SPN - "Swan Song"
May. 16th, 2010 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feliciakwWell, it's been three days (+/-). I've re-watched the ep once, and I've toyed with tag fic. I've cried, I've read opinions and meta, and I've seen a pic of Jensen at his wedding. (This last one is important in that it distances from Show. It brings RL back into focus and re-establishes priorities.)
So here I am to give you the last long and rambly of the season. In it, you will find a lot of things that really rubbed me the wrong way. (I try not to use the word "hate" very often, as I think it's overused. But some things in this ep? They come really, really close.) Other things were kind of okay, or I can live with them, or adjust to them, or whatever.
But enough of this.
The Road Thus Far . . . "Carry On, Wayward Son." I don't feel the thrill that I did the first time they used it, but it's traditional, it rocks, and it gives us the whole of the mytharch as we will be dealing with it tonight.
Now . . .
I love that they use the Impala as the framework for this ep. That bits and pieces of the Impala's history act as segues between segments, and how tied up Sam and Dean's lives have been with her.
"I guess that's where this story begins. And here's where it ends."
That line right there pretty much set the tone and my mood for the entire ep. My heart hurt with the finality of ending (I've never been real good with endings). My stomach ached vaguely through most of the episode. It's starting to ache now just re-watching for this review. Endings have the power to change your entire perspective on everything that came before. They can make the story beautiful, or turn it sad or ugly. They bring change, and there's no going back. That line holds a lot that . . . I just can't put into words.
Sam and Dean talking in the junkyard. There is so much here . . . It is so difficult for Dean. But he knows, and he acknowledges, that it's Sam's choice to make, and that he (Dean) needs to let Sam make that choice. And he recognizes that he's got to let Sam grow up, and himself move beyond identifying solely as Sam's protector. And to let Sam know that he believes in him. Jensen just rocks this scene.
Draining the demons, and Dean is so not happy with the situation. He knows what it means, and it does go against everything in him.
And Sam. Sam is scared, and he knows what this will do to Dean. Oh, boys.
Sam and Dean talking in the car, and yeah, this scene pretty much rips my heart (which is SOP for this ep). Sam insisting Dean not try to bring him back, Dean arguing with him. "What am I supposed to do?" Dean's question after Sam died in Cold Oak, before he made the deal. Then Sam tells him to go have a "normal, apple pie life." Dean's exact words from the pilot, and I can't help but think back to that, when their lives actually were relatively uncomplicated. When there was a hope for a resolution that would see them both alive at the end. I'm sitting here crying right now just thinking about it.
Sam demands that Dean promise him to do that, and you'll notice Dean doesn't reply.
Detroit. Dean's on a mission, and Sam says his goodbyes. Bobby tells him don't stop swingin', and Sam replies "Yes, sir."
And Cas. Poor Cas still hasn't gotten the hang of how to offer encouragement in the face of impossible odds.
And Sam doesn't want his brother to watch him drinking demon blood. My heart hurts.
Impala. Toys stuck in her crevices. Flashback to the S1 cliffie and then Dean rebuilding her, blemishes and all.
I'm glad I'm by myself today, because this is the first opportunity I've had to truly let the tears come.
Sammy can kill you with his brain.
Lucifer knows about the rings, and their whole plan just went up in smoke. Dean sees this, sees that it's too risky, he's never wanted to risk his brother, and the odds just tipped sharply against them. But Sam knows that they don't have a plan B.
"A fiddle of gold against your soul says I'm better than you." And it's ABOUT FREAKIN' TIME! If I told you how long I've been waiting for them to make a "Devil Goes Down to Georgia" reference, you'd laugh. It's been at least since S3. Possibly as far back as when I first watched the end of S2. Seriously. Only I wanted it to be a guitar play-off to save Dean.
Sam says yes, Dean opens the abyss. Dean is psyched, geared up for what has to be done, tells Sam to "Go! Now!" But . . . it's not Sam. Luci!Sam disappears, and Dean is so, so helpless. You can just hear him saying, "What have I done?"
"Such anger, young Skywalker." Makes the third reference to Star Wars in the ep. Not sure how I feel about the line, given all the times Kripke has compared the show to Star Wars. *shrug*
Jared really kinda rocks this scene, don't you think? It's giving him the opportunity to play what Jensen did in DaLDoM. Two totally distinctly separate characters, one of which is mostly reaction to the other.
Though Lucifer's whole speech? Remember he's Satan, Sam. Prince of Darkness. Prince of Lies. Remember.
Demons have been tracking Sam since he was a kid. They apparently kept a very low profile, though, because reported demon possessions were rare, according to Bobby in early days. And I don't think I even want to contemplate Rachel (Sam's prom date) being possessed. (Though I imagine some viewers like the "payback" to Dean that it implies.)
Cas, Dean, Bobby. Cas, completely, utterly without resource or recourse for the first time ever in his existence. I don't even want to contemplate. Bobby, who always had an answer, at a loss. Only Dean, who'd given up earlier in the season, is willing to keep fighting, keep swinging, find a way.
The tracking shot of Samifer presiding over the dead bodies is really a rather cool shot. For some reason, it reminded me of a trading card or publicity poster.
I love the montage of Impala during downtime. The boys got downtime! They had fun! Sam went to an Ozzy show with Dean! They went to Jayhawks games together! They enjoyed each other's company! They were each other's best friend!
Also? This is the closest SPN has ever come to having a clip show (thank goodness).
They were never homeless.
Dean calls Chuck. And Chuck's discomfort at being "caught" makes him such an endearing character. And this . . . erm . . . quaint charm gets totally destroyed in the end. But I'll get to that later.
So it has to end in Lawrence, just as it began. Full circle, indeed.
"You're gonna do something stupid. You got that look." Heh!
"Then I ain't gonna let him die alone." Is it just me, or can anyone else hear the tears in Dean's voice?
And if you all knew how many times I've had to take a break from this review because I'm crying, you'd laugh.
Wow. What a desolate place.
Michael and Lucifer face off, and I really, really don't like (read: hate) the way they portray Michael. Seriously. He's a flat, one-dimensional character and far from anything that could be considered the champion of Good and humankind in this. (Please note: I'm not talking about Jake Abel. Or rather, not completely. I've got to give the dude credit: in three appearances on the show, he's played three different characters.)
Michael and Lucifer exposit (some might say whine) back and forth, and Lucifer comes off as being the logical one. And Michael says they have to fight because it's his "destiny," because he's a good son and has to follow orders rather than, oh, I don't know, STOPPING LUCIFER FROM WIPING OUT GOD'S CROWNING CREATION! Seriously? No, Kripke. Just. NO. Even Dean, when he was following orders, knew he was doing so for the greater good rather than because it was "his destiny."
No, Kripke. Try again.
Also? Jensen should have had the opportunity to play Michael. He at least might have made the dialogue somewhat plausible. But seriously? Given the direction Kripke took with it, I think that would have put even Jensen to the test. Because seriously. Seriously?
Yeah, this whole thing really disgusts me. I don't usually use the word "hate," but this scene brings me pretty darn close.
Also? I know they could have had a halfway decent "battle." Remember the angel/demon throw down in . . . was it at the end of "Heaven and Hell"? And the skirmish Cas has had with other angels this season? For those viewers who wanted something resembling "Armageddon," it wouldn't have been completely impossible.
As it is, Dean pops in some classic rock (which I knew I recognized but couldn't place--Def Leppard, "Rock of Ages") and attempts to intervene, thus preventing the battle royal. (For my own money, that bit with the music and the slow-ish-mo of the Impala arriving on the scene seemed . . . I don't know . . . kind of awkward, maybe? Meh. Whatever.)
Michael to Dean: "You're no longer a part of this story." Gee, Kripke, are you trying to tell us something, or am I being hypersensitive?
And I cannot tell you how much I disliked Cas Molotoving Michael. Of course, I don't like the way Michael was portrayed, either, so this whole thing had all my walls going up and my acceptance of story shutting down.
Ah, but it didn't kill Michael, and Cas was just trying to buy Dean some time. *shrug*
What? Another exploding Cas? *whine*
Lucifer tosses Dean (I think Sam's loyalty to Dean has been one of Lucifer's biggest obstacles), Bobby in desperation shoots Lucifer. Lucifer breaks Bobby's neck. *whine!* (Of course, this means that even if they got Lucifer out of Sam, Sam is dead, right?)
And Dean. Oh, Dean. Such anguish in his "No!" Very much like when he saw Sam get stabbed in the back.
Sam's "going to feel the snap of your bones." Very much like YED's "He's going to taste the iron in your blood."
Lucifer proceeds to beat the tar out of Dean, but Dean is still there, still present for Sam. He's not going to leave Sam alone with Lucifer, and he's not going to break loyalty to his brother.
Reflection of light off the Impala, and Sam's life flashes before his eyes. This montage, with nothing but the sound of wind, is amazing. It reminds me--us--of why we love this show. It highlights how important Dean has been to Sam, the joy Dean has brought to Sam's life, and finally, the heartbreaking love Sam knows Dean has for him.
I'm crying again.
And remembering Dean, and everything Dean has meant, gives Sam the strength to trap Lucifer. And "It's okay, Dean. It's gonna be okay."
Excuse me . . . *sob*
The last good-bye look between a mangled but proud Dean and a heartbroken but heroic Sam . . .
*sob*
And Sam takes the Nestee plunge stance . . . and pulls Michael in with him. (Yeah, you can guess how I felt about Michael being tossed into the abyss, too. But then, I didn't like the way they portrayed Michael, so . . . )
Dean. Beaten, grief stricken and alone. And for just a moment, I expected Bobby to come comfort him, until I remembered that everyone, everyone Dean had is gone.
Until Cas shows up, fully restored to his angelic glory. And he heals Dean (which is something he couldn't do, for whatever reason, in OtHoaP).
Dean: Cas? Are you God?
Cas: That's a nice compliment, but no.
The first time I heard this exchange, I liked that Cas wasn't God. That he took it graciously, but set Dean aright.
Excuse me. My throat hurts from trying not to cry . . . *sob*
But I listen to that exchange now, and I think how fantastic that would have been, to have God right there with them the entire time. It would have made a few things from last season kind of hinky, but I think they could be explained much more easily than retconning what we got. To have God right there in front of the guy who wanted to believe but had a boatload of doubt. I just . . . that would have worked for me.
(ETA: As I ponder this alternative, I find I have mixed feelings. I like Cas as an angel, and as confused and somewhat comical. Changing that would make me sad. However, mixed feelings are better than my feelings about what we got, so there is that . . . /ETA)
But Cas isn't God. I still like to think of him, though, as God's representative to Dean. Dean's guardian angel.
And Cas brings Bobby back. Oh. Well, then. Um . . . I'm glad that Jim Beaver continues to be employed, but that kinda diminished the impact of Bobby's death. Also, does the fact that Bobby died and is now back to life negate his deal with Crowley? I'm of the opinion that bringing back Dean negated the deal with Lilith because the contract had been fulfilled. Same thing here? Anyway . . .
Okay, this last speech by Chuck? The best I can say about it is that Rob Benedict looked good, and he played it well. The rest of it? Meta. Meta on top of meta. It makes the entire series nothing more than a parody of itself.
Cas: "You got what you asked for, Dean. No Paradise. No Hell. Just more of the same." Which means for us viewers, no real payoff, no progress after 5 seasons of show, just the brothers separated for eternity.
It's interesting that Jensen alluded to this in Rome. Someone asked him what he, Jensen, would say to Michael, and Jensen said he'd probably say yes, because he hopes for something better. Whereas Dean, by saying no, wants everything to stay the same. Huh.
"Which would you rather have? Peace, or freedom?" The thing is, they're not mutually exclusive, but both come with a price. I'll let y'all ponder that. My brain is tired.
"Bobby will be hunting a ruguru outside of Dayton." Bwah! That's, like, half an hour from my hometown. Geo used to work in Dayton.
Dean goes to Lisa because it's what Sam wanted.
When Dean gets to Lisa's door, and "If it's not too late, I'd like to take you up on that beer." Jensen's delivery just brings me to tears (again). There's so much emotion, so much . . . hope . . . covering up the pain. He breaks my heart. And he cries into her shoulder. He needs the softness and warmth and comfort she can provide. And she's really his only option.
Chuck's closing voiceover, about this all being a test? To what end, ask I. To what end did the entire previous five years amount to? If it's a test, it must be in preparation for something, and yet, this was supposed to be the end of the series. So it must be more than just a test. Yes, it does need to mean something, to amount to something. After 5 seasons of emotional investment, there should be a payoff.
And we go from meta to self-congratulatory back-patting.
And there is NO WAY that this is how Kripke "originally" planned to end it. Because Kripke wasn't the one who came up with the idea of Chuck last season. From what I understand, it was one of the writer's assistants or newbies or something. So, no. No, no, no.
Also? I'm sorry, but Chuck is a drunken frequenter of prostitutes. To retcon the character and make him God irks me to the point of not even being able to wrap my brain around it.
But real life faith issues aside, just no. Making Chuck be God is a storytelling cop-out that serves the ego of the writer rather than the story he is telling. Kripke, the story wasn't about you when it started. It shouldn't be about you now. Don't believe your own press.
In fact, you might want to listen to Chuck from last season when he said that including himself as a prophet in his own books was "M. Night level douchiness." Guess what. Including your avatar as God? You see where I'm going with this?
Also, I rather liked Chuck as he was--a flawed, confused, struggling-to-get-by human. A quaint, funny character that was now all just a put-on. WT????
So, yeah, um, no. Just. No.
But Rob Benedict looked good.
And now we come to "the end." Dean having a regular, home cooked meal. Tossing Ben a roll. Lisa, a woman who's there for him. He's not happy, but he's . . . present. He's coping.
And outside, the street lamp fritzes. And . . .
There's Sam. Watching. His facial expression is completely neutral, so they can take it in any direction they want to next year.
I've read a theory that it is Sam's spirit. Had this been the end of the series, I could see that. Sam's spirit, watching over Dean the way Dean had watched over Sam their entire lives.
As it is, my first thought is that it is really Sam come back, but a blank slate, no memory, and only the instinct to find Dean.
I'm glad this isn't the end of the series, though. There was too much pain in this episode. Good stuff. Good character development stuff. And this always having been Sam's story, it makes sense that it would be Sam to step up and sacrifice himself and save the world and give his brother a normal life. I think back to John's statement of "I want Dean to have a home." But . . . I'm glad this isn't over yet.
After three days, I've come to terms with this season (series) finale. I've . . . adjusted. Assimilated the information, and the brother stuff, I can accept. I'm eager to see what they come up with for next season. I hope that Dean and Lisa part on good terms. Because surely with another season, Dean and Lisa won't be staying together. At least, not all the time. Unless it becomes a Harvelle situation, with Dean (Bill) hunting while Lisa (Ellen) and Ben (Jo) stay home and are not a part of the story. And Dean is now the settled one and Sam is the womanizer. Or something . . .
In other news, congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Jensen Ackles. Have a great summer hiatus. I'll see you next fall.
So here I am to give you the last long and rambly of the season. In it, you will find a lot of things that really rubbed me the wrong way. (I try not to use the word "hate" very often, as I think it's overused. But some things in this ep? They come really, really close.) Other things were kind of okay, or I can live with them, or adjust to them, or whatever.
But enough of this.
The Road Thus Far . . . "Carry On, Wayward Son." I don't feel the thrill that I did the first time they used it, but it's traditional, it rocks, and it gives us the whole of the mytharch as we will be dealing with it tonight.
Now . . .
I love that they use the Impala as the framework for this ep. That bits and pieces of the Impala's history act as segues between segments, and how tied up Sam and Dean's lives have been with her.
"I guess that's where this story begins. And here's where it ends."
That line right there pretty much set the tone and my mood for the entire ep. My heart hurt with the finality of ending (I've never been real good with endings). My stomach ached vaguely through most of the episode. It's starting to ache now just re-watching for this review. Endings have the power to change your entire perspective on everything that came before. They can make the story beautiful, or turn it sad or ugly. They bring change, and there's no going back. That line holds a lot that . . . I just can't put into words.
Sam and Dean talking in the junkyard. There is so much here . . . It is so difficult for Dean. But he knows, and he acknowledges, that it's Sam's choice to make, and that he (Dean) needs to let Sam make that choice. And he recognizes that he's got to let Sam grow up, and himself move beyond identifying solely as Sam's protector. And to let Sam know that he believes in him. Jensen just rocks this scene.
Draining the demons, and Dean is so not happy with the situation. He knows what it means, and it does go against everything in him.
And Sam. Sam is scared, and he knows what this will do to Dean. Oh, boys.
Sam and Dean talking in the car, and yeah, this scene pretty much rips my heart (which is SOP for this ep). Sam insisting Dean not try to bring him back, Dean arguing with him. "What am I supposed to do?" Dean's question after Sam died in Cold Oak, before he made the deal. Then Sam tells him to go have a "normal, apple pie life." Dean's exact words from the pilot, and I can't help but think back to that, when their lives actually were relatively uncomplicated. When there was a hope for a resolution that would see them both alive at the end. I'm sitting here crying right now just thinking about it.
Sam demands that Dean promise him to do that, and you'll notice Dean doesn't reply.
Detroit. Dean's on a mission, and Sam says his goodbyes. Bobby tells him don't stop swingin', and Sam replies "Yes, sir."
And Cas. Poor Cas still hasn't gotten the hang of how to offer encouragement in the face of impossible odds.
And Sam doesn't want his brother to watch him drinking demon blood. My heart hurts.
Impala. Toys stuck in her crevices. Flashback to the S1 cliffie and then Dean rebuilding her, blemishes and all.
I'm glad I'm by myself today, because this is the first opportunity I've had to truly let the tears come.
Sammy can kill you with his brain.
Lucifer knows about the rings, and their whole plan just went up in smoke. Dean sees this, sees that it's too risky, he's never wanted to risk his brother, and the odds just tipped sharply against them. But Sam knows that they don't have a plan B.
"A fiddle of gold against your soul says I'm better than you." And it's ABOUT FREAKIN' TIME! If I told you how long I've been waiting for them to make a "Devil Goes Down to Georgia" reference, you'd laugh. It's been at least since S3. Possibly as far back as when I first watched the end of S2. Seriously. Only I wanted it to be a guitar play-off to save Dean.
Sam says yes, Dean opens the abyss. Dean is psyched, geared up for what has to be done, tells Sam to "Go! Now!" But . . . it's not Sam. Luci!Sam disappears, and Dean is so, so helpless. You can just hear him saying, "What have I done?"
"Such anger, young Skywalker." Makes the third reference to Star Wars in the ep. Not sure how I feel about the line, given all the times Kripke has compared the show to Star Wars. *shrug*
Jared really kinda rocks this scene, don't you think? It's giving him the opportunity to play what Jensen did in DaLDoM. Two totally distinctly separate characters, one of which is mostly reaction to the other.
Though Lucifer's whole speech? Remember he's Satan, Sam. Prince of Darkness. Prince of Lies. Remember.
Demons have been tracking Sam since he was a kid. They apparently kept a very low profile, though, because reported demon possessions were rare, according to Bobby in early days. And I don't think I even want to contemplate Rachel (Sam's prom date) being possessed. (Though I imagine some viewers like the "payback" to Dean that it implies.)
Cas, Dean, Bobby. Cas, completely, utterly without resource or recourse for the first time ever in his existence. I don't even want to contemplate. Bobby, who always had an answer, at a loss. Only Dean, who'd given up earlier in the season, is willing to keep fighting, keep swinging, find a way.
The tracking shot of Samifer presiding over the dead bodies is really a rather cool shot. For some reason, it reminded me of a trading card or publicity poster.
I love the montage of Impala during downtime. The boys got downtime! They had fun! Sam went to an Ozzy show with Dean! They went to Jayhawks games together! They enjoyed each other's company! They were each other's best friend!
Also? This is the closest SPN has ever come to having a clip show (thank goodness).
They were never homeless.
Dean calls Chuck. And Chuck's discomfort at being "caught" makes him such an endearing character. And this . . . erm . . . quaint charm gets totally destroyed in the end. But I'll get to that later.
So it has to end in Lawrence, just as it began. Full circle, indeed.
"You're gonna do something stupid. You got that look." Heh!
"Then I ain't gonna let him die alone." Is it just me, or can anyone else hear the tears in Dean's voice?
And if you all knew how many times I've had to take a break from this review because I'm crying, you'd laugh.
Wow. What a desolate place.
Michael and Lucifer face off, and I really, really don't like (read: hate) the way they portray Michael. Seriously. He's a flat, one-dimensional character and far from anything that could be considered the champion of Good and humankind in this. (Please note: I'm not talking about Jake Abel. Or rather, not completely. I've got to give the dude credit: in three appearances on the show, he's played three different characters.)
Michael and Lucifer exposit (some might say whine) back and forth, and Lucifer comes off as being the logical one. And Michael says they have to fight because it's his "destiny," because he's a good son and has to follow orders rather than, oh, I don't know, STOPPING LUCIFER FROM WIPING OUT GOD'S CROWNING CREATION! Seriously? No, Kripke. Just. NO. Even Dean, when he was following orders, knew he was doing so for the greater good rather than because it was "his destiny."
No, Kripke. Try again.
Also? Jensen should have had the opportunity to play Michael. He at least might have made the dialogue somewhat plausible. But seriously? Given the direction Kripke took with it, I think that would have put even Jensen to the test. Because seriously. Seriously?
Yeah, this whole thing really disgusts me. I don't usually use the word "hate," but this scene brings me pretty darn close.
Also? I know they could have had a halfway decent "battle." Remember the angel/demon throw down in . . . was it at the end of "Heaven and Hell"? And the skirmish Cas has had with other angels this season? For those viewers who wanted something resembling "Armageddon," it wouldn't have been completely impossible.
As it is, Dean pops in some classic rock (which I knew I recognized but couldn't place--Def Leppard, "Rock of Ages") and attempts to intervene, thus preventing the battle royal. (For my own money, that bit with the music and the slow-ish-mo of the Impala arriving on the scene seemed . . . I don't know . . . kind of awkward, maybe? Meh. Whatever.)
Michael to Dean: "You're no longer a part of this story." Gee, Kripke, are you trying to tell us something, or am I being hypersensitive?
And I cannot tell you how much I disliked Cas Molotoving Michael. Of course, I don't like the way Michael was portrayed, either, so this whole thing had all my walls going up and my acceptance of story shutting down.
Ah, but it didn't kill Michael, and Cas was just trying to buy Dean some time. *shrug*
What? Another exploding Cas? *whine*
Lucifer tosses Dean (I think Sam's loyalty to Dean has been one of Lucifer's biggest obstacles), Bobby in desperation shoots Lucifer. Lucifer breaks Bobby's neck. *whine!* (Of course, this means that even if they got Lucifer out of Sam, Sam is dead, right?)
And Dean. Oh, Dean. Such anguish in his "No!" Very much like when he saw Sam get stabbed in the back.
Sam's "going to feel the snap of your bones." Very much like YED's "He's going to taste the iron in your blood."
Lucifer proceeds to beat the tar out of Dean, but Dean is still there, still present for Sam. He's not going to leave Sam alone with Lucifer, and he's not going to break loyalty to his brother.
Reflection of light off the Impala, and Sam's life flashes before his eyes. This montage, with nothing but the sound of wind, is amazing. It reminds me--us--of why we love this show. It highlights how important Dean has been to Sam, the joy Dean has brought to Sam's life, and finally, the heartbreaking love Sam knows Dean has for him.
I'm crying again.
And remembering Dean, and everything Dean has meant, gives Sam the strength to trap Lucifer. And "It's okay, Dean. It's gonna be okay."
Excuse me . . . *sob*
The last good-bye look between a mangled but proud Dean and a heartbroken but heroic Sam . . .
*sob*
And Sam takes the Nestee plunge stance . . . and pulls Michael in with him. (Yeah, you can guess how I felt about Michael being tossed into the abyss, too. But then, I didn't like the way they portrayed Michael, so . . . )
Dean. Beaten, grief stricken and alone. And for just a moment, I expected Bobby to come comfort him, until I remembered that everyone, everyone Dean had is gone.
Until Cas shows up, fully restored to his angelic glory. And he heals Dean (which is something he couldn't do, for whatever reason, in OtHoaP).
Dean: Cas? Are you God?
Cas: That's a nice compliment, but no.
The first time I heard this exchange, I liked that Cas wasn't God. That he took it graciously, but set Dean aright.
Excuse me. My throat hurts from trying not to cry . . . *sob*
But I listen to that exchange now, and I think how fantastic that would have been, to have God right there with them the entire time. It would have made a few things from last season kind of hinky, but I think they could be explained much more easily than retconning what we got. To have God right there in front of the guy who wanted to believe but had a boatload of doubt. I just . . . that would have worked for me.
(ETA: As I ponder this alternative, I find I have mixed feelings. I like Cas as an angel, and as confused and somewhat comical. Changing that would make me sad. However, mixed feelings are better than my feelings about what we got, so there is that . . . /ETA)
But Cas isn't God. I still like to think of him, though, as God's representative to Dean. Dean's guardian angel.
And Cas brings Bobby back. Oh. Well, then. Um . . . I'm glad that Jim Beaver continues to be employed, but that kinda diminished the impact of Bobby's death. Also, does the fact that Bobby died and is now back to life negate his deal with Crowley? I'm of the opinion that bringing back Dean negated the deal with Lilith because the contract had been fulfilled. Same thing here? Anyway . . .
Okay, this last speech by Chuck? The best I can say about it is that Rob Benedict looked good, and he played it well. The rest of it? Meta. Meta on top of meta. It makes the entire series nothing more than a parody of itself.
Cas: "You got what you asked for, Dean. No Paradise. No Hell. Just more of the same." Which means for us viewers, no real payoff, no progress after 5 seasons of show, just the brothers separated for eternity.
It's interesting that Jensen alluded to this in Rome. Someone asked him what he, Jensen, would say to Michael, and Jensen said he'd probably say yes, because he hopes for something better. Whereas Dean, by saying no, wants everything to stay the same. Huh.
"Which would you rather have? Peace, or freedom?" The thing is, they're not mutually exclusive, but both come with a price. I'll let y'all ponder that. My brain is tired.
"Bobby will be hunting a ruguru outside of Dayton." Bwah! That's, like, half an hour from my hometown. Geo used to work in Dayton.
Dean goes to Lisa because it's what Sam wanted.
When Dean gets to Lisa's door, and "If it's not too late, I'd like to take you up on that beer." Jensen's delivery just brings me to tears (again). There's so much emotion, so much . . . hope . . . covering up the pain. He breaks my heart. And he cries into her shoulder. He needs the softness and warmth and comfort she can provide. And she's really his only option.
Chuck's closing voiceover, about this all being a test? To what end, ask I. To what end did the entire previous five years amount to? If it's a test, it must be in preparation for something, and yet, this was supposed to be the end of the series. So it must be more than just a test. Yes, it does need to mean something, to amount to something. After 5 seasons of emotional investment, there should be a payoff.
And we go from meta to self-congratulatory back-patting.
And there is NO WAY that this is how Kripke "originally" planned to end it. Because Kripke wasn't the one who came up with the idea of Chuck last season. From what I understand, it was one of the writer's assistants or newbies or something. So, no. No, no, no.
Also? I'm sorry, but Chuck is a drunken frequenter of prostitutes. To retcon the character and make him God irks me to the point of not even being able to wrap my brain around it.
But real life faith issues aside, just no. Making Chuck be God is a storytelling cop-out that serves the ego of the writer rather than the story he is telling. Kripke, the story wasn't about you when it started. It shouldn't be about you now. Don't believe your own press.
In fact, you might want to listen to Chuck from last season when he said that including himself as a prophet in his own books was "M. Night level douchiness." Guess what. Including your avatar as God? You see where I'm going with this?
Also, I rather liked Chuck as he was--a flawed, confused, struggling-to-get-by human. A quaint, funny character that was now all just a put-on. WT????
So, yeah, um, no. Just. No.
But Rob Benedict looked good.
And now we come to "the end." Dean having a regular, home cooked meal. Tossing Ben a roll. Lisa, a woman who's there for him. He's not happy, but he's . . . present. He's coping.
And outside, the street lamp fritzes. And . . .
There's Sam. Watching. His facial expression is completely neutral, so they can take it in any direction they want to next year.
I've read a theory that it is Sam's spirit. Had this been the end of the series, I could see that. Sam's spirit, watching over Dean the way Dean had watched over Sam their entire lives.
As it is, my first thought is that it is really Sam come back, but a blank slate, no memory, and only the instinct to find Dean.
I'm glad this isn't the end of the series, though. There was too much pain in this episode. Good stuff. Good character development stuff. And this always having been Sam's story, it makes sense that it would be Sam to step up and sacrifice himself and save the world and give his brother a normal life. I think back to John's statement of "I want Dean to have a home." But . . . I'm glad this isn't over yet.
After three days, I've come to terms with this season (series) finale. I've . . . adjusted. Assimilated the information, and the brother stuff, I can accept. I'm eager to see what they come up with for next season. I hope that Dean and Lisa part on good terms. Because surely with another season, Dean and Lisa won't be staying together. At least, not all the time. Unless it becomes a Harvelle situation, with Dean (Bill) hunting while Lisa (Ellen) and Ben (Jo) stay home and are not a part of the story. And Dean is now the settled one and Sam is the womanizer. Or something . . .
In other news, congratulations, Mr. & Mrs. Jensen Ackles. Have a great summer hiatus. I'll see you next fall.
