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SPN 5.18 - "Point of No Return"
I'm not sure I have many thinky thoughts to share for this ep. It pretty much speaks for itself, I think, and whether or not you like what it has to say is up to you.
Jensen said at a recent con that it would take hitting rock bottom to get the brothers to be brothers again. If this isn't rock bottom, I'm not sure I want to see what rock bottom is. Because this? This Dean just hurts. And we've been working toward this for . . . three seasons? Since Sam died.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Then . . . Zachariah is a jerk, Adam is their dead brother, Dean is losing faith, Sam and Lisa told Dean not to do anything stupid. But Dean believes he has to do what he has to do.
Now . . .
Zach found himself a drinking buddy to commiserate with. Kinda nifty, though Zach's most definitely a jerk. Though it does rather amuse me how he takes the shard of glass out of his beverage before he finishes his drink.
Dean. Oh, Dean. Packing up his most prized possessions: his leather jacket, the keys to the Impala, a farewell letter, his Colt 1911 (and he didn't tap the mag against the grip when he checked the bullets. I even missed that gesture). All packed up ready to ship to Bobby. Oh, Dean.
But Sam knows his brother's mindset and tracked him down at Mike's Travel Inn, room 100.
I just . . . there is so much that I love about the exchanges between the brothers in this ep. I love that Sam realizes the mistakes he made, and that he's so determined to save Dean from himself when Dean is at his lowest. And that he enlisted Castiel's help.
Also? Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
Cas? Cas is pissed. He's about reached the end of his patience, and he doesn't really look like someone you want angry at you.
But Dean is on a roll. And Dean? I get what you're saying. I do. You feel responsible, and you're at the end of your rope. And you know I love you. Please don't make me slap you.
"You're not my father. And you ain't in my shoes."
See? I'ma have to slap you.
Oh, wait. Bobby's gonna do it for me. Thank you, Bobby.
Oooh! Kick-a Cas. Icing two angels. Was it a trap? Or did Cas just happen to be in the wrong (actually the right) place at the wrong (right) time? Either way . . . there's a body trying to get out of the ground! Now, I was spoiled for this particular plot development. Still, I got rather excited thinking, "They reconstituted him! They reconstituted Adam!"
I love everyone's surprise at Adam being unearthed (literally). And that Cas recognized immediately a need to hide Adam, too. And I also like that Adam does not trust Sam and Dean (or even like them, really). I also notice that Adam is dressed identically to Dean. Dean's clothes, of course, because Adam's were all muddy and musty and icky. Still, they dressed him like Dean rather than like Sam. Theoretically, Adam can fulfill Michael's purpose the way Dean can.
And wow. Cas and Dean are not getting along.
And I love that Sam smells something fishy.
I also kinda love that Dean and Adam share the same brand of snark.
And I love that we get Adam's experience, un-sugar-coated. John wasn't a "dad." Absentee, illegitimate father who tried, but that's not what the teen from a single-parent family is going to see. And by making Adam's childhood sound more idyllic than it was, the ghoul was able to manipulate Dean's emotions.
I like the conversation between Sam and Adam. Adam calling Sam out on his negative attitude toward John (which I thought Sam had come to grips with, but childhood feelings die hard, too. That's what makes these characters so complex: they have simultaneous conflicting attitudes toward situations and people). And Sam, being his earnest self, trying to connect with a brother neither knew they had until it was too late.
They've locked Dean in the panic room. Interesting . . . And although I found Dean's line to Cas kind of out of nowhere and awkward at first, it's Dean's way of trying to diffuse Cas's anger (and boy, is Cas angry), with his typical use of inappropriate humor. But Cas, even if he got the humor, will have none of it. Dean is going to betray him, and Cas has no patience for it.
Dean winks. My tummy goes wubbly. Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
I find the conversation between Sam and Dean to be fascinating and all kinds of "it's about time" and awesome. Awesome in that they're finally listening to each other. Dean, at his very lowest (at least, I hope this is it), laying it out on the table for Sam, because Sam asked, genuinely asked, and Dean won't lie to him. He can't. And Sam, stepping up to the plate and taking control, not because he knows he's right or stronger or that Dean is weak, but because he knows that Dean needs to be protected from himself. Because it's not about Sam's ego and "I'm the only one who can do this," but because he's the only one who is still clinging to hope. And he's not trying to do it by himself. He wants Dean with him.
And Dean tells it like it is, straight out. He's lost faith in the one thing that's kept him going--Sam. Dean has seen the future, and he's seen the present, and he's out of options. And it hurts him to tell Sam what he does. And it hurts Sam, because Sam needs Dean to believe in him. But Sam doesn't lash out. He simply leaves.
I love the conversation because it lays open the wounds that need healing, which means that, treated properly, they can begin to heal.
Bobby asks how Dean is doing. Sam shakes his head. Not well. Bobby asks how Sam is doing. Sam nods slightly. Surprisingly, he's . . . if not okay, at least he's not giving up. He's going to move forward.
Was Cas going to talk to Dean? Chew him out? Talk him down? Whatever he was going to do or say, he doesn't get the chance. Dean is breaking things, and Cas can't see him from the view slot. And Dean, resourceful dude that he is, beams Cas off the ship and takes off.
Dean picks up a jacket, then drops it and selects another jacket. Was that his leather jacket that he dropped?
Yes, the tables have turned. Dean has taken off, and it's up to Sam to go find him.
Adam's dream sequence, and Zach is just more and more manipulative and scheming. Insulting and demeaning and lying; he'll say anything and everything against Sam and Dean to keep Adam from allying with them. Adam's not sure, but he'd still rather see his mom.
And how cool is it that Jake's iris contracts when he opens his eyes?
I kinda like how Dean goes up to the nearest street preacher and introduces himself. That's just so . . . practical.
And whatever Cas was going to say in the panic room? It's gone now. And Cas gives Dean what for for betraying Cas's trust and faith in him. Cas can apparently harbor a lot of anger, which, I can't really blame him, given his circumstances. Still, Cas, beating Dean to a pulp? Not precisely an ideal way to manage your anger.
And Dean doesn't have the opportunity to fight back. He doesn't even try. And at the end, he even asks for it, knowing that he can't win, not against Cas's anger and sense of betrayal.
And Cas is tired. And regretful? And he returns Dean to Sam.
Now to track down Adam.
And yes, Zach gets more unpleasant with each scene. (I'd like to see Kurt Fuller play a good guy sometime.)
Dean wakes up cuffed to the bunk in the panic room. And Sam is right there, asking how he feels. This is the Sam I've missed. The independent Sam who still needs his brother. And you know? That's what Dean needs. He needs Sam to have faith in him. Oh, he doesn't see it yet. Right now he sees an inequity between his strategic planning and Sam's. But we're coming to the point. The point being that each brother needs the other to believe in him to give him a reason to keep fighting.
Cas, otoh, is a hard nut to crack. It takes a lot to earn his trust, and once it's betrayed, you're gonna have to work to earn it back. He'd rather die than watch Dean surrender. He doesn't have the faith in Dean that Sam does. Ouch. And it kinda knocks the wind out of Dean's sails.
Box cutter? Do I even want to know?
You know? I kinda like the angel daggers. And it amuses me that the random enforcer angels always look like Secret Service agents.
Cas! What???? He used himself as a sigil! That's . . . Ouch! Awesome! Please don't have disintegrated yourself!
An old house within a warehouse. How . . . odd.
Dean goes in to get his little(st) brother. And Adam seems surprised that Dean came.
While Sam attempts to take Zach by surprise, but things do not go as planned.
And how much more can Jensen hurt me? The pain and desperation in his voice and in his eyes. Even his insults and cursing come out in a desperate whispered quality. The bravado is gone, and he'll do anything to save his brothers.
Also X3? Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
And while Zach has his back turned, there's . . . something . . . that passes between Sam and Dean. Realization, faith restored. And Dean gives a very big brother, "it's gonna be okay, I'll take care of it" wink. Which I love.
And oh, btw, Dean's got a few conditions before he gives Michael charge of his meat suit. Guaranteed safety of certain people, for example.
This is the Dean we know and love. The Dean who improvises and thinks on his feet and sees opportunity and formulates a plan within moments.
Dean kills Zachariah! I did not see that coming! I . . . *flail* And Dean watches Zach's glowy demise, it's reflected in his eyes, and Dean's beautiful green eyes do not burn! This . . . this is significant. It must be. But I choose not to contemplate at this time.
Dean has now killed both a demon and an angel. I'm thinking the supernatural world should take note and not mess with him.
Adam can walk. Sam needs help. Dean gets Sam out, but Adam is trapped. Adam is trapped and calling for his big brother, and Dean can't get to him. Oh noez!
Okay, I get that they had to hot wire a truck to drive back to Bobby's (I assume they're returning to Bobby's). But I hope the Impala is safe and sound at Bobby's. Surely it is.
This final conversation of the ep? Freakin' love this. Finally, we've reached a point of mutual maturity and belief in each other. Sam showed Dean some faith, and Dean stepped up to the plate. Because that's what Dean has needed for a very long time, for someone to believe in him. Not just expect him to make things right, but to truly believe in who he is and that he is strong enough to do the right thing, even when he didn't think he could. Much like Bobby not shooting himself because he promised Dean he wouldn't (Bobby needs to have someone who needs him to keep going), Sam is now doing that for Dean. Dean has long felt that he always lets down the people he loves, "I guess that's what I do." But Sam truly believes in him, and Dean knows that now, and he's not going to let Sam down.
But let's start at the beginning of the scene. Dean doesn't think Adam or Cas are okay where they are. "But we'll get 'em." Dean is back in the game and ready to go find and rescue those who are important to him.
Sam saw that Dean was ready to say yes, and asks what changed his mind. And Dean? Dean, in the midst of everything, realized that Sam brought him there, trusted him to do the right thing. And Dean didn't want to let Sam down. Sam's actively demonstrating faith in Dean saved Dean from himself.
And Sam tells Dean that Dean didn't let him down. And Dean has needed to hear that for a very long time. Thank you, Sammy, for telling him so.
And for Dean's part, he's really, truly seen Sam for the adult that he is. Sam will always be Dean's younger brother, but he's no longer the little brother who needs minding. "If you're grown up enough to find faith in me, the least I can do is return the favor." Realization and forgiveness and responsibility and maturity on both their parts. This feels like progress.
"Screw destiny . . . I say we take the fight to them and do it our way." That is the Dean we've been missing. That is a Dean who has, if not hope, at least determination and purpose.
And Sam's on board with that.
'Cause they've got work to do.
\o/
Yes, lots of good stuff in this ep. Lots of pain and hurt and climbing out of the emotional hole and getting a hand up from your brother and just . . . lovely.
Next week: Hotel California. *flail*
Jensen said at a recent con that it would take hitting rock bottom to get the brothers to be brothers again. If this isn't rock bottom, I'm not sure I want to see what rock bottom is. Because this? This Dean just hurts. And we've been working toward this for . . . three seasons? Since Sam died.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Then . . . Zachariah is a jerk, Adam is their dead brother, Dean is losing faith, Sam and Lisa told Dean not to do anything stupid. But Dean believes he has to do what he has to do.
Now . . .
Zach found himself a drinking buddy to commiserate with. Kinda nifty, though Zach's most definitely a jerk. Though it does rather amuse me how he takes the shard of glass out of his beverage before he finishes his drink.
Dean. Oh, Dean. Packing up his most prized possessions: his leather jacket, the keys to the Impala, a farewell letter, his Colt 1911 (and he didn't tap the mag against the grip when he checked the bullets. I even missed that gesture). All packed up ready to ship to Bobby. Oh, Dean.
But Sam knows his brother's mindset and tracked him down at Mike's Travel Inn, room 100.
I just . . . there is so much that I love about the exchanges between the brothers in this ep. I love that Sam realizes the mistakes he made, and that he's so determined to save Dean from himself when Dean is at his lowest. And that he enlisted Castiel's help.
Also? Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
Cas? Cas is pissed. He's about reached the end of his patience, and he doesn't really look like someone you want angry at you.
But Dean is on a roll. And Dean? I get what you're saying. I do. You feel responsible, and you're at the end of your rope. And you know I love you. Please don't make me slap you.
"You're not my father. And you ain't in my shoes."
See? I'ma have to slap you.
Oh, wait. Bobby's gonna do it for me. Thank you, Bobby.
Oooh! Kick-a Cas. Icing two angels. Was it a trap? Or did Cas just happen to be in the wrong (actually the right) place at the wrong (right) time? Either way . . . there's a body trying to get out of the ground! Now, I was spoiled for this particular plot development. Still, I got rather excited thinking, "They reconstituted him! They reconstituted Adam!"
I love everyone's surprise at Adam being unearthed (literally). And that Cas recognized immediately a need to hide Adam, too. And I also like that Adam does not trust Sam and Dean (or even like them, really). I also notice that Adam is dressed identically to Dean. Dean's clothes, of course, because Adam's were all muddy and musty and icky. Still, they dressed him like Dean rather than like Sam. Theoretically, Adam can fulfill Michael's purpose the way Dean can.
And wow. Cas and Dean are not getting along.
And I love that Sam smells something fishy.
I also kinda love that Dean and Adam share the same brand of snark.
And I love that we get Adam's experience, un-sugar-coated. John wasn't a "dad." Absentee, illegitimate father who tried, but that's not what the teen from a single-parent family is going to see. And by making Adam's childhood sound more idyllic than it was, the ghoul was able to manipulate Dean's emotions.
I like the conversation between Sam and Adam. Adam calling Sam out on his negative attitude toward John (which I thought Sam had come to grips with, but childhood feelings die hard, too. That's what makes these characters so complex: they have simultaneous conflicting attitudes toward situations and people). And Sam, being his earnest self, trying to connect with a brother neither knew they had until it was too late.
They've locked Dean in the panic room. Interesting . . . And although I found Dean's line to Cas kind of out of nowhere and awkward at first, it's Dean's way of trying to diffuse Cas's anger (and boy, is Cas angry), with his typical use of inappropriate humor. But Cas, even if he got the humor, will have none of it. Dean is going to betray him, and Cas has no patience for it.
Dean winks. My tummy goes wubbly. Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
I find the conversation between Sam and Dean to be fascinating and all kinds of "it's about time" and awesome. Awesome in that they're finally listening to each other. Dean, at his very lowest (at least, I hope this is it), laying it out on the table for Sam, because Sam asked, genuinely asked, and Dean won't lie to him. He can't. And Sam, stepping up to the plate and taking control, not because he knows he's right or stronger or that Dean is weak, but because he knows that Dean needs to be protected from himself. Because it's not about Sam's ego and "I'm the only one who can do this," but because he's the only one who is still clinging to hope. And he's not trying to do it by himself. He wants Dean with him.
And Dean tells it like it is, straight out. He's lost faith in the one thing that's kept him going--Sam. Dean has seen the future, and he's seen the present, and he's out of options. And it hurts him to tell Sam what he does. And it hurts Sam, because Sam needs Dean to believe in him. But Sam doesn't lash out. He simply leaves.
I love the conversation because it lays open the wounds that need healing, which means that, treated properly, they can begin to heal.
Bobby asks how Dean is doing. Sam shakes his head. Not well. Bobby asks how Sam is doing. Sam nods slightly. Surprisingly, he's . . . if not okay, at least he's not giving up. He's going to move forward.
Was Cas going to talk to Dean? Chew him out? Talk him down? Whatever he was going to do or say, he doesn't get the chance. Dean is breaking things, and Cas can't see him from the view slot. And Dean, resourceful dude that he is, beams Cas off the ship and takes off.
Dean picks up a jacket, then drops it and selects another jacket. Was that his leather jacket that he dropped?
Yes, the tables have turned. Dean has taken off, and it's up to Sam to go find him.
Adam's dream sequence, and Zach is just more and more manipulative and scheming. Insulting and demeaning and lying; he'll say anything and everything against Sam and Dean to keep Adam from allying with them. Adam's not sure, but he'd still rather see his mom.
And how cool is it that Jake's iris contracts when he opens his eyes?
I kinda like how Dean goes up to the nearest street preacher and introduces himself. That's just so . . . practical.
And whatever Cas was going to say in the panic room? It's gone now. And Cas gives Dean what for for betraying Cas's trust and faith in him. Cas can apparently harbor a lot of anger, which, I can't really blame him, given his circumstances. Still, Cas, beating Dean to a pulp? Not precisely an ideal way to manage your anger.
And Dean doesn't have the opportunity to fight back. He doesn't even try. And at the end, he even asks for it, knowing that he can't win, not against Cas's anger and sense of betrayal.
And Cas is tired. And regretful? And he returns Dean to Sam.
Now to track down Adam.
And yes, Zach gets more unpleasant with each scene. (I'd like to see Kurt Fuller play a good guy sometime.)
Dean wakes up cuffed to the bunk in the panic room. And Sam is right there, asking how he feels. This is the Sam I've missed. The independent Sam who still needs his brother. And you know? That's what Dean needs. He needs Sam to have faith in him. Oh, he doesn't see it yet. Right now he sees an inequity between his strategic planning and Sam's. But we're coming to the point. The point being that each brother needs the other to believe in him to give him a reason to keep fighting.
Cas, otoh, is a hard nut to crack. It takes a lot to earn his trust, and once it's betrayed, you're gonna have to work to earn it back. He'd rather die than watch Dean surrender. He doesn't have the faith in Dean that Sam does. Ouch. And it kinda knocks the wind out of Dean's sails.
Box cutter? Do I even want to know?
You know? I kinda like the angel daggers. And it amuses me that the random enforcer angels always look like Secret Service agents.
Cas! What???? He used himself as a sigil! That's . . . Ouch! Awesome! Please don't have disintegrated yourself!
An old house within a warehouse. How . . . odd.
Dean goes in to get his little(st) brother. And Adam seems surprised that Dean came.
While Sam attempts to take Zach by surprise, but things do not go as planned.
And how much more can Jensen hurt me? The pain and desperation in his voice and in his eyes. Even his insults and cursing come out in a desperate whispered quality. The bravado is gone, and he'll do anything to save his brothers.
Also X3? Jensen Ackles is a beautiful, beautiful man.
And while Zach has his back turned, there's . . . something . . . that passes between Sam and Dean. Realization, faith restored. And Dean gives a very big brother, "it's gonna be okay, I'll take care of it" wink. Which I love.
And oh, btw, Dean's got a few conditions before he gives Michael charge of his meat suit. Guaranteed safety of certain people, for example.
This is the Dean we know and love. The Dean who improvises and thinks on his feet and sees opportunity and formulates a plan within moments.
Dean kills Zachariah! I did not see that coming! I . . . *flail* And Dean watches Zach's glowy demise, it's reflected in his eyes, and Dean's beautiful green eyes do not burn! This . . . this is significant. It must be. But I choose not to contemplate at this time.
Dean has now killed both a demon and an angel. I'm thinking the supernatural world should take note and not mess with him.
Adam can walk. Sam needs help. Dean gets Sam out, but Adam is trapped. Adam is trapped and calling for his big brother, and Dean can't get to him. Oh noez!
Okay, I get that they had to hot wire a truck to drive back to Bobby's (I assume they're returning to Bobby's). But I hope the Impala is safe and sound at Bobby's. Surely it is.
This final conversation of the ep? Freakin' love this. Finally, we've reached a point of mutual maturity and belief in each other. Sam showed Dean some faith, and Dean stepped up to the plate. Because that's what Dean has needed for a very long time, for someone to believe in him. Not just expect him to make things right, but to truly believe in who he is and that he is strong enough to do the right thing, even when he didn't think he could. Much like Bobby not shooting himself because he promised Dean he wouldn't (Bobby needs to have someone who needs him to keep going), Sam is now doing that for Dean. Dean has long felt that he always lets down the people he loves, "I guess that's what I do." But Sam truly believes in him, and Dean knows that now, and he's not going to let Sam down.
But let's start at the beginning of the scene. Dean doesn't think Adam or Cas are okay where they are. "But we'll get 'em." Dean is back in the game and ready to go find and rescue those who are important to him.
Sam saw that Dean was ready to say yes, and asks what changed his mind. And Dean? Dean, in the midst of everything, realized that Sam brought him there, trusted him to do the right thing. And Dean didn't want to let Sam down. Sam's actively demonstrating faith in Dean saved Dean from himself.
And Sam tells Dean that Dean didn't let him down. And Dean has needed to hear that for a very long time. Thank you, Sammy, for telling him so.
And for Dean's part, he's really, truly seen Sam for the adult that he is. Sam will always be Dean's younger brother, but he's no longer the little brother who needs minding. "If you're grown up enough to find faith in me, the least I can do is return the favor." Realization and forgiveness and responsibility and maturity on both their parts. This feels like progress.
"Screw destiny . . . I say we take the fight to them and do it our way." That is the Dean we've been missing. That is a Dean who has, if not hope, at least determination and purpose.
And Sam's on board with that.
'Cause they've got work to do.
\o/
Yes, lots of good stuff in this ep. Lots of pain and hurt and climbing out of the emotional hole and getting a hand up from your brother and just . . . lovely.
Next week: Hotel California. *flail*
no subject
I disagree with you even about that scene--what else would overly-literal Castiel say in that moment? If you can give me a rewrite of the scene that is actually *better,* I'll let your objection stand; otherwise, no. I thought this was a very well-written episode, all around, managing to allow the characters to air very difficult things while still remaining in character.
no subject
re: that scene - did there even need to be any dialog between "You pray too loudly" and "just do it?' *shrug* I favor the impression that sometimes the best thing to say is nothing.
I think we can agree on one thing - Jensen Ackles is spectacular in whatever he does.