Death Takes a Holiday

[impulsiveanswer]

Just a list of things I've been thinking about since the new episode last night that I need to get out of my head before family obligations take me away from internet access for the weekend.  You are now officially warned for spoilers:

Comments

[themaskedmckay]

Via spn_heavymeta
That goes beyond illustrating the distance between them and straight into being cruel.
This stood out to me because we know dean was a torturer and we know he remembers everything; maybe it's a bit of that rubbing off. He knows how to hurt Sam and after this stint in Hell he's a little less inclined to hold back.

Maybe he really is being cruel and maybe he does enjoy it to an extent. A bit of payback for all the times Sam has hurt him and he sucked it up because little Sammy didn't know better or somesuch. Neither Sam nor Dean are the same Sam and Dean they were in Season one anymore.

ETA: Sorry, error with my tag.

[impulsiveanswer]

I didn't want to go there in the mini-meta, but I do see shades of emotional torture in Dean's behavior - it's subtle but it's there. And you're right - neither of them are acting like the people they once were. It's for both of these reasons why I hope the writers won't just let Dean's recent behavior slide: both boys, and not just Sam, need to realize how far they've strayed to truly reconcile their relationship.

[deansqueen7]

I don't think Dean was being cruel, but he does have the right to feel hurt. Just like Sam does. And I agree bringig it up over and over just makes things worse, but maybe they should just talk this whole thing out. I mean saying your sorry helps but there are problems there that led to them saying those things. Not just the siren.

[impulsiveanswer]

I'm not saying Dean doesn't have the right to be hurt and that Sam has nothing to be sorry for; and I'm not saying that either of them apologizing has been doing or will do anything to take care of the core problems for which the siren-induced fight was just, in part, a symptom. I'm just saying it's passive-aggressive and nasty for Dean to bring it up when he's only doing so to hurt Sam - Sam's apologized (and hasn't demanded the same of Dean for saying hurtful things and bringing the siren back to their hotel room in the first place); so if Dean's not going to use the opportunity to work toward resolving their issues, bringing it up is only a way of making his brother feel worse.

[deansqueen7]

First of, I don't think that Dean needs to apologize for bringing the siren back to the hotel. It's not like he had control after he was under the spell and at first he didn't even know that that guy was the siren. They BOTH thought they were looking for a woman. Second, yes it's wrong of Dean to bring up the things that Sam said to him over and over when he is only doing it to hurt Sam. But in my opinion the reason Dean does this is probably because he wants Sam to feel the pain that those words caused him. It's not right but everyone out there does this at least once in their life. I don't know why, but we do

[impulsiveanswer]

I don't think that Dean needs to apologize for bringing the siren back to the hotel. It's not like he had control after he was under the spell and at first he didn't even know that that guy was the siren.... Dean does this is probably because he wants Sam to feel the pain that those words caused him.

Sam was under the siren's spell too, which means he didn't really have anything to apologize for either. I don't believe either of them did anything wrong; it just bothers me that Dean is allowed to get away with things while Sam gets ripped a new one when behaving in a similar manner.

They both lie to each other. Dean I think does it because he thinks he's protecting Sam. Like he always has tried to do. Sam does it maybe to protect Dean, but I think it's because he knows what he's doing with Ruby is so wrong and that if Dean knew, Dean would stop him. And for some reason sam doesn't want to be stop.Again, they do the same wrong thing - lying to each other - but Dean's behavior gets excused because he's "protecting" Sam while Sam's

[lovetheguys]

OK, here's my take, for what it's worth.

What if Sam is lying to Dean because he has to? What if Dean knowing what Sam is doing could be dangerous for him to know? What if Sam keeping mum is somehow protecting Dean?

Love, Robin

[impulsiveanswer]

I've actually wondered if Sam's keeping what he's doing with Ruby a secret because it'll lead to Sam dying (there are a few interpretations to him saying he didn't want to be doing this as an old man at the end of Criss Angel is a Douche Bag)...

You're right to bring up those questions - everyone (even me, I admit) seems to be assuming the worst about Sam's lies; there's no reason to assume he's lying just because what he's doing is "bad".

[jensenrick]

Love this meta, so many things I was thinking, with additional good thinky-ness

[impulsiveanswer]

1) I thought of that too, although I didn't want to go there in the main part of this mini-meta. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who saw a connection to Dean's behavior and his time in Hell.

2) All I could think was "God, he's sexy" during Sam and Alastair's confrontation at the cemetery :) There's just something about a dangerous man, even when the man's also self-destructive.

5) I squeed when Castiel said he'd recruited both Dean and Sam. It's so nice that someone other than Ruby is acknowledging that Sam's more than just a Dean-accessory.

6) I'm actually hoping that Castiel will be the one to talk to Sam and get him to a place where he can talk to Dean, especially in light of point 5. A huge part of Sam's problem is that he's lost faith that there's anyone out there - namely Dean and God - looking out for him; he feels like he needs to use the powers because they're the only things he has left to protect himself and others. Having Castiel, and through him symbolically God, talk to him in an understanding and compassionate