My main problem with the entire season has been the Faustian bargain. W/ John, the deal didn't give time for reneging or anything, so yes, he died and went to hell.
With Dean though, he had a year. It's pretty well mythologized in most religions w/ heaven and hell that getting out of a deal w/ the devil is as simple as asking for forgiveness. For the classic Faust, Faust's own arrogance and pride prevented him from going to that place. Dean's only incentive to not renege is the cost to Sam if he does --- but repentenance in this situation should null and void the whole thing and save Sam too.
Which, yeah, I know, SPN pretty much ignores the heaven side of the deal or higher power. But when you bring in the idea of selling one's soul to demons, I always felt that someone should have asked about this possibility and then Bobby explain why it wouldn't work or something like that. I mean, come on, at least Sammy has to have read Faust in hs or college, right????
That said, this was the first episode in a few that rang true to me. I was sick of eps ending with Dean saying how scared he was and all (which, DUUUHHH). Jus Bello was good but after that they were repetitive. And I'm sorry, Sam going after the "eternal" life even after seeing what it'd made the inventor into???
As to Sam's powers, I feel like the finale pretty much nails that YED was always the catalyst. Sam's psychic visions were stronger when he was closer to him. His other talents manifested when he was around other children (and it's unknown YED's proximity in those cases). Once YED was killed, everything went latent because the catalyst was gone. Hence, Ruby needing significant time in order to get him to reactivate them (that, or Ruby is actually directly in line in the lineage of YED despite what she's also revealed about her human origins). So even when Sam saw Dean being torn apart, he still couldn't activate them -- it was only in self preservation when Lilith attacked him that he could (that or his very being screwed up her abilities?? I will forever hate the special effects there at the end because we don't know who or where the light originated from).
With Dean though, he had a year. It's pretty well mythologized in most religions w/ heaven and hell that getting out of a deal w/ the devil is as simple as asking for forgiveness. For the classic Faust, Faust's own arrogance and pride prevented him from going to that place. Dean's only incentive to not renege is the cost to Sam if he does --- but repentenance in this situation should null and void the whole thing and save Sam too.
Which, yeah, I know, SPN pretty much ignores the heaven side of the deal or higher power. But when you bring in the idea of selling one's soul to demons, I always felt that someone should have asked about this possibility and then Bobby explain why it wouldn't work or something like that. I mean, come on, at least Sammy has to have read Faust in hs or college, right????
That said, this was the first episode in a few that rang true to me. I was sick of eps ending with Dean saying how scared he was and all (which, DUUUHHH). Jus Bello was good but after that they were repetitive. And I'm sorry, Sam going after the "eternal" life even after seeing what it'd made the inventor into???
As to Sam's powers, I feel like the finale pretty much nails that YED was always the catalyst. Sam's psychic visions were stronger when he was closer to him. His other talents manifested when he was around other children (and it's unknown YED's proximity in those cases). Once YED was killed, everything went latent because the catalyst was gone. Hence, Ruby needing significant time in order to get him to reactivate them (that, or Ruby is actually directly in line in the lineage of YED despite what she's also revealed about her human origins). So even when Sam saw Dean being torn apart, he still couldn't activate them -- it was only in self preservation when Lilith attacked him that he could (that or his very being screwed up her abilities?? I will forever hate the special effects there at the end because we don't know who or where the light originated from).
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