'Tracking The Visual Story': The Saga of Red & Blue in SPN S5 continues...
Why is it whenever I take on a project it grows to MASSIVE proportions? *facepalm* For the record, this was originally three different posts, which unfortunately made no sense when separated. So, anyone that gets through this, I question your sanity in addition to mine. This post, btw, is the reason why my episode thoughts have been nonexistent since 5.13. It's been, well...complicated.
When I first put together my red & blue meta last fall, there were only eight episodes of the season to look at, and therefore much of those conclusions were based on admittedly wild conjecture. But those of you following along since might have noticed a visual story that has begun to accompany these colors, right in line with the textual story itself. Examining the broad strokes of this visual story throughout the season can give us an indication not only where the story has been, but also where it is headed. On the advent of the show's 100th episode and Season Five finale, I thought it'd be an interesting exercise to see where these big episodes might be taking us. (Yes, I am going to craft finale spec out of colors, just bare with me!)
Despite my constant parring, this post is very lengthy and image heavy, bringing together ideas from my first color symbolism post, and applying it to episodes 5.11 to 5.17, first in terms of red & blue, secondly in terms of the conflict of green, thirdly in terms of how this comes together in 5.17, and finally what this means for the future episodes. Are you EXHAUSTED YET? It sounds more complicated than it is, since it's really just one big Ode to SPN Cinematography in S5. And I promise bunches of pretty caps to get you through it. :)
HAPPY 100th, EVERYONE!
Note: I have not been spoiled for the remaining episodes, and in fact have not even seen the 100th episode promo. The conclusions contained within this post are purely derived from what aired episodes have given so far. So please, no spoilers in the comments.
"This is important and must always be taken into consideration. Images do have subtext: what the image means before a single word is spoken. On the one hand, something is shown; on the other hand, something is said. Sometimes these two levels of meaning overlap, and sometimes they contradict each other. It's a kind of semiotic game, and I love being a part of it."
- Serge Ladouceur, Director of Photography of Supernatural for the last five years
Honestly, if I was to point to anyone this year who has done above and beyond work, it'd be the individuals working in the art department. There’s a lot of the show that’s made me frustrated this season, but if I stick to the story being told visually, I’m a happy girl. And no one is more responsible for how this show has looked, episode to episode, shot to shot, like SPN cinematographer, Serge Ladouceur. If you think about it, he's probably the one person on the whole set who's been present for almost every shot of the last 100 episodes. For those who have yet to read his interview, I really encourage you to do so. It’s a fabulous peek inside his man’s brilliant head and at very least, gives insight into the kind of thought that goes into this easily overlooked aspect of the show.
During this interview, Ladouceur cites the famous cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, One From The Heart, The Last Emperor) and his theory of colors as an influence in his work. This theory at its core ascribes that colors and their differing energies can reflect certain emotions of a character and make a viewer feel those emotions subconsciously. (Which, as luck might have it, is based on ancient philosophies and not far off from the direction I took the red & blue meta! Which is kind of a little creepy honestly.) He also mentions Henri Alekan's quote: "The appearance of everything and of all shapes is a fact of light. (…) Light makes us see, but more over, it makes us think." The man has earned his new producer's credit well, because he's been doing nothing but making me think all year.
'WHERE WE LEFT OFF': The Red & Blue Balance
So last time on red & blue meta, I addressed how, since the beginning of season five there have been a HECK of a lot of shots incorporating red and blue within one frame. Especially in relation to Sam and Dean. I speculated that while Sam tends more toward red (or Fire) and Dean tends more toward blue (or Water), the colors appearing together in shots signaled a balance, at least in terms of the cooperative partnership the two had forged. I concluded that when red and blue are present together in the same frame, it points to balance. Moving forward, but with prudence. And that when that balance was lost, it was a cause for concern.
The original post had only incorporated aired episodes, which at that point had been up to 'Changing Channels' [5.08]. But both 'The Real Ghostbusters' [5.09] and 'Abandon All Hope' [5.10] continued the red and blue balance tread. In the former, most notably was the convention stage and sign, as well as the red and blue lights which shone from the bar of the hotel. In the latter, most notably were the red and blue of the hardware store.
It's actually here, in this hardware store, that the balance goes off the tracks. After Sam and Dean prepare the bomb, they leave Jo and Ellen in a pale blue lit shot (passive action). Watch the fire-y blast (action) from afar. And then leave to kill Lucifer, in a scene of all darkened blues. The rest we know, the Colt doesn’t work on him, he raises Death, and the Winchesters mourn the Harvelles over a fire-y flame.
'WHERE THINGS GO AWRY': Blue begins to flood the screen...
Next time we see them, their world is ALL BLUE. The whole episode of 'Sam, Interrupted' [5.11] takes place in that hospital and there is hardly a STITCH of red. smilla02 was the first one to point out to me that the only significant red of the episode, the blood, was muted in this episode. At first I thought, yea, well, it’s a hospital, right? Except the 5.08 hospital was all red and blue and white. It didn’t have to be all blue. Then I thought about the main story involved in this episode. Dean being crippled, literally at one point paralyzed by fear. While Sam’s anger is restrained through force and drugs. Sam, Interrupted.
Indeed, all the patients here were restrained from speaking about what plagued them (mainly the monster). At the end, Dean silences Sam from trying to make sense of his anger issues. In fact, Dean tells Sam, “BURY IT...That is how we don’t end up like Martin”. When I first watched that, my response was, 'oh, hon, that is exactly how you end up like Martin.' Seeing how this season has progressed since, I’m thinking that’s exactly what they were going for.
Because both the colors, and the textual story are heading in the same place for Dean. Straight to a full-out breakdown. This is the first time in the season blue overtakes red, and the balance is shaken. Remember what happens when there's too much blue. It leads to passivity, depression, inaction, and icy coldness. Sound like where Dean's been headed since? This was the first indication.
Interestingly, red only appears a handful of times in this episode. When it does, it’s a sole red dot in the background of Sam in every instance, except the checker board in front of Dean as he pumps the doctor for case info.
In fact, I've come to start calling every red dot I see a 'Sam dot', they've appeared in relation to him so frequently this year (5.04 [Top Left] and 5.05 [Bottom Center] are some other notable examples), and have grown in usage since this one, as more examples show below.
In the next episode, "Swap Meat" [5.12], the red and blue balance returns, but rather falsely, as the Sam Dean is working well with and is pleased to have around, is in fact, not even Sam at all. Instead, Sam is helplessly trapped in a blue-hooded boy's life, restrained by the kid's parents, by the kid's asthma, and by the kid's friends (who literally tie him up).
In 'The Song Remains the Same' [5.13], Anna returns and with it, a final cashing in on her symbolic red hair, as she seeks to exert her own free will to save the world. The boys aren’t notably tied with anything other than blue here, even so far as driving a blue car. Mary however wears a red and blue patterned shirt. And Mary and Anna’s fight in the garage is oversaturated with all red.
Also notable is Sam completing a sigil for the first time, exerting his will. These sigils are wonderful visual symbolism, as they are literally the character using their own blood to cause an action (banish an angel). I think it’s interesting that Cas completed the sigil first, as the first independent exertion of will against Heaven's plans. Next we saw Dean complete one, learning it from Cas. And the third time, Sam, learning it from them, picks it up and does himself. Go Team Free Will on learned experiences!
Of course, then the angels come, Sam gets killed, Michael destroys Anna, and then talks to Dean in an all blue-basked glow.
In the coda, memory-wiped Mary’s is now dressed in all blue as she looks adoringly at the angel figurine. Instrument of heaven now, yes? Notice the progression of colors during the course of the episode, how slowly the red (will) gets taken over by the blue (fate/heaven). I jokingly refer to 513 in my head as the Fate episode. Indeed, the title does confirm it as such.
It's 'My Bloody Valentine' [5.14], where things get super interesting. Because if 5.13 was all about how no matter what you do, fate (blue) will always conquer, 5.14 was all about the dangers of will uninhibited (unchecked red). Yet Sam faced with an 'All You Can Eat' buffet (I mean, literally, he faces the sign in red saying as much) still chooses ‘no’, kills the demons of the room, and renders Famine powerless. Thus exerting his own confidence (blue) on will (red). It's a victory for Team Free Will, whether they realize it or not.
This episode was a mecca in terms of red and blue meta. Despite being a Valentine's Day episode which no one would have begrudged being totally red dominated, blue was still present. I get giddy just looking at the progression of colors in this episode as the story unfolds.
I broke this up into two panels, the first up to Sam appearing at the diner...
See how when Sam and Dean and Cas are all working together, we still have red and blue light together, as notably shown from the window. Yet, once the blood comes into play, Sam gets locked up, Dean and Cas go by themselves, and the whole palette around them becomes basked in all blue. I swear you can set your watch by it.
Interestingly, once Cas falls prey to Famine's effects and becomes useless to Dean, unable to stop stuffing his face full of red meat in the diner, a harsh red background erupts behind him, no blue in sight. No temperance for Cas at this point, eh?
I capped the hell out of the remaining two scenes, because I just love them so. How wonderful are the color interactions going on here?
And where does Dean end up? Paralyzing himself with fear and responsibility and alcohol, he walks out into basked blue light, and pleads for help from the only source he has left to turn to. [NOTE: There was a lot of debate about whether Famine was speaking literally or metaphorically concerning Dean's emptiness. The colors seem to suggest it was meant emotionally. Famine tapped into people's desires, needs, or wants, especially that which they had previously denied themselves. It comes from energy, will, life. It fuels you through the day. And Dean's blue-dretched world here, more than any other moment, sells home how much of it he lacks. He's running on empty. And seeking help from a higher source.]
'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' [5.15] opens in blue-basked thunder and lightning, leading us into a graveyard, to a grave, where a dead person rises. Did you catch the dialogue of the television program playing? “The wildebeest lounges, lazy, self-content, it is oblivious to the danger of the pretender that stalks them from the shadows.” That pretty much sums up the whole episode. They all live in blue houses (three are shown, including Bobby’s) and ignore the obvious bad omen of the dead rising to spend some moments of peace with them again, before all hell breaks loose. The only significant red is in the interior of Bobby’s house, always as the back drop for the boys as they keep insisting Bobby must take action against this. Bobby, of course, refuses, always shot with the door behind him as a dark background, until he turns around and, with a red lamp now over his shoulder, pulls a gun on the Winchesters. “If Karen turns, I will handle it, my way.”
Meanwhile, the dead go bad, and soak the blue houses with red blood. Oops? (Btw, on a non-Winchester note, I do love the red dot that appears behind the sheriff as she finds enough will to agree to help Sam save the rest of the town. When we see her next, she's locked and loaded.)
Then we cut abruptly to 'Dark Side of the Moon' [5.16], as the Winchesters are murdered. And we have this FABULOUS scene that follows, really, it’s one of my favorites in terms of light actions on this show, because it’s just so simple, yet captures so much.
Dean arrives in Heaven, sleeping at the wheel of the blue-soaked Impala. As he wakes and gets out, the road in front of him, is too, blue-lit. Then something stirs and he turns around. To see little!Sammy holding a box of fireworks, and some red-colored dots appear in the background. Cut back to Dean, now, with red dotted color in his background as well.
As they let the multi-colored fireworks go off, red soaks Dean's face repeatedly. Notable also is Sam stepping into the blue light jumping up and down in pure joy. Then the memory vanishes, and Dean is left in a blue-soaked field again.
If that doesn't perfectly visually illustrate the effect of Sam in Dean's life, man, I don't know what does. (And yes, I laughed at the fire and water-colored packaging on the fireworks, I did.)
Then we switch over to Sam’s memory as an eleven year old kid, wearing a blue tie to some red sweater girl’s very colorful and festive Thanksgiving meal (I can not for the life of me figure out what bright red dish would be served at Thanksgiving that isn’t cranberries, jello? It looks like cut up peppers which is totally bogus) at her bright yellow house.
Then Dean comes in, disrupts Sam from the memory, and together they find a blue toy car and its plastic road in the closet. Which transports them to a blue room with a larger blue car in it. And a magical wardrobe change for both boys. Dean in a blue tee with red writing, and red-hinted plaid. Sam in his full red shirt. Here they meet their white-dressed mother (with what looks like blue dots?). In the following scene, Dean relives the memory of receiving and giving comfort to his mother, as Sam watches with new understanding from afar.
Notice how the lighting in this scene recalls the visual look of 'What Is'? It's significant, as Dean, with a job to do (which Sam keeps reminding him of) wants to stay for a minute, to rest in this fake comfort made out of memories of the past. Seeing a theme yet?
Switch to Sam’s next memory, running away from Dean and hiding out by himself for two weeks in Flagstaff? We zoom out on red and blue postcards, and Sam’s back in blue plaid, a bit of red light by the sink.
The next couple scenes have no significant red and blue, and instead are drenched in unnatural green, which I'll revisit in a second. But first, to wrap up the remaining red and blue of this episode...
The next time we see non-natural blue and red, it’s in the blue-trenched Winchester home, as Stepford!Mary is given the task of paralyzing Dean from moving forward, using the tool of horrific past family memories. Dean knows he shouldn’t stop, shouldn’t listen and he tries, forcing his hands out, and turning around twice. But Mary succeeds in keeping him frozen in place. Are you noticing a pattern here? Notably, Sam does weakly attempt to keep him moving. (More of that Sam!)
The last time we see hints of red or blue are in the hotel at the end. Sam gets the red wallpaper background in his shots. Dean‘s are colorless. When he drops the amulet in the trash can, there is no will to it. His hand simply hovers over the bin, his fingers separate, the necklace falls through, and gravity does all the rest. (And my heart, she BREAKS.)
Halfway through 'Dark Side of the Moon', a sudden green wretch was thrown into the red and blue party, a color usage so grotesque and seemingly out of nowhere, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
"Cinematography is not just about lighting. Light helps create meaning. - Ladouceur
'ZACHARIAH & HIS TOXIC GREEN INTERFERENCE'
Green is a tricky color for visual symbolism. Green can mean life, hope, renewal, springtime, all in relation to nature. Most outside shots with trees and leaves will tend to have green in the background. But it's natural, genuine, honest. Nothing more to read into it, right?
On the other hand, an unnatural green can depict sickness, disease, toxicity, and poison. (Think of the stereotypical depiction of witch's brew as sickly green liquid. Or cartoons with a green poison-marked bottle.)
The most startling green usage in perhaps the whole show was the lighting of Heaven's control central under Zachariah's siege (and sockkpuppett first speculated on its less than positive meaning HERE). As a rule, a gruesome harsh green light like that is just NOT used in film, typically, AT ALL. Why? Well, did that scene make your skin crawl, just from the look of it? Because I'll wager a fifty that was its exact job. Here, Zachariah is corrupting God's Heaven. The boy's past memories. Their home. And their mother. (I'd even wager there's a bible desecration link in there, in the literal raping of Mary's memory?) This harsh green light supports all of this.
But what wouldn't leave me alone here was that it was used SO BLATANTLY. There were a lot of fabulous scenes in that episode, but my mind still goes straight to the toxic green lighting. What on earth was going on here? What were they trying to tell us? We hadn't had much green at all prior, right?
Wrong.
Turns out, green subtly started springing up in 5.15. During that episode a whole town was ignoring the toxic poison in their own houses (notably shown in Karen's kitchen where she cooked those pies, in Bobby's room where he falls asleep, on Bobby's clothes, and on the Sheriff's boy's book he reads with his parents in the idyllic window view, all included in the episode panel above).
In fact, green was in 5.16 way before Heaven's control central. The first glimpse of unnatural green was at the most pivotal point in terms of the brother's relationship: The Stanford memory.
Prior to this, there is no unnatural green in their memories. But here a soft blue-green light shines on the cabin behind Dean. It's also worthy to note this is the memory where Zachariah first discovers them, which suggests he had poisoned their past memories far earlier than their mother at control central. It points to his toxic interference beginning here. Which makes sense, given that this reveal cuts Dean far worse than anything else before it, and creates a chasm between the boys necessary for Dean succumb to Michael.
I capped the hell out of this scene, because the reaction Ackles played for Dean is so ridiculous, I can't hardly stand it.
UGH, seriously, the way he shifts into fifteen different emotions all at once, my heart dies every friggin time.
*coughs* Sorry, cinematography. Zachariah! Green! Toxic!
And hey, look at what is next! Ash conveniently saves the boys from Zachariah, and brings them into a suspiciously red and yellow and, yes, green-lit Roadhouse. Go back and look at the real Roadhouse in S2, it never had lights like this. More of Zachariah's toxic interference?
More suspicious is Stepford!Pamela, whose words sound much more like something Zachariah would want to say to Dean than what the real Pamela might have said. Again, the objective is to convince Dean that saying 'yes' to Michael wouldn't be so bad. Exactly what Zachariah wants. Notice the green glow on Pamela at the end...
Also notable in terms of green was the contrast between Zachariah's toxic looking green scene, and the natural, genuine garden green which followed. It's an indication that Joshua was not part of Zachariah's plans, and that the information he divulged to the Winchesters (most notably that God has already given them everything they need to win?) might be worth listening to.
Unfortunately, that's not what Dean does. Zachariah's poison got to him, and it's reflected both visually and textually in the next episode. Where red and blue collide with the toxic interference of green.
A good script focuses on an essential conflict. As a cinematographer, I am looking for the essential light that will be an extension of that conflict and will enable the viewer to experience it." - Ladouceur
'5.17: HOW THE RED & BLUE COLLIDE WITH GREEN'
This all comes together in the latest episode, '99 Problems', [5.17]. dotfic first noted a bunch of the red, blue, and green color interactions HERE.
The town, if you caught it, was Blue Earth, MN. In fact the congregation’s faces in each church scene were lit with blue light. Almost everyone was wearing blue (lotsa blue plaid), and all the hymnals were blue. Which goes with the episode, as the town followed Leah, unquestionably trusting in her, and loyal in their faith (the only exception being the level-headed Paul, lit with red & blue backgrounds instead). And it directly related to Dean, as the camera shot Dean in front of blue backgrounds and blue light.
Blue. Comfort. Rest. Peace. Passivity. Coldness. Icy. Death. See how it all goes back nicely to 'What Is'?
The only notable red, besides the red carpet aisleway (which is typical for Lutheran churches anyway) was the red truck that saved the boys in the beginning. And for the record, the shot of Leah momentarily lounging on that lush red couch in the back room when she thought no one was looking? Totally gave her real identity away.
The few times we saw red behind Dean, it was in conjugation with green, a combination tends to indicate emotional conflict and distress. Sound familiar? Kudos on the motel name, 'Green Valley' giving the illusion of the 'Paradise' or 'Little-Boxes-of-Heaven' on Earth which Leah promises Dean after the big fight. Toxic, Dean, Toxic! But Dean didn't see it from Zachariah, and surely doesn't see it from Leah.
Cas though, despite stumbling in drunk, was shot with red and blue from the start, and was crucial towards finding out Leah was in fact a false prophet. Both him and Sam sit on the red bull-engraved couch, as they figured out the case. It's significant that Sam's initiative towards contacting Cas was instrumental in cracking the mystery of the town. He's become a lot more able than he thinks as of late.
In a similar vein, there were the two paintings on the wall of the motel room. One, with a bright hopeful blue sky, another with a stormy clouded sky. Sam was shot in front of the former, repetitively. Dean was shot in front of the latter.
At the end, Dean walks out of the hotel room into blue-lit outdoor night, and speeds off in the Impala, passing the green and red sign to say goodbye to blue-wearing Lisa, before saying ‘yes’ to Michael. The episode closes on Dean with a green background. Completely influenced by Zachariah's poison.
So that is where we're left with, going into the 100th episode tonight, and into the next five episodes leading to what's supposed to be by all accounts, an EPIC finale. So, now...
"Lighting is just to provide a way to support technically what the filmmaker wants to get across in writing." - Ladouceur
'WHERE IS THIS GOING?': Red points the way...
When I first heard about 'My Bloody Valentine', I thought it was pretty damn brilliant for them to make a Valentine's Day themed episode in a year the title cards were splashing blood and a pumping, beating heart.
I thought the actual amplified pumping heart in the episode was a nice shoutout to that. But it was this frame, that got me thinking:
It's not just this year red has been connected with Sam. Red has been connected to Sam through blood, his whole life. This is not something new. The night the YED dripped blood into his mouth at six months old was how this whole story started (even if it wasn't until 2.21 that we found out about it). All the big blood episodes are in relation to Sam's story. Dead Man's Blood, Sam and John work out their issues. Heart, where we first hear the amplified heart pumping motif, is all about Sam projecting his need to be saved onto a girl who's turned into a werewolf (who eats actual hearts). It's also the first episode he's responsible for spilling human blood. In All Hell Breaks Loose, Part II, we have the first image of someone else's spilt blood on Sam's face (a motif that has now become a current theme this season, I count four times this year?). Fresh Blood, the episode where Sam puts his heart on his sleeve and pleads his brother to drop his act. And the second image of blood on Sam's hands. The blood was what Sam turned to while Dean was in Hell, hellbent on getting him back, taking revenge where he could. He was convinced he could save the world with it, when he thought Dean wasn't strong enough to do it himself, and wound up with an addiction instead. At the culmination of last year, as he kills Lilith, the amplified heart beat is used again, the same of which now appears in the credits all of this year. It is ultimately why the story is where it is this season, Lucifer loose and intent on the end of the world.
I started collecting shots that symbolize the Sam and blood motif in a folder a couple weeks ago, and had to stop when I got to 63 easily. I starting sorta haphazardly throwing them together, just to see them all in one place, and a saying kept repeating to me: “That’s not blood, that’s red”
The images above the title are almost all from the first four years. The images below the title are all from this season so far. It's visually striking when you see it all together.
I mean, really, can you look at that and seriously see this show heading anywhere else towards the finale than here? At a time when Dean's world has gone completely blue, the red stays with Sam, as a reminder of what Dean is in need of and what Sam (and the storyline) is holding back. Sam's blood. Sam's will. Sam's--here's where I go all schmaltzy on you--love.
I’m just saying we’ve heard about demon blood pumping through his veins for years, it really wouldn’t be fair if he couldn’t use that to save the world somehow after all the trouble he’s gotten with it. It truly is a card they've held back from playing on for years, and if there's one time to finally play it...I'd imagine it'd be now!
I wrote this back after 5.14, and for all the reasons highlighted above, it's become more and more true since:
If I think about what I really want for Sam and Dean's characters individually this season? Two seemingly different ideas, instead feel very much related.
What I REALLY want for Sam? It's become simple. To find a way to control his powers without the blood, and without the switch-flipping. He has to find his own way to do things, that isn't simply stepping in behind Dean and doing things his way. Sam's powers, regardless of the source, are a part of him. Denying them will never not feel like him denying a part of himself. Coming to terms with that conflict, by using them for good cause without resorting to taking a life in order to get it done (and we know it's possible, Ruby's feather line said as much) would do exactly this.
What I REALLY want for Dean? It's a bit more complicated. It's easy to say after all he's been through that I'd want him to discover the strength that's still within himself. But in fact, I think that's part of why he's lost that strength. The idea that he has to do it all by himself, all the time, has just become crippling to him. And I think that Sam taking up that part, helping on the load instead of adding to it, helping Dean in the way that Dean feels like he is worthy of being helped, is actually more the answer.
Unfortunately, knowing Dean, he won't take being helped by Sam until he hits complete rock bottom. It seems as if a complete and utter breakdown is necessary for Sam to show Dean he is there for him. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want that right now. For both of them. Showing Dean Sam's ability to care. FOR HIM. In the same way that Dean has been there for Sam since day one. I feel like it's always gone to Dean to be the strength to stand up in the face of everyone else, as Sam stands behind him. And that must be the most tiring thing for Dean to keep up. And the most frustrating for Sam. Dean gave up his soul for Sam, how else can he even begin to repay him? It needs to be something big.
So I think what I want for both characters are related somehow and don't think I'm getting this out of the clear blue sky. I think we're slowly edging to them dovetailing.
If you think about it, Dean's last act in [5.14] was to ask for help. He's sick of having to do it alone. To take care of his family, Sam, the world, by himself. I think nothing does a worse number on your self-worth than when you feel like you have to do everything yourself, as Dean has felt for a while now. And I'm coming to believe that Sam somehow learning to access his powers without the need of blood but without fully flipping the switch, would take a heck of a load off Dean.
Of all of the things I would love to see for both of them, this would bring all that. Sam no longer denying a part of himself but taking control of the curse without resorting to harm. And Dean finally knowing that he's worth being saved and cared for and protected just as much as all the people he's taken care of over the years.
And if I had to cash in more specific spec for how this will end? If Jimmy's affect on Castiel in 'My Bloody Valentine' showed us anything, it's that when the will of the person the angel is inhabiting is strong enough, an angel is powerless to stop it. I'm convinced now more than ever that at least one of them are going to say yes, but together, with a tagteamed Trojan Horse plan for Sam to finish off Lucifer using his powers while they hold them captive, inside of them. We've seen John Winchester strong enough to fight off the YED before, and Bobby, just in the premiere this year. Them being able to kill Lucifer, while they inhabit their bodies, using fate and exerting their own will on it, would be an ultimate Team Free Will win.
If you made it to the end of that? You deserve a cookie. And a raise. Here's a pillow, go and lie down.
When I first put together my red & blue meta last fall, there were only eight episodes of the season to look at, and therefore much of those conclusions were based on admittedly wild conjecture. But those of you following along since might have noticed a visual story that has begun to accompany these colors, right in line with the textual story itself. Examining the broad strokes of this visual story throughout the season can give us an indication not only where the story has been, but also where it is headed. On the advent of the show's 100th episode and Season Five finale, I thought it'd be an interesting exercise to see where these big episodes might be taking us. (Yes, I am going to craft finale spec out of colors, just bare with me!)
Despite my constant parring, this post is very lengthy and image heavy, bringing together ideas from my first color symbolism post, and applying it to episodes 5.11 to 5.17, first in terms of red & blue, secondly in terms of the conflict of green, thirdly in terms of how this comes together in 5.17, and finally what this means for the future episodes. Are you EXHAUSTED YET? It sounds more complicated than it is, since it's really just one big Ode to SPN Cinematography in S5. And I promise bunches of pretty caps to get you through it. :)
HAPPY 100th, EVERYONE!
Note: I have not been spoiled for the remaining episodes, and in fact have not even seen the 100th episode promo. The conclusions contained within this post are purely derived from what aired episodes have given so far. So please, no spoilers in the comments.
"This is important and must always be taken into consideration. Images do have subtext: what the image means before a single word is spoken. On the one hand, something is shown; on the other hand, something is said. Sometimes these two levels of meaning overlap, and sometimes they contradict each other. It's a kind of semiotic game, and I love being a part of it."
- Serge Ladouceur, Director of Photography of Supernatural for the last five years
Honestly, if I was to point to anyone this year who has done above and beyond work, it'd be the individuals working in the art department. There’s a lot of the show that’s made me frustrated this season, but if I stick to the story being told visually, I’m a happy girl. And no one is more responsible for how this show has looked, episode to episode, shot to shot, like SPN cinematographer, Serge Ladouceur. If you think about it, he's probably the one person on the whole set who's been present for almost every shot of the last 100 episodes. For those who have yet to read his interview, I really encourage you to do so. It’s a fabulous peek inside his man’s brilliant head and at very least, gives insight into the kind of thought that goes into this easily overlooked aspect of the show.
During this interview, Ladouceur cites the famous cinematographer, Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now, One From The Heart, The Last Emperor) and his theory of colors as an influence in his work. This theory at its core ascribes that colors and their differing energies can reflect certain emotions of a character and make a viewer feel those emotions subconsciously. (Which, as luck might have it, is based on ancient philosophies and not far off from the direction I took the red & blue meta! Which is kind of a little creepy honestly.) He also mentions Henri Alekan's quote: "The appearance of everything and of all shapes is a fact of light. (…) Light makes us see, but more over, it makes us think." The man has earned his new producer's credit well, because he's been doing nothing but making me think all year.
'WHERE WE LEFT OFF': The Red & Blue Balance
So last time on red & blue meta, I addressed how, since the beginning of season five there have been a HECK of a lot of shots incorporating red and blue within one frame. Especially in relation to Sam and Dean. I speculated that while Sam tends more toward red (or Fire) and Dean tends more toward blue (or Water), the colors appearing together in shots signaled a balance, at least in terms of the cooperative partnership the two had forged. I concluded that when red and blue are present together in the same frame, it points to balance. Moving forward, but with prudence. And that when that balance was lost, it was a cause for concern.
The original post had only incorporated aired episodes, which at that point had been up to 'Changing Channels' [5.08]. But both 'The Real Ghostbusters' [5.09] and 'Abandon All Hope' [5.10] continued the red and blue balance tread. In the former, most notably was the convention stage and sign, as well as the red and blue lights which shone from the bar of the hotel. In the latter, most notably were the red and blue of the hardware store.
It's actually here, in this hardware store, that the balance goes off the tracks. After Sam and Dean prepare the bomb, they leave Jo and Ellen in a pale blue lit shot (passive action). Watch the fire-y blast (action) from afar. And then leave to kill Lucifer, in a scene of all darkened blues. The rest we know, the Colt doesn’t work on him, he raises Death, and the Winchesters mourn the Harvelles over a fire-y flame.
'WHERE THINGS GO AWRY': Blue begins to flood the screen...
Next time we see them, their world is ALL BLUE. The whole episode of 'Sam, Interrupted' [5.11] takes place in that hospital and there is hardly a STITCH of red. smilla02 was the first one to point out to me that the only significant red of the episode, the blood, was muted in this episode. At first I thought, yea, well, it’s a hospital, right? Except the 5.08 hospital was all red and blue and white. It didn’t have to be all blue. Then I thought about the main story involved in this episode. Dean being crippled, literally at one point paralyzed by fear. While Sam’s anger is restrained through force and drugs. Sam, Interrupted.
Indeed, all the patients here were restrained from speaking about what plagued them (mainly the monster). At the end, Dean silences Sam from trying to make sense of his anger issues. In fact, Dean tells Sam, “BURY IT...That is how we don’t end up like Martin”. When I first watched that, my response was, 'oh, hon, that is exactly how you end up like Martin.' Seeing how this season has progressed since, I’m thinking that’s exactly what they were going for.
Because both the colors, and the textual story are heading in the same place for Dean. Straight to a full-out breakdown. This is the first time in the season blue overtakes red, and the balance is shaken. Remember what happens when there's too much blue. It leads to passivity, depression, inaction, and icy coldness. Sound like where Dean's been headed since? This was the first indication.
Interestingly, red only appears a handful of times in this episode. When it does, it’s a sole red dot in the background of Sam in every instance, except the checker board in front of Dean as he pumps the doctor for case info.
In fact, I've come to start calling every red dot I see a 'Sam dot', they've appeared in relation to him so frequently this year (5.04 [Top Left] and 5.05 [Bottom Center] are some other notable examples), and have grown in usage since this one, as more examples show below.
In the next episode, "Swap Meat" [5.12], the red and blue balance returns, but rather falsely, as the Sam Dean is working well with and is pleased to have around, is in fact, not even Sam at all. Instead, Sam is helplessly trapped in a blue-hooded boy's life, restrained by the kid's parents, by the kid's asthma, and by the kid's friends (who literally tie him up).
In 'The Song Remains the Same' [5.13], Anna returns and with it, a final cashing in on her symbolic red hair, as she seeks to exert her own free will to save the world. The boys aren’t notably tied with anything other than blue here, even so far as driving a blue car. Mary however wears a red and blue patterned shirt. And Mary and Anna’s fight in the garage is oversaturated with all red.
Also notable is Sam completing a sigil for the first time, exerting his will. These sigils are wonderful visual symbolism, as they are literally the character using their own blood to cause an action (banish an angel). I think it’s interesting that Cas completed the sigil first, as the first independent exertion of will against Heaven's plans. Next we saw Dean complete one, learning it from Cas. And the third time, Sam, learning it from them, picks it up and does himself. Go Team Free Will on learned experiences!
Of course, then the angels come, Sam gets killed, Michael destroys Anna, and then talks to Dean in an all blue-basked glow.
In the coda, memory-wiped Mary’s is now dressed in all blue as she looks adoringly at the angel figurine. Instrument of heaven now, yes? Notice the progression of colors during the course of the episode, how slowly the red (will) gets taken over by the blue (fate/heaven). I jokingly refer to 513 in my head as the Fate episode. Indeed, the title does confirm it as such.
It's 'My Bloody Valentine' [5.14], where things get super interesting. Because if 5.13 was all about how no matter what you do, fate (blue) will always conquer, 5.14 was all about the dangers of will uninhibited (unchecked red). Yet Sam faced with an 'All You Can Eat' buffet (I mean, literally, he faces the sign in red saying as much) still chooses ‘no’, kills the demons of the room, and renders Famine powerless. Thus exerting his own confidence (blue) on will (red). It's a victory for Team Free Will, whether they realize it or not.
This episode was a mecca in terms of red and blue meta. Despite being a Valentine's Day episode which no one would have begrudged being totally red dominated, blue was still present. I get giddy just looking at the progression of colors in this episode as the story unfolds.
I broke this up into two panels, the first up to Sam appearing at the diner...
See how when Sam and Dean and Cas are all working together, we still have red and blue light together, as notably shown from the window. Yet, once the blood comes into play, Sam gets locked up, Dean and Cas go by themselves, and the whole palette around them becomes basked in all blue. I swear you can set your watch by it.
Interestingly, once Cas falls prey to Famine's effects and becomes useless to Dean, unable to stop stuffing his face full of red meat in the diner, a harsh red background erupts behind him, no blue in sight. No temperance for Cas at this point, eh?
I capped the hell out of the remaining two scenes, because I just love them so. How wonderful are the color interactions going on here?
And where does Dean end up? Paralyzing himself with fear and responsibility and alcohol, he walks out into basked blue light, and pleads for help from the only source he has left to turn to. [NOTE: There was a lot of debate about whether Famine was speaking literally or metaphorically concerning Dean's emptiness. The colors seem to suggest it was meant emotionally. Famine tapped into people's desires, needs, or wants, especially that which they had previously denied themselves. It comes from energy, will, life. It fuels you through the day. And Dean's blue-dretched world here, more than any other moment, sells home how much of it he lacks. He's running on empty. And seeking help from a higher source.]
'Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid' [5.15] opens in blue-basked thunder and lightning, leading us into a graveyard, to a grave, where a dead person rises. Did you catch the dialogue of the television program playing? “The wildebeest lounges, lazy, self-content, it is oblivious to the danger of the pretender that stalks them from the shadows.” That pretty much sums up the whole episode. They all live in blue houses (three are shown, including Bobby’s) and ignore the obvious bad omen of the dead rising to spend some moments of peace with them again, before all hell breaks loose. The only significant red is in the interior of Bobby’s house, always as the back drop for the boys as they keep insisting Bobby must take action against this. Bobby, of course, refuses, always shot with the door behind him as a dark background, until he turns around and, with a red lamp now over his shoulder, pulls a gun on the Winchesters. “If Karen turns, I will handle it, my way.”
Meanwhile, the dead go bad, and soak the blue houses with red blood. Oops? (Btw, on a non-Winchester note, I do love the red dot that appears behind the sheriff as she finds enough will to agree to help Sam save the rest of the town. When we see her next, she's locked and loaded.)
Then we cut abruptly to 'Dark Side of the Moon' [5.16], as the Winchesters are murdered. And we have this FABULOUS scene that follows, really, it’s one of my favorites in terms of light actions on this show, because it’s just so simple, yet captures so much.
Dean arrives in Heaven, sleeping at the wheel of the blue-soaked Impala. As he wakes and gets out, the road in front of him, is too, blue-lit. Then something stirs and he turns around. To see little!Sammy holding a box of fireworks, and some red-colored dots appear in the background. Cut back to Dean, now, with red dotted color in his background as well.
As they let the multi-colored fireworks go off, red soaks Dean's face repeatedly. Notable also is Sam stepping into the blue light jumping up and down in pure joy. Then the memory vanishes, and Dean is left in a blue-soaked field again.
If that doesn't perfectly visually illustrate the effect of Sam in Dean's life, man, I don't know what does. (And yes, I laughed at the fire and water-colored packaging on the fireworks, I did.)
Then we switch over to Sam’s memory as an eleven year old kid, wearing a blue tie to some red sweater girl’s very colorful and festive Thanksgiving meal (I can not for the life of me figure out what bright red dish would be served at Thanksgiving that isn’t cranberries, jello? It looks like cut up peppers which is totally bogus) at her bright yellow house.
Then Dean comes in, disrupts Sam from the memory, and together they find a blue toy car and its plastic road in the closet. Which transports them to a blue room with a larger blue car in it. And a magical wardrobe change for both boys. Dean in a blue tee with red writing, and red-hinted plaid. Sam in his full red shirt. Here they meet their white-dressed mother (with what looks like blue dots?). In the following scene, Dean relives the memory of receiving and giving comfort to his mother, as Sam watches with new understanding from afar.
Notice how the lighting in this scene recalls the visual look of 'What Is'? It's significant, as Dean, with a job to do (which Sam keeps reminding him of) wants to stay for a minute, to rest in this fake comfort made out of memories of the past. Seeing a theme yet?
Switch to Sam’s next memory, running away from Dean and hiding out by himself for two weeks in Flagstaff? We zoom out on red and blue postcards, and Sam’s back in blue plaid, a bit of red light by the sink.
The next couple scenes have no significant red and blue, and instead are drenched in unnatural green, which I'll revisit in a second. But first, to wrap up the remaining red and blue of this episode...
The next time we see non-natural blue and red, it’s in the blue-trenched Winchester home, as Stepford!Mary is given the task of paralyzing Dean from moving forward, using the tool of horrific past family memories. Dean knows he shouldn’t stop, shouldn’t listen and he tries, forcing his hands out, and turning around twice. But Mary succeeds in keeping him frozen in place. Are you noticing a pattern here? Notably, Sam does weakly attempt to keep him moving. (More of that Sam!)
The last time we see hints of red or blue are in the hotel at the end. Sam gets the red wallpaper background in his shots. Dean‘s are colorless. When he drops the amulet in the trash can, there is no will to it. His hand simply hovers over the bin, his fingers separate, the necklace falls through, and gravity does all the rest. (And my heart, she BREAKS.)
Halfway through 'Dark Side of the Moon', a sudden green wretch was thrown into the red and blue party, a color usage so grotesque and seemingly out of nowhere, I couldn't stop thinking about it.
"Cinematography is not just about lighting. Light helps create meaning. - Ladouceur
'ZACHARIAH & HIS TOXIC GREEN INTERFERENCE'
Green is a tricky color for visual symbolism. Green can mean life, hope, renewal, springtime, all in relation to nature. Most outside shots with trees and leaves will tend to have green in the background. But it's natural, genuine, honest. Nothing more to read into it, right?
On the other hand, an unnatural green can depict sickness, disease, toxicity, and poison. (Think of the stereotypical depiction of witch's brew as sickly green liquid. Or cartoons with a green poison-marked bottle.)
The most startling green usage in perhaps the whole show was the lighting of Heaven's control central under Zachariah's siege (and sockkpuppett first speculated on its less than positive meaning HERE). As a rule, a gruesome harsh green light like that is just NOT used in film, typically, AT ALL. Why? Well, did that scene make your skin crawl, just from the look of it? Because I'll wager a fifty that was its exact job. Here, Zachariah is corrupting God's Heaven. The boy's past memories. Their home. And their mother. (I'd even wager there's a bible desecration link in there, in the literal raping of Mary's memory?) This harsh green light supports all of this.
But what wouldn't leave me alone here was that it was used SO BLATANTLY. There were a lot of fabulous scenes in that episode, but my mind still goes straight to the toxic green lighting. What on earth was going on here? What were they trying to tell us? We hadn't had much green at all prior, right?
Wrong.
Turns out, green subtly started springing up in 5.15. During that episode a whole town was ignoring the toxic poison in their own houses (notably shown in Karen's kitchen where she cooked those pies, in Bobby's room where he falls asleep, on Bobby's clothes, and on the Sheriff's boy's book he reads with his parents in the idyllic window view, all included in the episode panel above).
In fact, green was in 5.16 way before Heaven's control central. The first glimpse of unnatural green was at the most pivotal point in terms of the brother's relationship: The Stanford memory.
Prior to this, there is no unnatural green in their memories. But here a soft blue-green light shines on the cabin behind Dean. It's also worthy to note this is the memory where Zachariah first discovers them, which suggests he had poisoned their past memories far earlier than their mother at control central. It points to his toxic interference beginning here. Which makes sense, given that this reveal cuts Dean far worse than anything else before it, and creates a chasm between the boys necessary for Dean succumb to Michael.
I capped the hell out of this scene, because the reaction Ackles played for Dean is so ridiculous, I can't hardly stand it.
UGH, seriously, the way he shifts into fifteen different emotions all at once, my heart dies every friggin time.
*coughs* Sorry, cinematography. Zachariah! Green! Toxic!
And hey, look at what is next! Ash conveniently saves the boys from Zachariah, and brings them into a suspiciously red and yellow and, yes, green-lit Roadhouse. Go back and look at the real Roadhouse in S2, it never had lights like this. More of Zachariah's toxic interference?
More suspicious is Stepford!Pamela, whose words sound much more like something Zachariah would want to say to Dean than what the real Pamela might have said. Again, the objective is to convince Dean that saying 'yes' to Michael wouldn't be so bad. Exactly what Zachariah wants. Notice the green glow on Pamela at the end...
Also notable in terms of green was the contrast between Zachariah's toxic looking green scene, and the natural, genuine garden green which followed. It's an indication that Joshua was not part of Zachariah's plans, and that the information he divulged to the Winchesters (most notably that God has already given them everything they need to win?) might be worth listening to.
Unfortunately, that's not what Dean does. Zachariah's poison got to him, and it's reflected both visually and textually in the next episode. Where red and blue collide with the toxic interference of green.
A good script focuses on an essential conflict. As a cinematographer, I am looking for the essential light that will be an extension of that conflict and will enable the viewer to experience it." - Ladouceur
'5.17: HOW THE RED & BLUE COLLIDE WITH GREEN'
This all comes together in the latest episode, '99 Problems', [5.17]. dotfic first noted a bunch of the red, blue, and green color interactions HERE.
The town, if you caught it, was Blue Earth, MN. In fact the congregation’s faces in each church scene were lit with blue light. Almost everyone was wearing blue (lotsa blue plaid), and all the hymnals were blue. Which goes with the episode, as the town followed Leah, unquestionably trusting in her, and loyal in their faith (the only exception being the level-headed Paul, lit with red & blue backgrounds instead). And it directly related to Dean, as the camera shot Dean in front of blue backgrounds and blue light.
Blue. Comfort. Rest. Peace. Passivity. Coldness. Icy. Death. See how it all goes back nicely to 'What Is'?
The only notable red, besides the red carpet aisleway (which is typical for Lutheran churches anyway) was the red truck that saved the boys in the beginning. And for the record, the shot of Leah momentarily lounging on that lush red couch in the back room when she thought no one was looking? Totally gave her real identity away.
The few times we saw red behind Dean, it was in conjugation with green, a combination tends to indicate emotional conflict and distress. Sound familiar? Kudos on the motel name, 'Green Valley' giving the illusion of the 'Paradise' or 'Little-Boxes-of-Heaven' on Earth which Leah promises Dean after the big fight. Toxic, Dean, Toxic! But Dean didn't see it from Zachariah, and surely doesn't see it from Leah.
Cas though, despite stumbling in drunk, was shot with red and blue from the start, and was crucial towards finding out Leah was in fact a false prophet. Both him and Sam sit on the red bull-engraved couch, as they figured out the case. It's significant that Sam's initiative towards contacting Cas was instrumental in cracking the mystery of the town. He's become a lot more able than he thinks as of late.
In a similar vein, there were the two paintings on the wall of the motel room. One, with a bright hopeful blue sky, another with a stormy clouded sky. Sam was shot in front of the former, repetitively. Dean was shot in front of the latter.
At the end, Dean walks out of the hotel room into blue-lit outdoor night, and speeds off in the Impala, passing the green and red sign to say goodbye to blue-wearing Lisa, before saying ‘yes’ to Michael. The episode closes on Dean with a green background. Completely influenced by Zachariah's poison.
So that is where we're left with, going into the 100th episode tonight, and into the next five episodes leading to what's supposed to be by all accounts, an EPIC finale. So, now...
"Lighting is just to provide a way to support technically what the filmmaker wants to get across in writing." - Ladouceur
'WHERE IS THIS GOING?': Red points the way...
When I first heard about 'My Bloody Valentine', I thought it was pretty damn brilliant for them to make a Valentine's Day themed episode in a year the title cards were splashing blood and a pumping, beating heart.
I thought the actual amplified pumping heart in the episode was a nice shoutout to that. But it was this frame, that got me thinking:
It's not just this year red has been connected with Sam. Red has been connected to Sam through blood, his whole life. This is not something new. The night the YED dripped blood into his mouth at six months old was how this whole story started (even if it wasn't until 2.21 that we found out about it). All the big blood episodes are in relation to Sam's story. Dead Man's Blood, Sam and John work out their issues. Heart, where we first hear the amplified heart pumping motif, is all about Sam projecting his need to be saved onto a girl who's turned into a werewolf (who eats actual hearts). It's also the first episode he's responsible for spilling human blood. In All Hell Breaks Loose, Part II, we have the first image of someone else's spilt blood on Sam's face (a motif that has now become a current theme this season, I count four times this year?). Fresh Blood, the episode where Sam puts his heart on his sleeve and pleads his brother to drop his act. And the second image of blood on Sam's hands. The blood was what Sam turned to while Dean was in Hell, hellbent on getting him back, taking revenge where he could. He was convinced he could save the world with it, when he thought Dean wasn't strong enough to do it himself, and wound up with an addiction instead. At the culmination of last year, as he kills Lilith, the amplified heart beat is used again, the same of which now appears in the credits all of this year. It is ultimately why the story is where it is this season, Lucifer loose and intent on the end of the world.
I started collecting shots that symbolize the Sam and blood motif in a folder a couple weeks ago, and had to stop when I got to 63 easily. I starting sorta haphazardly throwing them together, just to see them all in one place, and a saying kept repeating to me: “That’s not blood, that’s red”
The images above the title are almost all from the first four years. The images below the title are all from this season so far. It's visually striking when you see it all together.
I mean, really, can you look at that and seriously see this show heading anywhere else towards the finale than here? At a time when Dean's world has gone completely blue, the red stays with Sam, as a reminder of what Dean is in need of and what Sam (and the storyline) is holding back. Sam's blood. Sam's will. Sam's--here's where I go all schmaltzy on you--love.
I’m just saying we’ve heard about demon blood pumping through his veins for years, it really wouldn’t be fair if he couldn’t use that to save the world somehow after all the trouble he’s gotten with it. It truly is a card they've held back from playing on for years, and if there's one time to finally play it...I'd imagine it'd be now!
I wrote this back after 5.14, and for all the reasons highlighted above, it's become more and more true since:
If I think about what I really want for Sam and Dean's characters individually this season? Two seemingly different ideas, instead feel very much related.
What I REALLY want for Sam? It's become simple. To find a way to control his powers without the blood, and without the switch-flipping. He has to find his own way to do things, that isn't simply stepping in behind Dean and doing things his way. Sam's powers, regardless of the source, are a part of him. Denying them will never not feel like him denying a part of himself. Coming to terms with that conflict, by using them for good cause without resorting to taking a life in order to get it done (and we know it's possible, Ruby's feather line said as much) would do exactly this.
What I REALLY want for Dean? It's a bit more complicated. It's easy to say after all he's been through that I'd want him to discover the strength that's still within himself. But in fact, I think that's part of why he's lost that strength. The idea that he has to do it all by himself, all the time, has just become crippling to him. And I think that Sam taking up that part, helping on the load instead of adding to it, helping Dean in the way that Dean feels like he is worthy of being helped, is actually more the answer.
Unfortunately, knowing Dean, he won't take being helped by Sam until he hits complete rock bottom. It seems as if a complete and utter breakdown is necessary for Sam to show Dean he is there for him. I REALLY REALLY REALLY want that right now. For both of them. Showing Dean Sam's ability to care. FOR HIM. In the same way that Dean has been there for Sam since day one. I feel like it's always gone to Dean to be the strength to stand up in the face of everyone else, as Sam stands behind him. And that must be the most tiring thing for Dean to keep up. And the most frustrating for Sam. Dean gave up his soul for Sam, how else can he even begin to repay him? It needs to be something big.
So I think what I want for both characters are related somehow and don't think I'm getting this out of the clear blue sky. I think we're slowly edging to them dovetailing.
If you think about it, Dean's last act in [5.14] was to ask for help. He's sick of having to do it alone. To take care of his family, Sam, the world, by himself. I think nothing does a worse number on your self-worth than when you feel like you have to do everything yourself, as Dean has felt for a while now. And I'm coming to believe that Sam somehow learning to access his powers without the need of blood but without fully flipping the switch, would take a heck of a load off Dean.
Of all of the things I would love to see for both of them, this would bring all that. Sam no longer denying a part of himself but taking control of the curse without resorting to harm. And Dean finally knowing that he's worth being saved and cared for and protected just as much as all the people he's taken care of over the years.
And if I had to cash in more specific spec for how this will end? If Jimmy's affect on Castiel in 'My Bloody Valentine' showed us anything, it's that when the will of the person the angel is inhabiting is strong enough, an angel is powerless to stop it. I'm convinced now more than ever that at least one of them are going to say yes, but together, with a tagteamed Trojan Horse plan for Sam to finish off Lucifer using his powers while they hold them captive, inside of them. We've seen John Winchester strong enough to fight off the YED before, and Bobby, just in the premiere this year. Them being able to kill Lucifer, while they inhabit their bodies, using fate and exerting their own will on it, would be an ultimate Team Free Will win.
If you made it to the end of that? You deserve a cookie. And a raise. Here's a pillow, go and lie down.