Thoughts about 6.10
Mostly, about Sampa.
I haven't read a lot of other people's reactions or meta, and I haven't had a chance to rewatch any of the episodes, so there is a chance I'm overlooking something. If so, please let me know! Nevertheless, this is how I see things now.
So, Sampa was brought down from Heaven by Crowley because Crowley wants to find purgatory, and to do that he needs to find alphas, and Sampa is a walking encyclopedia on monsters. In exchange, Crowley promises Samuel that he'll bring Mary back. He also dragged parts of Sam out of the cage - his body and mind, but not soul (or something like that). Whether that's because he couldn't get all of Sam, or purposefully left the soul as some kind of leverage, I don't know.
It's just - is that really Samuel's motivation? To get Mary back? Yes, her death was premature and horrific, but Samuel had been dead for years when Mary died. He's already an anomaly - part of a world that he was never supposed to be in. Okay, his death was also violent and supernatural, but still, he would be really old by the time his grandsons are nearing 30, if not dead from natural causes anyway.
Basically, my point is, he's never lived without Mary, until Crowley brought him back into a life without Mary, and then made him a deal saying that he could get Mary back? It just doesn't make sense to me.
And even if it did, then would getting Mary back really be worth the lives of so many others? I get that people might value the lives of family members over the lives of strangers, but Christian and the other cousin that died are also Samuel's relatives, although not necessarily ones that he knew and was close to when he was actually alive. And, well. Is getting Mary back worth the lives of her sons? Even though Sam is not really himself, I find it hard to believe that even if Mary was brought back to life, that she would be super happy spending time with her father considering that he sold out her sons to get her back.
And anyway, now Crowley's dead! So what's going to happen now? Pretty much everything this whole season has been working towards has been cut loose. The hunt for alphas is over (and why are all the Alphas in the US??), Samuel's deal to get Mary back is over, Sam and Dean hunting Alphas for Crowley in exchange for Sam's soul is over. And, really - the hunt for Sam's soul might be over, considering both Crowley and Castiel have said that the soul might be too damaged at this point. (I mean, I don't believe they're just going to give up, but as it stands now we have no clue of what direction it could go in.)
teel dear: All the plot points have been blown right open, and I have no idea what's coming next! Whatever will Samuel do now?
To comment on other parts of the episode, I LOLed at Castiel watching porn. That Castiel/Meg kiss was hot, and really nothing I saw coming at all (I'm relatively unspoiled). Still, a pet peeve of mine is when something is built up and then ignored later on. I thought demons and angels didn't exactly enjoy each other's company... but hey, maybe it's a "it's wrong but feels so good" kink ;) Or something he learned from the pizza man!
I really enjoy this Meg, I must say. Her smile and smirk is to die for. Hnnngh. Castiel was a BAMF, as everyone else has said. And I can't believe Crowley's just gone! I wasn't particularly attached to him, but he was amusing. Who'll be King (or Queen? Why does it have to be either one? Do demons have gender? Are there trans or genderqueer demons??) of Hell now? Will it be *gasp* Meg?
Also, Sam drawing a Devil's Trap with his own blood is after chewing on his wrist is ... I don't know whether it's more disturbing or fascinating. A mixture of both, probably.
Alright, I'll stop here. Let me know what you think!
edit: I totally forgot to write about what originally bothered me about the ep!
Trigger warning for talk of sexualized violence.
okay, show. WHAT IS WITH THE MISOGYNY.
1. Demons saying "good night, girls." I get that demon's aren't necessarily the most PC, but hello, writers. SINCE WHEN IS BEING A GIRL AN INSULT. God, this ticks me off.
2. The "rape shower" comment.
RAPE JOKES ARE NOT OKAY.
... that being said, I'm a little torn. I don't want this to sound like I'm defending the use of triggering language that trivializes the experience of survivors and upholds rape culture. 'cause I really doubt this is what the writers thought of. BUT. It could be argued that Dean is a survivor. We don't know what happened to him in hell, other than that he was tortured by demons. It's entirely possible that torture was sexualized as well. Therefore, working with demons could be triggery as hell (no pun intended), and I don't believe in policing the language and reactions of survivors. However, there is no indication that this is what was meant, so it comes off as your average rape joke or comparison. Which is Not. Okay.
3. WHY WAS MEG NAKED DURING HER TORTURE SCENE. Has anyone else been? Other than Ruby? Show, your sexism is showing. And the hints of the knife being in the "wrong places". Just... *shudder*
Can anyone tell me if anyone has tried to talk to the producers/writers about this? 'Cause I'll sign a petition and I'll write a letter. Hell, I'll go to Vancouver and talk to them personally (although I bet all the important people are in LA). Are there any efforts already in this direction that I can join? If I start one, will you join me? Or do we - the ones of us that are not okay with this - just complain to each other while no one puts pressure on the show so they can just continue their misogynystic bullshit? Let me know what you think!
I haven't read a lot of other people's reactions or meta, and I haven't had a chance to rewatch any of the episodes, so there is a chance I'm overlooking something. If so, please let me know! Nevertheless, this is how I see things now.
So, Sampa was brought down from Heaven by Crowley because Crowley wants to find purgatory, and to do that he needs to find alphas, and Sampa is a walking encyclopedia on monsters. In exchange, Crowley promises Samuel that he'll bring Mary back. He also dragged parts of Sam out of the cage - his body and mind, but not soul (or something like that). Whether that's because he couldn't get all of Sam, or purposefully left the soul as some kind of leverage, I don't know.
It's just - is that really Samuel's motivation? To get Mary back? Yes, her death was premature and horrific, but Samuel had been dead for years when Mary died. He's already an anomaly - part of a world that he was never supposed to be in. Okay, his death was also violent and supernatural, but still, he would be really old by the time his grandsons are nearing 30, if not dead from natural causes anyway.
Basically, my point is, he's never lived without Mary, until Crowley brought him back into a life without Mary, and then made him a deal saying that he could get Mary back? It just doesn't make sense to me.
And even if it did, then would getting Mary back really be worth the lives of so many others? I get that people might value the lives of family members over the lives of strangers, but Christian and the other cousin that died are also Samuel's relatives, although not necessarily ones that he knew and was close to when he was actually alive. And, well. Is getting Mary back worth the lives of her sons? Even though Sam is not really himself, I find it hard to believe that even if Mary was brought back to life, that she would be super happy spending time with her father considering that he sold out her sons to get her back.
And anyway, now Crowley's dead! So what's going to happen now? Pretty much everything this whole season has been working towards has been cut loose. The hunt for alphas is over (and why are all the Alphas in the US??), Samuel's deal to get Mary back is over, Sam and Dean hunting Alphas for Crowley in exchange for Sam's soul is over. And, really - the hunt for Sam's soul might be over, considering both Crowley and Castiel have said that the soul might be too damaged at this point. (I mean, I don't believe they're just going to give up, but as it stands now we have no clue of what direction it could go in.)
teel dear: All the plot points have been blown right open, and I have no idea what's coming next! Whatever will Samuel do now?
To comment on other parts of the episode, I LOLed at Castiel watching porn. That Castiel/Meg kiss was hot, and really nothing I saw coming at all (I'm relatively unspoiled). Still, a pet peeve of mine is when something is built up and then ignored later on. I thought demons and angels didn't exactly enjoy each other's company... but hey, maybe it's a "it's wrong but feels so good" kink ;) Or something he learned from the pizza man!
I really enjoy this Meg, I must say. Her smile and smirk is to die for. Hnnngh. Castiel was a BAMF, as everyone else has said. And I can't believe Crowley's just gone! I wasn't particularly attached to him, but he was amusing. Who'll be King (or Queen? Why does it have to be either one? Do demons have gender? Are there trans or genderqueer demons??) of Hell now? Will it be *gasp* Meg?
Also, Sam drawing a Devil's Trap with his own blood is after chewing on his wrist is ... I don't know whether it's more disturbing or fascinating. A mixture of both, probably.
Alright, I'll stop here. Let me know what you think!
edit: I totally forgot to write about what originally bothered me about the ep!
Trigger warning for talk of sexualized violence.
okay, show. WHAT IS WITH THE MISOGYNY.
1. Demons saying "good night, girls." I get that demon's aren't necessarily the most PC, but hello, writers. SINCE WHEN IS BEING A GIRL AN INSULT. God, this ticks me off.
2. The "rape shower" comment.
RAPE JOKES ARE NOT OKAY.
... that being said, I'm a little torn. I don't want this to sound like I'm defending the use of triggering language that trivializes the experience of survivors and upholds rape culture. 'cause I really doubt this is what the writers thought of. BUT. It could be argued that Dean is a survivor. We don't know what happened to him in hell, other than that he was tortured by demons. It's entirely possible that torture was sexualized as well. Therefore, working with demons could be triggery as hell (no pun intended), and I don't believe in policing the language and reactions of survivors. However, there is no indication that this is what was meant, so it comes off as your average rape joke or comparison. Which is Not. Okay.
3. WHY WAS MEG NAKED DURING HER TORTURE SCENE. Has anyone else been? Other than Ruby? Show, your sexism is showing. And the hints of the knife being in the "wrong places". Just... *shudder*
Can anyone tell me if anyone has tried to talk to the producers/writers about this? 'Cause I'll sign a petition and I'll write a letter. Hell, I'll go to Vancouver and talk to them personally (although I bet all the important people are in LA). Are there any efforts already in this direction that I can join? If I start one, will you join me? Or do we - the ones of us that are not okay with this - just complain to each other while no one puts pressure on the show so they can just continue their misogynystic bullshit? Let me know what you think!