5.01 Sympathy for the Devil
Sep. 10th, 2009 10:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coyotesuspectWarning: This contains very minor casting spoilers for next week's episode; casting spoilers you already know about if you watched the promo.
Best. Season. Premiere. Ever.
Seriously, that kicked the shit out of Lazarus Rising and the Magnificent Seven, and I think I liked it even better than In My Time of Dying.
It's no wonder Dean is so deathly afraid of planes. The only two he's ever been on have almost crashed. Real cute there Kripke, pulling a literal dues ex machina.
Chuck is amazing. That probably means they're going to kill him off. But for now I continue to luff him. And omg, the fangirl? BECKY. I love Becky.
"I may be a fan but I can tell the difference between fiction and reality. I know they're just books. And I don't appreciate being mocked."
<3 Oh Kripke. We know you love us.
Mmm. Dean's clavicle. (And is it just me, or did the excerpt of Becky's writing we heard sound better than the excerpt of Chuck's last season, where we had the boys exchanging "soulful gazes.") My dad started cackling at this point.
I laughed so hard during every scene Becky was in. :D She should come back. And now I don't have to write that fic idea I had where Sam and Dean run into some Sam/Dean fangirlsand they make Dean read Mystery Spot so he understands.
I'd been spoiled that Bobby was possessed, but it still hurt so bad to hear him say that to Sammy. ): But I think it was worse seeing Dean not doing anything about it. Also, Dean, seriously? You're going to let Sam wander off to do research? I thought we'd realized by now that letting Sam wander around by himself leads to terrible things. Granted, this time terrible things happened to you and Bobby. But still.
My mom and little sister were quite outraged that Bobby had been possessed. "He'd have a tattoo or something! No way Bobby would be possessed!" Hee!
And I like how father figures always manage to overpower the demon to stop themselves from hurting Dean. It's weird to think that Sam wasn't strong enough to stop Meg, but Daddy Winchester owned the YED. Papa John was a fierce sumbitch. Stronger than both his sons, but that's not necessarily a good thing.
New Meg is awesome. I hope the actress comes back. And she acted like Meg. They've had very consistent characterization with Meg throughout the series, as Nicki Aycox, as Jared, and now as this new girl (whose name I'm too lazy to look up). It's a shame they couldn't do that with Ruby. : / And I think that was a writing!fail as well as... less than satisfactory acting. (My mom: I'm glad they killed Ruby. She [Gen] had no charisma. Me: You know Jared's dating her. Mom: D: Is he really? ) Oh Mom. Never change.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Angels. Zachariah continues to be an awesome douche, though I still like Uriel better. Dean is Michael's sword. Plot advancement. Plot advancement.
Okay. So the last bit with Dean <s>breaking up</s> telling Sam he didn't trust him anymore, that hurt. But I thought about it, and obviously I get where Dean's coming from (I think he was an ass last season too, and also has a lot to make up for, and I like that Sam realizes what he's done and is desperately working on fixing it), but really it just made me think of the beginning of season 2.
See, in season 1, we have the boys working together after some time apart. Dean has abandonment issues and doesn't really trust Sam, and Sam's revenge driven and secretive. Slowly, they begin to work together again, but it's still pretty rough going. And, at various times during the season, they (or their avatars) attempt to kill the other. (Skin, Asylum). A demon girl is leading Sam on, Dean's kinda freaked out by Sam's powers, and at one point, they even split up, and Dean ends up calling Sam to make things right (Scarecrow). It ends with them on a hopeful, brotherly note though- Sam looking at Dean in the rearview mirror and telling John that killing the demon doesn't come before everything.
Now. Reread that paragraph and think of it in terms of season 4, with Sex and Violence and When the Levee Breaks as the important episodes. Season 4 is essentially a rehashing of season 1. Yes, the circumstances are slightly different. Yes, there's more pain to deal with and the stakes are higher, but at their foundations, seasons 1 and 4 deal with similar issues in similar ways.
Which brings me back to season 2 and season 5. At the beginning of season 2 (I'm thinking of Everybody Loves a Clown and Children Shouldn't Play With Deadthings especially), the boys, after "just learning to be brothers again," are at odds. They've just dealt with a huge, tragic event (John's death), and Dean. Doesn't. Want. To. Talk. About. It. He pushes Sam away again and again, acts like a smartass, and won't let Sam talk through his own issues. I think we're seeing something similar here with Dean pushing Sam away at the end of this episode; consider it in terms of how Dean talks to Sam at the end of ELAC. Except this time around, instead of the death of their father, the big issue is Sam (and Dean) starting the Apocalypse. But I honestly think that season 5, even though its scope is more epic and less personal, is going to have a much more season 2ish feel to it, whereas season 4 (to me at least), felt a lot more like season 1.
And to top off the parallels, looks like Jo and Ellen are coming back next week. *smirk*
But the visual of Dean walking away from Sam and to the Impala at the very end really did hurt. :( Sam has to get his act together, prove that he can still hunt, that he still knows right from wrong, and that Dean can still trust him. Small order, huh? But the ball is ultimately in Dean's court, and, until Dean is willing trust Sam again, Sam isn't gonna be worthy of trust. Which is all Catch 22-y, I know, but it makes sense in my head.
Dean: You picked a demon over your own brother.
Oh Dean. I love, and I know you're hurt. But that's so not what happened. ):
TL:DR This was funny, heart clenchy, heart warmy, owwy, and plot advancy. All things I look for in a season premiere.
I think this is gonna be a great season guys. I really do. I trust Kripke will put our boys back together.
Best. Season. Premiere. Ever.
Seriously, that kicked the shit out of Lazarus Rising and the Magnificent Seven, and I think I liked it even better than In My Time of Dying.
It's no wonder Dean is so deathly afraid of planes. The only two he's ever been on have almost crashed. Real cute there Kripke, pulling a literal dues ex machina.
Chuck is amazing. That probably means they're going to kill him off. But for now I continue to luff him. And omg, the fangirl? BECKY. I love Becky.
"I may be a fan but I can tell the difference between fiction and reality. I know they're just books. And I don't appreciate being mocked."
<3 Oh Kripke. We know you love us.
Mmm. Dean's clavicle. (And is it just me, or did the excerpt of Becky's writing we heard sound better than the excerpt of Chuck's last season, where we had the boys exchanging "soulful gazes.") My dad started cackling at this point.
I laughed so hard during every scene Becky was in. :D She should come back. And now I don't have to write that fic idea I had where Sam and Dean run into some Sam/Dean fangirls
I'd been spoiled that Bobby was possessed, but it still hurt so bad to hear him say that to Sammy. ): But I think it was worse seeing Dean not doing anything about it. Also, Dean, seriously? You're going to let Sam wander off to do research? I thought we'd realized by now that letting Sam wander around by himself leads to terrible things. Granted, this time terrible things happened to you and Bobby. But still.
My mom and little sister were quite outraged that Bobby had been possessed. "He'd have a tattoo or something! No way Bobby would be possessed!" Hee!
And I like how father figures always manage to overpower the demon to stop themselves from hurting Dean. It's weird to think that Sam wasn't strong enough to stop Meg, but Daddy Winchester owned the YED. Papa John was a fierce sumbitch. Stronger than both his sons, but that's not necessarily a good thing.
New Meg is awesome. I hope the actress comes back. And she acted like Meg. They've had very consistent characterization with Meg throughout the series, as Nicki Aycox, as Jared, and now as this new girl (whose name I'm too lazy to look up). It's a shame they couldn't do that with Ruby. : / And I think that was a writing!fail as well as... less than satisfactory acting. (My mom: I'm glad they killed Ruby. She [Gen] had no charisma. Me: You know Jared's dating her. Mom: D: Is he really? ) Oh Mom. Never change.
Blah. Blah. Blah. Angels. Zachariah continues to be an awesome douche, though I still like Uriel better. Dean is Michael's sword. Plot advancement. Plot advancement.
Dean: Why don't you just kill us?
That was the most interesting part to me. Because from season 1, it's obvious that Dean's the self sacrificing type. Not a guy afraid of death (see: Faith), or with that high opinion of himself (see: almost every episode of Supernatural ever). So obviously Zach threatening him with death wasn't gonna work. But Zach threatened Sam too. And Dean still said no. That hurts, and I think that really exemplifies how cut off Dean feels from his brother right now. If Zach had just threatened Sam, that might have worked on Dean, but Dean, as of now, is officially willing to let Sam die "for the greater good." (As long as Dean gets to be dead too.)
Which. Ow. ) :
Dear Castiel,
I was spoiled and knew you weren't really dead. But for a second, I hoped. Oh. How I'd hoped.
But you were kind kickass, so IDK. Continue to be kickass and deadpan (No. I carved it into your ribs.) and go apologize to Anna for being a dick and have sex with her. Then maybe I'll reevaluate my stance on your character.
Maybe.
-Red
Love how they had the devil seduce his vessel. Love that angels' vessel have to give consent. Loved the lady who played Lucifer/the dead wife. I honestly wouldn't have minded having her for Lucifer the rest of the season. And the whole conversation between Lucifer and Luke was pretty hilarious. (In the beginning, at least.) Poor guy though. Also love that Luci used a Dumbledore quote: "Yes, this is a dream. But that doesn't mean it isn't real."
Okay. So the last bit with Dean <s>breaking up</s> telling Sam he didn't trust him anymore, that hurt. But I thought about it, and obviously I get where Dean's coming from (I think he was an ass last season too, and also has a lot to make up for, and I like that Sam realizes what he's done and is desperately working on fixing it), but really it just made me think of the beginning of season 2.
See, in season 1, we have the boys working together after some time apart. Dean has abandonment issues and doesn't really trust Sam, and Sam's revenge driven and secretive. Slowly, they begin to work together again, but it's still pretty rough going. And, at various times during the season, they (or their avatars) attempt to kill the other. (Skin, Asylum). A demon girl is leading Sam on, Dean's kinda freaked out by Sam's powers, and at one point, they even split up, and Dean ends up calling Sam to make things right (Scarecrow). It ends with them on a hopeful, brotherly note though- Sam looking at Dean in the rearview mirror and telling John that killing the demon doesn't come before everything.
Now. Reread that paragraph and think of it in terms of season 4, with Sex and Violence and When the Levee Breaks as the important episodes. Season 4 is essentially a rehashing of season 1. Yes, the circumstances are slightly different. Yes, there's more pain to deal with and the stakes are higher, but at their foundations, seasons 1 and 4 deal with similar issues in similar ways.
Which brings me back to season 2 and season 5. At the beginning of season 2 (I'm thinking of Everybody Loves a Clown and Children Shouldn't Play With Deadthings especially), the boys, after "just learning to be brothers again," are at odds. They've just dealt with a huge, tragic event (John's death), and Dean. Doesn't. Want. To. Talk. About. It. He pushes Sam away again and again, acts like a smartass, and won't let Sam talk through his own issues. I think we're seeing something similar here with Dean pushing Sam away at the end of this episode; consider it in terms of how Dean talks to Sam at the end of ELAC. Except this time around, instead of the death of their father, the big issue is Sam (and Dean) starting the Apocalypse. But I honestly think that season 5, even though its scope is more epic and less personal, is going to have a much more season 2ish feel to it, whereas season 4 (to me at least), felt a lot more like season 1.
And to top off the parallels, looks like Jo and Ellen are coming back next week. *smirk*
But the visual of Dean walking away from Sam and to the Impala at the very end really did hurt. :( Sam has to get his act together, prove that he can still hunt, that he still knows right from wrong, and that Dean can still trust him. Small order, huh? But the ball is ultimately in Dean's court, and, until Dean is willing trust Sam again, Sam isn't gonna be worthy of trust. Which is all Catch 22-y, I know, but it makes sense in my head.
Dean: You picked a demon over your own brother.
Oh Dean. I love, and I know you're hurt. But that's so not what happened. ):
TL:DR This was funny, heart clenchy, heart warmy, owwy, and plot advancy. All things I look for in a season premiere.
I think this is gonna be a great season guys. I really do. I trust Kripke will put our boys back together.
