Hopes for S6

[feliciakw]

I've been thinking about this for a few days, and Geo and I just talked about what he thought of the season (story) finale. He says he's very interested in how they're going to get themselves out of the corner they've painted themselves into (which is a completely different story). But here's what I'd like to see next season:

The past five seasons have been Sam's story. It's always been Sam's story, even when Jensen came in and was more awesome and charismatic than I think anyone expected. The conflict between Good (capital G) and Evil (capital E) has always centered around Sam. That story is over now.

What I'd like to see next season is a storyline that centers around Dean. That might include Lisa and Ben in some way. And it might well have to be a much shorter story (if they don't get picked up for S7 or the guys don't want to renew their contracts). I also know that might sound like kind of a selfish request, because Dean was admittedly the better fleshed out of the two characters. We knew more about Dean and his inner workings and saw more of his inner struggles, I think, than we saw of Sam. But as I said, the story, the mytharc, has always been Sam's. I think it could be interesting if we had something that was Dean's.

/babbling

Comments

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

I think we could have a Dean-centric storyline that does give us more Dean and more Sam. Think back to early seasons. It was Sam's story, but we got a lot of Dean, too. And brothers reconnecting and working together and saving each other.

And now that they've both grown up, they can reconnect as adults as they resolve a Dean-centric storyline. (I know that sounds simplistic, but I don't think making a Dean-centric mini-arc needs to eliminate Sam or revert the progress they've made.)

But I think I see what you're saying about an equal storyline, which does have appeal to it.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Heh. I was trying to avoid sounding like a Sam!girl, but:

I think we could have a Dean-centric storyline that does give us more Dean and more Sam.

I'm pretty sure that's been the entire show, give or take an episode. I would actually really, really like to see a LOT more of Sam in this coming season (subject to however they need to mess around to bring him back, naturally)--not Sam the destined child, though, but Sam the brother and man. It'll be easier, I think, to give Dean his role (as it always has been; going back to s1 recently really reminded me how much Dean has always been a huge emotional center for the show) because of how this season is set up, so I'm eager to see how they manage to give Sam his due.

Basically, MOAR BOYZ. (emphasis on Sam or scrupulously equal storytelling most welcome by me.)

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

I was trying to avoid sounding like a Sam!girl

Ah. Heh. I shall remember that in the future. I always feel, being a Dean!girl who doesn't hate Sam, I have to be careful what I say to Sam!girls. It is often with limited (sometimes very limited) success. As I was telling someone else recently, I often feel like I'm being torn because when I speak up for Sam, some Dean!girl friends don't get it, but then I see a Sam!girl wanting more Sam (which makes sense; we each want more of and for our favorite character), and Dean feels pushed to the back burner.

So this is probably a subject we will not agree on, because we're either coming at this from different directions, or we disagree on who has been the central focus of the purpose of the story for the past five years.

I agree that Dean has been a strong emotional center of the story. I think a lot of that is Jensen's doing. And Dean has been a very important part of the resolution for Sam. Basically, it was a lifetime with Dean that gave Sam the strength to do what he did.

I do not agree that we've been watching a Dean-centric storyline for the past five years. (It feels like we have, because of Jensen, and because Dean's character has been better fleshed out, I think.) Dean has not been the central focus of the central conflict. If we look at it as a classic hero and sidekick combo, in the grand mytharc of the series, Dean has always been the sidekick. He's had his own mini-stories and hero moments within the greater journey, but the over-reaching, five-year arc hero's journey has been Sam's. So giving Dean his role--as it always has been--is as backup and emotional support for Sam. They've told that story. I'd like to see either them being emotional support for each other, or Sam being the support for Dean (and Dean letting him. *gasp* What a concept).

I guess if we were going to structure it like they have the past five years, we'd both get what we want. Dean, as the hero, would be less of the emotional focus than Sam, as the sidekick. Or something. I don't know.

As far as MOAR BOYZ goes, I agree. And if it is true that Jensen is going to direct an episode, you may will get your Sam emphasis for an episode or three. (I think Rob Morrow said his acting load had to be lightened for about three episodes if he was directing--one for pre-production, one for shooting . . . and one for post-production? Something like that.)

I hope that made sense. Obviously, YMWV.

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I don't think we're coming at it from different povs, necessarily, but I think what the show wanted to do and what it actually accomplished were very, very different. Kripke and Co. thinks it's always been about Sam; and they actually tipped the stories in that direction for some of the past season (5). But before that? Despite the mytharc's supposed centrality around Sam, and Sam's place as the--well, the MacGuffin, I guess, lol--the story that's been told has been about family, and that's always been centered around Dean. Dean hasn't just been the emotional center, he's been the storytelling center and the grounding principle and the boldest expression of both the binding harm and the glorious redemption of family ties.

Sam was supposed to be the plot center, and he eventually did become that as the show grew; but SPN has always been character and thematic heavy, and up until recently I think Dean has carried the majority of that weight.

Not that I have anything to complain about, there. *g* I love me my Dean-centric stories and that whole emotional core has struck me harder than anything except Life on Mars.

But that's why I'd like to see so much more Sam and/or equal story time. I feel like we've not gotten to see nearly enough of the Sam that I have grown to love, despite his mytharc position.

Wow, I really hope Jensen gets to direct. Just because I have a feeling he would do such a great job! Let me know if that gets confirmed! *starry-eyed glee*

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

You know, I get what you're saying about Dean, and I think I totally agree. And I think that was a lot of Jensen's doing, and I think Kripke & Co. had no clue what hit 'em. *bg*

I'm thinking about writing an essay/meta discussing Sam's mytharc vis-a-vis Dean's emotional arc (which you sum up here nicely), and why I preferred the latter to the former. This is not new for me; I felt the same way with XF. The mytharc eps were some of my least favorite. (In fact, the reason I didn't watch the show in first run was because the pilot ep was all about the alien abduction mytharc, and I'm just not that interested in alien abduction story lines.)

Have you read the CW press release or the mini-spoiler (not really) in Jensen's interview with the Brazilian mag? 'Cause from what he's said? I'm so freakin' excited for him it's not even funny.

Well, maybe a little funny.

And yes, Jensen directing would be awesome. Look at the directors he's learned from. (Kim Manners, anyone?)