My Supernatural Season Eight Finale Wish List
As the end of Season 8 of Supernatural rapidly approaches, I find myself eagerly waiting for what lies ahead. The season, though not perfect, managed to introduce several interesting narratives, making me invested in the fates of all those involved in this story.
I also find myself hoping to see a few specific situations play out in the remaining episodes. Though I feel Supernatural did a lot right this season, and the good definitely outweighed the bad, I do have some specific requests that for me, would end the season in a fulfilling way.
So, in no particular order, here are the components that make up my wish list for the end of Season eight:
Link All the Storylines Together in an Exciting Way
A lot has gone on this season. We’ve had Dean’s return from Purgatory and his unlikely friendship with Benny, Sam’s extremely controversial decision not to look for Dean, his relationship with Amelia and his retirement from hunting, the existence of (and Kevin’s attempt to decipher) the demon and angel tablets, Crowley and Naomi’s race to find those tablets (respectively), Naomi’s manipulation of Castiel and his resulting actions because of it, the brothers’ Men of Letters legacy, the possibility of closing the gates of Hell forever, the execution of the trials and the aftermath for Sam as he carries out each one. Even though we can safely say that the Benny storyline is most likely resolved (at least for now), and Sam’s relationship with Amelia is over, that still leaves a whole lot of ground to cover, and only a few episodes in which to do it. Many questions still remain.
Of course, all of these storylines don’t necessarily have to be resolved by the finale, and my guess is most likely they won’t be. However, it would be great to see how each separate story arc of the season has linked to the other. Just as importantly (and perhaps more so), those connections have to result in good drama. In my opinion, the end of Season seven didn’t really achieve any cohesion or dramatic tension (with the exception of the Season seven finale scene showing Dean and Cass in Purgatory). However, the Leviathans and their motivations didn’t have nearly as much potential as this season’s mythology. So my hope is that the tablets, trials, gates of Hell and Men of Letters all converge onto a path where existing questions are answered but exciting new ones emerge.
Give Sam His Voice
As I stated earlier, the writers’ decision to have Sam not look for Dean was controversial, to say the least. I personally didn’t like that notion, because it didn’t seem to gel with who a Winchester brother is down to his core. However, I still thought some of the first nine episodes were well done, and it certainly hasn’t ruined the remainder of the season for me. But for some fans, the first half of the season was significantly tainted by that initial premise. Though explanations for his behavior can be given (and many were eloquently presented on this site), many fans couldn’t reconcile those possible explanations with the Sam they know, and others were disappointed that those possible reasons weren’t expounded on in the actual episodes. In addition, Sam’s silence while other characters reacted to the information that he didn’t look for Dean was a bit frustrating. So my hope is that Sam will have a few more words to say about this whole matter, or that something new will be disclosed regarding his overwhelming grief during that time. And though we know there most likely won’t be a surprise supernatural reveal for his actions, a few sentences about Sam’s emotional state influencing his decision would go a long way with fans. Though it wouldn’t change the storyline of Sam not having looked, or change the conflict it created between Sam and Dean, it would probably help fans lay the issue to rest, and provide reassurance that in this story, the brothers’ love and devotion to each other is always a two-way street.
Let the Brothers Break Our Hearts- In a Good Way
Even though Sam and Dean had a lot of (some would say contrived) conflict between them at the beginning of the season, they are in a good place now. For me, last season was severely lacking in brotherly moments, but this year gave us a return to heart to heart impala talks, passionate speeches from Sam and Dean, an earnest prayer from a big brother, and a remarkable Winchester hug. I’m hopeful that things continue along these lines, and that the last trial provides a catalyst for some dramatic, profound brotherly love.
It’s probably safe to say we all like the brothers’ relationship. In fact, how many times have we read or heard fans say that the brothers’ bond is what brought them to the show in the first place? Some have argued, however, that the brothers’ relationship must evolve, or more specifically, that Dean can’t forever be Sam’s protector, or that the brothers need to be less emotionally dependent on each other. Though I’m all for evolution, and I like when Sam is strong or gets protective about Dean, and I enjoy when the brothers interact with other characters (provided those other characters are interesting) the emotional core of the show can’t be changed.
The brother’s bond, including Dean’s overprotective nature regarding Sam, is inextricably woven into who these characters are. It was set up that way very early on, and taking away a premise so rooted in these characters and this show changes those characters and that show irrevocably. Besides, why mess with something that isn’t broken? There are many ways to have Sam and Dean evolve and interact with others that wouldn’t diminish the crucial foundation the show is based upon. In fact, the show carried this evolution out beautifully with the self-discovery provided to both Winchesters by the Men of Letters legacy. Sam and Dean can still be very different, and maybe even want different things, but still have that unbreakable bond. It’s that bond that I hope is showcased in these upcoming episodes, to dramatic (and maybe even a little heartbreaking) effect.
Present Tightly Written Scripts with Striking Dialogue
Many of this season’s episodes were very well done. But that may have been due to the combination of noteworthy direction, acting, special effects and writing. If the scripts had to stand alone, would they seem as good? Maybe- but some fine tuning definitely couldn’t hurt. This notion caught my attention when I read Alice’s proposed writing changes in her review of “Taxi Driver.”” Her astute exercise brought home the fact that many scripts could have been made sharper from some tweaking here and there in order to better introduce changes in mythology, explain inconsistencies, and provide motivation for characters’ actions.
In addition, it would be great if the dialogue was consistently fitting for our characters. For example, Supernatural knows how to weave drama and humor together, but there were times this season that they veered off course in the dialogue, turning to sophomoric jokes and the dumbing down of our beloved Winchesters (cough – “Man’s best Friends with Benefits” – cough). To be clear, I know writing is difficult; writing dialogue is especially hard. But good dialogue is the outward expression of each character’s heart. For me, the best Supernatural dialogue is when Sam and Dean sound like, well, Sam and Dean (and this goes for Cass and all the other recurring characters as well). For example, certain writers on the show seem more adept than others at capturing the voices of the Winchesters. And though writers have different styles, every writer on Supernatural should know Sam and Dean so well, that the dialogue spoken by each brother is instantly recognizable to the audience as consistent with who Sam and Dean are.
This particular wish is not just for the remaining episodes of Season eight, but one that I would love to see carried over to all remaining seasons as well.
Last, but Not least- Let’s Have Some Fun with Supernatural
This isn’t related to the storyline, but it’s still important. This fandom is filled with creative, passionate people. Together we have achieved great things- from earning our show awards to charitable acts of kindness. The passion fans have for this show also makes for interesting, spirited, discussions. But when a passion is this intense, things can be taken too seriously at times, and maybe it’s at those times that we need to take a step back and gain some perspective.
On a personal note, 2013 has been rough so far. It has included all three of my young sons coming down with the flu, a pretty serious repetitive stress injury for me involving nerves in both of my legs and forearms, with countless tests to diagnose said injury (now mostly healed, thank God), persistent work on my five year old son’s speech delay and food aversions (he has a few sensory issues), my mom’s continued flare up of a chronic pain condition (and the concern for her that goes with it), and culminating in my husband being furloughed from the Federal Government. My long winded point is that life is filled with stresses-both small and big- and watching Supernatural (or engaging in other leisure activities) is meant to be fun. Going on fan sites or message boards to discuss episodes should be a way to escape from stress. But sometimes I read (and not necessarily on this site) very emotionally charged language that seems to be indicative of the poster’s stress level about the show.
My hope for the remaining episodes, and for all future episodes, is that we all have fun watching and commenting about them (even the ones we don’t like). Also, I truly hope we can all remember that dissenting opinions can peacefully co-exist on the same board. Love an episode or hate it- it’s TV, and it’s subjective, so let’s post away, discussing what worked for us, what didn’t, and why- leaving behind any bitterness and just enjoying the process.
This concludes my Season Eight finale wish list. I hope to see these things unfold, but I’ll watch no matter what-through the rest of the season and beyond. Because – and allow me to get sentimental for a bit- even though it’s just a TV show, my thoughts and fondness for it stir up many good memories: lounging on the couch with my husband watching episodes, laughing at fun articles on the WFB, singing “Carry on Wayward Son” while rocking my baby boy, and giggling with excitement in anticipation of meeting Jared (and soon Jensen!). If these small – but quite gratifying- life moments can be created through watching this little TV show, then wish list or not-I’m in for the duration.
Now it’s your turn. Do you have your own wish list for the remainder of the season? If so, what’s on it? Are these things a deal breaker for continuing to watch the show? Please post your thoughts and hopes about the rest of the season.
I agree with most of what you want. I desperately want Sam to have a voice, not only about how he reacted when Dean went to Purgatory, but about what he is feeling in general. I would love for Sam to have someone to talk to about personal important things who isn’t evil or just out of or in a mental hospital, so any feedback Sam gets can’t be easily dismissed because his friend isn’t mentally stable.
I do want the brotherly bond to return. I loved the “psychotically irrationally, erotically co-dependent” (to quote Zacharia) brothers who couldn’t let the other die. This doesn’t mean I don’t want them to have other friends or relationships. It means I want the depth and intensity of the bond to return.
Having fun in the episodes would be great, but I want both boys to be fully engaged in the fun. LARP was a good episode, but it also had Dean having lots of fun and Sam being grumpy and backburnered to the computer tent. Tall Tales and Hell House had both boys equally involved in the fun. The French Mistake had them equally involved. Having one brother have all the fun isn’t what I am personally looking for.
Bring the mytharc together. Who is Naomi really? How does she know Crowley and how do they fit into Sam and Dean’s lives. Have the boys protect Kevin. He is the prophet and one of the most valuable pieces on the chess board. The one thing Sam felt really guilty about was not taking care of Kevin. Then after his girlfriend is killed, and his mother possessed they drop him off with Garth and don’t seem to give him another thought. I really hope the Kevin storyline gets a better exploration than this.
Don’t change canon without a cursory explanation. I could accept that up to X generations of werewolves can control their transformations because we were told Sam and Dean found a text that talked about that. Reapers were inhuman creatures who could only be seen by the dying and interacted with humans only when bound and being bound made them really, really angry. Telling me that there is a rogue Reaper is great, but I need some kind of build up for turning canon on its head. They have the MOL library. One sentence that they found out how to contact a rogue Reaper there would cover a lot of ground for me. Crowley aligned with Castiel, performed a spell that could only happen during an eclipse to find Purgatory. Suddenly moving a rock give a passage between Hell and Purgatory makes Crowley look careless at the best and stupid at the worst. Speaking of Crowley, explain how he went from punishing one of his CR demons for fudging on his deals by not giving the victims their full 10 years to not telling Crowley’s victims the terms of the deals. I really don’t want any more blatant continuity changes.
I like the words you chose percysowner, regarding “I want the depth and intensity of the bond to return.” That’s how I also like the Winchesters’ bond!
And I totally agree, the boys should be shown to be a bit more proactive in protecting Kevin. I guess he sometimes needs to disappear for plot purposes, but the reasons for it could be a bit more thought out.
I know this season has been tough for you in some ways, so I hope these last few episodes make up for it for you.
Thanks for reading and for commenting!
The trouble with an article as good as this is that I completely agree with everything on your list and have nothing to add. You have everything covered. My highest priorities would be resolving at least some of the truckload of issues that have been introduced and addressing Sam’s mental and emotional state in the early days after Dean’s disappearance. In some way, big or small. I know that everything is not going to be tied up in a big bow and that there will be carryover stories but it would be nice to have a sense of closure about this season in some aspects!
Great article Metamorphic Rocks!
Thanks, Leah. Yes, I really do hope they address Sam’s emotional state in some context. Carver did say Sam’s not looking for Dean would come up again- I just hope it comes up in the right way!
Thank you for reading!
Leah, EXACTLY. I don’t want them to wrap up everything but I just hope they give us something that makes this season feel satisfying.
Great article – I agree with all of it – except I doubt all the loose ends will be tied up as that would leave nothing for S9, so that is not an expectation for me. 🙂
Bamboo24, I am with you here – they should leave something to deal with in the next season (season 9 – hurray!) And thank you for the article, MetamorphicRocks. My total support, especially with the last item. Let’s enjoy our show, there is a lot to adore! I am so not okay seeing that many fans are hungry for explanations and getting hungrier and angrier lately, like “one sentence … would cover” or like somebody on the other thread put it,”Let Sam say, “I thought you were dead” and so on. I remember I thought reading it, they could have omitted one word “not” in his words “I was not looking for you”, and so many people would have been much happier. Or wouldn’t they? It is so intriguing and research-demanding a question for me – how do happy fans become unhappy, and could anything be done to reverse that sorry state of mind? Or is it an unavoidable stage (horrible thought – avert!):-)
That is an interesting question you pose. My opinion is those feelings of disatisfaction with a show usually can be changed. I hope the remaining episodes do that for the fans that weren’t happy with the season as a whole.
Thanks for your comment!
Bamboo 24, I agree, we need to retain some mystery, because we all need something to mull over during the summer!
Thanks for your comment!
I want the dog to have his say too!
“At the end of day we all are somebody’s dog” (said one good man in a Pratchett’s book).
Great article Metamorphic Rocks. I have really enjoyed S8, especially after S7, which for me seemed a little depressing and lack luster. I really hope we end this season with the brothers together emotionally. JC has taken us on a wild ride this season and I look forward to the rest of this season and the next.
I totally agree about Season 7. I have enjoyed this year much better. My hope is also that the boys are very together emotionally.
Thanks for reading!
I have been left disappointed with Jeremy’s Carver idea of who Sam is and the dismissal of 7 yrs of Sam’s journey to create a confusing human story this season. So my one wish would be for the finale is for Sam to emerge with no more mud on his character and for him to emerge in one piece .
Sharon, you are definitely not alone in those hopes. I think many fans feel the same way (judging from the boards). I hope we are headed somewhere regarding Sam, and there will be some reveal (not a supernatural one, because that most likely won’t happen, but at least something to give us all more insight).
Thank you for your comment!
The only thing that would make me stop watching the show now would be if they killed off either brother. Since I highly doubt that will happen, I’m definitely watching until the end.
I’d like to see Sam explain or see some scenes that might show Sam’s state of mind just after Dean disappeared. It’s not a deal breaker for me, though I’d like to see it. Sam Winchester is an endlessly fascinating character to me, so I wish we could peek into his head more often.
I’d also like to see all the pieces come together in some interesting way, but SPN has pretty much always surprised me in that regard, while still leaving something for us to fret or speculate over until next season, so I hope Carver will do the same this year.
Other than that, I’m not too demanding. Just give me a good, well-written story that I can connect with in some way and I’m generally happy.
Although, a few more shirtless scenes wouldn’t hurt. Just sayin’ :-*
PaintedWolf, I am with you all the way in everything you said!!! I’m excited to see where the end of the season leads us.
Thanks for reading!
I only started to watch SPN 2 weeks ago and was instantly torn into the show like never before….finding out about it´s fandom was another surprise to me – you are seriously committed, and I´m constantly taken aback by the quality of your discussions. Thanks – I hope to be able to share some thoughts with you once I have reached season 8 (it´s a pity one cannot watch TV 24/7…)!
Hi Agnes and welcome to this awesome, sometimes crazy place we call the Superntural Family. 😀
Metamorphic Rocks, if they do everything you say and do it well I will be the happiest camper on earth. I agree with every single one. But I do want to add in, repair the extremely damaged continuity and myth lore. Although I might be able to live with this by lalalaing thought the idiocy in some of the episodes, if they just do all the things you said. I love so much about this season but there is so much that makes me want to scream in frustration.
But by far the most important is giving Sam his voice and having a reasonable reason that he has been kept silent all season. So fantastic great reason that makes go,”OH, NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY DIDN’T TELL US THIS BEFORE, IT’S BECAUSE IT WOULD REVEAL….. OR BECAUSE IT CREATED MORE EMOTIONAL IMPACT. OR ……whatever” Just something that would restore my faith in Carver.
But you had wonderful, amazing suggestions. I agree completely.
Great article. I agree with everything on your list. But by far the most important wish for me is for the writers to give Sam his voice. I want to hear him talk about those missing few months after Dean went to Purgatory, to hear him talk about his mental state at this time and also about his feelings in general regarding all that’s been happening to him. I really wish we could get more insight into Sam’s heart and mind.
I also want the brother relationship to continue to strengthen. Give me the “psychotically irrationally, erotically co-dependent” brotherly bond any day. 😆 I want the finale to be overflowing with the brotherly angst and love. Also maybe to include another wonderful brotherly hug.
Love your article and your list is great. Sam seemed not to get a sentence completed or even want to complete a sentence in the first part of the season. It was so frustrating.
I watch S1-S7 over and over. I just finished S7. Again. I reran (several times) the scene where Sam was left alone in the lab. He looked pretty frantic and unstable already. He wasn’t even standing steady. The look on his face was scared, frantic, helpless and hopeless (the way I read it anyway). I want him to talk about that time right after Dean disappeared. I want Sam to tell us what really happened during that next couple of months or even weeks. (And I still want to know how they ended up at the cabin at the same time.)
We always have other characters and their evil plans. I watch for the brothers relationship. I love them and worry about them. (OK, maybe crazy. 😮 ) I watch for how the brothers foil the evil plans, of course. That is exciting. But let’s have the brothers work [i]together [/i] against the bad guys!
I’m probably older than the majority of the fandom, at 65+. In fact, I know I’m old enough to be Dean and Sam’ s mama. That is exactly my connection with the show. The relationship and how it formed was shown so clearly in A Very Supernatural Christmas. Because of their life on the road, Dean is both older brother/tormenting sib and parent stand-in. He tells Sam the straight of things, but threatens to take him out if it tells their dad. As a older sister that rang so true to me! But, Sam is a kid, and he wants him to still believe in the spirit of Christmas?/Santa?/Dad. So he b &e’s for wrapped gifts. That relationship tears at your heart strings for them. Sam accepts Dean’s leadership/love and gives him a gift Uncle Bobby had given him to give to John.
They are grown now, but both have literally been to Hell and back for those they love. Sam is complex, so is Dean… There could and would be a moment when this would have to be discussed. That discussion, which I trust was for a purpose, will hook the rest of us through the heart again.