SPN Questions

[casey28]

In ep 1.20, Luther has Sam by the neck and is threatening to kill him. John shoots him with the Colt, saving Sam's life

Comments

[frozen_delight]

John mostly used the colt to test if it would actually work. At least that was my interpretation of the scene.

[casey28]

Luther still had Sam by the neck, even after Dean let go of his machete. Sam's life was still in danger. Also, earlier, when John wants to trade for Colt, Luther says "Is that what this is all about? I mean, you can't shoot us all right? We'll kill you." John replies "I don't need it for you. I'm saving it for someone else." So, John had no intention of using the gun on Luther to test it. I think he used it to save Sam.

[sillie82]

I think it was a little bit of both? He was pretty sure it was THE colt, and that it would work, but he wouldn't be a 100% sure untill he'd try it. That Sam was in trouble was as good a moment as any to test it, and get saving Sam out of it as well.

[casey28]

It could be an afterthought... that since John was saving Sam's life, it was also a chance to test it out. Though I do believe that John's purpose was to save Sam.

Thanks for sharing your pov. :)

[supernutjapan]

I looked up the scene before in Dead Man's Blood and when the boys question dad going after the vamps by himself, he mentions that he has the colt, so he will be OK. So as talked about above, John was prepared to use the colt. Then, in Salvation, he warns them to make every bullet count toward killing the demon and pretty much puts his life in danger so that they can kill it. At the end of Devil's Trap, John scolds Sam for not killing him to get the demon. So the idea is that John would be upset that the bullet was used ... to save Sam yes, but actually on the errand to save HIM. I think that's why John would have been upset, not because it was used to save Sam. Both times actually, they saved Sam but only because Sam was trying to save John.

[casey28]

he mentions that he has the colt, so he will be OK. So as talked about above, John was prepared to use the colt.

He didn't have the Colt yet. Later on he would have it after he made the trade. He told Luther that he was "saving it for someone else"... that he didn't plan on using the Colt to kill them.

So the idea is that John would be upset that the bullet was used ... to save Sam yes, but actually on the errand to save HIM. I think that's why John would have been upset, not because it was used to save Sam. Both times actually, they saved Sam but only because Sam was trying to save John.Oh, that's a possibility that I hadn't thought of. Though at the end of Dean Man's Blood, John said that the boys had ignored his "direct order" to not rescue him.. to get out of the area. Then Dean says "yeah, but we saved your ass." and John says "You're right". It sounds like John accepted that they decided to rescue him. So if he accepted that, then wouldn't he have to accept that there were risks in rescuing him, and Sam's life had to

[supernutjapan]

He didn't have the Colt yet. Later on he would have it after he made the trade. He told Luther that he was "saving it for someone else"... that he didn't plan on using the Colt to kill them.

No, he didn't have the colt yet, but he gives it as a reason that he will be OK, that he will be able to use the colt.

JOHN:And then I want you out of the area as fast as you can.
SAM:But...
DEAN:Well, Dad you can't take care of them all yourself.
JOHN:I'll have her. And the Colt.

Which seems to mean that he is prepared to do so if he has to.Obviously, if he doesn't have to use it, he's going to save it - the point is that he was prepared to do so if he had to. What he said to Luther he said before he even had the gun, during the trade. He could have said it so that Luther would agree to give him the gun.

Maybe John accepted their rescue the first time because it helped them get the colt. The rescue later on was just to rescue him so, it's a bit different.

[casey28]

Obviously, if he doesn't have to use it, he's going to save it - the point is that he was prepared to do so if he had to

Yes. The same is true in 1.22. Dean was prepared to use if he has to (and he did).

Maybe John accepted their rescue the first time because it helped them get the colt. The rescue later on was just to rescue him so, it's a bit different.

That's another possibility.

Thanks for sharing your pov. :)

[milly_gal]

I think John was testing the Colt out on Luther but as for him being furious, after that he told them to make every bullet count so Dean knew that John would be irate about it. My take anyway.

[casey28]

I see it as both... John saving Sam, and because of that he was able to test the Colt. You're right, he did want every bullet to count. I'm puzzling about it, cause saving Sam's life in 1.22 was a necessity... Dean had to use the Colt, there was no other way to do it. I could see John being annoyed that another bullet was used, but once he understood that Sam would be dead otherwise, I don't get why he'd be mad about it.

Thanks for sharing your pov. :)

[karakuri_doll]

That's a good question! I never realized there was a contradiction. I obviously haven't warched season 1 enough times yet - an excellent excuse for a rewatch! :D

[casey28]

I've been puzzling over this question for a long time. From the discussion here, it was pointed out that we don't know how John would react... we only know that Dean thinks his dad would be mad at him for "wasting a bullet". But using the bullet saved Sam, so it isn't a waste.

Yes, it's a great reason for a rewatch!

[karakuri_doll]

That's actually a good point. Sometimes we predict other people's reactions wrong. Maybe Dean had too low expectations for his dad in this case, which is quite understandable as John was pretty unreasonable plenty of times.

[casey28]

Yes, maybe Dean had too low of an expectation (and yes, John was unreasonable sometimes). It reminds me of the scene in 2.01, when John tells Dean that he's proud of him, and Dean was surprised that he said it.