spn - 513 - the song remains the same

[retro_eidas]

Oh damn I needed that.

• Warrant's "Cherry Pie". Oh God. Dean-Sam-Cas aren't the only ones time traveling. That sent me right back to junior high homecoming with the Jersey high aquanet hair and fashionably ripped Skid Row t-shirts. *facepalm* Which is scary since that makes me think my junior high experience = Dean's subconscious, though not as many strippers, or surprise!angels, in junior high as I recall.
  
  
• Though we know Dean's only got one angel cherry pie in his life and it sure as hell ain't Anna.
  
  
• I have to admit, I did sort of LOL at the extent of Dean's reaction to the supposed big angsty discovery of Castiel betraying Anna was basically, "What? Really?" Then a few minutes later, after Cas likely explained things (which they didn't bother to show us, cuz, you know, not all that important. We already know what happened and it was clear Cas really didn't have much choice), he's right back on Cas' side. We didn't even see him waver in his loyalty to Cas. I was LOLing as that group of Cas-haters out there were certain that would be one of those things Dean would discover about Cas that would make him hate Cas forever. Maybe Dean might react differently to discovering it was Cas who let Sam out of the panic room, but there goes one not-so-ticking time bomb of Dean/Cas friendship implosion.
  
  
• Cas called Sam his friend. Awww Tho if Sammy and Cas are at the friend-level, that obviously makes Dean/Cas married, right?
  
  
• Tiny font only partially joking... honeymoon suite, Dean? Really? Dean so copped a feel before he dropped Cas off.
  
  
• So I was unsurprisingly totally wrong about Anna getting dragged to Hell. But she did burn. I figured she wasn't going to skip out on the holy fire hammer this time, not after threatening the mater and pater familias of Show.
  
  
• Oh yeah, the Winchester family is epic. I especially loved the juxtaposition of fierce warrior (human) Mary vs. (angel) Anna. Mary while she was pregnant with Dean no less (as if he couldn't get more de facto heroine of the story). Positive feminine vs. Negative feminine. Which leaves me somewhat chagrined that Michael took out Anna in the end and not Mary, but my guess he will have to bow to Mary's sons before the end. I guess she will get the last laugh.
  
  
• I have to concur, Matt Cohen was pretty hot as Michael. I think an improvement on the acting too since ITB, tho he didn't get to do much in that, which I now realize was a damn shame.
  
  
• This ep also stuck it's thumb in the Winchester family angst pie and pulled out the Christmas plum. Dean-Mary and Sam-John? Gorgeous and heartbreaking and perfect. Why isn't every episode like this?
  
  
• Also o.O at the people who were annoyed Dean forgot about Cas in the whole Michael convo and ensuing DeLorean fingers. Y'all, if Dean told Michael about Cas, he'd have smote him like he did Anna. Michael's clearly company man through and through, he'd have totally nuked a rogue angel if he discovered one was around.
  
  
• Ok, so there wasn't a lot of Cas in this one and that was sad-making, but what was there I loved since it was all Team Free Will being all Superfriendsy.
  

Next week: Dionysian orgy gone terribly wrong.... or perhaps terribly right, depending on one's POV. I'm certain I was seeing things (I don't think nekkid sexin man was quite tan enough), but does Sammy get nekkid next week (and more rough Sam sexin)?

Also, it was much clearer on the tv box, but this cap...

...does things to me. Dean with the bottle to his mouth and Cas looking right at him all broody bedroom eyes in the background like he's about to pounce.

Comments

[elvisglasses5.livejournal.com]

if Dean told Michael about Cas, he'd have smote him like he did Anna. Michael's clearly company man through and through, he'd have totally nuked a rogue angel if he discovered one was around.

MTE. I desperately wanted Michael to turn out to be the lone non-dick in heaven -- since I'm hoping Cas will ultimately be rewarded for his pro-Winchester actions -- but Dean could never have taken that risk for Cas to be smitten/smoten/smote while passed out from all the smexing in the honeymoon suite.

This ep pretty much rocked. And love the cap for next week! Hope we get to see Cas tap that ass bottle too...

[eido.livejournal.com]

I desperately wanted Michael to turn out to be the lone non-dick in heaven

I'm still hanging on to a shred of hope here because he didn't seem like total dick, just way, WAY too blindly devout to The Plan. Tho if Daddy's greater truth or whatnot revealed itself (humans are indeed superior due to free will), I'd hope Michael would make a turnaround and join Team Free Will and unlearn what he has learned. *grasps at those straws*

Tho very awesome the angel general with the whole hardline approach to The Plan took young daddy!Winchester's form. He who latter years took hardline approach to The Plan of killing Azazel/avenging Mary. It was hard, but Dean did learn to tell his daddy to frak off eventually, with respect.

since I'm hoping Cas will ultimately be rewarded for his pro-Winchester actions

I know they're miserable, thankless heroes in a crapsack world, but I've got to believe this. Cas has given up so much for them and they're like his only friends real family ever. He's got to get some boon out of this whole debacle.

while passed out from all the smexing in the honeymoon suite.

We won't even have to ask for the fic, will we?

Hope we get to see Cas tap that ass bottle too...

Speaking of more fic we won't even have to ask for.

[spacefragments.livejournal.com]

if Sammy and Cas are at the friend-level, that obviously makes Dean/Cas married, right?

yeah, for all the development that friendship had... cas and dean have probably bought a house together offscreen already. /eyeroll

stuff like that, like the conversation about cas getting anna captured, keeps happening offscreen. i mean... come on. i had enough of "telling not showing" in my other fandoms' canon.

i wasn't mad about cas not going back with them ok, maybe a little, more about the way they (writers and characters) seem to forget about him once he's done being useful for the ep. :| and dean was more jerkish than usual. idek.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I guess I don't mind the non-development of the Sammy-Cas friendship, because that kind of keeps the Dean-Cas still the deliciously ambiguous Jonathan/David of SPN in my cracktastic brainmeat. There's several more layers on that slashy cake as we saw it unfold for all of S4 and up to now.

Dean has been acting somewhat stand-offish to Cas this season, but that can sometimes lead to Dean spontaneously throwing his arm around Cas or getting in archangel's grills for him. *crosses fingers for next week*

[spacefragments.livejournal.com]

ugh that tag always fucking gets me. i don't know why i always make that mistake.

it's... i dunno, it felt off somehow. it's not something that bothers me terribly or anything, it just made me raise an eyebrow when he said it. he was all up in sam's face last time they talked.

yeah, he goes back and forth on how much he seems to care about him. tbh i'm losing hope that we'll ever actually see some significant show of affection (even just the friendly sort) from dean unless cas is like dying in his arms or something.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Ok, I'm going to get all meta-y for a sec, I guess Cas saying that isn't all so left field to me cuz I always interpreted Cas getting in Sam's grill as Cas just as pissed at himself for his own failures in the Apocalypse-starting business and thereafter. Basically, when he looked at Sam, he could see some of his own (all too human) failures reflected back and he hated it, hence tried some angel-like hard-ass approach in dealing with Jesse to defend his (former) family. Almost like he was trying to prove to himself he was still an angel and not becoming so human, but then only to display all too human regret and reluctance in attempting to kill the kid (and a hell of a lot more remorse than Anna was showing before trying to kill John & Mary in tonight's eppy). And this greater acceptance of this inner humanity and failings partly comes with a greater acceptance of Sam. Tho I still think Dean holds the lion's share of influence when it comes to Cas' humanity.

[spacefragments.livejournal.com]

i think that could be the underlying message, but i'm less likely to buy it if the show doesn't, well, *show* it to me.

[maboheme.livejournal.com]

Word to your entire post. I also really, really needed this episode.

We didn't even see him waver in his loyalty to Cas.

Yeah, I was confused as to where they were going with the Anna reveal about Cas sending her to prison. I know the Cas haters have been looking for something to drive a wedge between Cas and Dean -- either this reveal or the panic room reveal. And I'm like -- at this point, what does it matter? So what if Cas let Sam out -- they all made bad decisions, and if Dean's forgiven Sam for choosing a demon over him, why would Dean end all frienship with Cas, the one angel that's risked everything to help him now?

Oh yeah, the Winchester family is epic.

So incredibly epic. \o/ It's in the blood.

I especially loved the juxtaposition of fierce warrior (human) Mary vs. (angel) Anna. Mary while she was pregnant with Dean no less (as if he couldn't get more de facto heroine of the story). Positive feminine vs. Negative feminine.

Beautifully said. It was a great scene and a great framing.

Dean-Mary and Sam-John? Gorgeous and heartbreaking and perfect. Why isn't every episode like this?

That's what I'm saying.

Dean with the bottle to his mouth and Cas looking right at him all broody bedroom eyes in the background like he's about to pounce.

I totally didn't see the preview but that cap is...exciting to say the least. Pouncy!Cas will never not be love. ♥

[eido.livejournal.com]

So what if Cas let Sam out -- they all made bad decisions, and if Dean's forgiven Sam for choosing a demon over him, why would Dean end all frienship with Cas, the one angel that's risked everything to help him now?

What's really going to burn the haters - especially now after seeing Dean's total non-reaction to the betrayal of Anna - is Cas might even admit to letting Sam out of the panic room himself. Dean may be angry/shocked at first, but then that only ending up strengthening their friendship because, like you said, Dean would remember all of what Castiel has done for them and still will do. Cas being a little more like them, not so distant, flawless or basically angel-like. Cas was always more like them than he was his brethren and *VERY MUCH HOPES* whatever reward Cas may get at the end of the season, I'm wishing it reflects that.

I totally didn't see the preview but that cap is...exciting to say the least. Pouncy!Cas will never not be love. ♥

OH LAWD, there's going to be so much Cupid Made Them Do It on deancastiel next weekend.

And I'm LMAO again as I just realized that John/Mary were newlyweds in this eppy and there's Dean dropping Cas off in the honeymoon suite. Dean would have had to carry him over the threshold and everything. Yeah, my brain is cranked to crack 11 tonight.

[tiptoe39.livejournal.com]

I love how our meta is like exactly the same. Great minds!

OMG that cap is awesome.

Who thinks Cas will start to *want* too? :D :D :D This is what I want more than anything is to have Cas start to *WANT* something. nnnghah. Even under Cupidspell.

I will be using this icon for every post I make for the forseeable future ^o^

[eido.livejournal.com]

OMG that cap is awesome.

IKR! Yeah, let's make a shot that focuses on Dean's mouth with Cas right there hovering behind the phallic symbol bottle o' whiskey Dean's indulging out of. This in the ep that, as I recall (being non-spoilery), people will be killin for love.

Who thinks Cas will start to *want* too? :D :D :D

It'll start with the food all Like Water For Chocolate-style and then cascade into... other things.

I will be using this icon for every post I make for the forseeable future ^o^

heee They're like the totty Three Musketeers of Armageddon.

ETA. cuz i totes can close mah tags, for srs

[cherryshadowz.livejournal.com]

Plus Dean has a cut...and I love that. Dude you made so many points that I did in my reaction post. Particularly the loyalty and trust Dean showed towards Cas <3

[eido.livejournal.com]

I was surprised (and slightly LOLing) that Anna seemed surprised they'd trust Cas over her. What did she expect? It's been Cas there bleeding in the dirt with them this whole time or did she seriously think sleeping with Dean once would have him sympathizing with her Bible boot camp plight over all of Cas' sacrifices? Yeah, little presumptuous there, Anna.

[cherryshadowz.livejournal.com]

I found the fact that she was trying to win Dean's sympathy towards her through her 'Heavenly Persuasion' treatment a little weird. I mean she knew that Dean and Sam already knew Cas had gone through the same thing, he had suffered the same thing she did even if it wasn't for as long and she knew that the Winchesters knew that when angels came back from that they came back different. Of course they are gonna trust Castiel who had already gone through that and had more intimate knowledge of heaven and who has been freaking risking his neck not to mention died for them over her tear fest in Dean's head. She was very manipulative in this episode and I loved her for it, it felt like it was straight out of a telenovela.

[ibroketuesday.livejournal.com]

That cap is doing things to me too. They look like they're about to have dark, rough sex.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I hope there is fic. I'm sure there will be fic.

[ibroketuesday.livejournal.com]

Yes. Fic where it's hungry and sensual and like moving through honey; addled and blurred by Famine. I wants it.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Ok, can we just have this nao pls?

Now I have this scene in my head looking at that cap above and Cas charges right over to Dean, grabs the bottle out of his hands and starts chugging it, the whiskey is splashing out the sides of his mouth. Dean's brain totally addled by impulse, begins licking it away. Then ultra hot make out and clothes rending ensues.

[ibroketuesday.livejournal.com]

Yes. And the kiss burns with whiskey.

I want this. <_<

[luminare-ardua.livejournal.com]

eido-ji? I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOUR META-Y BRAINZ. Your post is awesome. Because I haven't said it enough.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Did I meta above? lol I didn't even realize. ;)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'I was LOLing as that group of Cas-haters out there were certain that would be one of those things Dean would discover about Cas that would make him hate Cas forever.'
I had to laugh about that. That and how some of the haters think Cas is secretly evil.

'Also, it was much clearer on the tv box, but this cap...

...does things to me. Dean with the bottle to his mouth and Cas looking right at him all broody bedroom eyes in the background like he's about to pounce.'
I missed that clip. I must have been to distracted by the brief clip of Castiel stuffing food in his face. I guess what Cas lusts after is a good bag of fries- he really has been spending too much time with Dean.

'Cas called Sam his friend. Awww Tho if Sammy and Cas are at the friend-level, that obviously makes Dean/Cas married, right?'
Right, why else would Dean have gotten the honeymoon for him.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I had to laugh about that. That and how some of the haters think Cas is secretly evil.

Live for the dream, haters!

I missed that clip. I must have been to distracted by the brief clip of Castiel stuffing food in his face.

Here's the promo if you haven't seen it yet. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ8upTpXZnA)

I guess what Cas lusts after is a good bag of fries- he really has been spending too much time with Dean.

I'd bet Jensen had some say in that, just so he wouldn't always have to be the one stuffing his face all the time. heh

Right, why else would Dean have gotten the honeymoon for him.

I'm still LOLing them playing "Cherry Pie" in the dream stripper scene. And all my batshit Dean/Cas OTP brain wants to think is that was all about sweet virginal Cas.

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'Live for the dream, haters!'
I'm certain Evil!Cas and not-really-Dean's-friend Cas are totally fanon at this point.

'I'd bet Jensen had some say in that, just so he wouldn't always have to be the one stuffing his face all the time. heh'
Heh indeed :D

'I'm still LOLing them playing "Cherry Pie" in the dream stripper scene.'
I LOLed when the stripper Angel showed up.

[eido.livejournal.com]

I LOLed when the stripper Angel showed up.

At once the pervy show representing Armageddon, filtered through Dean's pr0n-addled brain, and the two most important living persons in Dean's life, demon-blooded Sammy and angel BFF Castiel. The angel, of the two, did show up later on. ;)

[love-jackianto.livejournal.com]

'At once the pervy show representing Armageddon, filtered through Dean's pr0n-addled brain, and the two most important living persons in Dean's life, demon-blooded Sammy and angel BFF Castiel.'
Oh, I didn't even think about that, but I'm now :D

[julorean.livejournal.com]

Aaand of course they make things even more depressing. How much you wanna bet they'll need a literal Deus ex machina? Unless Sam and Dean's super gay love is really more powerful than everything. Now that's an ep I'd watch. XD Where's the hope and independence of S1&2?

Bah. I probably have more complaints, but it's not worth it. I'm better off writing my BL fusion fic.

[eido.livejournal.com]

How much you wanna bet they'll need a literal Deus ex machina?

And his name is Jesse. Or, in SPN's case, possibly literally Deus.

Unless Sam and Dean's super gay love is really more powerful than everything.

Heh. I guess that would be nothing new. They seem to be setting up as much, again, with Dean and Sam the Cain & Abel 2.0.

Then again, they could shake things up with Dean/Castiel's Marriage of Heaven & Earth epic love being the key player. ;)

[julorean.livejournal.com]

Ugh, Jesse, don't remind me. >:| I wouldn't be surprised if it was both. But it's just as likely Kripke will forget about him and 5.06 was a completely pointless ep.

So Sam and Dean are descended from Cain and Abel. Pfft. Them and at least 4 billion other people. I liked Azazel better when he was making a demon army.

S1-3, and maybe some of 4, you could believe that Sam and Dean lived in your world. I liked that. They were two regular, if highly trained, guys dealing with stuff the best they could. It could've happened to almost anyone. But with all this angels crap, it's turning into some horrible cliche...thing. It makes me wanna stab destiny in the face. Those first couple of seasons were about defying 'destiny' and the powerful and the brothers successfully remaining independent. But this? What is this destiny crap? DO NOT WANT. Perhaps I'm too science-oriented to ever break my disbelief. I know a bit of physics. Nothing, not even demons or angels can predict/control the future like that. What a horrible retcon.

Also, Kripke, you are unamerican at a very deep level.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Them and at least 4 billion other people.

Though I doubt Kripke is going to go all Creationist on us, so I'm going to guess his Cain and Abel probably weren't the first sons. I wouldn't be shocked they'll turn out to be blessed by God, Nephilim or something. Though I only guess that due to Jesse's existence. We've got a demon/human hybrid, divine/human is probably around the corner. Dean does have the Second Coming anvils banging around him and hard.

Those first couple of seasons were about defying 'destiny' and the powerful and the brothers successfully remaining independent. But this? What is this destiny crap?

I don't know, that doesn't seem much different from what the show has been giving us from the start, at least from Sam's side. He always had the big dark destiny story going with the anointed with demon blood and Azazel choosing him yada yada. Maybe it just seems like the "destiny crap" has more focus now because Dean finally has his own place in it? S1-S2 and parts of S3 often seemed too much like Dean was Sam's guardian, but without any real foothold in the mytharc himself. That was likely going to change eventually.

Also, Kripke, you are unamerican at a very deep level.

LOL! Why do you say that?

[julorean.livejournal.com]

Mmph, Nephilim would be fun, they should show up. It would be awesome if Sam and Dean were the epic heroes of the gods of other pantheons, and they get pissed that those Judeochristian upstarts co-opted their heroes.

Eh. Azazel might've chosen him, but he picked dozens of others too. He wasn't that special. Except for having a big brother, and it's their love that would save the day! And because they had knowledge of the supernatural, they could fight against it. The blood didn't come in until the S2 finale, I think.

Yeah, I guess it's true Dean didn't really have his own mytharc at the begining, but that's what fic is for! There was so much wiggle room then. These angels make things seem so much less open world, and that quality is very important to being able to enjoy a show.

I say he's unamerican because this country is all about being independent! Making your own future! But now...it feels more like Stalin's Soviet Russia - hope is crushed, constant fear for their lives, threat of evisceration of self so they'll toe the party line, and there's no help to be found anywhere.

[eido.livejournal.com]

It would be awesome if Sam and Dean were the epic heroes of the gods of other pantheons

We apparently do have Kali showing up in a future episode. From the description of this character in the casting sides, I'm guessing it is the Hindu goddess. Thankfully, she doesn't sound like she's going to be pure evil either.

Eh. Azazel might've chosen him, but he picked dozens of others too.

Except we were also often told or heavily implied that it "always had to be Sam", even back and before the demon blood reveal. So much focus is put on Sam over all those other children, kind of made Sam as Chosen One for a dark destiny stand out even more. That despite these supposed other candidates, Sam is always getting all the attention (from Azazel, Meg, Lilith, etc), always right at the top of the list.

Yeah, I guess it's true Dean didn't really have his own mytharc at the begining

And that's the crux of it right there. I honestly never really believed that imbalance in the story was going to last. Not if they wanted to keep paralleling the brothers' storylines as they were. Not just for the imbalance between the brothers within the mytharc either, but the writers have said and I'd concur with them, the demon story was getting played out. When it came to S4 (or earlier really, end of S3 when Dean went to Hell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descent_to_the_underworld)) and Dean started getting his own place in the mytharc? Also that it had much more to do entirely with the opposite side of the fence? I wasn't really surprised at all.

These angels make things seem so much less open world

Different strokes obvs, but for me, the angels did the opposite. They opened up the world and expanded it beyond just the demons and Hell, again I'd agree with the writers, was all getting treaded. The demons just weren't coming off the same threats they used to be. It also seems like all the really big guns they had, which didn't seem like too many (Azazel was dead, then Lilith and Alastair were ganked. Crowley seems to be the last of that group) got killed off in S4.

I say he's unamerican because this country is all about being independent!

They've still got the whole determinism vs. free will story going (in Show's words "Team Free Will" vs. God's plan in Michael's words. And we still can't be sure Michael really knows what God's intents or desires are). Also, dude, when have the boys not struggled at this point in any of the seasons (just after the midway point)? This whole bleakness midseason seems pretty standard to me.

[julorean.livejournal.com]

All good points. I acknowledge my view is really all based on personal preference. But now that I'v hit upon the SPN/BL fusion idea, who needs the show? XP The thought of all the awesome is enough to keep me quite satisfied. I don't care for excessive angst. :/ I'm with tigriswolf (certain fics anyway): the angels and demons are both bloody delusional.

I do like Crowley tho. Mainly for the Good Omens associations, but it looks like we finally have an intelligent demon.