I’ll begin this essay with a confession: I’m a complete and total Gleek. Every week the show takes me to my happy place, and I like it there. The music, quirky characters, and storylines help me feel better about life. I also like the idea that not everything on the show is what it may seem on the surface. The biggest nerd might have the coolest tone to his voice. The young woman of size might have the best self-esteem. And the strongest man on campus—the alpha male—could be someone you would never expect.

It’s interesting to examine specific traits of the alpha male in relation to the characters on Glee, as there are many of them who have these behaviors, though not generally in the way one might expect. The show constantly challenges stereotypes and proves that it’s okay to be unusual. That makes the role of the alpha male in the musical series a little different from what we would otherwise expect. Follow me as we go in search of the alpha male on Glee. You might just be surprised by what you discover.

First we must understand what an alpha male is. In the animal kingdom, the alpha is the dominant male in a social group. He gets the best food and usually has a multitude of mates from which to choose. Most of the time he determines his status by fighting for it and showing off his physical prowess, and must constantly fight other males in order to maintain his position. It is the survival of the fittest.

When it comes to humans, what we mean by the term alpha male has less to do with social position and more to do with having a certain type of personality. An alpha male does tend to assume a dominant role in social or professional situations, but he does not have to do so through physical ability. More importantly, the alpha male must possess the qualities and confidence to be a leader. He is secure in himself and his decisions, and he leads by example, guiding others without losing his temper and commanding respect through his actions. He is brave, he strives for the best for his tribe, and he often makes difficult decisions in order to keep his group together. He keeps his feet on the ground, but he also dreams big and can see the big picture, even when no one else does. He doesn’t let trivial things set him back, and he always listens to his instincts.

So who is Glee’s biggest alpha? Let’s peruse the tribe that is New Directions and see.

At first glance, McKinley High School glee club coach Will Schuester and lead singer Finn Hudson would seem to be the two prime candidates for the title of alpha male. They are capable, athletic, and handsome, and women love and lust after them—they are key elements in many of the show’s love triangles. In many ways, Finn and Will share the same journey on the show. Unfortunately, this journey is fraught with obstacles that keep them from being true alphas.

Will was the one who brought the group of talented singers together in the first place, and he is always willing to do whatever it takes to make the glee club successful. In the pilot, Will offered up his soul to Principal Figgins to get the glee club started, and he did whatever he could to involve the most talented kids in the school. He made great sacrifices in his personal life, incurring the wrath of his wife, to keep the group together. From the beginning, Will always put the good of the glee club ahead of his personal needs. This is prime alpha behavior.

Finn shares many of these characteristics. Like his glee club coach, he is often the glue that holds the club together. He began the first season of Glee as the high school quarterback and one of the most popular kids in school. He had the beautiful and equally popular cheerleader Quinn Fabray as his girlfriend. She was absolutely a dominant female, and a fitting partner for such a strong young man. They were a golden couple who could do no wrong. Finn was forced into joining glee club, but not just because he would have gotten in trouble otherwise: if he hadn’t agreed to Will’s blackmailing scheme, the football team would have suffered. Finn couldn’t let his team down, so he joined glee club even though it caused his reputation to take a serious hit. That made him good alpha male material.

This was also the first chink in Will and Finn’s alpha male armor: A real alpha male doesn’t need to use coercion, as Will did, to get what he wants, and an alpha would never submit to coercion in any form, as Finn did. In the end, the blackmail worked for the good of New Directions, but both men failed to display true alpha male traits.

It was on the second episode, “Showmance,” where Will’s alpha male status really began to slide. His high-maintenance, nagzilla wife Terri insisted that since she was pregnant, they had to buy a house—even though she knew as well as Will did that there was no way they could afford it. To give his wife everything she wanted, Will was forced to take on a second job as a janitor at the school. While looking out for his family (even though part of that family was a lie) is a good alpha male trait, when it came to Terri, Will broke one of the alpha male rules: No one tells the alpha male what to do. He might listen to and incorporate ideas from his tribe, but the ultimate decision is up to him.

Will’s slide down the slippery slope continued in “Acafellas” (1-3), when Terri told him he was a better mentor than performer—and he believed her. Terri couldn’t stand that other women were interested in her husband, so—in true Terri fashion—she did everything she could to make Will feel bad about himself, destroying his hopes and dreams.

Throughout the first thirteen episodes, Terri continually duped Will with her fake-pregnancy antics. He fell for her tricks and became a weaker man by trying to fulfill her many demands. When, during “Mattress” (1-12), he finally grew a pair and confronted Terri after finding her fake pregnancy pad, he became so angry it looked like he might hit her. (I don’t advocate any kind of violence, but if ever there was a woman to smack . . . ) A true alpha male would never strike a woman in his effort to dominate. He is strong and can fight for his tribe, but he doesn’t use brute force on those weaker than him. It’s to Will’s credit—and that of his alpha male potential—that he walked out instead. In fact, by the end of the first half of the season, Will had reversed many of his earlier less-than-alpha attributes. He had dumped his horrible wife, stood up to his nemesis, Sue Sylvester, and done what was necessary to insure the success of New Directions. He had, in short, achieved alpha status.

Finn, while a good leader, isn’t always the brightest bulb in the room. Intelligence and an intuitive nature are important aspects of an alpha male, and unfortunately, Finn, for all his good qualities, lacks both. Like Will with Terri, Finn let himself be ruled by Quinn’s many demands. Then again, also like Will, Finn put taking care of his family first. He worried about nabbing a football scholarship so he could provide for his child, and he took a job in the interim to help pay for doctor bills, showing a strong character and a willingness to do what’s right. When Quinn’s family kicked her out, Finn was there to take her in.

Unfortunately, Finn’s baby was just as much a lie as Will’s, and when Rachel told Finn that his best friend Puck was the father of Quinn’s child, Finn jumped to the dark side. And who could blame him? He broke up with Quinn, beat up Puck, and quit glee club. With Sectionals upon them, and no leading man, the gleesters had no idea what to do. Their chances were further foiled when their song list was leaked to the other schools. The club’s routines became useless as they watched the other schools perform them. When it seemed all was lost, Finn swooped in to save the day. He brought the glee kids a new song to sing, and they found a way to work around their other numbers. By the end of the first half of the season, Finn, like Will, had achieved alpha status.

That is, until the second half of the season. Will’s relationship with Emma, the school counselor, was almost immediately felled by his soon-to-be-ex-wife Terri. Will allowed Terri to interfere in his life once again, and he didn’t fight back when he should have. What he should have done was given Terri a tongue-lashing and swept Emma off her feet, reassuring her that he cared for her.

Finn, who was exploring his relationship with Rachel, suffered a similar fate. Though Rachel’s overbearing ways were already wearing thin, if he had stood up for himself and given their relationship a chance to adjust, rather than breaking up with her to date some manipulative cheerleaders, he could have saved himself a great deal of trouble later on. Will and Finn learned nothing from their past mistakes with the fairer sex, and that’s one thing alpha males do: When they make mistakes, they learn from them and move on.

I’ve spent a great deal of time on these two, because there is hope for them. They share many of the traits we expect from alpha males. They are good leaders, they stand up for their beliefs, and they take great care of their tribe. They just aren’t there yet.

Waiting on the sidelines of the alpha male parade is Noah “Puck” Puckerman. Though he definitely has dominant traits, most of the time he expresses them by being a bully—and as mentioned, an alpha male doesn’t have to use brute force to get what he wants. Puck is far from the ideal alpha male. So far, his days have been spent thinking about the next girl he can sext or actually get horizontal. While a strong sex drive may be a strong male dominance trait—alpha males in the animal kingdom do need to procreate—unfortunately, Puck lacks leadership skills and has a problem looking out for anyone other than himself.

When he learned that he was the father of Quinn’s baby, he told her that he wanted to provide for his child to prove he wasn’t a loser. Yet he was in no way willing to give up his deviant behavior. He also refused to take a leadership role with the glee club. He participated, but unwillingly. Even when he was down and out after his haircut, he never learned his lesson. He’ll do anything to keep his position of power, and he was only interested in restoring his status. Puck simply doesn’t make the alpha male cut, and it’s doubtful he ever will.

Some would argue Sue Sylvester is an alpha male. She may be a female, but she certainly does exhibit alpha tendencies. She does whatever it takes to make sure her Cheerios win, and she never backs down from a battle. While she often uses unorthodox methods, she gets the job done. Her Cheerios are incredibly successful, and most days Sue rules the roost at McKinley High. There are even moments of goodness in Sue, never more evident than in “Wheels” (1-9), in which we discovered she has a sister with Down syndrome for whom she cares a great deal.

While it isn’t necessarily an alpha trait, Sue’s voting outcome on the season finale also showed more depth than we’d come to expect from her. But anyone who has ever seen an episode of Glee knows that, despite her better moments, Sue is nothing but an insecure bully. She may talk tough, but she’s no alpha.

Moving on, we take a look at an unlikely alpha male candidate: Kurt Hummel. Courage is an important aspect of the alpha male, and that’s something Kurt has in abundance. On a daily basis, he was dumped in trash bins and slammed into lockers, but he took it all with a quiet determination. He was proud of his talent, and he wasn’t afraid to make bold choices, whether in fashion, music, or life.

In “Preggers” (1-4), Kurt came out to his father Burt (and, in one of my favorite and most tearful moments on Glee, Burt accepted him and let Kurt know he’d been of his aware of his sexual preferences since he was a tot). Few things are more difficult than coming out to one’s parents, and Kurt did it with great aplomb and courage.

He’s also not afraid to take one for the team, whether that team is glee club or his family. After Will agreed to allow both Rachel and Kurt to audition for “Defying Gravity”—traditionally a song with female vocals—in a diva-off, Kurt was on his way to wowing the crowd when he threw the audition by not hitting the high F. Kurt later told his father that he’d made the mistake on purpose because, though Burt had backed Kurt up in his desire to sing the song, Kurt knew others were giving Burt a hard time, and it didn’t seem fair to make his father suffer the consequences of Kurt’s choices. Kurt also realized with Rachel singing the song, he wouldn’t embarrass his glee team.

Kurt was one of the first on the team to call someone out if they weren’t doing what was best for New Directions. There were times when his performance ambitions ended up getting in the way of what was right, but he usually had the best intentions. All of this makes Kurt great alpha male material. He’s always strong in his beliefs, and he isn’t afraid to stand up for what’s right. Unfortunately, his need for acceptance, though it makes him relatable and very human, often leads to less-than-alpha-worthy behavior, whether at school or home. Never was that more evident than in “Home” (1-16), when he and Mercedes made the Cheerios and Kurt encouraged Mercedes to do whatever it took to fit in, even if that meant starving herself. Mercedes and Kurt came to their senses, but not before some damage was done to Mercedes’ self-esteem.

Though Kurt showed he could hold his own as the place kicker for the football team in “Preggers,” he didn’t do it for himself. It was an attempt to please his father, and to prove they could have something in common. By the end of the episode Kurt learned the best thing he could do for everyone was to be true to himself, but it was a lesson he had to re-learn several times during the first season.

Kurt continued to try to be someone else in “Laryngitis” (1-18). Jealous of his father’s relationship with Finn as they enjoyed their boys’ nights out, Kurt tried to man up. He put on a ball cap and flannel, and worked desperately to become something he wasn’t. Like being on the football team, he only did it to please his father.

He seemed to have learned his lesson in “Theatricality” (1-20), when he refused to back down and wouldn’t change out of his crazy Lady Gaga costume. He stayed strong in his beliefs, and didn’t let the bullies have the last word—even though they almost killed him. But so long as Kurt keeps forgetting one of his best traits—being proud of who he is—he still has too much emotional growth to do before he can be considered a true alpha male.

There is one young man in Glee who goes through his days with a quiet strength—a young man who possesses all the qualities of a true alpha male. That young man is Artie. Artie is a voice of reason, and someone who isn’t afraid to speak up for what’s right. He is stalwart and kind, and while he may have a disability, he doesn’t focus on it and never uses it as an excuse to not go after his dreams.

In “Wheels” (1-9), Will wanted the group to understand what Artie went through, so he demanded that they spend a few hours a day in wheelchairs. Not only did this episode make kids aware of what it was like for disabled teen on a daily basis, it also showed how much of a hero Artie was. (During an interview I did with the Glee cast, they said that using the wheelchairs made “Rollin’ on the River” the single hardest musical number they had to do all season. It gave them all a new respect for what those in wheelchairs go through.) Every day Artie faces great adversity and does so with dignity. He doesn’t blame anyone for his troubles; his life is what it is. He doesn’t let the chair keep him from performing in glee club, and his wheels don’t define who he is. This shows a great strength of character, which is imperative for an alpha male.

In this same episode, Tina and Artie finally had a date. After they kissed, she confessed that she didn’t really have a stutter. Artie was disappointed with her for lying to him. He’d believed in her and thought they had their disabilities in common. Unlike the other males on the show, when he learned he’d been lied to, he didn’t turn over and play dead, or explode with uncontrolled anger. He calmly explained that while she’d only pretended to have a handicap, he was always going to be stuck in his chair, and then they temporarily parted ways. There are some who might argue he was too harsh toward her, but this was his way of standing up, so to speak, for his beliefs. He had every right to be angry at her deception. The rest of the guys on the show could take a cue from Artie.

Importantly, unlike Finn and Will, who at the end of the season were still allowing their anger at the women who’d betrayed them to rule their lives, Artie eventually forgave Tina. In “The Power of Madonna” (1-15), he even realized he might have been objectifying Tina in some ways. All the boys realized they had been treating the girls poorly, and Artie was one of the first to apologize, promising Tina that he would be more respectful of her in the future. It takes a real man—and a real alpha male—to admit when he’s wrong, and to learn to appreciate those around him.

Though his presence is sometimes overlooked, Artie played a part in many of the most important decisions for New Directions. In “Hell-O” (1-14), Artie, Tina, Kurt, and Mercedes were the ones who confronted Rachel about dating Jesse, one of their rivals from Vocal Adrenaline. Artie helped them to be a united front when they gave Rachel an ultimatum: either she had to end her relationship with Jesse, or she would be out of glee club permanently. This was a difficult situation, but Artie was never afraid to speak out about what was right for the team. His ideas might make him unpopular at times, but he’s obviously earnest in his desire to ensure glee club is the absolute best it can be. He also isn’t afraid to fight for his fellow gleesters.

Artie shared his deepest secret in “Dream On” (1-19), when viewers learned he wanted to be a dancer. The episode ended with him realizing he probably wouldn’t ever see that dream come true. Though he had a few low moments, he was okay with letting the dream go. He did what he always does—instead of whining or complaining, he dealt with his disappointment gracefully. He told Tina that while he might never be a dancer, he would come up with a new dream. Artie may have his sad times, as he did in “Funk” (1-21) and “Journey” (1-22), but he is usually one of the first to bounce back to his usual positive self.

This journey of discovering the alpha male on Glee comes with an important lesson: Don’t always trust what seems obvious. New Directions tends to look to Will and Finn for leadership, but they’d do better to look to Artie. Will and Finn are great guys, but they don’t necessarily have the strength of character Artie does. While he has strong leadership qualities, he doesn’t beat people over the head with them. And though he has faced great adversity, he keeps a positive outlook and he never stays down for long. There isn’t anything he won’t do for New Directions and the people he cares about. He’s a guy who has his wheels on the ground but isn’t afraid to dream. I vote Artie Abrams the alpha Glee male.