Through The Looking Glass SPN 6.15 The French Mistake. Part 3
Part 1
Part 2
Dean.
In order to ever round up this overview, I'm going to try and be concise in this section. Most of what I wanted to point out
about Dean's stance on brotherhood (wich is ever the characterization hightligh) I hope I've managed to transcribe above.
The vaster scope of Dean's character activity was attributed to comedy this ep.
However, there is a distinct pattern to his journey through the alternate reality: from resentment, to indignation and
rebellion and finally up to a semblance of acceptance. Dean is eventually the one to figure out how to operate by way of
acting - not too skillful, but attentive to technical details (marker lines, cameras, etc).
And, sure enough, Dean is ultimately the one to advocate the brothers stayed in the bizarro world.
To my mind, both the transitory rebellion and the final acceptance are fueled by two sets of factors:
a) Dean is currently amidst a personal crisis: he's not sure the hunt is a satisfactory vocation any more; he's not sure he's
a decent human being any more; he's not sure what to make of who he's used to consider himself being - a hunter and a
brother; he's sure he's undeserving of any better.
To find himself within a world making fun (from where he's standing) of his and his brother's trials and tribulations via a
cheesy script and yet cheesier acting has never boded well with Dean (Cf. Dean's reaction to Chuck's books, to the fandom,
to Barnse and Demian, etc).
The underlying self-deprecation issues, readily rearing their head recently, provide for an all too eager assumption that
whereas his performance and situation is less than stellar in this AU, back home he's doing no better. If not worse. At least
within the AU he can be sure Sam is far better off and reasonably happy. Dean's own happiness seems not be in the cards, as
far as Dean is concerned. Again.
On the other hand, Dean's postulated disenchantment in the hunt (partially reconciled only to be reaffirmed again this
episode) could've resonated unexpectedly with the 'verse where there is NO hunt to pursue, i.e. no vocation so disastrous to
Dean's definition of his own humanity.
b) Dean's long-standing love-hate relationship with Free Will. I actually wonder if the messages in this respect were
intentional, given the angels are back into play. Could be a foreshadowing, for all I know.
Dean rebels against a 'scripted' course of action ('do we really need all those lines'?) and 'quits' acting. Which is no
wonder, his avertion to all things scripted and preordained is notorious. Yet, the universe outside the filming set devoid of
higher (and lower) powers is in and of itself a pretty much Team!Free Will champion wet dream. I'm not arguing that Dean's
primary motive to stay behind was to indulge into the lack of supernatural (the narrative didn't transcribe it that way), but
it could be implicitly factored into his arguments.
The irony of contrast is, sure enough, to backlash with a vengenace: back into his real!'verse Dean immediately finds himself
and Sam manipulated blindly by the alleged higher powers. Then again, the whole magic-free 'verse could have been a
state-of-the-art model to manipulate Dean's and Sam's perceptions, for all Dean knows.
One other characterization angle, threadneedled through Dean's demeanor this episode, methinks, is bone weariness and
regretful, knowing rue. Which is, realistically enough, about time! Looks like Dean might be entering into a renewed spiral
of depression (akin to the one he underwent in s5, which was nowhere near resolved), due to the aforementioned identity
issues: he's tired of keping vigil over Sam (RoboSam is yet to be dealt with completely, and that too is a trying ordeal);
the responsibility for Sam's impending doom is slowly wearing Dean to the ground; he's loosing grasp on self and his sense of
purpose within the hunt; he's willfully yet painfully disengaged himself from a woman and a kid he loves; he's disappointed
in and borderline betrayed by Cas, the distant and only friend; the familiar, comforting brotherhood formulae fail to work as
they used to to make up for the brewing madness around. Oh, yeah, and his Hell-induced PTSD is still lurking there, just
beneath the surface. All in all, it looks like Dean is quietly and unassumingly sliding into a rather dark place.
I'd argue that slide is less dramatic as compared to s4-5, but no less hurtful. The one thing I'm hopeful of, is that this
inevitable spiral is still to be pin-dotted by the highlights of Dean's clarified awareness: as to what he needs and wants
for himself; as to how he assesses his own role as a brother; as to how he assesses Sam; as to how he assesses his hunting
duty and lifestyle. Those highlights are to keep coming at a price, but they are necessary bumps on Dean's road to
reestablished and earned maturity.
Sam.
Oddly enough, though Sam-related (or rather, au!Jared related) mockery was rather abundant through the episode, I'm not sure
I do have a consistent grasp on the pattern of Sam's characterization this time. So I'll just pinpoint the tits and bits I
managed to spot that appear relevant.
In reverse symmetry to Dean's demeanor, Sam's itinarary through the episode seems to be from a measure of acceptance to
utter, steadfast resentment.
Sam is the first one to learn what the whole gig is about, the one fairly okay with au!Jensen's and au!Jared's male-modelling
'job'. The one in posession of a posh mansion, an alpaca and a trophey au!'Ruby' for a wife.
It's specifically no sooner than the disastrous 'acting' fiasco that Sam seems to REALLY wanna go back home. That, and having
lost 'da key', entrusted to him. Might be, Sam's customized brand of vanity by way of deep inherent aversion and intolerance
to perceived personal failure, coupled with the drive to right it whatever the cost is on the spotlight here, for some reason
to be revealed in the foresseable future.
Yet again, I'm not in the least claiming, that Sam's motives to quit the AU asap did not lie within the realm of being
brothers with Dean, back home. They did. I've elaborated earlier, that Sam's is currently a place of reasonable emotional
comfort within the 'traditional' framework of brotherhood. To an extend, to be 'brothers' for Sam right now is equivalent to
being within his element. A soothing, fulfilling ambient. Once again, this deduction of mine is based on the assumption Sam's
memory of Stull Cemetery is codified as a major 'win' within his mind.
However, as it commonly is with Sam lately, hell-bent on staying true to the letter of brotherhood, he's effectively
overlooking the spirit of it, discarding Dean's argumetns, motives and judgements, whatever they be. And subsequently,
discarding the credibility of Dean's concerns. Which bears the potential to backlash onto Dean far more hurtfully, that Sam's
recurrent confirmations of brotherhood a capable to atone for.
What I'm really looking forward to is for Sam to finally get a grasp on the wider picture of Dean's and his own identity and
the way it defines and redefines the pattern of their brotherhood. Dean is treading through a rather painful 'borderline
existential situation' (choice of dominant identity, choice of courses of action, choice of affiliation, choice of
priorities), and I do believe Sam right now, is in a better mental shape to help his brother walk through it in one piece.
But for that to come to pass, Sam does need to reconsider his 'brotherly' arguments, for the ones in stock now do ring rather
hollow. I'm not in the least intending to be harsh on the character here, just ruminating. In my native tongue there's a
saying that goes along these lines: 'a spoon is only good when served for dinner'. Sam's insistense that 'we're brothers and
together' as a panacea for Dean's brewing personal issues would've been more than welcome 2, 3, 4, 5 seasons prior. What is
necessary now is to view Dean as *Dean*, regardless of brotherhood and the hunt, or at least exceeding those perimeters. And
THAT would be the most efficient brotherly aide on Sam's part, to my mind. Not to reestablish Dean within a well-worn role,
but to help him step beyond it.
I'm not sure Sam is currently apt or ready for that (there's still that underlying '*I* need *you* to be my big brother
again' vibe I'm gatting from his claims), but I'd sure dearly wish to see him try.
What else I'd rather like to see on Sam's part (and I'm positive that could work within easing Dean's melancholy too) is a
bit more of the 'show' as opposed to impassioned brotherly 'tell'. We did get a fine glimpse of emotion in the tiny scene of
Virgil moving out to banish (burn? whatever!) Dean. Sam's scream of fright was heartfelt and convincing. I'd like more of
that. DEAN needs more of that. Active, outward care, not just self-sufficient declarations. I'll probably keep saying this
till I'm blue in the face: Sam's consistent, selfless care of and for Dean is, foremost the itinerary to Sam's own
self-appointed redemption.
I have a strong feeling several things have been lampshaded through the tropes of TV!AU and au!Jared wrt to Sam, but I'm not
sure I've managed to glean all of them.
Here's what I did succeed in gleaning out:
- So tell us, what's next for sam winchester? Look, I-I-I really don't - Oh, and if you could include the question in your
answer?
Sounds like a lofty lampshade here. The clues to Sam's future is to be found in his past? Which past: pre-Cage? Lucifer
possession? within the Cage? RoboSam?
- 'I must be the star of this thing.'
Could be both an ironic nod to the never-ending Sam!girls vs. Dean!girls claims as to who's the *lead* protagonist of the
show. Is it the one with a 'fashionable house' (more shiny supernatural 'toys': psychic powers, demon blood,
desoulment/resoulment)? Or the one 'living in a trailer on the set' (less shiny perks, but close to the 'filming set', to the
operative mechanics of how the show 'verse works)?
Within the SPN narrative proper this could be a call-back to the simmering concept of true and assumed 'heroism' (or stardom,
if you plese). What defines it? Celebrity-type self-indulgement or fairly annassuming professionalism?
- au!'Ruby
Well, Geneviev's involvement works on so many meta levels, sure enough. The one that caught my attention specifically is the
fact that real!Sam eventually gets comfy with au!'Ruby'. Biblically (unless I'm severly misinterpreting here). Which in an of
itself is a kinda transient symbol for Sam's potential 'flirting' with the Dark
Side. Again.
- au!Jared's ego-decoure.
I'm not well versed enough in real!Mr. Padalecki's personal celebrity quirks, but au!Jared's self-centered megalomania is
too grotesque not to be intentional. Yet again, I'm sensing a characteirzation lampshade-cum-spotlight here, as far as
real!Sam is concerned.
The angels.
Raphael and Virgil.
Not much to say here but for the fact that SPN is apparently back to flirting with Dante. I'm *really* curious as to the
concept of Purgatory now. That, and the minor detail of the Winchesters not being the celestial unkillable 'holy cows'
anymore due to sacred vesseledom. Wonder if Raphael still wants to restart the Apocalypse via release of Michael and Lucifer.
Unless, of course, Virgil's pursiut of 'the key' was a double ploy, Raphael resorted to, to whatever end.
I had a feeling NOTHING was nearly the way it seemed and executed for the deductible reasons where the angels are concerned.
I wonder still, how applicable is the data on the angelic agenda, gleaned from the fake!SPN script. Especially wrt to the
celestial weaponry (which appeared a ruse, but might as well turn not to). What if the Winchesters indeed had the key all the
way through, but not the one everybody thought they had?
False truths and true lies are, by far, angelic second names within the narrative.
Balthazar.
Was fun. As ever. I harbor no doubts HIS agenda is far less straight forward than outlined. And I do tend to take the
'scripted' version of his standing in the war at face value: Balthazar is no hero. But he
knows raphael will never take him back.
Balthazar is not in it with Cas for the jolly days of yore sake, nor for a greater good of celestial order. He's yet to
explain the whole deal with the souls (were the SOULS he somehow stocked among the weapons Cas got access to?).
And Balty is yet call Sam on their little deal (of which Dean is unaware of and unlikely to be thrilled with). I wouldn't put
it past Balty to be Raphael's double agent. Or to be an actual champion of the cause, masquerading as a mercenery. I wouldn't
put it past Balty to be turncoat and betray everybody.
I wouldn't put it past Balty to have partook in ressurrection of RoboSam. Though for now, I somehow think it was Raphael.
Castiel.
Upset me. But more importantly - disappointed and hurt Dean. Cas is so far gone by now. So machiavellian, so ends justify the
means. I can see why that might be necessary in the war he's waging within and without. But Cas is so sadly deep into the
very line of action he once rebelled against, to stand up to the human that taught him the true wonder of humanity:
compassion and free will.
What pained Dean most is the fact that Cas would agree to use him and Sam blindly. Whereas all he had to do was ASK for help.
That's not the way to do by friends. Dean remembers that since 2014. That's incidentally too angelic a course of action - to manipulate, to use as a pawn, to disregard
collateral damage. To Cas's credit I should say he did appear duly chastised upon Dean's tell-off.
Dean and Cas seem to be at rather peculiar, understated yet ever escalating odds lately: wrt Sam's resoulment, now wrt Cas's
style of warfare. I wonder if this is going anywhere.
Wonder still is a) Cas indeed got hold of the weapons as he claimed or it was a bluff (like in 5.01) b) if he indeed, has,
why not obliterate Raphael there and then? the Civil War would be over that way, Castiel's faction wins. Everybody wins. End
of story. Huh? c) where exactly underground was he, according to Balthazar: Hell or, maybe, Purgatory?
But the primary matter of my concern is this:
'Now that you have your sword, try not to die by it.'
Somehow, I don't think Balthazar meant the dragon killing sword of Brunsvic. What then? Or, rather, who? The context is tied
up to the Winchesters return from the AU. The one heredetary 'swordship' we're in the know of is Dean's vessledom (Sword of
Michael). The kind of swordship that we've witnessed to be potentially deadly for angels. So I'm left wonderig, and
wondering, and wondering still. And then some.
Is this trope being set up to be brought back into play again? Or is something different altogether is meant? Could Sam's
memory of Hell be a weapon, possibly? Or Balthazar meant an actual blade? I'm puzzled...
Randomettes:
- 'Nobody stops'. - sounds like a foreshadowing, in case the brothers decide to abandon the hunt.
- 'You can't make up your own lines' - rings like a show-wide mantra. Guess, the issue of Free Will vs. preordained script is
back into play within the narrative.
- Quest for sense (what does it all mean?) - rings both as a lampshade and as a decoy (what if EVERYTHING spelled out through
the ep had a hidden meaning? What if NONE of it did?)
- Raphael's vessel is cool. Hope he keeps it... ummm... her.
- The alpaca and otter adoption fund - too priceless.
- 'I'm a painted whore' - precious.
- 'Couch, TV Star, beauty sleep' - 'nuff said.
- 'Gun. Mouth. Now.' - no comments.
- au!Jensen's soap-opera gig - classic. wee!Dean must've been a killer cutie.
- au!Misha - awwwwwwwwwww... *sniffle*
- Bobby's gonna be *thrilled* upon arrival. The kids have effectively ruined the closest thing to home they've got. I sensing
some ensuing slave labor, since they're broke (Dean does have experience in construction, doesn't he?)
ETA: I'm aware to be phenomenally late to emerge from overview hibernation on this one (only to plunge into the newest bout wrt to ep. 6.16), but as they say - better late than never.
Thanks for taking the time to bear with me, if you've so pleased!