After A Major Character Got Fired On Abbott Elementary, Fans Are Not OK (And I’m Not Either)

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn't yet watched Abbott Elementary's latest episode on ABC or streaming with a Hulu subscription.

Abbott Elementary is truly one of the best comedies on television, even if we may never see the documentary crew's finalized look at lighthearted classroom moments between dedicated teachers and their adorable students. However, the episode "Audit" ended with a heartbreaking ending I absolutely didn’t see coming, with Ava getting fired from her role as principal. Fans are taking the time to express that they are not okay with this. For the record, neither am I.

Here, we thought the major character change in store for Season 4 would be Barbara announcing her retirement. While that hasn’t happened yet, we all got sideswiped in learning that the character seeming destined to exist the Philadelphia public school system is, in fact, Ava! Despite attempts made to hide the school's newer resources secured through quasi-blackmailing the nearby golf course, an audit occurred that uncovered the shady dealings. While Ava took full responsibility thinking she’d just get a suspension, the school board told her that a principal taking part in the unauthorized dealings would no longer be welcome.

After having to watch Ava Coleman pack her things and leave the grounds of Abbott Elementary, fans were not having it. @Kirstynlynne spoke for all of us watching Ava make her exit:

I hope Ava gets her job back, too. While I could applaud the ABC series' realism for showing that a principal engaged in shady dealings will face extreme consequences, it still hurts that we saw that happen to Ava. Even though her means of getting new school resources all ran counter to legal means, at least her intentions were actually pointed at Abbott’s students and teachers as compared to herself.

The post shared by @xoraveen completely matched my mind by the time the “Audit” episode ended. As they put it:

It’s true that Season 1 Ava was very different from the Ava we’ve grown to love now, even if she isn't exactly nicer now or anything. When we first met Abbott Elementary’s vain principal, she felt like a character we loved to hate. The fashionista seemed to care more about social media followers, online shopping, and using the school board budget for her own benefit than the school’s. In fact, Ava secured the role of principal through blackmailing the superintendent’s infidelity.

However, Season 4 expanded Ava's less-selfish side and exposed her heart more, while still continuing to be the sassy principal we know her as. @bxrrykoo uncovered a revelation I didn’t even realize until now:

One of the greatest school-set comedies will undoubtedly not be the same without the iconic character. Sure, Ava may not have been buddy-buddy with Abbott Elementary’s staff. If anything, she found more enjoyment throwing shade at them for her own amusement. But Ava being her true self, even if it meant some eye rolls coming her way, is what's made her so memorable.

She may not have been a model leader, but Abbott and the staff dynamic wouldn’t be the same without her wit and sass. @Kirstynlynne second tweet continued to express her frustration:

Before the “Audit” episode, the staff of Abbott Elementary delivered a karaoke night episode, which partly focused on Ava’s first date with IT tech O’Shon. She acted like her usual self, repeatedly making fun of him throughout the meal, but O’Shon wasn’t having it, and made it clear that he wanted a deeper connection with her than their typical “thing.” Fortunately by the end of the episode, Ava got real and shared a tidbit from her childhood that “triggers” her, and he was convinced to join her trip to karaoke night, where they joined in on the final song. We finally got to see Ava have a good time with her fellow staff.

So why would they go and split it all up already? @nye_regan got real on their reaction to last night’s episode:

With Ava Coleman fired as principal, this makes me wonder how often we’ll see actress Janelle James at Abbott Elementary. Will Ava still find a way to be part of the school system through her signature quick thinking? Who will replace her as principal? So many questions. But, I’m still confident it won’t be the last we’ll see of the Emmy nominee. @cloclobeans expressed their sadness having to see Ava leave:

Seeing Ava take the fall for the teachers really was quite the character redemption arc I was hoping to see in the mockumentary series. While Janelle James said before the season two premiere that she didn’t want a huge redemption arc for her character, I like that Season 4 developed Ava without totally changing her.

We still see Ava being a diva and making immoral choices, but the former principal has become a fan-favorite character in season four for pushing the district to increase budgets for Abbott Elementary and splitting the new budget toward schools that need it too. She also stood with Barbara and Ms. Inez who opposed the proposed library book ban. While still being Ava, season four showed us a different side of her that does care about education and her staff.

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Ava getting fired in Abbott Elementary doesn’t sit right with me or fans of the show. But considering what a standout character Principal Coleman has been and what a talented actress Janelle Williams is, I’d like to believe this won’t be the last we see of her. New episodes of the ABC sitcom premiere on Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c as well as streaming on Hulu.