Quick Update – Supernatural at Comic Con 2009
OMFG!!! I’m so on freaking cloud nine right now! I just spent the last two hours of my existence in the Supernatural press room and panel. I got 5 -10 roundtable interviews recorded from Eric Kripke, Ben Edlund, Jim Beaver, Sera Gamble, and Misha Collins. I also got front row VIP seating in the panel, and saw a five minute clip from the season premiere. There will be tons of detail coming later, but here’s a few nuggets I got from both. (SPOILER ALERT!!!)
– I got to ask Eric Kripke what “God has left the building means.” It means God isn’t in Heaven, he’s nowhere to be found, no one is sure where he is, and the angels with no order or recent contact from God decided to go start the apocalypse. MAJOR SPOILER ***** God will be a character in season five.******
– Ben Edlund wrote episode 4, in which Dean will be going into the future. Also, there’s going to be quite a bit of turmoil in mending the brother’s very broken relationship.
– Misha Collins was looking pretty sore. He was in the hospital this week because he got into a bike accident at 55 mph. He lost a big chunk of skin on his left arm.
– Sera Gamble is still relishing over the endless ways to psychologically torture the boys. Also, Dean’s role is changing to one of reluctant leader, and he’s having a problem with it.
– Jim Beaver said Bobby is in the first three episodes. He’s very, very grateful to the fans for promoting his book. He says they have been way more effective than anything his publicist could have done.
From the panel –
– Castiel is dead. There’s a humorous scene with Chuck where Castiel was blown to bits and parts of him are everywhere. He does return though, but they were vague on details.
– Kripke never dreamed this show would make five years. He’s still sticking to his five year plan and will end this story this season, but he’s open for more and thinks there’s plenty of story to tell. He’s too focused on season five right now to worry about it though.
– This season, even though it’s about the apocalypse, will be the most optimistic one yet. Apparently the apocalypse will be funny.
– More meta episodes are coming after Kripke had his fun with the online fan base. There’s a great story behind the creating on “Monster At The End of This Book” that I’ll share.
– I’ll share the details of the clip, but Zachariah is in it still trying to control Dean. They want to act before Lucifer finds a vessel. Dean isn’t very cooperative to say the least, and has one really badass moment in revenge for Castiel.
– Castiel’s wardrobe isn’t changing. At least we think not. They kind of joked about that.
– Lots of great discussion about God and angels.
There’s TONS more to come, but that’s all five minutes off the top of my head would allow me. Stay tuned!!!
Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
Thanks so much for sharing these tidbits! Can’t wait for more details. I’m so stoked for season 5 to begin and I’m not one to usually wish away the summer!
Dying to hear the story behind “The Monster at the End of This Book!” 🙂
Can’t wait to hear more Alice! I’m so glad you got to have that experience after all of the awesome work you have done! CONGRATS!!!! 😉
COOL! So glad you are having such a great time at the con. Looking forward to more. GRIN
Alice,
Sounds awesome, in more ways than one. First off the season sounds great, I’m thrilled to read (and I heard the clip of Eric talking about possibilities after S5) that Eric is open to a new storyline/arc after he wraps up his original plan this year.
The spoilers sound great, with guest stars and past faves — both enemies and allies — I love, love, love all the reports I’ve heard and read the past few days about mending the brothers’ relationship, older, wiser, sadder, stronger and all that great stuff.
Mostly, I’m so thrilled you got to have such a good opportunity to interact with so many people and get a great experience in. “Small time blog” this may be, you got great access and we’ll continue to blog and chat and gush about our favorite show!
Can’t wait for more goodies to come. Sheesh, I’m spoiled a plenty for Season 5, good thing I only restricted myself to not reading sides…and there are no sides to be found so I’m not having any trouble staying true to my goal. Hah!
Thank you! You sound so excited and so am I! This all sounds perfect to me and i really, really, really cannot wait for this Season to start.
And i just really hope this show goes on for years and years more. i truly believe it gets better and better every year.
Thanks so much and look forward to hearing more.
Wow, not one mention of Sam. 🙁
Of course not Sam takes too much time away from the awesome Dean and Cas show. 😡
Thanks everyone!! I just drove in the desert for five hours from San Diego to Phoenix and spent that time transcribing my audio. I’ve got some really awesome stuff!
Okay, you want mention of Sam. That is coming in the Sera Gamble interview. My question to her was about Sam.
There was one Sam centric thing in the clip that blew me away. When they came across Chuck, he told both Sam and Dean that he had a vision of Sam killing Lilith, black eyes and everything!! Dean looks at Sam shocked and asks “Your eyes turned black?” Sam sheepishly confesses he didn’t know.
Trust me, Sam’s arc will be huge, but they didn’t get a lot of questions about it because of the TV Guide interview where Kripke spoke a lot about Sam. Everyone in the press room anyway asked about Dean. If anything, Castiel got the most questions.
Oh sweet Lord. The reasoning of some people. Seriously, no spoilers? Well God, it’s not like things involving Sam could be too spoilery. Or just might not of been asked by people at the panel. Oh no, it has to be some big bad warning of the Dean & Castiel show. Gah, so sick of the whining.
Re: Misha Collins was that a bicycle or a motorcycle? How in the heck was he doing 55mph on a bicycle?
Angel powered? Sounds like he was not very comfy though, poor baby!
I’m sure they’ll talk about Sam. Trust Kripke, guys. He knows what he’s doing. He knows this show is about family. It’s going to be Sam and Dean in the end, not Dean and Castiel, no matter how big a part Castiel plays. He’ll never trump either brother. Have faith. Just be a good fan. Don’t spread Sam-related wank – that just makes you look bad. Spread the Sam-love, the Sam and Dean love. 🙂
I love that this is an optimistic season. We need a break from the massive levels of angst we got during S4!
Alice, if you’re talking about the July 20th TV Guide interview with Kripke, there was only one question asked about Sam, and Kripke called him selfish and prideful. :cry::
In your Sera interview, Sam’s story line is reduced to “demon blood addiction, recovery” and how Dean can’t stand look him in the eyes. And even when directly asked a question about Sam, Sera turned it around so it was all about Dean and Castiel! That doesn’t sound like a huge arc to me.
Honestly, the more I hear about this season, the less I want to watch it. Castiel isn’t why I tune into the show at all. Hearing that he’s going to be tagging along for 17 episodes this season and paling around with Dean while Sam’s gonna be offscreen somewhere being kidnapped is about the worst storyline I can possibly imagine.
Congratulate Kripke next time you see him from me. This slapstick apocalypse really sounds like hell on earth for a big chunk of fans.
Funny that no one asked about Sam since I saw many questions about him where people were asked to send in questions.
Like: Does Sam even have a role in the mytharc anymore?
Rather important question but no, no one asked it and there really is no sign that he is in the show as anything than a plot device at this stage. If fans ask it, it means they are not sure Sam has any importance any longer. A rather big miss in the telling of a story about family I’d say.
So Dean is the only hero and Sam is the looser addict. Beautiful. I agree with Kris, this has become ridiculous.
Not one arc from the beginning is bought to an end, they are just re-heated and given to Dean instead. Which makes the storytelling helplessly contrived.
And why exactly was Sam forced to drink demon blood when none of the other special kids were? Ah, the plot holes are like the Grand Canyon at this stage.
Yes, it really is better to sweep the character Sam under the rug.
I agree with Kris, if these spoilers were meant to make me want to watch, they failed miserably.
I guess Kripke doesn’t want part of his old audience to stick around any longer. Talk about arrogance!
I have to agree with “bright” above. if the tables were turned and Dean was the one sucking blood and screwing up, there would be outrage; just the idea that he might have been thought of as a “dick” on the show produced enough furor that Kripke himself issued a statement to try to calm people down.
So if Sam fans have issues, or questions about Sam, then they should be answered. I’d also like to know what Kripke has planned for him – not reveal the whole season, but give us more than one sentence.
Thanks for the recap, Alice. I’m super envious!
I don’t mean to be offensive to anyone here, but this is supposed to a “brother-vs-brother” free zone. I understand if people are looking for information about what’s happening to the characters, but I don’t think it’s fair to repeatedly post such negative things; certainly not when, as nothing has aired of season 5, there is nothing to really critique. I hope that doesn’t upset anyone. 🙂
[Does anyone really believe bringing back Jessica will be a storyline about Dean or Cas? And the comment about Sam being kidnapped sounded like a joke, referencing the times in the past when he’s been kidnapped/gone missing, not a genuine show arc.
(To clarify a point – YED dripped blood into all the “special” children’s mouths, not just Sam.)
It seems to this viewer, that the point of season five is about the brothers finding their way; back to each other, re-discovering themselves/their purpose in the larger scheme of things and about the grander storyline of the apocolypse/repercussions of Lucifer rising (ha!).
I am confident that both brothers will be afforded proper storylines and fleshed out character development/driven plots both independently and as brothers. 😉
No Elle, it doesn’t. It seems like Sam has to grovel in the dirt to get Dean’s forgiveness. That is not very brotherly at all.
And no one can blame the fans of Sam for their disbelief in Kripke after the repeatedly dropped atorylines and the background role he had in S3 and 4. And this all was admitted so the story is very skewed, to say the last.
There is one burning question: is Sam’s arc solely the one to grovel in the dirt? Is he part of the larger mytharc anymore. Demons and angels are all out to get Dean,, Dean is the on to stop Lucifer. That IS the larger arc of the season. That arc concerns Dean and Castiel solely. There’s no indications that Sam is in there anywhere, since demons lie and Ruby was the only one mentioning that Sam would be rewared.
A simple yes or no would suffice. (edited, do not make assumptions about other fans).
Forgot to say:
The other kids flipped a switch to get their powes into full force. So yes, the why remains but I know the quesion will never be answered.
The Mary storyline from S3 went to Dean in S4 and so does the Croatoan, apparently in a similar episode with only Dean. Which baffles me to no end since Sam, again was the one affected, not Dean. But Dean is the only one worthy of such follow up? Even if they regard Sam?
Thee’s along pattn of neglect on follow-ups for am. I can entions,, other than Croatoan, Heart and Mystery Spot.
Why wouldn’t Jess suddenly be part of Dean’s arc too?
It’s the pattern after all.
Regarding the other kids not needing more demon blood to access their powers: recall Ruby’s words in Lucifer Rising – that Sam “had it in him the whole time” – the blood was just the “feather” – it was only a psychological release that he was made to think strengthened his powers, when in actuality the strength came from within him. The blood addiction was so Sam would keep Ruby around, because he “needed” her – all part of her diabolical Free-Lucifer plan. We saw the other kids give in and embrace the darkness – which is all Sam really needed to do to access the powers. That’s my understanding of what took place there, anyways. That bugged me for a while too, until Ruby’s little reveal in the finale.
This Sam vs. Dean is getting a little off topic now and I think for the sake of peace/friendship 🙂 on this board, we should maybe let it go.
Deleted, disrespectful post.
I don’t mean to make you feel as if you shouldn’t share your opinion, *bright. In this case, it’s a matter of opinion and different interpretation. If your like of the show and it’s direction has waned, that’s fine – but this is feeling a bit like an attack, not legitimate discussion. I just think that Alice has intended this site as a place where we can share and reasonably, peaceably discuss our mutual affection of Supernatural, rather than hash out character politics.
I’m angry like Bright too well maybe hurt might be a better word but it’s been coming out of me as anger with the way Kripke so non chalantly reduced everything Sam’s endured this season and all the good he tried to do and did succeed in doing, to being motivated by selfishness and pride. Kripke plugged endlessly that Sam’s storyline for season 4 would use the idea “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” And that’s exactly what played out on screen Sam’s ‘Good intentions” and a grief stricken broken Sam being masterfully manipulated by Ruby with help from Castiel and Zacariah.And Sam was portrayed in a unsympathetic manner with no acknowledgement for good intentions and successes and with very little insight from Sam. But still there was no way to miss Sam did not want to drink demon blood but he did so in order to carry the burden of killing lilith for Dean and Sam risked his life, his very soul and the possibility of becoming what he dreaded most someone or something he’s not out of love for his brother and giving it his best effort to save many lives by stopping the apocalypse. So I understand fully why there was shock anger and hurt all over the fandom at Kripkes statement with how so emotionally invested fans were in what Sam went through and then to hear kripke diminish it for reasons unknown.And then to not address it to help us understand something there is no logic for. Sam’s good intentions storyline can not be argued as a difference of opinion as that is what played out on screen during season 4 and so with kripke saying Sam broke the world and did so out of selfishness and pride he is fact changed Sam’s motivations. I love both brothers dearly even with being more of a Sam fan being attracted to his archeotype and how well Jared portrays him. but I love both brothers dearly and want both of their characters to be treated fairly but all the talk about Season 5 has been on how angry Dean is at Sam and how hurt he is by Sam which is understandable but it goes both ways, there a lot of hurt and betrayal to go around and both brothers have to owe up to their part in the rift between them and also with Lucifer being set free. I understand it but don’t get why Sam alone is going on this journey of atonement and redemption and not Dean or for that matter Castiel. Are their sins against mankind and each other any less substantial or inconsequential.
Well the good news is I finally found something that made me feel a little better, something recently posted at the Limp Sam fan site but since I hadn’t heard anything like it I tracked down and pestered the girl who posted it to make sure it actually came out Mr. kripke’s mouth. It did she told me in a pre panel interview. Turns out she was a reporter part of press conference and I apologized for unintentionally insulting her with sounding as if I didn’t believe her. Well it was second hand stuff and different than the rest but she heard kripke say it.
Jul. 27th, 2009 11:42 am (local)
> SPOILER ALERT.
> They also said he and Dean will still be very hateful toward each other for awhile because Dean and Sam both feel extremely betrayed by each other and there’s so much hurt there, but that gradually they will come back together to repair their bond (over something that happens to Bobby in his arc).
..I love the pain and hurt being mutual,thats the way it should be as we saw what they did to each other! How else can our boys come together if they don’t both air out what drove them apart..An emotional heart wrenching back and forth sounds good to me!
Okay, I’m working on a well constructed post regard several comments but first, I’m going to post some rules. These are the unwritten rules to the site, but they’re going to become the written rules.
1. DO NOT claim you represent any part of a fanbase. Your opinion is yours and yours alone. Saying stuff like “all the Sam fans will never watch” is not true or tolerated. I’m a Sam fan, I’m watching with delight.
2. Comments must be respectful and constructive. Any attacks will be edited and/or deleted.
3. Excessive spamming and griping will be deleted. Original posts are fine, but if I see repeated posts under one topic rehashing the same thing, I start cutting.
4. Please do not draw grand assumptions from one freaking comment for an episode/season/arc that hasn’t even aired yet. I hate overspeculation. Limit your scathing comments to episodes that have already aired.
Alice, you said: “Oh crud, there’s that comment again. Selfishness and pride. Please, remove that speculation from the argument. Again, its not based on anything that’s aired.”
The reason that comment keeps cropping up is that it came straight out of Kripke’s mouth. If that’s how he feels about Sam, then really, what hope is there for us that we’ll ever get something satisfying for Sam’s emotional and character arc?
I mean, Kripke’s got a HUGE history of neglecting Sam– his daddy issues, how he felt about dying and being resurrected, how he felt about DEAN dying for him, his motivations, actions and emotions being pushed offscreen most of last season– there’s absolutely NO reason for us to believe that that’s suddenly going to change after three years of neglect, especially when the creator himself says he’s just “selfish and prideful.”
You say wait for it to air? We’ve been waiting for the past three years only to see his issues constantly get pushed off (or worse, forgotten).
“He honestly thought he was saving the world.” You’re absolutely right, Alice. Sam thought he was doing the best thing for the right reasons; that maybe sacrificing his personal feelings/desires (good relationship with Dean, for example) for the greater good would be worth it in the end because of all the good that he’d have done. I think back to Metamorphosis when Sam talks about being able to save hundreds of people with his powers and the conviction in his voice as he explained he could use this demonic “gift” for something genuinely good.
I can’t wait to see how Sam deals with what has come from all the events of season 4. We’ve seen Sam grieving, we’ve seen him driven, we’ve seen him vengeful, but I don’t recall a time when everything had been pulled away and he was on such a completely unstable platform as he is now. His relationship with his brother is severly damaged, no doubt his faith in himself is rocky at best and all his beliefs (Ruby, saving the world) have been shattered. I can’t wait to see Sam’s journey from this point – it will be phenomenal. I think the brother’s are in similar positions psychologically and emotionally; only unlike other times when they were able to lean on one another, they aren’t (and at this point, really can’t) be there to support one another- they each have thier own demons to face.
Oooh, I can’t wait for season 5 to start!!
The show’s about two brothers and their relationship ( and monsters, obviously … ) If they always got on splendidly and never had a cross word or made any mistakes it would be the dullest thing ever.
Personally I prefer my dramas to have a bit of, well … drama, otherwise what’s the point?
I can’t wait to see how things get patched up between the boys, they both screwed up but they will find their way back to each other eventually.
Don’t slag the season off until you’ve seen it!
“If you don’t trust in any of the writers, then it’s time for a new show.”
Yeah, sadly, I think you’re right. After all, when Sera was asked a question about Sam, all she talked about was Dean and Castiel. And when Ben Edlund was asked about Sam, all he could muster up was a single sentence that just restated the question. I guess it is time to give up on this show.
Unfortunately, eventually hope really does die.
Cheerio, then.
“Sam honestly thought he was saving the world.” ~Alice
Exactly! That is the very essence of what I was saying Alice! Sam’s motives were driven by selflessness and a willingness to sacrifice himself not what kripke stated,or what Sera Gamble herself has seen them as and the direction in which his character will be taking in season 5 according to kripke and the writers.I like and admire Mr. kripke greatly but that doesn’t mean I have to agree with everything he saids and the man himself said he appreciates honesty! But since we have been denied the ability to have any honest respectful feelings of disagreement with Kripke or the writers and I don’t like cherry picking the
positive any more than I do the negative I’ll reply to the rudeness of Suze and Alice in telling kris to get a new show and say Cheerio!
Just to clarify, this is a partial quote from Kripke published in TV Guide magazine;
“Sam is in a difficult place. He’s feeling such horrifying regret. How do you get out from under the weight of [being] the guy who broke the world and you broke it through pride, selfishness and you were seduced and you were fooled and all the horrible things that have happened as a result.”
I believe this is what has “Samgirls” so upset.
At any rate, I’m really looking forward to Season 5! Yes, what Sam has been put through is upsetting and was very difficult to watch – but, for me, it’s only uphill from here! 😛
Okay, no more bitter feelings! I’ve smited them and cast them off to the wilderness. Disagreeing with Kripke is okay here. Huge negativity is not.
I have no beef with you shimmerinstars77. You did respectfully disagree. I’m just growing tired of people blowing the TV guide thing out of proportion and spewing excessive bitterness here. If you’re angry that’s fine, but in the end, this is a place where we love our show. Excessive show bashing (again, not you) is something I won’t tolerate.
I’ve said this before MANY times, I’ll say it again. I walked away from the House fandom after that show got ruined for me in season four because I didn’t want to ruin it for the fans that still did love the show. A sour negative fan ruins the fan experience for people. If anyone is that bitter, that angry, that majorly upset, it’s time to step back and evaluate your loyalties.
Kripke, just like every single other showrunner out there, knows he can’t please everyone. He’s going to stick with his vision, especially when the majority are pleased. I’m going to follow it through. If anyone is not willing to see it through, that’s when the private soul searching begins. Let the rest of us love our show, please???
Not meaning to be nasty, Kris and Shimmerinstars …
I know all about spending hours and hours of an evening watching a show you once loved go down the drain in the faint hope that things are going to change and it’s going to start ringing your bells again.
I was a big fan of Prison Break and Heroes and stuck around getting more and more fed up as they went lurching off into total wibble. I wish I hadn’t bothered … Life’s too short!
All I’m trying to say is that if you don’t enjoy the current arc and you don’t think the writers are going to change their approach then call it a day rather than wasting your time watching something that annoys you.
When push comes to shove they’ll write what they want to write and we really can’t do much about it except vote with our feet if we don’t like it. I’m going to hang around to see how things turn out … Maybe this time next year I’ll be agreeing with you! I thought last season was going to be crap, I hated the idea of Angels, but I ended up loving it so this time I shall wait and see …
Blast, Alice just gazumphed me, and with better grammer … 😳
Thank you so much for your new rules Alice. I was becoming afraid that I would have to leave this blog behind soon along with all the other negativity containing blogs I used to love. I love this site and would hate to see it become a brother vs brother match.
Don’t know where they get the opinion that seasons 1, 2, and 3 have all been about Dean, when it seemed to me they were all about Sam, and Dean being the caring, concerned and frightened for his brother guy.
This show began with the brothers and it has continued with the brothers and will no doubt end with the brothers together, and that is what I love about it. THE BROTHERS.
And many many thanks for the great reporting you have done at the Comic Con. You have done above and beyond the call of duty. LOL!
I love all of them on the panel, Eric, Misha, Jim, Sera and Ben, and I really can’t wait for season 5 to start. The five minute spoiler was kickass (and I seem to remember Sam was there) and shocking about poor Castiel. Chuck is a hoot, and Zach getting booted out was great!
I love this show like no other show ever!
I find it quite amusing how the Sam fans have turned this into the all about Sam comments panel. With the constant complaint about poor Sam this and poor Sam that, the whole thing is now all about Sam.
Interesting that while they claim to want the show to be equal to both brothers, it’s only Sam that they want to hear about. Also, how easily they forget that all the spoilers before the con were about Sam with no mention of Dean.
*Sigh* Thanks for your report Alice. Great to know what to look forward to and I can’t wait for season 5. I, myself, love the Cas and Dean dynamics.
“Interesting that while they claim to want the show to be equal to both brothers, it’s only Sam that they want to hear about.”
Speaking for myself, this is incorrect. I love hearing about Dean and his part to play, but just want equal time for Sam…not just once sentence here and there. I love BOTH brothers and also enjoy the Castiel/Dean dynamic. I’m sure Jared and Jensen appreciate Misha’s ability to fit in and make the show even better than it already is.
🙂