The last scene between the brothers where both have elected to give up their other relationship to commit to hunt together is really sad rather than uplifting. I don’t know why Sam made Dean pay the price he did, given his past characterization; jealousy seems a very unsatisfactory answer. I don’t know why Sam regards Amelia as his first stone, his chance at happiness, when previous episodes suggested the relationship was more illusion and escape than anything else.
I don’t know why I should be hoping Sam recommits to hunting with Dean, as I don’t feel the connection I used to between them. If Sam really wants that life with Amelia and feels only a sense of duty in rejoining Dean, then I don’t need him with Dean. I’d sooner Sam leave to go find out what life with Amelia would really be like, warts and all, while Dean defines his own brothers. That seems a much better outcome than Sam seeing little value in his life with Dean other than duty and Dean realizing Sam will never define family the way he does, and yet the two of them ending up in that car, driving down the highway. That would truly be sad and not especially compelling to watch.
I’m watching the season to the end no matter what—I’ll give the writers the space to completely write out the story they envisioned this year. But I can see for the first time that I may not watch this series to the end. Sam and Dean are the core of the show for me, and if they don’t work, nothing else matters.
Article comments
1 - Hades
Given that Sam was already back with Dean having commited to being all in with him WITHOUT knowing Dean had ditched Benny clearly means that ditching Benny was not a condition for Sam to return to the hunt with Dean.
Did you even consider that Dean ditched Benny because of Kevin's words that nothing was more important than the tablets at that monement, tthat for Dean nothing was more importnat in that momnet than the hunt/the tablets/Kevin/Cas. Or that Dean asked Sam to be all in so Dean in fact needed to live by his own rules and be all in without Benny as a distraction?
As for Sam's ahte on for Benny? easy Ruby and Amy. Sam blindly trusted a monster and got burned badly (Ruby) he then asks Dean to trust HIM (sam) and let Amy go but Dean kills her anyway because he doesnt trust Sam. Dean then asks Sam to trust BENNY not Dean himslef and fails to give Sam any reason why he should. If thats not hypocracy on Dean's part then I dont know what is?!
I just hope that at the end of the hunt, when the hell gates are closed Sam goes to find what makes him happy and actually has someone in his life other than Dean. Dean I'm sure will have a car full of new brothers by then.
These situations are all the same other than Benny being Dean's friend and Ruby/Amy being associated with Sam which is where the fandom is divided. Had Sam befriended Benny the Vampire and Dean said it was wrong the fans clearly would have jumped to Dean's defence and condemned Benny. So much hypocracy from Dean and bias
2 - Hades
and bias from the fandom.
In the end they both chose the hunt which all we can expect at this stage. I do hope Carver gives Sam someone else to interact with now that Amelia is gone otherwise he has no storyline and will no doubt be left standing in the background every episode while Dean interacts with all the guests stars. Sam needs a friend the sooner he gets one the better and Carver better make it a him or the fans wont like them.
3 - aurens66
I know the writers have had the idea of making the brother's relationship 'more mature' and perhaps they felt they had to break it down to basics, to get them to communicate and get over any lingering issues, it's a risk, and I think they have taken some feedback from fans and perhaps truncated the Sam and Amelia storyline. But I also wonder if the scenarios (where Dean finds Benny in Purgatory - and rememeber Benny was 'told' where to find him and he could get a ride out) and Sam hitting a dog and finding Amelia were manipulations on behalf of whatever powers to drive a wedge between the brothers. But I hope this gets both bros on the same page and forming a new bond, cos that's where we want them to be. And I concur with your assessment of Castiel's character, I'd love for Misha Collins to be back on as a regular, as you said, all the boys need all the friends they can get
4 - Gerry
Hi Hades, thanks for giving your perspective on the episode. We do see it differently, which is fine--that's what discussion is for.
I look at Sam's clear ultimatum to Dean on getting rid of his relationship with Benny as being left standing, because he never took it back or clarified or brought it up again.
Dean clarified his stance with Sam on Amelia by telling Sam to make his own choice without any guilt on what it would mean for Dean. Dean was prepared to go on solo in a way he had previously told Sam he was not. All he asked Sam was to make a decision, because it was dangerous for him to have a foot in both worlds.
We never saw Sam make a similar type of declaration to Dean about Benny, telling him it was his choice to be a friend or not.
Dean told Sam he was having the conversation with him about Amelia because he was tired of fighting with him. The other reason he and Sam were fighting was Benny, so he made a decision to go with Sam's ultimatum, so if Sam stayed, they could stop fighting about that, too. But I don't see that sitting well with Dean, as loyalty is so important to him.
I don't see Sam's need to decide about Amelia as a good parallel to Dean's need to decide about Benny, because Benny can function in the Winchester's world the way Amelia can't. Sam can't have both Amelia and hunting, just as he couldn't have Jess and hunting and Dean couldn't have Lisa and hunting. Civilians make the boys vulnerable because they can't defend themselves. Civilians are sitting ducks.
Benny is not a sitting duck. He can function as a friend just as Ellen did, and as Garth can. He knows the score and he's prepared for the risks. Sam is judging Benny's worth as a friend because he is a vampire.
I think Dean has given Sam the reason to trust Benny--Benny saved him over and over in Purgatory and is the only reason Dean is topside. Sam knows Benny is a "vegetarian" vampire and he decides that is ridiculous and vampires need to be killed because they are vampires. It's a huge change from his stance on monsters,including the stance he has on Kate when he is delighted to let her go on her word she won't kill anyone. We didn't see Sam make an about face after Ruby and we didn't see him make one after Amy, either. Benny is the first monster Sam is determined to kill on general principles. Given what we saw in Bitten, Sam is the one who seems hypocritical on monsters.
Dean's stance has been the same since he accepted Sam's point in "Blood Lust." He kills monsters who prey on people. Amy was in the middle of a killing spree when Sam found her. Yes, she wanted to follow the plan she had made to stop killing, but dead brains were not a good solution in the long run because they weren't nutritious enough. Her son needed fresh kill this time and there was no reason to think he wouldn't again--or that Amy wouldn't. Dean should have told Sam his decision rather than go behind his back, but he would have made the same decision, because he felt Amy had shown that when push came to shove, she was a kitsune and people were prey.
However, he made the opposite decision with her son because he had not yet killed. If her son never kills, Dean will never try and track him down, just as he will never track Kate down if she never kills. He only hunts monsters who prey on humans. So I don't see any hypocrisy on Dean's part about Benny. He's told Benny many times if Benny gives in to preying on humans, he will stop him. That he doesn't think Benny's vampirism strips him of personhood has been part of his evolution--something his father could not do--and Sam was the one who pushed him along that path.
One thing I would ask you to avoid is bringing fandom wars into the discussion. Using broad brushstrokes to say any one who feels a certain way must hate Sam or the only reason to dislike Amelia's portrayal is jealousy because she's female is not productive.
I have adored Sam's storylines since season one--this is the first time I'm having trouble understanding him. I loved Jess and Jo and Madison and Lisa and was sad to see them go.
It will keep the discussion enjoyable for all if we discuss show points rather than make assumptions about fans.
5 - Gerry
I just lost a long comment, so I guess the program wants me to be less wordy! Thanks Hades and Aurenns66 for your comments. Discussion is always welcome!
Hades, I didn't see anything in the episode to show Sam rethought his stance on Benny. Dean clarified his thoughts on Sam's decision to Sam. There was no reciprocal discussion on Benny, so in my view, the ultimatum stands as a fighting point between the boys. As Dean said he was tired of fighting, he gave in on Benny. I don't see that sittign well with him in the long run as he values loyalty.
6 - Gerry
I also don't see the boys committing to the hunt as meaning they have to give up all friends. They have few enough as it is, and I expect they will still keep Garth as a connection and Sheriff Jodie if she calls.
Benny has been very self-sufficient since he's been back--Sam was the one who got them involved in Louisianna. That he's calling Dean now is understandable as he's just lost his family connection and killed again, albeit to save his granddaughter. He asked Dean to come for a coffee, not to give up his hunt. He was calling on a friend.
7 - Gerry
Aurens66, I agree that Castiel is a needed friend, especially as the boys have lost so many. I enjoy the character. I do think the writers have to very careful not to turn him into Mr. Deus ex machina, but so far, they've found a good path this season.
8 - Gerry
Aurens wrote: "But I also wonder if the scenarios (where Dean finds Benny in Purgatory - and rememeber Benny was 'told' where to find him and he could get a ride out) and Sam hitting a dog and finding Amelia were manipulations on behalf of whatever powers to drive a wedge between the brothers. But I hope this gets both bros on the same page and forming a new bond, cos that's where we want them to be."
My read is that we won't be told the way Benny found out about the portal nor will will Sam's hitting the dog be supernaturally influenced, because the writers intend the stories to be the way they appear.
There have been so many theories on Amelia not being real etc. and none of them have panned out. The angels are up to no good, but I think the wedge between the boys was supposed to come from real relationships and their own past resentments.
I think the many theories surrounding Amelia and Sam's hate for Benny show the stories weren't as convincing as the writers hoped, because so many fans are looking for more.
My biggest issue with the way these particular story lines are playing out is they seem to me to have placed the boys further apart than they have ever been and I see nothing but more trouble coming in the future.
The last scene played out to me like anti-SPN,not a reconciliation. Sam is resigned to giving up what he really wants in his life and makes him happy (never mind all the "living a lie" anvils in Hunteri Heroici), duty having drawn him back to a life he doesn't want, and his relationship with Dean not seeming to be a particularly big carrot for him.
Dean is sitting there processing that he just let a friend down to make it easier for his brother to join him because his brother hated the care he had for Benny. Sam has never shown any appreciation for Benny's role in saving Dean and in fact has shown little joy in having Dean back. We've seen a lot more onscreen on Dean's return being seen as a complication for Sam than Dean's loss being devastating. Odd choice for this show and one with consequences.
So we have Dean most likely, given past characterization, feeling guilty about failing Benny when he inevitably has to kill his friend. I don't see how that doesn't bleed onto his feelings about Sam, as Sam forced the issue of cutting Benny loose.
And Sam sees Dean coming back from the dead as the catalyst for giving up the love of his life and chance for happiness, leaving him with a feeling of duty toward a job he doesn't value.
I'm giving the writers lots of room to find a way to make the brothers seem like brothers again, but they have an uphill battle which I'm not entirely sure they realise. They don't seem to realize many viewers needed more explanation on Sam not looking for Dean, for example, or that the Hunteri Heroici flashbacks didn't jive well with last night's ep.
9 - roxi
Hades, I disagree with everything you said. T
10 - roxi
To me, the show has always given Sam ALL the importance and ALL the main storylines, while Ddan is stuck looking after him, reacting to him, and getting put down by him. Sam had a story this season. Cas has a story. But once again, like always, Dean will be the supporting character. The SPN writers don't seem to think Dean deserves a real love story or a decent and important story arc. And Dean here was willing to let Sam go and be with Amelia, a woman who just thought so little of the time she had spent with her husband that she easily cheated on him, but Sam refused to budge on Benny who was the very reason Dean survived.
11 - roxi
The Purgatory story was supposed to be a big story arc for Dean, but it wasn't even about him. It was about Cas and Benny. We were never shown what Dean went through there or how it changed him. Meanwhile, Sam's story was shoved front and center, as always.
12 - Gerry
Well, for me, I thought the Purgatory story arc was gorgeous for all involved, Dean, Benny and Cas. Dean was able to let go of the guilt he's been carrying around to the point of depression because of how "pure" Purgatory is in the sense that you have to live in the moment.
He was able to shed the last bit blinding him to what really happened with Cas with Cas's help, bringing them closer together and healing both.
He also avoided going down a Lord of the Flies route, though he certainly got tougher, because his caring instincts got as much play as his fighting instincts, when he had to save Cas and learn to trust Benny. Purgatory burned away a lot of what was hurting Dean and helped him remember what he has to give. I loved that he actually healed in Purgatory, as much as it was a dreadful place. I loved that far from turning into a figurative monster, he came out with a new friend whom he helped find his humanity.
It's sad to me that Dean finds earth harder to manage in terms of relationships than Purgatory. I think it is heartbreaking that he felt he had to cut Benny loose when his friend needed help and I have no doubt Dean will have more story with Benny, leading to a tragic and guiltridden end.
I'm much less sure where Sam's story is leading, to be honest. I'm sure he'll have one, but nothing I've expected for Sam has come about this season.
13 - Gerry
To me, Purgatory served Dean, Cas and Benny very well. I loved those flashbacks. The way Dean had to live in the moment allowed him to let go of much of the guilt and shame he had been burdened with and Cas's revelation about why he stayed behind helped Dean recognize how crippled by guilt he had been, allowing him to move forward even more and to reconnect on a deeper level with Cas. We also saw that even in Purgatory condition, Dean would not revert to a Lord of the Flies mentality and in fact he makes a new friendship, evolving even more on his stance on monsters.
What I am worried about going forward is that I'll be asked to accept Dean turning away a friend's request for help will not weigh on him or that he won't see Sam's attitude to Benny as connected. I already have trouble recognizing Sam. I don't want to not know who Dean is anymore.
14 - Laurie
Wow Gerry, you hit a bullseye with this review. You clarified exactly why I hated this episode. I also am a fan of the brothers, but their relationship sucks right now and I can't see the end of this torture - I doubt it can ever be repaired with this reunion as the foundation.
What scares me is that Carver and his gang seem to have no clue that they shot the show in the head, and don't see that the cornerstone of the show is almost dead.
15 - Gerry
Laurie, that is also my fear: that Carver thinks he's set up Sam's story well and that this last episode is a reconciliatory episode, with the boys ready to resume the relationship that sells this show. I feel such a disconnect with what's been shown on screen and what I should apparently be feeling if the last episode was not supposed to be dour and depressing.
Surely the writers think both brothers made mistakes in Citizen Fang, not just Dean. Surely they know Sam is implicated in Martin's death. Surely they know his about face on what defines a monster causes story dissonance unless we are supposed to think it is driven by his jealous of Dean's closeness to Benny. Surely they know that Dean has the same right to choose his relationships as Sam does, and Sam not recognizing that as he tries to drive Benny away or kill him places him in a unsympathetic light. Surely they know the audience has responded well to Benny and it would be a very bad idea to implicate Sam so deeply in Benny's death, if that's what's coming.
Because surely they know we need to feel Sam and Dean are in their partnership because it feels right to both and they recognize they each offer something to the other. We need to enjoy seeing the two together.
16 - Gerry
Sorry for all the double posts. I had several comments get marked as spam and disappear, and then get unmarked later and reappear. So there's a lot of duplication in my posts--apologies. Hopefully this doesn't happen again.
17 - Shannon
Gerry - thank you for this review. This is one of the fairest and unbiased reviews I've read. So many other reviews seem to be glossing over Sam's actions and the fact that there was no reciprocity in this episode.
"Surely the writers think both brothers made mistakes in Citizen Fang, not just Dean. Surely they know Sam is implicated in Martin's death. Surely they know his about face on what defines a monster causes story dissonance unless we are supposed to think it is driven by his jealous of Dean's closeness to Benny. Surely they know that Dean has the same right to choose his relationships as Sam does, and Sam not recognizing that as he tries to drive Benny away or kill him places him in a unsympathetic light. Surely they know the audience has responded well to Benny and it would be a very bad idea to implicate Sam so deeply in Benny's death, if that's what's coming."
The writers have to recognize all of these issues, right? If they don't, then I do not see the brothers relationship being better than it is now. Having Dean always be the one to make admissions does not make the relationship better, it just puts a mask on all of the issues.
18 - terhunian
I hope they don't go the Old Yeller route with Benny, with Dean being forced to kill his buddy because he's gone "rabid" after shedding blood saving SAMs life because that would be too corny for words. Equally sucky would be Benny ASKING Dean to put him out of his misery or having Benny turn out to be Boy Ruby after all (although that one post suggesting that Benny has been using Dean to take out his competition and consolidate his power actually sounded pretty fun, especially if Dark Dean is seriously tempted to run away and be a Vampirate).
Good, evil or somewhere in-between,I'd like Benny to stick around. If the writers absolutely HAVE to kill him off, though, I'd like it to be to send him on a mission back to Purgatory...