A Tribute To The Departing Characters Of "Glee"

    Gleeks everywhere are mourning the loss of some old favorites, as Glee cuts down its cast. Let's take a moment to say goodbye to Mercedes, Puck, Mike, Quinn, and Brittany.

    Goodbye to Mercedes Jones, the fiercest diva McKinley High ever had.

    Sorry Rachel, but you could never really compete with this.

    Mercedes knew she was a star, even when she was relegated to the background.

    She spoke up for those who didn't have a voice.

    And added some much needed diversity to Glee Club.

    A fond farewell to Noah "Puck" Puckerman, stud.

    Weirdly enough, he was also a total sweetheart.

    I mean, sure, he tried to be tough.

    But beneath all that, he had so much heart.

    Just try not to fall in love.

    Peace out, Mike Chang. You had style.

    And he could DANCE.

    Of course, he was always a dork about it, which is so much cuter.

    And he bonded with everyone, because he was just that likable.

    We'll miss that talented goofball.

    It's hard losing Quinn, who went from ridiculous to empowered.

    She found her voice.

    And became, against all odds, Glee's first feminist.

    And through it all, she remained a great performer.

    She was so much more than a pretty face.

    And then there's Brittany. How do we begin to say goodbye?

    It helps that she already got the perfect tearjerking farewell.

    She finally realized her potential.

    And we did, too.

    OK, no more tears. Let's just focus on her flawless dancing.

    The truth is, Glee will be a stronger show with a smaller cast. Last season was overstuffed.

    But when we've watched these people grow for years, it's hard to say goodbye.