Fluffy White Feathers and Divine Eyes: Hunters and the Absentee Higher Power
Meta-ish blabber lurks below the cut.
Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted meta. First I want to say that
spnematography has a new header thanks to
lierina's amazing graphics skills. Hopefully things will pick up once we get a new batch of episodes to think about. Jan. 31st is almost here! :)
Second I feel like I should explain the scattered nature of this post. This started as an episode prompt for 3x03 in October (OMG *headdesk*) then spilled into a number of other episodes which disqualified it from being exclusively a 3x03 prompt. Then I was slow to finish it and “Fresh Blood” (3x07) aired, turning the premise of the original meta on its head (that’ll teach me to submit things on time). Then holidays, work, and life converged, causing me to consume large quantities of caffeine and my brain to seize. Excuses, excuses … blah blah. *makes talking mouth motions with hands* What remains below are the quasi-salvageable pieces of a couple attempts at something I was too stubborn to give up, what I call the Frankenstein of all meta. Thanks to
hugemind for her feedback.
***
Religious belief and faith aren’t foreign themes in Supernatural. The corruption of good intentions and wayward souls committing “evil” acts were central themes in “Faith” (1x12) and “HotH” (2x13). The mystery of what lies beyond death was touched on, but not answered in “Home” (1x09), “Roadkill” (2x16) and “AHBL-2” (2x22). Fervent religiosity appeared with the introduction of Kubric in “BDaBD” (3x03), and the idea of a Godless world was broached in “Sin City” (3x04). And to complicate matters more, one could argue that a hunter’s dealings with the supernatural both confirms and denies the existence of God in the context of the show as gleaned from Sam and Dean’s differing views on Faith in “HotH”:
Dean: “What’s your deal? … Look, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr. 700 Club? Seriously, from the get go you’ve been willing to buy this angel crap, man. What’s next, you gonna start praying everyday?”
Sam: “I do … I do pray everyday. I have for a long time.”
---
Dean: “I get it. You’ve got faith. Good for you. I’m sure it makes things easier. I’ll tell you who else had faith like that … Mom. She used tell me when she tucked me in that angels were watching over us. Fact that was the last thing she ever said to me … She was wrong. There was nothing protecting her. There’s no higher power. There’s no God. There’s just chaos and violence, random unpredictable evil that comes out of nowhere and rips you to shreds. So you want me to believe in this stuff? I’m gonna need some hard proof. You got any?”
So after two and a half seasons why are we still grappling with the questions like: Does a higher power of good exist in SPN? Does it even matter? Are there light agents that counterbalance dark demons?
This meta is my interpretation of the religious undertones presented in the show in an attempt to answer those questions. The juxtaposition of religious iconography and hunting and instances of repeated dialogue will be used as a jumping off point to examine human (hunter) perception, morality, and the subjectivity of “good” and “evil”. Then I’ll blab a little on how I think that’s all blurring the dividing line between “right” and “wrong” and darkening the side of the light. And finally, a hunter’s place in the broader scheme of things and them as agents of God will be addressed.
Please know my intentions are not to offend anyone, insult God, religion or spirituality, or stir up a hot-headed controversy. Everything that follows is just my opinion; I don’t expect everyone to agree, but please don’t flame and/or send me nasty e-mails. That being said, I’m not against discussion or friendly debate. That’s what meta is for after all. Like in kindergarten, play nice, don’t throw sand, and feel free to share (your thoughts). :)
The Introduction of Religious Belief and Religiosity in Hunting
To avoid misunderstandings and offending anyone, I want to make the distinction between “religious” and “religiosity”. Religiosity is the state of being excessively, obtrusively or sentimentally religious. This differs from being simply religious, which is defined as “related to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality of deity”. When I equate someone with religiosity I’m suggesting they have zealous and consuming religious beliefs, which is different than someone simply having faith in a higher power.
Religious and Hunting Iconography
The juxtaposition of hunting and religious symbols has teased us since “Hookman” (1x07) (Cap. 1). But as far as I can discern, the first overt and repeated paring of religious belief and the hunting lifestyle appears in the appropriately named episode 1x21 “Salvation”.
Cap 1. Caps from
marishna ,
leggyslove , and screencap paradise.
“Salvation” is the first time we actually see the blessing ritual that sanctifies water performed. It also marks the appearance of Pastor Jim, a hunter and a priest, the perfect embodiment of an avenging angel. Throughout Pastor Jim’s opening scene we’re accosted with religious iconography: the stained glass windows of Jesus and his disciples, the crucifix, the bible, the chalice containing the symbolic sacrificial blood of Christ (heh … the only way I could imagine more blatant foreshadowing is if Pastor Jim drank from the cup), and the red and yellow alter cloth bearing the Cross.
Caps 2, 3, & 4.
The symmetry of double identities is maintained when Meg reveals her demon self and Pastor Jim is forced to unveil his hunter side. He retreats to his bunker where the juxtaposition of a hunter’s arsenal and religious artifacts smacks us over the head: Pastor Jim dressed in his priest’s collar stands before an army of weapons, wielding a dagger bearing the inscription “God’s Eye”, a fitting choice for a hunter/man of God. Ironically, it’s “God’s Eye”, Pastor Jim’s own weapon, that’s turned against him and used for murder.
The fact that we’re treated to a lingering shot of the knife (why bother?) and the inscription (why bother?) makes me wonder if Kripke telling us something about the state of man and God in SPN. Is God watching? And if he is, where are the reinforcements? Although not a forthright verbal statement, it rings eerily similar to Andy’s words in “Sin City”:“Father, God’s not with us. Not anymore … he can’t help us. And if he can, he won’t.”
Caps 5 & 6. For a more detailed description of the symbols/sigils in Jim’s hunter’s enclave read
sadelyrate ’s Tiny Trifle’s “Salvation” post.
An interesting side note is the use of color in these two scenes. Notice the repeated pairing of red, yellow, and blue. Red and yellow together often appear with a demonic presence.
sadelyrate and
hearseeno suggest blue is linked to “good”, Faith, and characters who display tendencies for altruistic self-sacrifice and that together red, yellow, and blue comprise SPN’s color trinity (posts here and here). With the prevalence of red, yellow, and blue, it certainly does seem like the production team has chosen a split color palate. Using cool colors to visually offset the warmer side of the spectrum is common, and prescribing a context in which to loosely use each color is an excellent way to compliment storytelling. With Pastor Jim sacrificing his life to protect the Winchesters, it seems that the working hypothesis about color holds true. Yay. :)
Religiosity and the Hunter’s Mentality (a.k.a. the salvageable remnants of my 3x03 and 3x07 episode prompts)
Kubric’s appearance in “ABDaBR” marks the pairing of religiosity and hunting. The religious references begin as soon as Kubric opens his mouth in the opening scene. He refers to the breech at the Devil’s Gate in Wyoming as “St. Helena’s big”. This is a religious reference to the pious St. Helena’s (ca. 250 - ca. 330) discovery of the True Cross and nails, the supposed remains used in Jesus’ crucifixion. St. Helena was also renowned for her fervent religious beliefs and her resolve “to bring God to Palestine”1,2. Likely this is an allusion to Kubric’s self-proclaimed mission to fulfill what he comes to believe is “God’s will”: killing Sam Winchester.
In Kubric’s subsequent scenes we’re treated to a number of religious symbols: the concave figure of Jesus with the shifting eyes, the large portrait of Jesus with his eyes trained on heaven, and the religious-themed bumper stickers on the RV. Note the reoccurring emphasis on divine eyes (recall Pastor Jim’s “God’s Eye” dagger).
Cap. 7 & 8.
And just like Pastor Jim in “Salvation”, Kubric’s religious beliefs and hunting lifestyle are shown by the juxtaposition of the hunter’s arsenal and religious iconography.
Cap. 9.
Furthermore, Kubric repeatedly mimics the portrait of Jesus by turning his eyes toward heaven whenever information regarding Sam falls into his lap. First when he and Creedy stumble across the picture of Sam and Dean on the restaurant’s webpage and then after they discover Sam alone and unconscious at the motel. I think if Kubric were introduced in a darker, less humorous episode he would’ve been perceived as more threatening (and probably been meta-ed on more), but as it is he’s creepy enough. *shivers*
Cap. 10 & 11.
The degree to which religiosity is embedded in Kubric’s hunting mentality is shown again in his last scene in “Fresh Blood”.
Kubric: “I’m sorry, you what this means.”
Gordon: “It means you have to kill me …It is the one good thing to come out of this nightmare.”
Kubric: “Gordon, I’m sorry. You know I can’t let you walk out of here.”
Gordon: “Listen to me. There is nothing more important. Please.” Gazes at the crucifix on the wall. “I can do one last good thing for the world.”
Kubric: “Yeah, I hear ya. Gordon, you’re right. One. Last. Good. Thing.”
Gordon kills Kubric and whispers, “I’m sorry.”
Again we’re greeted with religious symbols--Kubric for the first time is wearing a silver cross on a chain. He fingers this cross before reaching for the knife to kill Gordon, saying, “Gordon, you’re right. [I can do] One. Last. Good. Thing.” I think the subtext suggests that Kubric believes by killing vampire!Gordon he’s not only fulfilling his hunter’s duty but exacting what he believes to be God’s will. And appropriately underscoring the religious-tinted themes of self-sacrifice and dogmatic religiosity are the portrait of Jesus with upturned eyes in frame behind dying Kubric and the crucifix bearing the sacrificed body of Jesus backing Gordon’s bloody hand.
Cap. 12 & 13.
But perhaps the most chilling aspect of this scene is that Gordon and Kubric are colleagues, friends even (in “BDaBR” Kubric says Gordon is “the best” and saved his life multiple times). And even though they both apologize profusely for what they’re about to do (hello, three times!), it’s clear their black-and-white perceptions of good and evil and their hunter’s creed supersedes everything else, including their personal relationship. This is where I believe (as does the rest of fandom most likely) Sam and Dean are the exception; this is what will save them in the end from walking the same road Gordon and Kubric did. Because Sam and Dean are very similar to Kubric and Gordon (and other hunters) in many ways, but unlike Kubric and Gordon all rules about hunting and good and evil don’t apply to anything that carries the surname Winchester for good or bad. And perhaps this is why the embrace between Kubric and Gordon is the mirror image (a.k.a. the identical opposite) of Sam and Dean’s embrace at the end of “AHBL-1” (2x21).
Cap. 14 & 15.
Kubric (or Gordon) as a Christ figure is highly debatable and too contentious for me to touch with a ten-foot pole. But it’s interesting that Kubric and Pastor Jim were murdered while enacting the hunter’s creed (and I suppose Gordon in his own twisted way), each protecting and defending the safety of the world at large. Ironically, Pastor Jim, a Winchester ally, and Kubric, a Winchester enemy, both died to protect the Winchesters. There’s something satisfying about Kubric’s hunting dogma being such an overwhelming motivator that he died trying to kill Gordon and inadvertently protecting Sam, the person he’d vowed to kill in the name of God. Oh, The Show loves irony! *glee*
Murder or necessary, sacrificial killing (depending on your viewpoint) in the name of God leads nicely into the next topic: the role of God’s will, its interpretation, and how that leads to the all important shades of grey and the subsequent darkening of the side of “good”.
God’s Will
Hopefully you’re on board with the idea there’s been an effort since S1 to superimpose religious iconography with hunting-related symbols and link them with certain hunters (Pastor Jim and Kubric), suggesting that Kripke and Co. are making thematic statements about something. Exactly what that something is, however, is debatable. So let’s dig deeper into the past two and a half seasons for God-related/hunting possibilities.
A theme that has been touched on by five different characters in the past two seasons is humans’ belief they’re carrying out “God’s will”. This is first discussed in “HotH” by Sam and Gloria, the hooker who stabbed the church-going murderer in the heart:
Sam: “Why would you that?”
Gloria: “Because it was God’s will.”
Sam: “Did God talk to you?”
Gloria: “I get the sense God’s a little busy for house calls. No, he sent someone … an angel … spoke God’s word …
Sam: “And the word was to kill someone?”
Gloria: “But what I did was important. I helped him smite an evil man. I was chosen for redemption …he told me to wait for the sign …and I knew.”
Sam: “Why him?”
Gloria: “I just know what the angel told me: that this man was guilty to his deepest foundations. And that was good enough for me.”
This is echoed in the same episode by Father Gregory and then by Sam and finally Dean:
Father Gregory: “I received the word of God. He spoke to me. Told me smite the wicked. I’m carrying out his will.”
---
Dean: “Let me guess, you were personally chosen to smite some sinner, you just got to wait for some divine Bat Signal.”
“Yeah actually.”
“Great. I don’t suppose you asked what this alleged bad guy did.”
“Actually I did, Dean. And the angel told me. He hasn’t done anything … yet. But he will … someone’s going to do something awful and I can stop it … maybe we’re hunting an angel here and we should stop. Maybe this is God’s will.”
---
Dean: “The way he died if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes I never would’ve believe it. I mean … I don’t know what to call it.”
Sam: “What? Dean what did you see?”
Dean: “Maybe … God’s will.”
The idea of God’s will is repeated in “BDaBR” during the conversation between Kubric and Gordon at the end of the episode:
Kubric: “You were right about everything. Sam Winchester is more than a monster. He’s the adversary.”
Gordon: “What was it that convinced you?”
Kubric: “God led me to him. And his will is clear.”
In all of the above examples, except for Dean’s, the idea of carrying out God’s will is accompanied by the belief that the actions required to accomplish this aren’t evil or wrong but justified and necessary. Each person believes they were chosen to exact “justice” and that their actions are dictated by a higher power/divine force that can’t be logically explained. And as a consequence, God’s will can’t be proven or disproved using logical means, making it a matter of opinion, belief, and/or faith.
To further complicate things, the operative phrase here is they’re carrying out what “they believe to be God’s will”, which is different from carrying out God’s true will (whatever that is). Like with most things involving humans (or Kripke), it’s the interpretation of “God’s will”, “good”, “evil”, and “justice” that’s used to repeatedly justify acts of questionable morality or even “evil” (hello, killing people).
It seems Krikpe is pushing forward the idea that perspective is an integral part of SPN. That perhaps morality and God’s will is similar to a Rorschach inkblot where different things can be imagined from a single image depending on the state of mind and the tilt of the head. And like those inkblots, maybe the interpretation of God’s will can’t be proven right or wrong as all images exist, are a matter of perception, and are, in essence, “correct” in their own way. So maybe what’s really God’s will is inconsequential because the truth isn’t the point--for the purposes of the story and characters, the premise of God’s will is just the jumpstart that sets the motor in action.
Furthermore, I think perception and interpretation are responsible for the grey that’s been encroaching on the black and white morality of S1 and the further smudging of the line separating right and wrong that’s been happening since early S2. Now S3 is further exploiting these once solid demarcations by throwing humans (hunters) on both sides of the line by toying with personal interpretations of morality believed to be derived from a higher power (God’s will). I don’t doubt that in the future we’ll be seeing the flip side of the coin with demons and the indoctrination of Lucifier’s will and/or second coming. *gleefully scuffs up the morality line*
But again, God’s true will or the existence of God in the context of the show doesn’t matter because humans only need the idea they’re working for a higher power or toward an ultimate ideal to get the wheel turning. Even then the filter of human emotion, past experience, and personal motivation colors their interpretation of “good” and “evil”, leading to questionable acts of morality.
So just as we saw a merciful and empathic side to demons in “Sin City” that revealed a multifaceted side of “evil”, we should expect to see a more ruthless and side to hunters and the darkening of the side of the “good”. Interestingly enough, that’s exactly what’s been happening since mid-S2. “Hunted” (2x10) revealed the dark side of hunting and tagged hunters as possible psycho enemies. In “HotH” Father Reynolds describes the Archangel Michael, generally viewed as God’s field commander3 (in rabbinic Jewish tradition Michael battled Samael, the Angel of Death 4, 5) as a “flaming sword, fighter of demons, holy force against evil. God’s warrior. Luke 2:9: An angel of the lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shown down upon them, and they were terrified.”
And with those words, the idea of fierce and vigilant avenging angels swift to exact their own definition of justice on behalf of a seemingly absent God’s enters the picture, a darkening of the “good” so to speak.
Hunters: Revenge-driven Sociopaths or Avenging Angels?
We’ve yet to see definitive proof of a fighting side of “good” to actively counterbalance the “evil”. Instead we’re given a motley crew of drifters who wear flannel and carry rock salt in their pockets. These hunters dedicate their lives to a largely thankless mission. They’re obliquely concerned with “service to others” usually at the expense of themselves (martyrdom seems to be the hunters’ society’s super-secret password). They sacrifice their lives for each other, and fight a guerilla-style, invisible war on behalf of the rest of humanity.
But that’s where everything gets complicated because hunters aren’t perfect nor are their motives 100% altruistic. They’re flawed, often outlaws in their own right, having murdered, stolen, and lied. They’re loners who often, but not always, live at the fringes of society and operate not through forthright goodwill and charity but covertly and violently, and often there is collateral damage with innocent people getting killed and/or emotionally, physically, and/or mentally injured. Hunters exact their own brand of justice (sometimes under the guise of God’s will) for what they believe is the greater good of humanity. We’ve seen numerous examples where innocent people were purposely endangered or killed in order to reach a hunter’s endgame (“Something Wicked” 1x18, “Devil’s Trap” 1x21, “Hunted”, “Heart” 2x17, “Sin City”, “Bedtime Stories” 3x05, and “Fresh Blood”), and there are instances where the “evil” things being hunted weren’t a threat (“Bloodlust” 2x03, “Roadkill” 2x16) or even supernatural in nature (“Faith” 1x12, “The Benders” 1x15).
What does that say about hunters as a whole? That they're crazy, cold-blooded, self-sacrificing killers with poor judgment who won't hesitate to murder anyone or anything if it'll exact their definition of "justice" in the end? Note that Dean’s moto “saving people, hunting things” could also be Kubric’s or Gordon’s depending on the perspective of what “saving” is and what “things” are. Maybe Bela's observation about them being "a bunch of obsessed, revenge-driven sociopaths" isn't far from the mark.
Look at psycho Gordon and nut-job Kubric! *meep*
It’s easy to dismiss Gordon and Kubric as the exceptions to the rule, but most hunters exhibit obsessive tendencies and are partially motivated by retribution and revenge. Every hunter whose back story has been revealed started hunting to avenge a personal tragedy. Gordon began his life as a hunter because he wanted to take down his sister’s kidnappers. Issac and Tamara sought retaliation for their daughter’s death. The last half of John’s life and his children’s lives were dictated by the need to avenge Mary’s death. Sam returned to the hunting world to get revenge for Jess’s death. Dean’s personal vendetta was exemplified by his parting words with the YED: “That’s for our mom, you son of a bitch.” Certainly the obsessive and revenge-filled hunter shoe fits a good number of hunters, including the three Winchester men.
Interestingly, both “revenge” and “avenge” are derived from the Latin word vindicare: to claim, avenge, punish (also the source of “vindicate”) 6, 7.
Hunters aren’t unlike the “fierce and vigilant” avenging angels that exact God’s wishes. Even though there aren’t fluffy white feathers involved, they also administer their own brand of vigilante justice for what they believe is the greater good of humanity, and in some cases exacting what they believe to be God’s will.
Take Kubric in “BDaBR” for example. When he’s interrogating Sam, who he’s tied to a chair and drench with water, he says, “I used to think your friend Gordon sent me … because he asked me to track you down and put a bullet in your brain. But as it turns out, I’m on a mission from God.” Then he slaps Sam.
Take Sam in “HotH”: “And the angel told me. He hasn’t done anything … yet. But he will … someone’s going to do something awful and I can stop it.”
Even Dean’s catch phrase for S2 embodies this principle: “Look Dad’s gone now. We have to carry out his legacy and that means hunting down as many evil sons of bitches as we can.”
But the most definitive answer to the question of hunters being avenging angels was given by Kripke in TVGuide.com’s “Ask Ausiello” column for 11/28/07:
"We have a firm belief in the cosmology of this show that evil, in terms of demons, etc, is very tangible and real and out there. Angels and supernatural forces of good are much more elusive. But in my opinion - and the opinion of the writers - if God is out there, he isn't sending angels to fight the battles; he's working through a very human, sweaty, outgunned and overwhelmed group of hunters. For us, these are the angels. I think the point that's very important to us to make is that the forces of good work through humans who are flawed and imperfect and trying to make the right decisions. And that's the way God works. So we try to present that."
*dances*
End Remarks
Perhaps there is no God in SPN, or maybe God’s just sitting back watching (note the repeated use of divine eyes). But maybe it doesn’t really matter because there are hunters to do God’s dirty work. And just maybe Kripke’s been hinting at the parallels between hunters and avenging angels since “Salvation” though the juxtaposition of hunting and religious symbols, the characters of Pastor Jim and Kubric, repeated lines of significant dialogue, and the mind set, motivation, and working methods of hunters as a whole. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of hunters figuratively being God’s angels is the fact that humans’ perception of “good” and “evil” is distorted by personal experience and emotion, making “right” and “wrong” a matter of perspective. The grey area is growing rapidly, and, with hunters being such damaged people, it’s certain to get much larger. This’ll make for wonderful tension-filled stories, create a slew of fallible characters to empathize with, stir up enough conflict to keep the plot at a rolling boil for a good long while, and likely provide an interesting commentary on themes such as good vs. evil, choice vs. destiny, and a SPN spin on our place in it all. Go Show!
Hey guys, it’s almost Thursday! :)
Wow, it’s been a long time since I’ve posted meta. First I want to say that
spnematography has a new header thanks to
lierina's amazing graphics skills. Hopefully things will pick up once we get a new batch of episodes to think about. Jan. 31st is almost here! :)
Second I feel like I should explain the scattered nature of this post. This started as an episode prompt for 3x03 in October (OMG *headdesk*) then spilled into a number of other episodes which disqualified it from being exclusively a 3x03 prompt. Then I was slow to finish it and “Fresh Blood” (3x07) aired, turning the premise of the original meta on its head (that’ll teach me to submit things on time). Then holidays, work, and life converged, causing me to consume large quantities of caffeine and my brain to seize. Excuses, excuses … blah blah. *makes talking mouth motions with hands* What remains below are the quasi-salvageable pieces of a couple attempts at something I was too stubborn to give up, what I call the Frankenstein of all meta. Thanks to
hugemind for her feedback.
***
Religious belief and faith aren’t foreign themes in Supernatural. The corruption of good intentions and wayward souls committing “evil” acts were central themes in “Faith” (1x12) and “HotH” (2x13). The mystery of what lies beyond death was touched on, but not answered in “Home” (1x09), “Roadkill” (2x16) and “AHBL-2” (2x22). Fervent religiosity appeared with the introduction of Kubric in “BDaBD” (3x03), and the idea of a Godless world was broached in “Sin City” (3x04). And to complicate matters more, one could argue that a hunter’s dealings with the supernatural both confirms and denies the existence of God in the context of the show as gleaned from Sam and Dean’s differing views on Faith in “HotH”:
Dean: “What’s your deal? … Look, I’ll admit I’m a bit of a skeptic, but since when are you all Mr. 700 Club? Seriously, from the get go you’ve been willing to buy this angel crap, man. What’s next, you gonna start praying everyday?”
Sam: “I do … I do pray everyday. I have for a long time.”
---
Dean: “I get it. You’ve got faith. Good for you. I’m sure it makes things easier. I’ll tell you who else had faith like that … Mom. She used tell me when she tucked me in that angels were watching over us. Fact that was the last thing she ever said to me … She was wrong. There was nothing protecting her. There’s no higher power. There’s no God. There’s just chaos and violence, random unpredictable evil that comes out of nowhere and rips you to shreds. So you want me to believe in this stuff? I’m gonna need some hard proof. You got any?”
So after two and a half seasons why are we still grappling with the questions like: Does a higher power of good exist in SPN? Does it even matter? Are there light agents that counterbalance dark demons?
This meta is my interpretation of the religious undertones presented in the show in an attempt to answer those questions. The juxtaposition of religious iconography and hunting and instances of repeated dialogue will be used as a jumping off point to examine human (hunter) perception, morality, and the subjectivity of “good” and “evil”. Then I’ll blab a little on how I think that’s all blurring the dividing line between “right” and “wrong” and darkening the side of the light. And finally, a hunter’s place in the broader scheme of things and them as agents of God will be addressed.
Please know my intentions are not to offend anyone, insult God, religion or spirituality, or stir up a hot-headed controversy. Everything that follows is just my opinion; I don’t expect everyone to agree, but please don’t flame and/or send me nasty e-mails. That being said, I’m not against discussion or friendly debate. That’s what meta is for after all. Like in kindergarten, play nice, don’t throw sand, and feel free to share (your thoughts). :)
The Introduction of Religious Belief and Religiosity in Hunting
To avoid misunderstandings and offending anyone, I want to make the distinction between “religious” and “religiosity”. Religiosity is the state of being excessively, obtrusively or sentimentally religious. This differs from being simply religious, which is defined as “related to or manifesting faithful devotion to an acknowledged ultimate reality of deity”. When I equate someone with religiosity I’m suggesting they have zealous and consuming religious beliefs, which is different than someone simply having faith in a higher power.
Religious and Hunting Iconography
The juxtaposition of hunting and religious symbols has teased us since “Hookman” (1x07) (Cap. 1). But as far as I can discern, the first overt and repeated paring of religious belief and the hunting lifestyle appears in the appropriately named episode 1x21 “Salvation”.
Cap 1. Caps from
marishna ,
leggyslove , and screencap paradise.
“Salvation” is the first time we actually see the blessing ritual that sanctifies water performed. It also marks the appearance of Pastor Jim, a hunter and a priest, the perfect embodiment of an avenging angel. Throughout Pastor Jim’s opening scene we’re accosted with religious iconography: the stained glass windows of Jesus and his disciples, the crucifix, the bible, the chalice containing the symbolic sacrificial blood of Christ (heh … the only way I could imagine more blatant foreshadowing is if Pastor Jim drank from the cup), and the red and yellow alter cloth bearing the Cross.
Caps 2, 3, & 4.
The symmetry of double identities is maintained when Meg reveals her demon self and Pastor Jim is forced to unveil his hunter side. He retreats to his bunker where the juxtaposition of a hunter’s arsenal and religious artifacts smacks us over the head: Pastor Jim dressed in his priest’s collar stands before an army of weapons, wielding a dagger bearing the inscription “God’s Eye”, a fitting choice for a hunter/man of God. Ironically, it’s “God’s Eye”, Pastor Jim’s own weapon, that’s turned against him and used for murder.
The fact that we’re treated to a lingering shot of the knife (why bother?) and the inscription (why bother?) makes me wonder if Kripke telling us something about the state of man and God in SPN. Is God watching? And if he is, where are the reinforcements? Although not a forthright verbal statement, it rings eerily similar to Andy’s words in “Sin City”:“Father, God’s not with us. Not anymore … he can’t help us. And if he can, he won’t.”
Caps 5 & 6. For a more detailed description of the symbols/sigils in Jim’s hunter’s enclave read
sadelyrate ’s Tiny Trifle’s “Salvation” post.
An interesting side note is the use of color in these two scenes. Notice the repeated pairing of red, yellow, and blue. Red and yellow together often appear with a demonic presence.
sadelyrate and
hearseeno suggest blue is linked to “good”, Faith, and characters who display tendencies for altruistic self-sacrifice and that together red, yellow, and blue comprise SPN’s color trinity (posts here and here). With the prevalence of red, yellow, and blue, it certainly does seem like the production team has chosen a split color palate. Using cool colors to visually offset the warmer side of the spectrum is common, and prescribing a context in which to loosely use each color is an excellent way to compliment storytelling. With Pastor Jim sacrificing his life to protect the Winchesters, it seems that the working hypothesis about color holds true. Yay. :)
Religiosity and the Hunter’s Mentality (a.k.a. the salvageable remnants of my 3x03 and 3x07 episode prompts)
Kubric’s appearance in “ABDaBR” marks the pairing of religiosity and hunting. The religious references begin as soon as Kubric opens his mouth in the opening scene. He refers to the breech at the Devil’s Gate in Wyoming as “St. Helena’s big”. This is a religious reference to the pious St. Helena’s (ca. 250 - ca. 330) discovery of the True Cross and nails, the supposed remains used in Jesus’ crucifixion. St. Helena was also renowned for her fervent religious beliefs and her resolve “to bring God to Palestine”1,2. Likely this is an allusion to Kubric’s self-proclaimed mission to fulfill what he comes to believe is “God’s will”: killing Sam Winchester.
In Kubric’s subsequent scenes we’re treated to a number of religious symbols: the concave figure of Jesus with the shifting eyes, the large portrait of Jesus with his eyes trained on heaven, and the religious-themed bumper stickers on the RV. Note the reoccurring emphasis on divine eyes (recall Pastor Jim’s “God’s Eye” dagger).
Cap. 7 & 8.
And just like Pastor Jim in “Salvation”, Kubric’s religious beliefs and hunting lifestyle are shown by the juxtaposition of the hunter’s arsenal and religious iconography.
Cap. 9.
Furthermore, Kubric repeatedly mimics the portrait of Jesus by turning his eyes toward heaven whenever information regarding Sam falls into his lap. First when he and Creedy stumble across the picture of Sam and Dean on the restaurant’s webpage and then after they discover Sam alone and unconscious at the motel. I think if Kubric were introduced in a darker, less humorous episode he would’ve been perceived as more threatening (and probably been meta-ed on more), but as it is he’s creepy enough. *shivers*
Cap. 10 & 11.
The degree to which religiosity is embedded in Kubric’s hunting mentality is shown again in his last scene in “Fresh Blood”.
Kubric: “I’m sorry, you what this means.”
Gordon: “It means you have to kill me …It is the one good thing to come out of this nightmare.”
Kubric: “Gordon, I’m sorry. You know I can’t let you walk out of here.”
Gordon: “Listen to me. There is nothing more important. Please.” Gazes at the crucifix on the wall. “I can do one last good thing for the world.”
Kubric: “Yeah, I hear ya. Gordon, you’re right. One. Last. Good. Thing.”
Gordon kills Kubric and whispers, “I’m sorry.”
Again we’re greeted with religious symbols--Kubric for the first time is wearing a silver cross on a chain. He fingers this cross before reaching for the knife to kill Gordon, saying, “Gordon, you’re right. [I can do] One. Last. Good. Thing.” I think the subtext suggests that Kubric believes by killing vampire!Gordon he’s not only fulfilling his hunter’s duty but exacting what he believes to be God’s will. And appropriately underscoring the religious-tinted themes of self-sacrifice and dogmatic religiosity are the portrait of Jesus with upturned eyes in frame behind dying Kubric and the crucifix bearing the sacrificed body of Jesus backing Gordon’s bloody hand.
Cap. 12 & 13.
But perhaps the most chilling aspect of this scene is that Gordon and Kubric are colleagues, friends even (in “BDaBR” Kubric says Gordon is “the best” and saved his life multiple times). And even though they both apologize profusely for what they’re about to do (hello, three times!), it’s clear their black-and-white perceptions of good and evil and their hunter’s creed supersedes everything else, including their personal relationship. This is where I believe (as does the rest of fandom most likely) Sam and Dean are the exception; this is what will save them in the end from walking the same road Gordon and Kubric did. Because Sam and Dean are very similar to Kubric and Gordon (and other hunters) in many ways, but unlike Kubric and Gordon all rules about hunting and good and evil don’t apply to anything that carries the surname Winchester for good or bad. And perhaps this is why the embrace between Kubric and Gordon is the mirror image (a.k.a. the identical opposite) of Sam and Dean’s embrace at the end of “AHBL-1” (2x21).
Cap. 14 & 15.
Kubric (or Gordon) as a Christ figure is highly debatable and too contentious for me to touch with a ten-foot pole. But it’s interesting that Kubric and Pastor Jim were murdered while enacting the hunter’s creed (and I suppose Gordon in his own twisted way), each protecting and defending the safety of the world at large. Ironically, Pastor Jim, a Winchester ally, and Kubric, a Winchester enemy, both died to protect the Winchesters. There’s something satisfying about Kubric’s hunting dogma being such an overwhelming motivator that he died trying to kill Gordon and inadvertently protecting Sam, the person he’d vowed to kill in the name of God. Oh, The Show loves irony! *glee*
Murder or necessary, sacrificial killing (depending on your viewpoint) in the name of God leads nicely into the next topic: the role of God’s will, its interpretation, and how that leads to the all important shades of grey and the subsequent darkening of the side of “good”.
God’s Will
Hopefully you’re on board with the idea there’s been an effort since S1 to superimpose religious iconography with hunting-related symbols and link them with certain hunters (Pastor Jim and Kubric), suggesting that Kripke and Co. are making thematic statements about something. Exactly what that something is, however, is debatable. So let’s dig deeper into the past two and a half seasons for God-related/hunting possibilities.
A theme that has been touched on by five different characters in the past two seasons is humans’ belief they’re carrying out “God’s will”. This is first discussed in “HotH” by Sam and Gloria, the hooker who stabbed the church-going murderer in the heart:
Sam: “Why would you that?”
Gloria: “Because it was God’s will.”
Sam: “Did God talk to you?”
Gloria: “I get the sense God’s a little busy for house calls. No, he sent someone … an angel … spoke God’s word …
Sam: “And the word was to kill someone?”
Gloria: “But what I did was important. I helped him smite an evil man. I was chosen for redemption …he told me to wait for the sign …and I knew.”
Sam: “Why him?”
Gloria: “I just know what the angel told me: that this man was guilty to his deepest foundations. And that was good enough for me.”
This is echoed in the same episode by Father Gregory and then by Sam and finally Dean:
Father Gregory: “I received the word of God. He spoke to me. Told me smite the wicked. I’m carrying out his will.”
---
Dean: “Let me guess, you were personally chosen to smite some sinner, you just got to wait for some divine Bat Signal.”
“Yeah actually.”
“Great. I don’t suppose you asked what this alleged bad guy did.”
“Actually I did, Dean. And the angel told me. He hasn’t done anything … yet. But he will … someone’s going to do something awful and I can stop it … maybe we’re hunting an angel here and we should stop. Maybe this is God’s will.”
---
Dean: “The way he died if I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes I never would’ve believe it. I mean … I don’t know what to call it.”
Sam: “What? Dean what did you see?”
Dean: “Maybe … God’s will.”
The idea of God’s will is repeated in “BDaBR” during the conversation between Kubric and Gordon at the end of the episode:
Kubric: “You were right about everything. Sam Winchester is more than a monster. He’s the adversary.”
Gordon: “What was it that convinced you?”
Kubric: “God led me to him. And his will is clear.”
In all of the above examples, except for Dean’s, the idea of carrying out God’s will is accompanied by the belief that the actions required to accomplish this aren’t evil or wrong but justified and necessary. Each person believes they were chosen to exact “justice” and that their actions are dictated by a higher power/divine force that can’t be logically explained. And as a consequence, God’s will can’t be proven or disproved using logical means, making it a matter of opinion, belief, and/or faith.
To further complicate things, the operative phrase here is they’re carrying out what “they believe to be God’s will”, which is different from carrying out God’s true will (whatever that is). Like with most things involving humans (or Kripke), it’s the interpretation of “God’s will”, “good”, “evil”, and “justice” that’s used to repeatedly justify acts of questionable morality or even “evil” (hello, killing people).
It seems Krikpe is pushing forward the idea that perspective is an integral part of SPN. That perhaps morality and God’s will is similar to a Rorschach inkblot where different things can be imagined from a single image depending on the state of mind and the tilt of the head. And like those inkblots, maybe the interpretation of God’s will can’t be proven right or wrong as all images exist, are a matter of perception, and are, in essence, “correct” in their own way. So maybe what’s really God’s will is inconsequential because the truth isn’t the point--for the purposes of the story and characters, the premise of God’s will is just the jumpstart that sets the motor in action.
Furthermore, I think perception and interpretation are responsible for the grey that’s been encroaching on the black and white morality of S1 and the further smudging of the line separating right and wrong that’s been happening since early S2. Now S3 is further exploiting these once solid demarcations by throwing humans (hunters) on both sides of the line by toying with personal interpretations of morality believed to be derived from a higher power (God’s will). I don’t doubt that in the future we’ll be seeing the flip side of the coin with demons and the indoctrination of Lucifier’s will and/or second coming. *gleefully scuffs up the morality line*
But again, God’s true will or the existence of God in the context of the show doesn’t matter because humans only need the idea they’re working for a higher power or toward an ultimate ideal to get the wheel turning. Even then the filter of human emotion, past experience, and personal motivation colors their interpretation of “good” and “evil”, leading to questionable acts of morality.
So just as we saw a merciful and empathic side to demons in “Sin City” that revealed a multifaceted side of “evil”, we should expect to see a more ruthless and side to hunters and the darkening of the side of the “good”. Interestingly enough, that’s exactly what’s been happening since mid-S2. “Hunted” (2x10) revealed the dark side of hunting and tagged hunters as possible psycho enemies. In “HotH” Father Reynolds describes the Archangel Michael, generally viewed as God’s field commander3 (in rabbinic Jewish tradition Michael battled Samael, the Angel of Death 4, 5) as a “flaming sword, fighter of demons, holy force against evil. God’s warrior. Luke 2:9: An angel of the lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shown down upon them, and they were terrified.”
And with those words, the idea of fierce and vigilant avenging angels swift to exact their own definition of justice on behalf of a seemingly absent God’s enters the picture, a darkening of the “good” so to speak.
Hunters: Revenge-driven Sociopaths or Avenging Angels?
We’ve yet to see definitive proof of a fighting side of “good” to actively counterbalance the “evil”. Instead we’re given a motley crew of drifters who wear flannel and carry rock salt in their pockets. These hunters dedicate their lives to a largely thankless mission. They’re obliquely concerned with “service to others” usually at the expense of themselves (martyrdom seems to be the hunters’ society’s super-secret password). They sacrifice their lives for each other, and fight a guerilla-style, invisible war on behalf of the rest of humanity.
But that’s where everything gets complicated because hunters aren’t perfect nor are their motives 100% altruistic. They’re flawed, often outlaws in their own right, having murdered, stolen, and lied. They’re loners who often, but not always, live at the fringes of society and operate not through forthright goodwill and charity but covertly and violently, and often there is collateral damage with innocent people getting killed and/or emotionally, physically, and/or mentally injured. Hunters exact their own brand of justice (sometimes under the guise of God’s will) for what they believe is the greater good of humanity. We’ve seen numerous examples where innocent people were purposely endangered or killed in order to reach a hunter’s endgame (“Something Wicked” 1x18, “Devil’s Trap” 1x21, “Hunted”, “Heart” 2x17, “Sin City”, “Bedtime Stories” 3x05, and “Fresh Blood”), and there are instances where the “evil” things being hunted weren’t a threat (“Bloodlust” 2x03, “Roadkill” 2x16) or even supernatural in nature (“Faith” 1x12, “The Benders” 1x15).
What does that say about hunters as a whole? That they're crazy, cold-blooded, self-sacrificing killers with poor judgment who won't hesitate to murder anyone or anything if it'll exact their definition of "justice" in the end? Note that Dean’s moto “saving people, hunting things” could also be Kubric’s or Gordon’s depending on the perspective of what “saving” is and what “things” are. Maybe Bela's observation about them being "a bunch of obsessed, revenge-driven sociopaths" isn't far from the mark.
Look at psycho Gordon and nut-job Kubric! *meep*
It’s easy to dismiss Gordon and Kubric as the exceptions to the rule, but most hunters exhibit obsessive tendencies and are partially motivated by retribution and revenge. Every hunter whose back story has been revealed started hunting to avenge a personal tragedy. Gordon began his life as a hunter because he wanted to take down his sister’s kidnappers. Issac and Tamara sought retaliation for their daughter’s death. The last half of John’s life and his children’s lives were dictated by the need to avenge Mary’s death. Sam returned to the hunting world to get revenge for Jess’s death. Dean’s personal vendetta was exemplified by his parting words with the YED: “That’s for our mom, you son of a bitch.” Certainly the obsessive and revenge-filled hunter shoe fits a good number of hunters, including the three Winchester men.
Interestingly, both “revenge” and “avenge” are derived from the Latin word vindicare: to claim, avenge, punish (also the source of “vindicate”) 6, 7.
Hunters aren’t unlike the “fierce and vigilant” avenging angels that exact God’s wishes. Even though there aren’t fluffy white feathers involved, they also administer their own brand of vigilante justice for what they believe is the greater good of humanity, and in some cases exacting what they believe to be God’s will.
Take Kubric in “BDaBR” for example. When he’s interrogating Sam, who he’s tied to a chair and drench with water, he says, “I used to think your friend Gordon sent me … because he asked me to track you down and put a bullet in your brain. But as it turns out, I’m on a mission from God.” Then he slaps Sam.
Take Sam in “HotH”: “And the angel told me. He hasn’t done anything … yet. But he will … someone’s going to do something awful and I can stop it.”
Even Dean’s catch phrase for S2 embodies this principle: “Look Dad’s gone now. We have to carry out his legacy and that means hunting down as many evil sons of bitches as we can.”
But the most definitive answer to the question of hunters being avenging angels was given by Kripke in TVGuide.com’s “Ask Ausiello” column for 11/28/07:
"We have a firm belief in the cosmology of this show that evil, in terms of demons, etc, is very tangible and real and out there. Angels and supernatural forces of good are much more elusive. But in my opinion - and the opinion of the writers - if God is out there, he isn't sending angels to fight the battles; he's working through a very human, sweaty, outgunned and overwhelmed group of hunters. For us, these are the angels. I think the point that's very important to us to make is that the forces of good work through humans who are flawed and imperfect and trying to make the right decisions. And that's the way God works. So we try to present that."
*dances*
End Remarks
Perhaps there is no God in SPN, or maybe God’s just sitting back watching (note the repeated use of divine eyes). But maybe it doesn’t really matter because there are hunters to do God’s dirty work. And just maybe Kripke’s been hinting at the parallels between hunters and avenging angels since “Salvation” though the juxtaposition of hunting and religious symbols, the characters of Pastor Jim and Kubric, repeated lines of significant dialogue, and the mind set, motivation, and working methods of hunters as a whole. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of hunters figuratively being God’s angels is the fact that humans’ perception of “good” and “evil” is distorted by personal experience and emotion, making “right” and “wrong” a matter of perspective. The grey area is growing rapidly, and, with hunters being such damaged people, it’s certain to get much larger. This’ll make for wonderful tension-filled stories, create a slew of fallible characters to empathize with, stir up enough conflict to keep the plot at a rolling boil for a good long while, and likely provide an interesting commentary on themes such as good vs. evil, choice vs. destiny, and a SPN spin on our place in it all. Go Show!
Hey guys, it’s almost Thursday! :)