Out of the blue Moon

[water_fowl182]

There is a far vaster range of SPN-related ideas my mind incessantly tilts on the side of pondering, but this one random snippet of rumination somehow got me stuck ever since 6.12 (Like A Virgin): John's journal makes an appearance yet again; there's nothing on dragons in it. I guess it's a safe bet there is NOTHING in there on a whole LOT of

Comments

[smilla02]

I agree. They need to document hunting history as they've lived it. Saving people may mean giving them the cure for vampirism, for example, given that Dean now knows it.

My head canon is that Dean and Sam update John's journal, but there's nothing in canon that confirms it.

[water_fowl182]

Yeah, in my personal fanon, they too update John's journal (Dean does, for the most part, methinks). Especially the entries concerning similar stuff that they got to hunt through the years (skinwalkers, for instance, or shapeshifters

[smilla02]

Sorry for the bleated answer, time runs by me!

What you say here makes a lot of sense and I do wonder who is collecting the data to make it avaliable to other hunters in the future. I think Bobby is the best bet here.

It might be a symbolic coming-of-age step to start up a new journal (specifically for Dean, since his is ever the journey out of Dad's shadow). John's legacy is beyond worth, but both his sons are their own men now, and their own hunters.

I would like for this to happen. But I think that this step is one that Dean must do when he's fully committed to the hunt for reasons that are different than thinking he can't have anything else, or external reasons like we have this season. It would be nice if that were a step Dean makes in the end to symbolize that he's made a choice (or that is the way I would write this story, because I'm afraid the show doesn't give that much importance to it. Unfortunately.)

[water_fowl182]

Sorry for the bleated answer, time runs by me!

Oh, it's no problem at all! Your comments are always welcome! (Given, I still owe you comments on 6.15 insights, but alas, not officially out of review hibernation yet *g*).

But I think that this step is one that Dean must do when he's fully committed to the hunt for reasons that are different than thinking he can't have anything else, or external reasons like we have this season.

I'd love to see it transpire that way too. Moreover, I'd very much prefer Dean symbolically recommitting to the hunt having got his issues straight and having figured out that he *can* and *deserves* having anything (a family of his own, peace of heart, a balanced grown up relationship with Sam, happiness) both regardless and alongside the framework of hunting vocation.

[water_fowl182]

Yeah, I wonder that too. And by a long shot, that's most likely how the Tale of the Winchesters is gonna be passed on and on

[metallidean_grl]

Back in Season 1 and 2, we saw Dean and Sam both using what looked like journals. We didn't see them much, but they were there. And we haven't really seen them since the end of Season 2, so who knows if they have kept up their own journals. I would like to think that they have, but they don't put that in any of the episodes, it's all just off camera, so to speak. Because you are right, the things they have learned and encountered, would be very beneficial for others to glean from some day in the future.

[water_fowl182]

It's been a while since I rewatched the earlier seasons with such 'mundane' details in mind (when I go back there it's usually to a have more focused hindsight on the origins of inter-personal, inner-personal drama), so all that seems to stick to memory is the brothers repeatedly going over John's journal. But I wouldn't put it past myself to actually be missing something out. The question still is where those separate journals could go, so that now, seven years in the making, their key reference source (apart from Bobby's brain) is Dad's journal? I'm just puzzled...

I'd fathom Sam - ever the geek - putting up something by way of a digital catalog or directory on their laptop. But the one they had in s1 was totaled in the semi-truck accident.

[metallidean_grl]

Yes, the fact that they still refer back to John's journal and not their own, could be puzzling. But John did hunt a lot of things before they were old enough to understand and/or hunt, so there could still be knowledge garnered from his journal.

I could also see Sam indexing things. And given the geek that he is, despite his computer being totaled, I would think while they were layed up with Dean fixing the car, Sam could also have been working on his computer and transferring stuff to his new computer. Sam had to occupy his time and mind in some way during that time, as Dean was mostly non-existent while working on the Impala. So that would have been a great way for Sam to spend some time.

[ladyelektra]

Like some of the others said, I too would like to believe they're keeping a journal -- whether it's just adding to John's or using their own. With all they're learning along the way, it would be kind of stupid not to. All that stuff will come in handy for someone someday!

[water_fowl182]

Yeah, I too concede that it only makes sense for them to put together an inventory of all the stuff they've learned independently through the years. I just wish it somehow came across in canon.
I'd go as far as to argue that in many respects Dean and Sam are more experienced now than John ever got, due to all the Apocalyptic, demonic, angelic, hellish and heavenly things they had to deal and are still dealing with.

[ladyelektra]

...in many respects Dean and Sam are more experienced now than John ever got...

I totally agree! John was hunting a long time and was very good at it, but his exploits would probably seem almost tame compared to what's been thrown at the boys.