notes on 6.17.
All in all ... I was pleasantly surprised. Well done, SPN. Well done.
interesting dramatization of the butterfly effect, but where the hell is it going … ? As of the decapitation: VERY interesting dramatization thereof.
Emotional stuntedness is adorable: Bobby drinks. Sam and Dean resort to rock-paper-scissoring over who has to chime in and go, "um so about your dead heterosexual life partner …" Bobby calls them ugly girls at prom. He has clearly not read all of the Rule 63 Winsister fic out there. Poor Bobby.
"What are you, my wife now?": aside from the Dean/Bobby (possibly John/Bobby) ship-baiting, concern as a trait is feminine. Thank you for reminding us of this, Supernatural. Your gender essentialism is truly charming. /sarcasm mode
- that being said: Dean tries to circumlocute ("Takin' five might be a good thing…"). Sam cuts to the chase ("It was hard for all of us. Seeing Rufus go like that"). I kind of want to analyze their tactics throughout the series, because I can think of some examples of who's being more direct where and when, but … there's something here, regarding characterization, levels of accepting their lifestyle, and I want to know what it is.
(Examples that come to mind: in "Home," Sam is very direct with the woman living in their old house about why they're there; in "The Rapture," he's the one going, "You can never go back to your family" at Jimmy; he's direct with all the other special kids in the first part of "All Hell Breaks Loose"; his drunk confession to Dean in "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" is both clear and heart-wrenching; and he's pretty damn clear in "Swan Song" about how he wants Dean to go live with Lisa … but he also lied or loosely interpreted the truth to Jess about where he and Dean were going in the pilot, and to Becky in "Skin" about what he and Dean do for a living, and to Virgin Fangirl!Becky about his feelings re: her sort of break-up with him, and to Dean about where they were going in "Faith," and to Dean about the demon blood and whether or not he's been playing with his psychic powers, and to Dean about why he trusts Ruby at the beginning of s4, and to Dean about the missing bullet in the Colt in s3, and to Dean about why they're hunting the "zombies" that turn out to be Doc Benton - which all begins to look like, "Sammy Winchester only tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth when shit's getting real and something's wrong."
And what does he get mad at John about over and over and over again? Lying. Intentional misdirection. Sending orders but no explanation. Oh, Sammy. It's really endearing how you hate the traits of yours that you see reflected in John. ♥)
Dean's a much simpler case, really. He lies and lies and then he lies to cover up his lies. Emotional honesty makes him feel like he's dying on the inside. He lies to his loved ones, he lies to himself, his entire existence as a functioning human being is dependent on being a lying liar who tells lies because telling the truth would force him to actually deal with all of the problems he has and the things about himself that he doesn't like, and that would take away time and energy that he feels should be spent hunting things, saving people.)
AHAHAHAHA, Bobby uses "FOR WHOM." My love for him is infinite. /grammar-nerd
"I don't wanna do crap. Leave me alone. Get outta my house, both of you. You're driving me nuts." aksdsjdhge, awww, BOBBY.
Wait a minute. WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE. WE STARTED IN THE AU. WHAAAAAT?
ELLEN. ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN BABY PLEASE COME BACK AND STAY FOREVER I LOVE YOU SO MUUUUUUCH.
I also love how she totally gets him to stop drinking with a SAWED OFF SHOTGUN. "FWAH, I WILL INTERRUPT YOUR MASCULINE DENIAL OF YOUR EMOTIONS WITH MY MIGHTY PHALLIC SYMBOL."
They show affection by calling each other pains in the ass. ♥
… she is cooking for him. WHAT.
… I totally ship it, though. dlsfgkeht, but I know it can't last and cries cries cries cries. SOBBING SOBBING FOREVER.
… DEAN IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF GENEALOGY. PROFESSOR OR TA!DEAN IS TOTALLY A CANON POSSIBILITY.
and my "Dean is a lying liar" thesis gains ground: when he attempts to tell the truth, Dean is a failboat. c.f., when he tries it with Chuck in "Monster At The End…" and has to resort to threatening a grubby little drunk prophet to make him come along for the ride.
There's a Trump Casino in Cuba. What the Hell. (And yet, William Shatner is still the Priceline guy.)
… oh, God, Fate is hot. Can I have one?
Continuity porn, part 1: snerk, they're driving a Mustang. AHAHAHA, RUBY DROVE A MUSTANG.
Continuity porn, part 2: The poster in the background of the travel agent's office? "Enter to win a trip to Detroit: Voted America's Top City." And just … I get it. lololol, Lucifer got Sam to say, "yes" in Detroit. But just … as someone from Michigan, and I'm saying this with all the love in my heart: fuuuuuck you, Supernatural. Fuuuuuuuck. yooooooou. I'm actually kind of touched that, in general, you don't pretend that Detroit just doesn't exist, like some shows (see, Criminal Minds until season four's finale) or turn us into the butt of a, "No, seriously, Detroit is the worst place to live ever" joke (see, South Park) … but. Do you really have to rub in how much it sucks in Detroit? Really?
… could someone actually get strangled by having their scarf trapped in a copy machine? It's pretty creative, but … would it WORK?
Seriously, though. Fate plays to my librarian kink in the worst way possible. Sexy librarian. Mmmm.
VERY SAD REPERCUSSION OF THIS AU: … you can't call someone promiscuous by saying that they've "been down on everything but the Titanic." … my impolite euphemisms are serious business, folks.
BAHAHAHAHAHA, I.P. FREELY. /is a five-year-old.
"That God-awful Celine Dion song made me want to smite myself." "… who's Celine Dion?" "Oh, she's a destitute lounge singer somewhere in Quebec, and LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY PLEASE." - I still loathe your existence, Balthazar … but I really like your one-liners.
I CONTINUE TO FIND EVIDENCE SUPPORTING MY "THE MORAL OF S6 IS THAT THE APOCALYPSE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED": blah blah blah, Sam thought you couldn't change history - except that, as Balthazar pointed out, by choosing family over Armageddon and diverting the whole messy business, the Wincesters, Cas, and Bobby have created a world in which there is literally cosmic anarchy. There's a civil war in Heaven, monsters are running around and doing whatever they want regardless of the patterns they've held to before, Balthazar can run off and change history because he hates Celine and Leo.
Another (possible) repercussion of this AU: Inception happened, but Leo didn't play Cobb. Since he never played Jack in Titanic, the high-points of his career would forever remain The Basketball Diaries, Romeo + Juliet, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and he joined Mark Hamill in primarily doing voice acting work for the Batman animated media. Thusly: Tobey Maguire played Frank Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can and Amsterdam Vallon in Gangs of New York, Christian Bale played Howard Hughes in The Aviator, Paul Rudd had a star turn out of comedy in The Departed only to return to comedy because Martin Scorsese's douchebag attitude turned him off of drama forever, and Shutter Island never happened.
Oh, and Heath Ledger starred opposite Kate Winslet in a James Cameron period drama about The Great War that was technologically spectacular and well acted, but notable for trying to make Siegfried Sassoon straight. Then they starred opposite each other in Revolutionary Road. And Heath Ledger is still alive. How do I know this? Because he played Cobb in Inception, leading to a great fan-wank war between the Arthur/Eames shippers and the Arthur/Cobb shippers.
"Unfortunately, there is still an Ashton Kutcher, and you two still averted the Apocalypse, and there are still archangels."
"I'm sorry, you have me confused with the other angel? You know, the one in the dirty trenchcoat who's in love with you?"
… so, uh. Fate/Death, OTP?
… so, is Bobby just picking on Dean, or do people in this AU know that Dean likes wearing pink satin panties?
and this is where I stopped taking notes because talking them out with Meggy was more fun, but suffice to say: what the everliving FUCK, this episode was a mind screw and it makes me want to vomit. But in a GOOD way. It's just … holy CRAP. So good. So good. SO GOOD.
Not the best, but pretty fucking good too, and sdlfslght. I love Atropos. She is seriously one of the most wonderful guest creatures ever. And her OCD about her job makes me want to hug her and cuddle her and love her forever - and yeah. Sure, fine. She's "cruel" and "capricious" and Dean called her a bitch. What the fuck ever: I'm not sure if Strawman Has A Point or Jerkass Has A Point here (Astrid, they are TV Tropes links. Do. not. click), but … she has a point.
interesting dramatization of the butterfly effect, but where the hell is it going … ? As of the decapitation: VERY interesting dramatization thereof.
Emotional stuntedness is adorable: Bobby drinks. Sam and Dean resort to rock-paper-scissoring over who has to chime in and go, "um so about your dead heterosexual life partner …" Bobby calls them ugly girls at prom. He has clearly not read all of the Rule 63 Winsister fic out there. Poor Bobby.
"What are you, my wife now?": aside from the Dean/Bobby (possibly John/Bobby) ship-baiting, concern as a trait is feminine. Thank you for reminding us of this, Supernatural. Your gender essentialism is truly charming. /sarcasm mode
- that being said: Dean tries to circumlocute ("Takin' five might be a good thing…"). Sam cuts to the chase ("It was hard for all of us. Seeing Rufus go like that"). I kind of want to analyze their tactics throughout the series, because I can think of some examples of who's being more direct where and when, but … there's something here, regarding characterization, levels of accepting their lifestyle, and I want to know what it is.
(Examples that come to mind: in "Home," Sam is very direct with the woman living in their old house about why they're there; in "The Rapture," he's the one going, "You can never go back to your family" at Jimmy; he's direct with all the other special kids in the first part of "All Hell Breaks Loose"; his drunk confession to Dean in "Dream A Little Dream Of Me" is both clear and heart-wrenching; and he's pretty damn clear in "Swan Song" about how he wants Dean to go live with Lisa … but he also lied or loosely interpreted the truth to Jess about where he and Dean were going in the pilot, and to Becky in "Skin" about what he and Dean do for a living, and to Virgin Fangirl!Becky about his feelings re: her sort of break-up with him, and to Dean about where they were going in "Faith," and to Dean about the demon blood and whether or not he's been playing with his psychic powers, and to Dean about why he trusts Ruby at the beginning of s4, and to Dean about the missing bullet in the Colt in s3, and to Dean about why they're hunting the "zombies" that turn out to be Doc Benton - which all begins to look like, "Sammy Winchester only tells the whole truth and nothing but the truth when shit's getting real and something's wrong."
And what does he get mad at John about over and over and over again? Lying. Intentional misdirection. Sending orders but no explanation. Oh, Sammy. It's really endearing how you hate the traits of yours that you see reflected in John. ♥)
Dean's a much simpler case, really. He lies and lies and then he lies to cover up his lies. Emotional honesty makes him feel like he's dying on the inside. He lies to his loved ones, he lies to himself, his entire existence as a functioning human being is dependent on being a lying liar who tells lies because telling the truth would force him to actually deal with all of the problems he has and the things about himself that he doesn't like, and that would take away time and energy that he feels should be spent hunting things, saving people.)
AHAHAHAHA, Bobby uses "FOR WHOM." My love for him is infinite. /grammar-nerd
"I don't wanna do crap. Leave me alone. Get outta my house, both of you. You're driving me nuts." aksdsjdhge, awww, BOBBY.
Wait a minute. WAIT A GODDAMN MINUTE. WE STARTED IN THE AU. WHAAAAAT?
ELLEN. ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN ELLEN BABY PLEASE COME BACK AND STAY FOREVER I LOVE YOU SO MUUUUUUCH.
I also love how she totally gets him to stop drinking with a SAWED OFF SHOTGUN. "FWAH, I WILL INTERRUPT YOUR MASCULINE DENIAL OF YOUR EMOTIONS WITH MY MIGHTY PHALLIC SYMBOL."
They show affection by calling each other pains in the ass. ♥
… she is cooking for him. WHAT.
… I totally ship it, though. dlsfgkeht, but I know it can't last and cries cries cries cries. SOBBING SOBBING FOREVER.
… DEAN IS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF GENEALOGY. PROFESSOR OR TA!DEAN IS TOTALLY A CANON POSSIBILITY.
and my "Dean is a lying liar" thesis gains ground: when he attempts to tell the truth, Dean is a failboat. c.f., when he tries it with Chuck in "Monster At The End…" and has to resort to threatening a grubby little drunk prophet to make him come along for the ride.
There's a Trump Casino in Cuba. What the Hell. (And yet, William Shatner is still the Priceline guy.)
… oh, God, Fate is hot. Can I have one?
Continuity porn, part 1: snerk, they're driving a Mustang. AHAHAHA, RUBY DROVE A MUSTANG.
Continuity porn, part 2: The poster in the background of the travel agent's office? "Enter to win a trip to Detroit: Voted America's Top City." And just … I get it. lololol, Lucifer got Sam to say, "yes" in Detroit. But just … as someone from Michigan, and I'm saying this with all the love in my heart: fuuuuuck you, Supernatural. Fuuuuuuuck. yooooooou. I'm actually kind of touched that, in general, you don't pretend that Detroit just doesn't exist, like some shows (see, Criminal Minds until season four's finale) or turn us into the butt of a, "No, seriously, Detroit is the worst place to live ever" joke (see, South Park) … but. Do you really have to rub in how much it sucks in Detroit? Really?
… could someone actually get strangled by having their scarf trapped in a copy machine? It's pretty creative, but … would it WORK?
Seriously, though. Fate plays to my librarian kink in the worst way possible. Sexy librarian. Mmmm.
VERY SAD REPERCUSSION OF THIS AU: … you can't call someone promiscuous by saying that they've "been down on everything but the Titanic." … my impolite euphemisms are serious business, folks.
BAHAHAHAHAHA, I.P. FREELY. /is a five-year-old.
"That God-awful Celine Dion song made me want to smite myself." "… who's Celine Dion?" "Oh, she's a destitute lounge singer somewhere in Quebec, and LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY PLEASE." - I still loathe your existence, Balthazar … but I really like your one-liners.
I CONTINUE TO FIND EVIDENCE SUPPORTING MY "THE MORAL OF S6 IS THAT THE APOCALYPSE SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED": blah blah blah, Sam thought you couldn't change history - except that, as Balthazar pointed out, by choosing family over Armageddon and diverting the whole messy business, the Wincesters, Cas, and Bobby have created a world in which there is literally cosmic anarchy. There's a civil war in Heaven, monsters are running around and doing whatever they want regardless of the patterns they've held to before, Balthazar can run off and change history because he hates Celine and Leo.
Another (possible) repercussion of this AU: Inception happened, but Leo didn't play Cobb. Since he never played Jack in Titanic, the high-points of his career would forever remain The Basketball Diaries, Romeo + Juliet, and What's Eating Gilbert Grape, and he joined Mark Hamill in primarily doing voice acting work for the Batman animated media. Thusly: Tobey Maguire played Frank Abagnale in Catch Me If You Can and Amsterdam Vallon in Gangs of New York, Christian Bale played Howard Hughes in The Aviator, Paul Rudd had a star turn out of comedy in The Departed only to return to comedy because Martin Scorsese's douchebag attitude turned him off of drama forever, and Shutter Island never happened.
Oh, and Heath Ledger starred opposite Kate Winslet in a James Cameron period drama about The Great War that was technologically spectacular and well acted, but notable for trying to make Siegfried Sassoon straight. Then they starred opposite each other in Revolutionary Road. And Heath Ledger is still alive. How do I know this? Because he played Cobb in Inception, leading to a great fan-wank war between the Arthur/Eames shippers and the Arthur/Cobb shippers.
"Unfortunately, there is still an Ashton Kutcher, and you two still averted the Apocalypse, and there are still archangels."
"I'm sorry, you have me confused with the other angel? You know, the one in the dirty trenchcoat who's in love with you?"
… so, uh. Fate/Death, OTP?
… so, is Bobby just picking on Dean, or do people in this AU know that Dean likes wearing pink satin panties?
and this is where I stopped taking notes because talking them out with Meggy was more fun, but suffice to say: what the everliving FUCK, this episode was a mind screw and it makes me want to vomit. But in a GOOD way. It's just … holy CRAP. So good. So good. SO GOOD.
Not the best, but pretty fucking good too, and sdlfslght. I love Atropos. She is seriously one of the most wonderful guest creatures ever. And her OCD about her job makes me want to hug her and cuddle her and love her forever - and yeah. Sure, fine. She's "cruel" and "capricious" and Dean called her a bitch. What the fuck ever: I'm not sure if Strawman Has A Point or Jerkass Has A Point here (Astrid, they are TV Tropes links. Do. not. click), but … she has a point.