Season 5’s Swan Song Is Here
Season 5’s Swan Song is Here-by Elle2
I can’t believe it, another season has come and is almost done. Last year I did this posting my thoughts, hopes, fears regarding Lucifer Rising and it was cathartic for me and generated a lively comment line-here we go again this year.
If you avoid all spoilers and speculation including the press releases the CW releases, then this article is not for you. If you care to read it after the episode airs, it’ll be here. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Also, if you avoid any speculation, spoilers, press releases from the CW or anyone affiliated with the show, you have my admiration-how do you do it?
Without further ado, my thoughts, fears, hopes and concerns regarding Swan Song, and beyond.
A beloved character dies:
The CW has released two different versions of the summary for this episode, one says that a beloved character is killed and one stated that a beloved character faces death; either way it doesn’t sound good.
I have three possibilities in this category, two of which really hit the beloved aspect and the third is certainly one that has made a mark on the series.
I’ll start with the latter, Castiel. He has certainly made a mark and Misha is fantastic in the role. I’m struggling with the thought of Castiel not being in the show going forward but I do believe it may be best and the writing may well be on the wall. We’ve had a cleansing of angels this season, Anna, Zachariah, Rafael is somewhere, Gabriel (wah!) and I do fear Castiel is likely to go.
In order to go in a new direction, smaller more intimate [as Sera Gamble has stated is season 6’s thrust] then the overarching tapestry of angels and heaven and missions from God needs to be completed. Where exactly would Castiel fit in a scenario where angels and the focus is on family. Castiel can now be killed, stripped of any vestige of angelic powers, he is vulnerable.
I have no idea but I’m trying to prepare myself to the absence of Castiel.
Bobby is the first of the two characters in my mind that fits the bill of ‘beloved.’ There are reasons to believe he’s the sacrificial lamb and reasons not to. While it is obvious Bobby is exposed because of his deal with Crowley we also know that demons lie. Crowley has indicated the deal is temporary but demons can die. Since Crowley was Lilith’s right hand he currently holds all contracts’ but we do not know who is next in line should Crowley be killed. And again, demons lie.
We have not been told the full extent of the deal and it is obvious Crowley can alter it, Bobby can walk and that wasn’t part of their discussion. Crowley has indicated that Bobby’s soul is guarantee that the Winchesters won’t hunt him but we don’t know what puts paid in full to that guarantee. And need I say it again, demons lie.
This idea of Bobby’s soul held captive is possible fodder for Season 6. The writers have indicated that the purest storyline they ever had was Season 1, find dad and find the thing that killed mom and Jessica. Family is the heart and soul of Supernatural and Bobby is the closest person to family the boys have; saving Bobby’s soul, finding the holder of the contract are all possibilities.
There are reasons to believe Bobby is not the death in Swan Song, for one thing it’s possibly a red herring. We’ve known for weeks that Bobby makes a deal, his soul for the location of Death. Not exactly a shocker that he dies if we’re told weeks in advance [I’ll still sob my eyes out!]
Also, Jim Beaver is known for playing with the minds of the fans and while he’s been quite literal and in many ways truthful with his tweets and facebook posts, they are still open for interpretation. In a recent interview Jim stated that upon finishing his last scene in the finale he went to hair and makeup and had his hair all cut off; something he’s not been able to do for five years. This could mean Bobby is dead or it could mean he’s got a project over the hellatus – uh, hiatus (to use industry terminology) that requires him to be shorn. We just do not know.
Then there is the third possibility and the second of the ‘beloved’ characters-the Impala.
Why oh why would I even consider the Impala? Well, first off she’s beloved. Secondly, Sera Gamble stated in TVGuide that the Impala has a part to play in the wrapping up of the big storyline. Beyond that I’ve got nothing but with Cas likely but also now fairly obvious and Bobby a possible red herring-I worry.
Do I have a preference? Nope. All three will be a loss. I can’t imagine any other car and think perhaps that will be the most distressing simply because she’s always there (unless Jeremy Carver, Ben Edlund, Julie Siege, Cathryn Humphries, Sera Gamble and Eric Kripke are writing, shame on all of you!)
Castiel has made such an impression that I enjoy his scenes very much. I remember last season when he was absent in Family Remains, Criss Angel, After School Special, Sex and Violence and then in the final minutes of Death Takes a Holiday he returned. I sighed and felt like I was welcoming a long-lost friend; and I didn’t even know how funny he was when drunk, how sympathetic I would feel when he was lost with nowhere to go and how truly badass of a warrior he is.
I will be able to move on without him especially as the storyline will no longer carry the need for him but I’m hoping God recalls him angelically to heaven.
Bobby will be the most missed simply because he adds that stability, that sense of family and darn it, he just got his legs back!!! But Jo and Ellen reappeared for too short a time and they were killed brutally so we must be prepared.
I have no idea who’s the luckless soul, but I believe we’ll be missing the presence whomever or whatever it is.
What do I hope to see:
I’d love to see Dean taken over by Michael, for no other reason than watching Jensen Ackles get the chance to portray another incarnation of the character. We saw him do this in Season 1, Skin, when he played shapeshifter Dean – a completely different character there. We saw him play ‘future’ Dean in The End and we got a chance to see him play confused and bouncing off of reality and Djihn dreams in WIAWSNB, so another chance to see Jensen experiment is great with me.
I’d similarly love to see Sam taken over by Lucifer. Jared has had an opportunity to play Sam possessed by Meg, fabulously, as well as altered reality Sam in WIAWSNB, Sam on a killing spree post-Dean, Mystery Spot, and again in IKWYDLS, we also got to see Sam hopped up on demon blood in WTLB dealing with his hallucinations, awesome, and he portrayed Lucifer in The End. To see him do so again against Jensen as Michael, all the while fighting to gain control of Lucifer and ‘stuff him back in the cage’ – too good to be true.
Also, Jared one more time as Lucifer will take the ‘pain’ away from the massively missed opportunity in the particularly awful Swap Meat. Watching Jared play Sam dressed as teenager was something I’ll happily skip over again and again-what a waste. Jared could have done so much playing the teenage kid against Dean and his scenes with the family were simply boring. I’m sure the writers et al were simply trying to find a way to give Jensen and Jared shorter work days and for that I can’t blame them, similarly I’m sure the writers correctly assumed that scenes with the teenage kid and his family acted out by the young actor and not Jared would have people turning the channel but some mirrors properly placed like the fabulous opening tease and crisp writing that moved everything quickly along would have been better-bring on more Jared as Lucifer, one more time please.
Carry on Wayward Son-come on; it’s the final season of the five-year mytharc!!!! Keep the tradition alive!
Looking ahead to Season 6:
The Impala better be in Season 6, Ms. Gamble, that’s all I’m saying.
Maureen Ryan wrote an interesting article after Hammer of the Gods and I do have to agree with much of what she said in regards to Supernatural’s penchant for giving us rich supporting characters and then killing them off. I will greatly miss the Trickster in Season 6. So who is left to carry on and keep the Winchesters from living in a cocoon with no network to interact with?
Missouri is still alive, she’s a possibility.
The Ghostfacers-oh, please, oh, please, oh, please, just once!
Meg – she’s still around, unless she appears in some other meatsuit before the end of this season. (I read that Rachel Miner will not return in Season 5)
Jo, Ellen, Victor, Gordon, Ruby, Bela, the Trickster, Pamela, Ash-they’re all dead so unless we’re getting a peek into heaven and/or the pit (sorry, Bela and perhaps Gordon although anything is possible) we’re not likely to see them.
There is the district attorney from Folsom Prison Blues, Mara Daniels; the officer from The Benders, Deputy Kathleen Hudak; the detective from The Usual Suspects, Diana Ballard that possibly could be involved in some way, shape or form.
Bobby has to have a bit more credibility in his town now after the events of Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid and then there are the folks from the Sacrament Lutheran Militia and let’s not forget- I am the Prophet, Chuck.
Rufus is alive and well – so far, so he’s possible.
Of course John and Mary Winchester can appear whenever they want-especially if it’s Samantha Smith and Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Did you notice in Two Minutes to Midnight the wonderful lines between Sam and Dean, yeah, I know, which ones you ask, the one where Sam asks: Do you remember when we used to hunt Wendigos? To which Dean replies: No. I think that’s a direct pointer to the direction of Season 6-Hunting things, saving people, the family business! Speaking only for myself as a writer here at the Winchester Family Business I’m fairly confident we’d approve.
With Hellatus lurking oh so close-what are your thoughts, fears, hopes and wishes?
Thanks for reading, see you in the comments.
Thanks Elle2 for bringing up some of our worst fears and even adding some I hadn’t thought of yet :|.
Somehow I hope the dying beloved character is the Impala. That would hurt but still the easiest one to take. Dean fixed her up once before he can do it again.
Another character that we love is our sweet little Antichrist so maybe he will be there and bit the dust. After all since the apocalypse started we had the seven deadly since they were taken care off. We had the horsemen – they are taken care of more or less. And we had the Antichrist. Now can you finish off the apocalypse with him still being around afterwards? I don’t think so.
Since Michael is supposedly using Adam maybe after everything is done he will give Adam his live back and in Season 6 he will join the brothers. Just to take a little work load off of Jared and Jensen.
See you on Jasminkas couch.
OH and could some please make the clock tick a little faster.
I have also read somewhere that Chuck is going to return this finale… Don’t ask me for a source though… Maybe Chuck is going to be the one to bite the dust. After the three named in the article, he is the one most likely…
Or the one who faces death might simple be to Sam with his plan… and it’s Supernatural… who dies doesn’t always stay dead.
Conclusion: I think things won’t be this clear cut and Kripke is sitting behind his computer, laughing at us fans going completely crazy. I think it might turn out in a way no one expected.
I think you might be right about Bobby’s Soul Search being the story for season 6 which suggests he’s not the one heading for an early bath, and as Cas has lost his angel mojo and seems to be human now I’m hoping that he survives the heavenly cull so no offence to you petrol heads out there but fingers crossed it’s the Impala ( ducks nervously ) cos as Yirabah pointed out, cars can always be fixed, right? Um … Put down the knife, Alice … 😈
On the other hand it could just be the writers messing with our heads, I mean facing death is pretty much a weekly occurance in SPN world and they do seem to have a bit of a revolving door policy for Winchesters in the hereafter so who knows, all will be revealed on Thursday night ( or not, depending on how much Mr. K hates us at the moment … 😉
Good article Ell2. Your endings are mild to what some are predicting…I like yours better! I agree, the boys searching for Bobby’s soul would be as back to season one as you can get. THAT would be awesome. Castiel is the likely suspect as the angel and demon myth is over, it wouldn’t seem logical to still need an angel. Crowley is definitely a demon and once Luci is gone, he can be an awesome foe. Maybe the boys will have to find Crowley to get him to return Bobby’s soul. Hmmmm….wonder if Bobby’s deal was for 10 yrs?
If the impala dies…I’m gone. No impala, no me! But, and I don’t know if this is true or not, as the story goes the impala does have a part to play, hopefully not her death. Interesting huh! Besides, as Suze said, cars can always be fixed!
I’ve heard a lot more depressing scenarios to the last episode that you mentioned. I hope you right. Certainly don’t want to see what some have suggested, just reading them made me depressed! I hope you are right! 😀
Given the three choices you laid out, I suppose the least painful overall *would* be Castiel, as phenomenal a character as he’s been. You can’t kill Bobby, (though getting his soul back would be a cool arc to, at the very least, start season six) and trashing the car? First, how will they get around, stealing a Yugo? Secondly, I’m having bad visions of Lucifer vs. Impala, some bizarro Hulk Smash! gig.
Though, since Chuck is coming back (imdb.com wouldn’t lie), as Eva said, he’s a very distinct possibility. No apocalypse, no need for prophets. Although does that mean Superfan Becky is taking over the penning of the Winchester Gospel? Shudder.
Dear Miss Sera Gamble,
You must bring Missouri back at least once. Don’t flub this opportunity.
Love,
The United States
P.S. Rufus!
I don’t know what I want and am scared at what I’m going to get! I don’t want to lose Bobby or Cas, and the Impala! Noooooooooooooo!!!!! a thousand times! The Impala MUST survive. Are they going to cruise the country in an SUV? Horrors!
I just know I will end up an emotional mess. My friends think I’m nuts for getting so involved with a “TV show” but they just don’t GET it! I wished the whole summer away when Dean went to hell. I just hope we can face the summer hellatus and also enjoy the summer this time.
I do have this horrible scene in my head of the boys in the Impala sailing over a cliff into the hellhole and then seeing the credits roll. Gawd, I hope not!
And I can’t say how grateful I am that we are going to have a season six. 🙂
For some reason, I say “season 6” and I get an Adam vibe. Perhaps part of the storyline will be adjusting to having him around? I actually like Adam now that he’s not the ghoul, ghoul Adam was obnoxious but I did like him in season 5. I know a lot of people wouldn’t want to see him because they just want their Sam and Dean, but meh.
And I think they took Cas’s powers away specifically so he could be in season 6. He’s not part of the angel mythology if he’s not an angel.
I’M ANXIOUS. This is going to be the best thing ever but I don’t want anyone/car to die!
Great article!
However, I know I won’t be able to handle a Castiel death – I’ll be destroyed, I love him as much as the brothers and Bobby. And the Impala!? Nooooo!!!! I have Friday off, thank goodness, so I can properly mourn. Not Castiel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Here’s my hope: the death is a fake out – like Dean dying in Mystery Spot – he did die, but it didn’t stick. Please, please, please let that be it!
Bevie – what imagery – everyone going over in the Impala. Now I have that stuck in my head.
Oh geez, tomorrow is going to destroy me, I just know it. No way this ends without me huddled in a corner rocking back and forth making muffled sob sounds.
In between all your speculations, why didn’t you assume the beloved character to die could be Sammy? I don’t know about you but his death to me seemed to be the most likely to happen with all the sings pointing to it. And even then, it’d still come as a shocker.
My money is on Sam biting the dust or possibly getting stuck with Lucifer in his cage.
I don’t want to Dean and Sam say yes to either arrogant high and mighty angels simply because i want to watch the actors have a go at playing a different role. I would prefer above anything else that what happens either it being the boys get vesseled up or a character dying be for the benefit of the story. Every other outside influence be ignored in favour of quality story.. There is a difference between getting what you want versus being proud and happy later of what you got. I can like something but not be proud or have any respect for it. The writers should kill or do what moves the story forward and sets the bar like “In my Time of Dying” or “Devil’s Trap” did because of the quality.
What i want for season 6 if they’re going personal, which really is the only way to go, is to return to the quality of season 1-2 where the arc was that simple and introduce new and interesting characters. I’m sick of them bringing back old ones whose arc ended perfectly.
I would also want for characters too stay dead. Otherwise, it takes the suspense out of the story. It’s like if Bobby or Castiel dies, i wouldn’t care all that much because i would be expecting them to come back to life anyways some how.
Hi, all,
Great to see so many thoughts…we’re all going to be huddled on the couch…I’ve got popcorn (what, that’s not allowed in therapy? I think it is, along with chocolate, tissues, booze, and just about everything else!)
Yirabah, Dean could fix ‘the girl’ up (and perhaps we’d get another cool musical montage…cue up AC/DC)
Eva, I heard Chuck would be back as well. Interesting idea, no prophets no more writing…noooo to superfanBecky but what will Chuck do now? ALso, technically a ‘beloved’ character has already faced Death (but not death) when Dean ate pizza with Death…nah, too easy and the wrong episode.
Suze…as long as there are zombie gators chasing Bobby, I’m there.
Sablegreen, I stay away from other speculations…I have enough on my own to keep me on the edge of my seat/sanity.
Dany…Carry on wayward Son better be cueing up.
Randal, you always make me smile, of the two choices I would keep Bobby over Cas (but I’ll still be heartbroken) but a father figure is trumps in my book.
Clarice, I’ll be looking for you post-episode.
Bevie, the choices are all bad, SUV, Yugo…perhaps the smart car — geez, neither would fit! The Thelma and Louise in the Impala — -NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!
Leslie, ditto back at you. 😉
Joelsteinlover, Season 6 will be cool, no matter what — as long as the Impala is there
Elle, death doesn’t stick,,,hmm teflon death, it’s been done. I like it, Kill Bobby and Cas just make them teflon deaths.
Anene, I stayed away from Sam as the beloved character ’cause it seemed like they’d been there done that but hey, the more I think of your idea it makes sense. They’ve killed them so many times what’s one more…plus that saves Cas and Bobby (and the Impala) so I’m all for it.
We’ll know in 26 hours…most of us will that is.
Elle2, family is indeed the heart and soul of this show, and that being said, you voiced one of my biggest fears – that we’re going to lose Bobby who is family. The kind that ‘don’t end with blood’.
Since Sera Gamble allegedly said that the impala was going to play an important part in the finale, it could also be the car… oh dear…. She has suffered this season. She was KITT, had her back seat stabbed, etc., not easy for an old girl like that.
And I agree with you, whoever will bite the dust (just love Queen, and that song just appeared in my head, sorry), I will miss him or her…
Jared as Lucifer – oh yes!! Give him that! I think at this point and after seeing the promo we know that it will happen, and I so hope that he will get his Emmy nomination video send in with this scene… I’m just hungry for great acting. Sam might even die in the process, but then again – he will be back in season six, so I could live with that. Season six might even start with showing Sam/Lucifer in hell (Lucifer’s penthouse? Lost of naked girls, bathing in champagne and rolling in mink sheets…? Pure decadence…)…
We’ll find out soon, you yanks in a few hours (*cringes*), we over here in Europe tomorrow. I’m stocking up on Kleenex, chocolate, meds…
Fretting, Jas
I woke up this morning and it slowly dawned on me that it was Thursday. The season finale. I can’t believe it’s here. I used a great amount of willpower and have not looked at the 2 sneak peek scenes that have been out. So I’m going only on the rumors that have been circulating and the preview from last week. I wanted to walk into tonight with as little spoils as possible. I plan to have plenty of kleenex and a Bailey’s on ice at hand.
As for who the person is who’s going to go tonight, my bet is on Cas. He’s been well loved but I’m not sure it’s a great idea for him to be in Season 6. Though that doesn’t mean he will stay dead. I still think god is going to play a part in the end. But I also think its a possibility Sam will either die or trap himself with Lucifer.
As I was driving into work this morning, Regina Spektor’s song, “The Call,” started playing on my Ipod. It just seemed really appropriate for us fans but also for Dean and Sam: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7uoC-YTQy8
No matter what happens I expect to do a lot of crying tonight.
Jas, if you’re right about Lucifer’s pad, then what the hell is he so pissy about? Accept second place and enjoy the finer things. I bet he even gets his choice of soccer game to watch but I’m not bitter Rupert Murdoch billionaire tyrant.
Leslie, Jas, Jeannine, Randal,
Leslie, I know that I was devastated after NRFTW and Dean being in hell. It helped only mildly to know that the show was coming back in 17 long weeks but only a little. Like you I was on the edge of sanity. I expect to be there in less than four hours (sorry for you and everyone else who has to wait longer.
Jas, the ‘ole’ girl has had a rough time of it and if it is Bobby that bites [trying to separate myself so as to ease the pain] it will show that once again all who mess with the Impala eventually dies. I wrote a piece a while back (it can be found in the section on the Impala) and I noted that everyone who has ever hurt the Impala, drove it through a wall, Obi-Wan’d her away from Dean, put an iPod jack in and other moments have all been killed…Bobby pulled out something in NRFTW and he has yet to pay the piper…oh, dear. Tissues, check; chocolate, check; wine, check; puppy and kitty to hug, check; pillows and soft things lining the floor so I can curl up and rock, check.
Jeannine, I’m stocked up for weeping, hellatus is a mere hours away…this is not good.
Randal, I can tell you’re not bitter, not one bit…uh-uh, I’ll deny it right along with you.
🙂
haha I have your admiration, then? I just read the first paragraphs… I swear. So I’m safe. There are EXACTLY ten minutes left to the finale… after that I’ll read the rest of this article 😉
Gentlesoul…II look forward to your thoughts. I’m now writing this after the finale (the morning after) and I’m so glad that none of who I feared would die stayed dead!!!!
Anene…Sam, Sam, Sam, you are dead on accurate [pun totally intended] in your assessment. And he’s back!!!! I wasn’t worried on that one though with Season 6 a go. How they move the story from there I’m eager to find out. One day already gone by…I swear Hellatus is flying! :roll::