An observation about the SPN finale

[vail_kagami]

The glimpses we got of Sam after he left Dean’s body in his bedroom lasted for about 45 seconds.

The scene with Dean and Crowley after Sam left Dean’s body in his bedroom lasted for almost three minutes.

So even when Dean is dead and only lying around he still gets three times as much screentime as Sam.

(See also: Supernatural: A summary)

Originally

Comments

[vail_kagami]

Ah, yes. Looking back, I actually think that Dean never really knew how to love Sam, rather than the idea of Sam that fits Dean's own self-image. People (and Dean himself) always go on about how much he loves Sam and how he would do anything for him but the fact is that even when they were kids, Dean never cared about Sam as a person, about Sam's wellbeing other than how it related to Dean, about what Sam wanted. He wanted him near, always, and that's called "deep and abiding love", but he never cared if he hurt Sam in the process. He wanted his brother to stay with the family and hunt and didn't care that Sam hated this life and was losing a piece of hismelf with every hunt. Sam going to college is portrayed as this incredible betrayal on his part butthe fact remains that Dean could have found a thousand ways to let Sam live his own (safe, happy) life without losing him. Saying in contact would have been a start. Dropping by every now and again, asking Sam for help if they really needed him (we know he would have come because he did), letting him do the research part... But it had to be all or nothing for Dean. He wanted Sam, but he also wanted to hunt and he wanted to hunt as a family unit that knew nothing else, and so everything had to happen exactly on Dean's terms. He wanted Sam by his side but he was not going to sacrifice anything for it. Except his brother's happiness, that is, because if it differs from Dean's happiness it doesn't count.

Sorry for that rant, I am still feeling very passionate about this.

[jrzriverside]

Don't apologize! I feel the same way and it's so hard to find people that agrees lol, I stay away from the discussion forums now because it's so painful!

I agree with you 100%. I used to believe Sam was Dean's human part, but now I am not so sure, Dean doesn't want to be complemented by Sam, he wants to own him, he said it himself "there ain't no me if there ain't no you". I think you summarized it perfectly " He wanted Sam by his side but he was not going to sacrifice anything for it. Except his brother's happiness.."
When I started watching the show I also believed Dean was this awesome big brother. But then I took a closer look. To most people, Dean comes out as this big protective guy, but I have never seen him actually protect his brother in a significant way. In fact, Dean's way to protect his brother is to cast him aside, sending the message loud and clear to Sam and everyone that is watching: "you are in the way and I work better without you, I work better with whatever character I'm bonding with right now, but if you don't see things my way I'm going to rant about it the entire season". When ever anyone puts Sam down, Dean just stands there and says/does nothing. When John said "don't come back" Dean just stood there (and as you said, he could have make it work), when Possessed!Bobby said "loose my number" and "maybe your daddy was right (about killing sam)" Dean said nothing, when Castiel called Sam an abomination, when Sam said "I'm the less of any of you" or when he was saying how unclean he felt as a child, Dean just does nothing, when that hunter girl said all those things to Sam, Dean says nothing right there, he waits until Sam is out of the scene.. When is time to bring out past relationships, Dean laughs at Sam, even if Sam's relationships don't end in a you'll-laugh-about-it-later way but mostly in death. So all this makes me believe exactly what you said, if Sam's happiness differs from Dean's, it doesn't count.