Wow..whoa…erm…geez…I guess that’s one approach to family therapy.
From the word go, in the previews nonetheless, the message is this is gonna be an angry one. Another clue, the title, “Sex and Violence.” There’s definitely that.
I didn’t get to see this one live, much to my dismay. While traveling I kept looking at the clock once it approached 9pm, frowning, wondering if I could convince some bar owner in the sticks to put it on for me. The next day I downloaded the episode from iTunes and luckily I was busy at the New York Comic Con that day, for it took five hours over the slow but free wireless connection. That evening the hubby and I huddled by the laptop and watched with anticipation.
Once we picked our jaws up off the floor, we watched it again.
This week’s theme is not uncommon in the history of man. Underneath sex and violence lays mistrust, unhappiness, dissatisfaction, and restlessness. Put it in the Supernatural universe though and the results are downright explosive. Cathryn Humphries is no stranger to depicting the Winchester brotherly strife in her scripts and again she went deep and raw. Unlike her brilliant “Metamorphosis,” she didn’t need obvious parallels, finding the perfect antagonist to screw with needy men and bitter brothers.
The Recap
A woman with one massive meat tenderizer prepares dinner. Uh oh, this isn’t going to end well. Hubby comes home tired, and the couple is instantly sniping at each other. Considering I’ve been married for almost 14 years now, I call their behavior normal. Oh know she didn’t! She accepted an invite from his best friend without asking?? How dare she! That’s easily grounds for bashing the wife’s head in with said kitchen utensil, right? I’m checking my drawers, making sure the ones I have are light and wooden.
Birds of the Apocalypse. Yeah, that should following a marital bludgeoning.
Dean is sleeping. Just hold that thought for a few minutes. Put the TiVo on pause, and watch. It’s quite lovely. A truck goes by and he snaps awake, and surprise, Sam is not in the other bed. How many times has that happened in the series? Sam’s in the bathroom on the phone. How dare he?? Good thing there are no meat pounders around. Sam comes out and Dean pretends to sleep, so he wakes him up. He wonders why Dean is puzzled that he was in the bathroom. “You want me to draw you a picture?” Sure! If it’s a strange figure like the one in “Bedtime Stories,” I’m interested.
Sam’s all enthusiastic about men in Iowa bashing their wives brains in. Oh Sammy, creating a diversion for your brother, humoring him while you do your thing off to the side. He’s gonna be pissed when he finds out. He might try to kill you. Oh wait”¦
Anyway, this is a new one, they’re pretending to be public defenders? I guess that brings Sam closer to his unrealized dream. Our meat tenderizing head basher is in orange, and pleading guilty. Sam’s got his serious “you can talk to me” look, causing just about all females to melt. Dean’s playing tough guy, so we’re all done for by the end of this scene. Husband killed wife with full clarity, not possessed or anything. He loved her, and they were happy. Well that’s a funny way of declaring love. Turns out Sam and Dean did their homework and found the guy just dropped 9,000 on a girl named Jasmine. “She was a stripper?” “Dude, her name was Jasmine.” Dean’s got you there Sammy.
This girl had him under some type of spell, for he killed his wife so he and Jasmine could be together forever. She disappeared after that. He doesn’t know her last name, where she lives, or her real first name. He berates himself for being an idiot. Yeah, perfect self analysis there.
Sam enters a medical clinic, and there’s a doctor with a hangover. She’s brunette, smart, and beautiful. Yep, Sammy’s got the googly eyes. The FBI cover this week is Sam Stiles, which I’ve learned is the last name of the detective in Route 66. Murdock, Dean’s cover, is the other name. The doctor is Cara Roberts, and she did the tox screens on the men that ganked their wives. After double checking Sammy’s fake badge, accepting it to be real (man these guys are getting good at this), she reveals the strange anomaly. All three men had outrageously high levels of oxytocin. The love hormone.
This girl is offbeat and funny, managing to work in an analogy of painful tattoo removal and bad relationships while explaining oxytocin. Sam smiles as she eyes him with allure. He’s hooked! Dean comes in trying to charm her, but she quickly brushes him off and goes back to eyeing Sam. Sorry, but I wouldn’t be able to take my eyes off of both. Picking one would be impossible! Sam says thanks and they share another longing gaze. Oh just do it already. Then, he goes and gets cute, offering his remedy for a hangover. A greasy breakfast. Isn’t that similar to the remedy that Dean gave him in “Playthings,” making him barf more? “Watch it buddy, I’m the only MD here.” Sam flashes one of those oh so rare gorgeous smiles. Crud, there go my hormones.
So Dean, not happy at all, says “Dude, you totally c blocked me.” Once again, the urban dictionary does not disappoint. C block is short for cock block, which by definition is “To interfere with someone who is getting acquainted with, conversing with, or hooking up with a member of the opposite sex.” Uh, I’m thinking Dean tried to c block Sam, and it so didn’t work. She’s not your type anyway Dean.
Dean has more info. The other two guys cleaned out their savings for their strippers, who work at the Honey Wagon, both with different looks and names. They all describe the girls as “perfect and everything they wanted.” Sam makes the logical jump, a love spell is involved. Dean’s too happy to care, for after how many years of cases, they finally get one involving strippers.
Cue a rockin’ White Zombie tune, a strip club, and plenty of naked girls, and Dean seems too busy playing the FBI part to gaze at these beauties. The owner thinks the murders are weird, but considering he runs a don’t-ask-don’t-tell type operation, it’s not his problem. Sam isn’t getting into the strippers either. Come on guys, you’re young, and you’re certainly not dead. Then again, whores aren’t Sam’s type, but there’s no excuse for Dean.
He gives the names of the “exotic dancers” (the owner clarifying that’s what they’re called), and they haven’t figured out they’re Disney princess names yet? Sam spouts off the latest theory from Bobby, a siren. Dean then pulls a Homer’s Odyssey reference. I’m sure Cathryn Humphries got tired of all the “Dean is dumb” gripes. They are spouting their siren song. Dean rattles off two, “Welcome To The Jungle” or “Cherry Pie.” I can’t come up with a better one than the latter. When that song comes to mind, I think of skanks. I’m also embarrassed to admit I’m part of the generation associated with that low point in music history. Stupid being born at the wrong time.
Sam explains the song is a metaphor. They have an allure about them, something that zombies guys out. Like maybe a doctor who hits on you the moment she lays eyes on you Sam? He even uses the old tale of sailors chasing them and crashing their ships into rocky shores. Sam gets the line of the night! “If you were a siren in 09 looking to ruin a bunch of morons, where would you setup shop?” I’d watch the moron talk Sammy. Ah well, he’ll find out later.
Dean’s getting it. “Whatever floats your boat, that’s what they look like?” Sam says yes, and explains that sirens can read minds, see what you want most and then cloak themselves. So they are dealing with one person, and it could be anyone. They also don’t know how to kill it.
So, while they’re trying to find the siren, a beautiful girl is seen hitting on a loser. One that’s hung up on his mother. His sick mother. They go to his house and she services him on the couch. Oh, but we see the true form in the mirror. That is one hideous looking creature. She tells loser to bash his mother’s brains in, and luckily a fire poker is nearby that will do the trick. She leaves as the deed is being done. I’m sure he’s feeling pretty foolish, especially considering how ugly she really is.
Sam’s state of the art blackberry is on the table, and Dean gazes at it with trepidation. Okay, not that much since he picks it up and dials the mysterious number that’s been the source of Sam’s secret calls. It’s Ruby, saying “Hey Sam!” Yeah, not what Dean wanted to hear. Needless to say, he’s borderline crushed. He needs a hug. He hangs up just as Sam walks in. He was apparently looking into the latest murder. He left his cell behind? That’s pretty careless, especially when you want to hide something from your brother.
This reminds of an anecdote I got this weekend during the New York Comic Con. In Joss Whedon’s panel, he brought up how he was asked about Dollhouse how they could make all these mistakes. He said if they didn’t, there would be no show. He equated it to all those people getting murdered around Angela Lansbury. So, I’m forgiving the leaving the cell behind and not checking if Nick Monroe was legit just because of that. As a matter of fact, I forgive all their stupid mistakes now.
Bobby calls, and once Sam shows off his cool speakerphone feature (hmm, the product placement is getting really stretched, isn’t it?) Bobby finds a way to kill the siren. “You need a bronze dagger covered in the blood of a sailor under the spell of the song.” Ha, good luck with that one! Oh wait, Bobby eventually figures it out because he’s awesome. The siren is using a toxin or venom. If she gets a dose of her own medicine, it’ll come back to bite her. The victims don’t have the toxin anymore, so they don’t know where to get the blood. Sam knows where. He gets to visit his lady friend again.
They get there and she only acknowledges Sam, smiling away. Sam blushes back, and then gets to the point, but not before Dean gives him a jealous look. Oh come on Dean, that ship has sailed. Dean asks for the samples just as another well dressed man shows up. He’s got an FBI badge too, direct from the Omaha office. The name is Nick Monroe. Sam and Dean don’t flinch, saying they’re from DC and Sam even has the number for their Assistant Director. He does what any good Fed would do, he calls.
On the other line is Bobby, pulling the whole “we have jurisdiction” crap when cooking a burger and wearing a “kiss the cook” apron. Nick buys it, and Bobby hangs up the phone in the slot marked “FBI.” It’s there with four other phones marked “Health Dept.,” “Police,” “Fed. Marshall,” and “C.O.C.” His words as hanging up are “those idgits.” Ha! They brought back his pet name for the boys.
Nick apologizes, gives his theory about the stripper, and Dean is ready to pull the lone wolf thing when Sam takes him aside. Sam suggests he take Nick to the club. Sam wants to stay behind and “get the blood samples.” That’s definitely a new phrase for “bang the lady doctor.” Dean agrees reluctantly, stating he’s doing it “for the girls.” Nice try Dean, but Sam knows you too well.
Dean and Nick go out to the car, and Nick has huge Impala envy. Yep, that’s the perfect way to score points with Dean. Back to Sam falling over lady doctor, and they find the samples are gone. Back to Dean and Nick, both acting like the responsible Feds they’re supposed to be by slamming shots, watching the strippers, excuse me, exotic dancers, and talking Led Zeppelin. They’re BFFs already! Nick has found something that Sam and Dean didn’t. Hyacinths petals left at the crime scenes. Dean knows where that came from.
Back to the doctor’s office, where the hyacinths are in a vase, and she and Sam are having no luck with the security tapes. They must have been tampered with. Sam admits he wants the blood because he thinks someone drugged the men. So, lovely Cara decides this is the right time to pull out some whiskey and seduce the tall and very handsome FBI agent.
So, she starts by asking, “Haven’t you ever been in a relationship where you really love someone and still kind of wanted to bash their head in?” What, you mean like a brother that you’re on the road with 24/7? Sam guesses she knows this from experience. So, while Sam feels guilty for prying, she pulls out the whiskey. Now he’s even more surprised. The way these two have gone back in forth in their scenes is quite well done. They’ve got all the little flirting and attraction mannerisms down where they aren’t overdone and deliver some great chemistry.
She gets real cutesy on him, handing him the drink and saying with feigned seriousness, “It’s medicine. I’m a doctor.” Sam eats it up and takes the drink. She pours her heart out about her ex-husband Carl, and Sam kicks into that empathetic listener mode that no girl can resist. During their tender moment Sam’s cell phone goes off, he checks it, and ignores it. Hmm, must be Dean. She pours another drink, goes into this whole “Have fun, no regrets, and live like there’s no tomorrow,” speech.
Now that she’s reeled him in, she whispers in Sam’s ear about how she’s been thinking about parts of him, like his lips, and rips off his tie. Sam lets her do all this with a smile on his face. She kisses him gently, and suddenly they’re ripping off shirts next. He slams her against the window (for we know that’s a patented Sam sex move), and the shot moves off their nakedness to the hyacinths on the desk. Um, has Sammy been sirened?
Next scene Sam walks down the long, red hallway. That’s not the first time a red room has been used this season in that way. It was there in the bathroom for Dean’s memory of Hell in “Lazarus Rising,” the hallway at Bobby’s place in “Are You There God: It’s Dean Winchester,” and the scenes with imagined yellow-eyed Sam and Lilith in “Yellow Fever.” It’s either a symbol, or the producers are having tons of fun with us. I like seeing it back.
NOW Sam decides to call Dean, who’s freaking out. Sam tells him he was with Cara, and now Dean is convinced Sam’s been infected by the siren. Sam’s unconvincing denial when Dean asks if he slept with her is probably the clue. “The middle of Basic Instinct and you bang Sharon Stone?” Why not? She’s a hot chick too. So what if she was evil?
Sam’s hunch is it isn’t her. Dean gives what he perceives to be hard facts. Nick found hyacinths at the crime scene, like the ones in Cara’s office. Plus, she’s only been in town two months, when the murders happened, and her husband dropped dead mysteriously of a heart attack. Sam still doesn’t think it’s her, and is rolling his eyes at Dean’s accusations. Then Dean wants to say something and backs off, but now Sam is angry and challenges him to say it. Okay, remember Sam, you asked. “First it’s Madison, then Ruby, and now Cara. What is with you and banging monsters?” Ouch! Low blow Dean!
Sam adamantly tells Dean he’s fine. Dean doesn’t believe it. “You don’t trust me?” Sam asks. “No.” Dean says. Sam asks him to meet him somewhere and they’ll figure things out. Dean again says no, and tells him he’s gotta handle this by himself before hanging up. Sam hangs up the phone and chucks it across the room. The shot here on Sam is very interesting since its showing his image in the mirror. He walks up to the mirror, and has the most frightening glare of fury in his eyes. I was expecting him to go all Incredible Hulk next. What ever you do, don’t make Sammy angry. You won’t like him when he’s angry.
Dean calls Bobby, leaves a message he thinks Sam is in trouble. That’s likely why Bobby shows up later. Then he calls Nick, asking him to tail the doctor. She’s seen next going into a bar. What, sex with Sam wasn’t enough for one evening? Either he didn’t leave that great an impression, or she’s got a sex addiction. Dean gets in the car with Nick, and Nick calls Dean’s theory of how this is all being done by one woman “crazy on toast.” Dean says he has his reasons and he’s gonna have to trust him on that one. Nick says okay and Dean is floored. “Thank you, that’s actually nice to hear.” Uh oh, is that a sign of brotherly tension?
Dean pulls out his flask, takes a drink of whisky, and hands it to Nick. Nick laughs, for as we’re about to find out, Dean is making this too easy. He drinks, and hands it back to Dean, who takes another swig. So, Nick pitches “how is she drugging them” theories. Dean suspects injecting them or through physical contact. Uh, like saliva? Nick gives Dean a huge “gotcha” by telling him he should have wiped that bottle before drinking. Now he has Dean under his control.
The plan is easy. Get rid of Sam. Dean goes along with it without argument. Oh Dean, your ideal person to be with isn’t a gorgeous stripper, but the ideal brother? Ouch! Things are definitely not looking good for Sam right now. It only gets worse when Sam arrives at the motel room and Dean grabs him from behind and puts a knife to his throat.
Sam quickly figures out what’s going on, the siren in Nick. He tries to get Dean to snap out of it, but Dean follows Nick’s orders to slice Sam on the neck. Nick can’t help but gloat. “I gave him what he wanted, and it wasn’t some bitch in a g-string. It was you. A little brother that looked up to him.” Sam sneers at the diabolical plan. Uh Sam, I would be more offended right now than anything.
Nick admits watching someone kill for you is the best feeling in the world. He also gets bored and likes falling in love, again and again. Yep, psycho siren alright. Sam calls him a needy pathetic loser, which might not be the thing to say when the villain has the ability to infect you on the spot. He pries open Sam’s mouth and sprays his special toxic spit. Gross! Sam’s look changes from defiance to pure evil, and let the showdown begin!
Dean follows instructions to let Sam go, and Sam steps away then turns around. Nick tells them they have some things to get off their chests (boy do they!) and whoever survives gets to be with him forever. Sam and Dean both stare at each other in super pissed off mode. You know, I’m just gonna let the words speak for themselves here.
Dean: Well I don’t know when it happened, maybe when I was in Hell, maybe when I was staring right at you. The Sam I knew, he’s gone.
Sam: That so?
Dean: It’s not the demon blood, or the psychic crap. It’s the little stuff, the lies, the secrets.
Sam: Yeah, what secrets?
Dean: The phone calls to Ruby for one.
Sam: So I need your say so to make a phone call?
Dean: That’s the point. You’re hiding things from me. What else aren’t you telling me?
Sam: None of your business.
Dean: See what I mean? We used to be in this together. We used to have each other’s backs.
Sam: Okay, fine. You want to know why I didn’t tell you about Ruby? And how we’re hunting down Lilith? Because you’re too weak to go after her Dean. You’re holding me back. I’m a better hunter than you are, stronger, smarter. I can take out demons you’re too scared to go near.
Dean: That’s crap.
Sam: You’re too busy sitting around feeling sorry for yourself. Whining about all the souls you tortured in Hell. Boo hoo.
That really sets Dean off, and he throws the knife at Sam, who swerves to miss it. Sam punches, Dean punches, and it goes back and forth for a while until Sam tosses Dean through the traditional tacky motel room divider that’s a trademark for the series. He pins Dean against the wall. “You’re not standing in my way anymore.” He pounds on Dean some more, but then Dean throws him off, rears up, and then charges at him. He and Sam go crashing through the door.
That’s enough to knock the wind completely out of Sam, and he struggles on the floor while Dean goes for a nearby axe. How convenient one of those happened to be there. “Tell me again how weak I am Sam. How I hold you back.” Dean throws a cold stare of pure evil before raising the axe, while a worried Sam on the ground realizes he’s a goner. Sam braces for the blow as Dean swings the axe down.
Oh, but it’s blocked! By Bobby! Bobby swiftly stabs Dean in the arm with a bronze dagger, and then throws it with a perfect strike into Nick’s back as he’s running away. Nick dies and Sam and Dean snap out of it. They look at each other horrified, the realization as to what they almost did hitting them hard. They do care about each other!
Time for another Impala confessional moment. I really don’t mind these if the Impala looks scenic enough. Here, it does. They’re under a bridge, Bobby’s beat up Chevelle is there, and Bobby gives them two sodas. “You boys are driving, ain’t ya?” I do love this new sober Bobby.
Sam looks pretty mortified, while Dean looks uncomfortable. Sam thanks Bobby, and Bobby says they would have done the same for him. He then tells them this all could have been avoided if they had picked up a phone and discovered Agent Nick Monroe wasn’t real. Yeah, but then the episode would have ended halfway through and we wouldn’t have gotten that cool fight scene. Joss Whedon is a genius.
Bobby asks if they’re going to be okay, and they both casually lie and insist yes. Bobby goes to leave, but as the perfect father figure offers consolation first. “You know those sirens are nasty things. That it got to you, that’s no reason to feel bad.” That offers very little consolation and Bobby drives off.
Dean asks Sam if he was going to say goodbye to Cara. Sam isn’t interested, and doesn’t see the point. Dean’s shocked that Sam is going to “love “˜em and leave “˜em.” Sam apologizes to Dean, telling him he didn’t mean those things and it was just the spell talking. Dean gives a quick and uncomfortable “me too.” Sam asks with his very sad puppy dog eyes, “So, we’re good?” “Yeah, we’re good.” You are SO not good. Sam meekly nods, Dean nods, and then they get in the Impala.
I’ve watched that last scene about a million times trying to interpret it, and here’s my take. Sam feels really bad, more embarrassed than anything. Dean is just plain hurt and doesn’t want to talk about it. Siren spell or not, Sam lied. Dean’s not forgetting that. “We’re good” really means “I’m not talking about it anymore.” Dean’s hurt though come from a sense of betrayal. He can never trust Sam again. The Sam he knew is gone and very likely dead to him now.
That is a VERY sad ending and a setup for the rest of the season. The damage is now done and from this point forward any shred of loyalty to each other left is compromised. Of course that only intrigues me more to watch, but I’m stocking up heavily on Kleenexes from here on out.
I give this one a grade of an A, but then again, Cathryn Humphries is one of the most consistent writers on the team, especially when exposing the core of the brotherly issues. Again I leave extremely satisfied. The rest of this season is going to be explosive.
I know its good for story telling but man, I care about those characters and it’s hard to watch. I feel I need to defend Sam’s actions a bit after reading your review.
There is a reason why Sam is lying to Dean. Dean never did listen. It was Dean’s way or no way. Any time Sam tried to talk to him about the situation, Dean reacted (most likely out of fear and not being able to fully understand what Sam was going through) by laying down the law – no compromise, Sam should just do what Dean says. Period.
That left Sam feeling like he was alone in his personal battle with the demon blood in his system and his developing powers. True to Joss Whedon’s philosophy – if this weren’t the case and Dean was totally understanding, we would have no show, so I accept that the boys can’t have been totally understanding to each other, but it drives me crazy at the same time – just TALK to each other for heaven’s sake!!
So yes, Dean can’t trust Sam now. Not as their relationship is. I think it could be fixed. Both boys would have to realize they both made mistakes in their dealings with each other and work towards a better communication plan between them, but that is something that can be hard enough to do in real life, and would make for borning television so, I do like you do Alice, I accept the show the way it is.
Great review Alice, worth waiting for.
Good stuff.
This was an absolute pearler of an episode 😀 White Zombie (love them madly) Dean’s rock anorack moment … Who would have guessed that even when up to his ears in juddering girly parts his dream date would be a fellow Zeppelin Spod! Ah, bless … That should put paid to all that sex addict stupidity anyhow.
I am hugely impressed by the awesomeness of Bobby, man of infinite resorce and many, many phones. I’m becoming convinced that ultimately he’s going to save the day with an anti-uberdemon spray he’s got stashed under the sink or somewhere. One good squirt and Lucifer’s back in his box and it’s business as usual for the rest of creation.
I was getting a huge, dirty thrill out of the boys clobbering each other. All the lying, sneaking, shouting and fisticuffs have the same root cause … Each one is trying to keep the other out of harm’s way, but being Winchesters and therefore having all the communication skills of a block of concrete they’re going about it in the most stubbon, pig-headed and generally arse-about-face manner imaginable.
It’ll all come right in the end but there’ll be a massive pile of Kleenex moments first (or sleeve in my case, as I’m a bit of a slut and never have a hankie … )
Great review Alice! But I have to strongly disagree with you on their relationship not being fixable! There are no limits to what these two would do for each other and I believe it’s the same for finding their way back to each other. Their love is unconditional and forever!
I also have to disagree with the issue of trust and betrayal coming only from Dean’s viewpoint.
BOTH boys are at fault here. Both have said and done things to add to the ever-growing rift between them, but Sam was made to look like a dick of a brother here while Dean got off pretty easy. I don’t think I would have minded so much if we’d had any inclination at all that Sam felt that way — that Sam was the smarter one, the better hunter — but it came OUT OF NOWHERE! Not ONCE have I gotten that impression from Sam, so it struck me as odd that the writers would choose to have Sam spit those words at Dean. I guess I was expecting them to hash out different issues, like Sam’s four months alone and the fact that he feels the guilt for Dean going to Hell, not to mention that his lying is due in part to feeling like he can’t trust Dean to have faith in him.
I’m with Tigershire and her nicely said comment! Dean’s viewpoint with Sam often is “it’s his way or the highway!” In part I feel because Dean has been a father figure to Sam as much as a older brother while growing up and Dean often treats Sam in the manner a parent would and Sam often falls into the role of the child. Did you see the look on Sam’s face when he knew Dean had witnessed him using his powers in Metamorphosis? It was the mortified look of a child caught in the act of betraying a parent! “Metamorphosis” one of my all time favorite episodes in part because Sam finally let Dean have it with the way he treats him And secondly for the way it reinforced all the goodness and courage inside Sam with his line of “trying to take this curse and do something good with it!”. Sammy’s amazing inner strength, his voice as he said those words in that speech gave me goose bumps!!
As for lying, Dean lied to Sam from the get go this season in “Lazarus Rising” when he told Sam he had no memory of hell. I can understand he might not be ready or want to talk for his or Sam’s sake but it was a lie all the same. And a concerned but supportive Sam prodded Dean a little to open up but backed off giving him space,letting him know he would not push the issue. I don’t think it’s ever been very easy for Sam to open up with Dean,not with this parent /child sort of relationship but especially in regards to his abilities with the open hatred Dean has for them or that physic crap as he refers to it! Much of it being fear for his brother but also from his Dad’s beliefs
Dean’s been trying to change from the way John brought them up was to see things in black and white with what they hunt and Dean did until Sam showed him life can never be judged in terms of black or white something Sam knew before he himself fell into that catagory.
Back to “Sex and Violence” and siren controlled Sam I was floored by Sam’s behavior towards Dean at first but then went into trying to rationalize why the writer’s did this and it crossed my mind that maybe what fueled this outburst has two sources. One relating to the conversation in “Crises Angel” where Dean squashed any hope of them growing old and of there being any possibility way to stop Lilith hence forcing Sam to make his decision to do what Ruby’s been asking and take Lilith out himself. The second source being that whatever Sam is doing with Ruby to up the level of his powers may be another cause for his dick like behavior towards Dean. Sam’s been refusing to take the risk involved to do whatever “it” takes to increase his abilities,saying no to Ruby more than once. So what if this risk is part of what we just saw in how cruelly Sam spoke to Dean. Pardon the rambling thoughts a few of them borrowed from my best online friend Jac,we tend to agree on most things Supernatural the only difference being she’s partial to Dean and me Sam But we agree on the fact that we absolutely adore them both!!
Thank you Alice you write so beautifully and you’re funny too Love the photos they are beautiful!!
Thank you for the compliment Shimmerinstars77. Good comments. I too was taken a bit aback by Sam saying he was the smarter, better hunter but as I reflect on the show as a whole, I don’t think it’s out of no-where. Sam has always been better at the research, or perhaps been more comfortable sitting and sifting through stuff for research where Dean is more action oriented. He has been referred to as the “Encyclopedia of Weirdness” by Dean before and in the months before Dean came back from Hell, Sam sent more demons back in two months then they did in a year and saved more possessed folk then they ever have. Then Dean comes back and says that they won’t be hunting demons because the “smarter older brother” is back. I’d resent Dean too after doing all the good on my own and have him come back and say that.
But, if I had guessed beforehand what Sam was going to say to Dean in that scene, I wouldn’t have picked what he actually said. Which is a good thing because if I could guess where the show was going it certainly wouldn’t be any fun!
And the icing is, we as fans get to have great conversations like this after each episode!
You’re welcomeTigershire! and thank you! Oh I agree with you on Sam being more the brains and Dean the braun of the team. Not to say Dean isn’t smart as he is very much so and Sam is a clever hunter. But it seemd they were the roles they fit into and were comfortable at. Often times the research Sam did or his brains saved lives often times deans but often would be overshadowed or not noticed by soem fans with Dean saving someone often times Sam in a heroic flashy manner. I love in the episode “It’s the great pumpkin Charlie Brown” how Sam saves himself and Dean with using the lore and covering their faces with blood.
There is some truth, in what Sam told Dean but his cruelty mocking Dean’s torment in hell almost enjoying hurting Dean is not Sam at all.
I seriously hope vindication is in the pictures somewhere down the road for Sam. That he is not evil and has never been and that he has part in taking out Lilith and saving the world and not simply Dean saving Sam from himself
You can’t put the Genie back in the bottle.
Once a person has got used to making their own choices they’re bound to resent being given orders and having no say, even if the person doing the bossing-around is someone they’re really attached to.
I’m not surprised the arguement got nasty, even without the Siren’s venom. If you make peaceful change impossible you make violent revolution inevitable so things were bound to get bloody sooner or later. It would all feel a bit fake if they didn’t.
That said though, I really don’t want to see a permenant rift or me and my homegirl are going to be posting dead Guppies down Kripke’s chimney! 😆
Shimmeringstars: “There is some truth, in what Sam told Dean but his cruelty mocking Dean’s torment in hell almost enjoying hurting Dean is not Sam at all.”
What truth was there, in what Sam said? I don’t actually think Dean’s a worse hunter than Sam, and I don’t think Dean has been whining about Hell. He’s only talked about it twice (and the first time, where he said he wasn’t gonna talk about it).
To me, it’s not a situation where Sam said something true in a mean way. I think he expressed his perception, which has been manipulated by Ruby and possibly the taint of his powers.
Missy, I have to agree with you. I think Sam’s comments were inspired by a skewed perspective on things…I’m just not entirely sure what has caused him to see Dean in this way. Is he basing this “better hunter” thing on the fact that he, apparently, was able to save vastly more people using his powers in a shorter period of time than he and Dean were able to? The Siren’s infection lowered any inhibitions preventing the boys from saying what they think. Sammy showed a little too much malice for my liking – but I think that testifies to how far, to quote Dean, “off the reservation” he’s gone – he’s not the Sam Winchester we met back in Season One. He’s not even the Sam Winchester, focused and driven hunter determine to save his big brother above all else, that we saw in Season Three. He’s changing, for better or worse (I’m inclined to say worse b/c the influence of demon blood isn’t a positive one given these behaviour changes we’ve seen) and it’s all going to come to a head soon.
Poor Winchesters. Can’t catch a break.
I’ll join in again on this great discussion, esp. w/regard to Sam’s comments.
While on the surface Sam’s comments appeared out of nowhere I believe it is simply b/c their impetus was purposely kept subtle thus far this season.
In LR there is a very quick exchange after Sam and Dean are confronted by the demons in the diner. Sam wants to go back and deal with them while Dean counters that there is three of them and they only have one knife. Sam is somewhat unimpressed indicating he’s been killing a lot more demons lately than that. Dean’s comeback is a quick retort of …not anymore, the smarter brother is back in town. Now on the surface that’s just a bit of brotherly banter. But let’s remember that both these guys carry some heavy burdens.
Also, that’s just the opener. Metamorphosis gives us a large insight into Sam’s mind and the disgust he has with who and what he is [something that before we’ve only really seen about Dean, that Dean is disgusted with who Dean is] In Halloween we see Sam and Dean discuss using powers or not and while Sam agrees to not, he’s put in a situation where there’s no choice. Now an argument can quite easily be made that had Sam stayed with Dean and dispatched the zombies and then the two of them confronted Samhain it’s quite possible Sam would not have had to use his powers but again, that’s what choice is all about. Sam chose to confront Samhain w/o Dean. Right choice? Wrong choice? We’ll never know. Samhain might have escaped had the two of them finished the zombies first and then went off to find him….
We also see that Sam’s lack of preparation didn’t allow him to dispatch Alastair which ultimately led to Dean’s choice: Sam or Anna — no question there and Uriel knew it, Sam also knew how much that hurt Dean.
I’m sure all of this plays in Sam’s mind.
Now get to the goodies: Family Remains shows a bit of splintering, again it’s subtle but it’s there, with the brothers. Dean teases Sam as being a know it all but this time Sam’s comeback is a bit more pointed. Check out the scene again in the kitchen with the discovery of a dumbwaiter. Again, it’s subtle but being built upon.
Criss Angel…shows a choice, this is a brilliant episode in character study and the parallels in the stories swirl and change from character to character. Sam however can see his future, lonely, loss, despair — the very future Dean has said is absolutely what’s in front of them. [on a side note, Dean keeps saying this [Jus in Bello is a good example] almost as if he’s embracing it but like so many things, it’s mask to hide all that “nasty pain” — oh, Azazel, you knew these boys, didn’t you –. Dean tried embracing hell only to be terrified at the end and railing against it: DaLDoM. And Dean always counters with…doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight or I choose to go down swinging. Dean doesn’t see anything other than this life. In that respect he’s ‘given up’] Sam however sees something else, believes there is another way to live and desperately wants that life, even though I believe (as he stated in Wishful Thinking) that innocence doesn’t exist, he wants Lilith done. He’s a bit simplistic here, he believes that killing Lilith ends it all. In this I believe Dean has him beat…she’s just one of many heads on this snake.
Now we get to what finally pushes Sam to the edge, memories. Memories of a simpler [really?] time in life. More like a time in his life when there were possibilities and the choices he made could change his course. In remembering who he was, something he’d up to now given up on [again, notably his comment in Wishful Thinking that he’s not that person anymore] we see Sam struggling with who he really is, and this time it’s not just the demon blood that he’s struggling with.
If he accepts Dean’s assertion that there will always be something else to kill, that the snake has a thousand heads that will come up if you chop off one, then he has to also accept Dean’s assertion that the only way it ends is bloody, and that Jay’s ending is to be his own. This is too much for Sam and he can’s and won’t accept that.
It’s been a quiet buildup over this season but we also know from history that once Sam makes up his mind he’ll be explosive in making his choice known: remember the fight with Dad in the middle of the road in Dead Man’s Blood? [a Cathyrin Humphris episode, by the way]
Another, less explosive but no less wrenching moment was post-Croaton/Hunted when Sam and Dean argued and Dean revealed what John had told him. On the surface Sam appeared to agree with Dean that he would give him time but then next we see him slipping away and effectively cutting off any contact with Dean.
Each of those may not have come with stinging words or insults but were equally effective in cutting the physical bond and separating. Similarly they were somewhat rash, heat of the moment actions that, once taken, were pursued.
So, is it out of the blue? On the surface, yes. On another look and fitting all the subtle bits of the season together so far, nope, it was simmering beneath the surface and frankly it’s been there from as long as we’ve known Sam.
Sam as we know him has always stubbornly stuck to his choices once he’s made them, go back and rewatch the Pilot…Sam left and didn’t contact anyone either for years [two or four, doesn’t matter]
I also know that Sam struggles at all times with shades of gray. He will struggle with this as well, what he said, who he is, what he’s doing, how he’s doing it…it will be fascinating to watch.
I’ll join in again on this great discussion, esp. w/regard to Sam’s comments.
While on the surface Sam’s comments appeared out of nowhere I believe it is simply b/c their impetus was purposely kept subtle thus far this season.
In LR there is a very quick exchange after Sam and Dean are confronted by the demons in the diner. Sam wants to go back and deal with them while Dean counters that there is three of them and they only have one knife. Sam is somewhat unimpressed indicating he’s been killing a lot more demons lately than that. Dean’s comeback is a quick retort of …not anymore, the smarter brother is back in town. Now on the surface that’s just a bit of brotherly banter. But let’s remember that both these guys carry some heavy burdens.
Also, that’s just the opener. Metamorphosis gives us a large insight into Sam’s mind and the disgust he has with who and what he is [something that before we’ve only really seen about Dean, that Dean is disgusted with who Dean is] In Halloween we see Sam and Dean discuss using powers or not and while Sam agrees to not, he’s put in a situation where there’s no choice. Now an argument can quite easily be made that had Sam stayed with Dean and dispatched the zombies and then the two of them confronted Samhain it’s quite possible Sam would not have had to use his powers but again, that’s what choice is all about. Sam chose to confront Samhain w/o Dean. Right choice? Wrong choice? We’ll never know. Samhain might have escaped had the two of them finished the zombies first and then went off to find him….
We also see that Sam’s lack of preparation didn’t allow him to dispatch Alastair which ultimately led to Dean’s choice: Sam or Anna — no question there and Uriel knew it, Sam also knew how much that hurt Dean.
I’m sure all of this plays in Sam’s mind.
Now get to the goodies: Family Remains shows a bit of splintering, again it’s subtle but it’s there, with the brothers. Dean teases Sam as being a know it all but this time Sam’s comeback is a bit more pointed. Check out the scene again in the kitchen with the discovery of a dumbwaiter. Again, it’s subtle but being built upon.
Criss Angel…shows a choice, this is a brilliant episode in character study and the parallels in the stories swirl and change from character to character. Sam however can see his future, lonely, loss, despair — the very future Dean has said is absolutely what’s in front of them. [on a side note, Dean keeps saying this [Jus in Bello is a good example] almost as if he’s embracing it but like so many things, it’s mask to hide all that “nasty pain” — oh, Azazel, you knew these boys, didn’t you –. Dean tried embracing hell only to be terrified at the end and railing against it: DaLDoM. And Dean always counters with…doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight or I choose to go down swinging. Dean doesn’t see anything other than this life. In that respect he’s ‘given up’] Sam however sees something else, believes there is another way to live and desperately wants that life, even though I believe (as he stated in Wishful Thinking) that innocence doesn’t exist, he wants Lilith done. He’s a bit simplistic here, he believes that killing Lilith ends it all. In this I believe Dean has him beat…she’s just one of many heads on this snake.
Now we get to what finally pushes Sam to the edge, memories. Memories of a simpler [really?] time in life. More like a time in his life when there were possibilities and the choices he made could change his course. In remembering who he was, something he’d up to now given up on [again, notably his comment in Wishful Thinking that he’s not that person anymore] we see Sam struggling with who he really is, and this time it’s not just the demon blood that he’s struggling with.
If he accepts Dean’s assertion that there will always be something else to kill, that the snake has a thousand heads that will come up if you chop off one, then he has to also accept Dean’s assertion that the only way it ends is bloody, and that Jay’s ending is to be his own. This is too much for Sam and he can’s and won’t accept that.
It’s been a quiet buildup over this season but we also know from history that once Sam makes up his mind he’ll be explosive in making his choice known: remember the fight with Dad in the middle of the road in Dead Man’s Blood? [a Cathyrin Humphris episode, by the way]
Another, less explosive but no less wrenching moment was post-Croaton/Hunted when Sam and Dean argued and Dean revealed what John had told him. On the surface Sam appeared to agree with Dean that he would give him time but then next we see him slipping away and effectively cutting off any contact with Dean.
Each of those may not have come with stinging words or insults but were equally effective in cutting the physical bond and separating. Similarly they were somewhat rash, heat of the moment actions that, once taken, were pursued.
So, is it out of the blue? On the surface, yes. On another look and fitting all the subtle bits of the season together so far, nope, it was simmering beneath the surface and frankly it’s been there from as long as we’ve known Sam.
Sam as we know him has always stubbornly stuck to his choices once he’s made them, go back and rewatch the Pilot…Sam left and didn’t contact anyone either for years [two or four, doesn’t matter]
I also know that Sam struggles at all times with shades of gray. He will struggle with this as well, what he said, who he is, what he’s doing, how he’s doing it…it will be fascinating to watch.
I think you’re right. Sam’s been stewing away, resenting Dean’s autocratic attitude for a while now, with Ruby boosting his ego and whispering who knows what poisoned snippets in his ear. She wants a rift between them and she wants Sam to think it’s Deans fault when it all goes bang. :roll:: Sneaky cow. Anyone would think she was a demon or something!
Personally I think mr Kripke is misleading us by purpose and in fact it’s Sam who is right in his decisions.
And Dean should trust his brother little bit more.
Or maybe I’m delusional and see only what I want to see. It’s possible too.
This is what I LOVE about this show. All the subtle little clues and tips and hints.
Having read all the books as well, I know that the idea was for Sam to feel this way since he was a kid. An effect of the demon blood or not, we may never know but Sam’s personality has been like this since the get go. All the stuff I’ve read in the comics, etc, while it may not be canon, does incorporate elements that give some insight into Sam and how he came to be.
He never knew his mom so his whole life and the obsession of John were hard for him to understand because he had no emotional connection. Dean did. At 4 years old he had the unconditional love and connection to his parents that Sam hadn’t developed. And never did develop for John. John let Sam down at every turn – Dean is Sam’s father figure and emotional anchor.
That’s why no one but Dean can save Sam.
The rest of season 4 and probably most of season 5 are going to be rocky and painful.
I was a little shocked at the boo hoo, I must say (and quite out of character as well), but the rest of the rant makes perfect since. Sam is focused on killing Lilith, end of story. Dean (and everyone else on the show) is in wait and see mode. Meanwhile more and more seals are being opened.
Also, in terms of the relationship between the brothers, Dean’s actions during this episode are just as distructive. What he wants is the perfect little brother, and that’s not Sam.