Things I Love About SPN Season 1: Faith #4

[fanspired]

Supernatural, Season 1
Episode 12, “Faith”
Written by Sera Gamble and Raelle Tucker
Directed by Allan Kroeker

Warning: image heavy post.
(Continued from #3)

Comments

[meus_venator]

This was great. I loved your observation about the overhead shot. Someone thought about that I'm sure. A lot of love was lavished on SPN and not just on zoom ins on the boys faces (though I appreciate those too). I also loved the link to Tarot cards. Wouldn't surprise me that they had them in the writers room and were using them as inspiration. And yes, the reaper showing himself was a bit inconsistent but it really worked. And then the show went on to have every reaper with a gripe with the boys showing themselves to them.

This is one of my all time fav episodes. I don't know why I love it so much, the lighting, the desperation. Dean's willingness to die. And you're right they really narrowed in on Dean's sense of unworthiness. It was one of the great things about the character, how could such a good, honest, devoted man think so little of himself. Everyone watching wanted to 'fix' him.

And look at all the great detail in these screencaps that thanks to HD we can now appreciate in its full glory.

[fanspired]

Yes, the sloppy ret-conning of reaper lore in later seasons really bugged me - as did so many things :D

I think this episode was a favourite with many people. It definitely contributed to the crush on Dean I started to develop when we started to see his vulnerabilities. And I agree, the urge to "fix" doubtless played a part in that :P

The cinematography in this episode was superb. I had to reign myself in not to cap every shot! :D

Thanks so much for reading and commenting. I really appreciate the feedback :)))

[casey28]

I think Dean is thinking about the man who died in his place. He felt bad that this is the reason why he's alive. Layla could've lived if he hadn't been healed, so he says she deserves it more.

I enjoy your episode posts, and look forward to more!

[fanspired]

I think you're absolutely right about the reasons Dean feels bad, but I think it goes deeper than just what's happened in this episode. It's true I may be seeing it through the lens of what we learn about him later but, the thing is, the writers could also see him through the same lens. I think, by this stage, they already knew pretty much how the season was going to end and what Azazel was going to reveal about Dean's self image, and they probably also had a general idea of what was going to go down in season 2. Indeed, Dean's closet inferiority complex was probably built into the writers' bible for the character from the start. This early in the show's run we were only beginning to get a glimmer of what was going on beneath the surface (even Jensen said he didn't really start to understand Dean until season 2), but the writers knew from the get go, and I think this is where they start to tip their hand

[casey28]

Yes, like you say, there's also Dean's low self image. He's comparing himself to Layla, someone he sees as "good" and deserving of life.

I'm very happy to give you feedback! I learn a lot from hearing your perspective. You're very welcome.

[fanspired]

Thanks so much! That's so good to hear :)))

[galatera_grass]

It seems to me that in this episode they show that the guys still know very little about any evil spirits, how much they will learn later, in recent seasons. Therefore, there is pure fortune-telling - the Reaper, Death, Tarot, and the Prophet who kills people, and in the end everything will turn out differently. Dean doesn't like himself because he's a good person. He is critical of his actions, does not praise them, delves into everything he has done. I love Dean very much, he is somewhat similar in character to me))) Thanks for the review

[fanspired]

I see a lot of myself in Dean too. I think they're both very relatable characters. Since they represent the poles of human experience, I guess it's inevitable we'll relate to at least one of them, and perhaps both, in different ways :)

Thanks so much for reading and commenting.

[masja_17]

As we learn later he remembers he messed up with Sam, for example with the shtriga. He probably thinks he's not a good enough big brother.
And, yeah, the writers probably knew to make him self-deprecating.

I actually can't remember what I thought the first time I saw the episode, it's too long ago, and I also watched the first six seasons from February to May when season 6 was airing. Caught up just before episode 6.21, so had to wait for that.

I do love your insights, makes me think! 😍

[fanspired]

The shtriga incident occurred to me too, and I'm sure it was in the writers' minds. Still doesn't fully explain the depth of Dean's self-loathing for me though.

Your watching experience almost exactly mirrors mine, except I caught up around Frontierland :)))

Thanks so much for the feedback. It really means a lot to me.