Supernatural: Origins 1 of 6
Supernatural: Origins 1 of 6
Originally published july 2007
The Origins comic series was written by Supernatural's executive producer Peter Johnson to act as a prequel to the show. Sounds simple enough, right? Maybe...not so much. There were a couple of major oopses throughout the whole arc, but we'll look at just the first issue in this post.
The series opens with John standing on top of a hill, thinking a monologue to Mary. This is atheme that carries through the series, a secret look into John's head. He waxes philosophical about Mary's death for a few moments, lays a bouquet of flowers on the hill and returns to the car, wher Sam and Dean are waiting for him.
Lets forget for a moment that the car is a station wagon, and focus on the fact that this is the first glimpse of another common theme throughout the comicbook and television series: John is leaving the boys alone. In this case, it's to stand on a hill where he and Mary got engaged, just to remember. While poetic, it's not exactly smart. Sam is, of course, still in his carseat. Dean isn't wearing a seatbelt at the moment.
JOHN: The boys...seems like Sam can't stop crying ever since. Like he's got something terrible inside. And dean...
JOHN: Dean hasn't uttered a word since I told him you're gone. Just looks at me alot.
JOHN: Maybe he's wondering why I couldn't do anything. Or maybe he's waiting.
JOHN: Waiting for me to do something about it now.
JOHN: But where do I start?
I think this is the Marine mentality kicking in, the need for revenge, the need to figure out how and why and to pound the ever living christ out of thing that hurt him. And, though I don't think it's fair, it's also a Marine mentality to deflect the need for it onto someone else. Men in the corps do it 'For My Country', and here, John is doing it 'For My Sons'.
The next segment shows John in the early stages of his invesigation. Talking to neighours, the firefighters who responded to the call, and finally the officers in charge of the investigation. He's not careful, pushing for more information, even when they don't have any more to give.
They're staying with Mary's best friend, a woman named Julie. Here we see the first time John loses his temper: He yells at her when Julie suggests that perhaps John didn't see what he saw...that he'd been asleep, and he'd dreamed it. His tirade is cut short when Dean makes his presence known.
JULIE: John, you gotta stop. You haven't been to work in weeks. You're out every night. and the boys.--I love having them here, honestly, but--
JOHN: You're good for them, Julie.
JULIE: You should get some help, John.
Well, he does...just not in the way you'd expect.
The next scene is John at a bar, shooting pool and on a winning streak. There's a bit of a scuffle, and then Missouri steps in. This scene exemplifies everything I hate about her.
RANDY: Mind your own busincess, Missouri.
MISSOURI: Just because you're ashamed of your secret fascination with high school boys, that's no reason to take it out on this poor guy, Randy.
MISSOURI: Yeah, I know about that. Heck, there isn't much I don't know. Now let's get you back on your feet, Mister...
Blatant disregard of personal (mental) barriers, private information. Bad enough to say anyuthing outloud at all, but in front of a crowd? Then to flaunt that knowledge, lording it over them? It's absolutely disgusting, and completely accurate to the television character. So props there, Mr. Johnson.
John initially turns her down, pegging her as a hustler. But, a week later, he's at her trailer. And here is John's first vindication; Missourri believes him.
MISSOURI: Problem is: I believe you.
MISSOURI: Since I belive you, I can help you. But it means you're gonna have to get involved...and the kind of stuff you're dealing with...ain't pretty.
JOHN: What kind of...stuff?
MISSOURI: Ther's a big county out ther, John.
MISSOURI: What happened to your wife, it's terrible. But you're not alone. Ther's evel out ther.
MISSOURI: Out in the shadows, the corners no one looks in, the dusty backroads you pass by every day without thinking.
MISSOURI: Y'see, evil's found a way to grow like weeds in all the little cracks around us. :et it grow, and eventually it's everywhere.
MISSOURI: Look around these days -- ever notice how it don't look too much like those postcards from the 50s anymore?
MISSOURI: The evil I'm talking about isn't some guy who hates his job and shoots up a bank. Or even your garden variety serial killer.
MISSOURI: It's the kind of stuff people tell stories about. At campfires, whispered in schoolyards, passsed down through generations.
She convinces John to let her do a reading, and there is, of course, that typical 'dark' element, she gets permission to pull off a whole fingernail to do her thing. She sees a message, painted in blood, in astrangers house.
"We're Coming"
Very ominous, dark, all the perfect hooks for John. So of course he goes. And the true message is
"We're Coming for the Children"
Thinking it's his own children in danger, John boots it back to Julie's house. Now here's the interesting part. Earlier, she was Mary's best friend. And now?
JOHN: How could I be so foolish?
JOHN: I left them alone with a stranger.
Julie's house is completely destroyed. There is blood spatter all over the walls and floor. John goes tearing up the stairs, Dean and Sam are still asleep in their beds. The boys wake up when John bursts in, and after taking a moment to make sure they're unharmed, John orders Dean to look after his brother and returns downstairs.
He blames himself for what happened to Julie, but Missouri doesn't give him enough time to work up a real angst-fest.
MISSOURI: You need to leave, John. Now. Take your boys and go.
MISSOURI: But take this with you.
JOHN: What is it?
MISSOURI: It was stuck in the...remains.
MISSOURI: It belongs to the thing that killed your wife. With this, you can find it.
Bonus section: "Speak No Evil"
November 2, 1989, the boys are at the Tulsa Super Motel, and they're both dressed for a swin. The pools filled in though, with old furniture and the like. Dean comforts Sam in the typical way 'You don't know how to swim, anyway.'
SAM: It's Mom's birthday today.
DEAN: I klnow, Sam.
SAM: How old would she be?
DEAN: Thirty-four.
SAM: Oh.
DEAN: You know you're not supposed to ask that. Dad said--
SAM: I'm old enough to know, Dean.
DEAN: She was in a car accident. A real bad one.
SAM: Who hit her?
DEAN: Nobody knows.
SAM: I wish I knew.
DEAN: Me too.
They go to enter a door, and the glass of the window exploes and two men come flying out of the window. One is brandishing a knife, the other is John Winchester. He yells at the boy to get in the car and drive.
DEAN: Three miles north. He always dais to go three mils north. He'll meet us here. After he's okay, He'll meet us her.
SAM: What's going on Dean?
DEAN: Nothing you need to worry about.
SAM: Why don't you ever tell me anything?
DEAN: Because you don't want to know it!
SAM: I wish I never asked!
DEAN: Now stop crying. STOP CRYING!
SAM: What'd I do wrong?
DEAN: You didn't do anything wrond.
DEAN: You make me a promise?
SAM: What?
DEAN: Don't ever ask about Mom again. Don't even mention her. And when Dad asks if you want to know you say "No.", Do you understand? You say "No." I'm going to do this, but you don't need to.
DEAN: You promise me and I'll teach you how to swim, okay?
DEAN: I'll teach you how to swim.
So, 1989. Dean is 10 years old, Sam is six. John's already taught Dean how to drive and, evidently, told Dean about what killed Mary. Or at least, what he knows. And Dean is so terrified, so steeped in the idea that he has to protect Sammy that he tried to extract an impossible promise from Sam.
Because how could Sam turn away from trying to find out the truth? To say 'no' when John finally offered it to him? Dean doesn't get his answer, but, in their fear, Dean and Sam both get a bit of physical affection from each other...something that I'm sure is very scarce from John. But that's an insane amount of weight for one child to carry, and I find that my heart just breaks for both boys, Sam because he doesn't know, and no one will tell him, and Dean because he does know, and it's killing him. I can't imagine trying to cope with information like that at such a young age, but then, I suppose Nietchze was right: That which does not kill you makes you stronger.
Thank you for tuning in to Analysis 1. Let me know what you think?