I actually don't see why they couldn't be hunters and prey at the same time. I mean, I agree that they can't hunt the MOTW while the big bad demon is relentlessly focused on them, but we don't know that the demon's business with them is really urgent for him right now, and couldn't still wait some time more while the demon activity increases further. Unlike in the last confrontation the Winchesters now probably won't actively hunt it until they figured out some better plan, and the demon who seems to have some kind of long-term plan we still have no clue about might just as well decide to regroup from the loss of his children/minions and his own body
( ... )
I agree, the show is more likely to alternate, or go through cycles from hunters to prey and back again.
Let's not forget about the Benders, where Sam was marked as the hunted, yet never actually had to go into that role due to his own resourcefulness and Dean's rescuing abilities. Neither Sam nor Dean seemed particularly worried in that episode. In Devil's Trap, they're worried. I love that first scene in Devil's Trap, it's the first time I think we've seen Dean absolutely terrified. Trying to cover it up of course. "Prey" is a state of mind, and though the Benders would have literally hunted them, it's not the same as what's going on with the Demon, where the Winchesters are brutally cornered.
I actually don't see why they couldn't be hunters and prey at the same time. I mean, I agree that they can't hunt the MOTW while the big bad demon is relentlessly focused on them, but we don't know that the demon's business with them is really urgent for him right now, and couldn't still wait some time more while the demon activity increases further.
Logistically, that's true. The story could establish that the demon is laying low again for some reason, which would leave the boys free to deal with the MotW. But it's like dotfic says, what matters here is the psychological difference between hunter and prey. It's one thing to go into a haunted house knowing that you're hunting evil, helping people, making the world a better place. It's something else entirely to go in knowing that you're just filling up time killing the small fry until the thing that tortured you and made you beg decides to come back for another go.
But yes, I do expect the overall format to be something like the X-Files. Except, hopefully, done well. I'm hoping
( ... )
I'm hoping that Kripke has learned from Chris Carter's mistakes and really does have an idea of where his storyline is going.
Yeah, I hope that too. But then I think it would be hard to make one demon's motivation and plot as convoluted as the ever evolving alien/consortium conspiracies. I mean, I'm sure it'd be possible, but only with quite some effort.
Second, re: Ceiling Demon, huh. Never occurred to me to think anything else.
And re: the rest, oh my yes. This demon issue is definitely going to need to be handled before anything else can happen. The Winchesters, at this moment, are not just marked, they are in the demon world's sights. But feasibly for a weekly series, the clearest way I can see this happening:
There's some sort of sign that the Ceiling Demon is out of commission; that the magic bullet might not have killed it, but it severely screwed it up and it's pulling itself back together. And while it's dealing with that, it's told all of the other demons they can make the Winchesters' lives complicated, but hands off, because this is its thing
( ... )
I think your scenario sounds very plausible. And I really like the idea of the Winchesters trying to track down the other "chosen" kids and trying to figure out what's going on with them all. That would make for a nice little mini-arc leading up to a sweeps period. :-)
the truck driver at the end had black eyes rather than gold
What's funny is that I thought we heard a distant but approaching vehicle sound outside of the cabin when the lights first started flickering and I was all "ONOZ! Even if they escape Demon!John, he has more black-eyed babies waiting outside. Argh!"
And then the rest of the cabin scene happened and I forgot to breathe, much less to worry about other potential evil things outside.
In attempting to rewatch that scene this morning to determine whether or not that was an engine sound (and thus kind of cool to have had the truck already in place for a backup) or just a wind sound, I discovered a few things:
1) I am physically incapable of not compulsively rewinding/watching/rewinding/watching various angsty face scenes.
2) I am physically incapable of not doing a slow-motion frame advance/pause thing of watching John's shirt ruck up as he falls and just wanting to lick3) My attention span in general just goes to hell and I was startled to discover I even had a window open
( ... )
I'm totally with you on the reaction to the cabin scene. That whole sequence, from Dean realizing John is possessed to the moment when the demon leaves John's body, is some of the most powerful television I've seen in ages. I can think of a few times during the run of BtVS when I was similarly gripped, but that was in later seasons, after I've had several years to know and love the characters. For Kripke to bring it off at the end of Season One is pretty damn amazing.
Thanks for the reasonable take on the Demon leaving John's body. That's been bugging me. My brain was so fried from the angst I couldn't work it out, but what you said makes sense. At the time, my first thought was jaw-dropping awe: omg John just expelled the Demon using sheer force of will, which, um, while John's good, he's not that good. Yes. Happily brain fried. So not objective.
Yeah, if anything, I think "sheer force of will" is what John used to keep the demon inside him for those few minutes while he was begging Sam to shoot.
Not to mention that moment earlier when he took control just long enough for Sam to get to the Colt. The demon wasn't injured at that point; it was Dean's pleading that gave John the strength to get the upper hand, however briefly. Which really should put an end to any fannish notion that John doesn't love Dean with all the fierceness that a Winchester is capable of.
You think John managed to gain control over his body there himself? I saw it as the demon taunting them again - "Yeah, I'll let Daddy come out to play for one second, make you hurt more for seeing it, then wham bam it's back to the bleeding" - but Sam got away and got the Colt quicker than it thought he would be able to.
I saw it as the demon taunting them again - "Yeah, I'll let Daddy come out to play for one second, make you hurt more for seeing it, then wham bam it's back to the bleeding
I definitely didn't get that impression (and it would've been easy enough to establish with a single gloating line from the demon). It was already getting plenty of jollies while remaining in total control of the situation, and I don't see it willingly relinquishing that control with Sam so close to the Colt. And really, that whole scene was already skirting perilously close to Evil Overlord territory ("Bwa-ha-ha, I could kill you now, but instead I'll gloat sadistically until you escape!"), and the only thing that saved it was that the demon didn't do anything overtly stupid.
So yeah, I think John managed to grab control for a moment there. Not for long, but long enough for Sam to take advantage of the opportunity.
Comments 19
Reply
Let's not forget about the Benders, where Sam was marked as the hunted, yet never actually had to go into that role due to his own resourcefulness and Dean's rescuing abilities. Neither Sam nor Dean seemed particularly worried in that episode. In Devil's Trap, they're worried. I love that first scene in Devil's Trap, it's the first time I think we've seen Dean absolutely terrified. Trying to cover it up of course. "Prey" is a state of mind, and though the Benders would have literally hunted them, it's not the same as what's going on with the Demon, where the Winchesters are brutally cornered.
Reply
Logistically, that's true. The story could establish that the demon is laying low again for some reason, which would leave the boys free to deal with the MotW. But it's like dotfic says, what matters here is the psychological difference between hunter and prey. It's one thing to go into a haunted house knowing that you're hunting evil, helping people, making the world a better place. It's something else entirely to go in knowing that you're just filling up time killing the small fry until the thing that tortured you and made you beg decides to come back for another go.
But yes, I do expect the overall format to be something like the X-Files. Except, hopefully, done well. I'm hoping ( ... )
Reply
Yeah, I hope that too. But then I think it would be hard to make one demon's motivation and plot as convoluted as the ever evolving alien/consortium conspiracies. I mean, I'm sure it'd be possible, but only with quite some effort.
Reply
Second, re: Ceiling Demon, huh. Never occurred to me to think anything else.
And re: the rest, oh my yes. This demon issue is definitely going to need to be handled before anything else can happen. The Winchesters, at this moment, are not just marked, they are in the demon world's sights. But feasibly for a weekly series, the clearest way I can see this happening:
There's some sort of sign that the Ceiling Demon is out of commission; that the magic bullet might not have killed it, but it severely screwed it up and it's pulling itself back together. And while it's dealing with that, it's told all of the other demons they can make the Winchesters' lives complicated, but hands off, because this is its thing ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
What's funny is that I thought we heard a distant but approaching vehicle sound outside of the cabin when the lights first started flickering and I was all "ONOZ! Even if they escape Demon!John, he has more black-eyed babies waiting outside. Argh!"
And then the rest of the cabin scene happened and I forgot to breathe, much less to worry about other potential evil things outside.
In attempting to rewatch that scene this morning to determine whether or not that was an engine sound (and thus kind of cool to have had the truck already in place for a backup) or just a wind sound, I discovered a few things:
1) I am physically incapable of not compulsively rewinding/watching/rewinding/watching various angsty face scenes.
2) I am physically incapable of not doing a slow-motion frame advance/pause thing of watching John's shirt ruck up as he falls and just wanting to lick3) My attention span in general just goes to hell and I was startled to discover I even had a window open ( ... )
Reply
Reply
Reply
Not to mention that moment earlier when he took control just long enough for Sam to get to the Colt. The demon wasn't injured at that point; it was Dean's pleading that gave John the strength to get the upper hand, however briefly. Which really should put an end to any fannish notion that John doesn't love Dean with all the fierceness that a Winchester is capable of.
Reply
Reply
I definitely didn't get that impression (and it would've been easy enough to establish with a single gloating line from the demon). It was already getting plenty of jollies while remaining in total control of the situation, and I don't see it willingly relinquishing that control with Sam so close to the Colt. And really, that whole scene was already skirting perilously close to Evil Overlord territory ("Bwa-ha-ha, I could kill you now, but instead I'll gloat sadistically until you escape!"), and the only thing that saved it was that the demon didn't do anything overtly stupid.
So yeah, I think John managed to grab control for a moment there. Not for long, but long enough for Sam to take advantage of the opportunity.
Reply
Leave a comment