Cory Monteith's 10 Best Glee Moments

It seems like just yesterday that a relatively unknown Canadian actor named Cory Monteith became a household name with his breakout performance as Glee's hopeful, goofy, sometimes insecure, oftentimes romantic, but always loveable football jock Finn Hudson.

Sadly, the young star's life was cut short when he was found dead at age 31 in a Vancouver hotel room Saturday afternoon, robbing fans of the chance to see how he'd grow and develop his craft both in Glee's upcoming fifth season and beyond.

Nevertheless, Monteith leaves behind dozens of wonderful musical performances and unforgettable scenes (both funny and dramatic) from his time on Fox's musical comedy. Below are a few of our favorites...

New Directions (with Finn front and center) performs "Don't Stop Believin'" – an iconic cover of Journey's 1981 hit that propelled Glee into a pop culture phenomenon.

A jealous Finn, discovering that Rachel still has feelings for Vocal Adrenaline star Jesse St. James, delivers an aggressive rendition of "Jessie's Girl" in front of his show-choir comrades.

In a moment that perfectly encapsulates how Glee uses music to bring to life the drama and optimism of teen romance, Finn and Rachel perform a powerful duet of Journey's "Faithfully" while wading into the audience at Regionals.

Monteith's angry, stripped down cover of REM's "Losing My Religion" brought to life Finn's struggle with his faith — and helped turn an episode about finding Jesus' visage in a toasted cheese sandwich into one of Season 2's most powerful installments.

After failing to support soon-to-be stepbrother against school bullies, Finn comes full circle by dedicating a performance of Bruno Mars' "Just the Way You Are" to Kurt at their parents' wedding receptio.

Monteith vividly channels the disappointment and despair Finn feels as he shares with Rachel that he failed to impress a visiting football scout — but his moment of intense self-doubt gives way to a new and more hopeful outlook as he and Rachel consummate their relationship — interspersed with scenes of Kurt and Blaine's first time — to the strains of Rachel and Blaine's West Side Story duet, "One Hand, One Heart."

Finn sings a slowed-down version of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" as a way of showing support for Santana coming out as a lesbian — and to try to make up for inadvertently outing her. The entire storyline ruffled some fans' feathers, but Monteith's tender vocal performance transcended the controversy and gave him a touching on-screen moment with costar Naya Rivera.

Finn takes a detour while driving Rachel to their wedding, puts her on a train to New York City and reveals he's enlisting in the military. The incredible emotion delivered by Monteith and Lea Michele makes the scene perhaps the biggest tear-jerker in Glee's four-season history.

Monteith shows Finn's growth into adulthood as the acting New Directions adviser gathers the kids in a snowy McKinley courtyard and leads them in a stirring, dream-like version of Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over."

An estranged Finn and Rachel reunite — musically, physically and romantically — at Mr. Schue's broken wedding reception for a smoldering version of Bob Seger's "We've Got Tonight."