Closing the Door on S7: “Supernatural” Season 8 and the Case For Hope
In addition to going back to the hope of saving people, “Supernatural” also has to go back to the strength (and hope) that love provides. However, two things need to happen for that to work. First, Sam and Dean need to have a support system again. Whether that means bringing back Bobby or Cas, or Garth and Jody, or some other hunters they have met along the way, or creating interesting new ones, Sam and Dean need to be allowed to keep some friends. This doesn’t mean these characters need to push Sam and Dean out of the story; rather they can be intermittently present to shine a light on Sam and Dean’s motives, giving the boys people to hope for. Second, (and even more importantly), Sam and Dean need to be more invested in each other.
Let’s digress on the boys’ investment in each other for a moment. I already know the argument- the one that states they can’t be exactly like they were in early seasons. It’s true, Sam was much younger then, and Dean was extremely over-protective. Reconnecting with one another after an absence and then discovering what they were embroiled in (and how Sam played such a huge role in it) gave their relationship an extreme intensity. Also, they weren’t as jaded because they hadn’t yet experienced the beginning of an apocalypse or the prisons of Hell. However, it is exactly because of all that they have been through together that could allow them to become even closer than they were in previous seasons.
If you allow the comparison to a married couple (and only in a non-wincest kind of way!), this point can be illustrated. At the start of a young couple’s marriage, the emotions are more intense and the affection more demonstrative (Seasons 1-3 for “Supernatural”). Then, kids may come along, jobs may change (or a brother may go to Hell) and some couples become like ships passing in the night. The love is still there, but time is short, responsibilities are never-ending, and it gets harder to nurture the bond. Disagreements may occur over money, parenting, (or, say, demon blood) and some hostility may even grow (Seasons 4-5). As the years pass, and once the kids leave, (or the apocalypse is over) couples can either remain distant or find each other again with a renewed closeness (wishful thinking for Seasons 6 or 7).
If they find one another again, their love can become stronger and withstand just about anything. An example from real life can help clarify this point. As an occupational therapist working in a sub-acute rehab facility, I’ve seen this closeness demonstrated time and again with the way many elderly patients are fiercely safeguarded and tenderly cared for by their spouses. I see their love for one another in action, and am often told that love grew stronger, not despite all the couple had been through but because of it. And in all honesty, I have often seen it with siblings, as well. For example, one patient I had was a 70-year-old man who was in rehab after extensive spine surgery. And right beside him (despite the patient’s wife also always being present) during his therapy sessions was his big brother, making sure he had his younger brother’s back. I guess those siblings always stuck with me because they reminded me of Sam and Dean! So, out of these real life examples come two points: One, no matter the disagreements, the life struggles, or the obstacles between two people, love can and does get stronger. And two, despite any age, sometimes a big brother stays a big brother.
Suffice it to say, then, that Sam and Dean can certainly (and plausibly) become more invested in one another. And even though Sam is all grown up, a bit of big brother protectiveness could realistically come out of Dean from time to time. The one caveat to this, though, is that we have to see it. There can be none of this, “oh, we know how much they love each other†attitude because this isn’t real life. That’s just not good enough. For their story to have an emotional impact, we have to SEE how much they love each other, either through their facial expressions, dialogue, or kick-ass action in the other’s defense.
The question still remains, though, that even if their brotherly love is showcased again, what can Sam and Dean possibly hope for one another, given what and who they both are? I don’t think there is a clear-cut answer. But I do think the answer has something to do with the back-to-basics hope for both boys that the other will be by his side, intact physically and mentally. So, this means that Sam and Dean need to stop being superheroes. Why should the brothers worry about each other when they (and we) know that either one of them will recover from anything – from Hell torture, to significant injuries, to fallen walls — without any repercussions playing themselves out? Hope is just not necessary in that scenario. So things have to AFFECT them again; not forever, just for enough episodes to make one brother notice and then start hoping the other will be ok.
So far we’ve touched on where hope can be infused into “Supernatural.” But why is it important for Sam and Dean to have that hope in the first place? The answer is, in order for the story to be engaging. Most fictional tales have at the center of their narratives the hopes of the main characters. Whatever those hopes are for — survival, going home again, or just seeking out the truth — they weave themselves inextricably into all aspects of the plot, creating satisfying tension, conflict and urgency.
But why is hope as a motivator in a story so engaging? The answer is because it’s so relatable. Hope is as important to human beings as oxygen. Our entire lives are based on hopes. Every decision we make is in hope…of something. When we’re kids, our hopes are smaller and easier to realize: having fun at recess or receiving that special toy. When we’re a little older, our hopes become a bit more sophisticated: getting into a good college, obtaining a secure job, finding that special someone. And as life goes on, every hope we have leads us in the direction of another one. We hope with a good education we can get that good job. We hope with a good job we will be emotionally fulfilled and financially secure. We hope that special someone turns into a life partner. And if children come along, we never stop hoping for them. Every minor and major parenting decision is based around our hopes for our children’s safety, health and happiness. Even trivial decisions we make in life, like what to cook for dinner, what to do on Saturday night, or what shirt to buy at the store, are made in the hopes of achieving something: a great Wednesday night meal, fun at a baseball game, a shirt that will look flattering.
In fact, all of our lives, we never stop hoping. Without hope, there is no life. Despair sometimes creeps into our lives, and those are always very sad times. However, even in the midst of heartache, loss and tragedy, we still manage to hope. Imagine a life without any hope? Perhaps that’s what Hell is; a state of being where one can no longer hope.
But this is only a TV show, right? Can’t it just be entertaining on a basic level? Well, sure it can; but if TV shows are written well, they can do something more. They can depict some aspect of the human condition that speaks to the viewing audience in a significant way. Because even if the plot is fascinating and the action is exciting, it’s the human story that resonates with us. We relate to what is universally human in in the characters, and one of those things is the ability, and the need to hope. To continually watch a show (even one that deals with grim themes) where the message is “no matter what these characters do they’re screwed†is not entertaining for a lot of people. It also gets harder to inject humor into a show successfully if that is the overall message. We want our characters to have a chance at SOMETHING. Even if it’s not happiness per se, we want them to get at least some aspect of what they want, whether its redemption, victory, or freedom. We want that for them because we relate to them.
Let’s be honest; real life is hard. It comes at us relentlessly, sometimes knocking us down in the process. It’s normal to want to escape into a fictional world. But the reason we choose dramas (particularly “Supernatural”) is because there is something cathartic about seeing familiar characters get knocked down and fall, but ultimately persevere and get back up again. To watch them do it is often, (even in some small way), inspiring. Even though these characters exist only in a fictional world, we want them to win one for all of us, too.
So, going into season 8, no matter who the big bad is, what the season-long arc is or how many stand-alone episodes they do, I want Sam and Dean to learn to want something again — to REALLY want it. They must have hope. And the more personal, the better. That hope must drive Sam and Dean’s actions. I want them to hope for whatever wins they can get. I want them to hope that any friends they meet will live to see another day. I want them to hope that they can save more people. I want them to hope they stay alive because they have each other and because the job they have matters. If they have hope, then their actions will be driven by passion and determination. And if I see that kind of drive from Sam and Dean on my screen every Wednesday, then I’ll get what I hope for in my favorite show — a compelling and riveting season with the Winchesters.
“As long as we have hope, we have direction, the energy to move, and the map to move by.†– Hong Kong proverb
Well written. Good points, most of which I agree with.
I HOPE season 8 restores the boys hope too.
Great post I totally agree.
st50 and percysowner, from the little bits of information we’re getting about Season 8, I’m more hopeful already! Thanks for reading and for taking the time to comment.
Great article. A little hopefulness and joy for the guys would restore the same for the fans who worry about the direction the show has taken. I have always stuck with the shows I love and will do so with SPN but it’s been harder this year. This is the 1st year since the begining that I have not looked forward to the repeats and the release of the DVD. That being said, all in all, it is still a pretty good show with moments of brilliance. Jared and Jensens performances still worth the continued loyalty. Two of the best characters ever!
Leah D, I totally agree, if the boys got to have a bit of hope, the fans would have it tenfold; and I absolutely agree about Jared and Jensen’s consistent performances!
Thanks for reading!
Oh my! I couldn’t agree more with this article!
I so want them to again have hope, with themselves and with each other. I want them to care and to see them care about each other again. Without that, no matter what the arc is or the MOTW, it won’t matter at all.
I want them to succeed at least enough times to get that hope and to realize their worth. Have fun again and not have the world on their backs.
Bobby back would be very very appreciated by me. They need to have someone who really cares if they live or die.
I confess I’m one of those mooshy types who would love for, when it ends (horrors!) that they receive a well deserved award, like Sarah and Lisa and adjoining houses. If not, then have them still on the road in the Impala, saving people, hunting things, the family business! Please don’t kill them off! After all these years and love for them, it would be horribly depressing to contemplate.
More brothers, less world ending scenarios! 😛 🙂
Thanks for the great article. I am really looking forward to season 8!
I am also an OT, nice to see a fellow clinician with the same obsession. I work in Providence, RI public schools.
Lisae252, that’s awesome to have a fellow OT love the show! Most I work with have never heard of it, though I have tried to recruit some new viewers!
Thanks for reading and for the comment.
Bevie, I agree, I don’t want the show to end with their deaths either. I think it would be such a hopeful ending to have the boys driving off in the impala, finishing with the same “come on, we have work to do,” that started it all!
Thanks for commenting.
As a dedicated fan of Supernatural, I have to say, what a relief it is to here some HOPE for the future of the series! I admit that I have my complaints about season 7s story line and plot/character inconsistencies. My observations mirrored many that of many of the most vocal critics of the show. Yet through all of it, I continued to cherish the moments I had with the Winchester brothers and am far from willing to “give up.” Hopefully, the show will be able to attain (or at least approach) thethe greatness of prior seasons under the reins of the new show runner. I may be a latecomer to “The Winchester family business,” but,believe me, I am now bookmarked.
Thanks Metamorphics, that was lovely. And so very, very true.
When life is at its bleakest, darkest nadir, the only thing that sustains us is the hope that the next day might be better (or at least no worse than today.)
And hope is what drives so many other good qualities and attributes. It’s a part of compassion, and redemption, and even courage. Because courage is about hoping your actions can make a positive difference.
I also think that in the Supernatural context, hope is sometimes synonymous with belief, or even faith. Just as you listed all the things the boys hoped for each season, you could also say they believed in those things, or at least had faith in the potential of those things. They believed in finding their dad, killing Yellow-Eyes, saving Dean, stopping the Apocalypse and saving the world.
Hope and belief are so related. Sometimes to have hope you also need to have faith in something. Sometimes it’s the belief in a higher power. Sometimes its just having faith in your brother’s strength to keep going and using that to keep you from giving up, and giving in.
I totally agree that friends and good relationships are vital to maintaining hope. In some ways, they are the well from which hope is drawn. When you really need it, you can sometimes feel the emotional support that other people are giving you.
My hope for Season 8 is that the Winchesters rediscover the incredible power of hoping, believing and having faith in themselves as individuals, and as brothers.
I’m going to believe that will happen!
Hbw, I too, would never give up on the show. And I’m liking what I’m hearing so far regarding Season 8.
Pragmatic Dreamer, what you said about hope being part of compassion, redemption and courage is so very true. You always express yourself so well; I have read all that you wrote on this site.
Thank you both for reading and for your comments.
Glad to meet someone who enjoyed Season 7. I did too, although there were some flaws. But then, like the author of this article, I was grateful that it was there!
Beautiful. Simply beautiful. After a season of ups and downs and “listening” to the complaints of the fandom but trying my best to ignore that too simply because it was messing things up for me, your hopeful article takes a soapy cloth to that whole messy season and cleans it up beautifully for me. If anything, maybe season 7 served a fantastic purpose by dashing OUR hopes a little too and bringing us to this really weird brink of skepticism that the show was taking a tragic turn it might not recover from – like your married couple, we and our beloved show were becoming ships in the night. But instead we may just end up with this hope-filled new season that gives us all a renewed appreciation for the show. Maybe, for some people anyway, one day we’ll look back at season 7 and simply say it was just one of those trials we survived and we’re glad it happened. Now I say that with the overall feeling I get from the fandom in my mind. Me personally? I wasn’t nearly as disappointed. Can’t wait for the DVDs so I can just sit and watch the entire thing at one time and THEN see how I feel about it in relation to the other seasons.
For now, though, you have just made me very happy and hopeful about the season to come because we can be sure that it will at least start out with the brothers really wanting something and I am excited to see that play out. I refuse to read the spoilers and am doing all I can to avoid anything giving me a clue about what’s coming (haven’t been able to avoid that whole Sam may get a girlfriend thing though). I am hoping that great S7 ending will be a story that takes a least a little time to play out and from there that missing hope will come back.
I loved this. Thanks so much for injecting a little positivity back into my Supernatural world. 🙂
Nita, yes, though Season 7 was not my favorite by any means, it was a continuation of the brothers’ story, so ultimately I was just glad to have it!
digyd, so glad you’re hopeful about Season 8. I won’t give away anything because you don’t want any spoilers, but what we’re hearing so far regarding an overall theme to the season seems to have quite a bit of potential, at least in my opinion.
Thanks so much to both of you for reading!