#(i hope Crowley moves in with him and its like... a character growth thing)

[vampirecatprince]

I stg that if you had shown high schooler me any of the canon good omen stuff that is exclusive to the miniseries and not originally in the book I would have gone into absolute orbit

[gummy-wormies-blog]

as much as i like to cope with coffee theory and think that there are many evidences proving it, i think of a possibility that there was no miracle or influence of that kind on aziraphale.

like he cares so deeply about the earth, and he cares deeply about crowley and wants a peaceful existence for them both together, even if it means being away from his beloved books and sushi and everything (and crowley too by this point hah well. fuck.)

and because this dummies are in fact unable to talk about stuff and share one braincell as we've seen throughout the whole series, he's just might be thinking that it's the only way to change things so it would be safe for him and crowley (and humanity too)

it's obvious that neither hell or heaven gonna stop chasing them for one reason or another, and trying to cause anything of "entertainment" for their sides, because well, it's very boring just being there (and metatron with this whole jesus thing like come on heaven wants some action because they didn't get a war)

and i guess that's partially why beelzebub and gabriel got this "speedrun". they simply do not care about earth, it was just a tool for them in some way to get in touch as they did, they aren't attached to its existence as crowley and aziraphale, who lived through centuries together there hiding their alliance and controlling their every move as much as they both could. earth is a home for crowley and aziraphale.

crowley is just very, very tired with all this bullshit at this point, but aziraphale still is a creature of love after all, maybe he is the most really loving angel out there (that's why gabriel came to him, because he knew subconsciously that he will get help from him)

so he decides that if he'll be able to influence the course of things, it might get better and safer for crowley too

he didn't want to change him back to angel, there's no difference for him simply, because crowley in either of his forms is still crowley, it's just that he thinks that it will be safer for him this way (and he doesn't see that crowley simply can not be under any of the sides, he was never fitting in. he rolled with it, sure but he's too complex to be either black or white, hence this whole gray thing)

but because they never actually talked properly for their whole 6000 years existence, of course there's a misunderstanding

and aziraphale can be very stubborn if he wants to, like, really. i think he didn't wholly realize what's that he's trying to get into, he just jumped at the opportunity (but metatron is still evil as hell this old dude feels very manipulative even if not in a "miracles" way) and then simply thought that it will be for the best in the long run.

it opens so much opportunities for growth of both crowley's and aziraphale's characters, for them both to get to understanding things

and the kiss was very important for that, because now the cards are open, at least on crowley's side, and it was a very, very powerful move of him to do tbh even if it was used like a last resort to change aziraphale's mind

(that "i forgive you" line though i think that i can't yet properly unravel this whole thing my brain's melted to a crisp at this point)

this separation will give them both time to think about everything and understand each other's motives (maybe??? i hope so??? with them it's very fucking hard to tell because they're dummies but i love that for them i still hope that they can actually think with their dumdum heads)

aziraphale might not be believing in heaven as much as he did, but he still believes in the force of good and sincere love. and he's sacrificing himself in a way? as he thinks that this will help. and it's the only known way for him of doing things, really.

he still can't see that crowley is very much filled with gray's, he's not blacks and whites stuffed together, it's melted in him. a very human thing in a way actually. so that's probably why he's so desperately tired of all of this, in the end he just cares about aziraphale, so, so desperately cares.

while i was writing this out a thought came to me that it's maybe because he's fallen he realizes that there's probably no chance of influencing the course of how things are going, because he already tried before and well what followed after that. there's not enough room for real action or change anyway, no matter what position in the angel hierarchy you've got. but aziraphale still has hope because he never went through all of this.

so, my point is that it's a very important moment for both their characters to develop and understand each other, because if subconsciously they did understand because of well centuries they spent together, this is not that simple for both of them to properly understand with their conscious minds (that's why the parallel with nina and maggie is so heartbreaking to me actually, because these two are humans, their lives are much simpler in comparison and well these two can talk to each other apparently. sometimes relationships from the side isn't as simple as they seem indeed..)

i just hope that it all will unravel in the third season, we need this mutual understanding they were lacking clearly, like really deep understanding.

now i think that my speculation isn't actually excluding the whole coffee theory thing, it can be both at the same time. but if it isn't a coffee thing it feels so much more powerful for some reason.

[mikkythehamster]

GOOD OMENS 2 SPOILER RANT

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED by church crowley ! (ALSO JFC PEOPLE THE SHOW CAME NOT EVEN A WEEK AGO AND UR FILLING THE INTERNET WITH SPOILERS LET PEOPLE SEE THINGS AT THEIR OWN PACE I HATE YOU ALL)

I can't stand people saying the "breakup" between crowley and azi was out of nowhere or that is was badly done. BITCH they are the living proof that gays be having breakups without even dating. I LOVE IT! i think it's perfect, neither of them have expressed directly what they want and sure you can say "what about the kiss", well crowley only kissed azi when he was surely to depart, that seems like a desperate declaration rather than a good hearted developed confession and discussion about love. It would have been very cheap if they just solved all their issues with one kiss.

Besides come on, you have been swallowing heterosexual misunderstanding/breakup stories for years and now the gays do it and it's suddenly wrong? shut up. Besides clearly metaton had something to do with azi's mood change, many people have pointed out that metaton can influence people's minds, control and also AZI DOESN'T DRINK COFFEE! and you could say he accepted due to fear of metaton but what if he was counting on that and put something in his coffee? in the scene before the elevator we hear a miracle queue sound and suddenly azi's face change. Other theories point out to OMELAS (oat meal latter with almond syrup) "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas"  is a 1973 short work of philosophical fiction by American writer Ursula K. Le Guin. With deliberately both vague and vivid descriptions, the narrator depicts a summer festival in the utopian city of Omelas, whose prosperity depends on the perpetual misery of a single child. <-. tho i must admit this was very obscure lmao

Azi was heavily promoted with TEA! i feel it was a weird thing he just accepted coffee like that and how much emphasis they put on the coffee

So idk i feel it was all too in the nose to be just a coincidence personally. BESIDES neil said that this was always had planned to be more than just 2 seasons so honestly if it ended here it would have been shit, like oh just a kiss and its done? NO FUCK THAT. we didn't watch centuries of mutual pinning for it to just suddenly get together like that NO SIR. that would be boring as shit, there is so much more to develop and i am happy with how things ended, i am a sucker for hurt comfort so the next season will truly reveal if i am happy with the story or not cuz so far i am very happy.

idk why you all mad idk man you want fiction to be boring and predictable or characters to not have growth. CROWLEY finally did the first step now they need to develop that romanticism , that human love. they must otherwise its just cheap and easy. Azi didn't say "you move too fast for me crowley" for you to want him marrying him after 1 desperate kiss god damn. anyway i love aziraphale stop slandering him, why do you think this was out of character for him? THIS IS SO IC FOR HIM! (i am only a series watcher i haven't read the book so i will base him off that only). Aziraphale has always had issues verbalizing feelings,needs and understanding underlying wants. What me and my friend call the angelic autism of aziraphale. He won't sit there and take a "there is no nightingales" as a sign that he hurt crowleys feelings and neither can he say i love you too so instead he says i forgive you. It was perfectly in character for him to do and react the way he did. I love them i am very happy personally i am just sad we have to wait so long for another season because ofc you must respect the writers and actors strike and production takes long anyway.

-- edit

if there is one complain i have is that i wanted to see more of beelzebub and gabriel i hope s3 gives us more of them because that i felt it was too quickly resolved i need more.

[quillyfied]

Mega Good Omens Fic Rec Post 1

OH BOY Y’ALL IT’S HERE

This is the first string of fics I would wholeheartedly recommend from my bookmarks (probably first of three, we’ll see). There are 65 fics sorted into 9 categories: Jaunts Through History/Canon; South Downs; Post-Apocalypse; Bus Ride/Night Before/Heaven and Hell; AU/UA (UA is Universe Alternate, where everything is the same, just...a bit to the left. I feel like that term has more nuance, idk); Soft; Touch-Starved/Body Worship/Wings; Bonus; H/C /Whump/BAMF. These will be the same categories for every fic rec post in this vein. I try to include warnings for sex and gore, if applicable, but please check the tags of each fic before you read, just in case.

Mega GOmens Fic Rec Post MASTER

PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF I BROKE A LINK OR MISATTRIBUTED SOMETHING.

I don’t read explicit works and I’m not a big fan of Human!AUs so there’s not any of those, but there’s a bit of just about everything else. Please enjoy! Hope the ReadMore works, sorry for folks on mobile if it doesn’t!

JAUNTS THROUGH HISTORY/CANON

1. Bright With His Splendour – Daegaer (T, specifically book-verse. This is an exquisite look at the developments in Crowley himself, especially as it relates to his war-related traumas in the War in Heaven and later WWI. The Arrangement is Aziraphale’s idea here, which is awesome. Highly emotional and visceral.)

2. Whatever Road We Choose – @ri-writing (T, the one where Aziraphale gets jumped by some demons and Crowley nurses him back to health, and Aziraphale has to confront his worldview when he realizes Heaven never responded to his call for help. Quiet and powerful as Aziraphale starts to realize Crowley isn’t everything he thought he was and maybe Heaven isn’t, either.)

3. Linked – @chekhov (T, the one where Crowley shows up in Bukhara and Aziraphale has to pretend to capture him so his angel intern doesn’t destroy Crowley entirely. Has a lot of fun moments and emotional growth in play. And yearning. Lots and lots of yearning.)

4. The Demon Favourite – @kanna-ophelia (T, the one where Crowley is posing as a nobleman and manages to build himself a little ramshackle family, and Aziraphale takes care of them when Crowley gets himself discorporated. Extremely tender, lots of Crowley cooing over babies.)

5. Akashic Records – @penig (Generally G, one T, the series where Crowley is head-over-heels from the start and broadcasts it loudly, and Aziraphale is in Panic Protective Mode. The series is gorgeous and vibrant, the characterizations are so spot-on and yet fresh, the dialogue is perfect, the character growth is delicious. I can’t gush enough about this one.)

6. But The Old Love Was Not So – BuggreAlleThis (G, the one written in the style of Le Morte d’Arthur about Aziraphale’s final few days in the court of King Arthur. Hilarious with the promise of emotional pain to come in the second half.)

7. flightless bird (dumb, wild, and free) – JennaCupcakes (@veganthranduil) (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale make out for half of history while Aziraphale has an ongoing existential crisis about being a broken angel. Poignant, sensual, culminates in a deliciously fraught confrontation where Aziraphale has to finally sort himself out and Crowley says some hard but true things. I once spent three hours trying to find this fic again without remembering the title so now it’s kinda ingrained.)

8. Nanny Knows Best – @patricianandclerk (M, rest of series is T, the one where Crowley endures some truly horrible experiences while serving as Warlock’s nanny. Adorable relationship between Warlock and Crowley, and it’s only getting better. The dynamic with Aziraphale is nuanced and beautiful. Rating for sexual harassment and groping, and it’s a bit of a difficult read at times during those moments, so be careful.)

9. The Holy Essence of Experience – Dragonsquill (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley have loved each other almost since the beginning, but have been very careful to not put a name to it. The yearning is real and so gorgeous. The scene just before they come up with their plan to avert Armageddon haunts me.)

10. The Arrangement – @writeonclara (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley try to get a handle on this sex thing. Non-explicit, hilarious, and unique! I can only assume the rating will probably be going up, which makes me sad because it’s hard to find nonexplicit fics that still deal with what sex brings to a relationship, but what’s written for now is well worth it.)

11. And After – @randomacts13 (T, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale work through their self-worth and have lots of flashbacks. The first one involves Crowley taking care of a seed that keeps dying and leaving another seed behind, which is not at all feeding into his self-hatred; the second has Crowley and Warlock gluing coins to the sidewalk; the third is about Aziraphale on a one-way flight to Complete Mental Breakdown if he doesn’t get some help for his anxiety and repressed emotions soon.)

12. The road to rapture has a lot of pit stops – emmagrant01 (E but only for the sixth chapter, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley have shared five kisses throughout history and one where they meant it. People like me who don’t like explicit material can skip Chapter 6 (or just read until they smooch) and go straight to the epilogue. The rest of it is amazing; every kiss is believable in context and has such good lead-up. Very romantic, very good.)

13. Round and Round the Garden – SanSanFanFan (G, the one where Brother Francis and Nanny Ashtoreth get up to some hanky-panky beneath a willow tree while Warlock sleeps in his pram. Just sweet and silly fluff.)

14. Flecks of Light and Dark – volunteerfd (T, the one where Aziraphale learns to deal with his emotions. Has a really beautiful recurring thing of Crowley and Aziraphale making up stories of who they’d be if they were human, and Aziraphale doing his best to do good and help even when Heaven ties his hands.)

15. Before the Water Rises – VitreousHumor (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale become friends while helping a village make rafts to escape the Flood. Has a lot of really cute moments and some pretty exquisite romantic tension.)

16. Beneath the Stars – @brooklynbabybucky (G, the one where Crowley asks Aziraphale to cut his hair. Just has some really lovely imagery and a sweet bonding moment.)

17. lit in the darkness – @toedenandbackagain (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale share a bed sometimes throughout history. Warnings for some sexual content in chapters 7 and 14, but each chapter has its own warnings in the description. Presents some beautiful bonding moments and the absolute finest pining known to man.)

 SOUTH DOWNS

18. The Play’s the Thing – volunteerfd (G, the one where Aziraphale is cast in the local production of Hamlet and Crowley is trying his best to be supportive of his truly awful actor husband. Hilarious and light and absolutely a classic.)

19. Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Daffodils – @mostweakhamlets (NR, the one where Aziraphale has a cooking YouTube channel and Crowley is camera-shy. Tackles PTSD in a really thoughtful way and is Peak Soft Cottage Husbands aesthetic, it really packs in the most warm fuzzies in a small package.)

20. to carthage then i came – @lvslie (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale move to the South Downs and learn to work through their issues around being together and being their own people after cutting ties with Heaven and Hell. Poetic, poignant, the last chapter is a thing of absolute beauty. Very heavily symbolic, that one.)

21. A Better Place for Us to Be – @befuddledmackem (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale tour a particular cottage. Deeply emotional, the Absolute Best Real Estate Pr0n if you also secretly watch HGTV and weep, has completely ruined any future house-buying opportunity I might have because nothing will be this sweet and perfect.)

22. Something We Were Withholding Made Us Weak – trieduntrue (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale move to the South Downs and very carefully orbit into something more like a relationship. Exquisite tension, beautifully-done pining and slow-burn, really fun bits of world building. M is for a sex scene at the very end but it’s easy to skip over, it’s small.)

23. reasons wretched and divine – @stammiviktor (T, the one where Crowley storms out after a fight and finds himself in an actual conversation with God. Highly emotional and a great look into Crowley’s head, both in how he feels about God and how he feels about Aziraphale.)

24. The Sprawl of Life – @dietraumerei (T and G, the series where Crowley and Aziraphale settle into village life quite well. Has sex-positive asexual characters, which is fun (brief note about that: it’s not explicit, but the places it happens, there is clear leadup and it can get a bit intense, so take care of yourselves). Has touches of angst that balance beautifully with the fluff, lots of BAMF Aziraphale for the soul.)

25. Seashells and Fingerpainting – Vagabond (@waffleironbiddingwar) (T, and I recommend this one specifically from the series, can be read independently: the one where Gabriel is sent to the South Downs for a time out. This is quite possibly the best Gabriel character study I have ever seen; it’s tender and heartbreaking and somehow you find yourself rooting for Gabriel to figure out why he’s being punished despite yourself. All the warm fuzzies. All of them. Read the whole series, it’s great!)

 POST-APOCALYPSE

26. Laugh When It Sinks In – @tenoko1 (G, the one where Crowley helps Aziraphale build a home in the bookshop flat. Another one that feeds right into my interior decorating itch. So sweet and uplifting, will absolutely make you feel proud of Aziraphale.)

27. Chosen and Unchosen – Bookwormgal (T, the one where the kids have to go save Aziraphale and Crowley from Heaven and Hell. Has some EXCELLENT Warlock characterization and some really good tension between him and Adam, and the angst is properly upsetting. A right good adventure romp that’s really starting to ramp up.)

28. Resonance – Macx (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale become something Else. Good world building, beautiful romance, and Gabriel getting told off. Love how Crowley and Aziraphale growing into their new roles is handled, and how Adam unexpectedly ties in at the end.)

29. Falling Heavenward – @kanna-ophelia (T, the one where Crowley unexpectedly has to win his angel back because of a really twisty deal with Heaven. This one is a pretty wild ride, but I would say the centerpiece is Fallen Gabriel, who becomes Asmodeus. It becomes a battle for Aziraphale’s heart, though Asmodeus isn’t in it for the feels so much as the revenge, obviously. Really interesting premise and something to read if rooting for Crowley is a way you like to spend your time.)

30. A Leisurely Stroll Down – Saturniidae (@Saturniiddae) (M, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale have to fight for their relationship. Has some sexual content that isn’t explicit, and gore that really sort of is. I have thrown things and cried a little at this one, but that was the price for reading while it was still updating. Absolutely gorgeous in every way. Also has God speaking through a household object and it’s hilarious.)

31. From God’s Perspective – Unfortunately (T, the one where God comes down personally to interfere in Her children’s business. The absolute best portrayal of God in any fic ever, really humanizes her in the best ways. I love how she interacts with her angel and demon children. It’s almost more of a character study of God than anything. And yes, the Sound of Music is sung.)

 BUS RIDE/NIGHT BEFORE/HEAVEN AND HELL

32. Worth Knowing – summersage (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley discuss the Fall and manage Miltonian angel sex despite it. Has a take on how the Fall works that I was thinking about but couldn’t find words for until this fic, and it’s absolutely fantastic. The Miltonian angel sex is esoteric and weird and not at all erotic, but it is beautiful. The mortifying ordeal of being KNOWN indeed.)

33. Legendary Lovers; Your Hand in Mine – @tenoko1 (G, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale regroup in a hotel instead of his flat and have a bit of a knock-down-drag-out. Crowley is angry and scared and so in love he can’t stand it, and Aziraphale is practically going at light speed in confronting and knocking down his own barriers, and it’s highly emotionally charged and wonderful.)

 AU/UA

34. Love of My Life – @ellewrites4 (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale get together very early and make it work all throughout history. Gorgeous romance, and the fallout from the Holy Water caper and the bandstand breakup are EXQUISITE. Peak emotional turmoil, sweet boundary negotiation, forgiveness and love and anxiety and fear—just delicious.)

35. True Love and High Adventure – @grifalinas (T, the one that’s a Princess Bride au. Absolutely on-point casting, wonderful writing style, the perfect escape fic for a little while. Incomplete but still worth the read.)

36. Inverse Omens – @amuseoffyre (T, the one where Aziraphale is a demon with a p0_rn shop and Crowley is an angel running a community center from a bombed-out church. Y’all recommended this to me on my demon!Aziraphale rating post, and it’s AMAZING. Perfect characterization and a wonderful retelling. Warning for Chapters 11 and 12, Aziraphale’s Nanny Ashtoreth messes with the Dowling parents in far more direct ways and there’s scenes of Mr. Dowling jerking it, so take care, friendos. Also Aziraphale makes the filthiest double entendres and it’s delightful. Also also Crowley needs all the hugs.)

37. A Blaze of Light – @wingedspirit (T, the one where Crowley is Raphael and he and Aziraphale make a Pact instead of an Arrangement. This one is a wild adventure, friends, and a riveting one. The Pact puts an interesting spin on their developing relationship, and by the time it gets to TV canon, it’s already off the rails in the best ways. Also Crowley has some pretty heavy depression that manifests in his former Archangel-level powers blowing up a bit, which is cool. Should be wrapping up soon and I’m pumped for it!)

38. it’s high time that you love me, cause you do it so well – mygalfriday (T, the one where Crowley can’t physically say the word “love” but can diddly dang well show it if he wants. Already super sweet but the confession scene at the end is just incredible.)

39. Hold the Line – sum_nemo (T, the one that’s a Pacific Rim AU. I adore PacRim, you guys, and this one is just *chef’s kiss*. Puts Crowley as Raleigh (lost his twin sister copilot) and Aziraphale as Mako and includes a pretty painful shared past between them, which is already simmering and delicious. Can’t wait to see where this one goes.)

40. The Truth Remains – @wanderingalicewrites (NR, the one where Crowley was Raphael, had a good relationship with his siblings, was in love with Aziraphale, and knew he was destined to Fall. Aziraphale is still in mourning for Raphael and Crowley is still working out the point of his existence, so there’s some very good pining and existential dread up in the mix. A highly interesting take on the situation and very, very good at punching you in the feels with the flashbacks to Heaven and how different things are now, especially with the other Archangels. LOL it just updated while I was writing this and I am UNDONE, I am in PAIN, the bandstand scene always hurts but NOT LIKE THIS. ALSO MORE ARCHANGEL FEELS, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN)

41. Everything Dark and Unseen – @enjambament (M, the one that’s a Psyche and Eros retelling. After the Fall but before Eden, Heaven and Hell need a truce, so they marry Crowley and Aziraphale to keep the peace in a symbolic sort of binding. A beautiful romance, an excellent action sequence, the cutest OC creatures, the best OC angels, and I wish there was a continuation of how canon progressed with this monumental change in their history bc I am THIRSTY for more. Rated M for a kinda-sorta sexy scene but there’s not really Efforts sooo…it’s more sensual than sexual? I guess? Either way, highly recommended.)

42. The Name of the Star is Wormwood – LusBeatha (T, the one where Crowley was Raphael and the Fruit of Knowledge of Good and Evil was a fly agaric mushroom. It is exactly as eccentric as it sounds, but presented in such a way that it actually makes sense. It jumps around in time, but the storyline taking place in the present is looking like Armageddon 2.0. Beautifully written, great take on canon.)

43. Sticks and Stones – @justkeeptrekkin (T, the one where Crowley takes on the guise of Casanova while trying to get over Aziraphale and Aziraphale shows up, whoops. GORGEOUS imagery, the most scrumptious pining, and if y’all appreciated the 2005 Pride and Prejudice dance scene, the one in here will about blow that one out of the water, if you can believe it. Knocked the breath right out of me.)

44. Yearning to Hold You Close – @guanin (T, the one where Aziraphale has a relationship with King Richard and asks Crowley to help save him, and there is a big sticky mess of feelings when they realize Richard and Crowley look almost exactly alike. In part inspired by David Tennant playing Richard II. A delicious, delicious emotional quandary where Crowley and Richard both wonder if Aziraphale only loves them because they look like each other, and Aziraphale doesn’t know how to say what he feels. Very sweet, very emotionally fraught.)

 SOFT

45. Just This Once – @julia-writes-fanfic (T, the one where Crowley and Aziraphale kiss in the 90s and it’s amazing. The drunk 90s kiss is already good, but them revisiting it sober in 2010 makes both even better.)

46. A Sky Full of Stars – @kedreeva (G, the one where Aziraphale takes Crowley someplace where they can see the cosmos. The first GOmens fic I ever bookmarked, so I felt like including it, because it’s unbelievably sweet and has amazing visuals.)

47. The Serpent and the Seagull – @ineffably-good (G and T, the series where Aziraphale misses Crowley so he gets a little pet snake. Frederick the snake is among the best of the GOmens OCs, hilarious and foul-mouthed and once Crowley starts being able to understand him, it only gets better. Frederick likes helping his pets work their problems out so they’ll leave him alone to sleep. It’s extremely cute.)

48. The Discerning Black Swan – @lwtis (T, the one where Crowley is definitely not projecting on a black swan desperately trying to court a white mute swan in St James’ Park. I love how Crowley interfaces with his emotional problems through the swan, and the visual of the two swans is gorgeous.)

49. What A Demon Dreams – @whatawriterwields (G, the one where Crowley has some weird dreams, dude. I love the symbolism and the imagery in this one, it’s really vivid. It’s hard to pull off a concept like this so I respect how the author is able to do it and make it work.)

 TOUCH STARVED/WINGS/BODY WORSHIP

50. Sunlight – crorvid (M, the one where Aziraphale is a touch-starved angel. Doesn’t deserve the M rating, in my opinion, but Aziraphale does feel the touching during their makeouts very intensely and it’s incredibly satisfying.)

51. The Curious Attractiveness of Others – @giddygeek (T, the one where Crowley finally gets to groom Aziraphale’s wings and Aziraphale gets to show Crowley how tender that can be. Another one with some great world building tucked into the corners, and emotionally satisfying grooming.)

52. Broken Wings – werebear (@werebeary) (T and M, the series where wing grooming is incredibly intimate and I got the vapors from the tenderness. Also the first time I saw anything about preen glands. The second one is rated M because the preening gets a bit…intense. Not sexual, exactly, but it’s close. Very passionate.)

53. Birthmark – Linebreaker (G, the one where Crowley has a scar on his lower back and a sad story to go with it. This one needs a bit of a harder rating, imo, and there’s one line that’s a bit Much, but otherwise it’s a sad and beautiful look at a potential reason why Crowley hates the fourteenth century so much. Lots of Crowley body worship packed into few words, very satisfying.)

54. They Are A Pale Picture of You – @ineffablefool (T, the one where they go for a walk during winter and things are just Soft. Ineffablefool has a wealth of body-positive asexual GOmens fics, but I think I like this one best, it’s sweet and adorable and some jerk who insults Aziraphale’s weight rightly gets the worst day of his life. Also Crowley compares Aziraphale in his winter wear to a plump little bird and it’s cute imagery.)

 BONUS

55. Ineffable Bureaucracy Drabbles – Shift7 (T, the series of short fics where Gabriel and Beelzebub are kinda-sorta falling into friendship and being very judicious about it. Lots of paperwork, very orderly.)

56. Ineffable Bureaucracy – @eshnoazot (T and G, a series of longer fics where Gabriel and Beelzebub are navigating a careful arrangement of their own. Still lots of paperwork, of course, but there’s also emotional friction and conflict resolution. Excellent characterizations. Wednesday night Thai and Friendship night is a+++++. Gabriel deffo called a board meeting to talk about his feelings.)

57. A Bentley Sang in Berkeley Square – CastielHamilton (G, the one where the Bentley is sentient and a good, good girl. She is doing her best and I love her. Basically the series from her point of view.)

58. Fairest and Fallen – VitreousHumor (T, the series where Beelzebub and Gabriel encounter each other a few times and Gabriel tries his best to remember their shared pre-Fall history. Poignant, sad, and beautiful.)

59. Observer Effect – SquarePudding (T, the series where the Grigori in charge of recording Aziraphale’s Earthly movements starts to ship him and Crowley and records their romance. The Grigori, Rezathaniel, is a precious baby who needs to develop a better palate outside of “greasy literal garbage” and has 0 chill when it comes to their ship. They’re kind of like a celebrity blogger at this point but watching their character growth in the first story is very sweet.)

60. Soul of Vellum, Heart of Chrome – @29-pieces (G, the one where the Bentley and the Bookshop are sentient and very protective of their owners. This one is going to KILL ME with the plot I wasn’t expecting—Heaven and Hell are hunting Aziraphale and Crowley down again, so the Bentley and the Bookshop do their best to help. They’re doing so good and I’m so proud of them, it’s not their fault things went a bit south. Precious beans. Good, good things.)

61. Real Fire and Brimstone Stuff – @jessikast (G, the one where college-age Warlock helps accidentally summon his Nanny and a lot of things start to make sense. A very sweet story about Warlock getting closure and getting back in touch with Crowley and Aziraphale through the weirdest means possible.)

 H/C /WHUMP/BAMF

62. Broken Hallelujah – @atlantis-is-burning (T, the one where Hastur comes to kill Aziraphale and Crowley and it’s ugly, folks. It is kinda gory and it is injury-ridden and painful, very touch-and-go for a bit. It ends well, though, and Hastur gets his, which is the Best. Tore me up one side and down the other in all the best ways.)

63. Fall Here – @marbledwings (T, the one where Aziraphale and Crowley are easing into a relationship in fits and starts, and then Crowley gets snatched. This one was AGONIZING to wait for it to update, so be glad it’s complete, because it gets pretty dark for a while. Be warned of torture, though it’s mostly implied and it’s the aftermath that’s dealt with most. It absolutely sticks the landing at the end, and has a great characterization of Michael.)

64. how deep the sand – Handful_of_Silence (G, the series where Aziraphale is trapped in a glass bubble in a wizard’s basement for fifty years and the ensuing aftermath. Feels mostly book-verse, but there are some cues from the show. Intense and realistic and emotional and heavy, drags you through the darkness and you appreciate the light all the more for it. A beautiful story.)

65. you taught me how to love, (it’s me who taught you how to stop) – @clankclunk (G, or the one where Aziraphale comes to find out that you can’t just rush into a relationship after six thousand years of repression. This one is absolutely murdering me. The angst is real. The hurt is real. I’m hoping the fluff and comfort promised in the tags is coming soon because WOW. Has a fantastically haunting view of what happens to angels, who are highly emotive beings, when they fall into depression. And Crowley’s adverse reactions to praise and love are so realistic and painful. Ouch.)

[the-trashy-phoenix]

Supernatural season 8 review (part 1)

Link to part 2:

The first episode of the eighth season resumes from Dean coming back from purgatory and doing a weird spell to bring back also a friend he’s made in there, Benny. This starting in medias res was a bit puzzling, because we expect to see what’s happened in purgatory and we’ll learn only later on that those events will be recalled by flashbacks. It is also quite strange to introduce a new character without any presentation in the first episode, especially because Benny raises some questions in the viewer. As a matter of fact, he’s a vampire who’s helped Dean in the last year proving himself trustworthy, so that he’ll come back through the season, for example having the entire episode 5 devoted to him and his story, to help the brothers. This character is another step forward in Dean’s personal growth as a hunter: as I pointed out in the previous review, in the first seasons he would’ve never become friends with a vampire, but now, thanks to his wide experience, he’s able to distinguish real good creatures from evil monsters. This attitude, which could seem more Sam-like, brings about a sort of role reversal between the brothers, as for some time Sam will be skeptical about Benny’s trustworthiness, maybe just as a reaction to Dean’s lack of trust towards his friend Amy, who establishes a kind of parallel with Benny.

As if Benny’s appearance wasn’t confusing enough, we’re led to question at least on other two points. First of all, where’s Castiel? He was sent to purgatory together with Dean, but he didn’t come back with him. We’ll get the answer thanks to the many flashbacks Dean recalls about his rough year in purgatory: Dean refuses to talk explicitly about what’s happened to Cas assuming he’ll never come back and behaving as usual when he suffers for someone’s loss (we’ve seen an identical attitude about Bobby’s death).

Secondly, where’s Sam and what has he been doing during Dean’s absence? We find out together with Dean that he’s been living a normal life with a girl, Amelia, and his dog. So purgatory and Sam’s life are the alternative objects of flashbacks through the entire season, whose consequential plot is often complicated by continuous switches in time, marking once for all the big difference from the first linear seasons. Sam was the first to maintain the promise not to look for the brother while he was dead, and he thought it was the way Dean wanted him to live. I found it quite strange of eighth-season Sam, as he should be completely aware he can’t quit his hunter life and have a normal one as he hoped when he was younger. Also Dean is comprehensively mad at him, but it is as if Sam lived a kind of illusion he was too tired to let go. As always, both of them have a good point, but this time Dean seems to be more right, because they find out Crowley kidnapped Kevin, who asked for Sam’s help several times, so of course the brothers immediately start looking for him. Throughout the entire season Sam will keep on affirming that will be his last mission after which he will definitely quit hunting, even though deep inside I think he knows, as he knew for the whole year Dean was in purgatory, that’s the ultimate impossible illusion.

At this point we’re introduced to the main plot of the season: the Winchesters are willing to close the gates of hell and get rid of all demons once for all, but in order to know how to do that they have to find both the demon tablet and Kevin, the only one able to read it being a prophet, and making him translate it. When the Winchesters manage to do so, they try to keep him safe inside an abandoned ship surveilled by Garth, not the best idea if you ask me, as he’s proven himself a bit clumsy and naive, but I get that he’s the brothers’ best option being, without Castiel, their only friend and helper.

Speaking of the angel, as I said Dean is no help in understanding what’s happened to Cas, so we slowly learn it from flashbacks. At first he just appears on earth without knowing who saved him from purgatory, but he soon finds out that he was rescued by an angel called Naomi, a kind of a boss up in heaven whose aim is to use him. I’m really starting to hate angels more than demons (I never thought I would’ve said such a thing in my life), angels being so manipulative and subtle, while most of the time demons are simply mean as they’re supposed to. By the way, Naomi uses Cas without his consent to spy the Winchesters and to find the angel tablet. As a consequence, Cas begins to have weird behaviour and to take distances from the brothers, who have more and more doubts about him, especially when he kills Samandriel, an angel who has been tortured by Crowley to get information about the angel tablet (at this point all characters are looking for it in separate ways, the Winchesters, Crowley and Castiel/Naomi). The apotheosis of controlled-Cas is the moment when both the Winchesters and Cas find the angel tablet, which is also one of the highest moments of the season, as Cas manages to break free from heaven control. This is the second time he disobeys orders through an act of free will to follow what he thinks is the right side, which of course corresponds to what the brothers, or maybe just Dean, are doing: this time we feel all the heaven pressure Castiel has on his shoulder, and it makes it even more remarkable that he succeeded in escaping from such a powerful master as Naomi. Undoubtedly Dean’s intense speech about needing him and loving him played its part in Cas’ rebellion, and paradoxically disobeying to angels is one of the acts which contribute in making us think of him as the closest to an ideal angel. Having the angel tablet, Castiel just vanishes on his own in order to keep it safe from angels. As it was predictable, Naomi is so powerful she’s able to find him quite easily, demonstrating one more time that Cas’ idea of solving problems without the Winchesters’ help will never end up well (but apparently he’s too stubborn to realise that). So even when Castiel is alive and on earth, we’re not shown many TFW moments, as they often go separate ways and meet up only by chance or because one of them is in desperate need of help (some fans would say that if they were too close there would be too many undeniable Destiel scenes��).

We have to mention that Sam and Dean are finally able to find out where the angel tablet is thanks to Meg. As she’s in middle between good and evil she gets captured and tortured by Crowley and his demons, but at the end she makes her final choice deciding to help the Winchesters, just as Cas will do, breaking free from what they’re supposed to be and do, and that makes them honourably part of team free will. I honestly didn’t expect Meg to die, and above all I didn’t expect her to die fighting demons, her kind, to protect the brothers’ escape. I appreciated so much the deep evolution of her character, from an evil monster to a victim of evil, and I think one last act of love was a good way to conclude her life, even though of course I was sad with her death.

In this season the authors developed the character of Kevin much more, adding his mother to the storyline. They are a rare positive example of parental relationship in Supernatural: Kevin’s mum is a strong woman whose only purpose is to protect her son, a very difficult task considering how dangerous being a prophet is. I really liked her, also because I didn’t expect a secondary character to have this deep participation in the show. As it was clear from Kevin’s very first appearance, he embodies all the unfairness of supernatural world, as he’s just a victim of events, always in need of hiding from opposite forces who want to possess his power, living in the Sam-like illusion he can come back to his normal life when the Winchesters will manage to close the gates of hell. We are led to deeply sympathise with him and his fight against the evidence that his life will never be normal anymore, which is something all Supernatural good characters quite seem to have interiorised at this point.

Just a little mention to a character that’s becoming more stable, Charlie. She comes back in two episodes: one involves a role play, which fully demonstrates her nerd attitude, while the other one is more about her personal story. She’s now one of the few friends Sam and Dean can count on, both humanly and professionally, as she’s become a skilled hunter, and I hope we’ll see more of her going on with the show.

Before moving back to the main plot, I’m analysing once more the relationship between Sam and Amelia. As you remember, he left her only to follow his brother in his last mission, to close the gates of hell, after which he planned to go back to her and his family life. In addition, the situation is complicated by the fact that Amelia finds out her husband, who she believed was dead, is still alive, so she has to choose between the two men she’s in love with. After some time she decides to go back to Sam, but he’s not there waiting for her: I think he knows that she’ll have a good, maybe even better, life without him, while Dean would be completely destroyed by losing his brother, even though he often suggests him to go and live the normal life he’s always wanted from when he was a child. Of course they haven’t closed hell yet, so technically Sam comes back to Dean because the job is not accomplished, but as a matter of fact this is the confirm their brotherly love is stronger than anything else, and they have nothing else to count on except from each other, even if they sometimes seem to forget it. One example is in an episode about Benny, where he’s unjustly accused of having killed people and Sam wants to kill him despite Dean’s attempts to defend him. Benny’s one of the main problems between the Winchesters in this season and Dean does something really bad to save him, which is just partly excusable as Benny was truly innocent. He pretends Amelia is in danger and makes Sam go directly to her instead of hunting Benny. We already know that Dean isn’t able to be rational when he’s mad and desperate, but I think it was a real cheap shot on Sam, Amelia being his current weak point (and love), and Dean could’ve realised that with a little more empathy for his brother.

In the second part of the season a new storyline including a new member of the Winchester family is introduced. During a leap in the past we get to know Henry Winchester, John’s father, who’s part of a sort of secret congregation of educated hunters called Men of Letters. He’s catapulted, together with Abbadon, a very powerful demon, to the present day, where he meets his grandchildren: at first they’re shocked, but then they help him fighting Abbadon, one of the first demons created called knights of hell. They manage to momentarily stop her by cutting her in pieces, but Henry dies in that moment, leaving his son John alone in the past. The arrival of Henry clarifies to the brothers that their father wasn’t abandoned and that their granddad was a very good hunter, father and person, leaving to John the title of worst member of the family. Moreover, finding out all about Men of Letters, who were completely erased by Abbadon, leads them to the bunker, a marvellous and luxury house full of all the books and weapons a hunter could ask for. They will soon begin to call it their home, and I think it was high time they had a safe place where they could both work and relax, also because I, and surely Sam and Dean too, was sick of all those dirty and messy motel rooms.

As always, the most important turning points are in the last episodes, as Kevin is finally able to decipher the demon tablet: in order to close hell, Sam or Dean have to overcome three terrible trials. Of course they have to decide who will do that and, guess what, they fight about it because they both want to sacrifice and think the other brother has suffered more through the years. I have to admit it’s difficult to decide which one endured more pain, so their decision is Dean just because he imposes it to Sam: they can’t imagine destiny will choose for them, as the first trial, killing a hellhound and bathing in his blood, is accomplished by Sam partly by chance. So Sammy, as his second task, has to save a soul from hell and bring it to heaven: they choose Bobby, who was unfairly put in hell, but Sam and him remain stuck in purgatory due to Crowley’s intrusion. Despite that, this is a very positive moment, first of all because of the unexpected presence and salvation of Bobby, secondly because it allows a final conciliation between Sam and Benny (and as a consequence an improvement in Sam and Dean’s relationship), who goes to purgatory to bring back Dean’s family and in return stays there. It is as if in Supernatural nothing good can be obtained without sacrifice, but this time Benny was willing to remain in purgatory, as his life on earth wasn’t bearable anymore. He seems to be Meg’s double, a monster unable to change his physical condition but willing to redeem and help the good guys: we’ve learnt that staying in the middle is not tolerated, and everyone trying to change his written destiny is necessarily devoted to failure, in a quite pessimistic and deterministic view.

The final trial is curing a demon and making him human again. To do so, they choose their favourite demon, Crowley, and after having him captured Sam starts the cure the brothers’ have learnt from the Men of Letters, despite being abruptly stopped by Dean who’s found out that Sam will die if he completes the trials. I was quite disappointed they hadn’t thought of such a possibility: I mean, I know they didn’t want to die for it, but they have so much experience in the supernatural field that I found it naive of them not to think enough about consequences, also because some characters, Castiel first of all, had tried to warn them.

While the brothers face the trials and their final uselessness, Cass is plotting another closure with a new character, Metatron. He’s the angel who wrote the Word of God on the tablets and who’s been living far from heaven for centuries, but from when Sam and Dean find him, he becomes close with Castiel and together they plan, in parallel with the Winchesters, to close the gates of heaven, in order to erase all problems deriving from both demons and angels on earth. Castiel has to complete some trials, like Sam, as a last rebellion to the place he no longer identifies himself with. However, in the last episode, with a big plot twist, it becomes clear that Metatron’s intentions are mean and he just played Cass (by the way, it seems like he’s always too naive to do something right without Sam and Dean’s help…): he steals his grace, the last trial to definitely close heaven and make all angels fall to earth. At this moment the two parallel plots reunite, with a beautiful but terrifying vision of angels falling like bright stars from the Winchesters’ point of view, at the end of the attempt to Sam’s last trial. So this long and full-of-events season ends with demons and angels on earth, with the gates of hell open and those of heaven closed, good succumbing to evil’s success.

- Irene 💕

[elizabethrobertajones]

Wait, wait... Who is the character of the season for the other seasons?

Funnily enough I was musing on this after I said that because I don’t think I ever collected them ALL up or thought about a couple, like season 3 which I never think about much if I can help it so that’s a bit of a mess :P It’s something I’ve cared about more since I watched the show after I caught up that first time to season 6, so one of those vague trains of thought I’ve nurtured ever since then. I suppose people can disagree but it’s not really about favourite or BEST characters to me but the ones I think are absolutely the heart of the season in a way with its themes or story or just hold the plot together with the way everything ties into them.

John, I’d say obviously but I suppose you could argue Azazel. They’re like the only 2 options as the ONLY other consistent characters all season, but John’s mentioned almost every episode, it’s his legacy, revenge mission, job as a hunter etc that they inherit, and they’re either searching for him or being guided by what they think he wants them to do or what they want to do in opposition to him. He has sporadic appearances or they have sporadic direct-ish interaction with him to keep up this thread.

Azazel, because now it actually turns up a gear and he’s a character who has some serious presence in the narrative, the special kids thing takes centre stage, and he and his plan lurk in the background; Dean’s angst comes down to what John said about Sam which links back to what Azazel did to him, Sam just dreads it. His death & fruition of his plans ends the season nicely.

Bela, but a massive wasted opportunity because of the strike and her story shoved in at the end; still as a parallel to Dean she means a LOT, and she manages to stir up trouble like getting Gordon AND Victor set on them at various points; she steals the Colt which affects everything, and I cry about the wasted opportunity, because despite the stiff competition from next season’s key character, she actually personifies season 3 in a really fascinating way. The world changed and she and Ruby are the faces of what’s different - Ruby in the plot, but Bela in how the story is told and stuff like continuing subplots about side characters, and people being in the story in a much more interactive way. I really wish that she had had better writing. Ruby on the other hand is mostly a plot mechanism and I only think she really has much impact in 3x09 in the end conversation on Dean, and 3x16 to get in an awkward conversation to start the season 4 stuff: Lilith just takes over Ruby at some point in the last confrontation so she just kind of fades out of that story once she did her part to get Sam and Dean to Lilith. 

I probably SHOULD say Cas, but this is Ruby’s season (they’re played off each other as opposites so like Ruby and Bela last season it could be one or the other). Cas has an incredible arc but Ruby is still the key to everything because she’s got the big betrayal coming up, while Cas’s stuff is all personal growth for HIMSELF and honestly the reason I re-watch season 4 so much and just skip to all the Cas scenes, but still. Story-wise, Ruby plays it undercover, her manipulation of Sam is apparent in nearly every episode, even when she’s not there, and she’s reflected in his change. The conflict that SHE is creating between Sam and Dean lurks under the surface of the whole season - I’ve talked a lot about how 4x06 mirrors 4x14 which of course mirrors the fight in 4x21 which leads to Sam going off with Ruby to start the apocalypse, and each time Sam’s in a worse place. And, of course, she probably is the most successful villain of the entire show. She’s woven into everything that happens between Sam and Dean this season, so she rightfully gets the crown.

Michael. Sorry, Lucifer, but you just kinda showed up and started monologuing everywhere and killed the tension. (Again, 2 character in contention and it’s pretty hilarious it’s them in a contest, but yeah :P) The actual dread was always about your brother showing up, and he’s in 2 scenes in person, and spends the entire season scaring the crap out of Dean. Sam’s relationship to being possessed by Lucifer is advertised as inevitable, played up the entire time, and clearly part of his teased downfall/actual redemption and it’s there all season and so you COULD say it’s Lucifer, but I find Dean vs Michael to be more of the MAIN plot because Dean’s resistance, wobble where he nearly gives in and then riding in to save the day at the end to be the sort of main plot where a character had agency. That’s all done in opposition to Michael, and so being possessed by Michael and the way he can deny Dean the agency to save the world is the real threat when you look back on how Dean did it by showing up in full Dean “humanity” Winchester style. I hope I’m not just being a full on Dean!girl about this, but I think the story they told makes him the REAL antagonist, and he’s defeated in 5x18 and that allows Dean to reconcile all his emotional crap with Sam, and for all the mechanical parts of the plan to fall in place (finding out about the rings, getting them, etc), and his ABSENCE after that allows Dean’s character growth

Cas, poor thing. This time all about his absence, and the build up to what he’s doing. And then 6x20, and the reveal. It’s such a masterful episode putting everything into context that I don’t even know what to write about it except like, hey, now I want to go watch it again :P Anyway it squarely puts Cas at the heart of the drama, and from 6x01 the question of Cas’s absence and what he was doing over that year was subtly raised, and his absence and lack of help gets louder and louder as it goes on, until after the 2/3rds mark we begin to find out more of what he’s actually UP to. 

Bobby, hands down. He is the on-screen story of grief and loss that mirrors Dean losing Cas and then Cas coming back in a way Dean can’t handle; the season opens and closes with Cas and Dean, with all the Godstiel drama and Dean losing Cas, but the Leviathans just fill space with all their metaphorical depression darkness washing over the world. And Dean needs to make it right with Cas because he needs Cas to get Dick. (Sorry, I watched it last night… So much cackling about boning and Dick like they were cramming in every last joke they hadn’t made yet :P) But again Cas is absent most of the season, and we get a build up with Bobby being more present in their lives than ever, and more active a hunter than ever, and then a whole episode dedicated to losing him, and a whole arc about him returning. He indirectly stops them going after Dick the first time, which actually saves them from walking into the Dick made more Dicks trap, and allows Dean to reconcile with Cas. He lashes out at him BEFORE they move Bobby on, Cas silently attends burning Bobby’s flask, and the next scene is Dean getting it together and forgiving Cas, and learning to approach him, having let go of Bobby. I think Bobby is metaphorical for a HUGE amount of Dean’s issues, from the depression and suicidal feelings and his alcoholism, which he enabled by always pouring a drink every time something sucky happened all through season 6 and the start of 7… Bobby represented a LOT of old ways to survive hunting day after day but not to live a long and fulfilled life, and season 7 grapples with all these dark themes, and in the end they let him go. 

Ack, tough one and I have been thinking about it, and I would probably say Metatron despite his brief appearances and the fact he was mentioned in 7x21, but not again until 8x21; still, Kevin is his adjacent main character of the season and Kevin represents most of the tablet drama, because his presence enables Crowley to get all excited about having his tablet read, and for Naomi to freak out and hurry to protect HER tablet. Kevin’s presence as someone who can read all this for whoever snatches him motivates everything, BUT it’s all Metatron’s work, and Metatron’s writing, and in the end the grand scheme he and God had with the tablets and taking down the word and creating prophets. Metatron’s advice in 8x21 to Dean is haunting for season 9, and once he’s back in the game he goes for it and destroys the whole natural order as it had once been since basically Creation. Sam was attempting to do it for GOOD, but fails. Cas is duped into doing a similar struggle, and Metatron does it for evil. Anyway, he’s the heart of all the turmoil in season 8, and like Azazel in season 2 and Ruby in season 4, is the successful villain as a result of being thematically well-placed in the story.

Gadreel, who did what he had to do all the way through the season to wildly mixed results and represents the entire struggle this season. He’s paralleled to Sam, and Cas, and Dean and gets to be Metatron’s lackey for a while. Sam compares how he felt to vengeful spirit type feelings and behaviour, the same feeling that powers Dean while he has the Mark, and both take on these revenge missions which are pointless and filled with collateral damage. Metatron uses Gadreel as a weapon just as Crowley is hoping to add Dean to his collection. 

Rowena, who like Kevin in season 8 was the key to getting all the plot stuff done, but this time represents a sort of warning of the coming threat of Amara - the powerful but trapped feminine force appearing in the narrative. Always in chains or imprisoned, she lashes out with her attack dog spell that makes people rabid. She represents a way to talk about a lot of the family stuff, lurking in the background of all the big family stuff - we paralleled her meeting Crowley to Cas reconnecting with Claire, for example, or being the reason Dean explains what family is and isn’t to Crowley in 10x17, obviously paralleled to Cas and Sam off in the background trying to save him with Bobby’s help, who first said that about family. She’s in a ton of episodes and I can’t actually remember them all because I’ve only watched it once, but she and Crowley had a whole mini arc in the background of several episodes, before the whole season ended up being about her spell from the Book of the Damned and the sacrifice she had to make for it. (because of 12x13 I actually was only thinking of this one last week; up until this point I had a thought from during season 10 that it might be Cole if they went down that path of all the revengey father issues stuff, but the season was way more about mothers in the end... because it was about Cole I gave up caring about analysing that pretty quickly and never came back to fill in the gap :P)

Amara kind of hogs this one, and the same deal as with Michael back in season 5, but this time Dean’s positive growth in the end is about letting her go. Like with season 5 he overcomes this milestone shortly before the end - 11x21 I think was where he met her in the woods and resisted her properly. That’s the parallel to 5x18 and him managing not to be possessed by Michael. After that the elements fall together to resist her, and once again Dean “Humanity” Winchester, unburdened, walks in to talk it out, this time without anyone getting hurt or dying. This season seems to be all about her dark compulsion on Dean and also the consequences of her being locked away, this time setting up the stage for the next season and Mary’s return

You’ll notice I rarely list actual main characters except Cas that one time, and I stand by Ketch being the representation of this season because I think Mary fitting under the family bracket makes it all interpersonal drama, and so far I think Ketch has been written to represent all the other themes outside of family much more consistently, like with what the main plot is and what the villains truly represent… Knowing HE is awful while all the others try to play nice, especially, acts as the reminder he’s what’s underneath their nice mask. I suppose the BMoL as a whole are the key thing this season, and we still don’t know who the boss is so by the end I may change this to a season 8 Kevin > Metatron one if the leader is compelling, but Ketch is the character they built up with like 5 faceless appearances of increasing horror before he showed up with a grenade launcher and that stroll into shot, and like I said, he’s horrifying enough that I’m sticking him with Amara and Michael as the GENUINELY scary villains who hog the story. :P This season’s themes are pretty different and the style is really hard to grasp one clear thing compared to the other seasons because it’s churned up all the other seasons into it, so the family are all re-treading a ton of past emotional beats and whirring through their own stuff destroying various re-takes on ALL their past mistakes and emotional arcs. The Ketch stuff is an actual clear line through the story and completely unique to this season and its stuff. Like, “oh yeah this season one of the Winchesters is betraying another and now two of them are betraying the third and -” yeah it’s all been there done that… This guy managed to be a menacing enough presence we guessed he was stalking them from a single glance at a motorbike an episode before that was ever confirmed to be his :P 

[darkstar6782]

Thoughts on SPN 13x12: Various and Sundry Villains

I definitely loved this episode. There were so many good character moments in it, and so many character parallels done well, that I actually had a hard time remembering the overarching story after giving myself a day to ruminate on what I liked so much about it. So here are my thoughts on the episode, in no particular order:

- Obviously, the story of the witch sisters wasn’t meant to be much on its own; they were a vehicle for bringing Rowena back and to draw parallels to Sam and Dean, so I don’t have much to say about them other than I found the conversation where they talked about their feelings--which sounded (I presume intentionally) like something that a fanfic writer might have Sam and Dean say to one another--made me laugh very hard, and that, though I considered it to be a smart move, the fact that they killed their victims with a sledgehammer was very disturbing, as was the way Rowena killed them by having them tear each other apart.

- Rowena’s back, and I love it! It felt like we saw more nuance to her character here than we have previously, and I am honestly not sure if the show is going to make her an ally of the Winchesters or an antagonist now that she has her full power back. I can definitely see her taking Crowley’s place in that regard, only her positive connection to the pair will be through Sam rather than Dean. I loved the way that she and Sam connected, and how, through her, Sam was able to open up about some very old traumas, which I hope the show will continue to address.

- I am also all-in for Sam’s emotional journey this episode, and I hope that the show continues to allow him to address his traumas, rather than burying and forgetting them once again like it has a tendency to do. This kind of emotional arc has been a long time coming back for Sam--he hasn’t really gotten a chance to address his feelings or the way his experiences have affected him since season 5. And the way he has chosen to handle his experiences is something that I can definitely sympathize with, because I also find myself spinning my wheels and drowning in negative emotions when I don’t have a plan to deal with something difficult or when my plans fall apart or don’t lead to the outcome I was expecting. Fortunately for me, I have someone by my side who is able to ground me in those moments, and help me bring my emotions back under control by reminding me what’s really important or by stepping up to lead the way when I am feeling lost, and that is exactly the role that Dean plays in Sam’s emotional life too. Their conversation at the end of the episode was so important because, even though Sam wasn’t quite as soul-baring with Dean as he was with Rowena, he was honest about the ways in which he was feeling out-of-control, and he was asking Dean to help bring him back onto solid ground, and Dean seemed to realize that. Thought it wasn’t clear whether his words really brought Sam much comfort in the moment, I think they were still exactly what he needed to hear, and I hope that Dean follows through on supporting Sam and that the show doesn’t just paper over this emotional growth as the season progresses.

(thoughts on Cas and Lucifer under the cut)

- Am I the only one who still isn’t sure if Cas is really Cas? Because there were so many moments during his scenes with Lucifer where I was convinced that he wasn’t Cas. His facial expressions, some of the things he said, and especially the fact that he seemed perfectly content to be locked up there, waiting patiently for something to happen, when it feels like he should have been showing more concern about Sam and Dean and wanting to get back to helping them find Jack... but then there were moments when he seemed like his old self again. I am almost certain now that something is very off about him, and I can’t wait to find out what it is.

- I will admit to cheering when Cas stabbed Lucifer. Learning form his mistakes indeed! (It was also a great contrast to Dean’s abject stupidity in announcing that their guns contained “witch-killing bullets” and then allowing the witches a chance to react to that news rather than just shooting them. I mean, I know the fight scene was fun and all, but... really?!) As much as I enjoy Mark Pellegrino’s portrayal of Lucifer, I do feel like his story has gone on too long, and I loved seeing the show doing something unexpected like killing a major villian out of nowhere, with no fanfare. To say that I was disappointed to see in the “Next Episode” preview that Lucifer is not actually dead would be a dramatic understatement. There was much cursing at the TV over that.