Let’s Discuss: Sam and The Third Trial
Sometimes, when I lay awake in the middle of the night, the most random thoughts about Supernatural pop into my head (Alice’s last article said the same thing happens to her!). The other night it was about the third trial. I guess it all started with me seeing the name of episode 8.23: “Sacrifice”. There’s nothing ominous about that at all! Before the sun came up, I had worked out the whole scenario. When I explained my brainstorm to my husband (he listens to all my crazy SPN ideas), he just looked at me and said, “Oh yeah, I thought of that a few weeks ago” (and he had NOT seen the name of the episode). Well, that’s annoying!
So here is the theory. Well, it’s not so much a theory as it is strands of clues that seem to fit together, but we really don’t yet know how. We need your help to fill in the holes and make it into a legitimate, workable theory!
Warning!!! The following “Let’s Discuss” does contain spoilers for upcoming episodes.
We all know that Sam is completing trials created by God. These trials are meant to test the person’s strength, courage and virtue. Actually, there is nothing new about this premise. There are several stories in the heritage of many major religions that relate similar circumstances. For me, the title “Sacrifice” immediately brought to mind the biblical story of God testing Abraham. To prove his devotion, God asked Abraham to sacrifice his most beloved son. Since Abraham was willing to make this sacrifice, the son was spared at the last minute and Abraham was given a great reward (to be the father of nations). In these modern day trials, if Sam is able to prove his worthiness, his reward would also have a tremendous impact on the future of humanity: ridding the world of demons. So I started thinking…With such an immense reward at stake, wouldn’t Sam’s last trial have to demand the same level of unthinkable sacrifice? Might he be asked to sacrifice his family? That might, of course, mean Dean, but the season’s episodes seem be building a different scenario.
Clue 1: For a while now, many fans have been wondering about the purpose of the Amelia storyline. The last time she and Sam were together, they engaged in an impulsive tryst, that Sam later called a “mistake”. Fans whispered (because we are afraid to say it aloud!) about the baby that might have been created by that “mistake”. A child for Sam just doesn’t work if he is going to continue hunting (which I accept as a basic, underlying assumption going forward). What if a child was created, though, and Sam’s willingness to sacrifice that child is somehow the basis of the third trial? The parallel with Abraham is scary.
Clue 2: When you are looking at them through this lens, at least four of the last seven episodes have been about fathers’ relationship with their children and/or grandchildren. “As Time Goes By” was about Henry making choices and sacrifices for his son, John, and how his actions affected his grandsons. The climax of “Remember the Titans” was entirely about Prometheus, a tragic hero (who had just found out he had fathered a child in a solitary encounter with his love), sacrificing himself to save his son. In “Freaks and Geeks”, Victor arguably went insane when he watched his children die. He then works to establish a new “family” so he can pass on his knowledge of hunting. To make the foreshadowing to Sam even stronger, he asked Sam if he wants children, and when Sam said he didn’t know, Victor said, “Trust me, the answer is yes”. “Everybody Hates Hitler” is about a grandfather’s legacy to his descendants. Looking at overall myth arcs that have been introduced, the whole Men of Letters concept is about fathers leaving a legacy to their sons. Why is there suddenly such an overt emphasis on this particular familial relationship?
Clue 3: Several lines of dialogue in these episodes also specifically point to sacrificing sons. Even more poignantly, the characters who are at risk of losing their sons are the characters who are meant to represent Sam.
· In “Remember the Titans”, Sam asked Shane/Prometheus why he risked his life to steal fire. Sam told Prometheus that he “pretty much saved the whole world” to which Prometheus replied, “Yeah, I guess. But none of that – none of that means anything unless I can save my son.” If we substitute Sam for Prometheus (because the parallel of having saved the world is obvious), this dialogue is ominous. Then, to deepen the foreshadowing, when talking to Hayley about Prometheus’ son, Zeus asked her …”has Prometheus experienced the child’s death yet?” So here we have the blatant presage for Sam. Zeus continued, “…… Imagine a thousand children all dying in unison. Only then would you understand my pain.” As if Prometheus’ tragedy wasn’t clear enough, the foreshadowing was driven home by emphasizing Zeus’ pain at losing children.
· In “Freaks and Geeks”, when Victor was explaining his warped motivation, he told Sam, “I wouldn’t expect you to understand. You’re not a father. You don’t know what it is like to hear the cries of your children dying”. That line also seemed like really dark foreshadowing.
This clearly ominous dialogue is only what I remember without scanning the other episodes! When taken together, they very specifically refer to losing children, and they are very foreboding.
Clue 4: When Kevin first realized there are three trials to close the gates of hell in “Trial and Error”, he translated the tablet’s writing as “whosoever chooses to undertake these tasks should fear not danger nor death nor a word I think means getting your spine ripped out through your mouth for all eternity”. That last description is definitely what sacrificing a child would feel like to Sam.
I’m sure there are other clues as well (feel free to help me), but can you see where I am going with this?
The hard part to nailing down this theory, though, is how would this work?? I really, really don’t believe this Show would have Sam outright kill a child (and certainly not his own child). So, when he finds out that the last trial requires this ultimate sacrifice, he goes to find Amelia and learns that she is with child (I am utterly useless at figuring out how much time has elapsed since their encounter. Someone needs to help me with that too!). He absolutely won’t agree to sacrificing said child, so he offers up himself instead (like Henry and Prometheus ended up doing). There is some kind of accident, switch, bad circumstances, etc. that puts the child (and Amelia?) in danger. When Sam is willing to die with or for them, the trial is passed and we learn that a)Amelia was a fake reality / dream implanted into Sam’s mind by the mysterious person outside the Kermit house and no real sacrifice needs to be made or b)his family is sacrificed and are all taken to heaven. Either way, the season ends the Amelia and child plot.
OK, I am a complete idiot when it comes to making theories! But I can’t ignore all the blatant clues outlined above. They are clearly pointing to a father/son story! So help me out, please! How do you make sense of the deliberate, repeated theme of a father’s pain at losing his son? I don’t think it is Dean watching Sam die or Sam watching Dean die (been there, done that), but somehow Sam sacrificing himself for Dean or Dean sacrificing himself for Sam? Is there evidence to support these theories? What are your theories for the third trial?
Before we get started, though, I need to add that I really don’t want this theory to upset anyone. I can’t deny that the clues are there, but none of us really know where they will go. I REALLY don’t want to be the cause of anyone worrying themselves to death about Sam or his family! And I REALLY don’t want to be the cause of anyone hating Jeremy Carver when we have no idea what the writers really have in store for us! So let’s keep this in pure speculation territory, as an exercise in imagination and logic! Have fun and be creative, but most of all, try to stay positive and upbeat! We are in the home stretch of our beloved Show’s 8th season! Hold on for a wild ride!
[Thanks to Supernatural Wiki for some of the transcript quotes!]
Just a reminder, “Let’s Discuss” articles are free form zones, so a lot will be tolerated, but let’s not forget the basic rules! Violate these and expect a warning, not to mention perhaps a varying degree of outright public humilation.
Honestly after the clues we’ve seen dropped today I think the are going to torture Sam with visions or hallucinations of Amelia and Jess.
I agree the visions will be torture. I’m just trying to figure out how that all fits into the third trial!
WOW, I never try to see where a story is headed, but you did a damn good job. WOW
I have been sick so have not kept up with all the articles but I saw that figure and never heard anyone say anything about the person, standing in the shadows. Figured it was the Vamp.
Mid-last year I think, I finally figured Dean was the “JOB” like, long suffering character.
Now this father/sons track is wonderful. Thank you but I wont guess. They always do something I never thought of. That’s why I was an Actor and not a writer 😛
You know…it just occurred to me…in S7 Dean had a daughter, whom was killed.
Given SPN’s penchant for having the brothers experience similar events (one goes to hell, the other follows next season; one has a normal life, the other gets one too; and on and on). It could be possible that Sam would have an offspring that would also be killed off.
Huh. [Shrug]
Man oh Man, You all are Good. Nice one Bamboo24
What a good point! I hadn’t thought of that! So the Show [i]has [/i] already gone into the risky territory of eliminating the brothers’ children! Even more to think about!
Oh, I had never thought about Sam having to kill someone to complete the third trial. That does make me sad 😥
I assume we can discuss spoilers here (as they were mentioned in your article)… but just in case:
**SPOILER ALERT**
In Jeremy Carver’s latest interview he mentioned the appearance of characters from the past… and that ‘these blasts from the past are related to the trials and not in a very good way’. The title of episode 22 is ‘Clip Show’, so I’m guessing that the third trial will require Sam to re-visit his past. To what end, I’m not sure. But, I personally don’t think it’ll involve Amelia and a baby.
Either way, we can be damn sure that it’s going to be another emotional roller-coaster for us fans 😮
Carver also mentions a big show-down with Crowley… I don’t think they will succeed in shutting the gates of Hell, unless it turns out that Crowley isn’t a demon. I just don’t think they’ll want to lose Crowley as the boy’s nemesis. He’s just too brilliant, and the villain we all love to hate 🙂
You are absolutely right about the emotional clout of the last episodes. I’m really getting excited (in a hold-my-breath kind of way) about where they are going to take us! I think Jeremy’s teasers raise the stakes even more. I just can’t figure out yet how his spoilers fit in with the clues he has been dropping the last half of the season!
[quote] The title of episode 22 is ‘Clip Show’, so I’m guessing that the third trial will require Sam to re-visit his past.[/quote]
I’m kinda starting to feel like, I dunno, a bit of a troll for saying this again, but I posted a theory similar to this last week sometime, about Sam facing his past-I think I was just struggling to explain properly what I thought of, I think.
It’ll be interesting if this is what happens. It’s certainly what I’d like to see. Maybe a third trial where the toll is more mental and emotional than physical
SPOILER: Given theknowledge that Sarah from Provenance is making an appearance and she is the gal that Dean said Sam should marry, what or who is sacrificed? Is it Sam’s dream of normal life he cannot achieve? Hoping it is not Dean, but it would fit the pattern. PAC MAN may explain how ill Sam really is.
[quote]SPOILER: Given theknowledge that Sarah from Provenance is making an appearance and she is the gal that Dean said Sam should marry, what or who is sacrificed? Is it Sam’s dream of normal life he cannot achieve? [/quote]
That’s certainly possible, and would fit with the title and Sarah’s reappearance. It would also fit with the “normal life” chant they have had Sam humming all season.
I can see the baby existing, but only so that demons kidnap Amelia and throw Sam off guard like in Let it Bleed. Let’s face it, many of us would be happy to see Amelia sacrificed, bit not a baby.
Likely, killing Crowley is the last trial. However, Abbadon steps in to save her “brother” and it all gets messed up.
I’m also thinking Sam’s life flashes before his eyes and he is near death.
[quote]
I’m also thinking Sam’s life flashes before his eyes and he is near death.[/quote]
Now that makes sense to me! We don’t yet know how the second trial weakened Sam. So he is reflecting on all the loves of his life before facing the third trial…or is it a part of the trial……?Jeremy really knows how to get us thinking!
Addendum to my theory…
Jeremy’s interview about Ep22 was released after I wrote my theory about the trial. While this new information is absolutely tantalizing, it doesn’t change the fact that the overall themes and clues Jeremy has been seeding throughout the past several episodes are still too pointed to ignore. How does it all fit together??? How exciting is this??!!
All these years I have watched shows just as entertainment or to past the time but the Supernatural fans has taught me there is so much more to do. Thank you!
I enjoyed reading your thoughts and clues you put together, you brought up some interesting ideas.
Thank you.
I love this theory. It sounds completely plausible given all the clues. Plus, it would be great material for JP to work with.
In S6, the last episode had Sam going thru an internal conflict to put himself back together again (Walled-off Sam, Soulless-Sam, memories-of-the-cage Sam).
Given the titles of the last two episodes (Clip Show, Sacrifice), could this trial be more of an external struggle/conflict for Sam’s character, coming to terms with how he has affected the world and others around him? Proving his virtue? At the end of S4, when Sam’s eyes went black while killing Lilith, would that mean that Sam was part demon, and will that play in to this at all? They mention bringing back Sarah from S1; wouldn’t be surprised to also see Jessica, or maybe his mother and/or father in the context of hallucinations/flashbacks for Sam as a result of the trials.
There has been a lot of emphasis on family and father/child relationships, and legacy in the second half of S8. I’ve heard Amelia and child/pregnancy mentioned; just can’t see the writers going that way – IMO that would be a “jump the shark” moment for SPN. But…. what if one of Sam’s early season flings had a child; now granted, most of the women Sam has been with ended up dead but it’s not difficult to retcon that Sam did end up with Sarah at some point. At this point, the child would be 8-10 years old. Just can’t see the show going down the road of Sam having to kill a child. But… if Sam found out he had a child, and the sacrifice of finishing the trials involved Sam having to die, finding out that he was a father and given his very complicated relationship with his own father, and Sam coming to grips with his legacy, that would make his decision whether to complete the trials all the more difficult. And, no doubt that Crowley is going to pull out all the stops to prevent the gates from being closed so that could also put the child in jeopardy.
Then again, probably have this all wrong; the writers have made a habit of being full of surprises/twists this season.
I haven’t read comments yet, but wanted to say:
Holy freaking mother of Chuck! This idea kind of makes me a little weak at the knees.
Like you said Nightsky, I doubt they would be bold enough to show a child being killed onscreen. That would mean the child would (probably) have to survive and we’d still have the whole kid on the show problem.
Hmmmm. I need to think on this and come back later!
I hope this doesn’t happen. Sam having to kill a child would be awful. His charcter has been vilified enough this season, thank you very much.
[quote]I hope this doesn’t happen. Sam having to kill a child would be awful. His charcter has been vilified enough this season, thank you very much.[/quote]
I agree, if Sam has to kill a child for this third trial- I will never watch Show again, & S8 will be dead to me.
OTOH, I seriously doubt it will come to that. That would make the trial too close to being something about Sam, and neither of the other trials has been. As someone said, these trials could just as well been done by Krissy for all the personal involvment they have.
As tot eh parent/child relationkship…. I’m geussing its Sama nd Dean. Dean has beeen considered Sam’s parent. Maybe in order for Sam to move foreward Sam has to kill/sacrifice the child part of himself.
Maybe the other past charector is baby Sam. MAybe Sam has to symbolicallly kill his baby self. If Sam beleives he is the reason his entire family is dead or has died (even if they came back). Maybe Sam is given the opportunity to go back to that fateful night and kill his 6 month old self.
Imagine changing your familys destiney. Imagine erasing every bad descion, every failure, every bad jugement. And all you have to do is kill the 6 month version of yourself. YOu parents live. Your brother never becomes a hunter and suffers from having the albatross of you around his neck. Dean grows up surrounded by friends and family goes on to become a firefighter hero…with his won wife and child. Lucifer never rises, the apocolypse never happens. Dean never goes to Hell or Purgatory.
What would you choose? I think it would be obvious Sam who has already said he would be ok with a) having never beeen born and B) being killed would be fine with killing himself.
Imagine Sam standing over his own crib hours…minutes before Azazel comes to drip blood into his mouth. Sam can stop it all…..save his family all that heartache, pain and death. All he has to do is kill that 6 month old baby.
All he has to do is sacrifice himself.
Amy, my good gawd, that’s brilliant. This fandom is wise and devoted. tysm
[quote]As tot eh parent/child relationkship…. I’m geussing its Sama nd Dean. Dean has beeen considered Sam’s parent. Maybe in order for Sam to move foreward Sam has to kill/sacrifice the child part of himself.
Maybe the other past charector is baby Sam. MAybe Sam has to symbolicallly kill his baby self. If Sam beleives he is the reason his entire family is dead or has died (even if they came back). Maybe Sam is given the opportunity to go back to that fateful night and kill his 6 month old self.
Imagine changing your familys destiney. Imagine erasing every bad descion, every failure, every bad jugement. And all you have to do is kill the 6 month version of yourself. YOu parents live. Your brother never becomes a hunter and suffers from having the albatross of you around his neck. Dean grows up surrounded by friends and family goes on to become a firefighter hero…with his won wife and child. Lucifer never rises, the apocolypse never happens. Dean never goes to Hell or Purgatory.
What would you choose? I think it would be obvious Sam who has already said he would be ok with a) having never beeen born and B) being killed would be fine with killing himself.
Imagine Sam standing over his own crib hours…minutes before Azazel comes to drip blood into his mouth. Sam can stop it all…..save his family all that heartache, pain and death. All he has to do is kill that 6 month old baby.
All he has to do is sacrifice himself.[/quote]
Wow.. both theories are just WOW – yours and knightsky and honestly I don’t know if I like them – the theories, not you guys – 😳 – pls don’t misunderstand me… both theories have such great plots… but I don’t want them to happen… yes I’m denial 😛 – but if any of these scenarios is about to happen, gosh – this is gonna be one hell – and I do mean it – one hell of a hellatus…. up to season nine.
Guys you rock – love coming here and reading your ideas…
Take care,
Cla :}
[quote]As tot eh parent/child relationkship…. I’m geussing its Sama nd Dean. Dean has beeen considered Sam’s parent. Maybe in order for Sam to move foreward Sam has to kill/sacrifice the child part of himself.
Maybe the other past charector is baby Sam. MAybe Sam has to symbolicallly kill his baby self. If Sam beleives he is the reason his entire family is dead or has died (even if they came back). Maybe Sam is given the opportunity to go back to that fateful night and kill his 6 month old self.
Imagine changing your familys destiney. Imagine erasing every bad descion, every failure, every bad jugement. And all you have to do is kill the 6 month version of yourself. YOu parents live. Your brother never becomes a hunter and suffers from having the albatross of you around his neck. Dean grows up surrounded by friends and family goes on to become a firefighter hero…with his won wife and child. Lucifer never rises, the apocolypse never happens. Dean never goes to Hell or Purgatory.
What would you choose? I think it would be obvious Sam who has already said he would be ok with a) having never beeen born and B) being killed would be fine with killing himself.
Imagine Sam standing over his own crib hours…minutes before Azazel comes to drip blood into his mouth. Sam can stop it all…..save his family all that heartache, pain and death. All he has to do is kill that 6 month old baby.
All he has to do is sacrifice himself.[/quote]
I love this theory…it’s far better than the idea of killing his own child – which Sam would never do.
[quote]Imagine changing your familys destiney. Imagine erasing every bad descion, every failure, every bad jugement. And all you have to do is kill the 6 month version of yourself. YOu parents live. Your brother never becomes a hunter and suffers from having the albatross of you around his neck. Dean grows up surrounded by friends and family goes on to become a firefighter hero…with his won wife and child. Lucifer never rises, the apocolypse never happens. Dean never goes to Hell or Purgatory.
What would you choose? I think it would be obvious Sam who has already said he would be ok with a) having never beeen born and B) being killed would be fine with killing himself.
Imagine Sam standing over his own crib hours…minutes before Azazel comes to drip blood into his mouth. Sam can stop it all…..save his family all that heartache, pain and death. All he has to do is kill that 6 month old baby.
All he has to do is sacrifice himself.[/quote]
This would be very consistent with him revisiting his past. He would have to balance everything good he has done with all the bad that has happened throughout his life. “Its a Wonderful Life” in reverse. Your comment has been quoted by a lot of people because you very poignantly gave us a lot to consider! Thank you!
Well, Sarah Blake is coming back; but Sam never slept with her. The brothers have died for one another; but have never been willing to kill each other. If you go with the Abraham theme, Sam may have to kill, (or sacrifice) Dean.
If it is Amelia, I don’t think she isn’t real. She may just be a means to an end with the trials. Maybe Sam will have to choose between saving his child; or saving the world somehow. Jared is so good at those emotional scenes. Whatever it turns out to be; it’s going to be amazing!! Gosh I LOVE those two men!!!
i don’t mean to be a balloon buster…but i don’t think it has to do with a baby…at least not one with amelia…. if you go by real time….even if amelia was knocked up, it certainly wasn’t 9 months ago. sam had closure sex with her in torn and frayed…that was episode 10….we’re up to eppy 20…i just don’t think 10 eps equals 9 months…. if she was pregnant…she’s had sex with don and sam…she wouldn’t know who the father was until the child was born…
just not buying the baby thing…not from her anyway….now souless sam had lots of sex….if there was a baby from anyone…i would think it would be from the hippie chick…
or don’t forget his one night stand with dr. cara…..
at least with those women the child would actually have been born…
i still think it’s possible that closing the gates of hell is a terrible mistake…. that hell, heaven and purgatory are part of the natural order and dean has been told by death, not to mess with the natural order…
what if the sacrifice is for sam to stop doing the trials…then he would be giving up his dream for himself and his brother to live in a world sans demons…..
just another way to go….
i still think it’s possible that closing the gates of hell is a terrible mistake…. that hell, heaven and purgatory are part of the natural order and dean has been told by death, not to mess with the natural order…
what if the sacrifice is for sam to stop doing the trials…then he would be giving up his dream for himself and his brother to live in a world sans demons…..
just another way to go….[/quote]
Trying to wrap my head around this. Sam is having consumption like symptoms….if he stops doing the trials he will die. He’s slowly wasting away. It stands to reason he will heal once the trials are over. Unless Sam concludes that closing the gates messes with the natural order and thus he decides not to complete the third trial…thus sentencing himself to cerain death. His sacrifice will them be noble and …a sacrifice.
But how do the Angel tablets work into this? Dean or Cas wouldn’t decided to start teh trials for closing the gates of heaven after seeing everything Sam went through.
Again unkess the boys were simaltaneously trying to close Hell and Heaven at the same time and SAm got to his trial first and had to convince Dean not to continue….
It doesn’t make any sense.
I’m very confusd. 🙁
HAsn’t Sam already done this (mutiple times) just sans the child?
[quote]Maybe Amelia is pregnant but Sam’s sacrifice is not killing anyone but giving something up. His ultimate goal is to leave the hunting life and start a family. What if he finds out he is going to be a father, but he can never be a part of his child’s life and can never have a family. He has to sacrifice his lifelong dream :sigh: [/quote]
This would work if we combine your theory with what nappi815 said… So what if Sam finds out the child is his but allows everyone to believe Don is the father, thus giving up his parental right to the child?
This is really great. It feels like we are all in a virtual “writer’s room”! Keep the ideas brewing [sorry if that means more sleepless nights!] 😉
Maybe Sam will just be shown what he will be given up if he complete the trials – like a sneak a peak at a possible future, with a wife and kids. And things he already gave up for the hunting life (SPOILER)SarahBlake(SPOILER) – because he decided to keep on hunting.
To be truthful, I prefer this to a baby drama at real time. Because I wouldn’t like baby drama in SPN.
Moving away from the baby drama; I’m taking a look at these trials in a somewhat different light now – Sam has been thru losing his mother, having a demon bleed in his mouth, losing his girlfriend, finding out that his father told Dean to kill Sam if he couldn’t save him, his psychic abilities, being manipulated by demons for most of his life, being a demon blood junkie, picking Ruby over Dean, setting Lucifer free, being told he is THE vessel for Lucifer, putting Lucifer back in the cage, spending 180 “soul years” in the cage, coming back soulless, having his wall broken by Castiel, having a mental breakdown, and losing his brother over and over again. Sam has always craved “normal/safe” but, truth is, he isn’t normal; he’s always felt like a freak.
For him, closing the gates of hell is personal and will also in his eyes, redeem himself to Dean for his past failures/betrayals (picking a demon chick over his own brother, not looking for Dean after S7, etc.).
There have been some very clever interpretations of the trials as including some sort of purification process for Sam (Ardeospina?, apologies if is not). I’d extend that to not only mean a physical purification, but emotional/spiritual purification as well. So maybe part of these trials, or the third trial, involves some sort of internal struggle/”vision quest” to find out if he is worthy and up to the task of closing the gates and having to live with the consequences? In the last episode, Crowley said “I am forever”; he might not be, but evil is. So, even closing the gates of hell won’t rid the world of all evil.
Just a gut feeling that Sam comes out of these trials feeling “normal” for the first time in his life, but in doing so will have to sacrifice the dream of having a normal/safe life outside of hunting.
[quote] So maybe part of these trials, or the third trial, involves some sort of internal struggle/”vision quest” to find out if he is worthy and up to the task of closing the gates and having to live with the consequences?….Just a gut feeling that Sam comes out of these trials feeling “normal” for the first time in his life, but in doing so will have to sacrifice the dream of having a normal/safe life outside of hunting.[/quote]
This is also a very viable theory, and consistent with the one spoiler I have read so far. It would also be devastating to watch!
Been reading many comments re: Sam’s arc and while others are waiting for further explanation of why Sam did not look for Dean, I am okay that he was so alone, and he has never handled losing Dean too well and he was just out of a catatonic psychotic break at the end of season 7, so he got in the Impala and drove until he hit a dog.Enter Amelia, his life line- his Substitute Dean so to speak. it has been deliberately thrown in Sam’s face this season, so it may have further resolution. If further explanation is given -super. If not, I will still look forward to SPN9. I keep coming back to the Song by Brian Buckley band : I am Human ….and I will let you down. Sam has no personal supernatural arc, just a very human one until he started the trials thru this entire season. Even in the Larping and the Real Girl, it is Dean who pursues supernatural leads while Sam stays in the research tent and does not do field work. In this respect the writers have been consistent with Sam’s arc. I do appreciate all of the theories and see possibilities. Just think that Charlie is going to remark that Sam has no luck with girls in the next episode . Demons or otherwise. Sam’s reaction is worth tuning in for. Still think Crowley is going to use something about Sam’s activities to get at the boys. Again, it is like being in the writers room with all of you!
[quote] I keep coming back to the Song by Brian Buckley band : I am Human ….and I will let you down. Sam has no personal supernatural arc, just a very human one until he started the trials thru this entire season. Even in the Larping and the Real Girl, it is Dean who pursues supernatural leads while Sam stays in the research tent and does not do field work. In this respect the writers have been consistent with Sam’s arc. [/quote]
This is a great point! They [i]have [/i] gone out of their way to show the very human side of Sam. What is a [i]human [/i] willing to do to shut the gates of hell? What sacrifice is a normal guy- with flaws, mistakes, good intentions, love, redemption -willing to make? Wow. This just gets more exciting.
Imagine changing your family’s destiny. Imagine erasing every bad desciion, every failure, every bad judgement. And all you have to do is kill the 6 month version of yourself. You parents live. Your brother never becomes a hunter and suffers from having the albatross of you around his neck. Dean grows up surrounded by friends and family goes on to become a firefighter hero…with his won wife and child. Lucifer never rises, the apocalypse never happens. Dean never goes to Hell or Purgatory.
AMY – this is terrific and I just love this thought process – you’ve followed the line from the beginning. I think this may be the 3rd Trial – no baby will die – but Sam will need to face the TEST of his own future mortality.
Well done to all thoughts and writers and congrats to this website I just found and the constructive discussions they host. – Can’t wait for SPN’s next episode – any episode – may it NEVER end 🙂
Great read and assembly of the clues, Nightsky
I had a very similar “child” theory as NJSpnfan.
Pretty much what I was thinking to given all the anvils : Trial 1 “Kill a Hellhound and bath in its blood” so one could proceed with the “invisible camouflage and scent of the (invisible HH) blood” to Trial 2 – allow entry to Hell to free an innocent soul without tripping Crowley’s alarms or any demons’ early awareness- the door to Bobby’s cell would just open since it recognized demonspawn blood leading to Trial 3 – facing the task of sacrificing your own innocent child to close the Gates of Hell.
I have two alternate thoughts: 1) since “Samelia” was hugely unpopular I thought that was one reason the show was bringing Sarah – not only as a PiP that the Winchesters had saved – the show is bringing back at least “Tommy” (Wendigo) and “Jenny” (Shut up, Dr Phil) – but as it’s supposedly Crowley who is looking into the Winchester’s pasts, I thought it’d be a better idea if Sarah had had Sam’s child from their “hook-up” ; it would be very easy to allow the Winchesters to have stayed an extra few day without busting canon . Crowley would very interested in getting his hands on Sam’s child (That said, there are zero spoiler hints that the third trial will involve any child – not that there are any spoilers involving the third trial) 2) This very idea (having to even contemplate sacrificing your child to complete the third trial -I agree that won’t happen but could come by accident as you suggested – may be very connected to what Carver said about “how far are the boys willing to get revenge” (by locking down Hell) if Sam has to “sacrifice” any loved ones even if it turns out to be SPN’s version of Abraham/Isaac.
I also agree with your assessment that the show has had the “fathers” choosing to sacrifice themselves to save their sons so I would expect Sam to do the same but at the same time I think that’s too obvious a route for the show to take without a huge twist in either what has to be done to complete the third trial or a having a radically different and astonishing outcome from whatever Sam does. Of course Sam will likely not be facing the third trial alone; I expect Dean to be there and its absolutely in character for Dean to prevent Sam from “sacrificing” his child even if Sam has “faith” that he won’t actually have to go through with it (assuming “something” prevents Sam from sacrificing himself. )
CyanaT, I have noticed that [i]nothing [/i] in episode previews seems to be hinting at a child, but I can’t get out of my head these blatant clues from so many past shows! It really is putting my mystery-solving brain into overdrive!
The Third trial… no wait, ALL of that Trial storyline is a perfect moment for gathering all the people involved, sitting them down, and asking one question:
What is the one thing, you feel has not been properly solved. Where was the point, where you thought, Sam Winchester didn´t suffer enough, was too blasé, should feel/Have felt more guilty.
What was the one thing, you always have wanted him completely wrecked about.
… go for it 🙂
If we look at the Cliffhanger of each Season, well, there is a pattern, there.
Except for Season 4 (where Sam and Dean were both alive, both none the less uhm… fucked/shocked/whatever) and Season 6 where Castiel suddenly had become the central plot element, instead of the brothers…
One of them has always been out of commision after the season final.
And it absolutely and totally is Sam´s time.
Season 1: Dean (Coma)
Season 2: Sam (dead)
Season 3: Dean (Hell)
Season 4: none (both alive and in the gutter)
Season 5: Sam (Cage)
Season 6: none
Season 7: Dean (Purgatory)
Season 8: ……
So, it´s Sam´s time.
What could possibly happen?
He could die.
He could be in a coma.
He could be a hallucinating mess in a mental hospital.
After all… well the Preview for Pacman is somewhat very ominous.
What if the third trial isn´t something physical and the rest of the season will happen solely on the mental plane?
(anyone remember that telekinetic from the beginning of the season?)
WHat if….
And what if Sam doesn´t wake up anymore?
Sam has already been out of commission the entire season. Why does either brother have to be ‘out of commission” anyway?
And if your theory is true and Sam doesn’t wake up (if he was truely in a hospital hallucinating he woulnd’t be hallucinating Deans POV or Benny’s POV or Charlies POV) anymore…then Dean will merrily go about his business with his better sibling who he has a deep bond with..;..Charlie….who will of course prove to be a much better Hunter then Sam ever was.
Fluff2107, Thank you so much for your detailed analysis. I love it when fans go back and look for patterns, providing examples to create a strong foundation for their theory!
I have stopped looking at all spoilers for the remaining episodes of this season because from the little I have read, the next 4 shows are going to be an emotional, interwoven, complex series of events that pull together all the arcs from this season. I will be very curious to see if your prediction of it being Sam’s turn comes true. All indications so far point to it. I haven’t been this excited, worried, and anxious for a season finale since S5! I truly cannot imagine how this is going to work out, but I am proud that we are being promised a complexity deserving of Supernatural’s best writing.
I love the creativity this fandom shows through their season ending speculations. I prefer to be oblivious and see what the writers have concocted for us. So I’m with nightsky and will not be spoiling the surprise of the ending. We know that both brothers will survive or at least will return from wherever they might be sent, because there is a season 9. If season 10 does not materialize then all bets are off and absolutely anything can happen. This is when I will worry. As corny as it may sound I am hoping for a happy ending to the series. It’s only just that our boys find some happiness after all they have done for the world.