Friday, September 25, 2009
Let Me Ask You An Important Question
Supernatural: Free To Be You And MeSeason 5, Episode 3
Have you ever stopped and thought, "why are the Winchesters so damn important?" If you're reading this, then the answer for you will be fairly obvious: they are the main characters on one of your favorite television shows. And that's cool, but think about that question within the context of the show. Dean is the vessel for the archangel Michael and Sam is the last child standing after the Yellow-Eyed Demon's child battle royal ended. He was the focus of the demon world's plot to release Lucifer by breaking the final seal. Hell, Chuck is off somewhere writing the "gospel" of the Winchester brothers. That's a lot of emphasis on two twenty-something hunters. Clearly both Heaven and Hell have big things in mind for these boys.I don't have an answer to this question, but I desperately hope the the writers eventually do. We were given some tantalizing tips as to the significance of one of the Winchesters as well as the return of a very old friend, but I'm getting ahead of myself.
The Great Winchester Break-Up of 2009 continues in this episode with Sam working at a bar with the MOST nosy waitress of all time. Sam's in the area of some serious Book of Revelation events and so he calls Bobby to dispatch some hunters to clean up the demon activity. It's good to see Bobby back home and doing his thing. Surely Bobby isn't going to be in that wheelchair forever and I cannot wait to see some more stories focusing on him.
Dean gets to team up with Castiel in an attempt to find God by trapping an interrogating the archangel Raphael. This is pretty much the funniest portion of the night with Dean dropping a ton of one-liners ranging from calling Raphael a "Teenage Mutant Ninjangel" to telling Cas that the last time he teleported him somewhere Dean didn't "poop for a week." Clearly the writers love this pairing since Misha Collins is a series regular now. I do love these scenes, Castiel and Dean trolling for girls in a strip club is surprisingly funny. But there is a greater importance to these events.
Raphael tells Cas that God is dead and Lucifer is who resurrected him. The demoralizing thing about this is that it is very much a possibility. Everything that Raphael tells Cas could be the truth, Lucifer would want to make the angels fight themselves to make the apocalypse easier to achieve. And as Dean points out, this situation is very much like the same one that he and Sam faced back in season one. Does Cas believe that his father is still out there somewhere? Cas has hope, he still believes God is out there. But what about Dean, Cas asks how he is doing being away from his brother. Dean says he's doing great. But the look on his face betrays his his true feelings. It would be smart to remember that Dean also said he was doing great after he made his deal with the crossroads demon.
Speaking of the other Winchester brother, Sam's vacation from the supernatural wasn't going to last long as the hunters dispatched by Bobby run afoul of a multitude of demons and return to confront Sam. The surviving hunters get Sam to admit the demon blood addiction and the raising of Lucifer. Sam successfully denies the demon blood that the hunters pour in his mouth but the damage is already done. Sam, who is trying to prove to himself and his brother that anyone can change, is at a crossroads. When he gets a visit from an old friend: Jessica. Yes, THAT Jessica, the one who died in the pilot episode.
Turns out it's not Jess at all, instead it's our best good friend Lucifer. He tells Sam that contrary to what he believes, there are no second chances and that life sucks. Lucifer is apparently looking for Sam but can't find him(Lucifer is an angel after all, so Cas's sigils are doing their job). What isn't explained is how Lucifer is speaking to Sam at all. But that's not as important as what Lucifer tells Sam. Sam is the intended vessel for Lucifer. Just as Dean is Michael's vessel, Sam is intended as the meat-suit for Lucifer. Lucifer tells Sam that he will never lie to him and that he wants to give Sam a gift. It's incredibly creepy and Mark Pellegrino is spectacular as the devil. I love the direction that they are going with Lucifer. Is he all evil? Is he lying? He seems like an okay guy, which is what makes him so dangerous.
This leads me back to my first question: why are the Winchester brothers so important? It's an important question, one I hope is resolved. I can't help but think that this season is going to inevitably end with a Dean-Michael/Sam-Lucifer throwdown. I feel like Sam and Dean are going to be reunited soon, their separation doesn't seem tenable and with Lucifer's revelation to Sam, he needs the support of his family more than ever. But how is Dean going to react to this news? Probably not well. One thing is for sure, I can't wait to find out where it all goes from here.
And don't forget to check out the Supernatural themed That's A Wrap Podcast going up Sunday/Monday this week!
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4 comments:
Great review! I am inclined to agree with you on all points. I feel somewhat alone though when I think the separation of Dean and Sam is important and needs to happen. And I'm with you on believing that the two will be pitted against each other at the end.
I'm so torn with the separation ... because I see it's importance in continuing the plot and getting storyline elements in place, but then I feel like the two brothers need to be together to create that working team. However, if they can make Dean grow as a character during this separation in a meaningful way that wouldn't have occurred with Sam, then maybe I'll feel better about it. Right now, he's just kind of feeling no responsibility and enjoying it.
Ivory, I disagree LOL about Dean enjoying it. I really think he is hurting from it. He's hurting from the betrayal, the sacrifices he's made that were seemingly for nothing, that Sam couldn't meet his expectations, and of course the separation. They spent 4 years together after he picked Sam up to go looking for their dad. He has to go through the motions. He needs to feel that separation to truly find himself because he's never really had an identity before. First, he was a son who lost his mother to a child who had to raise himself and his brother to emulating a father who was a hunter first, dad second, to a hunter, to a brother again to a pawn in a war that was beyond human scope to being a major player in said war. He doesn't know who he is. And if he doesn't know who is he then how can he be all that for his brother? He's made poor choices with Sam just as Sam has made poor choices. The question is will they be able to find themselves and come back together again? Or will they pretend to have control but ultimately have no control and end up pitted against each other in spite of what their hearts really desire?
As for Sam, he was the baby and has always been the baby. He was looked after by his brother and was protected from any harm or exposure to said nasties. Dean and dad tried to insulate him and try to prevent any worse coming out of the incident when he was six months old. Perhaps by protecting Sam, they in essence drove him to become who he was which was someone who didn't want to be in the family business and who wanted a normal life. He tried to run from his destiny by attending college and a price he paid. He was still sucked into this life against his will. Sam has never had control over his destiny. He has rebelled. Yes, he went hunting after all and became a huge part of that lifestyle believing that he was serving the greater good. He still had no control. He was swimming upstream and he would either make it or not. And he didn't make it. He got suckered in, seduced and he ultimately rebelled and paid another price. So now, he's running again. Sam's finally grown up and he's no longer innocent and he can never get that back. He knows he can be seduced again and he's trying really hard. Question is, can he truly resist or will he fall prey again and go darkside. Sam's will doesn't seem to belong to him.
Sometimes the best of intentions is the wrong thing and that applies to both brothers. Dean's holier-than-thou attitude is not right especially given his experiences in Hell. Dean conveniently forgets this and he still plays big brother who can tell little brother what to do. Do as I say not as I do. And Dean is realizing that he can no longer sustain the energy required to look after Sam. Sometimes to help someone you have to walk away. You can't be a crutch nor an enabler. Dean also cannot look after himself if his energy is always on Sam. And Sam needs to be on his own without big brother helping him. Sam needs to stand on his own two feet and whether he makes the right decisions or not, he owns them and has to be responsible for them.
Whew! What a mouthful LOL
Okay, a lot of what you say makes sense. I have to admit, when something is well written and I like it, I tend to personalize, and I am the older sister (and often the "older sister" role to many of my close friends) and I've dealt with a lot of serious problems, okay, clearly not brought on the apocalypse problems, but the older sister and watchful soul in me has trouble reconciling Dean's motives with the fact that I would feel the need to watch over Sam. I agree, Dean is lying, if not outright, then at least to himself (which is something he does plenty).
I've been wondering about Sam's will lately. It's true, it doesn't seem to belong to him. I wonder how the show will take this, does he really have free will, or did it "always have to be" him? Interesting thoughts.
My friend who also watches the show thinks I'm hilarious for getting so serious about the characters every week, and then coming to her all excited every Friday.
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