I am late to this meta especially since the next ep has aired, but I really enjoyed your thoughts and you put it a lot more eloquently than I could. I have not seen a lot of empathy for Dean out there for most of this season really, and while I will not say every decision Dean makes is a great one, I am willing to watch how the story unfolds. For example, people are upset Dean didn't say he was sorry for what he did to Sam. Well, who is to say he won't say it when they reunite? I am taking a wait and see approach.
You pointed out that Lisa and Sam have tried to tell Dean he was worth more than he thought. Bobby also pointed it out after Dean made the deal, in one of my favorite scenes ever in AHBL2.
I am curious about the dark path they have been talking about for Dean as well, and now that the ep has aired it looks like the mark might have more to do with it than a possession by Abaddon. I was disturbed by it, but again, I am willing to see how it plays out. I am also curious: was GadZeke pretending to be Sam the entire time he was possessing him, or was Sam there for some of it? It isn't clear to me if this is a repeat of S6 Soulless!Sam and if this is the first time we've had the real Sam back.
The reason I can rewatch episodes from S1-S5 over and over is because of the brother relationship. The banter, the one-liners, the bitchface reactions, how they always had each other's back whether it was a MOTW or a myth-arc episode. I am just not seeing it anymore and I miss it. You brought up Faith, which is also one of my favorite episodes, and the lengths Sam went to back then. I realize it's S9, and they want to show the boys have matured, but they need to show some sort of give-and-take relationship. Even Sam said in S7 that Dean wouldn't have to look out for him all the time anymore and he could go on with his own life, and then there is the whole S8 Purgatory mess. If Sam really feels so little for Dean, why don't they split up and go live their adult non-hunting lives? The show has become unbalanced by focusing on the what's wrong with Sam angle every. single. season. It really is Sam's turn to pull Dean back from the brink and show much he cares. It would be nice if they could go back to having some funny moments and actually enjoyed being in each other's company instead of acting like they are with a co-worker they can barely stand to be around.
I was not bothered they were apart this episode and I wouldn't mind if it went on for a couple more episodes if it came to any sort of real resolution. You brought up many interesting points and I hope that the show is intentionally drawing parallels to the earlier seasons in an attempt to get the show back on track, but I have been hoping that for a long time and they keep failing to deliver. As long as Sam continues to resent Dean for everything, the show is going to be hard for me to watch.
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You pointed out that Lisa and Sam have tried to tell Dean he was worth more than he thought. Bobby also pointed it out after Dean made the deal, in one of my favorite scenes ever in AHBL2.
I am curious about the dark path they have been talking about for Dean as well, and now that the ep has aired it looks like the mark might have more to do with it than a possession by Abaddon. I was disturbed by it, but again, I am willing to see how it plays out. I am also curious: was GadZeke pretending to be Sam the entire time he was possessing him, or was Sam there for some of it? It isn't clear to me if this is a repeat of S6 Soulless!Sam and if this is the first time we've had the real Sam back.
The reason I can rewatch episodes from S1-S5 over and over is because of the brother relationship. The banter, the one-liners, the bitchface reactions, how they always had each other's back whether it was a MOTW or a myth-arc episode. I am just not seeing it anymore and I miss it. You brought up Faith, which is also one of my favorite episodes, and the lengths Sam went to back then. I realize it's S9, and they want to show the boys have matured, but they need to show some sort of give-and-take relationship. Even Sam said in S7 that Dean wouldn't have to look out for him all the time anymore and he could go on with his own life, and then there is the whole S8 Purgatory mess. If Sam really feels so little for Dean, why don't they split up and go live their adult non-hunting lives? The show has become unbalanced by focusing on the what's wrong with Sam angle every. single. season. It really is Sam's turn to pull Dean back from the brink and show much he cares. It would be nice if they could go back to having some funny moments and actually enjoyed being in each other's company instead of acting like they are with a co-worker they can barely stand to be around.
I was not bothered they were apart this episode and I wouldn't mind if it went on for a couple more episodes if it came to any sort of real resolution. You brought up many interesting points and I hope that the show is intentionally drawing parallels to the earlier seasons in an attempt to get the show back on track, but I have been hoping that for a long time and they keep failing to deliver. As long as Sam continues to resent Dean for everything, the show is going to be hard for me to watch.