Having creyed my creys over “Prom Queen” and read the fantastic costume analysis of my fellow Pirates regarding Kurtofsky, it’s time to throw my hat into the ring.
Specifically, my beret.
Now, when we had Dave’s first “apology” in “Born This Way,” we had a lot of haters calling bullshit. Truth be told, their point was more than fair - Dave’s sudden pursuit of Gay Justice was more a result of Gay Blackmail than Gay Remorse. I was even a little worried during that episode. I, like every other pirate, wanted a real apology to be forthcoming - but how could they make that come about, and convince us of its sincerity, in the face of his fake apology in “Born this Way”?
However, since “Prom Queen,” the responses on Twitter and Tumblr about Karofsky have been predominantly positive. I’m not even talking about shipping - I’m talking about people from all over the fandom who suddenly see Dave the way we Pirates have always seen him: as a frightened boy who is remorseful and willing to improve his actions and behaviour. (Of course Dave still has haters, but he will always have haters, as there are always going to be bitter emotional invalids who feel suffering should beget suffering)
So what was it about Dave’s apology in “Prom Queen” that convinced us more than Dave’s apology in “Born This Way”?
Obvious Answer is Obvious: Max Adler’s Acting…
Less Obvious Answer is Less Obvious, but Still An Answer: … with a little help from Visual Symbolism and the Wardrobe Department.
Let’s think about the Bully Whip costume in regards to Dave’s apology, shall we? As much as we like to joke, Dave probably had nothing to do with the design of the BW uniform. That stuff was all Santana. We’ve known it from the beginning - Santana started the BWs in order to garner attention and acclaim for herself and her running mate in order to win Prom King and Queen.
And look at the BW uniform: bold primary colours, shiny material, and eye-catching headgear - a uniform that is not only a direct visual homage to a famous volunteer crime prevention organization, but one that is as intentionally bright, loud, and unorthodox as Superman’s cape. It’s something that screams LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! I’M AWESOME! In the case of Santana and Dave, the BW uniform isn’t just a costume, it’s a disguise. You’ll also notice that Santana and Dave’s matching prom outfit colour is red – to match the BW uniform and remind voters that they’re the Law and Order Candidates. Oh, and also that they’re straight.
Now let’s look at the apology scene. As Kurt and Dave come around the corner, Dave is wearing the full Bully Whip outfit- both the jacket and the beret at the jaunty angle. At the beginning of this scene, he is giving Kurt orders, his tone of voice forceful and professional, as confident-seeming as any police officer wearing blue. No worries, Mr. Kurt Hummel, just doing my job.
Now, when Kurt comments about the lack of harassment and Dave responds, “That’s because the Bully Whips are protecting you,” I think I’m in the minority of the Pirates who didn’t think this was actual pride in his voice at protecting Kurt – that confidence and pride isn’t Dave, but Officer Bully Whip Beret talking. Again – look at the shot as Dave says this. He looks awesome and collected and the uniform makes him look official and part of something bigger – something that every viewer knows is the exact opposite of how Dave really feels. Essentially, the beret is just an extension of David’s closet – it’s another lie, another mask to cover over the parts of himself he’s ashamed of.
Now, when Dave finally breaks down in the face of Kurt’s compassion and empathy – he removes the beret. HE REMOVES HIS BERET. The bright scarlet symbol he’s been knowingly using to convince everyone that he’s Reformed and Righteous and Heterosexual. He removes his beret - before he apologizes. And his hair doesn’t come tumbling out sexy-librarian style, either. It’s mussed and slicked down. He looks informal and awkward and miserable and honest.
He’s not hiding behind anything or trying to look any stronger or handsomer or better than he is when he tells Kurt he’s “so freaking sorry.” And that is how I knew that this was apology was real, that it came from Dave, not Officer Dave.
Moreover, Dave remains bareheaded when he tells Kurt to “wait for me here” - and here is where the show not only establishes the sincerity of Dave’s apology, but also the sincerity of his reformation. This isn’t Officer Dave offering to protect Kurt because HE IS THE HETEROSEXUAL PROTECTOR OF GAY JUSTICE. This is Dave offering to protect Kurt because he is no longer motivated by blackmail or the pursuit of popularity, but a desire to clean the slate between them.
And that’s the story of how a funny hat got the Glee fandom to forgive Dave.
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