Supernatural: Sex and Violence
These Are My Hands; This Is My Skin
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season 4, Episode 14
“Sex and Violence”
This episode was more about the brothers than any I’ve seen in a long while. Moreover, it was about both brothers at the same time, rather than it being about one brother and the other one is off getting his teeth cleaned or something. (And they both have nice teeth, which tells you something right there.) I have a fondness for brotherly interaction, as you know, so this ep, with the Cain and Abel overtones, the spying and the lying, a whole mess of discord, not to mention a gig that takes such an interesting twist towards the end there, really worked on many, many levels. Why, I’d say it made me fall in love with Show all over again. And falling in love is such a nice feeling. All those oxytocins, does a body good and stuff.
The basic premise is that something odd, perhaps supernatural, is happening to men in a town in Iowa, where they kill their wives (there is much bludgeoning and blood-spattering of female characters, anti-misogynists arise, arise!), confess to the deed, and mention a strange woman who promised to love them forever. Sam and Dean, disguised as FBI agents (which seems to be their incognito du ep, and while I don’t mind the suits, I miss the scrabby jeans), enter the scene to investigate, call Bobby for information, find out that it’s a Siren, Sam sleeps with the hot doctor, both brothers completely miss the opportunity to set a trap (with one of the brothers as bait), and, in the end, Bobby saves both their hides. You know. The usual stuff.
And while you could have very well watched something else on Thursday night, you would have Missed Out. Good grief, I think some people who work on Show might have actually sat down and talked about the script for this one. Thought it over. Maybe even worked from a storyboard or an outline, of all things. Even perhaps (GASP!) consulted some kind of continuity guideline that the underutilized Continuity Guy worked so hard on. (“Both boys’ eyes are green. Make sure they stay that way.” “Dean does not like shorts; never write him wearing any.” “Sam’s hair is his trademark; never cut it.” “We’ve set a precedent for Dean liking junk food; Ackles will just have to deal.” “Sam likes technology; give him a new cell phone every other ep. Note: Do not give in to Padalecki’s complaints that he likes the one he used in Season 1, Episode 14, it’s already outdated.”) There was so much depth here, demonstrated by a thorough knowledge of how the boys are with each other, that I was certain that someone, several someones perhaps, had for some reason, stepped up their game. Or maybe it’s just that the Continuity Guy spoke up loudly enough and insistently enough to be heard.
This is instantly apparent in the scene in the motel room, which shows a closeup of Dean’s sleeping face (which fangirls like and which should be done, seriously, more often), has Dean sleeping on his back (which he does), and on the bed nearest the door (which he also does). Sam is up early (which he does) and in the bathroom on his latest and greatest cell phone (which he also does). The motel room is tawdry and messy (which it should be), and the scene is set. Not for the usual “hey, bro, where’s my coffee?” but instead the delightful evidence that all is not well. Dean awakens and tries to spy on who Sam is talking to; and Sam, in his turn, dissembles about what he was really doing. I particularly enjoyed the repartee: Dean: “Where were you?” Sam: “In the can.” Dean: “Yeah?” Sam, looking at Dean askance: “Yeah. You want me to draw you a map?” This conversation is about so much more than it is on the surface, it demonstrates what the brothers are not sharing, and how the brothers are Not Getting Along. (Also of note was the image of Sam that Dean saw, through a reflection of Sam, rather than him seeing the actual Sam. There’s mirror metaphors abounding here.)
Along comes the plot with people dying who I couldn’t care less about (I’m a heartless fan that way), and I began to notice a trend in the way this ep was filmed. Maybe it’s just me, but I noticed, both in the motel scene and the interrogation scene, as well as many others, that there were an awful lot of closeups of hands and skin. Tight, intimate shots that showed skin texture and tone, eyelashes, lip curves, delicate skin beneath eyes, the coarseness and dark dapples of beardgrowth, and even down to the pore, where skin takes on its own personality, both the beautiful, sweet silkiness as well as the rough irregularities, blemishes and whatnot.
And then there were hands, holding phones or glasses of whiskey, normal hands with ragged cuticles, normal, real people, day-to-day hands. So much of a person can be seen in their hands and their skin; such closeups seemed to offer a glimpse into an area of privacy, and, with regards to the title of this ep, offered another definition, because sex and violence, although aggressive, can also be very intimate. (Does Show do this on purpose? Or are these just happy accidents? I just never know for sure.)
The boys head down to the hospital to check things out and do some research. There we are introduced to the first of two Original Characters, the hot doctor chick. The hot doctor chick takes an instant liking to Sam, and who could blame her? She’s giving him the eye and mentally unbuttoning her blouse, and when Dean walks in, she gives him as much attention as she would an old block of cheese. As the boys walk out of her office, Dean accuses Sam of c-blocking him, which I have a problem with in two ways. First, that Sam didn’t (and doesn’t) set out to be more attractive than his brother, but to some women, he just is. And second, why couldn’t Show have Dean just say it, instead of being coy? I mean, the boys can say bitch and damn and hell but not cock? Just say it! “You cock-blocked me!” There. I said it. Sheesh.
After dithering a bit in the street, the boys determine that they need to go to the strip club, which makes Dean happier than I’ve seen him in a long time. Instead of skulking there on his own, he’s got a reason to be there, with scantily-clad women gyrating and acres of skin. Although, since Dean’s there on official business, I don’t know if it’s as much fun for him as it normally would be; I’m thinking that he rather enjoys the illicit nature of sneaking around behind Sam’s back to go to these sorts of places. It sort of spoils the fun when you have permission. (At the beginning of this scene, there is a beautiful shot of the Impala, black and sexy, and I couldn’t help but notice that as Dean walks around to the driver’s side door, he strokes the curve of metal with a loving hand. Somehow, the whole of this little throwaway bit comes across as car porn; but then I’m a big fan of that car.)
Another woman bites it via brutal beating with a fire poker (arise, arise!), and then we get an image of Dean alone in the motel room. For a second, I wonder where Sam is, but Dean is sitting so still, and is so angry that you can hear his hard breathing, I figure it’s a good idea that Sam’s not there, just right then. Dean swipes Sam’s phone and pokes around to find out who his brother last talked to. (Lots of closeups of Dean’s hands here; Ackles has very nice, real, workingman’s hands, in keeping with how Dean’s would be.) He finds out that it was that Skank Ruby (duh) and his fury increases. And lo, Sam walks in and the brothers have a Conversation.
What’s interesting here is the way that they talk without talking. They’re talking about the case, but Dean’s trying to call Sam on his illicit phone calls, and Sam’s simply not picking up the bait. I love how this illustrates so many things about them, how living in each other’s pockets can sometimes create a need for emotional distance, which the brothers have solved by building walls, and still more walls. These walls cannot be scaled by mere words. Words, in fact, reinforce the wall rather than tear it down. This is some wonderful dialog here, which allows the brothers to continue dancing around the real problem, more sophisticated by its restraint.
Enter Bobby. The boys are stymied by the case and call their research assistant. I’ll admit I’m not a big Bobby fan. I kind of was for a while, and then, as the character became more integrated into the story line and began taking time away from the boys, I became less so. I became even more less so when, for some reason, especially during the last season, this perfectly good character became a caricature of himself. It was as if the writers of Show determined that there were some catchy little phrases that Bobby would say, and Show began to seemingly depend on these to demonstrate the attributes of Bobby’s character. So, for example, Bobby would say, “ya ijits” about a billionty times during an ep to demonstrate his rough affection for the boys, and while it might have been cute or effective the first time, after the third time, it became insipid. Plus, there was the whole problem with Bobby doing all the research all the time, instead of developing the characters of Sam and Dean by having them struggle through figuring out how to save people and hunt things on their own.
It got to be very boring, watching Bobby become Superman, so when I saw the actor’s name in the credits, I rather moaned to myself; and I asked myself, why isn’t he dead yet? This has naught to do with the actor, let me be clear about that. It seems to me that Mr. Beaver understands the psychology of who Bobby is supposed to be, what he represents in the boys’ lives. I just think he’s been given some pretty lame lines of late, especially this season, so I was quite pleased to find him acting more like Bobby this time around. Bobby has a couple of scenes, and in all of them, he’s gruff, no-nonsense, suffers no fools gladly, has other stuff to do, is really rather busy to be babysitting a couple of “ijits,” in short, he’s 100% Bobby.
The boys head back to the hospital, where Dean is once again treated like a block of old cheese (which must be totally new for our boy), and we are introduced to the second Original Character. This is the dweeby Nick, an FBI agent, who starts by whining about how they’re in his territory, being completely unassuming, and green behind the ears. Sam flips him a card to call their superior, which turns out to be Bobby, in his kitchen, with a bank of phones, each one hooked up to a certain number, the FBI, Federal Marshals, and so on.
I thought that was rather a clever way of dealing with a plot hole that I wondered about for some time, and that is, what happens when someone wants to confirm Sam and Dean’s IDs? Why, they call Bobby, of course, with the number that Sam gives them. Which still doesn’t answer the problem for what happens when someone calls the FBI with the phone number from the Internet that they themselves looked up. Still, Bobby with a bank of phone lines in his kitchen just cracks me up. I even bought him being in the apron that said “Kiss the cook,” because while normally I would have found this a misguided attempt to insert humor into the ep, it did not. Instead, we have Bobby, frying something up, sucking back a beer, and when the phone rings, he’s damn busy, thank you very much. You can almost see him rolling his eyes and saying, “Oh for the LOVE of PETE!”
My first time watching this scene between the boys and the FBI agent, I noticed the closeups and reaction shots exchanged between Dean and dweeby Nick, and I’ll admit I didn’t think anything of it. But then there was the bit where Sam puts his (large, manly) hand on Dean’s shoulder, and then points at dweeby Nick, as if warning him away, which I did notice and did think of, but couldn’t figure out what it meant. And then, when the interaction between the boys and dweeby Nick is over, Sam, with his hand to the back of Dean’s neck, escorts his brother away. While the boys were dithering (always nice), I sat there wondering why Show had done this. Of course, by the end of the ep, I had figured out why (or at least why I think why), that Show was introducing the idea of if not ownership, but territory. People never react so strongly as when they do when someone threatens to take away something they thought they no longer wanted. Since Sam and Dean have been at odds for a while, this scene was a very clever way to set it up for the competition that would follow. But later. And wait for it, I promise you it’s good.
In spite of Sam’s physical signals, the hot doctor chick hooks up with Sam, and Dean goes off with dweeby Nick. And while a split like that would normally leave me feeling ratty and out of sorts, it was fun following where this division led. About Sam and the hot doctor, this scene set it up so nicely, reinforcing the idea that she was the Siren that the boys are after. It’s not just the fact that she wants Sam instead of Dean (though this was a new twist), but the intensity with which she pursues him, so of course the bad guy must be her.
During this scene, Sam, with his shirt sleeves rolled up, is already halfway to being seduced; when she brings out the whiskey (there are closeups of hands tipping toasts), I realized that we were about two seconds away from some Very Hot Hotness. Never mind the fact that doctors normally don’t drink while on duty, I enjoyed watching Sam being seduced. Like this. By a real, live, living, breathing, sassy, smart, dark-haired brunette, who, surprisingly, isn’t destroyed by the Cock of Doom at the end of the third reel. The hot doctor chick whispers into Sam’s ear that there are parts of him she’s been thinking about all day, and who can blame her. She tells him it’s his mouth; yeah, she’s got very good taste. Sam’s bedroom eyes are smoky and come-hither, even in the brightly lit office. Off come shirts, and Sam’s back (and Padalecki’s) is so very fine, so hard and muscely, like it’s carved out of marble, I just wanted to freeze the frame for a while and admire. Not to mention the dark locks of Samhair curling behind his ears and down his neck. Those are the parts I would have been thinking about. (Of note, Sam likes the rough stuff; I’m surprised nothing was broken during their amorous tussle.)
And then there’s dweeby Nick and Dean, who have not only matching ties (Sam and Dean’s ties do not match), but who also share a love for the Impala and classic rock and roll. My opinion of dweeby Nick rose a few notches; Dean needs a friend, and this guy seemed to be the right guy. They go to the strip club together, toss back a few shots, oogle the objectified women, and play the Rock and Roll Quiz Game, which, as you know, is the best masculine intimacy builder there is. There is much laughing and male bonding, a little bit of work on the gig when dweeby Nick shows Dean the hyacinths that point to the hot doctor chick being the siren, and the pleasure of seeing those uber-sexy eye crinkles of Dean’s (and Ackles) when he laughs like he’s really enjoying himself. What a great scene this was, because it laid down the most perfect red herring ever. I didn’t see it coming, some people say they did, but I didn’t.
Then the ep gets dark, and it’s not just that the Lighting Guys dimmed the lights, no. Sam arrives at the motel some time after his interlude with the hot doctor chick, and calls Dean on his cell. Only to get slammed because Dean feels that the situation is out of control, and Sam, sleeping around, isn’t helping the gig. There’s a lovely comment about how Sam usually sleeps with monsters (Dean actually mentioned Madison!), but since when does Dean proscribe the getting of a little shimmy, shimmy while on a hunt? This was an interesting flip, which echoed the earlier one, because not only is Dean not getting the hot chick, he’s peeved because Sammy is. And then he cuts Sam off.
Sam’s fury is unexpected and interesting. Of course, it is another red herring to make us think that the hot doctor chick is the bad guy, again, very subtly done by Show. But also, Sam doesn’t usually have an explosive temper like this, but here, as he throws his latest and greatest phone, he does, pointing to yet another flip, where the boys are becoming more like each other than themselves. And, additionally, Sam comes across as pissed that someone else has the attention of his Dean; love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. (Thank you, Kahlil Gibran!)
Now as to Dean hooking up with dweeby Nick. I was a tad shocked to see Dean slipping into the passenger seat of dweeby Nick’s car, especially in light of their mutual love for the Impala, and really especially in light of Dean’s seeming preference to master any situation on his own terms, from his own home base, namely the Impala. But I went with it because by this point, I realized Show was doing something quite clever, and up to this point, there had been no missteps. The two men dither for a bit about the gig, and share some booze, and a second before Dean gives Nick the flask to drink from, I had a sudden though that this was a very intimate scene, the two of them cozy and out of the rain. That Dean was getting along awfully well with this guy, and that not only was there an association between Nick and flowers (he was the one who brought them to Dean as evidence), the hot doctor chick was suddenly seeming a very obvious choice for the bad guy. And then it occurred to me: this is the Siren. I had honest to god hairs standing up on the back of my neck at the implications of this, and that Show had actually, ACTUALLY stepped out on a ledge and made the everything that Dean needed and could not resist a man. I didn’t think Show had the guts, to be frank. But it did.
As the Siren starts talking and explaining to Dean (as the oxytocins the Siren has delivered enter Dean’s bloodstream), how he will be what Dean needs, he will now be Dean’s Sam, my mind went in a very interesting direction indeed. What the Siren said can be taken at face value, that to lure Dean in, the Siren used the trap of all those things Dean has been missing in Sam: the brotherly love, the admiration, the devotion, even the hero-worship. But it was the way he said it, all smooth and seductive, added to the fact that for every single other one of his victims, the Siren used sex as a lure, and well, there was no stopping my brain. I’ve always thought Dean swung both ways, that to him, any love is good love, and he takes what he can get, so I wasn’t shocked by the overtones (and undertones) of a homoerotic nature, and in fact, I liked them. (I firmly believe that between the time this particular scene ends and Sam shows up at the motel that sex happened.)
I loved the ease with which Dean fell under this guy’s spell, because it seemed to say so very much about how much Dean has been missing the brotherly love and devotion that he feels Sam no longer gives him. My favorite moment of this scene (and in fact the whole ep), was that second, that brief eye flicker of Dean’s as he succumbs. This is a guy who is at odds with a lot of what most of us consider to be normal that he probably even fights sleep, like a five year old who insists that he is not tired. And yet, given the opportunity, and even given that the other victims seemed to struggle a little against the Siren’s spell, Dean goes willingly. Which just proves to me how empty and alone he is. It was such good stuff, that I was completely unprepared for what happened next.
I do not think it was a mistake that the motel the boys are staying at is called The Lion’s Pride, because, in the next scene, as Sam marches in to the darkened room, I thought it appropriate that he seemed to be charging a lion in its own den. And, oh, the fight scene that follows. Dean grabs Sam from behind, and the Siren taunts Sam, bespells him (with phallic spitting from under its tongue), and then sets the boys to fight against each other for his everlasting love. That’s what the Siren feeds on, you see, the devotion of its victims, however short lived. As to what True Fans feed off of? It’s scenes like this. And, to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever loved a bad guy this much since Meg the Demon; going after the brothers like this makes the gig personal, and thusly, more fun.
The fight scene (so long waited for) pays off, and has to be seen to be believed. There’s cutting and blood, there’s punching and tossing, there’s slamming against the door, and Dean with an axe in his hand and that look on his face. The one that says, I’m going to kill you now, no time for prayers. Show needs more hotty hot scenes like this one, especially ones where Dean is able to befell Sam, who outranks him in both muscle and height. But before any of this begins, there are words. You remember, those words that build walls? Here the words tear and slash and maim; they are painful words, but that doesn’t make them any less true, and they give meaning and consequence to the violence that follows. Dean tells Sam that the Sam he knew is gone; Sam responds by confirming this, that he is the faster, stronger brother, and that Dean is a whiner. This is the Cain and Abel scene I have long thought was approaching; here we see, that for all the love between these two brothers, there is hate and resentment and old wounds that have never healed. THIS, this scene, this is why I watch Show.
Dean raises the fire axe, and the look on Sam’s face is priceless, young and open and scared, reminiscent of the young Sam of Season, and just then, Bobby arrives to save the day. The logistics of him coming all the way from South Dakota to a motel in Iowa, arriving at JUST the right place, at JUST the right time, make my head spin. Bobby is magic, and that’s all there is to that. I resented Bobby at that moment, but I did like how he went about it. He shows up, stabs Dean with the brass knife, throws it at the Siren (“Like this, you knuckleheads!” he seems to say), tips his hat, and that’s it. Then, in the last scene, he’s providing the beverage service, and Dean says, “Soda” Bobby says, curtly, “You boys are driving, ain’t ya?” That’s totally Bobby, and very much in keeping with how I see this character. And then he leaves the boys alone to wallow in their idiocy. Thanks, Bobby, that’s exactly right.
Second favorite scene? It’s the one at the end. Sam asks, “Are we good?” And Dean says, “Yeah, we’re good,” shrugs, and walks around the front of the Impala. You see his leather-clad back, the set of those shoulders as he tips back his soda, and those beautiful bowed legs, and it’s a brilliant character moment. For regardless what bad mo jo happens between him and Sam, his love for his brother, his travelling companion and the sometimes bane of his existence, is constant. That’s not to say that there won’t be more Hard Words exchanged between them, and indeed, I hope there will be. Just like I hope (and pray) that there will be more eps like this one. Eps that prove that Show understands these complicated characters, eps that show that Show is unafraid, eps that prove once and for all that Show not only sets high standards but also break rules, and can push its normal boundaries hard enough for me to feel like I’d been in the midst of a sonic boom. My ears are still ringing from this one.
Sylvia Bond is a ten-year technical writing veteran with too many degrees under her belt to count. She lives in Colorado, but does not ski, preferring instead to spend her money and time at the annual Great American Beer Festival, taking road trips across the United States, and reading historical fiction from the comfort of her fluffy green arm chair. She has been involved in fandom since 1993 and been writing fanfic since approximately 1993. What she finds most amazing about fandom (besides the open heartedness of fans and the sheer amount of creativity) is how visible fandom has become. “In my day,” she says, “we had to hide behind P.O. boxes to get fanfic. But nowadays, people wear t-shirts that shout their affiliation and share their shiny toys on the internet.” It’s a wonderful world.
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I noticed something about Dr. Roberts I thought was interesting. The way she had a hangover at the beginning and didn't apologize for it. Her whole attitude about both that and sex reminded me very much of a pre-hell Dean. Both brothers are mourning what they lost ; looking and taking aspects of it from where they can.
Hi there my fellow Sylvia!;D
I have so much love for your reviews!I was waiting for this one 'cause the last ep left me speechless,or better…I had so many things to say I couldn't put them together!And I knew you would have opened my mind,I pretty much agree with everything,I can't quote everything but let me tell you that what you said about Dean in that last paragraph is just perfection…"You see his leather-clad back, the set of those shoulders as he tips back his soda, and those beautiful bowed legs, and it’s a brilliant character moment."….you know,I did a picspam for the ep and guess what's the last pic?Those wonderful shoulders that bear the weight of the world!
Thanks for sharing!;D
You are most kind, thank you. That image of him was classic Dean, he's his own man, and he dances to his own beat. Plus those shoulders, it's hard to go wrong there. They do bear the weight of the world, don't they!
I think my favorite thing about the episode – and I did love the episode – was the Disney princess strippers. That was nice.
Those were pretty fun, weren't they? I think I loved it best when Sam qestioned that Jasmine was a stripper….and Dean goes, "Jasmine? She's a stripper." His wink to Sam was adorable!
I adored this episode. It was great but, really frustrating. I hate that the brothers are getting into all the secrecy and lies. And how, when the words before the fight were passed back and forth? Sam's were so much more hurtful than Dean's. Dean's were full of betrayal. Sam's were meant to betray.
Oh, I like that! I did notice it abit what you pointed out but not enough to articulate. Sam, for some reason, really wanted to rip and tear, whereas Dean just wanted Sam to understand his frustration. Although, in the physical battle, the "stronger, faster, better hunter Sam" was bested by Dean…so on one arena, Sam wins with words, in the other arena, Dean wins with strength.
Ok – My fave part of the ep that wasn't mentioned here (and most all of this ep rocked my world) was when Dean had the fire axe and said to Sam "tell me again how I weak I am". This hearkens back to every time (Meg excepted) that the boys come to blows Dean wins. I think you are supposed to remember here how truly bad-ass Dean is – even amidst his changing world view. Also agree that Sam's comments to Dean were WAY more hurtful, but knowing that Dean was speaking true I suspect Sam was too.
Also I am not sure that tI believed the "we good" bit at the end, and i don't think the Boys believe it either — they aren't ALL GOOD. Which means REALLY GOOD stuff to come.
Thanks!
I don't think they're "good" eiher – but it was enough to put Bobby off for a bit, and then, to each other, to allow them the emotional distace to get in that car and keep going. Maybe it's just a truce for the moment, I have no doubt that there will be more battles. And it's hard to watch, too, the boys go at each other like that. Hard and fun at the same time!
You don't believe they ARE OK, do you, Syl? We know how far away from OK these two are. The words they spoke to each other were terrible, and they meant them, Siren notwithstanding. There is going to be a terrible confrontation, worse than this, and it might mean the end of the world if they don't TALK to each other, burrow back to their truths. I'm so scared for them after this ep, fearful for their love, their souls and the world itself. I loved the ep, agree with most of what you said. OMG, the homoeroticism! I was glad Sam got some sexing without guilt. But the brothers are too far apart, don't trust each other, and their love is being tested in ways that might break it. It's making me seriously kvell! Love, Robin
Of course I don't believe they are OK, Rob. The brothers will come to more blows, mark my words. I'm just glad Show took the time to show us the heavy lifting on the page, instead of making us just imagine what's gone wrong between them.
I enjoyed this ep even more the second time I watched it, since I knew it would be good, and that the brothers would be in fine form. I think there will be more lying as well as hurtful truths, but they must traverse the Slough of Despond if they want to reach the other side.
I loved your review and you nailed everything I liked about the episode.
I am so pleased to hear that! It was a pretty rockin' ep, I think – that just makes my job easier.
That's a good point – she was very much like Dean in that, enjoying life as she goes, and, like you said, not making apologies for it. Sam hooking up with her was just HOT.
Awesome review Sylvia!
I had mixed emotions about this one. On one hand I liked it, a lot. What's not to love about an episode that gives us an eyeful of Sam and his glorious back? On the other hand, I felt like it was a really, really lousy place to leave us all hanging for three weeks. I won't go into how irritated I was when I realized there was another hiatus so close on the heels of the last one.
Anyway, this was a wild ride, and although I knew who the Siren was going into things, I liked the way they set it up, where it wasn't immediately obvious, and in fact, I briefly questioned the veracity of the spoilers I had read. Nick was…interesting. A little too smarmy for my tastes. But I did like that what Dean wanted wasn't a stripper, or in fact, a woman at all. It was an interesting, and insightful turn of events.
What has left a bad taste in my mouth about this episode is the confrontation at the end. It might be coincidence, but I found it very odd that Sam was so vicious with his words, yet Dean did nothing wrong. He didn't say a word that could be considered mean or unkind. Why? If the spell made Sam so mean, why did it make Dean so wounded? Sam has been painted in an unflattering light all season, and until they see fit to explain their motives, I can't help but be annoyed by it. I'm tired of it being the Holy Saint Dean show. Even what he did in Hell wasn't truly his fault. He hasn't done anything wrong. Meanwhile his good for nothing brother, Sneaky Lying Bastard Sam can't even take a breath without getting accused of doing it wrong. I do, however, find it interesting that despite the fact that Sam was the one who flung the hurtful words, it was Dean that threw the first punch, so to speak, when he threw the knife at Sam. And it was Dean who was willing to kill his brother to win the Siren.
Sam has always, as you said, fought dirty. Part of that is a younger sibling response, at least in my opinion. You're smaller and weaker (and in a lot of cases, you stay that way, even as you grow up), so words are all you've got to fight with. Even in Asylum, he used a sharp tongue to hurt Dean (obviously he used violence too, but he did a lot of talking). But Dean is most often the first to make it physical. In Metamorphosis, and Bloodlust before it, he lashed out at Sam physically, and in both cases, he was in his right mind, not under any kind of influence or control except his own anger. Now in this case, we can't blame Dean for violence, nor for Sam's nearly dying; that was the Siren's doing. (By the same token, we cannot, or should not, blame Sam for his words.) But really, both of them fought true to form, Sam with his words, and Dean with his fists. No one seems to be holding the violence against Dean though, and they seem all to ready to vilify Sam for the words. It can't be both ways.
Overall, I thought it was one of Show's best outings this season, and I am looking forward to seeing where we find our boys when the evil hiatus ends. And to your reviews of our boys future outings.
Edited because I forgot to add: I loved, loved, LOVED the look on Sam's face when he was lying on the door, looking up at Dean. As you said, it's open and scared and so terribly young. It just broke my heart. And also because this episode's official title has gotten that Sex and Candy song by Marcy Playground stuck in my head and I can't. Get. It. Out. I had to share my pain.
Dear Whiskey,
Thank you for sharing your pain! I’ve had songs stuck in my head too, currently it’s “Rest for the Weary” by Marc Cohn. And thanks for the praise, too.
It’s interesting what you say about the confrontation at the end. Yes, true, Sam is vicious with Dean, overly so, but then words have always been his weapon of choice. For all that guy looks like he could squeeze the life out of any man with his bare hands (and did, that one time with Gordon), he tends to be very restrained about using physical violence to get his point across. For example, how many times over the years has Dean punched Sam because he wanted to and because he could, and because he couldn’t figure out a way to get his point across any better? I think this particular ep was the first time we’ve ever seen him Punch Back. Not to excuse his words, they were incredibly hard and nasty, but words have always been his way to fight, and he uses them well. I wasn’t surprised, really, that he would, but instead a little astonished at the Fury I felt from what he had to say.
In contrast to Dean, who punches first and maybe apologizes later – but the biggest contrast I saw was that while Sam was attacking, Dean was trying to explain why he was so frustrated. Which is an incredible switch. Sam comes out “swinging” and Dean tries talking – the brothers become each other this way. As they seem to be doing of late.
Sam’s face at the end there? So young, so young – there’s vulnerability left inside that handsome frame, I’m sure of it – but it takes something dire for it to come out like that.
Here’s to lasting through the hiatus without having Show on tap every Thursday; here’s to hoping the wait will live up to our expectations!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I disagree that Sam can't be held responsible for his words. The siren told them to fight to fight to the death. Neither of them can be held responsible for their physical actions. But he did not tell them what to say or how to say it. He told them to get things off their chests but he didn't tell them what the subject matter or the tone should be. What they said was true. What Dean said was true. What Sam said was true.
Also Sam threw about twice as many punches as Dean did. So one really can't say Sam didn't fight with his fists just as much. Dean just fought smarter and tougher. Dean's always been more of a long haul guy and I do actually think he's a slightly better strategist(see No Rest for the Wicked – he totally got both Sam and Ruby).
With regards to Sam's temper, I think Sam's always had a hot temper once he decides to get mad, he goes for a scorched policy. What Sam said here was really just a continuance of the stuff he said in Season 1 just with extra venom. I think it's also important to note what Sam mocked Dean for – he didn't mock him for breaking under torture, he mocked Dean for having conscience enough to feel bad about it(all 2 times Dean talked about), to me that says something pretty scary about where Sam is mentally. If this was real life it would 20 years before Dean might, possibly, trust Sam with something intimate about his feelings again. Sam asked him to open up, told him he'd support him and on some level THIS is what he feels about him for doing so.
Great review. I definitely enjoyed this episode too. This episode also showed how both brothers are dealing with the darkness inside. Sam's darkness was done to him (his demon blood), but is fundamental to his being and can't be excised. Dean's darkness is a result of actions he's chosen to take (his torturing souls in hell), but actions he can't rescind. Dean believes — and the series has set up the audience to believe — that Sam cannot take care of himself and that at some point he will be unable to resist the Dark Side. I'm not so sure that's where the writers will take the story because Sam can't rid himself of his demon dark side and he can't continue to ignore it either. The latter option will turn it into a type of Jungian Shadow Self that will indeed turn evil. He has to integrate the darkness and channel it. From this perspective, I think it's far more likely that Dean will turn into some kind of Darth Dean rather than a Darth Sam.
I also liked how the writers twisted the usually female Siren as well as the misogynistic bent of the men killing women with the Dr. Cara Roberts character. She was a well-educated woman, a brunette, and was sexually aggressive without being the Big Bad Evil. Also, did anyone else notice that all the female incarnations of the Siren were all named after Disney princesses; Jasmine, Belle and Aurora.
Hi Sylvia
I know I sound like a broken record but this episode was awesome.
Painful but awesome. I was on the edge of my seat, when Jared and Jensen brought it home in that confrontation scene. My oh my! That one hit way too close.
Our favorite brothers are drifting further apart.
I need to watch this one again!
We had a twist I never saw coming.
We got to see Sam making out with yet another beautiful woman. Man they had chemistry. HOT!
We had a lot of dither and dirty laundry aired and punching and blood and pain.
A whole lot of testosterone in one room!
Sam and Dean are killing me..slowly..but they are killing me.
The words they said to each other were more hurtful than the pain inflicted with fists and knives.
I almost couldn't bear to watch it.
I keep hearing it is only going to get worse……No spoilers for me…but I have heard it is going to be horrible.
I don't think I can take it.
Joan
Dear Lisa,
I’ve always thought that in order for Sam to handle what’s going on, that he has to embrace his dark side so that he can guide it, or, like you say, channel it. Power is neither good nor bad, it is just power. What makes it good or bad is how it’s used. If anyone stands a chance of being able to make a good judgment in that regard, it is Sam, who went off to study law.
I’m not saying all lawyers are good (or bad either) but there’s a kind of training you get, an exposure, in college, as to how to think about an idea, how to approach a solution. You also learn rhetoric and logic – all of these things will possibly help Sam when he gets to that point. Not to say, however, that while the fires of the dark side are burning in his veins he won’t make a huge mistake or two (and that would be rather interesting to see), but I think he stands a good chance of making it through. Whereas, the other psychic kids like Jake and Ava, who didn’t have Sam’s background in hunting and college education in law, might not make it. And, in fact, they didn’t. But then…of course, they didn’t have Dean to bring them back from beyond the veil of death.
So maybe Dean’s presence is all the answer Sam will need?
Yeah, the Disney princesses…a nice juxtaposition to the cruelty of the Siren.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Dear Joan,
I certainly hope you can make it to March 5th! I’ve heard so many people so unhappy with the hiatus – I’m not sure why it’s done (though I have my suspicions), but all you can do is hang in there. Go rewatch your favorite eps. Find some fabulous fan fiction and read that. Long walks. Hot baths. And I’ve always found cleaning my sock drawer to be very therapeutic.
But that’s not really going to help, is it.
I think our favorite brothers are drifting apart, which will only make their reunion that much sweeter. I’ve heard some rumors, in spite of my efforts to remain spoiler free – they have a hard road ahead of them, the poor babies. At least they’ll look good while they’re fighting, eh?
I loved the fact that Sam got to have intimate relations with a woman without it killing her in the end, plus it was hotty hot to watch him without his shirt. Shallow, I know. : D
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Hi!
Yes, you are right…this hiatus is going to kill me but I do like your suggestions.
I hate when these two go at it but at the same time…I can't get enough of it.
I wanted to write a book about this particular episode. Seriously!! Not surprised I am sure.
But, I honestly had a difficult time finding the words to actually express the way I truly felt.
I didn't think I could do justice to it, so I decided to leave well enough alone.
You know..I guess Sam and Dean wouldn't get too me as much as they do unless I loved them as much as I did. They are our family, you know. We feel like we know them, inside and out, but yet they still find ways to surprise us. Which is pretty cool after four years!
One final comment: I swear these two are getting more gorgeous with passing of time.
How on earth is that possible?
Take care
Joan
Sylvia,
February Sweeps were delayed a month due to the anticipated conversion to digital on the 17th of February. Even though the conversion got delayed, sweeps are still taking place in March. With only 8 episodes left they need all the new ones for the two sweeps months (March and May). Normally we get a longer hiatus after February sweeps and then go into the May sweeps. This time we are getting two shorter ones.
After Episode 18 I believe, we get another short hiatus leading into the May Sweeps. It's enough to drive this fangirl crazy.
Robijean
Sweep, schmep, I think it's Personal!!! (Thanks for the info, I didn't know the sweeps had gotten delayed. Blast the digital conversion anyhow!)
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Hi!
I forgot to say how much I enjoyed your review. So completely awesome!
I believe they finally heard all of the fan girl screaming and listened.
Thanks!
I would like to ask that everyone who wonders how Sam was feeling read this excellent story:
http://www.fanficti on.net/s/ 4843973/1/
Please!!
Perhaps I didn't phrase my point correctly. Long story short, my point was that as both brothers were under the influence of the same venom, and in the same situation, you either have to condemn the actions and words of both brothers or excuse them both. You cannot excuse Dean's words and punches, if you choose to blame Sam for his, and vice versa. What sampling of fandom I have seen after this episode has chosen to do just that though, condemn Sam and excuse Dean.
I don't think I ever said that Sam didn't fight back, only that Dean took it to a physical level first, and that Dean was the one who was willing to finish it, willing to strike the killing blow. Maybe Sam would have been willing to do the same if the fight had gone differently, we don't know.
(and now I'm getting the word limit pop up again, so I'm going to have to finish this in a second post)
As far as their words go, someone else, somewhere else, who is much more observent than I pointed this out. In Metamorphosis, Dean told Sam "if I didn't know you, I would want to hunt you". Under the influence of the Siren, Dean said "It's like I don't even know you." (Please forgive me, I'm quoting from memory here, and I'm sure that's not exactly right.) So to Sam, hearing those words from his brother, would have hit him pretty hard. I'm not saying what Sam said wasn't mean, just that what seemed like innocuous stuff from Dean at first glance, could have had far greater impact on Sam than we realized.
(and a third one…sorry!)
What you pointed out about Sam's mocking is true, and interesting to me. Personally, and I speak only for myself, I would have been more disturbed by what he said, had he mocked Dean for breaking under torture, and in fact I think had he truly wanted to be vicious, that's exactly what he would have done. That is what Dean blames himself for, what he is hurting over and it would have to be a giant weak spot for him at the moment. Sam's mocking over the fact that Dean confessed, but not what he confessed to, seems to me to have been a mercy, and in my opinion, would indicate a possibly better frame of mind for Sam than was previously indicated. But that is only my opinion.
Actually what he seemed to be mocking to me wasn't Dean breaking under torture but Dean's CONCERN about having tortured other souls. And that scares me for Sam if he has reached a place where he thinks that shouldn't disturb and upset Dean. Sam seems to have lost his ability to feel compassion. We saw that to some extent in Family Remains with his lack of empathy for the feral children. I think Sam is farther down that slippery slope than we believed from what they showed us prior to FR and this episode.
If that is the way it was meant then yes, that is truly worrying. I personally saw it as Sam mocking Dean's "whining" (his words, not mine) about it, which seemed to be in response to Dean telling him about it. If someone has done something that bothers them and they tell you about it to a point where you feel they are whining about it, if you complained, would you be complaining about what they did? Or their feelings about what they did? Or the fact that they keep telling you how bad they feel? Personally, if I found myself in the situation, my complaint would be that they had voiced their problems to an excessive point, not the original problem, or their concern over it. Obviously, YMMV. As the author of the excellent fic recommended at the bottom of this thread points out, Sam's remarks about Dean's "whining" could have been born out of Sam's own guilt over how Dean wound up in Hell in the first place, something that Dean has shown absolutely no concern over. Then again, his plate is a bit full at the moment.
If that is the way it was meant then yes, that is truly worrying. I personally saw it as Sam mocking Dean's "whining" (his words, not mine) about it, which seemed to be in response to Dean telling him about it. If someone has done something that bothers them and they tell you about it to a point where you feel they are whining about it, if you complained, would you be complaining about what they did? Or their feelings about what they did? Or the fact that they keep telling you how bad they feel? Personally, if I found myself in the situation, my complaint would be that they had voiced their problems to an excessive point (which is not to say that I feel Dean has done this), not the original problem, or their concern over it. Obviously, YMMV. As the author (who is NOT me) of the excellent fic recommended at the bottom of this thread points out, Sam's remarks about Dean's "whining" could have been born out of Sam's own guilt over how Dean wound up in Hell in the first place, something that Dean has shown absolutely no concern over. Then again, his plate is a bit full at the moment.
I took it that way because of the very obvious eye roll Jared did prior to Dean's confession at the end of Family Remains. I saw little compassion for his brother there. And I think the events at the beginning of that episode showed Dean had only said the one short two minute talk with Sam and was back to repressing things. The eye roll seemed extreme and was IMO another sign that Sam's compassion and empathy is disappearing.
At one time early in the season he seemed concerned about what Dean might remember. Later he made the nasty comment about don't spare the details. I do know he stopped asking and I felt then he was giving Dean space and waiting for him.
Now, however, I'm afraid he just wasn't interested anymore. I don't know what show is trying to tell us but the message I'm getting is that as Sam's powers improve his humanity is slowly disappearing.
So the conscious decision to have the eye roll in FR and the wording of Sam's speech in this episode makes me fear for Sam. I do feel the show is trying to tell us he is very close to going dark.
I agree with you that both brothers were perfectly willing to hurt the other with words and were also willing to kill. Sam was throwing punches pretty fast and furious, he wasn't holding back. So yes he would have killed his brother.
Fortunately he didn't win. If Sam had, we'd have a dead Dean since Bobby would have come to late. The fight would have been much shorter.
The differences in their fighting styles shows the advantage is Sam's if the fight is quick. In the fights we've seen him win he takes his opponent down hard and fast. The longer the fight the less likely he is to win against a reasonably matched opponent.
Since he wasn't able to take Dean down quickly, the odds changed in Dean's favor and we see him winning. And Bobby comes before Dean drives the axe into Sam's chest or head.
So neither boy comes out of this anywhere near innocent or squeaky clean. They both did everything they could to hurt the other and they were both willing to kill.
I think this may be a situation where we have to chalk it up to varying mileage. I went back and watched the end of Family Remains, and paid very close attention to Sam's facial expressions and I couldn't find anything that qualified to me as a sarcastic eye roll. He moved his eyes alot, but not in a sarcastic way. His tone of voice, and his expression at the end conveyed worry and concern, to me. At the beginning of that episode, Sam was worried about Dean, about him not sleeping and running on fumes, and he seemed bothered by the way Dean was pretending the confession never happened. I just don't see a total lack of compassion and empathy coming from him in those settings.
I do agree that they want us to think that Sam is close to going dark, and I worry for both brothers. I don't want to see harm (of a permanent nature) come to either of them, and at the moment, that seems to be an inescapable conclusion to events.
I find the way you commented that as Sam's powers increase his humanity is disappearing. If you recall from "Malleus Maleficarum" – that nicely mirrors what Ruby told Dean about how demons are created in Hell.
I haven't followed this thought train all the way through, but Ruby claims that what separates her from all the rest of the demons is that she retains her memory of humanity. Interesting if she is in fact leading Sam down the path that makes him lose his.
Now you have me wondering if this was the YED's game plan. To have the powers strip away your humanity without making you a demon that is weakened by iron, salt, and holy water. A being that was not created in hell, is not a true demon, and cannot be exorcised. This would be the perfect warrior to carry out his endgame. A human with powers and no humanity.
I know there has been a lot of speculation that Ruby could be working to carry out the YED's endgame and that is why she keeps pushing Sam. I mean most of the time we see her saying he needs to make the powers stronger by doing something he doesn't want to do. What if that something in addition to increasing his powers also weakens his humanity.
One day his humanity will be so far gone he may even decide to go evil by throwing the switch like Ava and Jake did. Even if he never makes the conscious decision, I think the end result is going to be the same.
Hopefully, Sam recognizes what's happening in time to step off the path he's following. Perhaps Ruby will go too far and he will finally realize he's being played.
Thank you, that is very kind of you to say.
I do not honestly know how they manage to get more beautiful all the time, but they do. The characters are becoming real men, tried by the world and found adaptable; and I've always figured that when a man hits 30, his shoulders suddenly go KAPOW, which is nice to watch.
Are you reading your daily fan fiction? That should help.
I should start reading! Thanks
I like your thinking there. I can't buy into the debate that Rudy has any altruistic motives. I don't know if she is the YED's endgame or if she is playing an opportunistic game all her own.
I believe that Sam will less and less grudgingly be drawn along the path to dark-side. And I still believe that Dean will be the key to Sam's humanity. I just am rather at a loss as to how it will all go down.
Late t the game but I adore your review. , Just wanted to add something i found hilarious. Cara was really was Dean from before. Hangover but not giving a damn about it, live life like there's no tomorrow, it all screams Dean pre-hell.
Sam's more like a parent to Dean now, he even awakes him with, "Up and at 'em kiddo!" The roles have truly been reversed.
Dean turned into controlling John, ver'y creepy that Sam's taken on his father's blind need for revenge while Dean has adopted his controlling features.
I don't like how show's painting Sam all black while Dean is excused everything because of his stint in Hell though. Not since Dean chose that route himself, for not purely altruistic reasons according to his speech at Sam's death bed. He said he didn't do his job, the one that John had told him to do. That always stayed with me like a big 'huh'? It wasn't love after all that had him resurrect Sam, and this comes very much forth in this ep. Dean's been both verbally and physically abusive toward Sam all season. About time Sam hit back, I admit, I cheered but I also knew Sam would get shit for it.
I don't think I'll be watching it anymore because of the sanctifying of Dean and vilifying of Sam though. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth sice I embarked on this journeey thinking both brothers would turn out to bee heroes.
Hi! Thanks for the review Sylvia! It's always great to read your reviews, especially after an ep as good as this. I had to wait a while to watch the ep (i live in Australia) and the suspense was killing me! but it was totally worth it….i really enjoyed the ep, especially because it was about both brothers at the same time, as you said
I think what Robijean said about the YED's end game being to strip away Sams humanity to create a demon that can't be killed was a really good theory….i guess we'll have to wait an see! I found it sad that the Siren appeared to Dean as a brother figure, rather then a love interest, showing that what Dean really needs and wants is his little brother back to normal. i think ill be a Samgirl till the end, but i really felt for Dean in this situation. Sams words were so harsh, and Dean spoke nothing but the truth. Although it would be kinda cool to see what happened if Sam went darkside (im a bad fan like that!), this ep made me hope for Deans sake that he doesnt.
Thanks again!
You're more than welome. Seriously, writing a review for an ep as good as this one was was a pleasure. I tend to try and look on the positive side, and it's easier to find that when everyone on Show is on the ball!
I like Robijean's theory too – I have a feeling that Sam wil come through okay on the other side of whatever hell Show is going to put him through, but the idea that the YED started a process to strip away his humanity is a good one. I think you'll get your wish for Sam going darkside, Show has been pointing towards it for ever so long. They can hardly dissapoint us now, can they.
That Dean needs his little brother back above all else is sad, and very moving. He could have the whole world, and all he needs is Sam. Sam, who has been moving away for ages now. I just gotta tell you, this whole situation is going to get a lot darker before it gets lighter.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I'm very, very new to Supernatural, but I've loved your fanfiction from S&H and was thrilled to see you were a fan and find your reviews. Having watched the entire series from the beginning over a very short time, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the darkness of Season 4. Your review gave me some hope, however, and I wanted to thank you for that. Here's to light at the end of the tunnel… thanks so much for your reviews. (And I've now read your SPN stories as well and will comment on LJ – wonderful!)
I'm very, very new to Supernatural, but I've loved your fanfiction from S&H and was thrilled to see you were a fan and find your reviews. Having watched the entire series from the beginning over a very short time, I'm a bit overwhelmed by the darkness of Season 4. Your review gave me some hope, however, and I wanted to thank you for that. Here's to light at the end of the tunnel… thanks so much for your reviews. (And I've now read your SPN stories as well and will comment on LJ – wonderful!)
Thanks for your insightful article on "the Show." I'm lucky enough to live in Vancouver where Supernatural is filmed. They filmed at an anarchist bookstore right beside my work; I caught glimpses of Sam (swoon) and the Impala was parked out front (apparently there's four of them). My co-worker and I had quite the geek out that day!