SPN S7 (7.10?) thoughts
Okay, so I rewatched 701-710. I have some thoughts.
I realize now - and probably realized at the time - that my initial reaction to Bobby's possible death was largely emotional. It still is, for the most part, but...I think I have some perspective now.
Watching 7.10 again, it strikes me that the reason I'm so emotional about it is that...Bobby may very well be dead. And I don't just mean in the oh, he's dead for a second, or he's really back kind of way. I mean he may actually be dead. The episode had a very send-off feel to it. It gave Bobby a cohesive backstory that his entire characterization has sort of worked out.
Bobby's role on the show has always been more of a supportive one for Sam and Dean. He gives them intellectual, emotional, and physical support. He's more than that, of course; he's like a father to the boys, a fact we've had shown to us time and again. Here, we learn that because of his own dodgy history with his father, he never wanted to have kids of his own. But he had Sam and Dean, in spite of himself. He played a part in making them the men they are today, and he recognizes that they turned out great...they turned out to be heroes.
That realization plays a huge part in setting some of Bobby's own character turmoil to rest. In other words, his character arc is neatly summed up. Something that often happens before a character is laid to rest for good.
So the episode feels like an actual send-off to Bobby. His death is given sufficient mention and emotional weight; it seems like he is really saying goodbye.
So Bobby may, in fact, be dead. And that made me all kinds of emotional and upset.
My main problem was that with Bobby dead, I didn't see the point of the show anymore. I recognize that Bobby's death is in line with the theme of the season so far - taking everything away from the boys. Cas, Bobby's house, the Impala, dad's journal, even the aliases, etc...what little they had left, has been taken away. And I do think that the theme of Dean's mental breakdown, his drinking, etc. has been present throughout the season too. The Amy storyline dragged on, but perhaps it was the catalyst to bring some of those things to light.
So maybe Bobby has to die in order to push Dean to a certain place, and to help him and Sam deal with some of their issues. I recognize that this is a legitimate possibility. My problem is that even if that happens - even if Dean and Sam get all whole and healed - then, what then? What good is that, if there's no one left in their lives?
And maybe the answer is that it just isn't a happy ending. Maybe SPN just isn't the kind of show where the characters ride off into the sunset. I mean, I would buy that. I happen to think that there's always been hope, a sense of fighting for...something, something bigger than them, family, happiness maybe. But maybe that's just not possible for the boys at this point. I can understand that.
Or maybe...I don't know. This is all leading up to something that I can't foresee right now. Maybe I just need to be patient and wait for it. That's very likely the case. The thing is - I love these characters. I love Sam and Dean, I care about them, I care about what happens to them. Which is why I'm upset. I don't like the show right now, but I love them, and I want the show to give me what I think they deserve. That's all it is.
Which, I recognize as an irrational reaction. And so, I'll be patient. Maybe there is some payoff to all this that I'm not seeing yet. I'm not saying I hate anything about the show right now. I'm a bit iffy on where this is all going. But I'll wait and see, I suppose.
And to be fair, S7 has had its moments. I was satisfied with the resolution to the Cas SL, even though I miss him terribly. Defending Your Life was a pretty great episode overall and Slash Fiction was also pretty great. Objectively, both 7.09 and 7.10 were really great episodes, they just took an emotional toll on me.
There have been...nuggets, throughout S7, of what I really want to see. Sam and Dean actually talking and working out legitimate issues; Dean working out any ONE of his thousands of issues.
Maybe this is how the show does that. For now, I'll wait and see.
I realize now - and probably realized at the time - that my initial reaction to Bobby's possible death was largely emotional. It still is, for the most part, but...I think I have some perspective now.
Watching 7.10 again, it strikes me that the reason I'm so emotional about it is that...Bobby may very well be dead. And I don't just mean in the oh, he's dead for a second, or he's really back kind of way. I mean he may actually be dead. The episode had a very send-off feel to it. It gave Bobby a cohesive backstory that his entire characterization has sort of worked out.
Bobby's role on the show has always been more of a supportive one for Sam and Dean. He gives them intellectual, emotional, and physical support. He's more than that, of course; he's like a father to the boys, a fact we've had shown to us time and again. Here, we learn that because of his own dodgy history with his father, he never wanted to have kids of his own. But he had Sam and Dean, in spite of himself. He played a part in making them the men they are today, and he recognizes that they turned out great...they turned out to be heroes.
That realization plays a huge part in setting some of Bobby's own character turmoil to rest. In other words, his character arc is neatly summed up. Something that often happens before a character is laid to rest for good.
So the episode feels like an actual send-off to Bobby. His death is given sufficient mention and emotional weight; it seems like he is really saying goodbye.
So Bobby may, in fact, be dead. And that made me all kinds of emotional and upset.
My main problem was that with Bobby dead, I didn't see the point of the show anymore. I recognize that Bobby's death is in line with the theme of the season so far - taking everything away from the boys. Cas, Bobby's house, the Impala, dad's journal, even the aliases, etc...what little they had left, has been taken away. And I do think that the theme of Dean's mental breakdown, his drinking, etc. has been present throughout the season too. The Amy storyline dragged on, but perhaps it was the catalyst to bring some of those things to light.
So maybe Bobby has to die in order to push Dean to a certain place, and to help him and Sam deal with some of their issues. I recognize that this is a legitimate possibility. My problem is that even if that happens - even if Dean and Sam get all whole and healed - then, what then? What good is that, if there's no one left in their lives?
And maybe the answer is that it just isn't a happy ending. Maybe SPN just isn't the kind of show where the characters ride off into the sunset. I mean, I would buy that. I happen to think that there's always been hope, a sense of fighting for...something, something bigger than them, family, happiness maybe. But maybe that's just not possible for the boys at this point. I can understand that.
Or maybe...I don't know. This is all leading up to something that I can't foresee right now. Maybe I just need to be patient and wait for it. That's very likely the case. The thing is - I love these characters. I love Sam and Dean, I care about them, I care about what happens to them. Which is why I'm upset. I don't like the show right now, but I love them, and I want the show to give me what I think they deserve. That's all it is.
Which, I recognize as an irrational reaction. And so, I'll be patient. Maybe there is some payoff to all this that I'm not seeing yet. I'm not saying I hate anything about the show right now. I'm a bit iffy on where this is all going. But I'll wait and see, I suppose.
And to be fair, S7 has had its moments. I was satisfied with the resolution to the Cas SL, even though I miss him terribly. Defending Your Life was a pretty great episode overall and Slash Fiction was also pretty great. Objectively, both 7.09 and 7.10 were really great episodes, they just took an emotional toll on me.
There have been...nuggets, throughout S7, of what I really want to see. Sam and Dean actually talking and working out legitimate issues; Dean working out any ONE of his thousands of issues.
Maybe this is how the show does that. For now, I'll wait and see.