Emma Pillsbury Schuester is a
fictional character from the
Fox musical comedy-drama series
Glee. Portrayed by actress
Jayma Mays, Emma has appeared in
Glee from its
pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009. Emma was developed by
Glee creators
Ryan Murphy,
Brad Falchuk and
Ian Brennan. She is a
guidance counselor at the fictional William McKinley High School in
Lima, Ohio where the series is set. Emma suffers from
obsessive-compulsive disorder and has romantic feelings for
glee club director
Will Schuester (
Matthew Morrison), but becomes engaged to football coach Ken Tanaka (
Patrick Gallagher) as Will is married. Ken ultimately breaks up with her on their wedding day because of her feelings for Will, and when Will leaves his wife
Terri (
Jessalyn Gilsig), he and Emma share a kiss. Their relationship is short-lived, and in the
second season, Emma and her dentist boyfriend
Carl Howell (
John Stamos) marry in
Las Vegas. The wedding is later annulled as it was unconsummated. At the beginning of the
third season, she and Will are living together; they become engaged shortly after New Years, and consummate their relationship near the end of the school year. Emma leaves Will at the altar midway through the fourth season, but the two later reconcile and marry in the season finale. She becomes pregnant during the middle of the fifth season.