Sofia’s Review – “My Heart Will Go On”
What would have happened if the Titanic never sank? Ellen and Jo would still be alive, Bobby would be happily married to Ellen and the boys would be driving a Mustang. The last part, I could do without but the rest of it sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Supernatural, it’s that if you mess with fate there are serious consequences. Dean learned in his day as Death that one twist of fate is all it takes to set off a chain reaction. So you can only imagine what saving thousands of people from a sinking boat would do.
What would have happened if the Titanic never sank? Ellen and Jo would still be alive, Bobby would be happily married to Ellen and the boys would be driving a Mustang. The last part, I could do without but the rest of it sounds pretty great, doesn’t it? If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Supernatural, it’s that if you mess with fate there are serious consequences. Dean learned in his day as Death that one twist of fate is all it takes to set off a chain reaction. So you can only imagine what saving thousands of people from a sinking boat would do.
(From Alice – You mean like ending up with this beauty? Did I ever mention I’m a Mustang girl? 
)
At the beginning of the episode, I found myself wondering what the difference was between Death and Fate. Both act on higher orders to end the lives of those whose time is up. Maybe Fate doesn’t actually kill anyone but she does change their course of action resulting in death. The two seem pretty similar to me. But there was one striking difference and that was that Fate seemed to enjoy her job. She seemed to thrive on the power of it. Right before she tried to fry Sam and Dean, she even cracked a smile. Death, on the other hand didn’t seem so enthused by his task. His job seemed to burden him which is why he was so willing to let Dean take over for the day. Of the two, who would have thought that Death would come off looking like the good guy? the similarities between Death and Fate had me wondering if they ever cross paths. It seems like they’d have to. I’m guessing we’ll see Fate again soon and I wouldn’t be surprised if Death isn’t lurking around somewhere close by.
We now know a little bit more about what Cas has been up to this year. He’s collecting souls for his army. We’ve learned about the value of souls this season but I still don’t feel like I know what what that value means. Ok, they’re worth a lot. A lot of what? It’s not money, unless there’s some divine currency I’m not aware of. It’s got to be power, but what kind? Is it just the sheer number of people fighting or is there more to it than that? I hope there’s more, and I hope we get to that soon because the end of the season is rapidly approaching and there are still a lot of pieces that need shifting if we’re going to get that great season finale domino effect.
Castiel’s ultimate decision to re-sink the Titanic said a lot about his relationship with the Winchesters. His army must have taken a big hit losing those souls but he made it clear that Sam and Dean were more important. I’d be lying if I said that didn’t warm my heart. I was more than a little curious why Castiel decided to send Balthazar back for the Titanic in the first place. He knows better than most people what happens when you alter history. So I was happy to hear him explain what he’s learned from the boys about making your own destiny and choosing freedom. It’s a far cry from the Cas we used to know. 
So Fate has it out for Sam and Dean, who doesn’t these days? The boys have gotten themselves on the bad side of just about everyone. Angels and demons are after them not to mention the Mother of All. Now Fate and possibly her sisters would like to add themselves to the Winchester’s growing list of enemies, as if they need more. I am very curious to meet these sisters of Fate. I’m purposely avoiding googling just who these sisters might be. I like the element of surprise too much to ruin it for myself and I’m not familiar enough with the mythology to know offhand. But I’ll be interested to see who they are and what they think of Sam and Dean. It is understandable that Fate would dislike the Winchesters. They altered pretty much everything by skipping over the Apocalypse and now she has no real significance so she wields her power just for kicks. At least that’s how it looks to me.
I’m so glad this hellatus is over. It seems to me that a lot is going to happen in these next few episodes before the season finale. There are crucial pieces missing in this Season 6 puzzle and I can’t wait to figure out what they are. This season has felt a bit segmented with multiple pieces rather than one over-arching storyline. Still I can’t help but think that these segments are all connected by a common thread.
There were some really funny parts that I have to mention:
* I.P. Freely – I felt like a 12 year old boy laughing at that.
* I love that Balthazar claimed he saved the Titanic to avoid the movie and song. I have to admit that I liked both.
* Dean: “Rule one, no Kutcher references.”
* Balthazar: “You’ve got me confused with another angel. The one in the dirty trench coat who’s in love with you.”
* Watching Sam and Dean tempt fate was hilarious. Especially Sam’s face right before he walked through the fire jugglers.
Could not agree more with the last part. (funny bits). and Jared looked so cute making that face.:)
Didn’t u like whe Balthazar was about to kill fate but castiel stopped him and he was like “uh, akward….”
Oh man! How did I forget about that? That was hilarious.
When the Greek Fates came up I was like “OH! I know them!” We learned a little about them in Latin and I was kinda surprised at how accurate the show was, they usually change and twist the facts around.
I could help laughing at just about everything, especially playing Blondie while tempting Fate!
Sam’s face was really something to laugh at. 😀
I really liked this episode. I think your comparison of Death and Fate is a really interesting idea. I hadn’t even considered the two of them together. I wonder if they do work together, why Dean didn’t see Fate when he was Death?
Also the funny moments are priceless, and I basically cried when the Impala came back.
Maybe they don’t work together but I think it would make sense if they did. I’m curious to see if that ever comes up.
Don’t forget about Dean saying “Accidents don’t just happen accidently!” I loved that one!
I was thinking about the question Death/Atropos. Something Atropos said in the episode really struck me: she said she received her orders by God himself. But we know that Death said he was on the same level of God, if not above, and he seems rather independent in his doing and choices. And Tessa in AIS didn’t reveal from where it was the “death list” tha she and Dean were fulfilling.
So I was guessing that maybe Atropos (and the other Fates) are God’s agents just as long as human beings and Earthly history and destiny are concerned. She talked specifically about a “book” (now subverted or thrown away), and if you can picture God as a storyteller, you can say that Fates are the ones to assure that the story proceed as written.
While Death seems to be a more large, “cosmic” force, not at all concerned about humans or other living beings, or any “story” to be fulfilled, but just about a “cosmic balance” and the “natural order” (that includes Earth and human destiny, of course, but doesn’t end with it), without purpose or scope.
Maybe sometimes this could allow some “conflict of interest” between Atropos and Death (i.e. between God’s will and the “natural order”)? The several “providential” rescues and resurrections of Sam, Dean and Castiel, about which Death seems somewhat pissed off (while Atropos was, at least until now, basically ok), seem to say so.
And it is in a way amazing (and comforting) that such a “cosmic/natural force” can be so fascinated by Dean to stop to dialogue with him and bargain with him and even concede him a “favour”.
I like where you’re going with this, especially the idea of Atropos and Death being at odds because Atropos is working from God’s orders and Death is working from his own orders. Atropos did mention that she went up to Heaven to see what was going on after the Apocalypse. So it seems she’s free to come and go as she pleases. On the other hand, Death walked into the pit to retrieve Sam’s soul so it seems he can come and go as he pleases there. I wonder if he has the same freedom when it comes to entrance into Heaven? The same question goes for Atropos entrance into Hell.
I also think Death is like a cosmic entity with the reapers being in his dominion. I think he was just being pompous, saying he might be “older than God”, but I don’t think he has a free hallpass to heaven like Atropos seems to. I think her deal is having the script, playing the part, and deciding the “fate”, then the reaper comes in and guides the soul on to ‘wherever’. Seems like that’s how they are weaving the mythology, although they seem to be taking a lot of license with the Judeo-Christian heaven and hell, but this IS SPN! It’s their world and we just have to speculate!
Do we really know if Sam’s soul was in the cage and if it was only accessible to Death? I’m not so sure it was there the whole time and not so sure that Crowley, and Castiel aren’t in cahoots. I don’t think Death likes whatever is going on there and intervened, but Castiel wanted Sam souless, remember? And Crowley warned against ‘resouling’ him too. Death brought the soul back, but warned “it’s all about the souls” and to keep digging.
Why would Castiel want to save Sam and Dean so badly- just ‘love’ or is Sam’s soul worth a lot more? Does Sam’s soul know something about Purgatory? About Heaven? I’ll be interested to see how it all ties together, but I don’t think Sam will fall apart forever when the “wall” comes down. I think that will reveal what he knows and what Death, Crowley, and Cas have been hiding.
Interesting thoughts, I don’t think I’m ready to entertain the idea that Castiel is working with Crowley. I don’t think he could betray Sam and Dean like that. I do think he is hiding something from them regarding the war in Heaven and I’m getting a little more than impatient waiting to find out what that might be.
Interesting thought about Sam’s soul not being in the cage. Where else do you think it would have been? It seemed to me that when his wall cracked he got glimpses of Hell but anything is possible at this point.
I think he’s hiding something too and i don’t like it. Just hope he doesn’t change from the lovable angel that he is. 😕
I’m pretty sure Fate is a one-off character to never be met again, for this episode only. Cluttering the mythology weakens it, in my opinion. Though I did like the episode, and the way they introduced the mystery of Castiel’s war of souls. But I hope they just use what they’ve already set up without introducing more to the plots. I want answers now!
You may be right, although with “Frontierland” taking Sam and Dean back in time they are bound to alter the past in some way thereby altering the fate of those they encounter. And I can’t help but think that Atropos still has them on her radar and won’t be happy about that.
I thought Fate was an angel. Someone like cupid. Because she said she was given orders by god.
I don’t know much about Discworld so I can’t comment on that but I agree that pretty much anything is possible in the world of Supernatural. We learn new things every season. I mean, dragons are real! That was an adjustment for me!
I loved Sam’s face before he passed by the knives and when they kept on seeing the different possibilities for them to be killed while “One way or Another” was playing. I think the song just completed the whole effect. 😀
Great post, interesting thoughts. New to your site- will keep coming back because of your writing! Thanks Sofia!