Let’s Speculate: “Clap Your Hands If You Believe” – When You Wish Upon A Fairy
Warning!!!! If you haven’t seen the latest episode of “Supernatural” and the preview for next week, do not read this! There is going to be plot-based speculation and discussion! You’ve been officially warned!
Well, that was a corker! Ben Edlund wins at life, doesn’t he? That was a much-needed break from all the intensity we’ve had for pretty much the entire season. Since this outing was generally lighthearted, there isn’t too much to speculate about. Or is there?
Soulless Sam as Comedy Relief
I wasn’t too sure how they could make Sam work in a comedic episode since it’s been so flipping tragic to watch him being all robotic (not the good kind) and not caring about Dean. But I thought it worked pretty well here. I mean, don’t get me wrong. It was still rather disconcerting to see Sam so flippant about the fact that Dean had been abducted, but we all know by now that he couldn’t help himself. Still, it kind of hurt, I’m not gonna lie. But having Dean trying to teach Sam how to act was rather amusing. Dean is totally Jiminy Cricket. I just wish Samocchio’s nose grew when he lied, too.
Second Thoughts
Well, the patented last conversation of doom was really true to form this week. Sam’s back to lying to Dean and is also having second thoughts about getting his soul back. Oh, Sam. Come on now! Really? If he can’t feel anything, supposedly, why does he care either way? He’d rather feel nothing? But isn’t preferring to feel nothing still feeling something? My head hurts.
If A Leprechaun Makes You an Offer, Make Sure You See the Pot of Gold First
Maureen Ryan theorized about this in her column last week, and it the leprechaun’s offer here seemed to at least hint at the idea that maybe Sam and Dean are going to end up making a deal with monsters of some sort to enlist their help getting Sam’s soul back. That could make for a very interesting turn of events. You could have heaven and hell fighting over purgatory and Winchesters and monsters trying to fend both sides off. And then it would be SUPER AWKWARD when everything was over, Sam has his soul back, and it’s time to go hunting again. “Oh, hey shapeshifter Bob. Didn’t you help me get my soul back?” “I sure did, Sam.” “Huh. Thanks for that.” “You’re welcome.” “But I can’t let you rob banks and kill people, so…”
So yeah, not too much to talk about after this episode, but that’s kind of a good thing right now. We just have two weeks to go nuts thinking about that promo for the next new episode. Hell’s prison? Holy crap! That sounds pretty damn cool.
It`ts defitinitely one of the better episodes this season but I just feel as though there`s something missing (no pun intended).Great one liners and visual jokes just not as good as previous Ben Edlund episodes.
I too loved the many one liners and references. The X-Files opening I think was great.
It was wonderful to have something to laugh about again. And there was music. Major Tom – a good piece and so fitting at that moment.
Wasn’t much on Sam’s second thought but all in all I am glad they didn’t leave us with a worrysom ep for 2 weeks.
This was a typical crazy Edlundian – thank you Ben.
But somehow not as bloody as I expected.
From the moment we saw the homage to X-Files I knew I was going to enjoy this episode. I WAS NOT DISSAPOINTED. Come on people it was a fun episode. There was banter, there was fighting, there was FUN. Well I had fun watching it anyway. It has cheered up a wet and windy morning for me. I am going to be smiling to myself all day.
Diane
I just wonder what it says about me that my favorite bit was Dean blowing up Tinkerbelle in the microwave oven! Loved all the X-files shout-outs. Soulless Sam is a hoot in a kind of heartbreaking way, but he’s a pretty bad liar. Loved seeing Robert Picardo as the evil Leprechaun. Overall a clever, entertaining and very Edlundian episode. And somehow through all the nonsense, the SPN team managed to make it fit into the SPN universe. That’s pretty impressive.
Yume–I’ve been thinking the exact same thing about Sam coming across like an angel. The other day I started trying to puzzle out if it was even a remote possibility that Sam is really Michael with some plan up his sleeve. I don’t really think that’s it, but I keep coming back to all the “no one is as they seem” warnings we’ve been getting.
Anyway, loved this episode! *confused Dean face*…”Nipples??”
This episode was great! Robert Picardo, love him. I think I’ll be watching this many more times to catch all of the implications hinted at. Loved it!
Yume & Kellymom – Ever since we found out that Sam doesn’t sleep, I thought “angel” though I can’t figure out how or what that means. I also don’t necessarily believe that Crowley is in charge or control of Sam’s soul.
Also, did Sam take that book? It could come in handy if they need to call on a leprechaun some day?! I’m still giggling every once in a while when I think about “Nipples??”
So a while ago, I said I was done speculating, but I also so totally called the Jiminy Cricket reference! Yes, I’m bragging. I got ONE thing right (kinda, in an odd sort of way) for once.
But still done speculating, for now. I am HOPING we get Samsoul back before the end of the season. Even hoping for it back before hellatus. I’ll be happy to wait through that as long as I know Sammy will be back on the other side. The ep was great, but ya, I still miss our puppy dog eyed boy. And that was the first, and let’s hope the only, time that I hid behind my hands when shirtless Sam came on screen! That was just soooo awkward!
Yume, thanks for pointing out the similarities between Sam and the angels. I’d not connected that before and now my brain juices are going.
It wasn’t just the ‘nipples’ quote that cracked me up, it was the fact that Dean did the universal hand signal for them. Deano, Sam isn’t that innocent, I’m pretty sure he knows what they are! (Though, it shows where your mind is at that you can look at a tiny, glowing, dancing light and all you can see are the nipples! Oh Dean, I miss you…)
If I ever banned from here (it’s possible), I’m giving you fair warning that I’m coming back under the name ‘Oberon’. That’s a cool name.
Dean in the prison station. As soon as he hears the guy is the DA, he just KEEPS ON DIGGING!!! Dean, lesson for tonight, know when you’ve said enough and then stop.
I think Dean is funniest when his masculinity is challenged. His sense of chivalry kicks in and he just flounders. I mean a teeny, tiny, glowing, naked lady… I bet that wasn’t in John’s diary. ‘She hit me’! I’d say Dean found it easier to be attacked by the vampire than to admit that. And he didn’t even hit her back (though the microwave is now second in line for most gruesome deaths, behind Bobby’s wood-chipper.)
Re. all the tie-ins with the X-Files, add the episode ‘Bad Blood’, where Ronnie the vampire can’t attack Mulder until he counts the sunflower seeds.
It seems a potential side effect of losing your soul is that it makes you horny as hell. Who knew! When this gets out, they’re going to be lining up to deal with Crowley.
I noticed the ‘angelic’ Sam insinuations too. Not just the not sleeping but the inappropriateness in social situations, taking things literally etc. Also, the learned behavior in pouring the whiskey, the hand on the knee and the ‘This is a saferoom’ are vintage Castiel when he was becoming more human. Doubt he’s an angel though. I dare say Castiel would have picked that up during his angelic cavity search.
Question, in the fairy ladies home, what was the dialogue when they were commenting on the decor. I can’t make it out. (There were quite a few instances in this episode I’d difficulty making out words)
‘My brother was abducted by aliens. I’ve had time to adjust’. ‘Did it happen when you were kids’ ‘No, like half an hour ago’. The whole matter of fact way this line was delivered just cracked me up (Reminds me of Sam, Interrupted, ‘His name is Castiel, he wears a trenchcoat’.)
A few musings: Sam seems fairly certain his soul, regardless of who has it, is still in hell. I wonder how much thought he’s given to the state his soul will be in when it’s returned. I can’t think of a valid reason why Sam would voluntarily choose to get his soul back. He’s so unburdened and free now, whereas before he acted like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Who wouldn’t want to be free from that? Maybe he’ll want it back because it’s what Dean wants. I dunno…..
It’s strange. Last week we had the same Sam, but the lack of soul seemed to turn him into a callous dick. In this episode, same Sam but the lack of soul makes him more neutral. Honestly, it’s like watching two completely different characters.
This (completely neutral) way is the way I’d expect someone with no soul to act, constantly having to have what is right and wrong, and why, explained to them.
It reminds me of an argument I had with my 5 year old niece in relation to why she shouldn’t go out in the road. Me: ‘Come off the road.’ Her: ‘Why?’ Me: ‘A car could come and knock you down’ Her:‘If a car comes I’ll get out of the way’ Me: ‘The car will be coming very fast, you won’t be able to get out of the way’ Her: ‘I can run fast and if I see a car coming I’ll get out of the way’ Me:‘It’s still dangerous’ Her:‘Why?’ This went on for about ten minutes (she won).
This reminds me of where Sam is at the moment. If you give him a valid enough argument, he’ll listen (ie with not making a deal). If you don’t, he won’t (checking out the waitress). He’s very childish and (in this episode) very innocent. He doesn’t have emotion so he can’t comprehend it in others. How many people here have heard a child say something really inappropriate to someone and then genuinely not understand why they’re being punished for it?
I think Bookdal, on an earlier topic, suggested that Sam was all id and ego and no super-ego. (I hadn’t time to acknowledge and reply, sorry) but I feel this is remarkably apt. Sams id wants what it wants; food, beer, sex, a spy in the vampire lair etc. His ego (the action part) will seek to satisfy that; buying food, hiring a hooker, letting Dean get turned etc. will seek to satisfy the id because the superego isn’t there to say ‘no’; fast food is bad for you so get a salad, paying for sex is inappropriate and letting your brother get turned will mean 10,000 different topics will be dedicated to that one act.
Strangely, if you take the superego as the old ‘angel and devil on your shoulder’ to help you dictate your actions, Sam has been sans angel and all devil for a good while now. Freud wouldn’t be surprised at how Sam is acting now because Lucifer and the demons have been on Sam’s shoulder since he was a kid. It’s actually a credit to the guy he’s not more fupped up.
Finally, Sam, you were as hot as hell using the old bit of Gaeilge, but you were shite at actually speaking it. I’m available for tuition if you need it (and you do….)
I’m pretty sure Dean said “Pewterific”
Tim the enchanter your posts are always delightful to read.I think the sam we saw for the first eight episode was pretending to be intimidating but came out as a dick and the Sam in this episode is how he really is. He himself tells at the beginning that it is exhausting pretending he feels something (not the exact words)…The whole conversation with the crazy lady was hilarious. I was frustrated about Sam’s soul but if this is how the season continues the journey to Sam getting his soul (hopefully) will be fun to watch.
Sorry Leslie92708, ‘Gaeilge’ is the irish for ‘Irish’, only when referring to language. Sam and Brennan were reciting an Irish reversal there at the end (and making an absolute balls of it, they were!)
I can speak it fairly well but could only make out certain words, soilse (light), dunta (closed), agus (and), seo (here), siar (westwards), duinnse (to pave the way) etc etc. That’s my meagre translation of and I’m going to stop now in case I conjure up a leprechaun or something!
Different regions of Ireland have different dialects and phraseology so honestly, they could have been saying something completely different. I’d be speaking Munster Irish and I ‘d have fierce difficulty understand what someone speaking Ulster Irish would be saying.
It makes doing exams in it an awful curse…
I really enjoyed this episode, it was a much needed change in scenery.
It had so many great lines and moments, it was nice to be able to laugh again.
With Dean being Jiminy (parent/teacher) and Sam being Pinocchio (child/student), soulless Sam was actually enjoyable. I do think Dean needs to tone down the negativity of having a soul if he wants Sam to get his soul back. However I can relate when being constantly asked questions and having to explain everything, it can get frustrating after awhile. One tends to tell the questioner to just accept the answer whether it’s appealing or not.
The X-Files shout out was great, with the UFO referencing and I loved the opening. I thought Castiel was going to be in this, but on the second watch I noticed they didn’t have starring Misha Collins, they just showed his name.
The micro-waving of the fairy however reminded me of Gremlins.
I see they tried to explain why Sam had showed emotions in previous episodes.
“I was faking it, ever since we got back on the road together, I was picking every word, it’s exhausting!”
I have to say Sam is very quick on his feet then, because there were moments with his facial expressions and his reaction were so immediate, that to me, there was no way he had time to ‘pick his words’. But I will let that go and move on.
As to why Sam would care about having a soul or not, I think it’s based on the memories he has. The love, the relationship and devotion he had with Dean. Although he can’t feel it I would image he remembers how important it was to him.
Same with why Sam would hunt if he didn’t really care about humanity. I think there are two major factors that directed Sam in this. One being from his memories, hunting was pretty much his whole life and it would be the only thing Sam would know how to do.
Secondly there is Samuel’s involvement. We still haven’t been told how the two Sam’s met and how they started working together. But I believe with Samuel’s deal he probably was informed that Sam was brought back as well and to enlist him in his hunting mission.
I still don’t believe Crowley is working on his own on this and that he had the mojo to bring both Sam’s back to the living, but whoever he is working with they wanted a soulless Sam in the field since he would make a great soldier. With no guilt, no hesitation, just go in and get the job done.
The issue of Sam having sex, while Dean was missing, did bring out Sam’s lack of concern, but without any emotion I actually understood his reasons. Sam may not feel things on a emotional level but he still feels things on a physical one. So I would imagine he still gets physical urges that he would need to relieve. Plus with the man never being able to sleep, what better way to free up some spare time than with some physical exercise.
I still need to understand how sleeplessness is related to not having a soul. It is both physically and mentally impossible for a human to go without sleep for any extended time with out some kind of repercussions. I think there is more supernatural stuff going on than just this soulless thing.
It looks like the show is heading in the direction of deals being offered to the brothers for the return of Sam’s soul. Not sure how I feel about this, I’m so tired of this soulless storyline, but I guess I will have to see how they play this out.