Quick Reaction: 6x07 Family Matters
Supernatural is building a mystery...
And then solving it.
Man oh man, where to begin. Yet another test to see how much wine I can drink, how much an 18 block walk home can sober me up, and then how much I can remember after all that....
As I recall, we begin where we left off, almost...we don't get to see Dean struggle an unconscious Sam out to the car. We do get to see that Dean has tied Sam to a chair and prayed Cas down from heaven. I like the opening of Sam's blurry vision on Cas - and Cas saying "You're right, he does look terrible...you did this?"
I like this whole scene really - from Cas trying to diagnose Sam "Has he been speaking in tongues? Have you been speaking in tongues?" to Sam's confusion as to why Cas is taking off his belt ("this will be unpleasant" - haha, not putting Sam at ease there, Cas)...to Cas basically torturing Sam to look for his soul.
I love the special effects on the "angel cavity search" - if you remember in The Third Man, when Cas stuck his arm in the boy, he glowed blue...Sam just glows red and you can see all the veins in his neck. Really well done.
We find out that Sam's soul is gone! Oh noes! It's too bad the preview last week totally ruined me for that surprise. (I'm still going to watch the preview for next week once I finish typing this up though.)
I like the next scene, that starts off with Dean and Cas talking about WHAT IT ALL MEANS...and I'm sitting there thinking "Is Sam still in the room? What did they do with Sam?" But he's still there, they're just talking about him like he's not...because as Dean asks, "is it even Sam?" and I agree with Cas - Dean poses an interesting philosophical question.
Is that Sam? It appears in Supernatural, the soul governs emotions, morality and gut instinct....how much of those things make up who someone is? If your loved one goes crazy and their personality is completely replaced, do you still love them? The body that is Sam Winchester still has memory, skill, and intellect, but it seems that's it.
And before anyone goes on about how Sam has totally been displaying emotion - think about how you can INTELLECTUALLY know what emotion you are SUPPOSED to be displaying at any given time, yet, you don't necessarily always HAVE that emotion. I think Sam's been very good at reading social cues, or using his skills at manipulation to assess what emotions are expected of him (or will best get him out of a situation) and then "displaying" those.
Anyway, before I get too off track, let's return to the show...
Sam's soul might still be in the cage with Lucifer and Michael...that's...not good. If souls are feelings....then that means souls can feel. So, Sam might be topside, but is his soul still being tortured? I'm very worried about Sam's soul right now.
Anyway, our intrepid Trio take a trip to Grandpa's house to search for clues. Grandpa meets Cas and insults him off the bat - not a way to win friends and influence people, Gramps!
We find out though that Castiel's true form is as big as the Chrysler building! Wow! I've never been there, but I hear good things about it's size...it must be very crowded in little Jimmy.
Oh wait! I've jumped ahead! How awesome was Dean's "Newman" line?!?! I don't even like Seinfeld, and I thought it was awesome.
Ok, back to the show - Castiel cavity searches Grandpa and we find out that Grandpa has his soul...which is so not fair, because when was the last time Grandpa saved all of humanity by sacrificing himself?
But I digress...Castiel has to go back to heaven, because the moon tells him so...and Dean tells him that he better "search the attic" for a solution to the Sam-soul problem, and Castiel says "of course, your problems always come first" - LOVE IT! Hahahaha, oh man, I love how out of everything that Castiel could have picked up from the Winchesters, he decided to go with extremely dry sarcasm.
Grandpa does let slip something interesting though: Sam scares him sometimes. I thought that was really cool - because this whole time we've focused on Dean not being able to trust anyone, but other people have problems too...and yeah, Grandfather's can also get scared by their amoral grandsons.
Anyway, Grandpa has a lead on the Alpha-vamp, and Dean wants in...but Grandpa doesn't trust Dean because he doesn't "know him" - dude, he traveled back in time and tried to save your daughter...you know him a LITTLE. But whatever...Dean promises to go back to being Daddy's little soldier and Grandpa says that he can come along.
This is why I think that even growing up, Dean knew how to play his father...because as soon as Dean gets outside, he tells Sam that he doesn't trust Grandpa (as well he shouldn't) and that he's going along to spy...
Anyway, he doesn't get to rummage through Grandpa's office because Christian finds him - insults Lisa, and then infers that he might kill Dean on the hunt. I liked Dean's response to that. Of course, we find out later that it's not really Christian and has never been...which might explain why I hate that dude so much.
They go after the Alpha and Dean is regulated to the perimeter with Gwen, who is none too pleased. They kill one vampire and then Dean takes off to see what the hell is happening...he discovers that Sam is carting the Alpha away instead of killing him....which Sam knows about, because Sam is right there looking around (and looking damn fine while doing so).
I liked the different camera angles on the drive back - we usually don't get to see them from the backseat, and it was cool.
Dean pulls over when Sam won't admit to the Alpha-vamps capture....I thought this scene was very neat. Sam explains that Samuel needs them for questioning, and that it was Sam's idea not to tell Dean, because Dean tends to shoot first. Dean asks why Gramps wants to talk to them and Sam doesn't even know...and Dean realizes that Sam has basically absolutely not gut instinct anymore for what is shady and what isn't.
There's a quote from Hamlet that I love: "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" - it appears in Supernatural's case, there is nothing either good or bad, but YOUR SOUL makes it so. Sam's lost his moral compass - which is a pretty huge thing for Sam to lose, given that when the show started he WAS the moral compass. (True, he went into grey areas more than Dean as the show progressed, but of everyone, Sam struggled with his morality the most).
Dean tells him that Sam's going to have to let Dean call all the shots until he gets his soul back, because Sam cannot be trusted to make the right decisions.....and man, the last five years of Sam carefully eking out his independence are undone just like that. It also might shed a little light on why Sam tied himself to Grandpa without question - intellectually, he must have noticed a problem but not been able to figure out what it was, but he may have decided it was better to have someone else make his decisions...since Dean was out of the picture (because, no doubt, Sam could remember wanting Dean to have a normal life), Sam trusted 'family.' Family who wouldn't realize how messed up he was, that is...because obviously he didn't stick around Bobby's that long.
Dean tells Sam that it's either do as Dean says, or go back to Grandpa, but he can't have both. (I knew Sam would chose Dean though)
Sam walks into Grandpa's office and tells him that Dean took off. Grandpa doesn't fall for it though. Luckily, Grandpa died in the early 70s and doesn't understand technology, so Sam just tracks him using the internet.
I like how Sam says "we'll go to plan B" and Dean says "there's a plan B?"...Dean might have to call the moral shots, but Sam still has the intellect.
We discover that Alpha-vamps are not hurt by electric chairs and they have VERY sharp fingernails.
Also, they like soulless boys.
Also, SOMEONE is looking for Purgatory (which is where all the monsters go when they die).
Also, GRANDPA IS CROWLEY'S BITCH! Oh man...I knew Crowley had to have a bigger end plan than just using the Apocalypse to become King of Hell and trying to keep Bobby's soul....apparently, he's also interested in real-estate...and we get our first glimpse at the "new ideas" that Crowley is trying to introduce in Hell.
Now, I'm a little fuzzy on why Crowley has Grandpa over a barrel, but I understand why he has Sam and Dean over one - do as he says, and Sam gets his soul back...don't do as he says, and we're stuck with Robo!Sam forever...
OH oh, and how awesome was it that Dean actually called him Robo!Sam?!?!! Guys guys, IT'S LIKE THEY READ OUR BLOGS (they totally do).
ETA: Oh! I forgot to talk about the end where Grandpa was like "well, you either let me do my thing, or you shoot your grandfather, and Sam PULLED A GUN! AWESOME. But you know what was awesome about it? How Dean just casually reached over and lowered Sam's gun. It sort of gives us an insight into how Sam's mind works without a soul...swear loyalty to Dean, shoot Grandpa if that's what he thinks Dean wants.
So...work with a demon, or stick to your morals?....Sammy says work with the demon and then stab him in the neck. Dean says *facepalm*
Man, remember when Supernatural had the formula where they'd hit us heavy for the first three episodes and then give us something hilarious? Yeah...not so much anymore, eh? I am not complaining.
And then solving it.
Man oh man, where to begin. Yet another test to see how much wine I can drink, how much an 18 block walk home can sober me up, and then how much I can remember after all that....
As I recall, we begin where we left off, almost...we don't get to see Dean struggle an unconscious Sam out to the car. We do get to see that Dean has tied Sam to a chair and prayed Cas down from heaven. I like the opening of Sam's blurry vision on Cas - and Cas saying "You're right, he does look terrible...you did this?"
I like this whole scene really - from Cas trying to diagnose Sam "Has he been speaking in tongues? Have you been speaking in tongues?" to Sam's confusion as to why Cas is taking off his belt ("this will be unpleasant" - haha, not putting Sam at ease there, Cas)...to Cas basically torturing Sam to look for his soul.
I love the special effects on the "angel cavity search" - if you remember in The Third Man, when Cas stuck his arm in the boy, he glowed blue...Sam just glows red and you can see all the veins in his neck. Really well done.
We find out that Sam's soul is gone! Oh noes! It's too bad the preview last week totally ruined me for that surprise. (I'm still going to watch the preview for next week once I finish typing this up though.)
I like the next scene, that starts off with Dean and Cas talking about WHAT IT ALL MEANS...and I'm sitting there thinking "Is Sam still in the room? What did they do with Sam?" But he's still there, they're just talking about him like he's not...because as Dean asks, "is it even Sam?" and I agree with Cas - Dean poses an interesting philosophical question.
Is that Sam? It appears in Supernatural, the soul governs emotions, morality and gut instinct....how much of those things make up who someone is? If your loved one goes crazy and their personality is completely replaced, do you still love them? The body that is Sam Winchester still has memory, skill, and intellect, but it seems that's it.
And before anyone goes on about how Sam has totally been displaying emotion - think about how you can INTELLECTUALLY know what emotion you are SUPPOSED to be displaying at any given time, yet, you don't necessarily always HAVE that emotion. I think Sam's been very good at reading social cues, or using his skills at manipulation to assess what emotions are expected of him (or will best get him out of a situation) and then "displaying" those.
Anyway, before I get too off track, let's return to the show...
Sam's soul might still be in the cage with Lucifer and Michael...that's...not good. If souls are feelings....then that means souls can feel. So, Sam might be topside, but is his soul still being tortured? I'm very worried about Sam's soul right now.
Anyway, our intrepid Trio take a trip to Grandpa's house to search for clues. Grandpa meets Cas and insults him off the bat - not a way to win friends and influence people, Gramps!
We find out though that Castiel's true form is as big as the Chrysler building! Wow! I've never been there, but I hear good things about it's size...it must be very crowded in little Jimmy.
Oh wait! I've jumped ahead! How awesome was Dean's "Newman" line?!?! I don't even like Seinfeld, and I thought it was awesome.
Ok, back to the show - Castiel cavity searches Grandpa and we find out that Grandpa has his soul...which is so not fair, because when was the last time Grandpa saved all of humanity by sacrificing himself?
But I digress...Castiel has to go back to heaven, because the moon tells him so...and Dean tells him that he better "search the attic" for a solution to the Sam-soul problem, and Castiel says "of course, your problems always come first" - LOVE IT! Hahahaha, oh man, I love how out of everything that Castiel could have picked up from the Winchesters, he decided to go with extremely dry sarcasm.
Grandpa does let slip something interesting though: Sam scares him sometimes. I thought that was really cool - because this whole time we've focused on Dean not being able to trust anyone, but other people have problems too...and yeah, Grandfather's can also get scared by their amoral grandsons.
Anyway, Grandpa has a lead on the Alpha-vamp, and Dean wants in...but Grandpa doesn't trust Dean because he doesn't "know him" - dude, he traveled back in time and tried to save your daughter...you know him a LITTLE. But whatever...Dean promises to go back to being Daddy's little soldier and Grandpa says that he can come along.
This is why I think that even growing up, Dean knew how to play his father...because as soon as Dean gets outside, he tells Sam that he doesn't trust Grandpa (as well he shouldn't) and that he's going along to spy...
Anyway, he doesn't get to rummage through Grandpa's office because Christian finds him - insults Lisa, and then infers that he might kill Dean on the hunt. I liked Dean's response to that. Of course, we find out later that it's not really Christian and has never been...which might explain why I hate that dude so much.
They go after the Alpha and Dean is regulated to the perimeter with Gwen, who is none too pleased. They kill one vampire and then Dean takes off to see what the hell is happening...he discovers that Sam is carting the Alpha away instead of killing him....which Sam knows about, because Sam is right there looking around (and looking damn fine while doing so).
I liked the different camera angles on the drive back - we usually don't get to see them from the backseat, and it was cool.
Dean pulls over when Sam won't admit to the Alpha-vamps capture....I thought this scene was very neat. Sam explains that Samuel needs them for questioning, and that it was Sam's idea not to tell Dean, because Dean tends to shoot first. Dean asks why Gramps wants to talk to them and Sam doesn't even know...and Dean realizes that Sam has basically absolutely not gut instinct anymore for what is shady and what isn't.
There's a quote from Hamlet that I love: "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" - it appears in Supernatural's case, there is nothing either good or bad, but YOUR SOUL makes it so. Sam's lost his moral compass - which is a pretty huge thing for Sam to lose, given that when the show started he WAS the moral compass. (True, he went into grey areas more than Dean as the show progressed, but of everyone, Sam struggled with his morality the most).
Dean tells him that Sam's going to have to let Dean call all the shots until he gets his soul back, because Sam cannot be trusted to make the right decisions.....and man, the last five years of Sam carefully eking out his independence are undone just like that. It also might shed a little light on why Sam tied himself to Grandpa without question - intellectually, he must have noticed a problem but not been able to figure out what it was, but he may have decided it was better to have someone else make his decisions...since Dean was out of the picture (because, no doubt, Sam could remember wanting Dean to have a normal life), Sam trusted 'family.' Family who wouldn't realize how messed up he was, that is...because obviously he didn't stick around Bobby's that long.
Dean tells Sam that it's either do as Dean says, or go back to Grandpa, but he can't have both. (I knew Sam would chose Dean though)
Sam walks into Grandpa's office and tells him that Dean took off. Grandpa doesn't fall for it though. Luckily, Grandpa died in the early 70s and doesn't understand technology, so Sam just tracks him using the internet.
I like how Sam says "we'll go to plan B" and Dean says "there's a plan B?"...Dean might have to call the moral shots, but Sam still has the intellect.
We discover that Alpha-vamps are not hurt by electric chairs and they have VERY sharp fingernails.
Also, they like soulless boys.
Also, SOMEONE is looking for Purgatory (which is where all the monsters go when they die).
Also, GRANDPA IS CROWLEY'S BITCH! Oh man...I knew Crowley had to have a bigger end plan than just using the Apocalypse to become King of Hell and trying to keep Bobby's soul....apparently, he's also interested in real-estate...and we get our first glimpse at the "new ideas" that Crowley is trying to introduce in Hell.
Now, I'm a little fuzzy on why Crowley has Grandpa over a barrel, but I understand why he has Sam and Dean over one - do as he says, and Sam gets his soul back...don't do as he says, and we're stuck with Robo!Sam forever...
OH oh, and how awesome was it that Dean actually called him Robo!Sam?!?!! Guys guys, IT'S LIKE THEY READ OUR BLOGS (they totally do).
ETA: Oh! I forgot to talk about the end where Grandpa was like "well, you either let me do my thing, or you shoot your grandfather, and Sam PULLED A GUN! AWESOME. But you know what was awesome about it? How Dean just casually reached over and lowered Sam's gun. It sort of gives us an insight into how Sam's mind works without a soul...swear loyalty to Dean, shoot Grandpa if that's what he thinks Dean wants.
So...work with a demon, or stick to your morals?....Sammy says work with the demon and then stab him in the neck. Dean says *facepalm*
Man, remember when Supernatural had the formula where they'd hit us heavy for the first three episodes and then give us something hilarious? Yeah...not so much anymore, eh? I am not complaining.