[meta] 5.14 or, Heaven Has a Eugenics Program

[vanitashaze]

Well, it was definitely the grossest of Supernatural episodes so far - French Fry Guy and Cannibalistic Couple, I am looking at ya'll - but I am happy to report that it was not nearly as dodgy as ticketsonmyself had feared. No onscreen dubious consent or unwanted sexual aggression / sexual assault! YAY. (That is a seriously weird thing to be saying "YAY" about, but this is Supernatural. And, really, that's kind of sad.) There were parts I liked: Castiel, the morgue guy, and surprisingly, CUPID, who was massively cute and reminded me of my grandfather, only, you know, more naked and histrionic. I also liked how they dealt with Sam's blood addiction - it was a problem, yes, but he knew it was; they've moved past denial into acceptance - though really, I'm glad it came back at all. YAY CONTINUITY. Which brings us to...

The Jimmy Thing.

Personally, I think Castiel was lying, or meant it in a "this body has these urges left over from its previous inhabitant" way, for several reasons. For one, as karabou pointed out, I'd like to think it's a body reaction, like a sense memory, because why in the world would someone/thing resurrect Jimmy's soul along with Castiel? It doesn't make sense! Also, upon rewatch, I agree with trinityofone when she points out that Cas was lying—to himself or Dean or both—about it being Jimmy's craving. I mean, just look at his face in that scene. He looks down, looks away. That is not a truthful angel. That is a guilty/worried angel. Cas freaked out about stumbling down the road towards humanity*? Fine. I will buy that. Because the alternative - that Jimmy is still in there - doesn't make sense, and really, is just too horrible.

On the other hand - the John/Mary revelation? EW EW EW EW. That's just creepy on so many levels**. And awful for all of the Winchesters - for John and Mary, and for Sam and Dean. So much of their lives is based on the fact that John and Mary loved each other. They've had that love - obsessive, destructive love, but strong - to depend on throughout their lives, and now they've found out that they never even had that.

*Why is everyone so gleeful about the prospect of Castiel turning human? It's not like we're a treat. I mean, come on. Think about what you'd feel like if you learned that you were slowly, inexorably becoming a monkey. THIS IS NOT A GOOD THING.

**Though it does raise some interesting points about what love is. After this episode, can we still say John loved Mary? I would say we could. And for that matter - to what degree do Cupids' marks last? Is it an initial spell of attraction that wears away eventually, so that Cupids are matchmakers in the traditional sense, or does it last until death?

Comments

[vanitashaze.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I suppose that could work. Willful ignorance = the way to go, with this show! (I'd really like to believe that's what happened, but the motto of this show seems to be that nobody gets a reward, and good things are just springboards for bigger bad. To be honest, I'm not sure how the writers are going to be able to dig themselves out of this huge, pessimistic pit they've dug. Like, can any ending really be triumphant with all the bones and ruins along the way?)

[mithrel.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Kripke has said that "this is the most optimistic season yet," and maybe it is insofar as Sam and Dean aren't estranged anymore. Otherwise, not so much. I'm really hoping we get an actual solution, rather than a (perhaps literal) deus ex machina.