There wouldn't have been a New Directions without Will Schuester. He excitedly took up the mantle for McKinley High's glee club and held open auditions, allowing in anyone who tried out. He had one of the most complicated relationship arcs in the first season with his wife, Terri. Will became a major part of the teenager's lives, eventually building long friendships with them.
However, it is arguable that Rachel Berry may be more significant than Will. Rachel loved to sing and wanted the spotlight. As much as Rachel may not have been the easier person to get along with at first, she eventually became closer with many other New Directions. Rachel even reached her Broadway dreams. Will and Rachel both made massive marks on Glee, but which one was the real main character?
Will: Glee Teacher
There wouldn't be a New Directions without Will Schuester. The previous glee teacher had been fired for inappropriately touching students, and Will eagerly recreated the group.
Will founded the New Directions, creating an environment safe for the McKinley outcasts. Will searched for more members, even going as far as to lie and blackmail Finn Hudson to get a strong male lead. Will encouraged the kids to try different music types, including disco and funk, that they had otherwise looked down on.
Rachel: More Present
Will is a central character for all six seasons, but there are times when he basically disappears from the series. When Finn takes over the New Directions, Will is gone, but Rachel's storyline continued. Rachel is a strong presence throughout her high school years.
She is one of the only New Directions to be followed after graduation in season four. Rachel's journey through NYADA, Broadway, the failed sitcom, and her return to McKinley are major storylines that make an impression during the second half of the series.
Will: His Ending
In the series finale, Will no longer has to worry about McKinley dropping glee club. Instead, McKinley High School is being transformed into an art school, with Will in charge of everything.
His professional life had taken a much happier turn than the fighting to keep glee alive that so much of the series surrounded. The five-year time jump revealed that Will and Emma were still happily together with children in his personal life.
Rachel: Friendships
Rachel has plenty of significant relationships throughout Glee. Regardless of platonic or romantic, so many of the biggest changes in friendships involve Rachel. In the beginning, Rachel could barely stand not being front and center. Although she didn't entirely grow out of that, Rachel did become more understanding and supportive of her friends doing well and succeeding.
Rachel's relationships with Quinn and Santana were antagonistic at best when the Cheerios joined the New Directions. Later on, they became good friends, close enough where Rachel and Santana happily occupied the same small New York City apartment. Quinn even came out to New York to help talk Rachel through if Rachel should perform nude in a student film.
Will: Rivalry With Sue
Even though Rachel had her own share of rivalries, Will Schuester and Sue Sylvester's continuous disputes were among the biggest pillars the series stood on. It was such an integral part that their temporary moments of friendships were undone for the sake of continuing their antagonistic relationship.
They had one of the most complicated relationships as they could often work together for a common goal and then be back at each other's throats not long after.
Rachel: New York
When the seniors graduated at the end of season three, only Rachel, Finn, and Kurt's lives were followed more distinctly. Rachel's time in New York is a huge part of the fourth and fifth seasons. She is in an entirely new environment and working hard to make her mark.
Rachel's dance classes and her relationship with her dance teacher help show an insight into the drama and competition that comes with attending NYADA. When Rachel landed a lead role on Broadway, her life's dream had been achieved, and it is fascinating to watch after knowing how determined Rachel was to get there.
Will: Terri And Emma
Will was in an unhappy marriage, hoping that it would work out while getting closer to his co-worker. Will's home life drama with Terri showed who Will was out of school and how his personal life compared to his professional one.
Their marriage comes to a dead end when Will realizes that Terri was faking her pregnancy, and they separate, giving Will an opening to begin to pursue Emma. But, it isn't that simple with Emma either. Will and Emma have their own obstacles to overcome before finally getting married.
Rachel: Finn And Jesse
Of all the romances on Glee, one of the most significant ones was between Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson. They connected early on, and while it took them a while to get to a solid place in a relationship, they were happy once they did. Their breakup in season four left them in limbo before eventually settling into a friendship. Still, it was clear that they didn't only have platonic feelings.
Still, Rachel finished the series with a romantic happy ending. The final episodes saw Rachel reconnect with Jesse St. James. Rachel and Jesse had a brief romance in season one, which also acted as a catalyst for the love triangle between Rachel, Jesse, and Finn. Jesse admitted to genuinely caring about Rachel even though he had secret ulterior motives to getting involved in her life. The five-year time jump reveals that Rachel and Jesse had stayed in touch, worked together, and had gotten married.
Will: Mentor
Will Schuester was a mentor to many of the New Directions. This was very noticeable during the fourth season. Finn had taken over the New Directions and was dressing and acting similar to Will.
Will had grown close to the kids and kept in contact with them after they graduated, even showing up to Rachel's opening night. He helped the kids get through school and was a teacher who had their back. When Rachel accepts her Tony Award, she even singles Will out in her thank you speech.
Rachel: Her Ending
The first glimpse of Rachel's time-jump reveals she is pregnant with Kurt and Blaine's baby. This is a similar way Rachel had been conceived when her fathers had someone else carry the baby.
The finale also shows that Rachel had won a Tony Award for her performance in a Broadway show. Succeeding on Broadway, especially after her spectacular failure a few years prior, was a true accomplishment for Rachel.