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Director: Tristram Shapeero — Writer: Tim Saccardo — Aired: May 3, 2012 —Season: Three — Number: Eighteen Summary: At a memorial service for a recently departed student a riot breaks out.

Plot

I know it's sad, but death is a natural part of life and by the time I finish this sentence, a hundred people will have died in China.

— Jeff

Troy, Abed and Annie are watching Star-Burns' video will at their apartment. In the video, Star-Burns requests that Abed put together a tribute video of him in his honor. Abed explains to the others that he got this video will from Star-Burns' lawyer along with the urn containing his ashes. Troy freaks out after seeing it and asks that it be removed immediately after finding out that he won't come out and do celebrity impressions if he rubs it. Later in the study room, the group is having an awkward meeting as they are still not sure how to handle Star-Burns' death. Jeff suggests they not dwell on it, but Britta believes that they need to discuss what's happened. She tries to get them all to open up about their feelings by role playing as Star-Burns, but the group just ends up mocking her.

Star-Britta.

Meanwhile in Dean Pelton's office, Chang is demanding outrageous increases to his policing powers at Greendale. Pelton refuses his requests which Chang says he'll end up regretting. The Dean's assistant then informs him of some bad news he has to pass onto the study group. He goes to his closet to pick out the perfect outfit to deliver it to them. Back in the study room, Britta continues her grief counseling session with little success. Annie suggests that they should at least hold a memorial service for Star-Burns. Dean Pelton shows up and tells the group the bad news: Professor Kane has resigned due to what happened, and the class has been cancelled. They will have to retake Biology in summer school. Jeff suddenly becomes overcome with grief and breaks down crying.

Jeff reacts poorly to the news that he has to retake Biology in the summer.

The next day in the school cafeteria, a Star-Burns' memorial is being held with much of the student body in attendance along with the study group. After Garrett finishes singing, Dean offers the mic to anyone who wants to say a few words. ("Ave Maria") Jeff decides to speak, but instead of a eulogy, he winds the crowd up with a tirade comparing Greendale to a prison and complimenting Star-Burns for escaping it. Annie speaks next and follows up with her own rant criticizing the Dean. Pelton calls on Shirley to speak in the hope that she will calm things down, but she makes the crowd angrier when she mentions how the school chose Subway over her sandwich shop idea.

Jeff praises Star-Burns for escaping Greendale.

A desperate Dean agrees to Chang's earlier request for more authoritative powers in order to quiet the unruly crowd. Chang gathers his security force, and they head toward the cafeteria. After Troy and Abed finish up a rap about how Greendale sucks, Pierce goes to the podium to speak. Although he reassures the Dean that he won't say anything inflammatory, he ends up inciting the crowd to start destroying Greendale. The crowd goes wild and starts tearing up the cafeteria. The Changlourious Basterds arrive equipped with riot gear and pepper spray. As they start to beat up all the students, the study group watches in horror at the carnage they created. Chang looks on approvingly and then starts to laugh.

The Changlorius Basterds arrive, equipped for action.

Later in the Greendale Student Health Center, the study group is having their wounds from the riot tended too, while being watched over by two of Chang's security guards. Dean Pelton arrives and informs them that due to what happened, Subway is now threatening to pull out their franchise from the cafeteria. Because of this news, all of them are now in trouble with an angry school board. They started an investigation into what led to all the violence along with the Dean's part in it as well as that of the instigators of the riot, the now infamous "Greendale Seven". Realizing that they need a fall guy to pin the blame on, Pierce suggests Chang which everyone quickly agrees to. Chang's security guards overhear this and leave to tell their boss about the plan.

Troy is crying not because he was chased by 12-year-olds but because of pepper spray.

The Dean returns to his office only to find Chang waiting for him. Chang confronts him about his testimony to the school board over the cafeteria incident. Pelton tells him that he went too far this time and that they'll have to let him go. Chang then introduces him to his replacement, Faux-by, and shoots him with a tranquilizer gun. At the school board hearing, Jeff tries to defend their actions on the grief they were experiencing over Star-Burns' death. He attempts to place the blame for the carnage in the cafeteria on Chang and his security forces when he is interrupted by the arrival of Chang himself.

Pelton meets his dopple-Chang-er.

Chang seems to know each board member personally and starts to win them over with his charm. When the board ignores Jeff's negative portrayal of Chang's character, he senses that things are going badly for the group. He tries to play his trump card, asking them to hear Dean Pelton's testimony. Faux-by arrives impersonating the Dean and tells the board to expel the study group. After considering Faux-by's statement, the head of committee, Carl Bladt, delivers the board's decision. He officially expels all the members of "The Greendale Seven" for inciting the riot.

The school board.

Later in Troy and Abed's apartment, the group has gathered together to wallow about their expulsion. Britta volunteers to get the pizza when the delivery guy arrives and meets Toby. Annie and Shirley decide to drown their sorrows with alcohol as Abed suggests that this is The Darkest Timeline. Troy rejects that idea and says that they will get through this and that everyone is still alive and fine. Abed agrees and says that even though things are bad, the study group is still together which actually makes this the perfect timeline. Britta ignores Toby, grabs the pizzas, and rejoins the others. They all begin to settle back into their old group dynamic, still unsure about their future but far more optimistic about it.

The Perfect Timeline.

End tag

Abed's completed tribute video to Star-Burns is shown. ("His Name Was Alex: A Star-Burns Memorial")

Recurring themes

Continuity

Continuity lists

Narrative Recurring or debuting plot points in this episode: Googly eyes: Troy/Britta and Jeff/Annie pairings exchange meaningful looks across the table. History lesson: Star-Burns had a wife named Magda that he gave an STD to. A drunk Britta made out with him at Fat Neil's Black Light Party. Previously: Pierce says he's been at Greendale for over a decade, a callback to "For A Few Paintballs More" where he admits he's been at the college for 12 years. Replay: The final scene contains echoes of story cues found in "Remedial Chaos Theory": The study group is in Trobed's apartment waiting for pizza to be delivered and are sitting at the table in the same seats from the episode. The shot of the buzzer ringing is the same shot used in the episode. Jeff suggests they roll a die to see who gets the pizza. Abed then wonders aloud if he shouldn't have prevented the Yahtzee dice roll at the housewarming party, as this seems to be the darkest timeline. Shirley is about to drink alcohol, alluding to her drinking problem in the darkest timeline. Toby the pizza guy appears, and Britta seems strongly attracted to him when she meets him. After Abed mentions that "this is the perfect timeline", Toby the pizza guy responds with "Wait, there are other timelines?" Abed explains that Star-Burns' video was delivered by "some one-armed guy with a scar on his face" claiming he was "Star-Burns' lawyer". Jeff lost his arm in the darkest timeline. That just happened: Shirley talks about how she had her dreams of opening a sandwich store crushed by Greendale ("Digital Exploration of Interior Design"). Chang starts his plan of taking over Greendale which was hinted at in "Contemporary Impressionists". The board members adjourn to the Rusty Bucket, as they did in "Studies in Modern Movement." People Recurring or debuting characters in this episode: Familiar faces: The Changlourious Basterds, Faux-by, Carl Bladt, Richie Countee and Toby the pizza guy return. Returning students: Alex "Star-Burns" Osbourne is featured prominently and posthumously. Leonard, Garrett and Vicki return as well. Places Recurring or debuting places in this episode: This must be the place: Troy and Abed's apartment. Dean Pelton's office. Cafeteria. Greendale Student Health Center. The Greendale board of directors meeting area. Skeepers (a bar) is mentioned. Things Recurring or debuting items in this episode: School song: "His Name Was Alex: A Star-Burns Memorial" plays during the end tag. School supplies: Star-Burns bequeaths his ashes in an urn to Abed along with the ashes of his lizard. Chang's tranquilizer dart gun is used again, this time on Dean Pelton. Abed brings out the Yahtzee die from "Remedial Chaos Theory". A Greendale Security windbreaker such as worn by Annie and Shirley in "The Science of Illusion" is hanging in the "Changlourious Basterds" room when Chang tells them to suit up.

Running gags

List of Running gags

Recurring or debuting running gags in this episode: Awww!: Annie and Shirley find the Changlourious Basterds cute until they see them pepper spraying students. Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?: Carl Bladt asks the rest of the board and Chang "Rusty Bucket? Rusty Bucket? Rusty Bucket?" after expelling the study group. Changuage: Chang responds to Dean Pelton, "Can't com-Chang." Come sail away!: Troy cries during Britta's therapy and later out of fear of The Changlourious Basterds. Deanotation: Dean Pelton sings "Come On, I'm Dean". He then asks Chang, "How's it deaning?" He bursts into the study room exclaiming, "Dean-jour mes amis." Gasp: Annie when the Dean tells the study group their Biology grade is "incomplete". Man crush: Dean Pelton puts his hand on Jeff's abs again and tries to initiate a group hug with himself between Troy and Jeff. Nice outfit: Dean Pelton wears a Can Can dress to deliver bad news to the study group. NOOOOOO!: Jeff screams when he learns he will have to attend summer school. You're the worst!: This time, Britta actually calls herself this, but Troy reassures her she's not and tells her she's actually the best.

Pop culture references

List of Pop culture references

References to popular culture in this episode: Name that tune: Shirley offers to sing "Ave Maria" but Garrett ends up stealing her thunder.  Vicki screams "Helter Skelter," a Beatles song that Charles Manson said influenced his views for the Manson Family. The Dean sings a parody of "Come On Eileen". Product placement: A Game Boy is on the TV stand in Troy and Abed's apartment during shots of Star-Burn's video will. Jeff says that they trashed the school like a TV commercial where the teacher bans Skittles. The restaurant Rusty Bucket is mentioned by Carl Bladt. Annie feels warped "like a Barbie in a microwave." The guitar Star-Burns is "playing" in the end tag is a Dave Mustaine Signature VMNT Double Neck. Shout out: Star-Burns believes he is the world's greatest Styx fan. Ted Danson and Whoopi Goldberg along with their infamous Friars Roast skit is mentioned by Dean Pelton. Shirley wants to know if Tim Russert made it into heaven. Troy's Chinese pen pal is named Pai Mei, the same name as the legendary martial artist Bak Mei (Pai Mei, Bai Mei, etc.) Use your allusion: Troy alludes the movie Aladdin when he asks if he rubs the urn with Star-Burn's ashes will famous people appear. The Greendale school board member Carl Bladt quotes Optimus Prime's famous line, "Transform and roll out!".

Meta references

List of Meta references

Meta references in this episode: Everyone's a critic: Jeff mentions that Britta seemed smarter than him when they met, referring to criticisms about the changes to her character from the Season One version. Troy underwent a similar noticeable change as did Abed to a lesser extent. IRL: The name of one of Greendale's board members is Saccardo, the same last name as the writer of this episode. Parody: The episode mocks the Five Stages of Grief, although it's not entirely because of Star-Burns' death that the study group actually goes through each individual experience: Denial—The group tries to go about their lives as if everything is normal, but they are still shaken by Star-Burns' sudden death. Anger—After finding out that Kane has resigned, and they need to re-take Biology over the summer, they get angry and start a riot in the cafeteria. Bargaining—They try to plead to the Greendale school board for leniency for their part in the riot but are expelled due to Chang's deception. Depression—The study group falls into a depression over their current situation, and several of them turn to alcohol to help ease the pain. Acceptance—Troy snaps everyone out of their funk by saying they are going to get through this together. Satire: The Dean issuing Chang special powers to protect Greendale can be seen as an allegory to the controversy surrounding the United States' issuing of broad powers to various government agencies to fight terrorism after 9/11. The title "Greendale Seven" is a reference to the "Chicago Seven," a group of people blamed for inciting the riot outside the 1968 DNC. The study group's defense that Chang's riot squad actually incited the riot also mirror's the Chicago Seven's defense that the police's escalation incited the 1968 riot. Up against the wall: Jeff talks about how the students never escape Greendale, alluding to their role as characters in a show.

Trivia

• Frequent background extra Long haired guy makes another of over 65 episode appearances. He's seen during the Star-Burns riot wearing a yellow hoodie and throws a stool through the cafeteria window.
• At Star-Burns' memorial service, there is a black star on the lectern with "RIP" on it and an image of his pet lizard.

Quotes

“'Greendale Seven', Jeff Winger, Annie Edison, Pierce Hawthorne, Britta Perry, Shirley Bennett, Abed Nadir, Troy Barnes: you are hereby expelled from Greendale Community College. May God have mercy on your souls.”— Carl Bladt

“As a psychologist [student] I hereby offer my licensed [unlicensed] services as a grief counselor [grief causer]. If anyone needs to talk, the doctor [not even close] is in.”— Britta, with [interjections] from Jeff

“Okay. Let's just give this a little look-a-roo. 'Request for increased security. Cool new uniforms.' I like that. 'Power to enact martial law,' not so much. 'Indefinite detention, pepper spray, involuntary cavity searches. NO SOFT-SERVE?!'”— Dean Pelton

“Does anybody have anything they want to say in the memory of Star-Burns? Oh! Because his sideburns were shaped like stars! I just got it. I just got that.”— Dean Pelton

“Star-Burns, or 'Alex' as he liked to be called, was a human being. A Greendale human being, like me. I've given this place my childhood, my enthusiasm, and my loyalty and in return, Greendale has warped me like a Barbie in a microwave. Our school flag is an anus. We're not even the best community college in our community! Let that sink in. And the cherry on top of this total lack of sundae: I'm failing a remedial biology class on a technicality all because you don't know how to run a school. Shame on you, Dean. Shame. On. You. Edison out!”— Annie

“I was gonna be the first one in my family to graduate from community college. Everyone else graduated from normal college.”— Troy

“I know it's sad, but death is a natural part of life, and by the time I finish this sentence, a hundred people will have died in China.”— Jeff

“WHY DID YOU STOP TALKING!?”— Troy