Supernatural report

[zubeneschamali]

Insta-thoughts on 6.06, including the previews for 6.07:


I know reactions to that final scene are going to be all over the board.  I was wincing as Dean was throwing his punches, but when it was done, after the initial "holy crap, you can't leave it like that!", I realized that I felt a lot better.  It was cathartic for Dean as well as us to lay into Sam like that, as much as it hurt to watch.  Also, that moment when Dean raised the knife towards Sam seriously gave me the shivers, but I thought Sam's response was perfect.  That must have been so hard for Jared to play that scene without being emotional, but he pulled it off.

I'm glad that they didn't drag out Dean's serious mistrust of Sam for too long.  Really glad.   Also, I might have squeed a little when Sam admitted he'd let Dean get turned because he knew he could handle it, which is exactly what I wrote here last week.  I definitely squeed when I saw the preview since I recently joined the "Sam's soul is missing" camp, apparently just in time.  There's obviously some retconning that's going to need to go on, but I'm actually looking forward to next week's episode, which hasn't always been the case this season.  And let me tell you, I would not be feeling nearly so hopeful about the rest of the season if not for the previews.

On the down side, it was a total cop-out for the writers to have Lisa's conversation with Dean while he was cursed.  I wasn't surprised to hear what she had to say, and I would have thought a lot less of her if she'd given Dean another chance, especially when he couldn't explain what was wrong (not that explaining that he was temporarily a vampire and trying not to chew on her neck or Ben's would have helped, I guess).  Still, like much of the first two episodes, it was a shoehorned-in way to move the plot along and get back to the Winchesters on the road with no home fires burning.

Continuing last week's discussion of the parallels with S1: 1.06 was "Skin", still one of my all-time favorites.  In that ep, the MOTW forced Sam to hear what Dean really thought of him; both boys were tied up at once; Sam was strangled until Dean killed the baddie; and Sam realized how much of his non-hunting life had been built on a lie and that it probably wasn't possible for him to get out.  Check; check; check; reverse the boys and check.  Now, 1.07 was "Hook Man," which aside from the wonderful old urban legend, was about Sam realizing that he wasn't ready to move forward from Jess and Dean not really understanding that, but accepting it anyway.  Hmm, maybe this one's not going to be so obvious.  I can't wait to figure out what the parallels to "Bugs" are going to be...

ETA: Come to think of it, "Bugs" was, at its core, about family and how even if they don't understand you, they'll stand by you when it counts. I'm so hoping that parallel holds true in 6.08.

ETA2: I find it...heartwarming?  A nice touch?  That Dean can still get grossed out after everything he's seen.  His reaction to Veritas chewing on the poor guy's tongue was hilarious.

Comments

[whitereflection.livejournal.com]

but I'm actually looking forward to next week's episode

YES Ohman, me too. It's like suddenly looking like all the sorts of things I've been craving so badly to see, finally some moving this plot point along. I'm actually *excited* about it and that feels GREAT :D

So agreed on the shivers, too ♥ And the beat down was just...you're right, it was cathartic. That *needed* to happen. What's gone on was not something that Dean could push down any more--he needed to blow the hell up finally. And with how much Dean's been stuffing down even as he freaked out more and more about it, the blow up was suitably HUGE. Just left me feeling very wowed at the scene, and wowed at Jensen and Jared doing that whole bit. Jeez, they're just so *good*. ♥

I love that you're detailing the parallels, because good golly, you're so right.

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

Ha, great minds are thinking alike! :)

Your icon reminds me...I can't remember where I saw it, but someone was speculating about Sam being like the boy in the fairy tale of the Snow Queen, and that's why the title screen is shards of glass being broken. That image of Sam trapped in the mirror when he's Lucifer's vessel makes me think about that even more. And I loved that fairy tale when I was a kid (probably because of the plucky heroine, LOL).

[whitereflection.livejournal.com]

Yes! I must have seen whatever you did, because I've had a mental note to go reread that fairy tale. It wasn't one I read as a child, but went through a phase of reading Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen back in college. I'm terrible at retention, though, so I really haven't remembered details about it. But I have a feeling I'll be hitting Wikipedia and getting my butt to a library because now I'm really curious to see it again. XD

Last year I had a great title card icon and I really wanted one for this season, but never have found one. But it was seeing those mentions about why the title card was glass/ice being broken that made me decide to keep using this icon instead. It's my October one in general because hey, cool and spooky--but I figured it really fit for s6 reactions.

[mustangalley.livejournal.com]

I always make sure to read your thoughts before I watch the episodes, because you have this way of colouring my perceptions of the show in a way that makes it much more interesting to watch. I like the idea of the parallels, although I freely admit I won't have time to rewatch Season 1 like I need to until I get this bloody paper out for peer review.

I don't know if Lisa = Jess for the Hook Man. Sam was wholly invested in Jess, right down to the soon-to-be ring on her finger. Lisa though... I don't know, I feel like she was just a substitute, or a warm body to ride metaphorical shotgun seat since Sam was otherwise occupied. Dean maybe accepting that he's not as moved-on from the Apocalypse, though? He more or less put a ring on that finger too, and he was just as invested in that life as Sam was in the picket fence with Jess.

OK, enough ramble. Thanks as always for the insta-thoughts!

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you! I appreciate that. :)

I don't think Lisa = Jess either; I guess maybe "Hook Man" was also about Sam trying to move on for Dean's sake and accepting that he wasn't ready yet, though I'm not sure which of the boys that applies to here. I might have to give up on this S1 parallels thing, LOL.

[greeneyes-fan.livejournal.com]

When Dean punched him, I actually said to my husband, "Yeah, Sam kinda deserved that." Beat. Beat. "Well, maybe not that one."

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

LOL! I agree. I don't think Sam deserved being pummeled into unconsciousness, but I think I can understand why Dean did it.

[muiting.livejournal.com]

I was kind of shocked when Dean put down the knife only to beat Sam's face in! But it seems to be typical Dean, that's what he does when he gets angry at Sam. He gets kind of violent, gets it out of his system, and then he's okay. I also thought in the lines of, yeah, Sam deserved getting beaten up this time. That I agree with you. It was cathartic considering Sam's been acting so weird and off putting. I felt for Lisa, I really do. I'm glad she dumped Dean too. She had every right to feel frightened, angry and mistrustful of Dean. I felt very bad for Dean, though. So much for the idea of having a normal family life. I am also in the camp of "Sam's lost his soul!" I was also happy to know that I am right. God! I can't wait to the next episode either! Dean will save Sam again! I just know it!

[zubeneschamali.livejournal.com]

I've read other comments that Dean gets angry when he's scared, and that makes a lot of sense here, too. Something's been really wrong with Sam, and Dean's noticed it but hasn't pushed it too hard, so he's angry at himself and scared that Sam hasn't been Sam the whole time. They've certainly encountered evil before that can pass the holy water-salt-silver tests, so I think it's fear as much as anger.