Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 21, “Rally.”
SinceAbbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 21’s titular rally was a major professional success for Principal Ava, I was surprised to see one major supporting character missing from the outing. WhileAbbott Elementary’s cast of charactersis all funny and likable, the workplace mockumentary picked one star to focus on in season 4. Now that Janine and Gregory’s love story has ended happily after three torturous seasons of “Will they, won’t they” romance, Janelle James’ Principal Ava has become the sitcom’s primary focus in season 4.
AlthoughAva’sAbbott Elementaryseason 4 firingwas the most dramatic moment in her storyline, she also received some more personal subplots as part of her character arc. Ava began to repair her shaky relationship with her estranged father, Keith David’s Frank, when he showed up to fund the school’s science fair in episode 13, “Science Fair.” Similarly,Ava’sAbbott Elementaryseason 4 romance with O’Shonforced the tough, sardonic principal to put her guard down and open up to someone.
O’Shon Was Absent From Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 21
Ava’s Love Interest Didn’t Appear At Her Triumphant Rally
Given how sweet Ava’s romantic connection with her love interest has been so far, it was surprising that O’Shon didn’t appear to support Ava in season 4, episode 21, “Rally.”The eponymous rally was an impromptu emergency meeting the school district called after firing Ava and placing the teachers on suspension for a week. When the students heard that Melissa, Barbara, Jacob, and Janine were all losing a week’s pay and Ava still wasn’t going to be reinstated as principal, they threatened a walkout and the panicked district called a meeting immediately.
O’Shon has appeared at after-school basketball games with Abbott Elementary’s Gregory, so viewers know that he spends time with the staff outside dating Ava
Even though the teachers, the students, the PTA, local business owners, her estranged father Frank, her sorority sister and sworn enemy Crystal, B.L.A.C.K.S (Building Love and Creating Kids Safety), and the golf course developers all rallied to support her, O’Shon wasn’t present. This is particularly notable considering O’Shon has appeared at after-school basketball games withAbbott Elementary’s Gregory, so viewers know that he spends time with the staff outside dating Ava. However, there are a few reasonable explanations for his absence.
Why O’Shon Didn’t Show Up At Ava’s Rally
O’Shon’s Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 21 Absence Could Be A Good Thing
O’Shon failing to support Ava at such a pivotal moment seems uncharacteristic, considering how great of a guy he is. The off-screen explanation for his absence is that Ava’s love interest would have received little screen time in such a busy episode. In terms of in-universe justifications, it is reasonable to suggest that the district’s IT guy was occupied with work or other commitments. Not only that but, as the IT guy who intentionally ignored Abbott’s suspiciously high-tech new computers, he was technically complicit in the whole bribery scheme.
Abbott Elementary Season 4 Episode 19’s Barbara & Jacob Pairing Cleverly Rewrites A Familiar Story
Although Abbott Elementary season 4 episode 19 pairs off Jacob and Barbara, this plot still allows the sitcom to revisit a classic Janine storyline.
The golf course developer who attended the rally was much more culpable but, as he has smugly noted, he is wealthy enough to never face consequences for the bribes he offered. While supportingAbbott Elementary’s Avais important to him, O’Shon may have reasonably feared that his presence wouldn’t have helped her case. As such, it makes sense thatAbbott Elementaryseason 4, episode 21, “Rally,” didn’t include him.
