‘Glee’: Rachel and Finn’s Future and More Season 3 Spoilers

As Season 3 of Glee gets under way Tuesday, the kids at McKinley High have a lot on their plate.

For some, it’s senior year and life after graduation is already all mapped out (we’re looking at you, Rachel and Kurt). While for others, things are a little less clear (Finn).

While Finn, Kurt and Blaine will be going head-to-head as they battle for the lead in the school musical, The Hollywood Reporter got the scoop on what’s next for some of McKinley’s best and brightest at Fox’s recent fall preview party.

STORY: ‘Glee’ Season 3: The Battle for the School Musical Begins

RACHEL AND FINN
While last season ended with the two on the same page romantically after their controversial kiss at Nationals, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Finn (Cory Monteith) may not be on the same page when it comes to their futures.

“[Rachel] said to him at the end of Season 2, ‘This is my plan, this is what I’m going to do,’ and he’s still up in the air as to where he’s going to go,” Michele tells THR. “I think that’s a definite arc this season – to really see where we end up as a couple because this is what she’s doing and it’s his decision whether or not he wants to join.”

So what do Rachel’s East Coast dreams mean for Finn? It turns out Finn doesn’t really have his future in focus just yet. “It hasn’t been determined where Finn is applying yet but Rachel is pushing the issue,” Michele says. “She really wants him to get on top of it.”

Says Monteith: “Finn is trying to figure out where he wants to take his life and where things are going for him. He’s dealing with relationships and a lot of the same things we saw in Season 2.”

PHOTOS: ‘Glee’ Season 3 Back to School Pictures Released

MIKE AND TINA
With Mike’s parents (Tamlyn Tomita and Keong Sim) set to guest star in the Oct. 4 episode, Harry Shum Jr. says there will be a lot of college talk occurring in the episode. But debating what university the singer-dancer will attend isn’t the only source of friction Mike will have with his folks.

“There’s a little bit of friction between the relationship with Tina and Mike,” Shum told THR. “[Mike and Tina’s] parents are brought up a certain way and they want their kid to be brought up the same way.”

“Tina (Jenna Ushkowitz) is a different type of character: she’s not usually the girl that parents would go to for as far as what they like – she likes vampires and she’s very gothic, it’s not the exact prototype that mostly Asian parents want their sons to be with,” he added.

While it certainly sounds like the elder Changs won’t approve of his relationship, Shum noted that Mike will continue to be the loyal guy he’s always been. “Mike Chang is always a fighter, he stood up for a lot of members in New Directions and I don’t think it’d be any different, especially for the girl he loves.”

RACHEL AND SHELBY
With Idina Menzel reprising her role as Rachel’s mom, Shelby, for a major arc this season Michele teased that her character would be leaning on her mother a lot this season. “We left on a touchy note, but they have a great relationship and I think – from what I’ve heard from Ryan Murphy I’m going to be working with her a lot in a very positive way,” Michele says. “As her mother, she’s going to help Rachel a lot this year.”

For those looking for a mother-daughter duet, Michele warned that there’s a big Kleenex-grabbing tear-jerker coming up. “We’ve already done a fabulous duet that if you’re a crier, get the tissues out because I bawled the entire time,” Michele warned. “I know we have some great story lines together.”

STORY: ‘Glee’ Season 3 Spoilers and What the Cast Wants to See

SUE AND … QUINN?
Season 3 will find Jane Lynch’s Sue Sylvester focusing her “warlike tendencies” elsewhere after the passing of her sister, Jean (Robin Trocki).

“I was sad to see Robin go but I think it was a great shift for Sue because she lost her sister – the person she was protecting all her life,” Lynch told THR. “So she’s left on her own to take care of herself and she’s going to instead of focusing on her warlike tendencies on the glee club, she’s now focusing on a bigger stage: politics.”

Meanwhile, Sue will enlist Quinn (Dianna Agron) to help with her campaign. “Quinn is having an identity crisis and I get her to go to the dark side for a little while,” Lynch offered.

Season 3 of Glee premieres Tuesday on Fox.

Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit

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