SPN 3.9
Malleus Maleficarum
Random Google search reveals that "Malleus Maleficarum" = "Hammer of the Witches" published in 1487... apparently I need to start paying attention to the titles :)
5/5 *****
+ 1 for the attention to detail in the title, nice touch
+ 1 for witches - very fun
- 3 for the constant comments about witches being evil and the show's overall assumption (so far) that pagan = evil... I know it's a show about the bad, but I'd like to see some good Supernatural elements
- 1 for the witches actually worshiping a demon
+ 3 for the plot twist, also cool
- 2 for Sam (explained below)
+ 5 for extended mythology
+ 1 for Ruby's conversation with Dean - well written and well played
...... I seriously love, love, love, love, LOVE this character! I want to know all about her human life as a witch in the Medieval Period. Where in Europe? Was she married? Was she young/old? Was she burned at the stake? Was she tortured? What was hell like for her? How did she figure out that she was different? Did she assume (being a human in such a period, that sexuality = evil and therefore bought into the idea that she was evil - since there's obvious tension between her and her mistress? Since "evil" is a malleable concept, are there other demons dragged to hell for reasons that would shock a modern hero? Vise versa? What does it mean that she remembers being human? Are there others like her? I want the humanity she remembers to be love: love for a husband/brother/child/sapphic lover. Something. This will blur lines because the yellow-eyed demon cared for his children. What constitutes humanity??? Fic recs?? I want the human stories of EVERY demon we meet now... I know I won't get it, but isn't that what fic is for?
VS!
Dean 5/5
Sam 2/5
Reasonings::
I understood Dean's plea to Sam: don't stop being yourself, don't stop acknowledging the importance of all life. I hated that Sam sees callousness as a Dean-trait. If Dean has taught Sam anything, it's that toughness is not independent of empathy, consciousness, and compassion. It's true that they do balance each other out - as hunters, Sam is generally shown as the more compassionate one. Sam's "I need to be more like you" came out rather "I need to be less human" ... especially in an episode in which the lines between humanity and the demonic started to blur and shift. Which doesn't fit for me and came off too harsh.
What frustrates me is this: Sam forces upon Dean a b&w perspective of the world. In Sam's mind, Dean sees the world in b&w, this will make the job easier when he is gone. I think that must have been very hard for Dean to hear - especially after all he has learned this season about shades of grey. The series seems to want to depict Sam as being grey-guy and Dean as b&w-guy... but I'm not buying it exactly. What I see is Sam forcing a b&w perspective on the world on Dean, so that he can battle but give into it. Whereas Dean's conception of reality and morality are obviously more fluid, otherwise he would be a relatively uninteresting character. Sam needs to stop using Dean and his dad as scapegoats: as representations of a moral line that he's "uncomfortable" with, when honestly Dean battles within himself just as often as Sam does.
Why I love Dean:
I frackin' love this man.
This episode restored my faith in the series quite a bit. Sammy-boy is still a selfish prat, but I'm willing to acknowledge that 80% of my hatred is independent of the actor/character/writers and is just my own issue with the Prodigal Son narrative that has predisposed me to dislike him. However, in a span of 10-15 minutes the mythology of this world just got super frackin' awesome! To the point that though Sam is a twit, I still give the episode 5/5 stars.
Ruby fic recs?
[EDIT] I think I love her because she, like Bella, take direction away from the brothers having angst about... whatever... I'm willing to dive into any female character that lasts more than 30 minutes.