Sadism (a.k.a. “Upping the Stakes”): The Heart of Every Drama
I’ve had a primitive incarnation of this meta, which was supposed to be the twin of this meta, festering on my hard drive for years. Because we’re encroaching on the end of yet another season, I thought it would be fun to dust it off and finish it. The original premise (from early S3 … doh!) was about upping the stakes in fiction and how SPN does
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Although, I would like to point out a different frame for season five in which the quest is: stop the apocalypse, repair the relationship. There's also been a narrative thread through the season about roles that has been embodied in the the boys being vessels for Lucifer and Michael. Both Dean and Sam have broken their traditional role inside the Winchester family of little brother/big brother and, this way, they have basically solved the second quest you point out in your scheme-type.
If you look at it this way, I'd say that the boys have repaired their relationship already and and they will, most likely, stop the apocalypse. Seen under this aspect, I'd say that this is the only season when both subplots have been resolved, and in the end there won't be any big cliffhanger, no upping of the stakes, this time.
Or maybe it's just me who's being optimistic. I would love a clear-cut victory for Dean and Sam. They alredy have so many things that they need to take care of personally and together once the end of the world is averted. And the big question next season could be: how do you keep living a semi-normal life when the big crisis that lasted 5 years (or 26 years) has been resolved.
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Yes, I agree there could be a 3rd goal this season just like, depending how you look at it, there could've been a 3rd goal (preserve the brother relationship) last season. I guess the reason I didn't really emphasize that or discuss the 3rd goal in S4 was because I saw them more as the emotional story, which I considered to play into the "CONFLICT" aspect of the season more than the surface plots (i.e. goals). But it's really a matter of is the glass half full or half empty. :)
Both Dean and Sam have broken their traditional role inside the Winchester family of little brother/big brother and, this way, they have basically solved the second quest you point out in your scheme-type.
Are you referring to "Say 'No' to Lucifer and Michael"? If so, I'm not quite understanding exactly how those two things tie directly into each other. So sorry, sometimes I can be completely dense, but I want to make sure I understand what you you mean before I start rambling...
this is the only season when both subplots have been resolved, and in the end there won't be any big cliffhanger, no upping of the stakes, this time.
I think in S2 both goals were also solved (kill Azazel and "save" Sam). But you make a good point, no cliffhanger. If you look at this season in terms of only your two goals, then we also come to the same conclusion! The apocalypse was stopped and the boys' relationship was repaired = resolutions all around = tying this season with a tidy bow. If you look at this season in terms of only my two goals, then we still have the general pattern of at least 1 goal being achieved and the other failed goal ("Saying 'No' to Lucifer and Michael) fuels one of next season's goals. I think it's pretty awesome that both hold true and they're not mutually exclusive. In fact, both happened during the finale. We got our 2 resolutions and then a mini cliffhanger at the end that spun from Sam failing to saying "No" to Lucifer.
I would love a clear-cut victory for Dean and Sam
As would I. I think (hope) now that we've had the literary end of the story (the closing of the intended 5-year arc) complete with changed characters and the fulfillment of the implicit promise, we can get our fannish ending next season with the clear-cut victory and send the boys onto greener pastures without impending doom or brother separation.
the big question next season could be: how do you keep living a semi-normal life when the big crisis that lasted 5 years (or 26 years) has been resolved.
It would be nice to see the boys learn who they are without constantly living in a state of personal crisis. I'd like to think their relationship would be all the better for it, too.
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So my wishes for a clear-cut win were not satisfied it seems. Yes, Sam's alive but what's up with him? (I hope nothing, to be honest). And Dean is possibly at his lowest (and wow we thought that we'd reached that a long time ago!).
So back to your question.
Are you referring to "Say 'No' to Lucifer and Michael"? If so, I'm not quite understanding exactly how those two things tie directly into each other. So sorry, sometimes I can be completely dense, but I want to make sure I understand what you mean before I start rambling...
More or less, yes. But I've tended to read the vessel subplot more as a metaphor for Dean and Sam breaking their roles in their (dysfunctional) family dynamic. In every sense this has happened in the finale. Dean, the good little soldier needed to say no to win. Sam the rebel who possibly had always used no as standard reply had to say yes. In any case, the old dynamic is gone. Both Dean and Sam have embraced their deepest fears (losing Sam/becoming a monster) and both have triumphed. Both saved the world with active choices and are left as heroes, sad and a little bit wiser. Sure, they don't know it yet - well, Dean doesn't - but the hint is there that they will get their reward in the end.
Anyway, it seems that we were both right no matter which goals we choose to read this season. The sad thing for me is that I got what I was hoping for, but the idea of Dean having to live with the knowledge that Sam's in hell is possibly one of the worst ending I could have imagined. I surely didn't want that. :(
It would be nice to see the boys learn who they are without constantly living in a state of personal crisis. I'd like to think their relationship would be all the better for it, too.
I'm still holding hope for that to happen next season. In an interview there was something - I won't say what because I don't want to spoil you in case you don't want to be spoiled - that reinforces the possibility of this wish to come true. I truly need it. I don't even care that Dean and Sam end separated by personal choices as long as each know that the other is alive and well in the world.
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