This is information from outside the show, yeah? 'Cause the show doesn't allude to any of this. It makes for an interesting chain of relational events, though.
Of all of the characters we're introduced to, I'd say that Bobby is the demon expert (as presented in "Devil's Trap"), and when Sam was calling around to find John at one point, I think he was on the phone to Caleb when he mentioned John purchasing munitions from the person on the other end of the line.
Bobby is a good source for supplies (he keeps a very well-stocked pantry), but I've never gotten the impression that Bobby was particularly reckless or foolhardy (though his "decor" is apparently loaded.) Considering that Bobby made most of the curse boxes in John's storage locker (for John, iirc), it doesn't quite track for me that he would just leave things lying around for John to remove.
It does make for an interesting take on the characters' relationship though.
Still, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who picked up on that dagger in the episode. Even if it did take me six seasons for it to click.
It's hard for me to respond to a post like this without mentioning the whole "what's canon" debate, I guess: There is a massive amount of information in John's journal and in the comics that have been blessed repeatedly by Kripke as the aspect of the story that they didn't have time for in the show itself. (The novels never got that level of endorsement.) Everyone rightfully has their own idea of what canon encompasses and what it doesn't, so I should have prefaced my reply.
Oh, yes. We've had this conversation regarding the extra-show stuff and whether or not it's canon. 'Tis why I asked. :-)
If I were to consider everything that has Kripke's "blessing" to be canon, I would be sadly, sorely, woefully, poorly informed, with huge, gaping vacuous holes in my understanding of Show, as I don't have the time or energy or inclination to delve into the comics, the anime (which has Kripke's approval as well), and all the tie-in stuff. (The recently released novel was written by Kripke's assistant, and he wrote a preface for the book. Does that count as having Kripke's blessing?) In which case, I would feel I must withdraw from fandom due to lack of being able to keep up and contribute. Which would make me sad.
But I know you have outside/tie-in knowledge that I don't, which you consider to be canon. I guess I'm of the mind that if it's important enough to be canon, they'll include it in the show in some way. It's the difference in our approach. You approach things as common knowledge, and I'm going "Bzuh? That wasn't on the show." Which is fine, now that I know you're drawing on other information and I'm not losing my mind. Like I said, it's why I asked. :-)
I also tend to take much of what Kripke says with a grain of salt, considering his history of contradicting himself and changing his mind. But that's a totally different can of worms that I'm not gonna open.
But your link!!!! DUDE! THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! That. Right there. It doesn't look particularly "ancient," and who knows how Pastor Jim came to have it in his possession. (Do you know?) But I'm inclined to think that since Bobby had no idea that demon-killing cutlery existed indicates that this particular piece of silverware has yet to be tried and tested in our lifetime. Or Bobby's. Or Jim's. Or whoever's.
But dude. It's right there. In a throw-away. Literally. Heh.
Also, looking at the date of the post . . . awwwwwww. That was less than a year after I discovered Show. Awwww . . . .
For what's it worth, I *absolutely* do not regard anything other than aired Show material to be canon. The comics are ridiculous and contradict the show right and left, and I don't think the tie-in novels are meant to even agree with each other (and they don't), let alone serve as canon. I do use the online John's Journal material here and there, just as something to springboard off of, but again, I don't view it as cast-in-stone canon because the show contradicts it now and then.
As far as "Kripke's blessing" goes, I think that's more a legality than anything else. And consider the fact that the novel his assistant wrote is full of factual errors.
Okay, so... now I'm really perplexed. If I were to say I did have a story about God's Eye, be it character notes or otherwise, I suppose it wouldn't matter now, since other sources besides TV episodes appaz have no merit? Which is it?! LOL
Your confusion is contagious. You say you have character notes with background on Jim's dagger? Like, Kripke!fic?
I look at tie-in materials the same way I look at fanfiction. It's nifty-neato, and if it fits the source material, have at. (One of my favorite pieces of tie-in material is my Northern Exposure cookbook. It reads as if it was actually written by the characters. The character voices are so freakin' clear, I can hear the actors' voices in my head as I read it.) But I don't take it as source material canon. I might call it "almost canon," which is what I did in the Numb3rs fandom. The writer/creators might say that their intent was thus-and-so, but if it didn't show up in the ep, or if the creators changed their approach, whatever showed up on the screen was canon. Peripheral stuff was "almost canon." It could have been canon, but didn't quite make it.
I discuss the concept a little bit in the community profile for real_numb3rshere.
I might call the Kripke-blessed tie-in items "official fanfic." "Official" in that they have Kripke's approval. "Fanfic" in that it's not part of the world created on the screen. It's a tie-in property. It's not that it doesn't have merit. It just doesn't carry the weight that the source material (i.e., the show) has. If tie-in material contradicts Show, Show trumps tie-in.
If that makes sense. But that's just me.
Anyway, do with this as you will. I didn't mean to go off on a tangent, and offer apologies for doing so.
Warning: I'm in questionably weird headspace right now, so if this post makes no sense or seems unnecessary, I apologize.
I also hope I didn't put you off yesterday by my rambling. Don't know if I came across too harsh or whatever, but that was not my intent.
It seems this is what happens when I spend entire work days with no one else darkening my door. The only interaction I have is with my f-list, and I tend to become very verbose, perhaps unduly so.
Of all of the characters we're introduced to, I'd say that Bobby is the demon expert (as presented in "Devil's Trap"), and when Sam was calling around to find John at one point, I think he was on the phone to Caleb when he mentioned John purchasing munitions from the person on the other end of the line.
Bobby is a good source for supplies (he keeps a very well-stocked pantry), but I've never gotten the impression that Bobby was particularly reckless or foolhardy (though his "decor" is apparently loaded.) Considering that Bobby made most of the curse boxes in John's storage locker (for John, iirc), it doesn't quite track for me that he would just leave things lying around for John to remove.
It does make for an interesting take on the characters' relationship though.
Still, it's good to know that I'm not the only one who picked up on that dagger in the episode. Even if it did take me six seasons for it to click.
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It's hard for me to respond to a post like this without mentioning the whole "what's canon" debate, I guess: There is a massive amount of information in John's journal and in the comics that have been blessed repeatedly by Kripke as the aspect of the story that they didn't have time for in the show itself. (The novels never got that level of endorsement.) Everyone rightfully has their own idea of what canon encompasses and what it doesn't, so I should have prefaced my reply.
Reply
If I were to consider everything that has Kripke's "blessing" to be canon, I would be sadly, sorely, woefully, poorly informed, with huge, gaping vacuous holes in my understanding of Show, as I don't have the time or energy or inclination to delve into the comics, the anime (which has Kripke's approval as well), and all the tie-in stuff. (The recently released novel was written by Kripke's assistant, and he wrote a preface for the book. Does that count as having Kripke's blessing?) In which case, I would feel I must withdraw from fandom due to lack of being able to keep up and contribute. Which would make me sad.
But I know you have outside/tie-in knowledge that I don't, which you consider to be canon. I guess I'm of the mind that if it's important enough to be canon, they'll include it in the show in some way. It's the difference in our approach. You approach things as common knowledge, and I'm going "Bzuh? That wasn't on the show." Which is fine, now that I know you're drawing on other information and I'm not losing my mind. Like I said, it's why I asked. :-)
I also tend to take much of what Kripke says with a grain of salt, considering his history of contradicting himself and changing his mind. But that's a totally different can of worms that I'm not gonna open.
But your link!!!! DUDE! THIS IS WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! That. Right there. It doesn't look particularly "ancient," and who knows how Pastor Jim came to have it in his possession. (Do you know?) But I'm inclined to think that since Bobby had no idea that demon-killing cutlery existed indicates that this particular piece of silverware has yet to be tried and tested in our lifetime. Or Bobby's. Or Jim's. Or whoever's.
But dude. It's right there. In a throw-away. Literally. Heh.
Also, looking at the date of the post . . . awwwwwww. That was less than a year after I discovered Show. Awwww . . . .
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As far as "Kripke's blessing" goes, I think that's more a legality than anything else. And consider the fact that the novel his assistant wrote is full of factual errors.
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I look at tie-in materials the same way I look at fanfiction. It's nifty-neato, and if it fits the source material, have at. (One of my favorite pieces of tie-in material is my Northern Exposure cookbook. It reads as if it was actually written by the characters. The character voices are so freakin' clear, I can hear the actors' voices in my head as I read it.) But I don't take it as source material canon. I might call it "almost canon," which is what I did in the Numb3rs fandom. The writer/creators might say that their intent was thus-and-so, but if it didn't show up in the ep, or if the creators changed their approach, whatever showed up on the screen was canon. Peripheral stuff was "almost canon." It could have been canon, but didn't quite make it.
I discuss the concept a little bit in the community profile for real_numb3rs here.
I might call the Kripke-blessed tie-in items "official fanfic." "Official" in that they have Kripke's approval. "Fanfic" in that it's not part of the world created on the screen. It's a tie-in property. It's not that it doesn't have merit. It just doesn't carry the weight that the source material (i.e., the show) has. If tie-in material contradicts Show, Show trumps tie-in.
If that makes sense. But that's just me.
Anyway, do with this as you will. I didn't mean to go off on a tangent, and offer apologies for doing so.
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I also hope I didn't put you off yesterday by my rambling. Don't know if I came across too harsh or whatever, but that was not my intent.
It seems this is what happens when I spend entire work days with no one else darkening my door. The only interaction I have is with my f-list, and I tend to become very verbose, perhaps unduly so.
So, anyway, sorry 'bout that.
Have a grand weekend.
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