Supernatural: When the Levee Breaks
The Art of Dark Circles and Samhair
by Sylvia Bond
Supernatural Episode Review – Season 4, Episode 21
“When the Levee Breaks”
This ep is full of questions, unanswerable and totally diverting. Why did the Soap Angel let Sam go, especially after he got Dean to sign up for the angels’ big project? And what is that Skank Ruby up to? My friend from Alaska and I have a wager going as to whether or not that Skank Ruby is acting on behalf of Lucifer. Especially in light of the Sunday school story she told, about the First Demon and all, it seems to me that Sam is the one being groomed for this, and so, thusly, my friend in Alaska is totally going to loose this wager.
But most importantly, this ep has to do with the question of what to do with Sam. Most notably, what to do about Sam and his little demon blood drinking habit. At the end of last week’s ep, Dean’s solution was to lock little brother in Bobby’s panic room, an iron-paneled pit of a room, furnished complete with all the mod cons: demon symbols on the floor, the spinning fan overhead, a stained cot, and a metal bucket, which has all kinds of uses. In this room Dean hopes to break Sam of his addiction, and concernedly handsome, he paces above while Sam writhes in torment below.
And oh, what a torment. The scene is beautifully filmed in the throbbing light as it passes through the fan, with touches of red lantern and glowy sun, smudged with shadows that lay inky and dark in the rounded corners of the panic room. The jewel here is Sam himself, all sweaty and miserable, alternately calling for Dean and talking to ghosts of Winchester past, figments of his fevered imagination. And all the while, he’s dressed in a provocative snap-button shirt, with his Samhair lank and messy along his neck, his eyes artfully marked by the dark circles beneath them. True suffering could not be any more beautiful than it is here.
Sam gets to talk to an imagined Alistair, who sets Sam up pronto for a little torture session. I like Alistair just fine; he seems the kind of villain who will stay villany, and who won’t suddenly turn into a defanged and useless kind of villain who would be no use to anybody. Here, he starts slicing into Sam, just to be mean, and just because he can. There is screaming and blood and Alistair, cool as a cucumber.
In this scene, I was struck by two things. One, that Sam breaks awfully fast, pleading and babbling. In the back of his mind he must be aware that Dean lasted 30 years, and that he, Sam, is weak in comparison. And two, that when that Skank Ruby was tortured on just this same device? She was nekked. Now given that this is Sam’s delusion and he wasn’t there when that Skank Ruby was tortured, I could see that he would clothe himself in his own mind. He did have bare feet, though, so it obviously occurred to him that, yeah, clothes would be coming off. And hey, the leather straps were already placed in judicious locations, so why the hell not? Oh, Show, how you continue to deny me.
Then Sam gets to talk to his wee self, who paces and pouts about how Sam let him down in the search for normal, and what the hell happened? Wee Sam is awfully cute, as usual, but the sad part is when Sam in his own defense says, “We were never going to be normal, we were never going to get away.” Which rather points to the fact that maybe all this time Sam has been living in denial, that as hard as he strived for normal, in the back of his mind he knew it was futile. There’s nothing worse than facing your own failings, or feeling defeated before you’ve begun. I love Sam’s talk with Wee Sam the best, because it feels like here he can be the most honest with himself, which is the hardest thing of all.
While upstairs, Bobby and Dean talk about the apocalypse and Bobby postulates that maybe Sam is supposed to stop Lilith. Dean of course protests using Sam as a warhead.
It’s during this talk that I was reminded of the task that The Dad left with Dean. You remember the one, it went something like, “Watch for Sam going darkside, and if you can’t save him, you have to kill him.” Here, Dean might be remembering that, because he makes the decision to kill Sam before he sees him turn into a monster. Although, I sometimes wonder if The Dad interpreted the signs wrong. He’s been wrong before, so what if Sam is supposed to turn darkside and avert the apocalypse? (See? More questions.)
Meanwhile, downstairs, Sam is sweating and suffering, which is just the way I like him. He gets a visit from The Mom. She’s draped in virginal white with the ubiquitous blood stain in front and she’s very momlike in her attention to Sam’s suffering. This time Sam is ready, saying, “Let’s hear it,” and bracing himself for the worst. He thinks she’s disappointed in him and that he’s a pisspoor excuse for a son, and it’s awful to think that this is of course not what she thinks, but what he thinks of himself.
All the while, he’s sweating and hot and flushed as the demon blood works its way out of his system. The Mom says horrible things that are couched in the language of love (that Dean is weak, that Dean is wrong, etc.), and Sam drinks up the kisses and pets that she gives him, the only mother’s touch he’s ever received. It’s a really good scene, but of course, all I wanted to do was give Sam a cool drink of water, wipe the sweat and grime from his beautiful face, and give him a nice hot bath. But, then, I’m easily distracted.
Crucial to the conversation is Sam’s concern that the power that’s in him might be stronger than him, that he won’t be able to master the darkness. It’s been a reoccurring theme all along for Show, the idea that absolute power can corrupt, and that self-doubt marks the path of a hero. Continuously, Dean has been placed in the position of the hero, the altruistic defender of the weak, full of self doubt and fearful about going into the Garden. I still think that’s true, but here, we’re shown (and not for the first time) that Sam as well is going through the transition of becoming a hero, so I’d say both brothers are taking that particular path. And who says a story can only have one hero? Not me.
Next up is the Soap Angel in the junkyard being an angelic dick. Dean is ragged and pissed off and very effective that way, except that the Soap Angel gives him only two choices. One is that Sam, yes, could avert the apocalypse, a job from which he would not return unscathed. Two is that Dean could sign up to save the world, but he’s got to be perfectly obedient, and basically resign access to free will until the angels of the lord would deign to call upon him. Since Sam is to be protected at all times, naturally Dean takes the second option.
I love how Dean thinks the Soap Angel is a dick these days. And I love how pissed off he is when he gives the oath because Dean doesn’t, never has, and never will, bend his knee easily. But naturally, the Soap Angel invokes The Dad, and compares Dean’s obedience to him to Dean’s obedience to God. Which rather paints The Dad in a very powerful light, The Dad who once again has a role but no lines. And again, Show is presenting the solution to the current conundrum as a single choice, either Sam OR Dean. All the characters seem to have tunnel vision, except for Dean, so I feel pretty comfortable postulating that sooner or later, he’s going to figure out that the world needs them BOTH to avert the apocalypse.
Things get worse for Sam in his chamber of iron. There’s nasty marks on his face and screaming and fear; really, it was nice to see Show take it to such a degree, because real suffering makes the story more interesting. (For me, not for Sam.) Upstairs, more drama, where Bobby and Dean dither about Sam. When Sam falls silent, they rush to his aid only to find him being flung about the room like so much scrap paper. Because it’s Thursday, they must tackle him to the ground (and he’s so strong the two of them are barely able to do this), and then, of course, tie him up. Oh, yes, we like it like that. (The bed is, of course, barely long enough to accommodate him.)
Sam’s next hallucination is of Dean, who throws all of Sam’s problems and troubles in his face without an ounce of concern, it seems. This was wonderfully filmed, with snippets of Sam and Dean, and then of Sam talking to himself while his voice echoes off the walls. The thing that kills Sam is that he thinks that Dean thinks he’s a monster, that’s the worst of it for him. To Sam, his brother’s love is the one thing that he cannot bear to loose, and the look on his face that he thinks he might have just kills me. Meanwhile, there’s more dithering upstairs, where Dean insists that Sam should die human, even as Bobby postulates that maybe Sam is the one to save the world. Don’t they get it? The brothers work in tandem. Sheesh.
Then the Soap Angel lets Sam go, and for reasons known only to him. It gives Sam the chance to escape, which he does, fast and quiet on those long legs of his. Once in the junkyard, he is caught out by Bobby, who threatens to shoot him, only he can’t. Sam knows this, and here his power is tamped by regret. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone, you see, but, well, he’s got to. His desperation is reflected in his face, dirty and drawn, with those circles beneath his eyes like permanent ink stains. What is it about Sam’s suffering that is so compelling to see? I like to think it’s because Show finally got to THIS point, where the truth is out, and all the subsequent crap is honing itself nice and sharp and dark and nasty. Go Show!
Sam holes up in a ritzy hotel room somewhere to wait for that Skank Ruby. She’s not long in coming, which is good because Sam looks like he’s about to shake himself to pieces. The fun here is watching Sam’s expression as the demon makes excuses for being unavailable, because finally he seems to realize that he’s been relying on a demon, for Pete’s sake, and the inherent danger in doing that. Also fun is the little conversation about how well Dean knows Sam, “He knows my habits, my aliases, everything,” which further demonstrates how close the brothers are. (More artfully dark circles here, and sweat, and Samhair, all askew around his ears.) There is slicing and demon blood and Sam’s mouth (guh), and no resolution whatsoever. Afterwards, Sam and that Skank Ruby loll in languorous post-coital bliss. Mostly dressed, please note, which is another missed opportunity for nekked nudity, so points off there. (I am nothing if not single minded.)
Sam has made himself impossible to find, but Dean, he knows Sam well enough to undo all the careful and purposefully random changes Sam made in his itinerary. Dean knows that Sam would do what would seem least obvious, so he is easily able to discern the trail marked by a 1999 Honda Civic and a 2005 Escalade with custom rims. It’s almost like child’s play for him to find Sam’s room and naturally, he charges in to off that Skank Ruby. Best part? His expression of stonebound resolution to get rid of her. The only thing stopping him is Sam, who sends the demon off to protect her.
Finally, the brothers are alone, and then at last it comes, the Cain and Abel battle that many fans have long been anticipating. I’m sure this isn’t the only battle that we’ll see, but it certainly was a doozy. In it, each brother assumes that it is he that will make the final sacrifice to save the world. And not just the world, but the other brother. Each thinks they are the stronger, more capable one, as well. This much seems obvious. Dean is willing to battle Lilith, but only if that Skank Ruby isn’t coming; Sam won’t go without her. The brothers are at an impasse.
But underneath that, like an invisible trail, is another issue altogether, one more basic and instinctual. Sam says that it’s always Dean at the wheel, that Sam always does what Dean says to do because he trusts Dean because Dean is his brother. He wants Dean to trust him in return. Watching Sam, he seemed to be operating from the position of having already lost this argument, because you can’t change your role within a family. Dean doesn’t say it, but I could see him thinking it: You’re my little brother, and I am the big brother; this is not your job, it’s mine. This fight seems based on sibling status more than anything else, but it’s so subtle, I don’t think Dean realizes it.
Instead he focuses on Sam’s becoming a monster, and the horrible part here is that he says it out loud. As he waits for this to sink into Sam’s brain, a tear spills from Dean’s eye like a glittering diamond. And then Sam punches him. I think I have been waiting my whole life for that punch. Usually it’s Dean who punches Sam because he can’t put words to his emotions, he uses his fist. Time after time, Sam has stood and taken it, and now? The tables are turned. The battle ensues, and more important than which brother got more blows in is the fact that Dean loses. Even his threat to Sam can’t keep Sam from leaving, a threat that echoes the same threat The Dad made to Sam oh so many years ago: “If you walk out that door, don’t you ever come back.” With a threat like that, what else is Sam supposed to do but leave? So he does.
So there we are, the blood secret is out, the brothers are at odds, Lilith is on the rampage, and we still don’t know what side of the fence that Skank Ruby is on. Overall, I thought it was a good episode, slow and careful and underplayed, with just the right amount of anguish and angst. Besides the fact that I’d shallowly like more nekked nudity, I have two other observations to make.
First, I have decided that Ackles has the most perfect profile I have ever seen. I know he’s beautiful, you know he’s beautiful, hell, he probably even knows he’s beautiful, and why shouldn’t he, with everyone telling him so. But his profile is pure art, and beautifully proportioned as if it had been sculpted by Michelangelo himself. Why haven’t I said something about this before? Well, it’s not because I’ve never noticed before now, it was just that during this ep, amidst the roil of grief and woe, there it was, this beautiful thing.
And second, that this was a Padalecki jewel of an episode. Throughout he’s a chameleon, an orphan of the storm one minute, and the next, he’s a brazen, driven, demon blood addicted Sam that Dean has been watching for all this time. He suffers with screams and with silence, his trust completely broken, and in his eyes, the last dying gleam of hope that Dean will change his mind. I was so glad to see another episode that focused on Sam, that showed us Sam trying to deal with the darkness within, and Padalecki rose to the occasion to pull out all the stops and make Sam tragic and beautiful and haunted, even sympathetic, all at the same time. Padalecki looks handsome and manly even when caked in sweat and grime and, plus he’s constantly haloed by deliciously tousled Samhair (not to mention the tragic dark circles under his eyes), so this is an episode that I’ll have on replay for quite some time.
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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After watching this episode, i had no words. I'm impressed that you managed to write a whole review! and an excellent one at that
thank-you!
I cannot believe that i was starting to like Castiel!! I am so angry at him now. What does he think he's doing? Sam was going to get better! I definately agree with your theory about Sam being groomed for the role of breaking the first seal, or whatever it was that ruby was talking about. I also think something sus is going on with Castiel as well…can demons gain control over an angel? who knows. I apologise in advance for the caps lock, but I HATE RUBY! argh, when she walked into the room and was talking about how she was flattered that sam had the honeymoon suite…i can't stand her anymore!! ok, i do apologise for that little rant. I have it out of my system now…i think…
haha, but i have to say that when sam and ruby were in bed, i was for once actually happy that Sam had his clothes on…and i never thought i'd see that day!
Believe me, I'm amazed myself, because I really wish I had two whole weeks to think about what went on and what it meant. Not to mention some opportunity to watch the ep SEVERAL more times. Watching it this week was like a cut to the bone, only you don't know how deep it's gone. I imagine I'll start to feel it any minute now.
I don't know what the Soap Angel is up to, maybe he doesn't even know. Angels don't operate under free will, they follow orders, end of story. But not demonic ones, I'm thinking.
Sam and the first seal sounds like a good bet, with all that evil floating in his system, what else is a handsome boy like that supposed to do? This is where the story has been leading, I hope it's a strong finish for the season, which it looks like it will be.
Ruby. Bah.
As for Sam? Chook, you are wrong. Sam should be nekked as often as possible, and that's just facts.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Believe me, I'm amazed myself, because I really wish I had two whole weeks to think about what went on and what it meant. Not to mention some opportunity to watch the ep SEVERAL more times. Watching it this week was like a cut to the bone, only you don't know how deep it's gone. I imagine I'll start to feel it any minute now.
I don't know what the Soap Angel is up to, maybe he doesn't even know. Angels don't operate under free will, they follow orders, end of story. But not demonic ones, I'm thinking.
Sam and the first seal sounds like a good bet, with all that evil floating in his system, what else is a handsome boy like that supposed to do? This is where the story has been leading, I hope it's a strong finish for the season, which it looks like it will be.
Ruby. Bah.
As for Sam? Chook, you are wrong. Sam should be nekked as often as possible, and that's just facts.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Castiel IMO was under guard throughout this episode. He did the best he could with Dean. Significantly saying "serve God and HIS angels" (emphasis mine) and not just any angels. He also knows from past experience in ITGPSW that invoking Dean's Dad doesn't mean Dean will do what he's told. We know ourselves that were Sam's wellbeing is concerned, Dean will break with his father. I think that was a big loophole on the following orders thing. Castiel did what he could while being watched. Also he tried to warn Anna the minute she arrived she shouldn't be there. She wanted to do her usual, you messed things up. She seems to drop in and say that to everyone (the boys last week). So intent was she on that she didn't take the hint. And Castiel's watchdog angels snatched her up. They were there too quick to not have been watching Castiel and I think that was the real purpose of that scene.
! I completley agree, i just wanted to give Sam a hug and clean him up, the poor boy. And it was so good seeing Dean defend his little bro. I'm a little shocked that Bobby was so persistant with his thoughts of using Sam's demonic tendancies to kill Lillith.
I know i'm stating the obvious, but Jared and Jensen are the most incredibly talented actors i have ever had the pleasure of viewing on my television. It's so rare to see an actor who has been with a character for so long peform like that. Particularly Jared in this episode. It's so wrong that shows like Supernatural are often overlooked for awards etc, because the the J's acting deserves so much more recognition. I love that you take time to point out Jared and Jensen's acting in your reviews
I too wondered why Bobby was so insistent….perhaps just to play devil's advocate amidst Dean's roil of emotions over the whole thing? The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one, right? Maybe Dean's big sacrifice is in letting Sam be in danger without being able to protect him. Oh. It's too HARD to wait and wonder like this!!
Like you, I'm amazed that the show doesn't get more press – we're certainly vocal to each other about it, but the world at large has never even heard of Show. I just hope the boys get more opportunities to shine.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
I was very vocal during this episode so im grateful that there was noone there to watch me shout and cry in front of my television! I think the fact that we saw Sam actually beating up his big brother after all these years of taking the hits, and then walking out the door was what affected me the most. I hate that their relationship is so torn apart, even though we all saw it coming. During the season i found myself questioning at times the theme of family in the show, and how it didn't seem as strong as it once was, back in the days of season 2. Yet this episode showed me, even though we saw the Winchesters falling apart, that the whole essence of this show is the aspect of family that held the brothers together for so long, and is now destroying them somewhat. like you said – 'In it, each brother assumes that it is he that will make the final sacrifice to save the world. And not just the world, but the other brother. Each thinks they are the stronger, more capable one, as well.'
I really hope we get some sort of resolution on Thursday. I can't wait…and yet i'm so scared! In my little imaginary world Castiel and Ruby will vanish in a puff of smoke, and Dean and Sam will hug and make up and hit the road in the impala. But we all know that is so unrealistic, i cant even begin to describe!
Thanks again Sylvia, and sorry for my overly emotional comment haha. I can't help myself when it comes to this show!
(and sorry everyone for the multiple comments. I can't seem to stop myself typing!)
Your multiple comments are fine! I think it's cool that you love Show like I do. : D
Sam will kill Lilith and Dean will be supposed to kill Sam but he won't! he'll come up with some other solution, he'll beat the Kobiashi Maru. That's my two cents.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Love, love, love your reviews. I haven't posted before, but I always looked forward to reading what you have to say. Your reviews are always well written, well thought out, and just plain fun to read. Plus, they have pretty pictures!
One comment on Sam breaking under torture: I wonder what would have happened if he'd had to protect a secret or something–particularly if he'd had to protect Dean. Would he have held on longer? Was this "torture session" different because it was part of an hallucination? Just a thought.
Hey, thank you! I'm glad you enjoy the reviews, and the pictures – I spend hours picking out just the right ones!
As for your idea, mmmmmmmmm. I think Sam would have held on much longer had something actually been at stake. As it was, Alistair was torturing him just to torture him. At that point, I don't think Sam fully realized that he was hallucinating, so I'm sure all kinds of fun, self-deprecating thoughts were running through his mind.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
There was no offer to stop or ultimatum from Alistair so if he broke by voicing his pain, then ok. He did not sell anybody out. JMHO.
Hi Sylvia,
I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for everything. I am also writing to say goodbye. My work load has gotten worse so I really don't have very much free time anymore. Unfortunately, it is going to be months before it improves. It saddens me that I won't have time anymore to enjoy reading your fabulous reviews and comments. It has been a pleasure getting to know you because I feel like you are my friend. You have helped me relive all of the great moments of Supernatural Season 4. You have made me laugh, cry, swoon, melt and smile. I just wanted you to know as the year has progressed I have fallen in love with Sam and I have become a card carrying Sam girl. But, Dean will always have a special place in my heart.
Sylvia, thank you so much for being such a great host…fellow Supernatural fangirl but most of all thank you for being an important part of my life. You brought Sam and Dean to life with your words and thoughts and photos. You care about our Winchester boys and I have truly enjoyed reveling in all things Supernatural here on Tuesday mornings.
My Tuesday's won't be the same!
In time, I will read your review of this week's Season Finale. I know it will be stellar…as always. And, I know the season finale will rock our world.
Take care
Joan
Hi Joan,
I hope your work load eases up a bit. Make sure you at least take enough time for yourself to keep enjoying Supernatural! See you next season hopefully 
I've always really enjoyed reading your comments. They are very insightful, and your love for show is evident
Take care,
Chook
Jared reall DID get a chance to show his acting chops this week..and boy has his talent grown from way back in season 1…and Jensen of course just when you think he cant get ANY better at showuing what Deans is feeling moment by moment..he goes and proves you wrong…am in awe of both boys talents…and of course the fact they both look good is a bonus..(even better in person)…
The boys are wonderful to look at and to watch, and it really rocks that Padalecki got some eps that seemed to belong to him this season! May there be many more like those!!!!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
This is a decent review, but I think you're not focusing enough on the fight itself. This is the first major, epic fight we've had while both brothers purport to be in their right minds and Sam didn't just win, he stomped Dean into the ground and strangled him. The cold, angry violence that Sam displayed is incredibly important, along with his mini-fit of rage when responding to Dean's "I just want you to be okay". It doesn't paint Sammy in a pretty light, but it's meaning cannot be over-emphasized, not as we come careening into the finale.
Good point, and I didn't focus on the fight as much as I could have. For different reviews, I focus on different things. I used to try and get everything into the review, but I felt like I was spreading myself thin. What I do now is pick those things that jumped out at me and write about that. I think the results are better, but that's just my opinion. : D
The fight was huge and the review could have been just about that. The most important factor was the fact that SAM threw the first punch, which he doesn't do. We didn't even get a chance to admire Dean's mantear of pain, and then WHAM. Sam was a raging tempest and I'm pretty sure Dean felt it was just another of their fights – except Sam's rage was cold and then he walked out. Pretty startling, when you think about it. And you're right, it's one of the biggest while both brothers were "purported to be in their right minds." That makes me think of the time Sam tried to shoot Dean when he was under the influence of that crazy doctor in the mental asylum.
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Jared…was…AWESOME. When he was finally allowed to show the depths of Sam's struggles, pain, fear, and anger he was a sight to behold. I totally agree with you about him punching Dean at the end – he stood there and took Dean's punches before because he understood why Dean did it and probably thought he deserved it, but everyone has a breaking point and hearing the word "monster" coming out of Dean's mouth to describe him is definitely what I would call Sammy ultimate breaking point.
The only parts of the episode I was disappointed about was no John in Sam's hallucinations (although they probably couldn't Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and that I was hoping Sam would be a little angry at his mother – I mean, she did practically hand him over to the YED in the first place. I know she didn't know exactly what she was agreeing to, but there has to be some hostility on Sam's part!
Sam responded to be called a ''monster'' and Dean shouldnt of said it anymore than Sam should of choked him.
Dean is like a bull in a china shop at times, and seems to forget Sam has emotions too and he isnt always going to be ok.
Both brothers have lost sight of each other ever since Dean went to and came back from hell and it was never going to be pretty but what I will find unacceptable is if the idea this is all Sams fault when it isnt by a long shot.
I think it is significant though that Dean stopped himself from saying it until Sam goaded him into it. To me it looked like Sam was itching for a fight. Also Dean didn't say Sam was a monster for his powers or for the demon blood from Azazel. All episode Dean has assumed Sam's actions are being dictated by drinking the demon blood. Sam has just told him no that isn't the case, I'm choosing to do this, choosing to drink the blood. Then and only then does Dean start to call him a monster (for his actions not anything else). He stops until Sam forces him to say it and he's crying as he says it since he knows it means he'll lose his brother.
I think the angels manipulated this whole thing. First they wrangle an oath of loyalty from Dean, then they set Sam free, knowing what he will do. My daughter and I think they mean for Sam to kill Lilith, then for Dean to kill Sam. Ultimately, we believe that Dean will Save Sam, but he may have to sacrifice himself or kill Sam to accomplish it.
Nice theory! I agree that the angels are up to something, some sort of test, maybe or a way to ease themselves out of the line of fire. Let the mud monkeys handle it!!! Sam is meant to kill Lilith and then for Dean to kill Sam, yes, but what do you want to bet that Dean will find a way NOT to do that?
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Katya
Nice theory! I agree that the angels are up to something, some sort of test, maybe or a way to ease themselves out of the line of fire. Let the mud monkeys handle it!!! Sam is meant to kill Lilith and then for Dean to kill Sam, yes, but what do you want to bet that Dean will find a way NOT to do that?
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Jared Padalecki ruled this ep, from the beginning right to the end. He sold it all and I was in stunned silent for a long time afterward. Finally some Sam insight, not that it hasn't come across already with Jared's background acting, but seeing in laid out like that just fermented what I've been suspecting a long time.
I can't but gape in awe that Jared has managed to give hints of what's up with Sam from the background, with very little material this season and then comes this ep and I just want to cry for Sam. I've been suspecting he was clinically depressed for a long time and that the stopping the apocalypse is his redemption.
I think the scene that broke me most was the Bobby and Sam scene i the yard. Jim and Jared were heartbreaking in that scene. It was just a minor scene but both actors just hit it out of the park. Now I know Bobby loves Sam too! And Jared got Sam's tired desperation across with two words; "Then shoot". It killed me. Sam's already so broken and just running on fumes right now that if he doesn't succeed in stopping the apocalypse, he'll go apeshit crazy in that silently unhinged (and oh so pretty) way of his.
Not that I didn't already die from the torture scene. OMFG, the sounds Sam made; the pleading and the whimpers. Jared has such a firm hold on para-linguistics. I've always been iressed by Jaed's use of his voice but this time, he just floored me with the range of emotion he can express and slide between in the same scene.
I must be sick because I found Sam incredibly sexy even at his lowest, I wanted to be Ruby in that honeymoon suite(?) when he flung her onto the bed! * fans self* And yes, there needed to be at least one shirtless scene, but then again, I might have died if I'd gotten one.
I love Ruby, I think Genevieve Cortese is hot and the fact that she's so ambiguous makes her intriguing. She and Sam just make me drool. Whatever Ruby is up to, I hope Kripke doesn't listen to fandom and kills her off. If Dean's gets his Castiel, let Sam have his Ruby! Symmetry, right? At least until the brothers find their way back to each other.
And now I understand why they kept Jared in the background. If they actually gave him material like this to act off, he'd swipe the floor with the rest of the cast. *g*. Yes. that is my firm belief because any episode he's been given has been breathtaking and you can't have that for 22 eps in a row, it'd kill.
I think Jared is made for the big screen really, not episodic TV. The media is just too small for him, no pun intended *g*
This is one of those episodes I'll go back to an re-watch over and over again.
you're awesome. it's seriously so nice to read all this love for the winchester boys.
and i appreciate the sam love, b/c i have always been a dean girl, and it's nice to be reminded of how beautiful sammy is.
awesome, awesome review, but no mention of the man tears?? as long as i live, i will never stop swooning over the winchester boys crying. even though they tear up in what, every other episode, it gets me every time. the way jared welled up so beautifully when dean said "it means.. it means you're becoming a monster!" and the way a single tear rolled off jensen's face right after he said it… MAN O MAN. i don't know how many times i rewatched that scene. not to mention how my heart utterly BROKE when dean said "you walk out that door, don't you EVER come back!" after sam almost choked dean to death. i think i literally clutched my heart. damn jensen is SO AMAZING at conveying how much it hurts him to watch sam leave.
anyway, can't wait to read your finale review!! (and cannot wait to watch it…counting the hours.)
Hey, thanks! And yeah, both boys are beautiful. I like to wax poetic about them at any hour of the day or night.
The mantear actually got mentioned here:
"As he waits for this to sink into Sam’s brain, a tear spills from Dean’s eye like a glittering diamond."
I didn't dwell because the point of that scene (to me) was the punch that Sam threw, which is different for him in that he usually is attentive to Dean's crying. Normally, yes, I would dwell, and dwell, and dwell…..
I also think I was a tad overwhelmed by what everything meant in this ep. I would have liked a week or two to contemplate….But I guess I have all summer to rewatch!
Here's to enjoy what should be an AWESOME last ep of the season!!!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
all I wanted to do was give Sam a cool drink of water, wipe the sweat and grime from his beautiful face, and give him a nice hot bath. But, then, I’m easily distracted.
Yes, you are. I remember a certain visit we made together and where your focus was, and it was NOT on Jensen's profile. Nuff said, m'dear, you are EVIL!
Anyway, I have finally figured it out, at least I think I have. I was SO upset watching this episode. I cried watching Sam suffer, and watching Dean watch Sam suffer! I don't want these two at odds, and they are NOT supposed to be. I believe this is all heaven's test for Dean and Sam, and they have done everything they can to push them apart, knowing that the two of them must be as one in order to prevent that final seal from being broken and Lucifer from walking free.
This hasn't been about Dean vs. Sam at all! It's been about Dean and Sam vs. everyone else! Demons, angels, heaven and hell vs. the Winchesters!
The demons want Lucifer freed. The angels are on the side of Dean Winchester, and will take his win as their own. They don't care if Sam is part of the deal or not, but they don't realize that Dean can't and WON'T ultimately prevent the final seal opening without his brother at his side. LOVE is what will ultimately save the day, at least that's my guess and my hope.
Love, Robin
I've been a sporadic Supernatural watcher, only really paying more attention is season (and will be delving more in as I will be getting the seasons on DVD). I was a Dean girl from the get-go (my boyfriend has a Dean like way about him, in both the same good and bad ways) and then there was "Afterschool Special" where all of a sudden I got the whole Sam fascination (and could also see why they wanted him as Macgyver). This episode for me, as a relative SPN newbie really made me realize how good the actors are. I mean, I've definitely liked them, but Dean's vulnerability shone and Sam's conflict yet strength shone too. It was as if they role reversed in the way they expressed themselves (much like Sam being the one to throw the punch this time). I just was really really taken in, not just by groegeous profiles but glorious acting.
I loved this ep. Great recap Sylvia.
Nice recap! I'm thinking Castiel's invocation of John had a meaning other than just to hammer some more on the daddy issues… Dean's been an obedient son, with a few marked exceptions, which are usually in the name of keeping the family safe. If he's only following them as obediently as he followed John, I think he's got some leeway.
I was, like you, miffed at the lack of nudity in the torture scene, but for different reasons. With the cast openly proclaiming these days the sexism of their fans, one would think that the show might look to the disparities in its own treatment of women and men. Not that I wanted to see Alastair naked, certainly, and I'm over naked Sam after a plethora of sex scenes, but if they're going to strip Ms. Cortese for her torture scene, they could certainly ask the same of the menfolk.
"With a threat like that, what else is Sam supposed to do but leave?"
Stay, of course!!! Oh, boys.
The Soap Angel was using The Dad because he could – because the idea of Dean being totally obedient is ingrained in him, even if, in reality, he sometimes fudged it a little….the angels as a whole are fully expecting Dean to come through and KILL Sam! (Not that I know…that's just my idea of how it's going to go down.)
I agree – if you're going to torture the women naked? You should torture the men naked. But always, all along, like in drowning scenes, the women are nekked, and the men are mostly dressed. How is THAT fair? Don't they know their demographics are mostly women?
Dear Joan,
I'm so sorry to hear that Real Life is taking a toll on you, and that you will have to take a break. I've enjoyed your comments and your feedback and your passion about Show; it's always nice to know I'm not obsessive out here all by myself. : D
Plus I loved your lists, they were fun!
A card-carrying Samgirl, eh? That's quiet a feat, considering how swoon-worthy and handsome Dean is! I love going on and on about either boy, really, it just depends on the week.
In the meantime, take care of yourself, and remember, we still have Season 5 to look forward to! Provided the brothers don't run into any more demon trouble. (On second thought, that's rather inevitable, isn't it.)
Have a great and hard working summer!
Best Regards,
Sylvia
Sylvia, I always enjoy your reviews, and this week is no exception; a job well done. I'm especially grateful for your review this week though.
See, I wanted to like this episode. I really did. I wanted to love it. And I think that at some point I might make it to loving it. But it didn't happen right away. Reading your review has helped shift my focus a bit, so maybe a rewatch will do the trick.
Among the things I loved right off the bat was, of course, Jared's acting. I thought he really knocked this one right out of the park. I've marveled all season at the change between what Jared is capable of now compared to what he used to do when he first started out. I think consistently working with high quality actors for his co-star and guest stars has really been good for him. That and I think his age is working in his favor. Jensen was good, as he always is. I do wish he'd abandon the growly Christian-Bale-as-Batman voice he used in the hallucination scene though. He's used that voice off and on for a while, and it bugs me enough that it pulls me out of the scene at times. Jim was excellent, of course. Sly too, since in an interview or on his MySpace or somewhere before this episode aired, he'd said something about how he got to belt Sam in the mouth in this one. I thought at the time it was an odd choice. Now we know it was just Jim, telling us the truth and messing with us all at the same time. Gotta love him.
Seeing Sam and Wee!Sam onscreen at the same time was a nice treat, and Colin Ford was his usual adorably awesome self. I'd love to know how he manages to mimic Jared so well with the expressions and all. Other than the scene with his younger self though, the hallucinations bugged me. Even if Sam's brain did cook up Alistair to torture him, Sam didn't know about the leather straps that Alistair used on Ruby, unless she told him about them. Even if she did, it seems odd that she would go into such detail about them, and where they were placed. And okay, sure, maybe his brain could come up with some of the straps, since there would have to be something to hold the victim down. But the chin strap? It just seemed odd to me. Plus, you'd think Sam's brain would hallucinate a rack that he actually fit on. :p His legs were hanging off from the knees down almost.
His hallucination of Mary also bugged me. Sure, I can see why they used Mary, and yes, John would have been a more logical choice, and would have made sense in the one way that Mary didn't, but I understand why they couldn't use him. Sam never knew his mother outside of pictures, except for the minute or less he saw her in Home, and again in All Hell Breaks Loose Part 1. The pictures and those glimpses would have given him enough visual data to hallucinate her, most likely, and the nightgown she was wearing made perfect sense for that, since it's the only thing he's ever seen her in. That wasn't what bugged me. What bugged me was her voice. Unless there's some never mentioned Winchester home movies floating around out there, Sam's heard Mary say a grand total of less than 30 words. That just doesn't seem like enough input for him to be able to conjure her up in the throws of detox. Nit picky, I know, but it bugged me, even in the moment.
Also, Dean's line at the beginning of the episode – "If it smells like a duck". Does Dean have a closet duck sniffing addiction? Because if he does, I think he needs an intervention of his own. Although that line does make me wonder what, exactly, does a duck smell like? I'm thinking something like a damp feather pillow with a hint of pond scum, but I could be way off.
cont.
The fight scene at the end. Like others, I was both excited and horrified to see Sam throw the first punch for once. That's pretty significant for him. The rest of it though, left me both cold and irritated. On the one hand, it was interesting and sad to see the brothers go at each other for the first time with both of them in their right minds. On the other hand, I never want to see them fight like that when both of them are in their right minds. The choking didn't make any sense to me, not in the context they presented it in. Sure, I can think of a few reasons to explain it, but who knows when, or even if, the show will bother doing so. To me it seemed to serve only to make Sam even more hated than he already was, which is kind of like tossing gasoline on an already blazing fire.
What I think would have been more powerful, since they turned the tables and had Sam punch first, is if they had made Dean do what Sam has done in the past when Dean hit him. Stand back up and stand his ground, but not fight back. Or even if he had gotten up, maybe given Sam a look, and walked out the door. Mileage is going to vary on this, of course, but to me, that would have meant more. Since Dean chose to lash back, well, then he shares the blame for the physical portion of the fight. If he had refused to fight back, he would have occupied the higher ground. But it is what it is.
Then the "If you walk out that door, don't you ever come back" line. First of all, Dean made it clear when he made the choice to go into the room after Ruby instead of following Sam when he left, that his main goal was killing Ruby, not getting Sam back. I'm not saying he didn't want Sam back (though he certainly made little effort to accomplish it in this sequence), just that he wanted Ruby dead more. And I don't blame him for wanting her gone. I want her gone too. But he'd heard what Bobby said, about getting Sam back and how NOT to go about it, and then he went in there and did exactly what was guaranteed to push Sam away, rather than bring him back. Then as a parting shot he throws John's words at Sam. Dean was down, he was hurting in more ways than one, and he probably wasn't thinking clearly, I get that. But if those words were enough to push Sam away so firmly when he left for Stanford, what exactly did Dean hope to accomplish with them now? How could he have possibly thought Sam would do anything else but walk right out that door. You just had a fight, both physical and verbal, with your brother, and heard him tell you "You don't know me. You never have. And you never will", and watched him walk to the door. Now you're going to toss that kind of ultimatum at him and expect him to stay? Not gonna happen. I'm not saying Sam should have left, or hurt Dean, and he certainly shouldn't have choked him. I just can't see what Dean was hoping to accomplish there, other than to push Sam away for good.
All of which serves to make me dread the finale, rather than anticipate it. And the thought of a long, hot summer full of frustrations and questions is not appealing. I hate cliff-hangers. Hate them with a passion. Oh well, at least there will be another season. That's what I need to focus on.
Actually I read Dean's last comment as the last desperate act of someone to make the other person stop and think. It never works and seems like as an ultimatum. IMO it wasn't an ultimatum but a plea – don't leave, say our being brothers means more than revenge or a fix from Ruby.
Earlier we saw Dean willing to go with Sam if he left Ruby behind. When he arrived he went after Ruby because he's still blaming her for every wrong action of Sam's and felt eliminating her influence would help get back Sam. Unfortunately he failed to kill her. Sam told Dean it was his choice to act that way. It deteriorated from there with both of them saying things they shouldn't.
IMO it wouldn't make any difference if Dean had went to Sam first. His one drawn in the sand position was no Ruby and that was one condition Sam wouldn't accept to get them back together. And they both wanted to stay together but both had diametrically opposed positions on this one issue and neither one would budge on it.
I'm not sure I can see those particular words as anything but an ultimatum. If he'd said "Don't go" or something similar, then yes, I would see that as a plea. If he'd said something like "If you go, we'll never be together again" or something along those lines I could see how it was a plea that could come across as an ultimatum. But "If you walk out that door, don't you ever come back"? The only way I can see those is as a line in the sand, and if you cross it, that's it, there's no coming back. Maybe Dean meant it the way you said, but by using those words, he made it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for Sam to take them any other way. And all of that's ignoring the fact that Dean chose to use John's exact words. So I'm leaning toward Dean meaning it exactly the way it came across. As an ultimatum.
It would make a difference, to me at least, in who he went after first. If he was there to get Sam back, it's going to be easier to talk to him and get through to him, when Ruby's not right there beside him. So when Dean saw Sam leave the room and walk off, TO ME, he should have followed Sam. But he didn't, he went after Ruby, because at that point, it seems like that's what he wanted more than anything, even getting Sam back, he wanted to kill Ruby. Of course it also seemed to me that Dean was pissed at Sam for getting out of the panic room, which isn't right, since there was no way he got out without help.
Sam tried so hard to be reasonable with Dean, at least it sounded that way to me. He kept his voice calm and even. He appealed to Dean by asking that Dean trust HIM for once, since Sam had always, as the younger brother, been expected to trust Dean as the older brother. Dean could have gone along with Sam AND Ruby, at least keeping an eye on his addicted brother, AND had an opportunity to kill Ruby along the way. Instead, he obstinately refused to do what Bobby advised him to do, shutting Sam down completely. Dean is dealing with a man under the influence, yet he wouldn't bend an inch! So he calls Sam a monster, ripping out his little brother's heart, then stomps on it by echoing John's words, sending Sam out believing that he's utterly alone in the world now. Why shouldn't Sam just go kill Lilith, sacrifice himself for Dean, who we know he still loves with all his heart, and for the rest of the world? Why shouldn't he completely give himself up to the darkness, if that's what it takes?
In Sam's drug-addled mind, he has nothing left to live for now.
Actually Dean stopped short of calling Sam a monster until Sam made him say it. At that point they had both dug into their positions and this was Sam looking for the excuse in his poor drug-addled brain to make the break with Dean so he could go after Lilith with Ruby. I don't think either one wanted the break but at that point I think Sam knew Dean wouldn't accept his choices and their wasn't any point in continuing the discussion. The fight and strangulation to me were Sam's way of making sure Dean would give up on him and wouldn't follow. For some reason, he thinks Dean will be safe that way. Of course, Dean won't be safe going after Lilith on his own but Sam isn't thinking straight on this. Dean didn't give up even after being strangled and made one last attempt to make Sam stay. Unfortunately it didn't register as a plea so much as an ultimatum. If he had actually pled with Sam after the strangulation, I think Sam would have realized just how much he still meant to Dean. That nothing he could do would make Dean stop loving him even if when doesn't approve of his actions.
I think with the angels backing him, Dean will be able to stop Lilith. I keep wondering if the angels aren't backing Ruby. I keep wondering a lot of things! Sitting and watching tomorrow's episode just might make my eyes bug right out of my skull!
I do think Sam tried as hard as he could to be reasonable but I came to a drastically different conclusion than you on exactly how well he was able to manage it. His mini burst of rage about Dean controlling him in response to Dean's softly said "I just want you to be okay" (not a controlling statement) set off a warning light for me, one that was confirmed the moment he completely lost it and threw that first punch.
Dean does trust Sam (or did before the end of this episode, at any rate), probably more than he should. He stayed with Sam even after Sam started lying to his face, even when Dean felt like Sam was treating him like an idiot in the process. He stayed with Sam when he was keeping secrets and running out at night. He trusted Sam enough to follow his lead on several of Sam's plans this season. But he knows now that Sam is addicted to demon blood and Ruby is his prime pusher. He was more than willing to compromise and go with Sam to take out Lilith, but he had to protect his little brother by refusing to allow Ruby to go with them.
If anything, I thought that bit was yet another sign of Dean trusting too much again. He trusted that Sam would put Dean above Ruby, but the tragic answer was that he did not. Dean didn't know how far Sam had gone and so made a judgment call based on the information available to him. Honestly too, I'm glad he made the call that he did. For one, it demonstrates that he still does love and trust Sam at that point and for another this fight, painful as it was, would have been far, far worse if Dean had waited. Sam's aggression is only rising as more time passes; if the fight had happened much later, who is to say that Sam would have actually stopped at attempted murder?
I do agree that Sam in his drug-addled state probably thinks he has nothing much to live for right now but I ascribe full responsibility of that to the responsible party: Sam himself.
You did an excellent job of expressing what I've tried to in a couple of comments. I think Dean didn't give up with Sam even after the fight with the attempted strangulation. I think his final statement to Sam was a plea, a wake-up call, trying to tell Sam you don't want to do this – you don't really want to choose Ruby over your own brother. He was still trusting that Sam would come to his senses when he realized what he was losing and choose Dean over Ruby. Unfortunately as much as they may love their family a drug addict, especially one in denial, will always choose the drug of choice (and their dealer) over family. Dean didn't realize just how overpowering Sam's addiction actually was and therefore couldn't know there was no way to reach his brother – reason or violence – neither would work.
You said: I do agree that Sam in his drug-addled state probably thinks he has nothing much to live for right now but I ascribe full responsibility of that to the responsible party: Sam himself.
If my sibling wanted to rush off in that state of mind with a demon supplying him with blood, I wouldn't allow him to go alone. When Sam made the offer to go after Lilith and Dean said he'd go, but only if it was the two of them, not with Ruby along, Dean should have agreed to take Ruby with them. He can't very well save Sam if the two of them are separated, especially as angry and hurt as they both are now. Sam forced Dean to say MONSTER. It didn't need to go that far, and it shouldn't have. Dean did NOT have to utter the words Sam would hear for the second time in his life–if you leave, don't come back!
Dean isn't the one addicted to demon blood, Sam is. And Dean should have taken the high road and agreed to go with Sam–AND Ruby–to go after Lilith. Like the Trickster said, only blood and pain are going to ensue now, because no matter how angry the Winchester brothers are at each other, the love is still there. Separated, nothing good will come of what is going to happen.
Instead of rephrasing it, I'm going to C&P part of what I responded to robijean above:
"The concept that Sam as a monster is a trigger for BOTH of them. We see it very obviously in Sam, but we can't forget that Sam himself made Dean promise to kill him if he ever turned and it was John's final instruction (literally, his "dying wish", something that rings a nice symmetry to Sam's comment about Dean's own dying wish in 4×01) to him. And this is the kid brother who Dean practically raised, who he has killed for, who he *died* for, and he's being confronted openly with the concept that he might have to kill him."
Dean might have made a different choice had he been in a non-emotional state. What I think would have been best personally would have been to agree to let Sam go off alone, then follow them and wait for another opportunity to kill Ruby. But then, there's no guarantee that would have worked either, seeing as Dean's time is literally not his own anymore – he's on the angel's clock and who knew when they might come calling?
Either way though, the truth of the matter is that he was decidedly not in an unemotional state. Dean was crying as he came to that realization. The concept was that distressing, that terrible, that it looked like it devestated him to even say it aloud. And I think part of his trauma there was anger that Sam had, from his very entrance in the scene, reduced Dean from an equal to a junior partner (for all his talk of Dean trusting him just this once, Sam immediately countermanded Dean's order about Ruby and removed him from any position of control) as well as the very deep hurt that Sam would trust a demon, would *choose* a demon, over Dean. I don't think he ever expected that. I know I didn't – I never guessed Sam had fallen so far.
I actually think this separation is good for both of them. Sam can't hurt Dean anymore if he's not around (and by hurt I'm talking emotional and physical here – if Dean had gone with, who is to say he wouldn't have gotten another beating the next time he said something Sam didn't like?) and will hopefully calm down some and recover some of his senses. Dean has his own allies with their own sources of information; if he can work with them, he can stop the apocalypse before Sam can kill Lilith, then work on saving Sam afterward.
Thanks, I've liked your replies as well! I agree, Dean only gave up when Sam closed the door. I think Dean is having some major doubts right now as to whether Sam is actually the one doing this or if it's the effect of the blood alone (personally, I think it's a bit of both). Before that conversation, he was able to completely assume it was the blood, that SAM would never behave in such a way. But in the face of Sam insisting that it really was all him, it becomes harder to deny. Dean was in a state of shock in that scene because Sam can't be responsible for his own actions because then yes, he really would be a monster. And Sam isn't a monster, so Sam can't be in his right mind, but Sam is saying he's in his right mind – and his brain went on a sort of terminal loop. He did the Winchester equivalent of the Blue Screen Of Death.
The concept that Sam as a monster is a trigger for BOTH of them. We see it very obviously in Sam, but we can't forget that Sam himself made Dean promise to kill him if he ever turned and it was John's final instruction (literally, his "dying wish", something that rings a nice symmetry to Sam's comment about Dean's own dying wish in 4×01) to him. And this is the kid brother who Dean practically raised, who he has killed for, who he *died* for, and he's being confronted openly with the concept that he might have to kill him.
Do I think Dean will kill him? No, not at all. I don't think Dean views Sam as a monster either. Once he gets a chance to recover from the shock of Sam beating the crap out of him and strangling him and puts the hurt and emotional suffering of that aside, I think he'll probably put the blame of the incident squarely on the demon blood, possibly even removing any responsibility from Sam himself in the process (a mistake, IMHO).