Reaction to 11x8, "Just My Imagination"
So I have to admit that I was more than a little wary of this episode. I have nothing against Sam-centric eps of course, but from the different sneak peaks and the interviews, I was worried that it was going to make it look like Dean did absolutely nothing right by Sam when they were kids. Let's face it: that's been done on this show before, but I was under the impression those days were over. Dean wasn't/isn't perfect, and Sam wasn't/isn't perfect, THE END. But everything I heard about this ep made me worry we were taking a step backward.
I'm very pleased to admit I was wrong :)
Instead of throwing Dean under the bus or making Sam seem flawless, they gave us a blast of reality: Dean couldn't always be with Sam, and Sam got sad and frustrated. But neither brother could do anything about it. You could see it in the phonecall flashback scene. Dean was stuck between John and Sam yet again, and he was doing the best he could to both advocate for Sam and do his duty to his dad. But he couldn't get John to say yes to Sam hunting, and then he couldn't be there with Sam when he gave him the bad news. You could see his frustration with it all when he had to end the call with Sam cuz John was honking the horn. And Sam, of course, was left with disappointment. The way John raised them, that hunting was so important, Sam wanted to get started right away, show he was strong and brave just like his dad and Dean. When Dad said no, it stung. And Dean being away didn't add salt to the wound, but his absence was filled by loneliness. That phone call was hardly the first argument or let down, so why wouldn't a lonely, frustrated boy like Sam create an imaginary friend like Sully? Someone in his life who didn't go away, who didn't say no, who didn't look down on him? To me, that's not saying anything against Dean, who we all know did the best he could. Instead, it's saying that Sam needed something Dean couldn't always give: his time. Enter Sully.
Now I'm not saying the entire episode was flawless--it wasn't--but that part of it was done well. That's all I'm saying. And I loved the idea of the creatures! Not sure about the name--asana? Something like that? But what marvellous monsters, just wanting to help "lost" kids and give them the encouragement they so need. I was charmed by the very idea :) But then they kinda wrecked it for me. Why, exactly, Sully was encouraging Sam to run away is beyond me. I kept expecting him to talk Sam out of it! Running away was not the answer, and yet he was practically pushing Sam out the door. And then the way Sam just up and changed his mind about Sully the moment John called and told him to saddle up? That was just...odd. Ah well.
At least Sully got a chance to tell Sam he's a hero and vice versa, and that they both know that heroes screw up. And I'm also glad Dean and Sully made peace by acknowledging that they both helped and cared about Sam. Aww :) I did like that. The ending though, with Sam challening Dean to tell him to come up with another way to stop the Darkness than Sam going back into the cage? Not so much. Remember last season, Sam, when you were saying similar things to a Dean who was ready to sacrifice himself to keep the Mark from killing through him? And you said they'd find another way, and Dean said there wasn't one...? Any of this ringing a bell? Well here we are again, just with you ready to sacrifice and Dean trying to save you. Please, Show, let this cycle end already.
Wow, that review went all over the place, huh. Sorry about that. What did you think of the ep? Like it? Loathe it? Let me know :)