since I've been tempted to get into it three times in the past 24 hours
I really dislike feeling like this is necessary because (a) it is tedious as fuck and (b) I am a strong proponent of the idea that authorial intent is of little to no value in discussing a text. (It’s kind of surreal having this conversation around a narrative which went out of its way to challenge the idea that the voice of the author should ( Read more... )
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I don't know if I should say thanks or sorry?! But IMO this goes to show why it's such a chillingly realistic portrayal of an abusive relationship - one that doesn't start out bad, one that isn't clear-cut, at least, not for a very long time. I think the fact that the show's stopped pulling its punches and let the problems here become undeniable is a really good sign.
the possession was merely a means to an ends - getting Dean to say yes to the Mark
I don't think there's anything that could "merely" get Dean to the point of taking the Mark, though? Dean became a demon. He is, by choice, the ( ... )
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Ha, no need to be sorry. The season itself has lead me to seeing the relationship differently. It's perhaps why it's been such a difficult one for me.
And I meant to comment on your post about demon Dean. I thought that was excellent also. It's easy to see how everything Dean has done has lead to this one moment. It makes sense (another thing that's frustrated me this season is the seeming lack of sense), But. Your posts give it some sense and I suppose whether it's intended or not it doesn't matter.
And good point about Hannibal. It would be easier to work in a structure that already exists. Much more difficult when they have no idea when the series will end, nor who it will actually end. Though I am under the impression (probably from stuff I have read) that Carver had a 3 year story arc in mind so this one might bring it altogether.
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Thanks! I actually do think that the quasi-theological aspect to Dean's transition is probably an example of stuff that's unconscious but consistent all the same? There hasn't been stuff directly said this season that expressly raises the issue in the way there's been so much about the possession, I'm not sure anyone said "we're going to explore the concept of mortal sin," but enough data points map so well onto an identifiable construct that I feel pretty confident saying it's part of the narrative.
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And I think Supernatural is...somewhere in the middle. I suspect Kripke was a great deal like Moore in that I kind of doubt he would accurately analyze some of the very best stuff he put out there, and perhaps that from-the-gut style of storytelling has become our expectation for SPN, and so Carver's more cerebral approach is surprising. But, as I think this post shows, Carver is an extremely consistent storyteller, not at all messy. He wanted to challenge the rotten power dynamic (which Kripke created so wonderfully, but I'm not sure he entirely understood - I'd be shocked if he knew how many red flags he planted) and so he whacked away at it in nearly every episode this season. And this season's possession was, in retrospect, solidly set up with Naomi's control over Cas in S8.
I have no idea why author intent is so important to me at the moment. I suppose I want to know there is actual thought behind what we see. I don't to think of anything we get is an "accident"I think there's an option between "this is the authorial ( ... )
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