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I don't really do episode reaction posts, but 10.14 was awesome and terrifying in equal measure, and I have loads of questions. So, spoilery spoilers under the cut.
So, this shot right up to somewhere in my top ten episodes pretty damn quickly. It might have been about the time the camera panned out on Cas sitting among all those graves. I mean, Bad Things Happen to Dean is always a good thing in my book, and On the Head of a Pin is my all-time favourite, so no surprises there. But also, the whole thing felt big and dark and epic in a way that recent seasons -- much as I still love them -- haven't so much. I think bringing in the idea of Cain's descendants contributed to that -- there was this real sense of the weight of Cain's curse, and Dean as this one damaged individual with the whole weight of history bearing down on him. The conflict this season may be more about the personal than about fighting a Big Bad, but it's a personal apocalypse.
And there was "I'm scared, Sam," and that little fake-smile on the way up the steps, and that hug. And Sam's face at the end, where he finally seemed to succumb to Dean's despair after having spent the season so far trying to give him hope. So I'm metaphorically uglycrying over Dean and Sam, and I'm assuming everybody else is, too. Right?
Then there was Cain having set himself up as a kind of vigilante, rationalising his kills with an appeal to the greater good, and the return to free will (or its absence) as a central theme. That, more than anything else, is what gives me hope for the boys. This episode may have provided Dean's personal nadir, but the central conflict in it still revolved around trying to save Cain's targets -- people he would've killed on the assumption that they were already damned by fate. Maybe that's complicated by the fact that taking on the MoC in the first place was a choice that Dean made -- but choice is not that simple. It's not always a single big step: it's a process. I hope the show's going to acknowledge that alongside the big, dramatic confrontations.
So, questions!
- As everyone else in the entire fandom has already pointed out, we didn't see Cain's body. Is he really dead? I'm inclined to think so, but that doesn't mean there was nothing significant between *stabbity stabbity* and Dean rejoining the others. I'm wondering if Cain said something significant with his last breath that we will find out about later.
- Where do you think Crowley's headed now, after that rejection from Dean? And what do you think is going on with him and Rowena? I was glad that they actually came out and had her openly admit to manipulating him, and pretty much expecting him to see through her. I've always liked her, but didn't find her ability to play Crowley particularly convincing. If this is a double bluff (and I think it is), my respect for her villainy has gone up 100%. ;) I suspect that, by sending him back into the arms of someone who has no love for the Winchesters and wants to encourage Crowley to be a much more ruthless King of Hell, Dean's just set up the first step in Cain's prophecy.
- Speaking of. Do you think Cas overheard it? The way he was so careful taking the Blade from Dean, and how he hung back until Dean had left in that last scene, make me think so. I also don't think that will have any effect whatsoever on his behaviour. He's already dying, right? Why not do so while trying to save a friend?
- And, well, there's the biggie. That three-part prophecy. Narrative structure dictates that the first two have to happen, at least in some form, to build up suspense for the final confrontation. So, how do you think it's going to go down?
I hope Crowley isn't doomed, but I'm afraid he might be. :( I can't honestly see Cas being permanently killed off with another season in the works. (And if he is, that's one of the few things that might make me stop watching. Not in a 'making a statement about the writers doing something I don't like' way, in a 'my heart just could not go on' way.) I suspect it's likely to involve help from Claire and/or Cas becoming human -- and Dean doing something that leads to his becoming mortal could probably be counted as killing him.
Sam... well, what do you think? Dean kills Sam? Sam kills Dean? (Which would be my vote, except that Dean died last season and Sam hasn't died for ages. Still, with all the role-reversal that's been going on this season, I feel like Sam being the one who has to kill his brother to save him might be a natural place for the story to go.) Something completely different? I want speculation! ;)
- One other, not-really-but-kind-of-related thought: Metatron said, 'The river will end at the source'. But Cain -- candidate #1 for 'the source' -- is gone. Does this mean we're going to meet Abel sometime soon?
So, this shot right up to somewhere in my top ten episodes pretty damn quickly. It might have been about the time the camera panned out on Cas sitting among all those graves. I mean, Bad Things Happen to Dean is always a good thing in my book, and On the Head of a Pin is my all-time favourite, so no surprises there. But also, the whole thing felt big and dark and epic in a way that recent seasons -- much as I still love them -- haven't so much. I think bringing in the idea of Cain's descendants contributed to that -- there was this real sense of the weight of Cain's curse, and Dean as this one damaged individual with the whole weight of history bearing down on him. The conflict this season may be more about the personal than about fighting a Big Bad, but it's a personal apocalypse.
And there was "I'm scared, Sam," and that little fake-smile on the way up the steps, and that hug. And Sam's face at the end, where he finally seemed to succumb to Dean's despair after having spent the season so far trying to give him hope. So I'm metaphorically uglycrying over Dean and Sam, and I'm assuming everybody else is, too. Right?
Then there was Cain having set himself up as a kind of vigilante, rationalising his kills with an appeal to the greater good, and the return to free will (or its absence) as a central theme. That, more than anything else, is what gives me hope for the boys. This episode may have provided Dean's personal nadir, but the central conflict in it still revolved around trying to save Cain's targets -- people he would've killed on the assumption that they were already damned by fate. Maybe that's complicated by the fact that taking on the MoC in the first place was a choice that Dean made -- but choice is not that simple. It's not always a single big step: it's a process. I hope the show's going to acknowledge that alongside the big, dramatic confrontations.
So, questions!
- As everyone else in the entire fandom has already pointed out, we didn't see Cain's body. Is he really dead? I'm inclined to think so, but that doesn't mean there was nothing significant between *stabbity stabbity* and Dean rejoining the others. I'm wondering if Cain said something significant with his last breath that we will find out about later.
- Where do you think Crowley's headed now, after that rejection from Dean? And what do you think is going on with him and Rowena? I was glad that they actually came out and had her openly admit to manipulating him, and pretty much expecting him to see through her. I've always liked her, but didn't find her ability to play Crowley particularly convincing. If this is a double bluff (and I think it is), my respect for her villainy has gone up 100%. ;) I suspect that, by sending him back into the arms of someone who has no love for the Winchesters and wants to encourage Crowley to be a much more ruthless King of Hell, Dean's just set up the first step in Cain's prophecy.
- Speaking of. Do you think Cas overheard it? The way he was so careful taking the Blade from Dean, and how he hung back until Dean had left in that last scene, make me think so. I also don't think that will have any effect whatsoever on his behaviour. He's already dying, right? Why not do so while trying to save a friend?
- And, well, there's the biggie. That three-part prophecy. Narrative structure dictates that the first two have to happen, at least in some form, to build up suspense for the final confrontation. So, how do you think it's going to go down?
I hope Crowley isn't doomed, but I'm afraid he might be. :( I can't honestly see Cas being permanently killed off with another season in the works. (And if he is, that's one of the few things that might make me stop watching. Not in a 'making a statement about the writers doing something I don't like' way, in a 'my heart just could not go on' way.) I suspect it's likely to involve help from Claire and/or Cas becoming human -- and Dean doing something that leads to his becoming mortal could probably be counted as killing him.
Sam... well, what do you think? Dean kills Sam? Sam kills Dean? (Which would be my vote, except that Dean died last season and Sam hasn't died for ages. Still, with all the role-reversal that's been going on this season, I feel like Sam being the one who has to kill his brother to save him might be a natural place for the story to go.) Something completely different? I want speculation! ;)
- One other, not-really-but-kind-of-related thought: Metatron said, 'The river will end at the source'. But Cain -- candidate #1 for 'the source' -- is gone. Does this mean we're going to meet Abel sometime soon?
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My thoughts:
- I'm thinking Rowena might be this season's Big Bad. I don't think we've seen even a smidgen of what shit she can pull. I'm... kind of hoping she isn't, though? Because if she is, her chances of survival have dropped significantly and we could really do with more lady characters not dying. My second guess for the season's Big Bad is actually Dean himself. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets turned into a demon again, but I'm not holding my breath.
- That said, I also don't think Dean is going to kill Sam or Cas. I'm not sure about Crowley (and I'm also biased there because I admittedly have lost all interest in Crowley.) Dean's reoccurring thing is being told he's going to do one thing, and then not doing it. I think they could make it look like they're going to go that route but then change it up at the last minute.
- I was wondering if Cain was actually dead and if Dean really could kill him. I feel it could go either way, but if he is still alive, I also think Dean himself doesn't realize it, and if Cain comes back, it'll be a shock for everyone. But I also can't really see a point for keeping him alive anymore since I feel like his ~point~ is done: there's no cure (that he knew of), and even he wasn't able to resist temptation any longer. Dean has to be stronger-willed than Cain if he's going to survive.
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I see what you mean! I definitely think she wants to be more than the power behind the throne, but you're right. :( It could end up being Dean (in fact that might be the most likely scenario) but it would also feel a bit weird to have that plot-point repeated. IDK.
Dean's reoccurring thing is being told he's going to do one thing, and then not doing it. I think they could make it look like they're going to go that route but then change it up at the last minute.
Indeed! I mean, I think that's the way it will go eventually. I'm just worried about how eventually. DX
I think if they intend to bring Cain back, they might've signposted it too obviously by not showing us a body. I feel like it's more likely concealing something else, and having us all wonder about whether or not he's dead is a smokescreen. (At least, that's what I'd do. ;))
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That's a good point, I actually didn't even really think of that! What do you think it could be concealing? I read above that someone's idea was that Dean had trouble getting out of the Devil's Trap, I think that sounds like a really neat (and possible!) theory.
I'm really hoping Dean turns into a demon again because I'm a Horrible Person but I feel like they've kind of been foreshadowing it the same way they did in S9, filming it so Dean's eyes are dark/black/in shadow, etc.
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Yes, and he's started staring angstily into mirrors again -- can't be a good sign. ;)
Though I do wonder, what with Cain's whole vigilante act/how he was rationalizing his kills via an appeal to the greater good, if maybe that's foreshadowing something a bit different. Maybe it's not being transformed that will ultimately lead Dean to the dark side, just the job and the 'good' fight.
I think it was