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Article by Sylvia Bond
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. 75 Comments
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Part 2 of msg.
So I have never understood the Sam girl viewpoint that the show is saying Sam is unredeemable. I feel that some Sam fans saw his actions as beyond the pale and feel the show did also. So they are mad at the show for what is really their perception of the character's journey.
I don't see it that way. And a number of the Sam fans also don't feel that way. They think he is showing tremendous growth. That is how I see his portrayal, a young man on the road of self-discovery who has taken a few missteps but is now once again thinking straight (shocked out of the traumatic state Dean's death put him in with the rising of Lucifer).
There were reasons and trauma behind his actions that the show gave us. So I don't understand why you feel the show is depicting him as something reprehensible. They showed us the trauma that devastated him. And he was only human, he made mistakes because of that trauma. So I don't think the show is saying Sam is a lost cause. After watching late Season 3, Season 4, and the first episodes of this year, I feel the message is positive – that Sam has come out the other side of the dark void Dean's death created where he lost his way.
In fact, I find Sam much more interesting with his flaws and missteps than I would ever find him if he was perfect. Perfect people aren't real interesting. Sam is interesting and watching his journey is interesting.
I also don't see them depicting Dean as a perfect individual – my god the man is just as flawed and dark as Sam was ever depicted. I do think Hell was a big reason why Dean is harder on Sam than he was before. Sam's his brother, he never wants to see him ending up in Hell. Dean knows what it is and wants to save his brother from it. That is one reason for him pushing harder in Season 4. He knew what the eternal consequences of Sam's actions might be.
He'd be a pretty poor brother if he had just thought – well, Sam can do all these good things with his powers and his intentions are good and no one with good intentions ends up in Hell. He knows that isn't true and so he acted to try and make his brother realize that good intentions don't always lead to good acts.
As I said I'm spoiled but believe me when I say the Sam(light) not Sam(less) episode is not a bad thing. And yes I could live with a Dean(light) or Dean(less) episode. In the Beginning may not have had much physical presence of Sam in it but it was definitely Sam's story that was being told.
I have to still disagree about Sam in Scarecrow. I can understand perfectly why Sam felt that way but I also think it was wrong minded. I can sympathize with his feelings but still not agree with his actions. Two people were in immediate danger and he even acknowledged there Dad might have gone on – he was really going to pick up a closer trail.
His dad has been hunting the demon for twenty-some years. If he and the boys never helped anyone along the way because of their need for revenge a lot of people would die. He doesn't know how long they may have to continue looking. What he does know is two people will die this week.
As I said, I understand why he felt that way but I think he made the wrong choice. And I think that does show how young he really was at that time. I don't hate him for it. I found it interesting that Sam who we see as the more moral of the two brothers make what I felt was an immoral choice here.
As I said I don't blame him – this is what I don't understand. Dean has flaws, I don't blame him. Sam has flaws, I don't blame him. I just don't approve of actions taken by the characters. Why do so many think to approve and like the character you have to approve of everything they do.
As for the dick situation, Kripke wasn't responding to fangirls. He was responding to recaps and reviews (items out there for all to read) saying Dean was a dick. The writers conveyed a message he didn't want viewers taking away. And we found out why later. They had the big reveal about Dean torturing souls in Hell coming up and we were supposed to realize that was the reason he got infected in Yellow Fever.
I agree that they could have spared more time in Metamorphosis to show Dean telling Sam and his reaction to what he's told. Instead they dropped additional parallel anvils between Sam and the MOTW so we could see the risks he was taking with the choices he was making.
My problem and the reason I posted so much last night is that to mean it seems the Sam girls are the ones who hate what Sam's done the most. They are so upset with his depiction when other viewers see him as a flawed individual who made mistakes and is now facing up to them and becoming a better person. It doesn't mean we never saw him as a good person before but good people can make mistakes.
Some of those good people are doomed to repeat those mistakes over and over because they can never seem to learn from them. To me the fact Sam has already recognized them, acknowledged them, accepted ownership of them (as we saw Dean do with his deal), means that he has learned from what happened and he will do everything in his power to not make those same mistakes.
I see this as positive growth for the character and I want to see growth in a character. A static character like a perfect character is not very interesting.
Thanks for reading my comments and responding.
I've just sent two very long replies to Tonia. I address some of your comments in them so I'm not going to repeat myself here.
I felt In the Beginning gave me great insight into Sam's story and felt his presence throughout. So no I wouldn't mind a Dean(light) or Dean(less) episode that gave me as much insight into Dean's story.
We have seen this also in the flashbacks to their childhood. In the flashback stories we have had 1 from Dean's POV and 2 from Sam's. I learned a lot about Dean from Sam's flashbacks and a lot (about a very generous but spoiled little, little wee Sam in Dean's flashback – I loved little wee Sam holding out the prize to his big brother).
As to Dean listening to angels when he shouldn't trust them, I saw it more as him acting in reaction to the events of the last 10 days and not having time to stop and decide. And I never said Sam was the only Winchester boy who suffers from John's tunnel vision and obsessions. The boys may have different motivations but both are prone to lock onto an idea and run with it to the detriment of themselves and others.
BOTH ARE FLAWED. What I can't understand is why so many in the fandom, Sam and Dean girls alike feel that it has to be only one or the other.
Sam girls feel if Sam is being depicted with flaws, it means Dean is being perceived as perfect. Dean girls feel if Dean is being called on his flawed actions, it means Sam is being whitewashed for his choices.
Actually I see it as neither one is perfect, the both make mistakes, sometimes those mistakes are real doozies. Dean sold his soul, big mistake but I understood why. Sam decided revenge on Lilith meant risking his soul, big mistake but again I understood why.
Sam was angry at Dean for dying, for selling his soul as he should have been. Dean was angry at Sam for using his powers, for risking his soul as he he should have been. Both messed up and both made their brothers mad. Sam's anger at Dean led him to mess up. However, he made the choice. Dean's grief at Sam's death led him to making a major mistake (that ultimately led to him starting the seal breaking process), still it was his choice. The choices are understandable but the actions resulting from those choices were wrong.
I wasn't blaming Sam in Scarecrow what I was concerned about was his choice to let two people die in the next few days. I mentioned Scarecrow because this episode has the brothers breaking up because their old dynamic can no longer be held together with a few words of apology or understanding on either's part.
The old brotherly dynamic is no longer working and they need to forge a new equal dynamic. That's why this episode made me so happy. We saw the brothers for 3 plus seasons trying to make the old childhood dynamic work between two grown men and what resulted was a mess of co-dependency. Now that is in the past.
I'm really pumped about this season and seeing the brothers working together in this major fight. I think it is their humanity that is going to be the deciding factor in all this.
I'm with you about seeing a Deanlight or Deanless episode to get more insight on Dean.
Only thing is … it's never going to happen.
What will happen before that will ever happen is another Samlight or Samless episode.
And if that happens, that will be the final straw for me and I will quit the show.
To prove to Deangirls that I don't wanna fight, I'd like to make some more comments on the Impala issue. I believe – we have seen it before – that sometimes Dean uses the Impala to tell Sam he loves him, because he won't say the actual words. First time I remember was in Wendigo when Dean asked a depressed Sam if he wanted to drive. He was actually trying to say: 'I love you and I'm here for you'. Then we had the kickass ending scene in Fresh Blood. Message: 'I love you and I want you to be alright when I'm gone'. In Good God – at least to me – he meant: 'OK, so I don't trust you, but I still love you and I always will'. Because I do believe that no matter how bad things stand between them right now, no matter how disappointed Dean feels, his love for Sam will never change.
Whiskey: "Would it KILL Dean to be a little less antagonistic toward his brother? I mean that "Well have you?" snark to Sam's obvious frustration about the way Dean was treating him was not the right tactic to take."
Well considering Sam was rather antagonistic toward Dean about what happened to him in HELL, to that I have to say "Boo Hoo!" Sam. Perhaps Sam isn't the "smarter, stronger, and better" hunter he thought he was? But when Dean was at HIS lowest and most vulnerable place in his life, that's what Sam was thinking about Dean. That Dean was weak and pathetic for the emotions he felt from his trauma in Hell. Dean was asking Sam an honest question here, and as it turns out, Sam lied to him. That demon blood and the power he got from it was ALL Sam could think about.
And how is Dean letting Sam down by AGREEING with his decision? Dean is respecting that Sam knows what's best for him right now. Sam told Dean that he was RIGHT to question him because he is still struggling with his addiction. Sam told Dean that the blood was all he could think about and that he was a danger to others and to himself. Dean didn't argue with Sam (and I'm sure if he would have, people would think THAT was the wrong decision too). Dean is hurt by what Sam did in choosing Ruby (a demon who mocked and laughed at Dean as he was about to go to hell) over him, and rightfully so. But still, Dean stayed with Sam and hunted with him. He only questioned Sam when he knew Sam was going to be confronted with his drug (demons). And as it turns out, Dean was right to confront Sam about it because Sam was in denial about it, and lashed out at Dean (very typical addict behavior). And Dean isn't Sam's babysitter. Dean is just a phone call away if Sam needs him.
And you may not appreciate Dean offering Sam the Impala (I mean, why would you want to give Dean credit for anything if you HATE him?) but it's a FACT. Dean did offer Sam the Impala — their HOME. I think Sylvia stated it perfectly– "And then Dean says, “You want to take the Impala?” Say, Dean, why don’t you peel yourself out of your skin and let Sam take that along as a piece of you to protect him from the weather and the world? Because it amounts to pretty much the same thing." That's Dean telling Sam that he loves him and that he knows that he and Sam will be hunting together again.
Tonia: "When Dean called him and couldn't get the words out,"
In Scarecrow Dean said to Sam: "Sam. You were right. You gotta do your own thing. You gotta live your own life. You've always known what you want. And you go after it. You stand up to Dad. And you always have. Hell, I wish I – anyway… .I admire that about you. I'm proud of you, Sammy."
And isn't it interesting that this is exactly what Sam wants to do NOW as well? And Dean still respects Sam to make that choice for himself, yet, to some fans, Dean is now "heartless" for agreeing with Sam by allowing him to "do his own thing" and "live his own life." Dean cannot win for trying.
I'm sorry but I meant not to say that Sam was more responsible than Dean but that he was already on that journey right from the Pilot when he tried to assume his independence and follow his dream by going to Stanford. He was denounced by his father and Dean called him selfish who still holds a grudge when he said in Lucifer Rising, "He never wanted this life, he tried to run away. I don't even know if he's my brother" and uttering the same last words his dad said "If you walk out that door, don't come back". You think that Dean would have come to an understanding or compassion for Sam after the Mom expressed the same desire to quit and run away from the hunting life. So Dean maturing, sorry I don't see it.
As for the addicted, I don't know anyone personally who is an addict so I really appreciate and respect you for sharing your personal story about your son and adding insight to that problem. My heart goes out to you and hope that everything works out well for your son. *hugs*
Lastly, I totally agree with you that both brothers are flawed and I love that too. I think the Show for the most part has presented it that way. My problem is with the fandom. Noone can deny the rampant Samhate out there. They rip Sam apart for every tinsy thing. Dean can do the same but he is the victim, martyr, fill in the blank. Some examples … you mentioned Sam's anger in Asylum as how he really felt about Dean when really Sam was under the influence of a doctor's powers that magnified a normal angry issue (and who doesn't have that with their sibling) into an out of control rage. Fine if you see it differently but why does everyone forget about shapeshifter Dean telling Sam he had been nothing but a burden to him his whole life. Fandom was outraged when Sam slept on the couch and Dean on the floor because Dean just came back from hell. Where was the rage at Dean when he was impatiently pressing at Sam to hurry up and reset his shoulder while Sam was stitching HIMSELF up! Sam was called a rapist and necrophiliac for sleeping with Ruby whose meatsuit was shown to have died and vacated the body. But no rage for Dean sleeping with Anna. Was the vessel not raped as well?
Best of all, Kripke himself said Dean was the hero, so sorry suck it up Samfans. At the Comic Con this year, he said that Sam brought on the Apocalypse because he was stupid, proud, and selfish and how do you redeem yourself when all of your family is upset at you. Maybe I'm dense but I don't see Kripke acknowledging Dean or Cas's roles in bringing on the Apocalypse. All I can see is Sam being blamed for everything.
Andrea, those are all wonderful examples of the way the Impala represents a connection for the brothers. The Impala is Dean's "baby" but it's also really the only "home" the boys have ever known. Sam also knows how important the car is to Dean as we saw him make sure to save it in In My Time of Dying. And I absolutely LOVE the end of Fresh Blood when Dean is teaching Sam how to fix the car. The Impala is such an important part of their lives and a symbol of their brotherhood and friendship. And when I've seen some Sam fans completely dismiss the emotion behind Dean's offer of the Impala to Sam in GGY, it just… breaks my heart actually. Dean loves Sam so very much, but he's also emotionally spent, and hurt, and under stress (just like Sam). But there is love there between them. They just need some space to work on their issues, and then they can come together again as stronger individuals.
I for one and I know a lot of Samfans who don't think at all that Sam is unredeemable or reprehensible. I just hate to see him groveling for forgiveness when both brothers were played like a fiddle.
Lovely review as always, Sylvia! I really enjoyed this episode, although I would have liked to see Dean and Rufus interact more than they did. Oh well. I'd love to see Ellen again (and personally I think Dean and Ellen have some awesome chemistry between them and I'd kind of like to see that explored
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I LOVE your description of the final scene:
"In fact, the whole episode is about this moment, where the brothers break up. And then Dean says, “You want to take the Impala?” Say, Dean, why don’t you peel yourself out of your skin and let Sam take that along as a piece of you to protect him from the weather and the world? Because it amounts to pretty much the same thing. (And frankly I think the offer of the Impala was Dean’s way of making sure Sam would come back to him. The End of Times could come, but Sam knows well and good that Dean would KILL him if he didn’t return that car, and, underneath it all, that’s what’s important here.)"
*nods* EXACTLY.
Thanks again for the review!