Anyone who has seen the show high school and college drama thrown in for good measure? While the show did sort of lose a bit of steam in its later seasons, it has to be said that the characters remained endearing from the beginning to the end.
Looking at these men and women through the lens of the Chinese zodiac reveals that there was always more to these characters than met the eye.
Rat - Kurt
From the moment that he appeared, Kurt made it clear that he was going to be one of those characters that audiences could really appreciate and cheer for. There was an essential kindness and richness to him, both of which were made manifest in both his relationship with his father and with his boyfriend Blaine.
Throughout the series, he also showed that he was both quick-witted and resourceful, the key character traits associated with those born under the sign of the Rat.
Ox - Artie
This show deserves a lot of credit for being willing to show a variety of characters, including Artie, notable for being a character with a disability (though the show did take a few well-deserved knocks for casting an able-bodied actor).
Artie was always one of the show’s more subtle characters since he was a bit less exuberant than many of his classmates. As a result, he seems very much like the Ox, proving time and again that he was both dependable and strong.
Tiger - Sue
Even though the series works overtime to paint her as nothing less than a sort of high school supervillain, there’s no question that Sue Sylvester is one of the best things about the show.
She is definitely very much like a Tiger, with a confidence and a competitiveness that makes her a worthy adversary for both Will and for the glee club generally, as well as anyone else who happens to get in the path of what she wants to accomplish.
Rabbit - Will
Both the characters and the audience could almost always count on Will to be the adult in the room.
He had an innate sense of duty that made him very much like a Rabbit, and while he could be quiet at times, one always got the sense that he was going to be responsible, that he would make sure that everything turned out all right for his students in the end (and more often than not, he succeeded).
Dragon - Rachel
Rachel has always been one of the more divisive characters in the series, both inside and outside of the show. There’s no question that she exhibits all of the traits typically associated with the Dragon, for she is incredibly intelligent and confident.
However, there are times when her enthusiasm - particularly as these center around her own ambitions - can be a bit grating, both for her fellow characters and for those sitting in the audience.
Snake - Brittany
Glee was one of those shows that was very good at crafting characters who stood out, both those that were larger-than-life and those that were a bit quieter.
Brittany was always one of the show’s more enigmatic characters, precisely because, while she sometimes appeared to be vapid, there was also a certain kind of wisdom that was always lurking beneath the surface, just waiting for the right moment to emerge to surprise everyone (even those who thought they knew her best).
Horse - Mercedes
One of the things that this show excelled at was creating characters that sometimes seemed a bit larger-than-life. Mercedes is an excellent example of this phenomenon, and as the show demonstrated time and again, she exhibited many of the traits frequently associated with the Horse.
Her dynamism and energy, particularly her musical performances, were often some of the best things about a given episode, and even now, they are a testament to her vibrancy as a character.
Goat - Blaine
Who didn’t find themselves falling a little in love with Blaine, particularly when he sang “Teenage Dream” to Kurt upon their first meeting? There was something beautifully calm and gentle about Blaine, a sense that he understood the world in ways that the other characters didn’t.
More to the point, he seemed to have an especial sympathy and love for Kurt, who he eventually took under his wing and eventually married.
Monkey - Santana
Santana was another of those characters of the show that just seemed to leap out of the screen. There was just something dynamic and powerful about her performance, most of which was due to the tremendous talent of Naya Rivera, who managed to make this Latina character more than just a stereotype.
Some of her storylines, particularly where she dealt with her sexuality, were testaments to what the show could accomplish when it was at its finest.
Rooster - Puck
Puck was, it has to be said, one of the more contradictory characters on the show. He’s clearly lived a hard life and dealt with quite a lot of emotional trauma, and for this reason, he tends to act out.
At the same time, however, he shows time and again throughout the show that he is willing to put in the hard work to be a better musician, and that there are times when he is also willing to be courageous, as well.