Glee proved to be a smash hit when it first graced the small screen in 2009, sweeping teens off their feet and collecting awards left and right. Its marriage of comedy and drama and mix of show tunes and pop hits captivated audiences for six seasons, until it ended in 2015.
The show’s popularity spawned cast albums with musical covers from the show and concert tours, one of which is captured in a documentary. There’s even an app for the iPad and karaoke games on the Wii console. Although Glee features many industry veterans, it also helped launch lesser-known talents like Amber Riley and Chris Colfer into the stratosphere.
As with many a teen show, there are break ups and make ups through the series as the characters navigate high school. It’s no surprise then that Gleeks everywhere have support almost every pairing imaginable, from the main characters and recurring ones to even the most minor background characters. With such a large cast, there’s no shortage of characters for fans to ship, resulting in countless creative portmanteau couple names.
We’ve scoured the Internet for some truly imaginative pieces of fan art, and compiled them into a list below. In order for a couple to qualify, they must not have had a canonical romantic relationship on the show. A date or an occasional amorous encounter wouldn’t rule them out, as long as it’s not a sustained romantic endeavor.
In no particular order, here are 25 Wild Fan Redesigns Of Unexpected Glee Couples.
Tina And Quinn
At first glance, Tina and Quinn couldn’t be any more different. Tina’s an introverted outsider dressed in goth-inspired clothing, whereas Quinn can be seen strutting down the halls of William McKinley High School in her cheerleader uniform. However, fans like ileliberte love the idea of the two girls getting together.
They’ve both have their ups and downs, but thanks to their time together in the New Directions, they’ve become pretty good friends.
Who's to say that they don’t get together now that they’re in college?
After all, Yale isn’t that far away from Brown.
Finn And Sam
Sam and Finn are both canonically straight in the show, but that doesn’t stop fans like phennin from pairing the two former jocks. The guys have actually share a few ex-girlfriends, having both dated Rachel and Quinn, so why not take the girls out of the equation?
They might have had a bit of a rivalry going on, vying for places on the football team as well as parts in the glee club. But at the end of the day, Sam and Finn share a close relationship, and Sam clearly deeply feels the loss of Finn.
Puck And Kurt
When Puck first appears in season one, he’s already established himself as a major bully at William McKinley. He throws slushies in people’s faces and throws them into dumpsters. As the series progresses, however, he begins soften up and become more compassionate.
Puck's growth has prompted fans to pair him with Kurt.
Kurt and Puck both end the series in loving relationships with Blaine and Quinn respectively, but there could’ve been some sweet moments off-screen during their time in high school, like in this piece by n4ut with Kurt showing Puck how to tie a bowtie.
Quinn And Rachel
If there’s one thing the Internet loves, it’s a good take on the classic enemies-to-lovers trope. Since Quinn and Rachel go from rivals to besties, it seems only natural that fans like purtmaker01 would imagine the two divas as a romantic couple.
Known by the couple name “Faberry,” the two girls have a tense relationship at the beginning of the series, vying for Finn’s affections.
Instead of having them fighting over a boy, some Gleeks prefer the idea of them ditching him entirely and becoming a power couple in their own right.
Kurt And Elliott
Kurt and Blaine have won over innumerable hearts over the seasons. They’ve overcome obstacles, culminating in a joint wedding with Brittany and Santana. Still, some fans like suitfer don’t mind the idea of of Kurt and Elliott getting together, either.
Sure, Elliott doesn’t leave the best first impression on Kurt when he auditions for the latter’s cover band. Elliott in turn has had his reservations about Blaine and Kurt’s engagement, but ends up befriending both of them. Sadly for some fans, Elliot assures Blaine that he has no intention of pursuing Kurt, but hey, feelings are always prone to change.
Kitty And Marley
Kitty and Marley may not be part of the original gang that kicked off the series, but fans have still shown them as much love. We love this piece by konako, but we can’t seem to find the original post on the artist’s site.
The two newcomers also have a rocky start, with Kitty and her friends making fun of Marley and her mother. They both compete for the same role in Grease as well as for Jake’s attention, which fuels their rivalry. However, they eventually become close friends, prompting fans to pair the duo up as a classic friends-to-lovers couple.
Kurt And David
If you’d brought up the concept of Kurt and David Karofsky as an item back in season one, you probably would’ve been met with stares and glares. However, David begins his redemption and attempts at self-acceptance in season two, and fans including BanditBlythe have warmed up to the former bully ever since.
It’s unlikely they would become a canonical couple, especially since Dave himself encourages Blaine to get Kurt back.
However, the two do become good friends after Dave opens up about his struggles and Kurt forgives him for his past bullying.
Mercedes And Quinn
Yet another beautiful drawing by ileliberte depicts Mercedes as a nerd and Quinn as a punk. Like most of the characters on Glee, the two have hit their rough patches, but they seem to have worked through the worst of them in this reimagining.
Of course, neither of them are nerds or punks in the show, so this alternate universe opens up so many possibilities for the couple’s relationship dynamics.
In any case, it’s sweet to see Mercedes being taken care of in this picture, instead of having to be strong all the time.
Nick And Jeff
Like many other major fandoms, Gleeks have latched onto even the most minor characters in Glee and brought them to life with their fanworks. Nick and Jeff may not have spent a lot of time in the spotlight, but Gleeks like marzo20 adore them nonetheless.
The duo’s most prominent appearance is the scene where Kurt auditions for the Warblers.
Kurt asks them how many times they’ve auditioned, to which they reply “three” and “six”. They share a hug once Blaine declares that they’ve moved onto the next round, and low and behold, a new couple is born.
Santana And Rachel
Rachel and Santana also started the series at odds with each other, given their vastly different places in the high school food chain. However, like Faberry, “Pezberry” has garnered a strong gathering thanks to the way Rachel and Santana have become close friends.
The pairing even won a People’s Choice Award in 2014 for Favorite TV Gal Pals.
Rachel and Santana become roommates in season four when they both live in New York, but perhapsidontcare already created this piece depicting the two living together before the season was even.
Blaine And Sam
When Sam makes his first appearance, Kurt mistakenly thinks he’s gay because of his hair. However, Sam only dates girls throughout the show. Thanks to his strong friendship with Blaine, fans like deanrykerstrom think he might have a romantic soft spot for the former Warbler.
The duo’s friendship really starts to take off after Kurt and Mercedes leave McKinley High, supporting each other as they navigate their lives without their partners.
Blaine does develop a one-sided crush on Sam, so perhaps in an alternate universe, Sam would reciprocate his affections.
Tina And Santana
Tina is shy, going so far as to fake a stutter to avoid social contact. Santana, on the other hand, is anything but timid, boldly voicing her opinions everywhere she goes.
Evidently opposites do attract, as shown in another stunning piece by ileliberte which even features a kitty.
Santana ends up marrying Brittany, but fans are still intrigued with the potential dynamic between Tina and Santana.
Maybe Santana can help Tina break through her shell a little more, and Tina can show Santana that it's okay to be quiet and vulnerable.
Sam And Kurt
Sam vehemently denies being gay when Kurt makes the assumption based on his hair, but fans like ajjizom haven’t ruled out that Sam could be bi.
The two go on to become good friends despite their awkward meeting.
Sam steps in along with other members of the glee club when Karofsky’s bullying escalates. Kurt is one of the first to find out about Sam’s financial hardship, and helps him out by donating his clothes.
With such a sincere and warm friendship, it’s not hard to see why Gleeks would ship the two as boyfriends.
Rachel And Brittany
Rachel and Brittany don’t have a ton of screen time together when compared to the other characters on Glee, but plenty of Gleeks still love their dynamic and all the potential it holds. We couldn’t find the original post of this piece on the artist’s website, but we think the forehead smooch is adorable!
The two have been on opposite sides of the Cheerios vs Gleeks feud, but got closer as the series progressed.
Of course, Rachel would have to face Santana’s wrath in order for “Brittberry” to happen, but it’ll be worth it if it’s true love.
Kurt And Sebastian
Kurt and Sebastian don’t like each other. They literally say that to each other’s faces, flinging insults and fighting over Blaine as he’s off getting more coffee. Regardless, fans like minj500 have taken the pair’s mutual dislike as an opportunity to develop an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers kind of relationship.
The two would probably need to sit down and have a long talk about the animosity between them, especially since Blaine gets injured because of their feud.
Sebastian does help Blaine propose to Kurt, though, so in order for him and Kurt to get together, he’d have to redouble his efforts to sabotage “Klaine.”
Finn And Puck
Finn and Puck start the series off as pretty tight bros, but their friendship becomes strained and even turns into animosity as the show progresses. They’ve fought over Quinn and Rachel, and Puck is initially against Finn joining the glee club.
However, they’ve managed to remain close until the very end, showing a bond that has prompted fans like Kumagorochan to pair them as a romantic couple.
The duo ends up at the University of Lima together, even becoming roomies, and Puck joins the Air Force to honor his friend after he passes.
Rachel And Quinn (Captain America/Winter Soldier)
Okay, Rachel and Quinn, aka Faberry, have already been listed, but this piece by sheep-in-clouds is too good to pass up.
The painting depicts Rachel as the Winter Soldier and Quinn as Captain America, which really ups the stakes for the couple.
Maybe in this crossover AU, the girls don’t start out besties, as Bucky and Steve do. Quinn and Rachel could retain their original Glee dynamic, but gradually become friends until one day, Rachel disappears and shows up as the Winter Soldier. There are so many angst-ridden possibilities.
Blaine And Sebastian
Oh boy, to say Kurt would be unhappy would be the understatement of the century. In this piece by Afterlaughs, Sebastian and Blaine are hugging at the Lima Bean, in broad daylight.
Maybe this occurs before Blaine ever meets Kurt, but they do seem to be drawn to look a little older. So maybe Kurt and Blaine don’t get the happiest of endings in this timeline.
Sebastian, on the other hand, would probably be delighted not only because he gets the boy, but also because he gets to show his nemesis Kurt what’s what.
Kurt And Sam (Fairy tale)
Kurt and Sam are another couple that we’ve already included, but this medieval AU—another piece by ajjizom—is truly stunning. There are so many possibilities for this alternate universe, including adding fantastical elements!
Sam looks a bit like Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty, especially with the sword and red cape.
Kurt could be a prince thought to be abducted, and Sam’s the only one brave enough to fight the dragon guarding the tower. In reality, Kurt’s just run off to escape the palace and has become BFFs with the dragon, and Sam decides to stay and live happily ever after.
Sam And Blaine
In yet another piece by ajjizom, Sam and Blaine are reimagined as an angel and a demon, respectively. If you’ve ever been in fandom, you’ll know the endless possibilities of an angel AU.
Maybe Blaine has been sent to persuade Kurt to join his side, and Sam has been appointed Kurt’s guardian angel. The two battle it out, fighting over Kurt’s humanity, only to realize one day that they’ve fallen in love with each other. And given the fundamental differences between their divine statuses, a whole ton of angst is sure to ensue.