Sex and Violence: The Kids Aren't All Right

They’re so not all right, and Bobby knew this as he left them by that bridge that they can not cross over. Don’t be hard on Bobby. He’s neither their father nor a couples therapist. He’s their friend, and though more a mentor than a peer within the hunting community, he knows you won’t get far trying to boss around a Winchester. And Bobby wasn’t there to hear what Sam said. He doesn’t know the half of it, because Bobby also doesn’t know Sam Winchester has demon blood and wields the Hand of Ipecac.

Sam has been so silent this season everyone figured Kripke had it out for him, but I held fast to the belief his silence spoke volumes. And now we know. Now we know more than we wanted to know about just what Sam is thinking.

I don’t care if Sam tries to use the excuse he was under a spell when he told Dean those hurtful things, because that’s BS. Those words were spoken from his subconscious and they were real.

The siren planted a hyacinth at the scene. In the language of flowers, the hyacinth is the symbol of sincerity.

Sam was the most honest in this episode since early season two. Still, it seems honesty is not the best policy and all those times Sam has had no response to Dean it is understandable. Better to say nothing than to say the wrong thing. But when Sam lets it all out: watch out. I think of what he said in two parts. First off there is the whole, I’m better-stronger-smarter than you comment. To me, that was a testosterone filled sibling rivalry comment. Sam has always been competitive and strives to be his best at whatever he does. It would be natural for him to think he was superior to Dean. In HS I’m sure he felt his academics gave him an edge, later once he considered himself a hunter he naturally wanted to be top of the game there too.

It’s the second comment that was more barbed: “You’re holding me back.” It’s like saying he doesn’t need Dean at all. And that’s one of Dean’s deepest fears, the fear that causes him to project an entirely different Sammy onto the man Sam is now. In “Metamorphosis” Dean spoke his fear: “You don’t need me. You and Ruby go fight demons.”

Sadly, that’s exactly what they were doing and doing well until Dean showed up. Again, in Sex and Violence, Sam reminds Dean he doesn’t need him. He and Ruby will find Lillith. Dean isn’t strong enough for the fight. Part of this could be Sam’s new found protective instinct over Dean. It’s an instinct of a big brother who considers the other lesser or weaker and in need of protection. Sam has demonstrated this all season and Dean has fed that need from nearly being eaten by the Rugaru in Meta, to his capture in MM, to his nightmares, the drinking, his paranoid collapse in YF, his beating at Alastair’s hand. Sam has been there to save his ass.

But the whole: “So you tortured souls, boo-hoo!” Holy crap Sam, what a bastard!

Which makes me think of the Foreigner song: “Cold as Ice”

That would be Sam. Cold as Ice. And much of it is protective instinct. He wants to not be hurt, not be rejected.

So even if the siren’s venom made Sam think the thoughts he did, what planted them? Do his “power-up” sessions with Ruby stir the demon blood and make him more mean, more cruel or spiteful? More like a demon? Beware when you fight the monsters, lest you become one of them.

Is that why Dean was so eager to point out to Sam that he slept with monsters…meaning you are one: I’d hunt you. Remember that was sincerity without the venom.

Purposeless Pictures of Pretty

While waiting the two weeks until Supernatural has new episodes I am writing a fan fiction in which Ruby reflects on her human life and Dean discovers Sam has stepped up his game.

Here are some random lovely photos of the boys:

Thoughts After Viewing Houses of the Holy

I've only seen this episode twice, which in the obsessed universe of SN is not very often, but today I watched it with Dean in mind, especially knowing how season four begins. Here is a link to a meta on faith as seen in Sam. It's worded much better than I could ever do and so it's better to focus on that coherence. http://dodger-winslow.livejournal.com/70009.html

So Dean...the seemingly non believer....how does that play out in a show about a ghost who thinks he's an avenging angel? It means Dean just has to work harder to make the spiritual fit into his rather practical beliefs: "I believe in what I've seen." Says Dean to Sam. Sam gives good arguement here that they have seen things that other people don't believe are real, so why couldn't there be angels.

But sorry Sammy, your lawyer mind tricks don't work on big brother, he ain't buying it. Your spiritual logic of yin and yang isn't changing his practical nature. This is quite reminesent of Han Solo saying there's no mystical energy field that controls his destiny. Yep, pure Han, pure Dean. Of course Han started to see proof Luke wasn't just filled with delusions of grandeur and eventually he did believe. Even at the end of this episode Dean is starting to wonder after he saw divine justice or the cosmic hand of God snuff out the baddie he was chasing.

OK, so what about season four? Something mystical is going to bring back from Hell and what it is remains to be seen, but I bet it might just alter Dean's perceptions a little bit more. After all, if he sees it, he might have to accept it as real.

I found this and it's funny...I did not write it...I just like it...

Strange Meeting

They were in some state that wasn't quite southern and wasn't quite midwest, probably northern Kentucky or southern West Virginia by this time, just passing through. But at the full-service gas station a toothless attendant had started telling Sam all about a meteorite crash and the poltergeist (he said "powddargahst," but by now Sam was an expert in translating yokel) that had taken up residence in the area. Apparently things had been just rising up and floating away for a week or more, and people who tried to follow the objects tended to forget what they were doing very quickly.

And so they were still here, two nights later, in a crappy little town in northern Kentucky (or southern West Virginia) with one barely decent bar. And Sam had decided that it was a good time to go powddargahst-hunting. Telekinesis reminded him of Max, of his own newfound skill at mentally rearranging the furniture. Maybe they'd find something of importance out here.

They headed out to inspect the meteor crash site. The woods were so quiet that birdsong echoed. Dean crept up next to Sam and informed him that if they heard so much as a note of "Dueling Banjos," he was going to kill him. Or just trip him and leave him for the rednecks.

They'd been walking for more than an hour when they came upon a long patch of downed trees; further ahead, it turned into a jumbled mess of trees and plowed earth, like a giant had been skipping stones over dry land. In a clearing to the right, there was a glimmer of firelight.

Sam nodded his head in the direction of the thickest underbrush and the two of them took cover behind it, guns held ready. They cut a wide circle through the woods, bringing them much closer to the firelight. They stopped in a crouch only a few yards away from what looked like a makeshift campsite. There was a dark shape sitting beside it, facing away from them.

And abruptly, the shape spoke. "Why don't you gentlemen come out?"

Sam and Dean exchanged surprised glances, then shrugged and stood up, guns aimed in the direction of the voice. The shape unfolded into a lanky figure, then turned around slowly.

He was completely human, wearing a black jumpsuit that looked kind of like a fighter-pilot outfit. Dean was pleased to note that he was himself a couple of inches taller than the guy in front of them. He was even more pleased to note that the guy appeared to be unarmed. "You the one controlling this poltergeist?" he demanded, shifting his aim.

"I beg your pardon?" He looked maddeningly relaxed, considering two larger men had two very well-cared-for guns pointed in his face.

"There's a poltergeist hanging around the town, making things move, knocking out lights. Is it you?" Sam asked.

The man flicked his eyes from one man to the other. "I don't know what a poltergeist is, but I'm not one, nor am I controlling one, and if you two don't get those pop-guns out of my face right now, you're going to find them in your mouths."

Dean cocked his shotgun; the noise rang loud in the silent clearing. "That's not really convincing."

Sam, ever the diplomat--he really would have made a good lawyer--took a less offensive stand. "So if it's not a poltergeist, what is it?" he asked. "Are you a telekinetic?"

"I'm a Jedi," he snapped.

Dean chuckled and adjusted his aim. "Yeah, right. 'S that a lightsaber in your pocket, or are you just happy to see--"

Suddenly their guns were yanked out of their hands. There was a crackling, hissing sound, and then there was a beam of purple light pointing at Dean's chin.

"Holy shit," Dean said.

Sam stood gaping, apparently stunned, but the guy--the Jedi--shot him a sharp glance. "Don't even think about it, Sammy," he said.

Sam started. "How did you--"

"Jedi," he repeated impatiently.

"Right, right."

Dean was still staring warily at the tip of the lightsaber blade. It was very close to his face, which made him go slightly cross-eyed. "Uh, hey, college boy? Why don't you give me a hand with some of that weaselly lawyer-speak you were learning. Defuse the situation? Get the lightsaber out of my face?"

"Yeah, um...dude? Jedi Master...sir? Please don't kill my brother. We're not...bounty hunters or Sith Lords or anything. We swear."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Thanks, man, that was brilliant."

The Jedi eyed them both one more time, then shut down the lightsaber and returned it to his belt. "If you were dangerous, I'd have sensed it. You're remarkably difficult to distract, though; I've been keeping the locals away for a week." He paused for a second, apparently sizing them up, then held out his hand. "Jedi Master Kyp Durron."

"Nice to meet you. We're--"

"Sam and Dean Winchester."

Dean rolled his eyes again. "Yeah," he sighed, but his handshake was more or less friendly. "So no offense, but what the hell are you doing here?"

"I crashed. Got winged by a gravitic anomaly and lost all my nav systems. I sent a message back to base and they've dispatched a cruiser to pick me up." He sighed. "Jaina's never going to let me live this down."

"So you've been stealing supplies using telek--using the Force," Sam finished. "Right?"

Kyp shrugged. "Man has to eat. I ran out of rations a few days ago, and had to turn to the, uh, kindness of strangers. My turn. What are you two doing out here?"

"We thought--" Sam began. "We thought you could help us. But I--we were expecting something else."

"Sorry, the guru-stuff is Skywalker's business. And I'm not looking for an apprentice."
Sam just stared at him at the mention of Skywalker--God, what a nerd--so Dean picked up the slack. "Hey, maybe you're a Jedi, Sammy," Dean smirked. "But if we find out that Hayden Christiansen is your dad, I'm totally killing you."

"If Hayden Christiansen is my father? I'll totally let you."

Dean turned back to Kyp. "Hey, speaking of killing people, can we have our guns back?"

"Will you keep them out of my face?"

"Yeah," Dean admitted grudgingly.

Kyp gestured with his hand, and the two guns floated gently off the ground and into their hands. They took them with a nod of thanks.

"Well," Dean said. "Sorry about the whole ambush thing. No hard feelings?"

"I'm not going to stab you when you turn your backs," Kyp promised with a lopsided grin. "That wouldn't be sporting."

Not quite reassured by this, they turned to go. It was getting cold, and a clammy fog was rolling up from the valley. Dean hesitated, then turned back. "It's damn cold out here. Want to go for a drink?"

Kyp grinned, dousing the fire with another sharp hand gesture. "Find us a nice, weak-minded barkeep and I'll keep us in drinks all night."

Dean grinned back and almost slung an arm over the Jedi Master's shoulder. "I think I know just the place."