The Truth, The Whole Truth, and Nothing But The Truth
For me the lure of “Supernatural” is the relationship between the brothers. I love their bickering, their teasing, their teamwork and yes, even their occasional arguments. While IΓ’β¬β’m not a fan of lies in life part of the joy of this show is that with few exceptions the lies are usually known to exist and thus become Γ’β¬Λthings the other wonΓ’β¬β’t discussΓ’β¬β’ or in other cases are found out within half a season or so, with the exception of SamΓ’β¬β’s knowledge of what happened to him as a baby; I think that has the record at about a year and a half before coming to light. These two know each other so well that they usually know when the other is lying, or perhaps to put a gentler tone to it, Γ’β¬Λholding something backΓ’β¬β’. Sometimes one of them pushes and at other times they let it alone and allow the other time to work it all out.
The Truth, the Whole Truth and Nothing but the Truth, by Elle2
For me the lure of “Supernatural” is the relationship between the brothers. I love their bickering, their teasing, their teamwork and yes, even their occasional arguments. While IΓ’β¬β’m not a fan of lies in life part of the joy of this show is that with few exceptions the lies are usually known to exist and thus become Γ’β¬Λthings the other wonΓ’β¬β’t discussΓ’β¬β’ or in other cases are found out within half a season or so, with the exception of SamΓ’β¬β’s knowledge of what happened to him as a baby; I think that has the record at about a year and a half before coming to light. These two know each other so well that they usually know when the other is lying, or perhaps to put a gentler tone to it, Γ’β¬Λholding something backΓ’β¬β’. Sometimes one of them pushes and at other times they let it alone and allow the other time to work it all out.
Over the seasons weΓ’β¬β’ve watched various elements come into play that cause the brothers to open up to each other. Sometimes itΓ’β¬β’s comical with darker undertones such as in “Playthings” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” when drunken Sam reveals some of whatΓ’β¬β’s going on inside his head first by making Dean promise to honor their fatherΓ’β¬β’s wishes and kill him if he goes dark side and second by asking Dean why he cares so little about himself regarding going to hell. Sam reveals his fears about himself the first time and the second time he gets Dean to do some soul searching so that in the end Dean decides itΓ’β¬β’s time he works with Sam to find a way to save his soul from hell.
Grief and guilt are heavy emotions that cause each Winchester to open up, notably Dean. In “Children ShouldnΓ’β¬β’t Play With Dead Things” as well as “Crossroad Blues” the case hits a little too close to home and Dean is able to put the pieces together and confess to Sam that he knows Dad is dead because of him and heΓ’β¬β’s sorry, sorry John did what he did, sorry Sam has lost his father because of him (Dean).
ItΓ’β¬β’s little surprise that the episodes after “Crossroad Blues”, “Croatoan” and “Hunted” have Dean dealing with those burdens in ways that we never saw in Season 1, now Dean is tired of the life they lead, how they never get thanked, they donΓ’β¬β’t get paid, all they get is grief; further Dean finally unloads the tremendous weight of the secret John told him at the end of “In My Time of Dying”Γ’β¬Β¦save Sam or kill him. That weight doesnΓ’β¬β’t get any easier for in “Playthings” Sam lays a burden on Dean himself, honor dadΓ’β¬β’s wishes. Interesting that drunken Sam opens up about his fears and extracts a promise from Dean but upon sobering up Sam stays the course and tells Dean he expects him to honor his promise, alcohol may have been the catalyst for the admission of the fears but the fears are real and Sam is no longer hiding from them.
Sam has a tendency to open up when either heΓ’β¬β’s faced with Dean as an immovable object like in “Home” when he knew Dean would not go back to Lawrence, Kansas unless Sam gave him something concrete or when heΓ’β¬β’s faced with more gentle coaxing from Dean, such as in “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” In that episode Dean makes it clear that he isnΓ’β¬β’t looking for an argument with Sam but he needs to know why Sam trusts Ruby so much. Sam takes a moment to absorb that Dean deserves some answers and then provides most of them, even the part about having sex with a demon, but yet holds back the final part about drinking demon blood to access his powers. I think Sam has always feared what Dean will think of him, feared that perhaps Dean will reject him and from that lack of confidence in DeanΓ’β¬β’s love for him heΓ’β¬β’s fallen into the trap of a lie.
One of the journeys Sam has been on is to realize that heΓ’β¬β’s accepted by Dean just as he is provided he tells the truth. In “Sex and Violence” Dean spills the truth Γ’β¬β courtesy of a siren Γ’β¬β that what he needs most from Sam is the truth, the demon blood and the psychic crap arenΓ’β¬β’t what build a barrier between them, rather itΓ’β¬β’s the little things, the lies and the secrets. Sam finally figured that out and there wasnΓ’β¬β’t a lie told by him in Season 5, nor was there one told by him in Season 6, not souled Sam that is.
Dean for his part usually needs a little room to tell Sam whatΓ’β¬β’s going on inside his head. In “Shadow” we see Dean opening up about how much hunting with Sam has meant to him and how he wants them to be a family again; itΓ’β¬β’s a glimpse inside DeanΓ’β¬β’s psyche. Sam uses that carefully when he needs to pry things out of Dean that Dean would rather not give, itΓ’β¬β’s in “Hunted” that Sam tells Dean to let him carry some of his burden because they are brothers; the result: Dean reveals JohnΓ’β¬β’s final words. In “Fresh Blood” Sam cracks DeanΓ’β¬β’s bravado regarding going after Gordon by reminding Dean that he (Sam) knows Dean, heΓ’β¬β’s been studying him since they were kids wanting to be just like his big brother. The clincher is when Sam reveals to Dean that he just wants Dean to cut the crap and be his brother again justΓ’β¬Β¦just Γ’β¬Λcause; the result: Dean stands down and they go after Gordon together. We also see the brothers being brothers, itΓ’β¬β’s bittersweet as they repair the Impala together for while they are being brothers there is also the realization that Dean is teaching Sam some tools Sam will need in the very near future, a future soon to be without Dean. We also see similar results when itΓ’β¬β’s SamΓ’β¬β’s honest sorrow and confusion over DeanΓ’β¬β’s lack of concern for his impending descent to hell in DALDOM; the result: DeanΓ’β¬β’s conscience conjures a dream during his dream root trip and Dean confronts some of his self-esteem issues and ends up telling Sam he doesnΓ’β¬β’t want to go to hell.
Sam and Dean know how to get the other to tell the truth; sometimes that requires standing firm and refusing to give in until the other opens up, as seen in “Home”. Other times it requires one to step back and give the other some room, as Sam did for Dean at the end of “Wishful Thinking”; he knew Dean remembered hell, Dean admitted he remembered hell but he told Sam he would not talk about it. Sam stepped back and allowed that to be how it stood between them. As is the norm, when given some room, Dean will make a move to open up and we get one of the most emotional talks as the brothers share beers by the Impala. I love that the conversation begins with Dean asking Sam if Sam was curious about AlistairΓ’β¬β’s words and Sam counters with the fact that he is curious but Dean said he wasnΓ’β¬β’t talking and Sam wasnΓ’β¬β’t going to push; SamΓ’β¬β’s reward: Dean shares it all.
While the brothers do at times keep secrets from each other and sometimes use those secrets to hurt the other they also will be very honest with each other in ways that heal; two quick examples are DeanΓ’β¬β’s phone conversation with Sam in “Scarecrow”. The brothers have separated angrily and appear ready and willing to keep it that way, however, when Dean and Sam are conversing about the hunt Dean has embarked upon Dean tells Sam that he admires him for his ability to stand up to dad. That honest declaration by Dean goes a long way for at the end of the episode Sam is committed to seeing the journey through with Dean contending that all they have is each other.
Another example is in “Point of No Return”, Dean makes it clear that he intends to say yes to Michael but Sam is resolute in his faith in Dean to do the right thing; when push shoves, says Sam, Dean will do the right thing. At the end of the episode, having already said yes Dean looks Sam square in the eyes and sees the absolute devastation in SamΓ’β¬β’s eyes as his rock solid faith in Dean looks to be destroyed and it is that moment, that realization that Sam was utterly convinced that Dean wouldnΓ’β¬β’t let him down, that Dean changed course and took down Zachariah and emphatically put an exclamation point on his Γ’β¬ΛnoΓ’β¬β’ to Michael.
So, with all the lies and secrets, give and take between the brothers where do things go off the rails in Supernatural between them? When the supernatural element gets involved, thatΓ’β¬β’s when. Whether it is demons or sirens, ghosts or fake gods, shapeshifters or angels, when these elements play in the mix things go badly for Sam and Dean. While the brothers can and do hurt each other quite spectacularly they manage to find their way back rather quickly because the love that underscores the relationship and the trust and respect along with it are rarely severed. However, when the supernatural plays in the mix things get distorted and heightened and thatΓ’β¬β’s when real damage occurs.
For example, Dr. Ellicott took SamΓ’β¬β’s frustration with Dean always doing exactly what their father told them to do and heightened it to the point where Sam fired first rock salt rounds at Dean and then a gun that he assumed was loaded with real bullets. Clearly this isnΓ’β¬β’t what Sam in his right mind would do, sure he was frustrated and at times angry that Dean appeared to be an automaton with regard to their fatherΓ’β¬β’s wishes but what he most wanted was to understand why Dean didnΓ’β¬β’t question their father; something he learned later in “Something Wicked”. At the end of “Asylum” Sam tried to reassure Dean that he hadnΓ’β¬β’t meant what he said but Dean wasnΓ’β¬β’t up for caring and sharing, not surprising that things fell apart so quickly in “Scarecrow” and the brothers parted ways. Note however, once the damage was done and a little time and space was achieved, honest emotions came through and Dean was able to heal the rift between them simply by admitting he admired Sam for standing up to dad.
When the Trickster tangled the brothers up so that they parodied the other in flashback recounts to Bobby it was again a manipulation of how each brother saw the other heightened to the ridiculous. Sure Dean hits on available women but weΓ’β¬β’ve never seen him with someone who puked into her hands and then offered to kiss right after, nor have we seen Sam empathizing with a victim to the point of hugging that person and calling them a brave little soldier; the Trickster messed with the realism so much so that the brothers actually believed the other capable of damaging or stealing the otherΓ’β¬β’s property. Thank goodness Bobby was there to pull their heads together and by the end of the episode they each apologized to the other and were able to move ahead readily and get back to work. Not surprising some of the TricksterΓ’β¬β’s methods were so successful since the brothers had just recovered from the events of Born Under a Bad Sign and both their heads were likely still more than slightly messed up thanks to MegΓ’β¬β’s masterful manipulations.
“Sex and Violence” was an excellent example of how twisted the emotions can become when the boys are under the influence of something supernatural. While Dean was honest in his desire to have Sam be his brother and not lie to him thereΓ’β¬β’s no way heΓ’β¬β’d actually hold a knife to his brotherΓ’β¬β’s throat, much less cut him. Sam for his part was caught in a double whammy because not only did the siren have a hold of him but he was also drinking demon blood behind the scenes and thus RubyΓ’β¬β’s machinations had a disastrous effect on SamΓ’β¬β’s mind as he called Dean weak and frankly worthless to SamΓ’β¬β’s purposes. Sam in his right mind would never do that as seen by his utter remorse in “Unforgiven” as he remembered what his soulless counterpart had thought about family Γ’β¬β family just gets in the way.
Angels and demons have learned to play on the fears of the brothers as well as djinn and goddesses of truth. Zachariah altered DeanΓ’β¬β’s phone message in “Lucifer Rising” because he knew Sam feared that Dean would reject him and thus when Sam heard Γ’β¬ΛDeanΓ’β¬β’sΓ’β¬β’ message, Zachariah knew just which buttons to push; Ruby knew it too back in “No Rest for the Wicked” when she cajoled Sam by saying that Sam hated how Dean looked at him sometimes as if he was a sideshow freak. Dean has had concerns and has teased Sam over the seasons but never had Dean looked at Sam as if he was a freak; rather Dean was always careful to have a smirk on his mouth, a twinkle in his eye and a ready quip to soften the words and to reassure Sam he was doing nothing more than teasing him to lighten the moment. Instead Sam saw it as validation that he was a freak and that he was rejected by Dean, something heΓ’β¬β’d always feared was true; Ruby knew what she was doing.
The djinn in “Exile on Main Street” and Veritas in “You CanΓ’β¬β’t Handle the Truth” both played on fears that Dean had in his mind and thus twisted them to their own purposes. The djinn wanted Dean to suffer and part of that suffering was tapping into DeanΓ’β¬β’s inner fear that he wasnΓ’β¬β’t worthy of an apple pie life, so deep was the desire and so great the fear that in the end Dean admitted the Γ’β¬ΛtruthΓ’β¬β’ about himself that he only sees himself as a killer and nothing more. That isnΓ’β¬β’t the truth at all as we noted since “Dead In The Water” how good Dean is with children but Veritas latched onto DeanΓ’β¬β’s inner fears and distorted them so that Dean forgot all the good heΓ’β¬β’d done with Ben in the past year and instead deepened his depression.
Each brother is the otherΓ’β¬β’s greatest weakness as well as their greatest strength. The supernatural beings only see the weakness part of the relationship while they miss the solid foundation that it is build upon; they are brothers and no one hurts the one without dealing with the other. We saw Dean pound Gordon for daring to shoot at Sam in “Hunted”, refuse to stay in the fantasy world created by the djinn in “What Is and What Should Never Be” because he and Sam were not close. We saw Sam in “The French Mistake” determined to find their way back to the Γ’β¬Λreal worldΓ’β¬β’ because in the alternate world they werenΓ’β¬β’t even brothers and then thereΓ’β¬β’s SamΓ’β¬β’s determination to rebuild himself in “The Man Who Knew Too Much” because he would not leave his brother alone out there. Each brother has pulled himself back from certain death (Dean in WIAWSNB and Sam in TMWKTM) because of his love and loyalty for the other and each brother has sacrificed too much of himself for the other, Dean by selling his soul to bring Sam back to life and Sam for joining forces with the manipulative Ruby purely for revenge because of DeanΓ’β¬β’s death.
IΓ’β¬β’m not sure where Season 7 intends to take us but I predict there will be no more lies, no more secrets. Sure Sam will have recurring issues with all his memories without a soul as well as in hell, Dean will continue to struggle with the losses, Lisa and Ben, CastielΓ’β¬β’s friendship/trust and his time in hell but I predict the brothers will be together through it all. The supernatural beings may make their attempts and some of them may be successful in the short run to mess with the brothersΓ’β¬β’ minds but Sam and Dean have been through so much and discovered so much about the other that itΓ’β¬β’s hard to believe there are any lies left to have.
Dean clearly knows how awful soulless Sam was having been at the direct receiving end of some of his actions, or inaction, and Sam has seen what Dean can do when heΓ’β¬β’s in full-on torturer mode. While Sam may discover some of those darker moments himself; just as Dean has relived some of his darker moments through torturing Alistair in OTHOAP and then the various demons in “Let It Bleed” clearly there is no Γ’β¬ΛsecretΓ’β¬β’ between the two regarding the depths each brother has been to. Dean made it clear in his graveside declaration that all the garbage in the past is just that, past; here forward itΓ’β¬β’s a clean slate; Sam on demon blood, Sam without a soul are not the Sam that stands beside him in the present and he holds no judgments. Sam offered to give Dean a rest from the demon torture, clearly showing his ability and willingness to torture demons without the fortitude of demon blood so there is acceptance of who Dean is and what Dean has done.
The supernatural will play and manipulate the brothers and that is good times for us the viewers; however, the direct actions of either brother to lie to the other appear to be done and over with. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are the order for Season 7 Γ’β¬β theyΓ’β¬β’ll have only each other to depend on Γ’β¬β that sounds like good times to me.
Thanks for reading, Elle2
Hi Elle,
That’s a really great analysis of the brothers’ relationship.
I disagree with one small point — I don’t think that Dean only teased Sam about being a freak. I think he, like Sam, feared it was true. It was a source of fear for him — I mean he feared for Sam — Dean’s look at the end of (damn it I’m blanking on the S1 episode title). He kids Sam about going to Vegas so that Sam will feel better but Dean shows the camera how much he’s worried.
In Metamorphosis, he’s not kidding around. In It’s the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester when Dean is watching Sam pull the demon in the church — my read on Dean’s reaction there is — Sam is completely justified in believing Dean thinks he’s a freak.
Part of the journey of S4 is for Dean to come to terms with Sam’s — call it supernatural edge — and accept Sam as he is — which of course Dean does despite the manipulation by the angels and Ruby. Again illustrating — as you say the depth and beauty of the relationship. I think it only adds to the strength of the relationship to acknowledge that Dean overcame serious doubts about his brother and still came down on the side of the brothers bond.
I agree (and you preceded me in wrting the same observation). I ever found a darkside in their relationship, like in every relationship so close and exclusive: love is often so close to competition and aggressiveness, jealousy and possessiveness, sometimes we just can’t stand the flaws of our close/best friends or partners and none is able to hurt us (voluntarily or unknowingly) more than a loved one. Fear (of being hurt, lied, betrayed, abandoned, let down, disillusioned…) can be a close companion to love, especially when our life is full of loss (and god knows that our brothers had plenty of that in their life).
So I always had the impression that Dean feared Sam could be really a “freak” from the moment he confessed having dreams and visions. He even said it straight in “Simon said” when Andy was obi-waning him, and it wasn’t a joke, since he was being forced to speak his mind openly. John’s last order was so heavy on him also because it fueled Dean’s own fears about Sam, and the same can be said about Cas’ warning at the end of “In the beginning”. Dean snapping so vehemently on Sam using his powers was, IMO, also because of this fear, so recently re-fueled by the kowledge of what the YED did to 6-months-old Sammy. And when he told Sam, just before their epic fight at the end of “When the levee breaks”, that he was “a monster” he wasn’t under any supernatural force or influence, and the devastation on his face in saying that showed how much that realization cut him in the deep.
It took Dean all S4 to come to accept Sam’s “freakness”, and in S5 this acceptance was tested again and again, strained almost over the “point of no return” (pun intended). Yes, the real question between them was more about trust and lying and sneaking around, but when in “The end” Dean said the they “kept each other human” I think he was referring also to this problem.
In this regard, I see the first half of S6 as a logical follow-up to S5 and SoullessSam as the ultimate strain on Dean’s fear about Sam’s “freakness”, because at this point Sam was really a “monster” (a body resurrected without soul? not so much different from a zombie, right?).
On the other hand, SoullessSam line about family being just an hinder is not much different from what Sam said under the influence of the siren in “Sex and violence”. For him the darkside of his relationship with Dean was ever his need for independence, his feeling of being restrained and controlled by his family like a baby unable to judge and choose by himself. So his relationship with Dean always swings between closeness and distance, searching and offering of support and needing to find his own way.
That was one of the reasons for him to be so sneaking and to hide things from Dean already in S3, when still there weren’t no mind powers nor demon blood addiction to conceal. And surely was one of the major issues for him in S4, when, after 4 months of being his own man, Dean’s return was putting him again in the role of the “baby brother” needing to be guided and advised.
They needed all S5 to rebuild not only their mutual trust, but their whole relationship on more equal terms, with Dean aknowledging Sam’s right to choose by and for himself, even when it meant his certain death (and not-so-certain success). And it took a real “monster” like SoullessSam to revert Dean to “big brother mode”
I don’t understand why the sole responsibility always seems to lie on Dean’s end. He needed to learn and change and accept Sam as an equal bla bla. But being lied to and blatantly disrespected by being called weak, dumb and whiny (and that wasn’t only made clear under the influence of some supernatural thing) is no problem.
To me a big flaw in their relationship was always a lack of respect Sam deep down had for Dean and I saw that from Season 1 on consistently. And frankly, it is that what I wanted to see change. However see there was no apologies for any of those statemetns from Season 4 nor even acknowledgment that they were wrong, I guess it was okay on Sam’s side to think and say that.
In other words, Sam deserves respect but it doesn’t have to be recirpocal. I fail to see how that makes them equals.
Of course the sole responsibility doesn’t lie with Dean. But dealing with Sam’s freakishness was usually the more pressing issue in terms of plot and danger.
I disagree that Sam doesn’t respect Dean. Its dysfunctional but I think he behaves the way he does – challenging him, hiding things from him etc — because he does respect Dean and Dean’s opinion of him.
I also think that Sam wasn’t really aware of the damage done to Dean by his actions — in Dark Side of the Moon, I think Sam was astonished to find that Dean cared so much about what he (Sam) thought. I don’t think he had ever seen his actions in that light before — at the time he was involved in a contest of wills with his father. Dean was ally and protector and all about Sam getting what he wanted/needed. That Dean sided with John about Stanford seems to me like it would blindside Sam and make him very angry. The real ‘why’ of Dean being upset didn’t occur to him, as evidenced by his frequent references to Dean being the good soldier and always doing what John said, etc.. For me, nothing that Sam said to Dean in later seasons cut more deeply than him telling his brother in Shadow that things couldn’t go back to the way they were because he didn’t want them to. – Which he echoed in S5 – it couldn’t go back because ‘back’ hadn’t been working – not for Sam and not for Dean, although Dean, with his self esteem issues and insecurities didn’t and still doesn’t recognize why.
I would like to see the relationship begin to help with Dean’s issues. I think both brothers are damaged by the events of the past, not to mention the stints in hell but I think they are in a good place to help each other going forward.
I think Sam loves his brother but deep down I believe he feels the way he makes it known under the influence. Love is not synonymous with respect and it isn’t here in my eyes.
It’s like someone only telling you the real truth on how they feel about you when drunk. So even if at any other time they are either too polite or nice or whatever to say it, they still feel it.
If Dean acted to Sam like he acted with John, I don’t see how Sam would terribly mind. He doesn’t seem to have a big problem with an imbalanced power dynamic itself, just if he is on the wrong end of it.
That’s why I don’t see that relationship as equal now and for that reason I also don’t see it helping with Dean’s issues.
On the contrary, plot makes it so Dean’s only role on the show is that of “protective older brother” but at the same time he gets raked over the coals for it and has to apologize for being too “bossy and clingy”. And then step back and kneel uselessly on the ground to let Sam play sole hero. He can’t win.
The show consistently reinforces the point that he only matters in context to Sam and not for himself so to me the character believing it is no longer a self esteem issue, it’s inevitable.
Hi, Melanie,
I do believe Dean was fearful of Sam’s future and worried what might become of Sam, however, I don’t see that as him seeing Sam as a ‘side-show freak’ as Ruby termed it.
Remember, Ruby played that card at the end of S3 (NRFTW) so by the time S4’s Metamorphis and ITGPSW came around, things were very, very different; the brothers had been separated by four months/forty years, and lies were being told by both (Ruby’s dead, I don’t remember hell) and it only got worse from there.
Thanks for the comments. π
Without a doubt, as you say the supernatural elements are to blame for much of the wedge driven between the brothers. But I think that Ruby et al are only able to exacerbate feelings/thoughts that do already exist.
In Blood Lust we learned about how very, very deeply Dean hates anything supernatural — I just think that it was a struggle for Dean to come to terms with Sam’s supernatural ‘issue.’
Dean is worthy of Sam’s respect, no doubt. I just can’t agree that Sam doesn’t respect Dean at all. The evidence that he does is there in his belief in him – Point of No Return – when Dean himself doesn’t. That sort of absolute belief in a person cannot exist without respect, love and trust. Sure, Sam has absolutely disrespected Dean. I wouldn’t dream of defending those actions, as I said, its dysfunctional.
(sorry, I meant that to be a reply to Sasha.)
welcome back Elle.
For a couple of guys who fear ‘chick flick moments’, they sure do act like a couple of teenage girls sometimes. π
I agree with everything you say. They are each other weakness but when they are on the same page (ie. the second half of this season) watch out. They can yell and punch each other because they are brothers but if someone goes after one of them, someone is looking to get his ass kicked.
Dean, I think is more open about his protectiveness, but Sam is just as protective of Dean, maybe more since Dean is such a strong person, when he goes down, it really is a big thing (ie. ‘Faith’).
I hope season 7 keeps that brotherly togetherness because we (and Sam and Dean) have been without it for too long.
NancyL,
I agree, Dean is more open about his protectiveness to Sam and perhaps because Dean ‘pushes down’ so much of what is going on within him Sam struggles to show his own protectivness becuase Dean doesn’t allow it often, I treasure those moments when he does though.
I have thoughts on another article this hellatus that might reflect some of those moments so I’ll leave it there.
Thanks for the comments.
π
Looking forward to your article because you are right, they are rare, but they are just as powerful as Dean’s moments of ‘you touch Sam, I break your face’. π
Elle, great article here. You’re right, Sam hasn’t lied to Dean in season 5 or 6. I think that is something overlooked. Even Soulless Sam doesn’t lie once the truth about his situation comes out.
I think both brothers have had to grow up through the years, especially season 6, and now I feel that we’re seeing them getting to see them on equal footing. I think that is a good thing. It’s always nice to see how they’ve gotten there and to remember that the show is really about the brothers and always should be.
Far Away Eyes and Bevie,
Thanks for your comments. I just watched Family Matters and here soulless Sam has been caught, no soul, no sleep and no feelings. He’s quick to say he’s sorry for turning Dean into a vamp and he’ll never do it again and then you’re right, I think it’s in All Dogs Go To Heaven (which is next) that he tells Dean he doesn’t even care about him…ouch, well, that’s honesty for you. ‘Course again, it’s the supernatural getting involved for souled Sam loves his brother so much he’ll face his memories of hell to get back to Dean; soulless Sam, not so much.
Bevie, for the most part I’m planning on skipping aobut 75 to 80 percent of Season 6, although the French Mistake, Weekend at Bobby’s, Frontierland and most of The Man Who Knew Too Much are absolute keepers; there’s some other parts of other episodes but hey, each series has to have that one particular season that leaves some scratching their heads in wonderment. It’s over, it’s in the past and I’m all for enjoying what came before and looking forward to what is to come.
Yeah, the reunion was a looooonnnngggg time coming but it’s here and I do believe it is here to stay!
Hooray!
I’m sorry I didn’t give a more in depth response earlier. I’m currently on vacation and on the move.
I think you brought up a lot of important points about both brothers. Both have their own culpability in what has gone wrong in their relationship. They also have the same amount of credit for what works, too.
I think that it is an interesting point that it is the supernatural that creates the most havoc in their relationship. It is mostly true, as it tends to blow up the things that cause tension between Sam and Dean, making them go down paths we saw in seasons 4 and 5. I hope that now they’ve survived all of that they will build a stronger than ever bond. It’s time they put both of their issues to bed and not allow a supernatural creature to use it against them.
That means that Dean has to give up a little control and that Sam has to show his trust in both himself and Dean as he did not in season 4 in particular. They must become equals in every way and cannot simply be big brother/little brother. I think there is so much common ground for them to do that. A lot of story is there just waiting to be told.
I hope season 7 gives us a full rebuilding of the brotherly bond, that they are the absolute center of the story, and that season 6 looks like the set up season I feel that it was.
Glad you are back Elle2. I too am permanently attached to this show because of the relationship and its ups and downs.
Demons, ghosts, shapeshifters, angels whatever, bring them all on, but it is the brothers together that make this show extraordinary in my opinion. Hope they are as one in season seven. Waited for the reunion for a couple of years and now it is here Let it stay!!!! π
Why cant Sam just simply be allowed to be Deans brother ?. Of course Sam didnt realize him leaving that night to go to Stanford woul hurt Dean so much his older brother held onto a resentment for 8 years , he didnt realize because John had told him never to come back , he was walking from the only life had knowing , he had got to Stanford against the odds with no support from his father or brother , thinking what Dean was feeling wasnt what he was going to be himself thinking about. But I doubt Dean has ever thought for a single second what thar night must of been like for Sam? . Respect works both ways , knowledge of how actions impact works both ways . Dean hasnt always been aware of how his words or truly impacted Sam and Sam the same. People so often so Deans perspective in any given situation but never really Sams . Hence we get the accusations of lack of respect and appreciation. Both brothers can be guilty of riding rough shod of the other but never with true intention to hurt. Do I want a more balanced pov within the realationship absolutely but the only way that can be done is for both parts of this fandom and the writers to start considering, feeling and taking seriously Sams side of the equation.[/.
I agree to a point. Where I deviate is that Sam’s attempt at a normal life, which in real life I would sympathize with, is pretty useless sympathizing with in the SN world.
He was never going to have it, so Dean’s viewpoint bears more weight, in that Sam does choose to be a hunter. Especially considering Swan Song and how Sam’s “normal world” was pretty much filled with demons anyway.
So as a fan, I sympathize with Dean’s viewpoint more. For me, it’s “Sam put down that stupid book and go help your brother kill the windigo.” Just easier to see Dean’s view.
I meant some parts of the fandom not both . .
I agree with you…because when Sam went to Stanford he was only a hunter’s son and brother… nothing more…not lucifer’s vessel or some demon’s pawn….we say he was never meant to have it… but he did not know and if John and Dean knew they did not tell him…I don’t think Dean knew because he was shocked when John told he might have to kill Sam…If Sam’s shock while seeing Mary die (shown by azazel_ is anything to go by i don’t think even john or dean told how exactly mary
died… if it is so then i can agree with Sam why he wanted to leave he did not even know fully what war he was fighting…i am not saying Dean was wrong but just how i see Sam’s decisions
Sorry, Elle2, can I use your article to venting a little here? π
I just don’t understand why this kind of discussions have ALWAYS to become a confrontation between the brothers, putting the blame on one or another, judging their respective righteousness or wrongness, measuring and balancing with a scale “who did what to/for whom” I find this attitude from the fans discussing these matters very very tiring and rather pointless.
We (Elle2, me or Melanie) are not here to judge anyone, nor to put the blame on one or another of the brothers, or to establish who of them wronged the other, or who is more to blame for the ups and downs of their relationship. We’re just trying to assess the issues in that relationship, and those are there both from Dean and from Sam, and both of them have to overcome their respective issues about the other.
I was just answering to Elle2 that IMO Dean [i]did [/i]fear Sam’s “strangeness” well before the lies and sneaking around of S3 and 4; and Sam [i]did [/i]feel family being in his way and Dean restraining him since his young years. [i]I didn’t say that Dean or Sam were right in doing or feeling this[/i], just that those were their respective issues in their relationship, a dark side ever present in it, like in all love and family relationships.
Ok, end of venting. :-*
I agree with you, Brynhild.
One of the really great — even brilliant — things about the story telling of Supernatural is the use of unreliable narrator POV. Other than the victim of the week vignettes (and some research exposition usually delivered by Bobby π ), I would argue that nothing that we see on the show can be taken as completely and objectively ‘true’. It is all colored by character perception and based on incomplete knowledge.
Its actually kind of cool that people get so drawn in to the POV of the characters.
Its too bad when it gets in the way of discussion. One of the reasons I like WFB is the discussions that can be had here.
Fear not, dear, Brynhild, at your venting.
For me, I have no idea why the discussion has taken the route it has and has, with the exception of the people I’ve responded to, had nothing to do with the article I wrote; alas, one of the mysteries of fandom and the anonymity of the ‘net’.
Anyway, hope you’re ‘feeling better’ having vented.
As for me, I’m just hanging out, enjoying my DVDs from The Pilot to Swan Song and thinking of a few other articles to write…got three in the ‘hopper’ as it were.
π
Cheers.
Boy I hope you are right and they are done putting wedges between the brothers! It’s been done to death and at this point just comes across as lazy writing. They reach for cheap drama and angst, so separate the brothers.
I have more hope this year in season 7 than in 3 years, that they will now keep them together as allies. But it’s take good writing to keep it that way.
I ‘hear’ you Laurie, it’s been distressing how long they’ve been separated but the whole tagline of ‘they’ve only got each other’ has me very, very hopeful.
π
Welcome back, Elle2. I was thrilled to read such a well-thought out and well balanced article as this one, especially when so much of the fandom still wants to keep fighting while the brothers have come together as one again. You gave me something to thing about re: Dean’s sometimes teasing remarks, and perhaps made me love Dean just a little bit more. Thank you for that, and for renewing my faith in the strength of Sam and Dean’s brotherhood.
Hi, Rick D, thanks for the welcome back. It felt good to write enjoyably about the show. Glad I gave you some things to think about and to enjoy about the show as well (ie renewing the faith in the strength of Sam and Dean’s relationship)
I have some more articles in mind that hopefully will be enjoyable to read as well. Thanks for the comments. π
Hi Elle2, I really enjoyed your article, and I’m so glad you’re back in full swing. The great thing about this show, is that it doesn’t shy away from showing two brothers who are soulmates, but are very much at odds with each other. Just like family is basically. I don’t think any of us are 100% truthful with our family all the time, sometimes having a little mystery is a good thing.
I’m just hoping that in season 7 the brothers will be closer than ever. They have been through so much together that I think the bonds of family are never to be broken again.
Hi, Sylvie,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the article; I really enjoyed putting it together. I think one of the reasons I dislike the secrets and lies is because it is so true to life and the brothers’ relationship is so realistic; thus when it falls on hard times it is quite painful to watch.
As I said above, I have an article in the ‘thinking’ stage that might go into the brothers’ relationship more so I’ll leave it at that. Hopefully I can pull together my thoughts in the next *gulp* 11 and a half weeks and make it come out in a readable and enjoyable format.
Thanks for the comments. I’m with you, Season 7 hopefully will have the brothers closer than ever.
π
Excellent. There is nothing more important than the union of brothers SPN that makes it so special. I hope that season 7 to find them so!
Verowinchester,
SPN is special because of the brothers’ relationship — not surprising since the two are the main focus of the show.
A show like TVD (which I’m finding quite enjoyable) can handle multiple arcs that take place over the whole season or that start and end in five eps because they have so many characters. Even when the brothers Salvatore are at odds (as is the norm for me, it’s the brotherly bond that draws me to the show) it’s not horrible to experience because there is so much else and so many other characters to follow that it doesn’t dilute the overall show; however, SPN only has Sam and Dean as the main story, when that’s at odds, it’s painful.
Alas, it’s over (I firmly believe) and Season 7 is a whole new direction.
π
… Just as long as they steer well clear of Bolivia … π
Yeah, Bolivia wasn’t kind to Butch and Sundance, hopefully there will be no zombie gators to lure the brothers Winchester…
8)
Great article. I totally agree with all your points. I also agree with your views on season 6 mentioned in the comments. I just really hope in season 7 the writers let the brothers have a good relationship and stop trying to tear it apart. That’s what caused me to fall in love with SN, and the 2 and a half years of tearing the relationship aparT, while interesting dramatically at first, went on waaaayyy too long for my liking. I want brotherly love and “bitch” “jerk” moments from now on!
Hi, Seriously,
Glad you liked the article. A bit of the old ‘bitch-jerk’ would be pretty awesome in Season 7…we can definitely hope; there is reason to believe.
π
Just dropping a short note to say that I enjoyed reading this article. π
Hi, CitizenKane2,
Thanks for the note that you enjoyed the article. Hopefully I’ll type a few others this hellatus that you enjoy as well.
π
Each brother is the otherΓ’β¬β’s greatest weakness as well as their greatest strength. The supernatural beings only see the weakness part of the relationship while they miss the solid foundation that it is build upon…Perfect elle2…every monsters mistake in one sentence
Elle2 Thanks for the beautiful writeup on Brothers dynamics and bond and what makes them strong.
Your focus on their bittersweet yet very strong relation taking many situations from episodes was marvelous and liked it very much.
I will always miss Season2, 3 Sam and Dean but understand they have come a long way since then and cant expect them to behave that way. Both of them and the show have grown way much bigger than just two brothers (which i wont deny i miss alot)..I can see the difference since i saw all the season in one go (when recently discovered its repeat on AXN)
I will always wish SPN keeping its original theme will continue to grow for many more years..
Ilove Sam Dean and Cass