On further review: More thoughts about 12.12

[caranfindel]

I've been thinking a lot about Mary's actions this season, particularly in 12.12. I came down pretty hard on her, but some Tumblr conversations have got me rethinking things.

Comments

[z_publicizes]

This is one of those cases where I think I can see what the writers are going for but that only makes the flaws in the execution more glaring. The Big Plan endgame is pretty likely, if only for structural pattern reasons. Mary is keeping it a secret because...that's what you do with shady decisions on SPN. That said, she's got an established history of keeping big secrets from her loved ones. She didn't tell John anything about her hunting background or deal with a demon or occasional hunting excursions. I'm sure we're supposed to see her as well-enough-intentioned but wrongheaded on this--and I like that they're writing her as fallible, with complicated motivations. In theory.

Unfortunately, my annoyance with the BMOL (as a fictional construct) is kind of bleeding on every plot strand here.

I've been thinking of what it would've been like if the BMOL had gotten introduced without the completely-gratuitous-from-any-storytelling-angle torture scenes. Because even if you accept the explanation that Lady Toni went rogue, you're still left with the question of why anyone would want to rely on an organization that has such rogue elements/hasn't been properly vetting its agents. If they'd instead been introduced on their best behavior, with gradual reveals of their shadiness, then the should-we-shouldn't-we work with them tension would probably work better.

[caranfindel]

Oh yeah, if they'd let us gradually figure out that the BMoL were evil, that would have been so much better. But then I would have missed out on wet bloody scruffy single-torn-layer barefoot Sam, and that would have been a tragedy.

Anyway. I think it makes sense for Sam, at least, to accept the "she's just one bad apple" excuse regarding Toni Bevell. Dean should have been less likely, especially considering what they did to Sam.

[z_publicizes]

Well, they could've had Sam abducted by some other antagonist--the Thule, a few surviving Stein second cousins, another group of rogue demons/angels, whatever--who would've given us wet bloody scruffy single-torn-layer barefoot Sam. The BMoL could then have rescued him and earned a measure of good will from both characters and audience. Think how the angels were set up in season four.This would also have established the BMoL as competent at taking out threats while sowing hints at how they can be insidiously manipulative. Maybe we'd get a reveal down the line that they'd set Sam up to be imperiled so they could play rescuer and earn his trust.

We could have had the same "bedroom" interrogation scene between Toni and Sam but without any noncon. Instead, she could be trying to comfort him on his recent captivity/sympathize with him about the loss of his brother--which would make the audience want to trust her, even knowing we probably shouldn't--while also trying to suss out information.

The Winchesters would still be suspicious/resistant to the BMoL's "help" because they're interfering outsiders and where have they been for the last five apocalypses, but there could be more ambiguity over whether that resistant-to-any-outside-influence attitude is good.