 Although it was originally thought that Darren Criss would be missing " one and a half episodes " , and therefore might return in time to appear in this episode after missing the twelfth one , co @-@ star Chris Colfer initially stated that Criss would not be appearing : " You 'll find out how [ Blaine ] leaves for a little bit and then comes back , but it ’ s nothing too bad or serious " . He later said that Blaine " is in the episode , it 's not in the way you might think " ; Criss did return in time to appear in the musical finale . Recurring guest stars who are appearing in the episode include glee club members Sam Evans ( Overstreet ) , Rory Flanagan ( McGinty ) and Sugar Motta ( Lengies ) , Principal Figgins ( Theba ) , Finn 's mother Carole Hudson @-@ Hummel ( Rosemont ) and stepfather Burt Hummel ( O 'Malley ) , former McKinley student Dave Karofsky ( Adler ) and McKinley football player Shane Tinsley ( Tinker ) . 
