Review: Supernatural -- 8x10 Torn and Frayed
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Review: Supernatural -- 8x10 Torn and Frayed
Author: wincestuouslove
Summary: To enlighten ladies how despicable men all are and to show all the girlfriend how to tame your man like Dean Winchester
In 8x09 "Cirizen Fang", Sam (starring Jared Padalecki) spent the entire episode to persuade Dean (starring Jensen Ackles) that Benny was a murderer, while Dean kept defensing him, and it ended up with Dean sending Sam off by faking a text message from Amelia.
This episode continuous from the last one, but in the style of 8x06 "Southern Comfort", which both Sam and Dean acting like a cold-shoulder couple more than brothers.
Sam's behavior proves that all men are dogs. He throws away the feeds, but does not let the others to treasure his wasted food; he complaints the leash too tight, but he begs to stay when the leash is off.
And Dean, is finally in game with wifelike skills -- A) play hard to get and B)loosen the reins only to grasp his man better.
Spoiler Alert!
[Sam answers the knock on the door and sees Dean. Sam partly shut the door, looking angry, then opens it fully again. Dean walks past him into the room.]
Dean: Who did you expect?
Sam: Long drive.
Dean: Well, I wouldn't have had to make it if you hadn't have hung up on me.
Sam: Yeah, well, I heard all I needed to hear.
Dean: No, you heard what you wanted to hear. I told you Benny wasn't killing. Hell, I watched him end the fangbanger that was.
Sam: How about Martin? How did he end that?
Dean: Stupid - just like I said it would. Crazy son of a bitch didn't give Benny a choice. It was self-defense.
Sam: Seriously, Dean? That's the story you're going with? That the vampire was the real victim here?
Dean: Hey, like it or not, that's the truth, okay? There was a time when that actually meant something.
Sam: Yeah, yeah. No kidding.
Dean: What does that mean?
Sam: You think this is just about Benny?
Dean: What the hell are you talking about?
Sam: What the hell do you think I'm talking about?
Dean: Amelia? Oh, come on, man. I sent you that text 'cause I needed you to - to -
Sam: You needed me to what? To tear ass to Texas? To be afraid that what happened to Jessica, what happened to... everybody that we care about might have happened to her?
Dean: You were gonna kill Benny. What was I supposed to do?
Sam: Is that what we are? You save a vampire by making me believe that the woman I love might be dead?
Dean: What do you want to hear, Sam? That I was wrong? Fine. I was wrong. Okay? But if you'd have just heard me out, if you'd have trusted me, all of this could have been avoided.
Sam: You didn't want me to trust you. You wanted me to trust Benny, and I can't do that.
Dean: Right. Okay, well, then, what the hell do we do now?
Sam: That depends. It depends on you. On whether or not you're done with him.
Dean: Well, honestly, I don't know.
[Dean and Sam look at each other for a long moment.]
Dean: Glad I made the drive. [walks past Sam and leaves]
Sam used to be very harsh when it comes to the Benny issue. Hell, he was furious a minute ago even though Dean just showed up on the door to compromise. Then all of a sudden he realize the harder his tactic is, the stubborner Dean's resistance will be. So Sam thorws carrots instead of sticks -- using his puppy-dog glance to plead Dean to consider breaking up with Benny.
Castiel asks Dean to help him find the kidnapped angel, Samdriel.
Dean: Well, you, me, and a demon knife ain't gonna cut it.
Castiel: Okay. I'll get Sam.
Dean: No. We don't need Sam.
Castiel: But you just said -
Dean: Look, if Sam wanted in, he'd be here, okay? I got a better idea.
[There is the sound of wings]
Castiel: I got what we need.
Dean: [turning] Well, it's about time.
[Sam is standing next to Castiel.]
Dean: What's he doing here?
Sam: Don't worry, Dean. Once we save Alfie, I'm out.
Dean: Oh, once "we" save Alfie. Don't hurt yourself, Sam. Cas and I can handle it.
Sam: Not according to Cas.
Dean: I told you we didn't need him.
Castiel: We need everything, Dean. And I need both of you, as you say, to stow your crap. Can you do that?
[Dean and Sam look at each other.]
Meanwhile, Dean starts playing hard-to-get right when Sam shows softness: not to guarentee Sam, not to rely on Sam, not willing to see Sam
Amelia finds Sam in the motel and an after-sex talk.
Amelia: I'm telling you that if you stay, against everything I believe in, I would be with you. But if you leave... don't come back. I can't have you with one foot in my life and one foot out there doing... whatever it is you do. That life of yours I have no idea about.
Sam: You don't want to know about it. Believe me. It's a big step.
Amelia: For me or you?
Sam: Both. I... need to think about this. You need to think about this. Words will never cover what you mean to me - what you'll always mean to me, but we should...
Amelia: Think about this. Okay. How about two days from now, around 7:30? I'll be off work then. One of us will be here, and we'll know. Neither of us will be here... and we'll know. Or both of us will be here... and we'll know.
Sam says he is in love, but hesitates to make promises. Amelia is willing to sacrifice his husband, but Sam does not want to let go of Dean. All Sam does is let these two persons hanging and waiting.
It's interesting that Sam thinks making the commitment is a "big step" for both of them. As Amelia is a married woman herslf, Sam is not even taken by anyone. So why the comparison? Unless... he considers himself wedded with Dean(?)
When Dean is waiting for Castiel to come back with whatever he think they need for the rescue, his phone rings and it is Benny, who keeps hinting he is lonely and asking to meet Dean...
Dean: I know. Your granddaughter told me.
Benny: Dean, you did this old dog a real solid, and, uh... the way you stood up for me -
Dean: Well, shoe on the other foot, you would have done the same.
Benny: Yeah. I hate to ask for much else, but I don't suppose there's any chance you're anywhere near the Catskills?
Dean: Working a case on the other side of the country. Why? What's up?
Benny: Yeah, just hitting a little rough patch, I guess. You know, doing this whole solo thing.
Dean: Benny... one day at a time, man.
Benny: You know what? Uh... A cup of coffee sure would do me good.
Dean: All right, as soon as I'm done with this case, I'll, uh... I'll be there, okay?
Benny: Yeah. All right, brother. Thank you.
It probably is the most manly hit-on conversation I've ever heard, seriously. Benny is so in love with Dean. *glare at Sam*
After the saving Samdriel, who is eventually killed by a forced Castiel, Sam and Dean have a little open-up moment. In order to capture, one must let loose. Dean feigns uninterestness to hitch on his brother anymore, which successfully catches Sam off ground and no longer want to be with that girl anymore.
Dean: You know what, man? I got this. You go.
Sam: What?
Dean: Don't you have a girl to get back to?
Sam: Yeah. I guess I do. Um... Since when are you on the Amelia bandwagon?
Dean: I don't know. I'm just tired of all the fighting. And, you know, maybe I'm a little bit jealous. I could never separate myself from the job like you could. Hell, maybe it's time for at least one of us to be happy.
Sam: What, you being such a big hugger and all? She does make me happy, and she could be waiting for me if I went back. I'd be a very lucky man if she was. But now... with everything staring down at us, with all that's left to be done... I don't know.
Dean: Huh.
Sam: Yeah.
Dean: Well, I do know this - whatever you decide, decide. Both feet in or both feet out. Anything in between is what gets you dead.
Sam: Yeah, I keep hearing that. I'm gonna... take a walk. Clear my head.
[Sam leaves. Dean sighs.]
Dean's sigh is like:
You, you don't really wanna stay, no
You, but you don't really wanna go, oh
'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in then you're out
You're up and you're down
(Lyrics from Kate Perry's Hot N Cold)
Also, Dean's quote of hoping Sam not to be a two-timer ("both feet in or both feet out") parallels with what Amelia, the love interest Sam just had sex with, said ("I can't have you one foot in my life and one foot out there"). Sometimes, Dean just gets too much involve in Sam's love life, you start to think he is playing the biggest role in it.
Dean breaks up with once Sam decided to stay.
Benny: Dean. Thank you mightily, bud. I'm in a hard way here. How close are you?
Dean: I'm sorry, man. I, um... I'm not gonna make it.
Benny: You mean now, or...?
Dean: Listen, Benny. Everything you've done for me, I will never forget, but, uh... This is it.
Benny: End of the line?
Dean: End of the line.
Benny: Yeah, well, I never liked these cellphones anyway.
Dean: You, uh... You stay good, all right?
Benny: You too, Dean. And, uh... Thanks for the ride.
Dean: Yeah, man. Adios.
This scene breaks my heart 'cos I feel very bad for Benny. He is treated like a Plan B, like if he would be Dean's second option of Sam decided to leave. Benny really loves Dean deeply and Dean knows it, that's why Dean is teary in the whole conversation.
In the end, Amelia goes to the motel and sadly finds an unoccupied room. Sam and Dean stay together eating in silence.
So Sam finally settles down after Dean's little mind-trick. Sam says he is in love with Amelia, but he can't promise her anything; he cannot be loyal to Dean, but he can't afford him to meet Benny; he asks to leave, but when Dean let him go, he suddenly decide to stay. Ain't men just adorably contemptible?
Credit
[1] Supernatural Wiki or the transcription