Supernatural Hiatus Hunting: 5.16 – Dark Side of the Moon
DSotM was an exercise in devastated hearts and lost hope. It was also full of welcome friends, more-maniacal-by-the-minute foes and threads of what’s to come. Sad and crushing events twisted up the Winchester brothers and left them broken, battered and raw.
Death Comes (Again)
Had I not seen the preview clips (if only I had willpower) this opening scene would have been startling. Even with the knowledge of what was coming, it was difficult to watch. Sam looked incredible sorry to have been caught and Dean was just plain pissed off. I do have to wonder how the hunters not only snuck into the room without drawing attention but also how they managed to slide the knife from beneath Dean’s pillow without waking him. Dean’s reaction to Sam’s death, and really, the whole situation, was telling. His threat of when he “comes back” could be taken to mean as a spirit, but I think he knew the angels and Lucifer wouldn’t let their vessels just end that way – certainly both sides have expressed suicide won’t keep them from becoming host to an angel, in some form or another. Dean seemed almost resolved to the whole thing – taunting to be shot. Maybe hoping he wouldn’t come back? Hard to say.
Dean’s Memory
It’s fitting that Dean’s first (that he remembers) experience in Heaven features both the Impala and young Sammy. The fireworks was a beautiful moment and for the first time in ages the smile on Dean’s face seemed lighter and genuine. True to form, Dean is happiest with the simple things – the company an innocent, unburdened Sammy who appreciates Dean purely as a big brother, nothing more, nothing less.
Dean’s second memory invited flashbacks of season two’s What Is and What Should Never Be, with Mary making a sandwich for Dean and him enjoying a mother’s touch. This moment between Dean and Mary almost felt too private to be watching, especially with Sam witnessing the exchange. It is incredibly sad and at the same time heart warming to think that even at the age of four, Dean was attuned enough to know his mother needed a hug and reassurance. The split-second expression on Dean’s face when Sam commented that Dean had been cleaning up after John for a long time was absolutely haunting.
Sam’s Memory
Sam’s memory of Thanksgiving was both amusing (thigh squeeze by the eleven year old girl) and sad. The sadness was mostly for Dean, as it begins to dawn on him that Sam’s Heaven doesn’t involve Dean. What’s more, is that (and this is conjecture) while Dean tried to give Sam a family experience through Thanksgiving, it clearly didn’t satisfy young Sam’s craving for normal family experiences. The other Heavenly moments of Sam’s continued this theme. Dean was crushed by the realization that Sam’s Heaven, that his “greatest hits” were on his own and seemingly without regard for the effect his actions had on others. On one hand, I can see how a young Sam running away would think it was great to live alone without thought for the consequences Dean faced for losing Sam. On the other hand, given the whole Shtriga incident, I can also imagine the punishment Dean must have endured, both from and John and his own guilty conscious.
Ash and Pamela
Ash was just awesome. I love that his Heaven is the roadhouse and that he spends his time not only keeping angels out of his heaven, but tracking them and visiting everyone else’s Heaven. It was fantastic to see him again, hair and all. Now Pamela, well, I just don’t know what to make of her. Part of me wondered if she, or her likeness anyways, wasn’t being manipulated in some way, with the whole life’s-so-good-let-the-angels-have-your-bodies spiel. As a whole, this scene in the Roadhouse worked for me. Although we didn’t see Ellen and Jo, they were still present in the ambience of the bar. Another throw back to season two.
This scene also had a nugget of information I thought was interesting and teasing – John and Mary Winchester are MIA. Again, not sure what to make of this, but knowing Kripke, it will reveal its relevance to us in due time. Perhaps in relation to that soul mates-share-heaven tidbit. Hmm.
Zachariah and the Nightmare
It’s nice to see that this Apocalypse thing isn’t just taking its toll on the boys – Zachariah is clearing fraying fast. It was chilling to see Zach and Mary with the sexual undertones. I also liked the way, in Dean’s memory of Mary the make-up is very minimal and wholesome, whereas when Zach is using her form, it’s darker – much the way it was in Sam’s detox-induced delusion last year. This scene was effective – Zach has certainly honed his scary mobster look, with the henchmen to hold Dean in place while he punched him and everything. This part was upsetting – largely because it felt like Dean had heard the things “Mary” said to him, in one form or another, probably in his own psyche. The poor guy was absolutely destroyed.
Joshua and the Garden
Quiet and unassuming but with the unmistakeable air of power, Roger Aaron Brown’s Joshua’s was deliciously executed. God’s message seemed to come down to what good and evil always comes down to (biblically speaking) – human choice and consequence. Free will (consider: “Team Freewill”) means that human beings do what they do and have to live with the consequences – there isn’t a reset button but rather humankind just has to muddle through. That said, that the Winchester’s remember “this time” makes me think there is something in the experience that will be the key they need. Wait and see I suppose. (By the way – Cleveland Botanical Gardens – perfect Winchester Eden imaging if you ask me.)
Final Thoughts – Desolation
Castiel – the poor guy. He looked absolutely shattered at the notion that his father would abandon them. He almost couldn’t believe it and now he’s just lost. The things Misha Collins can convey in a simple gaze – in this case directed skyward – what an emotional punch. It seemed that Dean could really empathize with what Cas was feeling here (see the long gazes but note the lack of comforting words or witticisms), but also that watching Cas lose his faith was the last straw for Dean. I took Dean’s silence through Cas’ speech in two ways – one, as I already stated, being able to understand the idea of being disappointed by your father and two, almost disbelief at the angels loss and newfound faithlessness. These are two despondent men (even if one is technically an angel), no question.
This episode really felt as though it was being told from Dean’s perspective. That is, the memories of his giving to make Sam happy, to comfort his mom, realizing in Sam’s Heaven that his efforts weren’t even appreciated or thought about again (not that I’m saying this is true, necessarily, merely that this must be how it looks from Dean’s side) through to learning that God wasn’t going to get involved, especially after his tearful plea – this episode put Dean through the ringer. In the past we’ve witness Dean down and out, greatly saddened, bereaved and grief-stricken with his own torment but I don’t think we’ve ever seen him as truly desolate as in the moment he releases the amulet. Rock bottom, meet Dean Winchester.
At the same time, Sam was also afforded some much needed insight into his brother. I think by the end, Sam understood a little bit better what their life was like from Dean’s side of the coin – constantly trying to take care of his family only to watch them all walk away or leave him in one form or another. I think this understanding, especially after watching Dean toss the amulet, may be an asset in some weird way (I hope so, otherwise the torture of the Winchester brother’s served no purpose other than our twisted amusement). Sam now seems to be the only one of the three holding it together anymore. Bobby’s been toyed with, Dean’s emotionally spent and Cas is just lost. It was interesting that Sam was the one comforting Castiel and Dean, assuring both of them that there is ‘another way” and together they could beat this thing. We’ll just have to wait and see if Sam can rally everyone together (and I’m confident he will) for the big showdown that this season is building to. Let’s go, Team Free Will!
Looking Back Now…
So, looking back at where we ended up after this episode and what we know now – what are your thoughts today? What was your reaction on watching this the first time? Do you enjoy the Supernatural conception of Heaven? Now that the amulet issue has finally been addressed, do feel more settled about this ending?
For more DSoTM fun:
We have a great Episode Analysis by Joelstein and be sure to check out our DSoTM Photo Gallery
I really enjoyed this review alice. thank you .
I had just rewatched this episode a few days ago coincidentally and as I watched the ep once again, it really connects to the current episodes we are seeing now. I’ve said it before, ea and every episode flows into ea other and is one continued story.
I really thought this episode revealed a lot about dean, which makes sense as to this situation now. it seems to me, from watching, that dean can’t fail. he has a very hard time with what he deems to be failing. he believes that people leave him, even though they don’t leave him. mom didn’t leave dean, she died. dad was an absent father, but he didn’t leave dean, he never left the boys in his heart, it’s just that his journey was taking him to his revenge. sam never thought of it as leaving dean. dean was always sam’s salvation, as he so wanted to leave the horror that was their life. sam left a world of danger, a world that killed his mother and is taking his father away from them…he ached for normal and safe. I truly believe he wasn’t even thinking about dean, not in the way dean imagined. I really believe sam was just thinking about getting away from the life. it was really the wish of a child. a wish and fear he held onto. one that he really only recently let go of…but still has hope to have for both of them one day.
so dean has this notion that people leave him. Zach knew this which is why he had mary say it. Zach was playing on dean’s issue of self loathing and was using it to break his spirit…to break him, so he would say yes…and it worked..practically;) it seems to me that dean thinks everyone he loves leaves because of him personally. so dean does everything it takes to ensure that doesn’t happen. he’s the good soldier, the responsible brother …he cannot fail because if he fails the people he loves, they will leave him. a very sad notion so far from the truth….and something dean really has to come face to face and deal with.
I think this attitude speaks volumes of his actions towards sam and his inability to face his crap. it’s one of the reasons why he buries everything. it’s one of the reasons why he can’t face up to his mistakes. ( for example, amy. dean shouldn’t have killed amy. since he did, he damn well shouldn’t have hid it from sam. this was a mistake on dean’s part. when sam finds out, he’s devastated. firstly because dean killed his friend. secondly after lying about it. then dean gets all defensive and tries to turn it on sam. telling sam not to be a bitch. dean’s number one defense mechanism, turning the situation around so that he’s not the one who’s wrong. so he isn’t the one who failed. because if he fails, sam will leave. I can only imagine how scared dean was when sam needed that time away. it didn’t surprise me one bit, when dean brought out the big gun, to convince sam that dean was right.) it’s one of the reasons, not the only, but part of the reason why Sammy does not die while he walks the earth. 😉 it’s this inability in dean which has ultimately led him to becoming a demon.
carver continues to play on this ongoing issue with dean. actually, as i’m so very happy to see, carver is finally dealing with this issue of dean’s…he got that ball rolling with s8. look at how s8 went down. dean was in purgatory, where he found peace and a bit of pleasure in that he could kill freely without guilt or conscience. benny said it…he said to dean he wished he appreciated purgatory the way he had. if sam were with him in purgatory, do you suppose dean would’ve come out the same way? would he have appreciated the killing? not that they both wouldn’t have killed for survival, but with sam, do you think dean would’ve been able to find the pleasure in it? as he had been able to with benny? I don’t believe so. with that dean connects to benny. he appreciates benny because they are the same. this is not a relationship built on love or trust. it’s built on a mutual attitude. and in the end, dean brings this monster with him to earth, deluding himself into thinking benny is the exception to dean’s very own monster rule, which he so eloquently glorified to amy before he ganked her. thus dean’s hypocritical status blooms into the weed that it is. but dean has to believe in benny, because if he’s wrong about benny, as we learn he is..then dean is a monster like him instead of benny being the monster who’s human. dean creates this fascade. having sam believe benny is good. benny could be trusted. benny is like a brother. but in reality benny was a vampire who killed humans while atop because that’s what vamps do. he was true to himself. yes there was a bond, I don’t deny it…but it was a bond based on what they believed to be a kindred spirit. dean ultimately recognized this. when dean sent that text, and saw the lengths he went to to keep the façade of benny alive…that he hurt his brother so much, that sam couldn’t take it anymore, he told dean he had to decide, dean knew he had to cut benny loose. dean building up benny so that he doesn’t feel like the monster he’d become in purgatory was having the opposite affect. I believe dean didn’t want to fail sam, to let sam know the truth about benny and what they really did down there and dean’s contentment with it all….so dean creates a benny that isn’t real….but in trying to keep up the charade, he nearly destroys his relationship with sam…and that too is failing his brother. so dean has to decide which failing is one he can live with…and so he chooses sam over benny…privately living once again with the belief that he’s truly no good. he’s just a killer. all of this could’ve been avoided if dean had been honest with sam. but dean’s inability to face failing or what he deems to be failing….is the bane of dean’s existence and it’s what eventually leads to his fall.
we see dean totally try to make up for everything in the second half of s8. he even does a whole 360 in his attitude about wanting sam to have normal. funny because the whole first half he made sam feel guilty to the point of rather killing himself instead of disappointing dean again…which is a whole sam thing that you will be pleased to know I won’t be getting into. i’m sure I already have at some point already.:D dean was the one who felt he needed to atone so badly that it was he who wanted to do the trials. (sam felt the same which is why he took them over, oh those boys) sam taking over, all dean could do was be by sam’s side and make sure he got through it. not that dean wasn’t still a busy guy. cas needed dean to get metatron.
this leads to s9 and dean’s inability to let sam go and the method in which he used to keep him. sam dying…that would be dean’s biggest failure and that ain’t happening, not while he’s still walking the earth. of course when kevin dies and sam finds out the truth, and not in the way he should have….yikes. dean can’t even face sam. he runs away. this was a failure too big for dean to handle so he didn’t handle it at all. not only did he run away from sam, but he saw fit to punish himself in a way that sam would never have. of course the sad thing is that I don’t think dean understands that. when he has the opportunity to simply tell sam he was sorry, he couldn’t do it. he couldn’t say the words, I believe because it would be admitting he failed his brother. thus his big bravado about doing it all again…and in dean’s attempt to ignore his mistake, he inadvertently made things worse by leading sam to believe that dean only saved sam because he didnt’ want to be alone. and here we have the rest of s9 and the continued misunderstanding between the boys.
this of course ultimately leads us to where we are now. it all started on that fateful day when dean was only four years old. 🙁
but there is a bright spot…because s10 is finally dealing with dean’s issue. at least we’re well into the process. I really do believe, that when dean finally rids himself of the mark, I think he’s finally going to understand what truly motivates him and why. my hope is when he comes to this realization he’ll be open with sam about it. I believe he will be. as I’ve stated before, I think season ten is the year that both of these boys will finally deal with their personal demons and come to accept who they are. they will come to understand ea. other’s perspective for the first time ever….and their bond will be stronger than it ever was before…because now they truly accept ea. other…it’s going to be amazing, I have no doubt. 🙂
and of course, this is jmo 😉
This is one of my favorite episodes. The visuals are stunning and it was exciting. I know it was controversial in the fandom for various reasons but the scene of young Sam and adult Dean in the pasture with fireworks was so lovely I’ll always hold this one close. I personally never thought the amulet tossing was as much about sticking it to Sam as it was Dean being at the end of his rope and feeling hopeless and defeated. I am glad that Dean got to atone in a tiny way for his impulsive decision to toss it by hanging it (the play version) on the mirror in the 200th. Even if it disappeared in the next episode. 🙂 I liked the moment. Thanks for the look back Elle.
Thanks for this review. It’s nice to have a look back and remember past episodes. Unfortunately, in light of what we’ve seen in the last three seasons this episode now leaves a really bitter taste in my mouth. When Sam and Dean do die is this what Sam will spend an eternity facing, Dean crapping all over Sams happy memories while Sam has to stand in the corner and watch memories of Dean that he himself is not a part of that, cause him pain. I’d have hoped that heaven would be an escape from all that and not merely an extension of it.
I agree with SinBin. I hated this episode with every fiber of my being. Dean was a complete ass to Sam and throws away the brothers relationship along with the amulet. He begrudges any happy memories that Sam has that don’t include him. But Sam doesn’t do the same thing to him. Their relationship in a nutshell. And it’s only gotten worse since then.
leah,
I agree. I never thought of dean tossing the amulet as a way of sticking it to sam. dean stated to sam in the ep that God was the last hope of a desperate man, and he just found out that God didn’t care. It wasn’t his problem. Little did dean realize that he didn’t give up on him, that he gave him sam. God saved them both. He granted both salvation into heaven, for he knew the end result. God was never far away from the boys, as we’ve seen chuck has been there til the end…and judging from fan fiction, he’s still close by watching over the Winchesters. 😉
I always saw the moment dean tossing the amulet as the moment he gave up. the moment he decided he was going to say yes. and thinking on it as I just rewatched the eppy, it was probably something easier for him to do without the reminder on his neck of the trust sam put in him and what he was about to do. also looking back to ponr, and watching fan fiction…it’s easy to see why dean was so surprised at how marie looked at the amulet and dean’s response in kind: I don’t need a trinket to remind me of how I feel about my brother. watching ponr, sam comes into the panic room, and this is after dean’s gut wrenching speech to sam, sam walks in with key in hand, unlocking the cuffs and telling dean he’s taking him with. with that, dean flat out asks if that’s a good idea and sam says both bobby and cas don’t think so, but does. dean tells him they’re right. that it’s a trap to say yes and he will. and sam looks him in the eyes and tells him no..when push comes to shove, dean will do the right thing. dean’s response is so simple…I don’t get it, why are you doing this? and sam’s response is so matter of fact and obvious…because you’re still my big brother. and not too long after, when cas tells dean he doesn’t have faith in him like sam does and is willing to die because he knows dean will fail….dean goes in that room and is about to say yes as sam is lying bloody on the floor and he looks at sam….and that’s it…he gives sam a wink and a minute later Zach is dead on the floor….sam asks what made him change his mind….dean’s answer is perfect…I didn’t want to let you down….and all this without the amulet around his neck….because when it comes down to it, amulet or no, dean loves sam …always has and always will.
but I do so love the fact that now dean understands how others view the amulet and thus hung it in the impala.
That was a great analysis of both of those episodes. I hadn’t looked at it quite that way before. I loved DSOTM it is one of my favorite episodes from S5. Even the painful ending was perfect in the story telling as to where Dean was at that moment. And it was so obvious, even though I didn’t see it at the time that Dean still loved Sam and didn’t let him down even without the amulet. And what Dean said to Marie was true but the deeper truth was that when Dean hung the “Samulet” in the car he was telling Sam again thank you for still believing in him no matter what he did or became.
I love these looks into the past episodes. Thank you Elle these are fun.
thanks Cheryl…. I know I kind of went rather into deep analysis into dean in the post above that….I let my thoughts run away with me. I just can’t help it….I get so angry at dean sometimes…half the time I want to punch him right in his very cute nose…so I actually have to try to understand him so that he’s less frustrating….see I don’t get that with sam. I don’t know why, but I understand sam completely..
anyhoo I totally agree with you regarding the deeper truth in dean not only taking the amulet but hanging it in the impala…even though we only saw it for that moment…I think in the eps that have followed dean has been more open with sam than he’s ever been….an open dean is a trusting dean…I really feel dean starting to put all of his faith in his brother this season…seeing sam as the capable man he’s always been. 😉 that’s just me of course.
Yay we can reply again! Yes Sugarhi15 thank you for articulating much of how I feel about Dean. I am often angry at him myself. I have rarely been angry at Sam. However I do try and see below all the defensive layers to the good man that he is and yet doesn’t believe himself to be. I think Dean threw away the amulet primarily for other reasons then being upset with Sam about not being in Sam’s version of heaven. Though I believe it was a factor. Dean was without hope at that moment felt abandoned by God. He had turned it over to Cas to be used for the purpose of finding God. That’s what it was being used for when Dean tossed it. He equates taking care of Sam with love, not a necklace. It did mean a lot to Dean, Sam gave it to him, he loved it. But he didn’t need it to know how he feels about Sam or to continue to love or protect Sam which is what he has always done. I think it hurt Sam but he knew how defeated his brother felt at that moment. He is hopefully coming to a place where he can let Sam be a grown man and equal, not his little brother who need to always be protected and “saved”. I do see signs of that this season. 🙂
I totally agree. 😉
A great episode from S5. Given the lead up to this episode, with Sam taking out Famine in 5.14 My Bloody Valentine, Dean’s mindset and reaction at the end of the episode make a lot of sense. He’s not giving up on Sam, he’s pretty much giving up on everything by this point.
I’ve gone back and forth on whether Sam’s memories/”greatest hits” were planted or at least picked out by Zachariah or not. In either case, given what the hunting life has meant to him, losing both parents, his demon blood addiction, taking out Lilith to release Lucifer, and lastly, being THE vessel for Lucifer, it always made sense to me that his fondest memories would be his time spent away from, or getting away from, his life as a hunter.
This was good episode which gave insight into Sam.But I was sad that rather than Dean learning anything about Sam he berated Sam.This made me feel sorry for Sam as this is what he has to look forward to after Death.His (their) heaven where he should be happy will not be so as Dean will judge every memory that Sam has.This is what sam’s eternity is going to be like.depressing thought.This is pattern I have seen whereas sam always is open to learn about Dean even when it is revealed (less than flattering) that he was playing with an aeroplane *barf*, Dean cannot even muster a pretense of understanding or even try to understand.This episode ended with Dean throwing the amulet and when the camera showed Sam, I got to see how it devastated Sam.Many people commented that they wanted Sam to have retrieved it from the trash can and they wanted Sam to return it to Dean.I wanted Sam to have retrieved it and want to keep it with him and when Sam dies I want someone to find it among his possessions.Dean no longer deserves it as he could not muster an apology to Sam in s09 or s10.
The hiatus re-review of this episode coupled with what has happened on the show after this episode has made me strengthen my thoughts that
1) Sam has to be shown driving another car ..I had always hated the” driver pics music….”line and it has gone too far (I want to punch Dean when i listen to this dialogue now) ..Sam could not even put an ipod jack…I really really hope the writers show Sam driving a new car..not Dean’s home ..but a car for sam.
2) Amulet should never be returned to Dean .
and a new one
3) Sam’s heaven experience is going to be hell because of Dean.
Dean might love Sam but that does not preclude the way he abuses him both physically and mentally. He just doesn’t care how Sam feels about anything. He’s made that abundantly clear.
I don’t think I can agree with that. now mind you, I don’t deny at all that dean can be a real pratt at times…and Chuck knows there were times where it was all me me me…but I don’t think I can agree that dean doesn’t care how sam feels about anything. I’ve seen many many examples of dean caring what sam thinks and feels. there were times that sam’s feelings have swayed dean’s opinions and actions. i just don’t always think that it’s about dean not caring how sam feels, sometimes i think it’s about dean being afraid of what sam feels.
jmo of course. 😉
I agree with sugarhi, for what it’s worth. Dean often shows he cares how Sam feels. In this instance, though, he is showing that his feelings are hurt that he and/or family were not included in Sam’s dreams. He always needs time to process before he reacts anyway.
After I’ve watched this episode a zillion times, I always notice how Sam has to “figure out” why he was in the Thanksgiving dinner scene. [i]Oh, heaven? My first formal Thanksgiving. Maybe our greatest hits…[/i] Interesting.
Actually I kind of got it. You have to realize, that for the first four years of his life, dean got to have dinner every night with his mom and dad, in a house where he was safe, getting tucked in every night. Sam never got to personally experience that. he was a baby. He has no memories of a mom or dinners or getting tucked in. The only family life he has seen was on tv. Probably the Brady bunch as he noted once his family wasn’t the Brady’s. For the first time in his life Sam got to witness first hand what it’s like to have a normal family and he had the chance for the first time ever to experience what every other kid he’s ever known including his brother takes advantage of . So yes I could see this being a moment Sam would treasure as he most likely never had it again….at least as of now…..what’s important to remember is that when Sam gained control from lucifer..it was his current memories of his brother and his love for him that flashed through his mind;)