[Meta] We're all wrong about the Mark of Cain

[justmep2]

Fandom got used to calling Dean moc!Dean lately and explaining his actions as "the effects of the mark". We were never told what the mark's effect actually is on Dean or anyone else for that matter, we're just assuming and dubbing it as a new version of Dean.
But what if we've got it all wrong? What if we haven't actually seen the effect of the

Comments

[freya922]

Terrific insights regarding Dean's state of mind. I think you're right: as far as the Mark of Cain, we don't know the half of it yet. The truth is there is angst, loss, and drama aplenty without any "Mark" story line. I, too, am desperate for the boys to work through some of their issues surrounding all that's happened...especially during and after the trials. I'm terrified to think what the more is associated with the Mark because these two are strained to breaking and beyond already. :( I want Sam to cut Dean some slack...realizing that he had no time in which to consider whether to save Sam, what "Ezekiel" was offering, and with Sam's declaration that he saw a light at the end of the tunnel (i.e. had hope) as the trials began. A person needs to be pretty damn sure their loved one wants to die before just letting it happen, right? How could Dean be sure? And Dean needs to understand the depth of Sam's sense of violation and hopelessness

[justmep2]

Thanks! I'm 100% with you on wanting Sam to cut Dean some slack, and that he had no time to consider this, talk to Sam about it or find another solution

[freya922]

I just wanted to add that I didn't even mean that Dean couldn't ask Sam once Sam was so hurt, but way back... when Dean wanted to do the trials and Sam basically said he shouldn't because he didn't have hope for anything but to die with a gun in his hand, while Sam hoped to come out on the other side of all this. As often happens, after months of feeling like crap and going through more tragedy, Sam wasn't feeling very optimistic any more at the end, but Dean had heard him make that declaration. In my mind, I would be thinking: "If he was himself, if he was just feeling better, rested, balanced... he would NOT want to die. It's the exhaustion and the sickness talking." :(

[thursdaysisters]

I would love for Cain to show up and be all "what no, I mean YEAH super strength but i don't recall turning into a dickwad".

[vyperdd]

LOL

[justmep2]

Ha! I can totally see this happening.

[strgazr04]

Jensen said he very much played it like an addict. I think that's valid. Dean was at a point of weakness, of darkness before the MOC came into being. He didn't care about the effects it had because he was back to think that he's just a "grunt" and that Sam will get a long life while he'll die for the cause. Because what does he matter anyway right? Sam doesn't care about him anymore. Sam doesn't NEED him anymore. His JOB is over and that's all he knows. Now he's worthless. It's his chink in the armor and the MOC weaseled it's way right in. Dean latches onto it as his new purpose. Dean needs a mission to follow the same way he needed to be John's soldier all those years ago. Without that, Dean's life is out of control and he can't take it. In the same way Purgatory was "pure", the Blade is "calm" as Dean puts it. It makes everything seem clearer. I think Dean will do something in the finale (maybe kill Metatron) that will finally push him over the edge and it'll be too late. He'll be the new big bad in s10 the same way Levi!Cas was.

[justmep2]

Yeap, I agree he's addicted to whatever the blade makes him feel (calm? strong?). Doesn't mean the mark's effecting in any other way, though. He's reacting to the addiction maybe, not to the mark.
Liked your analysis on why Dean took the mark and that his job is now over. I agree with you in a way about him needing a mission in life, but the only one that mattered was protect Sammy, now that that's off the table there's really no good reason to fight, is there? So the mark? Whatever.

Ugh, now I'm trying to remember a thing Dean said to someone about him understanding being in a dark place but never going so far and thinking of ending his life. I think it was somewhere very early on S1, but I couldn't find it and now I'm not even sure if this was on the show or just a fic!