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Abbott Elementary Season 4's Perfect Janine & Gregory Replacement Is In Trouble After Ava's Tragedy

Published

4 days ago

31st March 2025

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for Abbott Elementary season 4, episode 19, “Music Class.”

Although Abbott Elementary season 4’s Ava firing doesn’t seem like it will be permanent, the twist could have terrible consequences for another character viewers were just getting to know and love. Abbott Elementary’s cast of characters all deserve a chance to shine, but the mockumentary sitcom has allowed one supporting star to emerge as a major player in season 4. Abbott Elementary’s principal, Ava, went from a corrupt, incompetent administrator in season 1 to an admittedly corrupt, but undeniably hyper-competent, inspiring, and resilient principal in season 4.

As such, Ava getting fired in season 4 episode 18 was both inevitable and a crushing blow. The faculty had been taking bribes from shady golf course developers in exchange for their silence about various union violations and environmental mismanagement for months, and it was only a matter of time before the district got suspicious about the under-resourced school’s new expensive amenities. Still, Abbott Elementary season 4’s saddest twist was tragic primarily because, although she still bought herself a walk-in wardrobe in her office, Ava did ensure most of the funds were used to help the school.

Ava’s Firing Could Help Expose O’Shon’s Role In The Crime In Abbott Elementary Season 4

O’Shon Helped Ava Cover Up Bribes In Abbott Elementary Season 4

Moreover, Ava took full responsibility for the bribes even though it was Melissa, Barbara, and Jacob who first took the golf course developers up on their offer of new computers. This might have fooled the district for the moment, but it seems unlikely that they will fire Ava alone. My favorite recurring Abbott Elementary guest star Manny did all he could to stop his fellow district employees from dismissing Ava, but he couldn’t save the school’s principal when the developers arrived and loudly announced their latest bribe right in front of them.

Unfortunately, Ava’s new love interest, O’Shon, was also implicated in the scheme to shake down the golf course developers, since he actively covered up the school’s suite of new computers. O’Shon may be fired after Ava’s dismissal, as the Abbott Elementary supporting star consciously abetted the fraud the rest of the faculty were committing. O’Shon even told them to call him directly when they had computer problems to ensure no one else in the district saw their suspiciously new computers.

It seems vanishingly unlikely that Ava’s firing will be permanent.

O’Shon was willing to do this, at least in part, because he had an obvious crush on Ava, as evidenced when he made a point of giving her his number in case of emergency. Although Abbott Elementary season 4 episode 19 proved Ava could be a great motivational speaker whenever she finishes working at the school, it seems vanishingly unlikely that her firing will be permanent. For one thing, season 4, episode 20 of the show is titled “Ava Fest: Tokyo Drift.” As such, she is seemingly safe and will likely get her job back soon.

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O’Shon Could Be Fired For His Role In Ava’s Bribery Case

Her IT Guy Love Interest Was Complicit In The Scheme

Sadly, this makes it all the more likely that O’Shon could lose his job thanks to the Abbott staff accepting bribes throughout season 4. After all, if the district needs to save face after reinstating Ava as principal, they will want someone else to scapegoat. O’Shon could become a convenient fall guy since he was present throughout the scam and helped cover it up. When Abbott Elementary’s season 4 short stint with Gregory as the eponymous school’s principal comes to an end, Ava is likely to be reinstated via some new scheme of hers.

Abbott Elementary Actor	Character Name
Quinta Brunson	Janine Teagues
Tyler James Williams	Gregory Eddie
Lisa Ann Walter	Melissa Schemmenti
Sheryl Lee Ralph	Barbara Howard
Janelle James	Principal Ava
William Stanford Davis	Mr. Johnson
Chris Perfetti	Jacob Hill

This could unintentionally result in O’Shon losing his job as the district scrambles to prove its authority. Ava’s safety seems more likely thanks to her success as a motivational speaker, her solid track record as a principal, and the fact that she blackmailed her way out of school district trouble before in season 1. O’Shon doesn’t have any of these qualities going for him, meaning he might be a lot less lucky if the district, after reinstating Ava, decides to blame the entire embarrassing situation on him.

O’Shon Being Fired Could Result In Animosity Between Him & Ava

The Couple Finally Had A Successful Date After Months of Fruitless Flirting

Janelle James' Ava DJs over the intercom in her office from Abbott Elementary

While Gregory’s second job in Abbott Elementary season 4 proves the show isn’t afraid of touching on dark realities, this doesn’t mean that O’Shon losing his job would be a good twist. O’Shon went out of his way to help an under-resourced school circumvent the rules by taking money from incredibly wealthy, corrupt developers, and he shouldn’t lose his livelihood as a result of this. Not only that, but O’Shon losing his job would ruin Abbott Elementary season 4’s most promising new romance, since he would be unlikely to remain happy with Ava.

Abbott Elementary season 4’s karaoke episode finally allowed the pair to grow past playground teasing when O’Shon threatened to cut their date short because Ava wouldn’t stop playing

Like Janine and Gregory before them, O’Shon and Ava have shared a slow-burn romance throughout season 4. However, unlike that earlier pairing, the duo have a hilarious rapport based on Ava sardonically dismissing him and O’Shon doggedly pursuing her regardless. Abbott Elementary season 4’s karaoke episode finally allowed the pair to grow past this playground teasing when O’Shon threatened to cut their date short because Ava wouldn’t stop playing. Ava finally opened up, and the couple shared their first genuinely sweet moment after months of flirting.

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Why Abbott Elementary Is Better Off Using This Time To Continue Developing O’Shon & Ava’s Romance

O’Shon Losing His Job Would Be Ava and O’Shon’s Saddest Ending

Breaking up O’Shon and Ava is the obvious conclusion of Abbott Elementary season 4’s story, since it means the district could quietly give Ava her role back without losing face. However, the sitcom should not take this route. O’Shon and Ava have a lot of untapped shared potential as this new love interest has humanized Janelle James’s character more than ever before. Abbott Elementary season 4’s Ava story picked up when her absent father was introduced, but the date when she opened up to O’Shon was her most poignant moment yet.

Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 16’s Shock Return Moves Melissa’s Forgotten Romance Forward

Abbott Elementary season 4 episode 16 brings back two supporting stars, using one unlikely character to change Melissa’s relationship with the other.

As such, it would be a shame if Abbott Elementary dropped O’Shon just to get Ava back in the principal’s office. The sitcom should instead find a way to keep the pair together and build on their appealing rapport rather than cutting out this promising character for the sake of convenience. Considering the schemes Ava has pulled off before, it doesn’t seem too unreasonable to imagine her returning as the school’s principal while O’Shon manages to maintain his job as Abbott Elementary season 4 reaches its conclusion.

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