SPN - "The Born-Again Identity"
Mar. 25th, 2012 12:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feliciakwWell, there's already been much talk and speculation about the ep by a lot of other folks on LJ and elsewhere that are leading lengthy, active discussions. So if you'd like to join the topic already in progress, you can check out ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
ficwriter1966 and tahirire among others.
Following is my own modest contribution to the topic. (Some of it is probably stuff you've seen elsewhere, but if it's not from my own brain, I try to give credit where it's due.)
Watching Sam's insomnia throughout this ep is just painful. And makes me tired to watch. Kudos, Jared. I also found it kind of pitiful that the drug dealer was offering to give Sam something to knock him out, and let him crash in his car.
Dr. Lee! From SG-1! (George recognized him immediately. I knew I knew him, but couldn't place him.)
Oh, and Dean is on a mission. His brother is missing, in an accident, at a hospital, so you'd just better get out of his way.
Lucifer refers to Dean as "Mr. Helpless. Pull up a 6-pack, buddy." Oy.
I think I'll say here that I've long thought that Lucifer might have an "open phone line" to Sam's brain. I gather I'm not the only one who thinks this, as I've seen mention of other fans who endorse this theory. I'm trying to remember when I first thought this might be a possibility, and I think it might have been as far back as when Sam was hallucinating Lucifer!Dean. I haven't been working on that premise for the entire season, but I think that's when it first occurred to em. And as Lucifer's personality has become more distinct (more individual, less memory-based), the phone line has become a clearer connection. But I'll get to that later.
The point for now is that since Sam acknowledged Lucifer directly, it's not longer been merely Sam's imagination or memories. Lucifer's not really there, but that's really Lucifer.
Moving on.
"Faith" reference! \o/
The brothers having a moment. "Don't do this to yourself." But Dean has to find a way. Failing is not an option.
Bobby's journal mysteriously slides off the table. Now, I've seen an interesting theory floated around, one that I rather like. The theory being that it's Rufus that's causing these mysterious happenings. The disappearing beer happened in Rufus's cabin. Dean is using the cabin as home base, and the journal slides off the table. And I'm sure there's a way to explain why it would have been Rufus shuffling papers in "Slice Girls." Rufus was buried, not cremated, and at that point I suspected they were leaving a way to bring him back. I also like this better than making Bobby a ghost, because they're going to have to do something incredibly phenomenal if they want to bring Bobby back without diminishing his exit. (Dream sequence I could buy. Ghost, not so much.)
Now, when Mackey mentions a healer, I knew it was going to be Cas, and this is what bothers me about spoilers. I think it would have been much more effective a reveal if we had not known that Cas was coming back. But with the way the writers and the producers and eventually the actors were talking about it months ahead of time, well . . . It seems a wasted opportunity for a really jaw-dropping reveal. Alas.
This healer, Emanuel, is the real deal. "I wouldn't call you on a maybe." For some reason, I really like that line.
Dean still carries the knife. Nice. *nods*
And even though I knew Cas would be "Emanuel," still, the reveal was nicely done. *flail*
Cas has amnesia. And a wife. It's nice to know what he's been up to these past months. But we'll get to that later.
And it's at about the point where Lucifer is playing music and shooting off firecrackers, taunting Sam with his madness, that I feel this little plot point has been carried as far as it can go and has crossed the line to annoying. I'm ready for Lucifer to be gone now.
In the car on the way to the hospital, we get Emanuel's backstory. Daphne, his wife, believes that God wanted her to find Emanuel (whom they should call Manny. Just sayin'). He got his name, Emanuel, from bouncingbabynames.com. Emanuel (Immanuel in the Bible) means "God with us." It stands to reason, to me, that if Daphne believed that this stranger was from God, she'd gravitate toward a name like Emanuel. Who, incidentally, can heal people. Kinda makes me wonder if they chose that name after he'd healed someone.
Now, I know a lot of people found the Maren storyline to be pointless, but I like her. I like the way the actress plays her. And to be honest? I thought she was more natural and less forced in her role than Rachel Miner was as Meg this time around. I liked Maren and Sam's interactions, and in some ways, Maren kind of reminded me of Anna before Anna was revealed to be a fallen angel. So Maren gets a thumbs-up from me, even if her storyline seems like an add-on.
I like the conversation between Emanuel and Dean in the car. Dean is so very conflicted. He is angry at Cas's betrayal and tearing down Sam's wall, but he's upset with himself for not being able to shake it off. I particularly love that Emanuel points out that Dean is not a machine, that he's human, and therefore he's allowed to have feelings, and conflicted feelings at that.
Also? George loved the car Dean was driving this week. "I hope they keep that car [after they get the Impala back]," he says. "It is bad." For those who don't know, it's a (1968) Dodge Charger like the one the villain drives in the Steve McQueen movie Bullitt. George told me that if he were to get a muscle car from that era, that is the one he'd want. (Also FYI, there's an IMCDb--Internet Movie Car Database. Of course there is.)
In the convenience store, Dean gets ambushed by a demon, ganks it, turns a corner, and there are two more. And I kinda want to weep. Because Dean can never catch a break.
But one of them gets ganked and the other smokes out (when was the last time we saw that?). Turns out Meg was the one who provided back-up.
Rachel Miner appears to have put on some weight in her face. My first thought was baby weight, but the general consensus seems to be that she's been taking meds (steroids) for an injury, which would also explain it. (Apparently, Misha mentioned at the recent con that Rachel was on some heavy duty meds for back trouble. Could explain why she seemed off her game.) I did find it a wee bit distracting, though. Also, while I don't usually mind her interpretation of Meg, in this episode, it didn't really click for me. It seemed . . . more forced than usual. More one-dimensional? I don't know. Can't really explain it. It just didn't seem the same, and her scenes didn't seem to click. In comparison to the conversation between Sam and Maren, I found this conversation between Dean and Meg to be . . . serviceable . . . but not particularly engaging.
(Ah. Just read. Apparently, Misha mentioned at the recent con that Rachel was on some heavy duty meds for back trouble. Could explain why she seemed off her game.)
"I've been good to you, Dean." HA! Since when? How many times have you tried to kill him? Oh, sure, you all broke into the monster prison together, and you backed them up and he saved you from demon torture and all, but that doesn't mean you're pals or anything. Dean will explain it rather well later. Not so much "alliance" as "mutually assured destruction."
Dean's correct when he says Meg has been good to Meg.
I like that they were able to fit a salt-n-burn in amongst all the angst. Saving people, hunting things, and all that.
Demons are converging on the hospital.
Dean doesn't want to tell Emanuel who he really is for fear that he will snap, possibly disappear. It's a logical conclusion on Dean's part, given what he's been witnessing with Sam's deterioration.
I love Cas smiting demons. And I love the little montage sequence they had as he remembered everything. Being an angel, saving Dean from Zach's plan, and on the down side teaming with Crowley and breaking Sam's wall. Nicely done.
Wait. Sam is dying in that hospital, because of Cas (so says Cas), and Cas walks away? Cas, don't make me slap you.
Okay, electroshock treatment is one of my least favorite plot devices. Just *shudder*
Also, what was Sam going to say about Dean? After the orderly says, "I've seen this help a lot of people," Sam says, "My brother--" and gets cut off. What, Dean knows something about ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)? Is there story there?
Eep! Dude is a demon, and he wants to fry Sam's brain (even more)!
Dean and Cas. Dean defending Cas's actions to Cas. See? Dean has not lost all faith in Cas, and he believes Cas can fix things. And as evidence that though they didn't part friends, and though Dean was angry at Cas, Dean still values Cas, Dean produces the trench coat from the trunk of the Charger. Dean has been carrying the coat with him, transferring it from car to car, for months. He never stopped valuing Cas's friendship and what their alliance, their bond, once meant.
Cas smites the demon orderly \o/, confesses his wrongdoing in breaking Sam's wall, and attempts to heal Sam. Problem being that Sam is beyond Cas's ability to heal. :-(
Sam's wall is gone. It's not just rubble, it's dust. There's nothing left to rebuild. "This isn't a problem I can make disappear. You know that." And then Cas gets an idea. "But I may be able to shift it." You can practically see the lightbulb come on.
And Cas tells Dean before he does what he's going to do, "It's better this way." That line, as it turns out, hold a great deal of meaning. "I'll be fine," Cas assures Dean.
And he tells Sam, "I'm sorry I ever did this to you." This? This is Cas that I've been missing.
The SFX that they have here are great. Frightening and disconcerting in the red glowy eyes, ominous in the red creeping vines and veins, but so very effective in depicting the transfer of the torment from Sam to Cas.
That Cas saw this solution and seized it, sacrificing himself for the good of his friends . . . This is the Cas I love.
And Sam, so incredulous to see Cas.
But Cas sees Lucifer. Who greets him as brother. Greets him personally. And herein lies the crux of my phone line theory. I've long suspected that the hallucination have progressed from "memory" to "manifestation." From simple memories of Hell to Lucifer manipulating the hallucinations. Lucifer has never really "been there," but he's not been totally absent either. It's like an open phone line (didn't Cas say back in S5 that archangels have open phone lines to their vessels?). The more the wall crumbled, the louder the ringing phone got, until Sam directly acknowledged Lucifer, thereby "picking up the phone" and completing the connection.
Cas can't disconnect the "phone call," but he can "take the receiver" from Sam, shift the connection from Sam to himself. This would not eliminate Sam's memories, but it would discontinue Lucifer's manipulation of those memories and discontinue the hallucinations. Lucifer is now talking to Castiel on the phone, not to Sam.
Which means it's a fairer fight. Cas has said, "I'll be fine." Lucifer (an angel) is now in the mind of Cas (another angel). Even though Lucifer is undoubtedly more powerful than Cas, still, it's a more even match than Lucifer against a human. (It's been pointed out that Castiel needs neither to eat or sleep, so right there he's ahead of the game in comparison to Sam.)
I wouldn't be surprised if Cas were able to eventually contain Lucifer, if not rid himself of him completely.
Sadly, Sam and Dean must leave Cas in the hospital. It's really the only safe choice. They can't protect him, and with Crowley looking for him and leviathans running about, it really is their only option right now. (Daphne, however, will be filing a missing persons report soon, no doubt.) With Lucifer dancing around in his head, the hospital is the safest place for Cas while he builds his mental defenses.
Is Sam "cured"? I'd like to think that we're done with HalLucifer, at least. Does he still have memories of Hell? Most likely. Of being soulless? Probably. But you know what? He's also got a brother that's on a quickly eroding ledge, and I'd like Sam to be able to catch Dean when he finally cracks.
Sam is twitchy about the "alliance" with Meg. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" feels like a demon deal (for which Dean is getting a lot of flack from certain quarters of the fandom). But you know what? Dean describes it very well. It's not a deal. It's not an alliance. It's mutually assured destruction. In other words, it's a cold war. Each side knows that if it attacks the other, it will be retaliated against to its own destruction. Meg is not their friend. And Dean puts it bluntly.
All their friends are dead.
*sob*
*hugs them*
*checks on Sheriff Jody's whereabouts*
But Meg is going to get a job at the hospital so she can keep an eye on Cas. Have a hand in his care and recovery. Maybe have a communications line to Lucifer.
And doesn't that just make me all kinds of nervous. Yeesh.
ficwriter1966 and tahirire among others. Following is my own modest contribution to the topic. (Some of it is probably stuff you've seen elsewhere, but if it's not from my own brain, I try to give credit where it's due.)
Watching Sam's insomnia throughout this ep is just painful. And makes me tired to watch. Kudos, Jared. I also found it kind of pitiful that the drug dealer was offering to give Sam something to knock him out, and let him crash in his car.
Dr. Lee! From SG-1! (George recognized him immediately. I knew I knew him, but couldn't place him.)
Oh, and Dean is on a mission. His brother is missing, in an accident, at a hospital, so you'd just better get out of his way.
Lucifer refers to Dean as "Mr. Helpless. Pull up a 6-pack, buddy." Oy.
I think I'll say here that I've long thought that Lucifer might have an "open phone line" to Sam's brain. I gather I'm not the only one who thinks this, as I've seen mention of other fans who endorse this theory. I'm trying to remember when I first thought this might be a possibility, and I think it might have been as far back as when Sam was hallucinating Lucifer!Dean. I haven't been working on that premise for the entire season, but I think that's when it first occurred to em. And as Lucifer's personality has become more distinct (more individual, less memory-based), the phone line has become a clearer connection. But I'll get to that later.
The point for now is that since Sam acknowledged Lucifer directly, it's not longer been merely Sam's imagination or memories. Lucifer's not really there, but that's really Lucifer.
Moving on.
"Faith" reference! \o/
The brothers having a moment. "Don't do this to yourself." But Dean has to find a way. Failing is not an option.
Bobby's journal mysteriously slides off the table. Now, I've seen an interesting theory floated around, one that I rather like. The theory being that it's Rufus that's causing these mysterious happenings. The disappearing beer happened in Rufus's cabin. Dean is using the cabin as home base, and the journal slides off the table. And I'm sure there's a way to explain why it would have been Rufus shuffling papers in "Slice Girls." Rufus was buried, not cremated, and at that point I suspected they were leaving a way to bring him back. I also like this better than making Bobby a ghost, because they're going to have to do something incredibly phenomenal if they want to bring Bobby back without diminishing his exit. (Dream sequence I could buy. Ghost, not so much.)
Now, when Mackey mentions a healer, I knew it was going to be Cas, and this is what bothers me about spoilers. I think it would have been much more effective a reveal if we had not known that Cas was coming back. But with the way the writers and the producers and eventually the actors were talking about it months ahead of time, well . . . It seems a wasted opportunity for a really jaw-dropping reveal. Alas.
This healer, Emanuel, is the real deal. "I wouldn't call you on a maybe." For some reason, I really like that line.
Dean still carries the knife. Nice. *nods*
And even though I knew Cas would be "Emanuel," still, the reveal was nicely done. *flail*
Cas has amnesia. And a wife. It's nice to know what he's been up to these past months. But we'll get to that later.
And it's at about the point where Lucifer is playing music and shooting off firecrackers, taunting Sam with his madness, that I feel this little plot point has been carried as far as it can go and has crossed the line to annoying. I'm ready for Lucifer to be gone now.
In the car on the way to the hospital, we get Emanuel's backstory. Daphne, his wife, believes that God wanted her to find Emanuel (whom they should call Manny. Just sayin'). He got his name, Emanuel, from bouncingbabynames.com. Emanuel (Immanuel in the Bible) means "God with us." It stands to reason, to me, that if Daphne believed that this stranger was from God, she'd gravitate toward a name like Emanuel. Who, incidentally, can heal people. Kinda makes me wonder if they chose that name after he'd healed someone.
Now, I know a lot of people found the Maren storyline to be pointless, but I like her. I like the way the actress plays her. And to be honest? I thought she was more natural and less forced in her role than Rachel Miner was as Meg this time around. I liked Maren and Sam's interactions, and in some ways, Maren kind of reminded me of Anna before Anna was revealed to be a fallen angel. So Maren gets a thumbs-up from me, even if her storyline seems like an add-on.
I like the conversation between Emanuel and Dean in the car. Dean is so very conflicted. He is angry at Cas's betrayal and tearing down Sam's wall, but he's upset with himself for not being able to shake it off. I particularly love that Emanuel points out that Dean is not a machine, that he's human, and therefore he's allowed to have feelings, and conflicted feelings at that.
Also? George loved the car Dean was driving this week. "I hope they keep that car [after they get the Impala back]," he says. "It is bad." For those who don't know, it's a (1968) Dodge Charger like the one the villain drives in the Steve McQueen movie Bullitt. George told me that if he were to get a muscle car from that era, that is the one he'd want. (Also FYI, there's an IMCDb--Internet Movie Car Database. Of course there is.)
In the convenience store, Dean gets ambushed by a demon, ganks it, turns a corner, and there are two more. And I kinda want to weep. Because Dean can never catch a break.
But one of them gets ganked and the other smokes out (when was the last time we saw that?). Turns out Meg was the one who provided back-up.
Rachel Miner appears to have put on some weight in her face. My first thought was baby weight, but the general consensus seems to be that she's been taking meds (steroids) for an injury, which would also explain it. (Apparently, Misha mentioned at the recent con that Rachel was on some heavy duty meds for back trouble. Could explain why she seemed off her game.) I did find it a wee bit distracting, though. Also, while I don't usually mind her interpretation of Meg, in this episode, it didn't really click for me. It seemed . . . more forced than usual. More one-dimensional? I don't know. Can't really explain it. It just didn't seem the same, and her scenes didn't seem to click. In comparison to the conversation between Sam and Maren, I found this conversation between Dean and Meg to be . . . serviceable . . . but not particularly engaging.
(Ah. Just read. Apparently, Misha mentioned at the recent con that Rachel was on some heavy duty meds for back trouble. Could explain why she seemed off her game.)
"I've been good to you, Dean." HA! Since when? How many times have you tried to kill him? Oh, sure, you all broke into the monster prison together, and you backed them up and he saved you from demon torture and all, but that doesn't mean you're pals or anything. Dean will explain it rather well later. Not so much "alliance" as "mutually assured destruction."
Dean's correct when he says Meg has been good to Meg.
I like that they were able to fit a salt-n-burn in amongst all the angst. Saving people, hunting things, and all that.
Demons are converging on the hospital.
Dean doesn't want to tell Emanuel who he really is for fear that he will snap, possibly disappear. It's a logical conclusion on Dean's part, given what he's been witnessing with Sam's deterioration.
I love Cas smiting demons. And I love the little montage sequence they had as he remembered everything. Being an angel, saving Dean from Zach's plan, and on the down side teaming with Crowley and breaking Sam's wall. Nicely done.
Wait. Sam is dying in that hospital, because of Cas (so says Cas), and Cas walks away? Cas, don't make me slap you.
Okay, electroshock treatment is one of my least favorite plot devices. Just *shudder*
Also, what was Sam going to say about Dean? After the orderly says, "I've seen this help a lot of people," Sam says, "My brother--" and gets cut off. What, Dean knows something about ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)? Is there story there?
Eep! Dude is a demon, and he wants to fry Sam's brain (even more)!
Dean and Cas. Dean defending Cas's actions to Cas. See? Dean has not lost all faith in Cas, and he believes Cas can fix things. And as evidence that though they didn't part friends, and though Dean was angry at Cas, Dean still values Cas, Dean produces the trench coat from the trunk of the Charger. Dean has been carrying the coat with him, transferring it from car to car, for months. He never stopped valuing Cas's friendship and what their alliance, their bond, once meant.
Cas smites the demon orderly \o/, confesses his wrongdoing in breaking Sam's wall, and attempts to heal Sam. Problem being that Sam is beyond Cas's ability to heal. :-(
Sam's wall is gone. It's not just rubble, it's dust. There's nothing left to rebuild. "This isn't a problem I can make disappear. You know that." And then Cas gets an idea. "But I may be able to shift it." You can practically see the lightbulb come on.
And Cas tells Dean before he does what he's going to do, "It's better this way." That line, as it turns out, hold a great deal of meaning. "I'll be fine," Cas assures Dean.
And he tells Sam, "I'm sorry I ever did this to you." This? This is Cas that I've been missing.
The SFX that they have here are great. Frightening and disconcerting in the red glowy eyes, ominous in the red creeping vines and veins, but so very effective in depicting the transfer of the torment from Sam to Cas.
That Cas saw this solution and seized it, sacrificing himself for the good of his friends . . . This is the Cas I love.
And Sam, so incredulous to see Cas.
But Cas sees Lucifer. Who greets him as brother. Greets him personally. And herein lies the crux of my phone line theory. I've long suspected that the hallucination have progressed from "memory" to "manifestation." From simple memories of Hell to Lucifer manipulating the hallucinations. Lucifer has never really "been there," but he's not been totally absent either. It's like an open phone line (didn't Cas say back in S5 that archangels have open phone lines to their vessels?). The more the wall crumbled, the louder the ringing phone got, until Sam directly acknowledged Lucifer, thereby "picking up the phone" and completing the connection.
Cas can't disconnect the "phone call," but he can "take the receiver" from Sam, shift the connection from Sam to himself. This would not eliminate Sam's memories, but it would discontinue Lucifer's manipulation of those memories and discontinue the hallucinations. Lucifer is now talking to Castiel on the phone, not to Sam.
Which means it's a fairer fight. Cas has said, "I'll be fine." Lucifer (an angel) is now in the mind of Cas (another angel). Even though Lucifer is undoubtedly more powerful than Cas, still, it's a more even match than Lucifer against a human. (It's been pointed out that Castiel needs neither to eat or sleep, so right there he's ahead of the game in comparison to Sam.)
I wouldn't be surprised if Cas were able to eventually contain Lucifer, if not rid himself of him completely.
Sadly, Sam and Dean must leave Cas in the hospital. It's really the only safe choice. They can't protect him, and with Crowley looking for him and leviathans running about, it really is their only option right now. (Daphne, however, will be filing a missing persons report soon, no doubt.) With Lucifer dancing around in his head, the hospital is the safest place for Cas while he builds his mental defenses.
Is Sam "cured"? I'd like to think that we're done with HalLucifer, at least. Does he still have memories of Hell? Most likely. Of being soulless? Probably. But you know what? He's also got a brother that's on a quickly eroding ledge, and I'd like Sam to be able to catch Dean when he finally cracks.
Sam is twitchy about the "alliance" with Meg. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" feels like a demon deal (for which Dean is getting a lot of flack from certain quarters of the fandom). But you know what? Dean describes it very well. It's not a deal. It's not an alliance. It's mutually assured destruction. In other words, it's a cold war. Each side knows that if it attacks the other, it will be retaliated against to its own destruction. Meg is not their friend. And Dean puts it bluntly.
All their friends are dead.
*sob*
*hugs them*
*checks on Sheriff Jody's whereabouts*
But Meg is going to get a job at the hospital so she can keep an eye on Cas. Have a hand in his care and recovery. Maybe have a communications line to Lucifer.
And doesn't that just make me all kinds of nervous. Yeesh.
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no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 05:21 am (UTC)Apparently Merrin is Mike Rohl's daughter, which is awesome, b/c he is one of my favorite directors. (On the Head of a Pin, Monster at the end of this Book, MBV, Plucky Pennywhistle to name a few) :) I like when they get to bring in crew family peoples. And she was fantastic.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 11:56 am (UTC)bouncingbabynames.combabynamesworld.com, and found it as Marin (boy or girl) and Maren (girl). They pick some really unusual names for their female one-offs this season. Anywho . . .I thought she did a delightful job. Kind of wouldn't mind her showing up again, now that she's no longer suicidal and depressed.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 12:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 12:55 pm (UTC)Names and origins of names fascinate me. I did a whole name search on Ezra/Azra after "Time After Time." Also, naming characters in a story can be one of the hardest parts for me.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 12:57 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 01:00 pm (UTC)I really must catch up on loading those into my user pics.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-26 01:01 pm (UTC)