Gadreel and audience expectations

[pocochina]

I could give a long list of things that I like about Carver's run of the show so far and it'd be totally honest. He's doing a lot of interesting stuff. But I think the core reason I'm enjoying it so much is that he manages to give me what I want but not at all in the way I'd expect it. And I think the opposite of that is happening for a lot of

Comments

[pocochina]

I liked her too. Fandom has started to sour me on her, but really, whenever I've rewatched one of her episodes from the later seasons I've always enjoyed the character a lot.

When Meg said, "Since when I am not Team Sam?" I was hoping he'd say, "Always." But no, they needed someone else for Sam to talk to about his year away besides Dean.

This is my PROBLEM. Like, the ~special bond~ she claims they have comes from that time she POSSESSED HIM. And that's gross, obviously, and it's really gross that people claim that as a straightforward good. That said, even though SHE POSSESSED HIM and is generally AWFUL, she is STILL more supportive of Sam than anyone else in Sam's life at that point. But that doesn't mean she's good, it means the people around Sam are major assholes TO SAM. And people using the fact that her victimization of him, as bad as it was, is pretty far in Sam's rearview mirror to claim that Sam SHOULD fret and fawn over her is what I mean about the expectation that Sam be truer to everyone else's feelings than his own totally legitimate perspective. And instead we have a not-Sam in Sam's place actually being as cringe-inducingly submissive as the Meg situation shows people expect Sam to be, and OH WOW IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF UNCOMFORTABLE AND HORRIBLE, WHO'D HAVE THOUGHT?*

*ed note: Me. I would have thought.

[cuddyclothes]

it means the people around Sam are major assholes TO SAM. And people using the fact that her victimization of him, as bad as it was, is pretty far in Sam's rear view mirror

But is it? He's always kept very far away from her, and has been quite hostile. Although Dean is generally "c'mon, Sam, what's your problem?" But then, that's how Dean is toward Sam 24/7. That Sam can even remember his own name without being prompted strikes me as amazing at this point.

[pocochina]

Fair point. Though by Sam's standards, "this person/entity hasn't beaten the crap out of me, roofied me, or called me sub-human trash in months" is normal person flowers and chocolate, so.

But yeah, Meg and Gabriel are the only two entities Sam's ever really been able to stay pissed at, and even then it's because they made the mistake of trying to get at him through Dean.

[cuddyclothes]

Fair point. Though by Sam's standards, "this person/entity hasn't beaten the crap out of me, roofied me, or called me sub-human trash in months" is normal person flowers and chocolate, so.

BWAHAAAHAA!