Episode 23: Achilles' Last Stand (Continued)

[redemptionmod]

Comments

[blueanddollsome]

I guessed that Cas was the false prophet, but I did not see Dean's solution coming at all. Good job. I can't wait to see where the story goes from here, since I'm all out of predictions.

I love how you brought it all back to Sam and Dean's relationship. So perfect. I started to cry at their handshake.

[zatnikatel]

We had seen a few people in t saying they had figured it out and we always cackled behind our hands because while it was correct in principle we knew we had a little twist planned that none of y'all had seen coming.

You know there are a lot of clues leading up to this, and also a few in our teaser video that posted last week, but we think it'll still be a surprise for you to see how it plays out at the very end! We hope you enjoy it...

;-)

[swordofmymouth]

Zatnikatel calls me evil, but let me tell you -- her surprise plot twists might be more evil than I am. If I recollect right, I think she was still coming up with things to throw at readers right up until we finished it. The brother bond, the love between Dean/Cas, all very important elements and I know we both went into it wanting to tell a good story and respect those things. Thank you so much for reading, and glad we could surprise you!

[zatnikatel]

Hey, so you made it here too! Yeah, this is a harrowing read, huh? I've had people tell me before they've wept over my fic but the reaction on Tumblr was pretty extraordinary. I think people were genuinely shocked actually! Sword and I have really enjoyed hammering this out and honest, the ideas and concepts and words just flowed. If it is incredible it's definitely because I had such a great partner in crime writing it with me...

Hope you continue to enjoy! There are still surprises to come!

[swordofmymouth]

Thank you for reading, and it's really just, very humbling to be able to have readers respond in such a way, and humbling to be part of a fan made project on such a large scale with so many talented people, who've all been so incredible.

[cactustree34]

OMG. I was so happy to know I'd be waking up to a new episode of RR, but OMG.
At some point I had to stop reading- because the screen was so blurry from my tears.
You hit this out of the park, both of you! I think doing this part from Sam's POV was a fabulous choice.

I've been feeling a little bad that we haven't being seeing much of Sam's internal space in the last few episodes, but this- oh-this. That entire conversation between them and the E.T. reference and..just everything. I want to quote my favourite parts back at you, but that might be everything. But I think this bit captured it for me:

In the next moment, Sam is breathing Dean in, held tight in Dean's embrace like he has been so many times on this journey of theirs. He is safe in the arms of his brother, whose journey on this road will end in flames just like it started in flames, the blaze that burned their mother a foreshadowing of the Hell they both know, because the experience of fire is a thing that binds them, that makes them family. And Castiel is family too,

[zatnikatel]

Total kudos to my wonderful friend Sword for those words. They are incredible, aren't they?

While this is at its heart a D/C project we've tried very hard to give Sam his due and he will continue to be really important as this three-ep finale plays out. Thanks so much for letting us know it worked for you - and brace yourself for more angst and epic adventure!

;-)

[swordofmymouth]

For a second, I misread your comment and thought you wrote "my wonderful fiend" and I was totally okay with that.

[swordofmymouth]

Ironically, Sam isn't my favorite character, but time and again, he's hands down my favorite to write. There's so much going on with his character and while a lot of fans I run into feel that Dean's storyline got dropped, I feel the same about Sam. Zat's way more gifted at I-C viewpoints than I am, but I think we both have the same approach where we really make an effort to see things from a character's POV to get the right feel for them. Thank you so much for reading and appreciating what we've done!

[ravenclawwit]

Omg. I've been sobbing so hard that my eyes actually feel like they're on fire now.

This is the most amazing fic ever but I kinda feel like I'll never be able to read a dean/cas fic again. *sobs*

[zatnikatel]

Heh, I sorta know what you mean. As enthused as I am about some of the spoilers I've been reading about S8, a little part of me thinks it's going to be pretty anticlimactic after RR!

We hope you've recovered... keep the faith though! ;-)

[swordofmymouth]

I'd recommend tissues but by the time of the latest update you might need a bucket for your creys. Thank you so much for reading and contributing your tears! We're very grateful.

[wayward_melody]

I am not a crier. Actual tears were produced. This was perfectly heartbreaking. I want a fixit so damn bad, the angst is oppressive but it's beautiful all the same. Thanks for writing this slice of wonderful.

[zatnikatel]

There you are again! I think sea levels might have risen a meter in the 24 hours after this posted! it was an epic night for tumblr gifs, that's fer shure. They pulled out all the stops over there, and it's a very odd feeling to know your words have inspired that profound a reaction!

We're sorry we made you cry! But keep the faith!

[swordofmymouth]

This is becoming the theme of Redemption Road, I think: infinite tears. But we're thrilled you're taking the journey with us and reading it through your tears. Thanks!