| “ | It's true what they say: one choice can change everything. | ” |
— Riley | ||
"A Change Is Gonna Come" is the 40th episode in Season 4 of The Next Step and the 134th episode. It aired on May 12, 2017. It is the Season 4 finale.
Synopsis
"Now that Alfie is back, the team is able to compete in the Regionals final. But when Michelle shows up ready to dance, Riley has to make a heartbreaking decision."[1]
Plot
The members of A-Troupe hug Alfie.
Alfie runs onto the stage and is embraced by the members of A-Troupe. Noah and Amanda hug, happy that she decided to stay. Piper also hugs James in thanks. Alfie shares an awkward look with Riley but confesses that he must put his heartbreak aside. Alfie apologizes for abandoning the team. Riley tells the team that Gemini Dance Studio is their toughest competition yet, but that they can take them.
Riley expresses her anxiety.
Later, Riley receives a call from Michelle who asserts that she is ready to dance in the finals after a fast recovery. Worried about Michelle's health, Riley refuses to promise that she will compete. Michelle decides that she needs to change Riley's mind. Amy finds LaTroy sitting sullenly at a bench in the lobby. After prodding from Amy about what is wrong, LaTroy breaks up with her. Amy begins to cry, in disbelief that LaTroy is dumping her right before the finals and realizing that LaTroy lied when he said he loved her. Despite LaTroy's apologies, Amy departs without forgiving him. SNR Network's coverage of the finals begins. Backstage, Piper and Riley converse about the finals, and Henry tells Riley not to worry. Piper and Riley say the phrase "don't even worry about it" in unison, and dissolve into laughter, confusing Henry. Riley gets Piper and Henry to round everyone up. Alfie approaches Riley just as the twins heckle him. Riley defends him, although the dancers remain sure that their team will win since they haven't lost yet. Sloane approaches LaTroy and learns that he broke up with Amy to be with her. Before Sloane can reply, Henry beckons LaTroy to the stage. Sloane fears that LaTroy breaking up with Amy will affect the team's routine. Moments later, backstage, LaTroy and Amy exchange an awkward look. Gemini takes the stage and, as they perform, Michelle approaches Riley in full costume. Michelle tells Riley that she is going to dance and refuses any argument or otherwise. Meanwhile, James watches Gemini perform from the audience and confesses that he is worried about The Next Step's prospects. Michelle persuades Riley into taking a dancer out of the finals dance, and Riley decides to take Amanda out. When Riley cites her apparent lack of commitment to the team, Amanda reveals that she picked the team over dancing on the tour. Amanda tearfully exits the room and Noah follows.
Amanda laments her disbelief to Noah. Noah tells Amanda that he won't dance if she doesn't want him to, but tells Noah he has to dance. Amanda refuses to even watch the routine. Henry arrives and beckons Noah to the stage. Before leaving, Noah kisses Amanda and assures her that he loves her. Amanda confesses that she has never felt so betrayed in her entire life. Moments later, The Next Step takes the stage. Although the team performs a sound routine and finishes to a standing ovation, they lose to Gemini. As the team retreats backstage in disbelief, Chuck Anderson announces that the reigning International champions have been toppled.
James presents Riley with a promise ring.
As the team prepares to return home after their loss, Piper and Michelle tell each other that they have learned a lot from the other as they walk down the now-empty stage. Alfie comforts Amy, who sits on the edge of the stage in a sullen state from her break up; he takes her hand and assures her that he is there for her. As they leave the stage, LaTroy walks onto it hand-in-hand with Sloane. Sloane assures LaTroy that she has loved him her whole life and couldn't stop even if she wanted to. LaTroy puts his uniform jacket on Sloane's shoulders and kisses her. Next, Noah walks onto the stage, recording yet another voicemail on Amanda's phone since she hasn't been answering his calls. Henry joins him on-stage, smiling because he knows everything will work out. In the audience, James comforts Riley about her guilt at the team's loss, which culminates in a kiss. Riley confesses that she has made some mistakes as a studio head, but that it's a part of growing up. As Riley confesses her love for James, James himself then enters the Talking Heads filming area and interrupts. James then goes down on one knee, making Riley think he is proposing; she panics, and says that they are too young for such a thing. However, it's not an engagement ring James gives Riley, but a promise ring. They kiss once more, admitting their love for each other.
Trivia
- This episode does not have any white walls scenes.
- LaTroy and Amy are no longer in a relationship.
- Gemini Dance Studio has defeated The Next Step Dance Studio in the finals at Regionals, thus replacing them as the reigning Regional champions and effectively stripping them of all their Absolute Dance titles.
- LaTroy and Sloane are officially a couple, and have had their first kiss.
- James has given Riley a promise ring.
- As of Season 7, this is the final appearance of Allie Goodbun as Cassie.
Continuity
- LaTroy breaking up with Amy right before the Regionals finals to be with Sloane is reminiscent of when Eldon also breaks up with Emily right before the Regionals finals in order to be with Michelle in "Winner Takes All".
Errors
- As seen in "The Edge of Glory", Cassie was made the alternate for Regionals, meaning that she officially should not have danced in the finals if there were more than ten dancers who could perform. However, when Riley decides that Michelle will be dancing in the finals, there is no question of Cassie being the one who will be taken out of the dance, even though this was the correct thing to have done and would likely not have been a controversial decision.
Cultural References
- The title of this episode refers to a song of the same name by Sam Cooke.
Cast
Main
- Akiel Julien as LaTroy
- Alexandra Chaves as Piper
- Allie Goodbun as Cassie
- Briar Nolet as Richelle
- Brittany Raymond as Riley
- Erika Prevost as Sloane
- Giuseppe Bausilio as Alfie
- Isaiah Peck as Henry
- Logan Fabbro as Amanda
- Myles Erlick as Noah
- Shelby Bain as Amy
- Skylar Healey as Skylar
- Trevor Tordjman as James
- Victoria Baldesarra as Michelle
Recurring
- Ali Schwartz as a Gemini dancer
- Andy Chao as a Gemini dancer
- Ava MacGregor as a Gemini dancer
- Damian Goddard as Chuck Anderson
- Elle MacGregor as a Gemini dancer
- George Randolph as Curtis
- Karina Grzella as a Gemini dancer
- Kristopher Grzella as a Gemini dancer
- Lindsey Schwartz as a Gemini dancer
- Stanley Chao as a Gemini dancer
- Tim Roberts as the announcer
- Wei Dong Yuan as a Gemini dancer
- Weiming Yuan as a Gemini dancer
Guest
Featured music
 "I'll get to you when I get to you!" - The missing information in this section of the article is to be added.
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- "Ain't No Number Two"
- "Jesty"
- "Today"
Featured dances
Transcript
- Main article: A Change Is Gonna Come/Transcript
Quotes
- Main article: A Change Is Gonna Come/Quotes
Aftershow
- Main article: A Change Is Gonna Come/Aftershow
Gallery
|
"Look at that painting!"
To view the A Change Is Gonna Come gallery, click here. |
References
- ↑ TV Listings Grid, TV Guide and TV Schedule, Where to Watch TV Shows - Screener. Zap2It (April 12, 2017). Retrieved on April 12, 2017 .