My Hero is the twenty-second episode of the fourth season of Modern Family. It aired on 8 May 2013.
Summary
The entire family is invited to the local roller rink for a fundraiser by Mitchell's ex-boyfriend Teddy. Cameron struggles to deal with Teddy's close relations with the family. Phil teaching Gloria to roller skate leads to disastrous and hilarious results. Haley and Alex exchange advice while spending time with a couple of boys. Jay and Claire are at ends over his offer to work for him and gradually take over the closet business. All the while, Luke and Manny are dealing with their own problems to complete their "My Hero" essay on a family member.
Synopsis
Cam, Mitch, and Lily encounter Teddy, a local doctor and Mitch's old boyfriend who invites them to the local roller rink for a fundraiser. Cam gladly assures their attendance, disregarding Mitchell's question of him being jealous. Meanwhile, Jay and Gloria reveal to Claire that the man propped up to take over the closet business was fired for theft. To appease Claire's desire to get out of the house and help her family by working, Jay offers her a position that will gradually help her take over the company in his absence. The only problem is Claire hated the last time she worked for Jay when she was young due to being talked down to and thinks it will be horrible if she lets him down with this. Phil and Claire subtly attempt to convince Haley to reconsider taking classes by slipping brochures into her room. Luke and Manny are assigned a "My Hero" essay, where they must write about a member in the family.
Unbeknownst to Cam and soon revealed at the roller rink, Teddy's relationship with the family still remains very close even after the break-up. He plays golf with Jay, cared for Claire's kids during flu season, ends up saving Gloria from a rollerskating fall, and quickly wins over Lily's affection. While Cam grows increasingly irritant over Teddy's presence in the family outshining his own, Phil convinces Gloria to let him teach her how to roller skate (to painful and embarrassing results), Manny continues to shorten his list of candidates for the essay, something troubles Luke, and Haley and Alex flirt with some boys. Haley encourages Alex to avoid being overly smart, critical, and negative while Alex comes to appreciate her sister's desire to look out for her and acknowledges her intellect. A furious Cam gets Mitchell to tell the family to "break up with"/end all contact with Teddy, who complies because all he really wanted was Cam to be open with how he felt all along.
As Claire repeatedly avoids Jay to give a decision on the job, a nauseous and nervous Luke reveals to her that he ended up writing his My Hero essay on her for her bravery and determination and is worried that Phil thinks it was written on him. Jay explains to Cam that all he wants for Mitchell is for him to be happy, and he felt he wasn't at his best when Teddy and him were together. A changed and touched Claire decides to accept Jay's proposal for the job after initially turning it down moments before to his disappointment. Manny ends the episode by explaining he wrote his My Hero paper on his entire family, for what they have taught him together.
Script Error: Teddy and Haley reference the roller skating fundraiser as occurring tonight and Saturday night respectively in the episode, but when Phil takes Gloria outside the rink to teach her, it is bright and sunny.