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Articles The Lighter Side The Sam Winchester Somber Face of Despair
The Sam Winchester Somber Face of Despair
Friday, 30 October 2009 16:46 | 
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(For the Dean Winchester Troubled Profile of Doom, go here)
This is the Sam Winchester version of the WTPoD. I can’t explain this look. It just follows him wherever he goes. They’ve certainly progressed throughout the seasons, but if anything they’ve gotten more painful. You know, something happens to upset poor Sam and he takes it in by scrunching his lips together, flashing the eyes of sadness and taking it all in internally. He just swallows the pain. Honest, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, how has this been healthy mentally? How has this not contributed to a massive nervous breakdown by now? He really is a freak. Our loveable freak.
Phantom Traveler
While I don't believe this is the first time Sam's used the SFoD, it's the first time I noticed it. He turns to it after he and Dean somberly listen to John's cellphone message with sitting on the trunk of the Impala. Sam takes the blow hard but swallows it all, then climbs into the Impala. Dean's more bothered by Sam's reaction than John's message. He rightfully should be.
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Sam's pretty shell shocked here. Why wouldn't he be? He finds out he has psychic abilities, ends up seeing the house and the room where his infamous nursery fire happened, and oh, he sees his dead mother. So, as he sits on the steps and tries to take in all this, Missouri's blow that Mary sacrificed her spirit to save "her boys" is just too much to handle. One SFoD later, he recovers.
Hunted
This one's a classic! It's the infamous "Dad said I'd have to save you or kill you" talk. Saying Sam didn't take it well is like saying the apocalypse is a bit of a nuisance. Maybe holding out those giantic arms and asking "Am I supposed to go darkside or something?" hinted he was a bit upset. So why not use a pronounced SFoD to calm himself down enough where he avoids punching Dean. Right, that did wonders. He ends up running away later.
Last Updated (Wednesday, 21 April 2010 12:26)
What an endearing (and seasoned with humour) compilation of Sammy…
Just like Dean, whenever I get worried about our younger Winchester, I always refer to him as ‘Sammy’. And the pics you drew are adorable… and bringing a couple of tears up. It’s quite fascinating how a screencap from a certain episode will bring the emotion up in an instant…
And – thank you for that lovely pic from When the Levee Breaks!! That’s the one I was hoping for. I’m currently wearing Jasminka’s Happy Face of Instant Bliss…
It is one of my favourite moments. Another is the one Sam leans into his mother’s embrace and she vanishes. Heartbreaking, really.
And I loved the second one you chose from Born Under a Bad Sign… the moment he handed the gun to Dean, waiting to be shot – and when watching that episode the first time I was heartbroken with the (fake) fear in Sammy’s eyes, the sniffle, the tremor… as if Demon-Sam was actually afraid Dean might shoot him. And a minute later, after Dean refused to kill him, he picked up the gun, whispering ‘no, you’ll live’ , and I thought, he was going to shoot himself. A part of my head was screaming ‘Damn you, Kripke, you’re not gonna do that!!’ Sometimes I wondered if Sam might become suicidal one day. With all that weight on his shoulders… Wonder, whether all that self-sacrificing the Winchesters are prone to sometimes serves a suicidal purpose, as well. Even if it was a subconscious one.
And that tearjerker in the end of your mix… Let me borrow from Bevie: ‘Migawd’… That scene in particular went through my soul like a warm knife through butter. He is a little boy again, just look at his face. I guess everyone of us remembers being reprimanded by someone we loved, probably as kids. The kind of rebuke Sam gets from Demon-Bobby is devastating. And Jared, wonderful actor that he is, puts it all in that face – the child, the despair of losing the closest person he has to a father, the fathomless loneliness… Don’t you just want to give him a good strong hug and assure him that everything, really, is going to be okay and that he is loved, no matter what?!
There will be another hiatus coming up… How about a nice collage of happy faces of the Winchesters? You know, the ‘Instant-Bliss’ moments.
I’ve noticed recently (currently watching from season one with a friend who I managed to introduce to the show), that Dean smiles a lot. Sometimes it’s cocky, sometimes authentic, but his ‘smile-time’ surpasses the times we see Sam smile. Because it is so rare, every time we see him smile, the sun comes up.
I bet – if you loved to do that – you would find the most gorgeous smiles of Sam and Dean.
Take care, Jas
I'm happy to see that you're a regular here. It's always a pleasure to read your thoughts.
Alice, thank you so much for your work on the troubled (and beautiful) faces of our favorite boys. Like Jas, I'm wearing a happy face right now. Oh, and I think Jas had a wonderful idea! How about a compilation of the "Best Smiles" for a future project? I'm already smiling myself in antecipation...
As for Sammy having a mental breakdown someday, well, did you girls see the title for episode 11? "Sam Interrupted". What dou you make of that? Being a sucker for everything Sammy-related, I confess I'm curious about this particular episode.
Jas that's a great idea! The boys happy faces! And Andrea "Best Smiles" too *sigh*, give it a thought Alice.
Oh, I was wondering if there's an Impala Top 10? I don't remember (and I'm too lazi to go look right know), but if not... what do you say Alice? Is there enough material for The Impala Best Moments?
Me, too, can hardly wait to see 'Sam Interrupted'. Hope we see that one before the bit hiatus...
Hey, Dany, love the idea of the ten best Impala moments... 'Oh God (singing) won't you buy me a Chevy Impala... '
Love Jas
I agree with the others. I'd like to see the happy faces of Sam and Dean too. If not too much work.
As for "Sam, Interrupted", I have just checked the release date: January, 21st. That's too bad, but something to wait for! And next the body swap episode (12). Wow! This will be a long hiatus.
Sablegreen, don't worry... why shouldn't we take a look at what the guys are wearing? There are some shirts or pants I, too, noticed and like in particular. Cool stuff.
Love, Jas
But back to Sammys Somberisms... The one from Sympathy for the Devil especially stuck with me 'cause he looked so young and unprotected and innocent and dying and I just *hurt* for him. He looked also very very pretty. *shallow but sue me*
I never get tired of these somber looks, his puppydogeyes get me 'every' single time.
I also have a soft spot for Deans eyes of Doom (HOT!) especially if someone is threatening Sam, then they kick in overdrive. I love me some SadSammy and AngryDean. *sigh* and *doublesigh*
I second Jas who suggested the happy smile -pics, 'cause those are rare like diamonds nowadays... And we could all use a smile. And boy do these guys have gorgeous smiles!
No matter what though, I'll go through them! Yeah, tough.
"So, if you're Sam and you’ve been stuck in an alternate reality for over six months, if you've been forced to watch your brother die over and over again only to finally get him back, what do you do? Crumble to pieces internally, that’s what."
Amazing sum up!
While that episode was amazingly funny, it did end on a sad note, I really felt so bad for Sam, its amazing how he hasn't broken down from all the weight from previous seasons continue to build up on him.
When The Levee Breaks, for me was the best, Aam was feeling all sorts of emotions and it was all over his face that episode. although don't remembering him looking that bad (2nd pic) wow.
Amazing collection.
I am also adding my vote for a happy smile and Impala article.
I'm totally for top 10 smiles/happy moments, top 10 Impala moments--sounds fantastic. Could it be I'm actually looking forward to Hellatus? (I know, sacrilege...)
Sablegreen, I started scrutinizing Sam's clothes too...couldn't help it... don't suppose anyone else is familiar with Asian-Indian block prints? b/c that's always what I thought of when I saw the white shirt... then I spotted something similar in "Curious Case." Looks like Sam got a new shirt. The print's not as noticeable b/c it's black on maroon (which is probably a good thing). This stuff seems to rear its head in menswear now and again, and apparently someone in wardrobe is a fan...Wow, I digress. Will stop now.
As an aside, take a peek at the end of Mysery Spot and then the end of The Curious Case of Dean Winchester...I'm pretty sure that the backdrop outside the motel room in both cases is the same. I thought it looked familiar when I saw it this past Thursday and now I'm sure of it.
"Only these guys can make pain and suffering look so good. And I like it. And then I feel guilty."
ElenaM I'm with you on that one, you summed up the feelings of many Supernatural fans I believe.
Poor Sammy really does seem to have a lot to complain about in his life.
By the way you forgot the one where Sammy was leaning up against the hall of their hotel room, after running into the siren in "Sex and Violence". That face practically brings me to tears on the inside, whenever I see it. Not one of the most pleasant episodes of Supernatural, but certainly a memorable moment.
Ohhh requests? are you going to do more because I wouldn't mind one of all Dean's goofy face especially including that spectacular face he made in IBTCAOF also Sam's bitchface which was just brilliant in IBTCAOF when Dean got him with the buzzer.