompensating either one of them made Finn's turnabout that much more poignant.