My Thoughts On SPN's The Purge
Last night's Supernatural seriously left me feeling depressed. It seems a large number of people have forgotten the basic premise of this show, including Sam. But I'll get to that in a moment. First, let me get a few things off my chest.
Since when is Dean the bad guy in all of this? Why is it suddenly all on him to shoulder the blame for everything bad that has happened? Did we forget that it was Gadreel that betrayed & tricked Dean? Dean thought this was an angel he could trust, one that Cas had given his approval of and said was trustworthy--so don't go blaming Kevin's death on Dean. And the closing of the gates? All Sam. I'm sorry, but he made that choice. He didn't have to listen to Dean. If he was ready to die, if he really wanted to complete the trials, all he had to do was continue with them.
Also, Sam is the one who convinced Dean he wanted to live. How was Dean to know Sam was ready to die? Sam took on the trials under the whole premise that he wanted to live and that he wanted to show Dean there was a light at the end of the tunnel. All Sam has done since is take away the light that keeps Dean going. When Gadreel appeared to Sam as Dean, Sam chose to live AGAIN. If he really wanted to die, he could have denied him and walked peacefully away with Death. Gadreel couldn't do anything without his consent. Sam didn't want to die either of those times--seems like its just a convenient guilt trip to lay on Dean.
No way Show or anyone else is going to convince me that Dean has caused more harm than good (wow, this coming from Sam who has the innocent blood of people on his hands via the demon blood AND soulless Sam? Talk about more harm than good--but Dean forgave him and supported him through that). Wasn't it Sam who told Dean in What Is and What Should Never Be that what Dean does was worth it? That what Dean does is worth all the pain and sacrifice because he saves people? Sam has encouraged Dean to continue to make the choices he makes over and over. Sam has been an agent in the decisions that Dean has made. Even in Sacrifice, he put Dean in the position of swearing that Dean would always put Sam first no matter what. And now Sam wants to renege on that? After his big sob scene about how he wants to be important to Dean?
And Dean, selfish? Dean makes sacrifices only when it doesn't hurt him? The man has been making sacrifices his entire life for Sam and others that have wounded him in the deepest ways possible. He's given his childhood, his soul, his death, his love, his future, his whole life and everything at much cost to himself for Sam and others over and over.
Dean went to Hell for Sam--I'm pretty sure that damaged him forever and ever. Dean made sacrifices for Sam growing up that hurt him all the time--some of its canon now (Bad Boys? Something Wicked?). Dean sacrificed Lisa and Ben for their own good at a great deal of hurt to himself. Dean wanted to say yes to Michael, not because of any benefit for himself, but because he wanted to save the world. Sam was the one who said no and then turned around and did the same exact thing. There's no reason Dean could not have said yes to Michael with the same result as Sam's yes. But Sam took that away from him. Stole Dean's "agency" to make that selfless sacrifice (because Dean wasn't doing it to redeem himself). That whole time period was about Sam begging Dean to live for him. Because the world was better with them in it together and because he didn't want to do it without Dean. What happened to that Sam?
Dean killed Benny, someone he considered his brother, for Sam and you could see the cost of that sacrifice all over Dean's face. Again, Dean wanted to do the trials, which was a selfless sacrifice on Dean's part, no avoiding pain for Dean there--I could keep going on and on.
How dare Sam say that to Dean when Sam's always been about making sacrifices to ease his guilt trips or to "redeem" himself in some way--'cause, yeah, that's totally selfless. Is Sam maybe projecting?
But, yeah, people think Sam was 100% correct in what he said.
More than that, though, what exactly is this show based on? Because I was under the impression that it was about family and doing anything for family. I thought the whole premise of this show was based on the idea that Sam and Dean would do anything for each other and also for their friends. And now all of a sudden people think this is WRONG? That it's unhealthy? Well, maybe it is unhealthy in real life, but this is the whole foundation of a show that is anything but realistic. Since when did we want Sam and Dean's relationship to be like everyone else? Since when did everyone decide that the whole foundation of the show was wrong and wanted it to be changed?
If Dean is wrong for his choices, then this whole show has been a big farce, a big waste of time. We've spent years being told that family was above all, that love was most important, that Dean and Sam would always save each other no matter what. Anyone recall All Hell Breaks Loose Part 2? Swan Song? Anyone? And now we are saying that's wrong? Really? If that's the case, then I'm ready for the show to end. Just end it now before the entire thing is completely ruined beyond repair.
People are asking for the basic premise of the entire series to be changed under the guise of a more healthy relationship, which, apparently consists of a Sam and Dean who are ghosts of their former selves. In my opinion, the only thing that's been "wrong" with Sam and Dean's relationship is the fact that it's been too one-sided for far too long. The only thing that needs to be "fixed" is how Sam doesn't get a chance to show us he loves Dean too (if that's even true anymore). Instead, Sam's become increasingly indifferent and cold toward Dean in the name of a "healthy" relationship and "progress."
What's been wrong about their dynamic is how SAM asks Dean to sacrifice OTHERS to focus solely on HIM. Cas, Benny, whoever. If Sam could learn to let Dean have friends and not manipulate Dean into a corner where he feels he must CHOOSE, then the problem of people being thrown off a ledge in the name of Sam and Dean's relationship wouldn't be an issue. Sam's the one who constantly needs Dean to pull his bacon out of the fire, to save him over and over. Even the fans have put the onus of Sam's salvation on Dean's shoulders, expecting him to play the big brother role and only that role. And Sam's all too happy to let him when it suits him. If Sam wants Dean to let him go, treat him like an equal, then Sam needs to step up to that plate and start swinging at the curve balls thrown his way. He needs to own his mistakes and support Dean like an adult. You are only a victim if you let yourself be one. Be a survivor, Sam, not a victim.
Its not Dean's great love for Sam that's the problem. Okay? So just get off Dean's back. He's only done what was expected from him all along. Sam has made sure Dean was alone, only focused on Sam and now he suddenly doesn't want it? Well, screw that. You begged for it, you got it. Lay in the bed you made. And let's not forget that Sam has had a healthy hand in perpetuating lies, deception and taking away the agency of others--he really shouldn't be pointing fingers. People in glasses houses, man.
As for that mythical healthy relationship--is that what we really want? We suddenly want Winchesters who let their sibling die? Who won't make sacrifices? Who won't go to extremes in the grand name of love? Really? Then exactly why have we been watching this show all this time? We knew the deal going into this show and its a complete cop out to decide Dean's all wrong for making those choices. Dean's wrong for being the big brother everyone loved so much, that he wasn't allowed to be anything else.
I don't know where all this will lead, but, right now, I don't know what show I'm watching anymore and I don't understand the glee over last night's gut-wrenching talk. It went against everything this show is supposed to be about. Everything Kripke promised us it would always be about. Family is the theme of the show--family above all (and by family, I don't mean just family by blood). Its a little late to be saying the whole theme was all wrong and bad, bad, bad. Take that away, then every episode prior falls down like a stack of cards.