Supernatural: episode reaction, 818 (spoilers!)

[citrus_java]

First of all, character development
Show, many of us watch for the relationships and the character development. The amazing thing about you, for a very long while, was that in every episode we learned something new about the characters. Things happened to bring out different sides of them, or to reveal interesting stories from their past. Or they learned things about each other, or themselves. Or things happened that made them slowly change, or reassert the way they are. Every episode was meaningful because of that.

Show, I love you deeply, but I can't take the extreme fluctuation of quality, storyline, and worst of all – character development arcs. You have amazing actors, beautifully complex characters, and intelligent fans who follow and appreciate that. Please, please, write as if you know this.

Dean's character is in flux these days, and it's hard to tell what Dean you are going to get. He is (probably) changing, but he is written all over the place. One scene he is changing into a happier more accepting person, the next he changed long ago, then he's season 2 Dean, then he's changing again, then he's just out of character.

It's not progression, just jumping back and forth and worrying me. Show, I care about Dean so much. I really want him to become happier, while staying himself. I want it enough to care about it, think about it – perhaps more than the writers do. Please stop messing with this, it's important, it's been building up for seven seasons. Do it well.


Dean, Protector of the Hegemony
Hey, boys, remember when you used to be a renegade, outlaw pair? Living on the edge of society, unable to be part of normal life? Remember times when deciding what's right was so hard, in a crazy wasteland of gray areas, not knowing what side you belong to and what side is more evil, and the only thing you could hold onto was your love for your family? And you had no one and nowhere to go in the world, but you were never homeless as long as you had each other?

Dean is annoyingly, charmingly, the guy outside of society. He resists. He makes sure we all know it, with his baby and leather and hookups (which, by the way...?). Perhaps part of the reason he insists on his own lifestyle, is that he doesn't have much of an option.

But this season, the Winchesters go from case to case, morally judging and making choices for other people. Sure, Dean felt comfortable just killing people, for years. But at least he never expected them to lay out their lives in front of him for judgment. Didn't feel it was his place or his job to decide whether they should be allowed to keep their unconventional lifestyle or not. His decision to allow the hunters to keep hunting, was just like his conversation with Portia in Man's Best Friend with Benefits – like it was his place, as some voice of society, to decree whether it's ok or not. At least with Charlie, he sounded like he mostly wanted to make sure she was happy. He listened *to her*. Here, he was mostly this patronizing keeper of order.

Kids and Hunting
Dean changed his mind very significantly about kids and hunting, since the early seasons. Remember, "When I told Dad I was scared of the thing in my closet, he gave me a 45"? I like that Dean developed. But it's weird that he'd changed that much. Enough to think their life was so bad, that even if Victor is taking good care of the kids, they shouldn't be hunting? Should be with relatives and have a normal life, even if they don't want one? Forget being a kid – they are closer to Sam's age *when Dean pulled him back into hunting* than they are to the ages Sam and Dean were when they were already well trained hunters.
Just a few episodes ago, Dean treated Sam like a traitor for wanting out of hunting, for wanting a "normal life". Defended John to Henry. Yes, then he decided Sam could be the exception, the one hunter who gets to leave. I'd have accepted the back and forth, but and the end of this very episode and we're back to "the only way out of hunting is dying".
Dean protecting a vampire, telling the others not to be so bloodthirsty – could have happened, but Dean needs a strong reason to be righteous. As for scolding others for being bloodthirsty, it could have been more interesting and believable had we gotten a moment in which he himself felt like just going for the kill, or an indication he can remember and have empathy about being a new vampire - something, remember his time as a vampire and care because of that? Please, something that brings out character, please?


My dating life, Aidan and Teen Show Cliches
A while back, I decided to stop dating (pretty much any) straight cisgender guys. Sometimes, watching the awesomeness of Jensen and Jared, I think about changing this decision. And of moving to Texas. Thank you, Show, for including Aidan in this episode, to remind me of some of the things I really don't miss about cis guys.

Another thing I don't miss? Teenage gang cookie-cutter character clichés, arranged by social group status. This episode wasn't as bad as the werewolves in 804, but enough, please. Do the writers remember how much high school sucks, or whatever it was like for them?


Also
Sam and Dean's talk in the beginning of the episode was lovely. Sam's voice was so
tender, even before it was clear what they were going to talk about. I liked the shout out to NoChickFlick!Dean, if only because it's nice to touch base with one of the solid Deans we've known.

I am so tired of discussion of Dean's age.

"You just want to stay and save people and do something you find meaningful because you like that boy, right?"
Do reduce the leader and strategist of the group to her girl parts. $#R%
And no, I am not at all sure she is into him.

But then - "No, he is like my brother"...
*waves back at Show*
Wonder if they try to include a Destiel and a Wincest shout out in every episode.

Comments

[cmsserenity.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes and yes! (Consider this a Meg Ryan moment from when Harry Met Sally.)

Die hard Sam girl that I am, this season has not been kind to Dean's perspective or demonstrated any form of "stable" in his personality. I find that frustrating beyond belief. One Ep we have the incredible, awesome, thoughtful, kind, loving big brother that is a matured man leading straight the next Ep in which he plays stupid? Sorry. That was a few episodes ago but I guess it got stuck between my teeth like a bad piece of spinach on a really important date.

Your opinion on not only this Ep but on the fans that pay attention was very well stated. Thank you for being a voice within this community. And back to SPN...

In addition, while I felt that the trials were originally intended for Dean (and I sincerely believe that), I understand the writer's choice to make them Sam's. There is no way you can hurt Dean more than by hurting those he loves and feels it is his responsibility to take care of. Sam. The kids in the last Ep. Everyone he has ever saved. As an "oldest/older" sibling, I get it. Eff what you do to me. Touch my little brothers or my baby sister and I might well end you without a thought.

I am choosing to trust the writers, my friend. They are telling us the story. We are still fascinated. After all of these years. :)

[citrusjava.livejournal.com]

Consider this a Meg Ryan moment from when Harry Met Sally
Hee :-)
Thanks!
*envisions Misha and Jensen's scene*

Die hard Sam girl that I am
<3
I love Sam girls :)
And Sam :)
I don't meet the Sam girl requirements (when it comes to Sam and Dean, I'm somewhere in the middle of the Kinsey Scale, really don't want to choose :)), but I love him so much.

One Ep we have the incredible, awesome, thoughtful, kind, loving big brother that is a matured man leading straight the next Ep in which he plays stupid?

YES. Thank you. Exactly. So well put.

Thank you for being a voice within this community

Awwwwwww...
*thank you!*
*cuddles*

There is no way you can hurt Dean more than by hurting those he loves and feels it is his responsibility to take care of.

*nodnodnods*
I very much agree. I also think it's more interesting that way. I love Sam's reason for doing it, I love it so hard. And it also feels fresher. We've had a season of Sam and Dean dealing with Dean being in major danger, but neither ever had a long while to worry for Sam's life. I believe both brothers dread losing each other, but it's not the same as dealing with specific, constantly present, danger.

It is the sort of thing that can allow both of them to develop as characters. Sam might start taking up more space, perhaps learn to be less constantly aware and aching for Dean's approval, less willing to live mostly in the spaces Dean leaves (as I see it, most of his life it was either go with John/Dean's perspective or rebel, no option to just disagree or do his thing without fighting for it). Dean might learn to let go of Sam more, to feel less completely, unachievablely responsible for Sammy's happiness, allow himself/learn to be things other than Sam's brother, develop more of an individual identity (his room!). And I do admit I'll miss these beautiful characterizations, but it's worth it to see the characters develop out of them and become more whole, and happier.

As an "oldest/older" sibling, I get it.
:-) :-)
I love hearing fans perspectives on the show from personal experiences as siblings. I identify with a lot of stuff on the show that way too :)

I am choosing to trust the writers, my friend. They are telling us the story. We are still fascinated. After all of these years. :)

:)
I'm here. very here :)