#Tfw all it takes is for somebody to put into words how “work's just work” for me to internalize it and realize I've been dealt a shitty han

[linksysuniverse]

Severance S1E08 "What's for Dinner?" × Severance S2E09 "The After Hours"

(Please let this mean something) (Milchick crash out + betrayal of Lumon soon, please)

[knowlessman]

"I'm sure it's hard for the white house to act with our own country in danger" oh shit they're bringin 'murica into this now, and maybe other players? …bnha s7e1-4

also tho "it's hard for america to decide to involve itself with another country" somebody doesn't know what the CIA actually does and what our threshold for meddling in other countries is

IT'S JANE CENA (hums john cena intro theme)

-- also could swear there's an existing marvel/dc miss america type hero called Star but in what world would that stop this writer

tfw you're a third-string minion and you're hiding alone in a cave with your evil master and he won't shut up and he's making less and less sense

okay who put pajama sam in a suit, I thought he stopped wearing shirts these days

"quirk: new order! when she tags something, she decides what its rules are!" okay maybe this guy does know anything about america at all

-- "is his name not tomura shigaraki?" hehehe she got L'd. not that not knowing a place's or people's real name ever stopped america from forcing whatever rules it wanted. guess she's not so close an analogy after all.

-- (star made herself a Stand out of air and caught him like a bug) yes, I'm sure hitting the big bad with, idk, extreme air pressure? and lasers, and very big missiles, will finish the job in the first couple episodes of the final season.

all for one was going on about "you're Spinner, you spin things together" does spinner have a quirk beyond being a lizard man or not

new OP and ending are okay, no notes

"this is a watershed moment for both of us. this is like… forcing each other to play shitty games!" I have to know what other translations for this line there are. …dammit, this site doesn't have an english dub version. (or I can't find it)

…huh. so he's admitting that that would've killed him. okay now THAT's interesting, he has a limit and it's a known one. …they just gotta do that again and not miss. with extra super-missiles that they probably don't have because they banked em all on this.

-- it is a game, tho, it's an actual game (that the villain is winnin cuz the show ain't over, but he's not winning it through invincibility or by playing cards he wasn't holding, and that's not nothing)

ayup. she's poisoned the vampire. I thought maybe she would just find a way to erase her own quirk before he could take it, but

-- "I don't have anyone to pass New Order onto!" … "my Reflect quirk! it's been destroyed!" well DAYUM, I was just thinking how this arc was actually pretty cool even tho it didn't seem to be adding anything that'd stick, but

-- …so, he found someone to shove new order onto, but Star's ghost had more words for him, so I'm not totally sure whether the transfer, like, worked. it sounded like he just didn't get to steal the rando's quirk, but idk

"we've captured gigantomachia and kept him asleep" uh-huh. yeah. sure. he's totally not gonna get back up the second mojo jojo decides he's got a use for him. he totally hasn't done that time and time and time again already. he's the juggernaut, he has to be considered "in play" at all times. …he's like Squee, he can be cast from exile

…laserguts?

-- ohhhhh. …wowwwwwwwww holy shit

-- I wasn't even looking out for a mole. 'XD it had well and completely left my brain. reminds me of when the finale for scooby-doo get a clue revealed that trebla was albert and I felt the stupidest a show has ever made me feel (tbf one is not exactly looking out for subterfuge while watching that show, it is an exceptionally stupid installment of the franchise)

-- "uhhh I heard from hagakure" DEKU YOU FUCKING SNITCH HOW EVEN… HOW IS THAT THE FIRST WORDS OUT OF YOUR MOUTH I'm fuckin dyin here 'XD what the fuck

-- ("my body refracts light" so blocking aoyama's laser makes hagakure's face partly visible for the first time) …huh. … "and because this writer is The Way He Is I'm also nekkid but somehow he's restraining himself from acknowledging that because this is just that important a scene"

uhhh yeah more double agents, that panned out so well the first - …okay actually I don't remember the full details of that well enough to say it didn't pan out at all so nvm

"hey, hey. a crime is a crime, you know" shut up mic nobody likes your fashy ass

-- "it's partly our fault for not catching him" you aren't making any more sense than mic right now iida but go off

("we gotta get our gear repaired") "they were a prototype from overseas" I've already forgotten whether it was melissa's actual canon gauntlets that he got tbph

ayup. stopping for now cuz I gotta leave for work in a few hours. will post these sometime today ig

[castielcommunism]

it's been a hot minute since ive seen episodes where jack and dean interact and i was wondering what ur take is on their dynamic and the best way to show it in fic :0 the last thing i saw of them was a gifset of dean trying to comfort jack after a nightmare and to me it came off like the last person he wants to be like is his own father but he also isn't really sure how else to be a dad and is doing his best lol but that was just one scene

I’m gonna be honest with you I’m not very familiar with their on screen dynamic because the way dean behaves towards jack reminds me way too much of my father so I just like blacked most of it out in my brain. I’ve seen every episode of spn but the last three seasons are especially blurry to me because I find it difficult to stomach most of the time. I think their canon relationship as depicted on the show is unsalvageable and I hate it lol.

the issue over and over again with spn is that dean’s issues are amped up to 11 at all times, so the guy I actually like is the watered down version of him. and also the shit that happens in the last three seasons plot wise is just so astronomically dumb that I can’t really take it seriously. like putting jack in the malak box. him killing mary. apocalypse world. the chuck stuff in s15. it’s bad in a way I don’t really find interesting or compelling at all so like I have a hard time taking it seriously or having any opinion about the larger plot stuff beyond “lol this is stupid.”

I think if you took the general interpersonal issues between dean and jack (dean’s resentment towards him for having to raise a child he doesn’t want, exhausted by the fact that he now has another person he’s responsible for, jack’s complex about having to be useful to everyone he cares about to justify his own existence, etc) I think you could have a pretty compelling dynamic where they both figure out how to make it work, with heavy emphasis on dean doing most of the character development because jack is a kid and he’s an adult.

like my platonic ideal scenario of jack being introduced into tfw would require dean to be knocked to the bottom of their family hierarchy. cas now has somebody he will prioritise over dean, and sam and mary both do a lot of the emotional work involved in raising jack. dean has to find a way to live with his family in a way where he’s no longer the head of household (and live with the fact that there IS no real head of household). jack becomes the centre of their family but there’s no actual leader. I think that would almost immediately solve a lot of the imbedded interpersonal issues between tfw and make everybody a much happier person, dean included.

sorry this is kinda all over the place, but I think that like, dean and jack are always going to have a bit of friction between them, but not in a way that’s truly destructive. dean having to walk on eggshells a bit and be extra careful with the words that come out of his mouth and the way he treats jack is my ideal scenario. I think dean’s a guy who wants to do his best at whatever task he’s given, but he doesn’t really know what “his best” looks like so it involves some flailing and occasional missteps. I want him and jack to have a good relationship, but also for it to be a bit awkward and strained, like dean truly does feel like a step-parent newly introduced into the family and is still figuring out what to do with this kid that the rest of his family already seems to know and love and understand a lot more than he does.

I think where he and jack would be at their most relaxed and comfortable is when dean is trying to teach him some practical skill (driving, cooking, fishing, etc). If the problem between them is one that is technical or mechanical in nature I think they’re on solid ground and can easily bond with one another. where it becomes more of an issue is when jack is having a conflict with a friend or he’s feeling down or he needs emotional guidance on something. I think dean is terrified of leading someone through that kind of problem because he doesn’t feel equipped to lead himself through something like that, much less a child he’s responsible for. so he has a deer in the headlights kinda response to it that either involves him delivering an awkward and vague “you can do it champ” speech that isn’t super helpful, or him immediately trying to find cas/sam/mary to deal with it.

so anyway I think if you took his comments from s6 about his relationship with ben seriously (ie his concern that he’s becoming his father) and actually worked through that, you’d get a dean who is generally out of his depth, terrified of saying the wrong thing, who DOES say the wrong thing sometimes that is mildly scarring/creates conflict, but overall wants to do right by jack and is essentially learning how to do that on the fly. I genuinely think dean could be a decent parent, even a great parent in some areas, but that requires a change in the existing tfw dynamic and for his emotional/social issues to be scaled back to like 20-30% intensity. I don’t think parenting will ever come naturally to him despite growing up as a caregiver to sam. Like that start to his life basically put him at a perpetual disadvantage when it comes to emotional resiliency. Being that emotionally deprived as a child does have long lasting consequences that take time and effort to work through. Being nurturing and emotionally sensitive is something he has to actively work at, but I think he’s fully capable of doing it, and will be a much healthier and happier person once he starts doing that work.

[verobatto]

Destiel Chronicles

Vol. LXIII

It was a love story from the very beginning.

Lucifer Is Coming

(11x04/11x05/11x06/11x07)

Hello everyone! Second meta from season 11, this time we’re gonna talk about the Casifer foreshadowing in the first episodes.

I want to say thank you to @destielle , the angel that beta reads this mess.

Now, let's start!

An episode for Baby

Episode 11x04 is a beautiful chapter in which we have Baby as the protagonist.

The brothers went out on a hunt, while Cas stays at home to recover. Then one of the sweetest TFW scenes occurs:

Gif credit @mad-as-a-box-of-frogs

Castiel's quirk of being clueless sometimes is well known by the brothers and also one of his cutesy charms. That's why when Cas asks 'What is Netflix?' Sam looks immediately at Dean, searching for his brother’s face because… Cas is too cute and he knows his brother loves it. But Dean remains stoic. Okay, we know he is dying inside of cuteness, but he needs to pretend he’s cool about it.

Another important scene is this dialogue…

SAM: You don't ever think about something? Not marriage or whatever. But . . . Something? You know, with a hunter? Somebody who understands the life?

DEAN: Have you not heard a single word Bob's been singing about? You're tired. I can tell.

And what’s the context of that?

First of all, they arrived at a Roadhouse. Dean wants to have a wild night, but he ends up alone, and not as drunk as he expected (but in a good mood so maybe he just wanted to get some drinks alone, and that's all). This speaks about his maturity, the way he is close to that moment in his life where he’s searching for something else than just one wild night with a random waitress. And that's because, maybe, he already found the one for him: Cas. He is aware of his feelings for the angel then, and it’s just like what’s happening in the song I DON'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE from season 8, remember that one? Okay, so Dean Winchester DOESN'T WANT ANYBODY ELSE BUT CAS.

But then he finds Sam with that random waitress… and he is happy for his brother. They start to sing a song that speaks about ONE NIGHT WITH SOMEONE WITHOUT COMPROMISES. And then Sam asks Dean that huge question if he wanted TO SETTLE DOWN WITH A HUNTER (a quote we will hear again in episode 11x19).

Dean saying to his brother 'You are tired' and 'You're exhausted' is more of a way of talking to himself, really. Dean is out from that life. Dean doesn't want a love for one night. Dean wants to settle down with Castiel.

The Soulless BabySitter

Episode 11x05 introduces us to a well-known and meaningful weapon, THE AXE.

The axe represents anger, and we will see it again in the next episode which talks about AMARA'S anger and revenge on her brother.

Now, we have a soulless babysitter named Audrey. She represents an important foreshadowing of Casifer.

She is supposed to take care of the kids, but she’s a murderer. Figuratively she fills the same position Cas does with the Winchesters, being their assigned guardian angel, but being possessed by evil (Lucifer).

The fake happiness and peace Amara radiates is the same that she uses to control Dean.

Heart decision

Jumping to episode 11x06 'Our Little World' we see that Castiel's depression is a huge deal which will be playing into his decision to say yes to Lucifer eventually.

Gif set credit @subcas

Gif set credit @katteens

Also deaths in this episodes are provoked by axes and we meet Amara again.

One of the most important things in this episode is this little dialogue:

DEAN: Hmm. Well, it looks like a stalemate to me. I guess we go ahead and kill him right now.

SAM (walking across the room towards Dean)

No, no, no. Dean, wait. We can exorcise him.

DEAN: What? Save his meat suit.

This is a premonition of Dean and Sam’s dialogue where they’re deciding on what to do with Amara and Casifer, remember? Dean wants to save Cas and put Lucifer into another vessel... A very bad plan, isn’t it? Well, the writers are presenting us a similar situation, but this time there's no emotion attached to the possessed vessel in question. Just to let us know that Sam is making a decision by heart, because his moral tells him it’s the right thing to do, whereas Dean is in full-on war mode. The two will switch places in that matter by the end of the season.

Then, the writers recall the dark relationship between Crowley and Dean (when Dean was a demon) as a parallel of Amara and Dean’s dark forced bond. They’re reinforcing that it’s something DARK, BAD, NOT GOOD.

Another interesting thought about this episode I had is about the parallel between Castiel/Metatron and Sam/the random Demon. Both of them, Castiel and Sam, making the same decision, having mercy for their enemies. The similarities in their behaviours stem from the fact that Sam and Cas, as I said a lot of times, think very much alike. That's one reason why I consider them a perfect work team. So, when the time comes, Sam will choose to let Casifer fight against Amara while being absolutely confident that that’s in Cas�� accordance. Why so sure? Because they know each other very well, being friends a long time, so they know how the other one is thinking, in fact, like themselves.

Visual Narrative: if you pay close attention to Lucifer's cage, you can spot a tiny bit of blue there (which we know stands for Cas). And the walls of the motel room in which Dean and Sam are staying have a green and yellow flower print (green for Dean, yellow for Sam).

Gif credit @cheerfulsammy-blog

Lucifer behind the constipated angel mask

Episode 11x07 talks about soulless people wearing different masks. When the masks fall, we can see mostly beautiful young people with blue eyes who are acting weird and killing people (remember Dean talking to Cas on the phone and saying ‘HE WAS WEIRD’?). Yes, all of these people are representing Casifer. Beautiful blue eyed people, hidden behind a mask. And Lucifer will talk about being behind a constipated angel mask, when he reveals himself to Dean and Sam.

Gif credit @winchcstr

Bonus – a visual narrative curiosity: when you rewatch the gym fight, you can see the soulless person choosing a yellow artefact, leaving the blue and green behind. We could read that as a metaphor for Lucifer choosing and trying to possess Sam, even though he’ll end up possessing Castiel instead.

The other masked person to pay attention to is the old man with a clown’s face. He represents Sam’s encounter with Lucifer and his fears and traumas connected to it (we know he hates clowns). 

To Conclude:

There were a lot of clues hinting at Lucifer’s come back and his potential possessions.

The axe represents Amara’s anger, and the recall of Dean’s dark bond with Crowley reminds us that all of this is wrong, and points us to the upcoming forced dominations over Dean. 

Hope you liked this meta, see you in the next one!

Tagging @metafest @magnificent-winged-beast @emblue-sparks @weirddorkylittlediana @michyribeiro @whyjm @legendary-destiel @a-bit-of-influence @thatwitchydestielfan @misha-moose-dean-burger-lover @lykanyouko @evvvissticante @savannadarkbaby @dea-stiel @poorreputation @bre95611 @thewolfathedoor @charlottemanchmal @neii3n @deathswaywardson @followyourenergy @dean-is-bi-till-i-die @hekatelilith-blog @avidbkwrm @anarchiana @dickpuncher365 @vampyrosa @foxyroxe-art @authorsararayne @anonymoustitans @mybonsai1976 @love-neve-dies @wildligia @dustythewind @wayward-winchester67 @angelwithashotgunandtrenchcoat @trashblackrainbow @deeutdutdutdoh @destiel-is--endgame @destiel-shipper-11 @larrem88 @charmedbycastiel @ran-savant @little-crazy-misha-minion @samoosetheshipper

@shadows-and-padlocked-hearts @mishtho @dancingtuesdaymorning @nerditoutwithbooks @mikennacac73 @justmeand-myinsight @idontwantpeopletoknowmyname @tenshilover20 @teddybeardoctor @pepevons @helevetica @isthisdestiel @dizzypinwheel @jawnlockwinchester @horsez2 @qanelyytha

@imjustkipping @destielle @agusvedder @spnsmile @shippsblog

If you want to be added or removed from this list, just let me know.

If you want to read the first meta from season 11, here is the link: Vol. LXII

Buenos Aires, May 26th 2020 17:58 PM

[curioussubjects]

come be a season 12 truther, baby, with me

In honor of tonight’s Berens/Glynn episode (!!!!), I’d like to take y’all on a magical journey in which I share why I think Dean and Cas got together in season 12. 

Keep in mind that this post takes for granted that Dean and Cas are in love with each other and that their relationship has been increasingly coded as romantic with each passing season. Consequently, what this post does is point out some key moments in their relationship and argue why they don't get together before 12. I'll also go briefly over 13 and 14 for reasons I'll explain later in the post. First, though, let me go over seasons 4 through 11, with some pit stops along the way:

Seasons 4 & 5: this isn’t the destiel you are looking for. the ust is delicious, yes, and i, too, got sucked in posthaste immediately groped by an angel lj community style. At this point Cas is still too alien for anything beyond the development we see on screen happen. HOWEVER, season 5 is the first time we get to see Cas being human (The End) and Cas being less connected to heaven and how that affects his behavior. This will matter. 

Seasons 6 & 7: the pining omg the pining. The notable things I want to point out with these seasons is a. this is the beginning of Cas doing things to spare Dean and it not ending well (Cas dies #1, soulless!Sam); b. Dean is v. sad; and c. we also start noticing the emotional toll of Cas’s divided loyalties and how human he has actually become since s4. Hurty feels all around.  

Season 8: purgaytory babes aw yeah! Still lots of terrible awful pining. This is a turning point with the addition of the bunker as tfw hq: we have a home in play now, a static emotional center. Cas is still off doing his own thing, Dean still wishes Cas would just let him (+ Sam) help out. Cas going off on his own leads to disaster #2 (Angels fall, Cas loses his Grace). For all deliciously angsty get together purgatory fics and spec, there’s too much of a gap between Dean and Cas on Cas’s part due to his guilt over betraying the Winchesters in s6 & slaughtering angels & leviathan. On the other hand, we do see Dean being more emotionally open, but to no avail. Bad timing. This is a trend. [oop also worth noting we get Dean being kinda done with the one night stand thing because always with the adios and ahem also hint hint Cas refusing to stay put]

Seasons 9 & 10: aka Dean and Cas make bad decisions, but mostly Dean. The biggest turning point here is Cas being human for an extended period of time. There is still plenty of spec over the effects of being human on Cas’s Grace and his Soul. What we can say for sure, though, is that Cas is much more human once he becomes an angel again. In contrast to s8, s9 sees Cas being vulnerable and Dean pushing him away (first because of Gadreel, which he didn’t want to do really and that’s even sadder kdjfgksdfj & later because he was pushing everyone away due to the mark).  

9.06 Heaven Can’t Wait: there’s been so much amazing fic and spec about this episode with its fanfiction gap, but I can’t see a deancas get together here, folks. I know, it’s terrible. The lying from Dean and the hurt from Cas, imo, make the distance between them quite insurmountable at this point. While the episode is amazing (Bobo’s debut, too! So ♥) and has some notorious subtext throughout, I just can’t see the character bridging that gap into anything physical, much less emotional. Nevertheless, this episode does show perhaps the first intentional romantic tableaux with Dean and Cas, and that’s not nothing. 

10.16 Paint it Black: from the point Dean gets the mark of cain until the end of season 10, anything between him and Cas is quite impossible. But one of the reasons I’m bringing up this episode in particular is because of the confession scene. For one, it’s a rare bit of emotional honesty from Dean and for two, it tells me that while he and Cas may be well aware of the thing between them, it’s still uncharted waters. Makes sense, too, there’s been A LOT going on since s6.  Anyway, he’s the full confession, so we can put a pin on it:

You know, the life I live, the work I do…I pretty much just figured that that was all there was to me, you know? Tear around and jam the key in the ignition and haul ass until I ran out of gas. I guess I just thought sooner or later, I’d go out the same way that I live – pedal to the metal, and that would be it. [...]  Now, um… recent events, uh… make me think I might be closer to that than I really thought. And…I don’t know. I mean, you know, there’s – there’s things, there’s…people, feelings that I-I-I want to experience differently than I have before, or maybe even for the first time. [...]  Yeah, I’m just starting to think that… maybe there’s more to it all than I thought.

Do you ever see a character having an epiphany and find yourself wanting to cry because this is it right here. Dean is just blatantly admitting he wants more, which all culminates in season 11, so...

Season 11: The pining is still here, but it’s worse now since it’s the whole plot? It’s been *checks calendar* 5 years of this. How are any of us still kicking I don’t know. Your slow burns could never. Cool worth noting points: Cas says yes to Luci (bad decision #2.5, lots of mitigating effects_I don’t actually hold it against him that much but Dean is another story & not entirely rational at this point); for the first time since the early days, Dean and Cas are on equal grounds: they’ve both fucked up a lot and have hurt each other. The issues this season are outside their dynamic. Amara and Lucifer here serve as externalizing forces for Dean and Cas’s problems and by the end of the season we’re getting a clean slate. We’re also getting a new showrunner, so. No wonder. What this season does that is also super important is that it sets up the stage for the possibility of an actual relationship between Dean and Cas, something that has, up until this point, been pretty much impossible. 

11.04 Baby: Y’all know what I’m about to quote here, right? The convo between Dean and Sam about having something with someone who understands the life. Here we still have Dean reverting to the idea that it’s impossible, which is a direct contrast to the openness in 10.16. It’s understandable, though, considering there’s been little reason to think anything like that would be possible (see all the mess and poor timing from seasons past). The quote in question, though, marks a continuing development in on of the things Dean is struggling with this season:

DEAN: Piper? That's awesome. Heather. One-night wonders, man. Shoot, we're lucky we still get that at all.  SAM: Really? You don't . . . Ever want something more? DEAN: I'm sorry, have you met us? We're batting a whopping zero in domestic life, man. Goose eggs. SAM: You don't ever think about something? Not marriage or whatever. But . . . Something? You know, with a hunter? Somebody who understands the life?

Compare this exchange with what we get from 11.11 and 11.19:

11.11 Into the Mystic: I’m bringing this episode as a crossreference to 10.16 and to show again that for all the closeness between Dean and Cas there’s still a marked distance they haven’t yet bridged. Thanks Mildred for the delicious exposition:

Darlin'...If there's one thing I've learned in all my years on the road, it's when somebody's pining for somebody else. [...]  Oh, don't try and hide it now. Follow your heart. Remember?

11.19 The Chitters: Continuing our trek regarding Dean wanting certain things we have this gift of an episode with Jesse and Cesar, and this exchange:

Dean: [with realization] Oh, so … [points back and forth to Jesse and Cesar] Cesar: Yeah. Dean: Okay, that’s… Cesar puts his beer bottle on the table and looks at Dean, while Jesse is being silent. Dean: What’s it like, settling down with a hunter? Cesar: Smelly, dirty. [turns to Jesse] Twice the worrying about getting ganked.

I’d like to point out, too that the fear of getting ganked is thematic when it comes to the tension between Dean and Cas. More on this when we hit s13. 

Alright, now having said that, let’s take a look at season 12. Bear in mind, this is the official start of Dabb’s era, even if he kinda began taking over in 11, and the change in vibes is obvious. In fact, 12 jumped out at me as a turning point in retrospect, after getting smacked by the domesticity of 13 and 14. Under the cut because I can’t shut up, and things are long enough as is. 

Season 12:  Finally, the promise land, y’all. So, what s11 was for Dean in terms of setting up the relationship stage, s12 was for Cas. In its initial beats, any way. Important to keep in mind that until the Kelly debacle, this was the longest Cas has been around the bunker. Things seem remarkably chill. Of course, we’ll notice that there’s still a lot of baggage hanging around because despite Dean and Cas being in a more stable place, they haven’t actually dealt with their interpersonal problems. I didn’t single out directly this episode, but do keep in mind Cas’s declaration in 12.09 First Blood as far as how much the Winchesters matter to Cas & how we also see Dean and Cas be particularly singled out with them seating together in the backseat of the Impala. 

12.10 Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets: This episode, oh my god, the goodness. In the wake of 12.09 we have Dean and Cas in a tiff because Cas mistake #3 (killing Billie and “cosmic consequences”), this is a pattern. Twice the worry of getting ganked, etc etc. But where this episode really shines is through the contrast between Ishim’s obsession with Lily and Cas & Dean’s mutual affection for each other. Ishim sees no difference here and, to him, Cas’s feelings for Dean are a human weakness. Returning to my point about human!Cas, this episode underscores that Cas’s increasing humanity is what puts him in the place where he can want what Dean wants instead of either being too alien to get it (see s4 & 5) or unable to experience it properly (Ishim). 

12.12 Stuck in the Middle (With You): Cas’s trajectory culminates here with the whole I love you (@ Dean), I love all of you (@ Winchesters). Let’s note too that Cas is dying here, in a way that is much more human than going up in light. This declaration of different types of love is entirely human. It’s also a definitive step wrt to Cas and Dean’s relationship because of what happens in 12.19. This. is. it.

Offscreen happenings: Mixtape, how Cas knows the Colt is under Dean’s pillow. This is hella suspicious. 

12.19 The Future: This episode changes everything, y’all (bobo and meredith, folks, bobo and meredith ksjdhfakjshlfksd). Consider watching this episode again and pay attention to some weird things: 1. Dean’s reaction to Cas going awol. Compare it to Sam’s, who is like whoa Dean chill. Now, thought experiment, imagine something happened between Dean and Cas, and then just radio silence from Cas. Imagine how Dean would react with getting ghosted by Cas specifically after something happened between them.  2. Cas comes back to the bunker with the specific goal of stealing the Colt, which he already knew was under Dean’s pillow -- something Sam didn’t even know.  3. “He came into my room and he played me.” So, this quote right there, makes it seem like some seduction for personal gain, right? But Cas clearly knew where the Colt was already, which means something happened before  Cas came back to the bunker. Cas played Dean in seeming to have reconsidered not working with Sam and Dean wrt Kelly. This is still a point of drama, but it leads somewhere else (see s13 & s15). 4. WHEN DID DEAN GIVE CAS THAT MIXTAPE OMG 5. Dean and Cas’s brief convo in Dean’s room is clearly Dean just wanting Cas to stay, so they can work (and be) together -- because they’re better that way. Which, yeah, truth. 

Sequence of events: Cas tells Dean he loves him -- Dean is clearly shook by it -- Dean gives Cas a mixtape (romantic gesture, often a declaration of feelings; in true Dean speak too lolsobs) -- Cas somehow knows the Colt is under Dean’s pillow -- ???? -- Cas goes awol -- Dean acts like he got ghosted by his partner.

Like. Y’all realize they probably had some emotionally constipated getting together moment, right? Something that Dean clearly initially thought meant things were gonna change, now. Something that Cas couldn’t allow to happen until he could give Dean a win. Y’all are seeing this, yeah? I’m not saying they slept together and were full of feelings, except that’s kind of what I’m saying. But ymmv, there are other possibilities beyond sex. The full of feelings isn’t up for debate, though, even if the whole thing is informed by ridiculous amounts of miscommunication. 

Ok, maybe the narrative is still too subtle (?????), but as I said before, looking at 12 with the knowledge of 13 and 14 does offer a new perspective because of the difference in dynamic between Dean and Cas. I know lots of people look at 14, mainly, as having dialed back on the destiel side of things, but I always thought that was a strange take. Largely because they’re so domestic and their dynamic, ie, the lack of tension, reads like an established relationship. It’s a different kind of beast than we have been used to so far, so it does look alien on screen, especially since we “skipped” the conventional getting together cue that would let us change gears. Let’s take a look at 13 and 14, then.

Season 13: Ah, yes, the season of shit gets domestic. The pining? Gone? What? Deancas now reading like an established couple? It’s more likely than you think.

13.1-13.5: Dean’s grief mini-arc. Dude’s acting like a widower. We all know this. I want to gesture towards the reunion moment though with “it’s never too late to start all over again.” To. Start. All. Over. Again. I’m just saying. 

13.6 Tombstone: hi this episode is pure love and Dean is so happy his sweetheart is back from the dead? He’s even ok being Jack’s third dad now? What a time to be alive. Also? apparently Dean and Cas were just having movie night together? Dates? Mutual Pining dates prior to shit going to hell in 12? Do you ever cry? What else are they getting up to offscreen? What else will they get up to off screen? MUCH TO THINK ABOUT. 

Season 14: MORE DOMESTICITY. With some pining because Michael. But...heart eyes when Dean comes back? Watch that scene again with Dean going off to shower. Suspicious. But then shit hits the fan and we’re all sad again. boo. 

14.15 Peace of Mind: Look me in the eye and tell me Dean and Cas talking in the kitchen about Jack doesn’t read like husbands talking about their child. Look me in the eye and tell me Cas just texting Dean to gossip about Sam isn’t coupley asf. 

14.18-14.20: Ah, yes, the divorce arc. Awful. Terrible. The culmination of Dean’s problem in all this: he lashes out, he pushes Cas away, his anger is alienating. Cue all of us suffering. But while Dean is clearly in the wrong in how the deals with his feelings, let’s not pretend some of his anger doesn’t come from a long established issue between him and Cas, which had its last traumatic turn when Cas died in s12. Dean isn’t being rational here; he saw Cas doing something on his own, and he saw that his mother is dead. What else could happen? Why won’t Cas just trust they can work as a team? Divorce arc was entirely too literal. 

But what about what we’re building up in 15? That seems like it could be a getting together plot, too, right? Well, yeah. It could very well be. But I’d argue the tension we’re seeing isn’t a will they or won’t they because they already have. The tension is instead will they or won’t they use their words to talk about the baggage that has kept them from truly being confident about their relationship. There’s a crucial step in their togetherness that they’re still missing, which is also the bedrock of the divorce arc that spanned TWELVE FRIGGIN’ EPISODES. Y’all. Y’all that’s half a season. And we’re not even entirely done with it yet because Dean was cut short in purgatory, and they haven’t dealt with Cas’s side of blame in this mess yet either -- that Cas keeps going off on his own and getting hurt (and getting other people hurt), and Dean has to deal with the fallout. The deep emotional understanding, the truly being on the same page is what we’re on the edge of our seats for. And, you know, that’s a whole lot more exciting than witnessing their for realsies first kiss. I’m also confident Dabb & co will deliver the conclusion to this emotional arc and it will be a whole mess of feelings on all our parts. 

For the moment, though, it’s looking a lot like Dean and Cas had a rocky start to their ~involvement, then DEATH, then they got together feat. sweet sweet domestic fluff, then DIVORCE. So, yeah. Season 12, guys; it’s where it’s at. 

As for the more performative aspect of Dean and Cas’s relationship…that’s a whole other thing and all I can say is they got the green light for something, but I don’t know what it is and it’s driving me bananas, but it’s definitely something and we can talk about that, too. Place your bets, etc.  I’m clowning on the “I love you” pay off because it’s a glaring missing piece in this whole story. See also: holding hands? Carving Cas’s initials on the table? Saileen endgame parallels? All supported by the narrative. Like a lot. So. *finger guns*

[tunehummed]

OVERBOARD. — 140 sentences from polygon’s board game series overboard, specifically episodes 12 and 13 where they play coup, anomia, and skull! change pronouns as needed.

COUP.

‘‘ ten minutes is not late. that's on time! ’’

‘‘ and we're here in… space? ’’

‘‘ the space is different from space. ’’

‘‘ so let's get machiavellian. ’’

‘‘ cool, cool, cool, cool. ’’

‘‘ so we've learned nothing. ’’

‘‘ like most politics, some stuff has happened and we're not quite sure what it was. ’’

‘‘ i want the money! ’’

‘‘ in what way? ’’

‘‘ oh, it's my turn! ’’

‘‘ that was a perfect turn of phrase. ’’

‘‘ that's the coward’s way. ’’

‘‘ the pussy’s option! ’’

‘‘ please no! please no! ’’

‘‘ i thought we were going hard! ’’

‘‘ you’ll pay for these transgressions. ’’

‘‘ i'm a man of my word. ’’

‘‘ i'm a man of my word. in fact, i'm TWO men of my word. ’’

‘‘ in fact, i'm TWO men of my word. ’’

‘‘ can i have that back? i’m sorry. ’’

‘‘ wow, so you’re all fucking lying! ’’

‘‘ i could make up anything. ’’

‘‘ this is a classic romance novel conundrum. ’’

‘‘ i know one of these gentlemen is lying. ’’

‘‘ we're not board game professionals like [name]. ’’

‘‘ there's a lot of parallel realities i'm trying to balance in my mind right now. ’’

‘‘ it is gross. i’m sorry. i didn't like saying it. ’’

‘‘ yes, i'm choosing to call you on your shit. ’’

‘‘ you're fighting awfully hard for somebody. ’’

‘‘ is that a direct threat? ’’

‘‘ but tell us how you really feel, [name]. ’’

‘‘ well, you've made a powerful enemy. ’’

‘‘ you're a COWARD, [full name]! ’’

‘‘ i would never expect a favor from someone who i'm in direct competition with. ’’

‘‘ so my dear ally, [full name], i’d like to turn it over to you. ’’

‘‘ however, if you would like me to destroy [name], i’d be happy to do that. ’’

‘‘ however, if you would like me to destroy [name], i’d be happy to do that. but i want to involve you in my decision making. ’’

‘‘ but i want to involve you in my decision making. ’’

‘‘ this is a weird energy. ’’

‘‘ oh, because you resent me, that's why. ’’

‘‘ you're saying i should call [name] on his shit? what if somebody else took that risk? ’’

‘‘ i don't believe it! show me the proof! ’’

‘‘ perhaps this is where my goose is finally cooked… or perhaps not. ’’

‘‘ you turned on me. you turned on me! ’’

‘‘ i'll stay at the table and just watch as this burns. ’’

‘‘ a whole deep, deep pile of mess. ʼ

‘‘ and [name] is just a wildcard in my opinion, in most things. ’’

‘‘ i'm not acting according to any logic. i only have loyalty towards [name]. that's all i have. nothing else. ’’

‘‘ that's great. you could do way worse. ’’

‘‘ everyone sings the song of the victim after their schemes have been thwarted! ’’

‘‘ don't listen to his lies. ’’

‘‘ don't listen to anything he says right now! ’’

‘‘ i’ll do fucking anything. ’’

‘‘ that was effective communication. ’’

‘‘ that's just toxic masculinity, baby! ’’

‘‘ oh, this is insufferable! ’’

‘‘ tfw someone has you dead to rights. ’’

‘‘ we're all stuck in a no money situation at the moment. ’’

‘‘ you remember what you did to me, right? ’’

‘‘ fairweather friends united only by their hatred for a shared enemy. ’’

‘‘ seems the monkey’s hand is caught in the vase. ’’

‘‘ alright, this fucking continental bullshit! ’’

‘‘ you say that now, but we'll see. ’’

‘‘ no one is sorry for what they've done to me. ’’

‘‘ here's the thing, i WILL win that! ’’

‘‘ i can't believe how perfectly this is happening. ’’

‘‘ pull the trigger, piglet! ’’

‘‘ that's the problem with being honest! ’’

‘‘ that was expertly, expertly done. ’’

ANOMIA.

‘‘ so let's get to the yelling. ’’

‘‘ okay, i just gotta remember all these things. ’’

‘‘ oh no. panic. ’’

‘‘ this is also a lying game! ’’

‘‘ this is the worst thing. ’’

‘‘ women helping women, that's what that was. ’’

‘‘ take it! take it! take it! ’’

‘‘ this is a nightmare. ’’

‘‘ i walked so you could run. ’’

‘‘ now that's women helping women. ’’

‘‘ thank you, mom! ’’

‘‘ the hell is a marsupial? ’’

‘‘ fair. well-defined. ’’

‘‘ fuck, FUCK! ’’

‘‘ if you go deep into lore, you can't prove there's not a star wars character called vango bango. ’’

‘‘ if you give a thousand monkeys a thousand typewriters and tell them to write star wars novels, one of them is going to write one about vango bango. ’’

‘‘ i’m too frail for this. ’’

‘‘ i'm just not ready to do a thing right now. ’’

‘‘ i'm panicking about edible plants. ’’

‘‘ [name], you're gonna die. ’’

‘‘ the standard is not can it go in your body! ’’

ʻ i can eat it, i just won't survive it! ’’

ʻ edible is not a word meaning a challenge. ’’

ʻ fucking anything is edible if you don’t quit! ’’

ʻ say that at my funeral. ’’

ʻ i feel like this is like a rorschach test for words. ’’

ʻ let’s be on a really safe footing. ’’

ʻ every name is unisex, alright? fuck you, gender norms. ’’

ʻ i’m getting lightheaded. ’’

ʻ goddamn, this is pathetic. ’’

ʻ i would name any child please no. ’’

ʻ why is [name] talking in a scottish accent all of a sudden? ’’

ʻ why is [name] talking in a scottish accent all of a sudden? you know what, actually, there's too much going on and not enough time to adequately probe this question. ’’

ʻ you know what, actually, there's too much going on and not enough time to adequately probe this question. ’’

ʻ i didn't wanna sound judgy, so i didn't wanna say anything. ’’

‘‘ that's some fast guns there, guys. ’’

SKULL.

‘‘ but you're not going to win without taking a few risks. ’’

‘‘ it's time to put up or shut up. ’’

‘‘ you definitely don't want to be stuck with it. ’’

‘‘ too rich for my blood. ’’

‘‘ pass. ’’

‘‘ oh, i don't like that now. ’’

‘‘ you played me like a fiddle, [last name]! ’’

‘‘ that was so coquettish. ’’

‘‘ he's playing the himbo of the team. ’’

‘‘ first time i've ever been described as a himbo. ’’

‘‘ starting to feel our oats here. whatever that means. ’’

‘‘ okay. that's fine. i got you. ’’

‘‘ death herself over here. ’’

‘‘ this stew is a simmerin’. ’’

‘‘ i should know what i'm doing. ’’

‘‘ shit. fuck me. ’’

‘‘ fuck me, i’m an idiot. ’’

‘‘ oh, i don't like that. i don't like that at all. ’’

‘‘ sorry, i didn't know if my body language expressed how i felt. ’’

‘‘ i'm just going to go this way. ’’

‘‘ good luck, buddy. ’’

‘‘ loved your energy though, going into that real strong. ’’

‘‘ face death and walk backwards into hell. ’’

‘‘ i think you've got this. ’’

‘‘ i plan on never winning. ’’

‘‘ maybe i should try a different strategy. ’’

‘‘ i mean. it's working for somebody. ’’

‘‘ AHHHHHHHHHHHH! ’’

‘‘ i started hard, i started high, and i was gonna get screwed over so badly. ’’

‘‘ if only they all knew [name] was a safe bet… ’’

‘‘ absolutely brutal. you hate to see it, folks! ’’

‘‘ are you gonna fuckin’’ do it? ’’

‘‘ holy shit. i can't count. ’’

‘‘ oh my god! do you believe in miracles? ’’

‘‘ who do you think you are? ’’

[caranfindel]

Recap/review 14.19: “Jack in the Box”

THEN: Eh, you know all this. Oh, wait, here's something interesting - a reminder that Naomi was overcome by the Empty slime. Which reminds me of my theory that Naomi and/or Duma might actually be the Empty Entity. Hmmm. Oh, and also, all the Jack stuff.

NOW: There's a bunch of hunters in the bunker, drining beer and looking at pictures of Mary and her stuff on the map table. Including the picture Sam burned. Well, I'm glad it wasn't the only copy. And whatever these rings and calipers are that are always on the map table, apparently they're permanent, because they weren't removed for this little memorial display. Also, John's journal is part of the display, and I know they gave it to Mary to read, but still, it's John's. This bothers me.

So, are these surviving AU hunters? If not, that means the Winchesters have opened the bunker up to every hunter they know (and revealed its location to everyone they know), which is... not what I would have done. TFW makes an entrance (why were they not in there with their guests) and Dean thanks them for coming and makes a little speech but I'm finding it real hard to concentrate on Dean right now because LOOK AT SAM'S SHIRT. LOOK AT IT. It's CLOSE-FITTING and it's NOT PLAID and whatever awful things this episode does (and my completely unspoiled prediction is that IT WILL DO AWFUL THINGS), we at least got this.

I strongly suspect this is actually Jared's shirt.

Dean informs the gathered that they missed the pyre, sorry. And he mentions that some of them fought Michael with her in the other world so they ARE AU hunters! Or at least some of them! Well, that's good to know. Sam doesn't have to feel personally responsible for killing everyone who came over, just a handful. Including the only one who had a name, and probably that guy who called him Chief (sob), but some of them remain. Anyway. Dean gives his eulogy (and Sam's not the only worth a second look in this scene, because Dean looks pretty amazing as well) and they drink beer and then an AXE FLIES IN OUT OF NOWHERE, SLOWLY AND AWKWARDLY SPIRALING INTO A HUNTER'S HEAD. People seem surprised, but it's the mild kind of surprise you'd get if he threw his beer at somebody, not if an axe suddenly appeared embedded in his head. The thrower of the axe walks in - it's New Bobby. WELL.

Title card! Bobby informs me that it was a hatchet, not an axe, and he wants it back. (Sidebar: It literally never occurred to me to think about the difference between a hatchet and an axe until earlier this week when I was listening to a murder podcast that specified someone was killed with one, not the other.) He also tell us that the "hunter" was actually a wraith "from a nest your mom and I busted up" and SEE, GUYS? This is why you don't invite people to the bunker. Now a bunch of wraiths probably know where it is. And we know the warding is a joke. Cas thinks Mary would have appreciated a monster at her memorial. I don't think Cas knows Mary very well but whatever.

Bobby asks Sam how he and "the other one" are doing, and we watch Dean pack up Mary's belongings (including John's journal? that's going away?) and Sam says he "seems to be doing okay" which is, of course, how they operate. No one asks how Bobby's doing, even though he had a relationship with Mary too (and over the course of her life probably spent as much time with her as Sam did, when you come right down to it), but Bobby says he's not into public displays of grief anyway, and Dean is probably the same (which is true, except for when it's very very not true).

Sam suggests they drink the scotch Ketch left (and I wonder if this means Ketch came for the memorial, and left some scotch, or if he's referring to a bottle from a previous season that somehow remained through all those events that really would have called for some serious scotch-drinking) and talk about Mom. Dean points out that they have been talking about Mom and stalks out and leaves Sam sad.

Sam and Bobby and Cas settle for beer instead, and Dean walks in just as Bobby asks "what exactly happened to her, cause I'm hearing, the kid." Oh, that's interesting that they wouldn't have given him the whole story. Or maybe it's not. Maybe it makes sense that they'd keep things vague, tell everyone she "died on a hunt." Dean needs a drink, but not in the bunker. Sam tells him they need to talk about Jack, and he says "we will" and quickly makes his escape. Bobby and Cas have this funny exchange.

I liked the kid. We fought together. But there's only way this ends.

Bobby's right. We have to find Jack and help him.

What?

Hee! Cas feels Jack might not realize what he did was wrong, and Bobby astutely points out that if he didn't realize it was wrong, that's kind of a big problem, because if Kelly's influence has been burned away, that means Lucifer is all that's left. Bobby means to hunt him down. "An unstoppable monster who don't know right from wrong gets put down." Um, Bobby, let's consider the unstoppable part of that declaration. (Also, should someone point out to Bobby that Jack accidentally killed someone even back when he did have a soul? Probably not.)

Cut to Jack, who is still? again? at an abandoned warehouse or factory or something. He's remembering what he did, and wishing his mother was there to tell him what to do. Oh, she's not here, but Hallucidad is. He tells Jack that the Winchesters don't care about him, he was just a pet and a weapon, and again, it hurts knowing that this is Jack's subconscious saying these things. Jack thinks he can explain and apologize, and if that's so, Jack, then why didn't you do that when they caught you raising Mary's not-corpse? No, says Hallucifer, they hate you.

Cut to Dean, sitting outside somewhere in the dark, crying.

This is not okay. I mean, it is, but it's not.

Heaven. (yawn.) Cas again tells Duma that he wants to see Naomi, and again she denies him. It turns out Naomi is in "a very small cell" because Heaven was invaded under her watch. I didn't think they had enough spare angels around to lock one up just because they don't think she's a good leader. She might be a great follower. (Yeah, probably not.) Cas tells her he needs help looking for Jack, who has burned through his soul and is no longer being protected by the Winchesters. Hmmm, she says, this is very useful information to have. Internally. Out loud, she tells Cas she'll see what she can do, which he of course takes as an offer to help. Oh, Cas.

Bunker. Sam's working at his computer when Dean comes back. Sam's wearing a different shirt. I don't know if that means it's the next day, or just that he changed out of his nice funeral shirt. He asks Dean how he's doing, but Dean ignores that and asks what Sam's doing.

Trying to find Jack. We've gotta find him before Bobby and his crew, because if they find him first -

He's gonna kill them all.

... I don't know.

Oh, Sam, you DO know. You are obviously concerned about Bobby et al killing Jack, not the other way around. And it breaks my heart. Sam also wants to talk about Mary and the fact that they don't have to rely on faith to know Mary's in Heaven, because they personally know Heaven and angels are real. Dicks, but real. He says Mary's in a great place, with John, because again we're forgetting or denying what we know about Heaven. Dean, the eternal ray of sunshine, points out that there wasn't enough of Mary left to bring back to life even if they wanted to.

Back to Jack, who has a surprise visitor. It's Duma! Oh, cool, she's helping Cas find him, just like she said she would! Ha ha ha nope. (Sidebar: How did Duma find him, and why doesn't Cas have the same ability? Discuss.) He remembers her from his trip to Heaven that one time he died. She tells him Mary's death wasn't his fault, and he deserves redemption after his mistake, because he has "a glorious destiny." She tells him Heaven has fallen apart since God left, and no one gives them the respect they deserve, but Jack, YOU can save Heaven and make the world better and wouldn't that make Sam and Dean happy? Their first stop on the Make The World Better Tour is to turn a famous God denier into a pillar of salt. Oh, irony. (Also, he's safe from ghosts now, so. Bonus?)

Bunker. Cas is telling the Winchesters that Heaven promised to "make every effort" to find Jack. Which 1) isn't exactly what we saw happening, unless you're naive enough to think "I'll see what I can do" means "I'll make every effort", and b) even if that is what Duma said, as Dean points out, "Oh, Heaven promised? Great, well we should take that to the bank." But Cas thinks Heaven has as much reason to want to find Jack as they do. Which is true. But doesn't mean they're going to turn him over to you, Cassie.

Coincidentally, Sam has just read about Professor Pillar of Salt. "Why does that sound familiar?" Dean asks. You know, I don't know the Bible very well. If a particular event didn't show up in "Jesus Christ Superstar" or "The Ten Commandments," I'm not likely to be familiar with it. And yet I know about Lot's wife turning into a pillar of salt. And I've never been to Heaven or met an angel. So.

Cas explains the story and says no ordinary angel could turn a human into salt. Sam reads another story about a dishonest televangelist (yeah, I know, that's redundant) who had a crevice open in the ground under her and swallow her up, and again Dean's not familiar with the story, but this time I'm not either. But Cas knows it's from the book of Numbers. Allegedly, only Jack or Chuck himself could perform these acts.

Heaven. Duma tells Jack he's doing excellent work, and he can help bring Heaven back to its previous glory.

Sam and Dean will like that?

Words can't begin to express how Sam and Dean will feel.

Hee!

So let's talk about what's going on here. I appreciate that they're framing this as Jack trying to get back into Sam and Dean's good graces. In fact, I'm a little hopeful at this point. If Jack-who-is-being-used-by-Heaven is the Big Bad, doesn't that mean stopping the Big Bad could just mean they rescue him from Duma's manipulation? Maybe? (Yeah, I know. But a girl can dream.)

Anyway. Duma's next task for Jack is to create more angels. She tells him he can't make them out of thin air, but if a human is "predisposed" to it, he might be able to forge them into an angel. Oooooh, this opens up some chilling possibilities about who could be turned into an angel. But it turns out he's not going after anybody named Winchester. He's just sitting on the throne "where your grandfather received prayers" (and where your father sat) and listening to prayers. (Sidebar: Why hasn't Sam tried to communicate with Jack by praying to him? Discuss.)

For whatever reason, he hones in on one particular group of worshippers who are about to discuss the book of Samuel (hee!) with Pastor Ames. Jack zaps into the room, asks if they meant it when they said they wanted to go to Heaven, and shows them his wings. Sold! Pastor Ames missing that demonstration, so when he comes in and calls Jack a liar, Jack hits him with another Biblical curse: "he was eaten by worms and breathed his last." Pastor Ames falls to the ground with worms popping out of him everywhere, and Jack and his future angels disappear.

Hospital. Guys, look at the suits! Have they ever worn such narrow pants? What is going on here? Someone new in the wardrobe department?

Mama like.

Agents Kilmister, Clark, and Taylor (hee) are visiting bandaged-up Pastor Ames, who identifies a photo of Jack. They leave, and Cas recites the relevant verse and Sam says, surprised, "so you think this is another Bible thing?" AS IF THAT WASN'T WHY THEY'RE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, and as they leave, we see that Pastor Ames is not over his worm infestation after all.

Back at the bunker, Dean tells Sam that he didn't want it to come to this, but they have no choice. Come to what? What's behind the door in room 5B? It's the thing we all knew was coming - the box! (And if you didn't see it coming, the title of this episode clearly gave it away, which is why I consider titles of unaired episodes to be spoilers.) Sam, who is clearly not behind this plan in any way shape or form, points out that they don't have the ability to force Jack into the box, and he won't go in there of his own free will.

But he might. He might if he only has to stay in there long enough for us to finish the spell to fix his soul.

Spell? What spell? There is no spell.

*We* know that.

Oh, no, this is not good, and Sam already hates it.

... So, you want to lie to him.

No, I mean, I *want* Zeppelin to get back together. But what I *need*, what *we* need, is to stop Jack. Big difference. But here's the deal; we both gotta sign off on it. This might be our only shot, and if he even catches a whiff that this is a scam, he's off into the wind.

Exactly. Now, how do you think he's not gonna know something's up?

Because you're gonna be so damn sincere -

Me? Why me?

Because you've always been in his corner. You're his go-to guy. Sam, if you reach out, he'll come. If I do it, after what happened to Mom, I could lose him. I *will* lose him.

Oh no, no, no, Sam is SO not on board with this plan. Because the worst thing that could happen is that it doesn't work, and the second worst thing is that it does work. Dean is so calmly insistent, and Sam is so unhappy, and his FACE when Dean tells him HE will be sincere is just killing me, and no matter what I think about this episode or or this entire story arc, I love what the guys are doing with this scene.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm finding a silver lining here.

Sam sits down at the library table and begins praying to Jack, which doesn't answer my question of why they haven't already tried communicating with him that way. In fact, it makes me ask it harder. He tells him that they're family, and bad things happen in families but they want to get through it, they want to be like they were before. Jack hears Sam's prayer as he assembles his future angels. Meanwhile, Cas has barged his way into Heaven to rescue Jack, having figured out that Heaven has no mercy and angels do bad things, and Cas? How is this POSSIBLY news to you? Duma threatens to end Mary and John's happy little afterlife together (Is this confirmation that they really are sharing a Heaven, even though his name isn't on the door? Maybe. Do I accept it? Not necessarily) so Cas stabs her. Well. We're down to, what, ten angels now? He calls for Jack, but Jack's already gone, having just appeared in the bunker.

Jack tells Sam and Dean he's been working with Heaven, and "if it helps, I regret it... the accident."

Again, the guys do a beautiful job with this scene. Even if it's an awful, awful scene, they're acting the hell out of it. Sam is as anxious as he was when he was trapped in a cell with Jack the day he was born, the way his hands twitch when he gets up from the table and circles behind Dean, and then carefully places himself between Dean and Jack, and how he physically reacts when Jack steps closer, and they're both keeping their distance and moving so carefully, and then there's the way Dean is practically unblinking and is very obviously working SO HARD not to spontaneously combust, staying practically motionless and keeping his voice even, although anyone could tell he's absolutely BOILING under the surface from the look on his face and his tone of voice every time he says the accident. All of this is amazing.

But yeah, it is also an awful scene. Because Jack isn't guilty or apologetic at all. He's actually kind of smug about working with Heaven and making angels, and very condescending about regretting "the accident," and I just don't think he would be there. I think he would tell them how sorry he was, and that he tried to fix it, and basically everything he said to Hallucifer. He wouldn't say "I knew you'd understand" when they tell him they forgive him. His blind self-assurance would make sense if it came at the end of a 2- or 3-episode arc, where Duma had spent more than a day telling him how awesome he was. So while I love Sam and Dean in this scene, love them to pieces, Jack is just... ugh. Beyond OOC. Moving on. Dean tells Jack they're working on a way to fix his soul, and they want to keep him safe (from having another ACCIDENT) in the meanwhile. Sam oh-so-tentatively puts a hand on Jack's shoulder and dear GOD he is so afraid and I LOVE IT.

Again, quite a silver lining to this dark little raincloud.

They take him to the room with the magic box, which Dean claims is "actually pretty comfortable." Dean stays still and Sam fidgets and Jack says "okay" and climbs into the box. "How long before I can come out?" he asks. Sam is more and more fidgety as he says "not too long," and Dean is like stretched rubber band about to snap as he holds himself back from slamming the lid down. "Jack, we got this," Sam lies. "Okay," Jack says again, and he lies down and they didn't even put a pillow in the damn box, why does he think this is okay, why does he think they're working in his best interest if they didn't even give him a damn pillow? Dean shuts the lid and rushes to close the locks and Sam hates this, hates it so much.

Shhh. Don't even listen. Just turn the sound down and enjoy the pretty, pretty angst.

Alone in the box, Jack calls to the Winchesters, but they're already shutting the door to room 5B. They move to the kitchen to finish off Ketch's scotch and talk about the future.

So what do we do now? Just go on, with Jack locked up in there forever?

We have to.

I don't know if I can do that.

Dean ignores Sam's shaky voice and decides to talk about the scotch and sure, we all recognize this is Dean's way of coping. Pretend it's not happening, pretend it doesn't bother him. Because I have to think that, no matter how much he wants revenge against Jack, he understands that being locked in that box forever is still a horrible fate. (A fate Dean was willing to accept, but still.) Sam, meanwhile, needs to talk, just like he needed to talk about Mary.

You know, I never thought it would end like this, with Jack.

Sammy, we knew from the beginning it was a long shot with him.

Yeah. Yeah. But, long shots are kind of our thing.

So let's talk about Sam's guilt. His beautiful, beautiful guilt. Not only over tricking someone he loves into being locked up in a box forever, but for bringing Jack into their lives in the first place. And yet. Jack has always been unstoppable, hasn't he? So if Sam hadn't opened his humongous heart and taken him in, he would have been out there alone. No one teaching him how to use and control his powers, no one keeping him away from Lucifer. He would have been an unstoppable enemy instead of an unpredictable ally. Sam did the right thing, even though it ended bad. Because it was always going to end bad.

Have I mentioned that I could watch an entire episode that was just Dean drinking?

Back in room 5B, Jack's starting to panic, and still calling for Sam and Dean. They don't show up, but Hallucifer does (oh god, I want to see Sam find out he basically locked Jack in that box with Lucifer) and informs Jack he's been played.

In the kitchen, Cas arrives with the news that Duma has been manipulating Jack, and they really need to find him. The guys are all, oh, whoops, forgot to call you, he's here, locked in the box.

Jack gets glowy eyes and tries to break out of the box, but nothing happens.

Cas is horrified that the guys still plan to keep Jack in the box, even knowing his latest acts were due to being manipulated. Sam says "That's the problem. If he's that easily manipulated, he's too dangerous to be out of the box." Oh, no he doesn't. Instead, Dean says "He agreed to it." Yes, in much the same way Sam agreed to be Gadreel's vessel. You keep telling yourself that, Dean. In fact, Dean is trying to claim that deep down, Jack knows it's best. Oh, no, no you don't. Cas points out that Dean manipulated Jack as much as Duma did.

(Sidebar: I'm convinced that Sam would be able to forgive Jack. Because of his endless capacity for forgiveness, and because he sees himself as being in Jack's shoes at a different point in his life. Dean, on the other hand, would not. Because Dean is a normal human being when it comes to forgiveness, and because Dean puts loyalty to family above everything else.)

Box. Jack tries harder. Lucifer laughs. The box glows.

Kitchen. The arguing is interrupted by an earth-shattering kaboom. Things fall off shelves. The red emergency lights and klaxon come on. TFW leaps up and runs to room 5B. The room is a smoke-filled wreck and a figure with glowing gold eyes is walking out of the red-tinged smoke. "Jack," Sam gasps.

Duh duh duuuuuhhhh! Next week, Cas makes Dean write I knew a nephilim was more powerful than its angel parent but I assumed the box would be stronger than Jack anyway 100 times on the blackboard.

Okay, the bad happened, as we all figured it would. But let's talk about the good. Jack's not locked in the box forever. That's a relief - it would have been a very unsatisfactory conclusion. And the guys looked extraordinary. And there was so much emotion, both the tightly-controlled type, and the worn-on-his-sleeve type, and I love them both. Honestly, considering what happened in this one, and who wrote it, it was a lot better than I expected. A lot better than it could have been. (Will I go read your reactions now and see that every single one of you disagrees with me? Quite possibly.)

Next week is the next-to-last "Carry On Wayward Son."

Please help me stay unspoiled, thanks!

[hunter-of-sorts]

My Question

Request- Can you do a fic with either one of the guys from TFW or one of the underrated angels (Gadreel, Samandriel, Michael etc) where the reader is a huge tomboy and somebody starts picking on her for it when the dude bro stands up for her and adorable fluff ensues?

A/N- I pick Gadreel cause I’ve never written for him and it was a fun chance! Also I’m not sure how fluffy the end was but I left it open for a part 2 if enough people want that. Tell me what you think! x)

Gadreel x Fem!Reader

Word Count-1133

-His POV-

I’m walking down a small road, in a small town that I took refuge in. I like this town. This town of at most one hundred people. Everyone seemed to know each other and get along well. With the exception of Y/N.

 Y/N is a girl, who doesn’t exactly dress like one, not that I mind it, but I guess not everyone is accepting here. I’ve talked to her several times and, if I’m being honest, she means a lot to me. I don’t really know what this means, this feeling, this adoration, this sense of wanting to protect her. I always thought it was the angel in me, but I don’t really know anymore.

 Can I still be called an angel anyways? I guess not.

 Anyway, back to Y/N.

 She, always had a jacket on, not like other girls her age, who have jackets that hug their figures. No. Y/N has an oversized jacket or sweater, most of the time. Her sleeves are sometimes too long for her arms that her hands weren’t visible. She has decently long hair but it’s always hidden in a beanie or a hat.

 Today was no different.

 I met her while working in a diner. Where, although she was meant to be a waitress, she became the chef. I assist her from time to time, though I’m simply a waiter. I help because she doesn’t much get along with the rest of the humans that work with her. Well, if I’m being frank, it’s them that don’t get along with her.

 They call her names every now and then, she ignores it, but since I’m an angel, I can tell that it hurts her. Unfortunately, I’m never there to stop them, and I can’t very well mess with them outside the incidents. She would hate that.

 “Good morning Gadreel,” she said softly as she walked right passed me.

 “Hey Y/N. Good morning. How are you today?” I asked her. I don’t really understand why but I wanted to speak with her more than the casual morning greetings.

 She stopped and spun around, “I’m good, still a little bit sleepy but-” she began but stopped mid-sentence. She turned around again and headed straight to the kitchen.

 “Aw where you going?” someone from behind me called.

 I turned to face them, anger apparent on my face, “Morning boys,” I said, though not so nicely.

 “Mornin Gadreel... You okay? You look a little-” he started.

 “Angry,” the other finished.

 “Angry?” I questioned. I hadn’t really noticed, but for some reason I was angry. So I smiled to not cause any trouble, “Of course not.”

 They sighed out of relief and smiled back, “Well let’s get ready for work,” the other said. They both headed toward the back.

 The rest of the day went on as usual, though with no incidents, that I know of at least. Since there weren’t many costumers today I didn’t have to go to the kitchen to help Y/N, which saddened me a bit. I had become accustomed to being around her.

 When it was time to go I thought I’d offer to walk Y/N home. When I checked the kitchen she was already gone. I sighed thinking I missed my chance, but as I headed out of the diner through the back door, she was there, along with the other two.

 They pulled her hood and beanies, releasing her hair, letting it blow in the small breeze that passed with all too perfect timing. “If you’re a girl then dress like one,” one said.

 “Yeah. What a waste,” the other said, touching her hair.

 She smacked his hand away, “Fuck off.”

 “At least wear a dress or something,” the first said, while dragging his eyes across her body, “A crop top even,” he added.

 “Leave Y/N alone!” I shouted, walking over to them and standing in front of her.

 “Gadreel? We’re not doing anything wrong,” said the second.

 “Y-Yeah. Just giving the tom boy some suggestions. Maybe then she could get laid and loosen up a bit.”

 I don’t quite understand why, especially after I had sworn off violence, but I balled my fist and punch him. “You don’t talk to someone, especially not Y/N, that way!” I yelled. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see her eyes widened, she must hate me now, I thought.

 “Gadreel...” she whispered. She didn’t seem mad but wasn’t quite happy either.

 “What the hell man? We were just-”

 “Quiet! If you’re going to lecture anyone on their appearance then first look at yourselves, and also think on this- Is what you are saying useful in anyway or are you just forcing your ideal on them? If so then whatever it is you want to say holds no merit and shouldn’t be said.” I told him, in a small voice. My anger had gone, and all I was left with was this strange feeling I had yet to name.

 The boys left in a hurry, annoyance apparent on their faces. I was left alone with her. With you. I turned toward you, hoping you’d say something. Anything was better than the silence that let my mind wonder. Were you mad at me? Was what I did wrong? What can I do for you to look at me? Finally I was overcome with a question I believe I avoided asking myself. Why do I care for you so?

 “Gadreel...” you said finally, I almost sighed out of relief.

 “Y-Yes?” I asked, though I was somewhat afraid of the answer.

 “Thanks... but... you didn’t have to do that for me... I can take care of myself,” you said, putting your beanie back on your head.

 I sighed, “I’m sorry... I’m not exactly sure why I was so angry. I believe it may be common for someone to be mad when their friend is being ridiculed.”

 “I guess so but I haven’t ever seen you so angry,” you said, almost as if you were worried.

 I looked down, “Yes... I had sworn off violence- I don’t know what came over me,” I answered.

 You stared at me with curious eyes, “Gadreel- You want to go get some ice cream?”

 “I-Ice cream? At this hour?” I asked, bewildered by your intentions. I could never guess what was going through your head.

 You smiled and it felt as if the world was that much brighter, “Yeah. Ice cream is best in the cold.”

 I smiled back and nodded, “Okay.”

 You grabbed my hand, and I could only focus on the warmth it gave me. You lead me down the street. I didn’t even know where exactly we were going but I knew- I knew that as long as I was with you, I can find an answer to my question.

Hope you liked it!

[danboorucomments]

Mincemaker Yep. Jeanne was an illiterate peasant girl.

AdventZero That, and Marie Antoinette didn't even say those words. It came from Jean-Jacques Rousseau's autobiography which he supposedly quoted from a "great princess."

Marie Antoinette was 9 years old at the time Rousseau's books were written.

Farran TFW the Throne of Heroes gives all the basic knowledge of the world to a Heroic Spirit and still can't make her literate. Though on a more serious note, I thought that Jeanne as a Servant could read, she just still couldn't do math?

Mincemaker And you would think that if she did indeed say those words, she should be excused because she was 9 years old, for God's sake!

AdventZero Agreed. She wasn't even a princess back then, much less a "great princess" of her time. If my research is correct, Rousseau didn't even know she existed when his book was written. Marie Antoinette arrived in France until about 5 years after his first six books were written - at the age of 14.

That, and the saying was already a hundred years old by the time he quoted it in his book.

BarefeetChaser It is indeed a tragic case of somebody just make shit up, and some other people gets the shit for no good reason.

Kippenberger When did that myth first appear? It sounds like something Robespierre or someone petty would make up.

NWSiaCB In general, the wives/daughters of despised monarchs were roundly vilified in their day. To say something bad about the king was against the law, and being open about such things gave anyone within earshot who didn't like you all the excuse they needed to have you brought to trial and possibly even executed. Talk shit about the king's relatives, however...

The same can be said of Lucretia Borgia, as well, who gets a rap as the wickedest woman who ever lived because she's the daughter of one of the most corrupt popes to ever use the church as a bargaining chip for getting his son onto as many thrones as possible. Since he needed political marriages, and only had one daughter, well, why not just re-use his daughter by murdering or annulling any marriages that live past their usefulness and marry her off again? Who cares what she thinks about this, she's just a bargaining chip woman.

Then again, Marie Antoinette doesn't really have room to complain too much. If she's played as the genuinely innocent naive girl who was brought into a decadent court just before it collapsed, then it raises questions as to why she even qualifies to be a servant in the first place.

Kippenberger Marie in her earlier years was basicly an innocent naïve girl who's "restraing bolts" was loosend too early and as a result overspent her personal fund (money gained from taxing already suffering cevilians) more often then not.

While Marie in her later years started acting more mature, by then Robespierre and people with similar ambitions had gotten into a position to take avantage of those with even less commen sense then most versarien nobles - Yes that's possible - (such as Jeanne de Valois-Saint-Rémy) to stage a Coup.

Claverhouse Something continued with those poor wretches of pseudo-monarchs, presidents and such people: I have yet to come across an American First Lady not roundly abused by some screamers. And they are nearly all innocuous, rather dull women who have not interfered with their husband's work at all.

NWSiaCB Well, there's a gap between "some people" and "how history primarily remembers them". There are some partisans so fervent they loathe Laura Bush simply for being married to George W., but that isn't how the history books are written.

If you go back to First Ladies of more than a generation ago, the way history is handed down to anyone who didn't live through the moment leaves them only as historical curiosities if people know anything about them at all; a general whitewashing of history to heroify the likes of Jackie Kennedy, and a dismissal of Nancy Reagan's interest in the occult as a silly note of interest. As I stated before, the problem she has is "Let them eat cake!" is pretty much the ONLY thing most people know about Marie Antoinette. She wouldn't be noteworthy at all without it. (Hell, more people know who Marie Antoinette was than her husband who was the actual reining monarch of what was at the time the world's most powerful empire overthrown in the whole affair.)

Even worse, most portrayals of Lucrezia Borgia in anything that isn't trying to actively dispel the rumors of her life show her as a raging psychopath and incestuous slut who was willing to sleep with and/or murder (not necessarily in that order) anyone to make her otou-san or onii-san happy. (Of course, she has the misfortune of being related to the Pope so flagrantly corrupt that he's considered one of the primary reasons for the backlash against church corruption that led to the Protestant Reformation. Plus, he was also followed up by a Pope who loathed him with the blazing passions of a million hateful suns and overtly forced "confessions" under torture of Borgia servants to fabricate accusations of murder, adultery, and incest against a family already rife with rumors of those same activities.)

PraiseVectron To add onto that, Marie was an Austrian. Worse, she was an Austrian with the blood of the Hapsburgs in her veins. Nowadays, we don't really consider France and Austria to be arch-enemies, but the hate was intense back then. There were revolutionary politicians whose entire platform can be summarized as "we need to preemptively kill the Austrians before they kill us". Oh, and the Affair of the Diamond Necklace didn't help either.

In the Affair of the Diamond Necklace, Louis XV commissioned an intolerably expensive diamond necklace for his mistress, but died before it was finished. Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette refused to buy the necklace. During this time, a group of scammers had convinced Cardinal de Rohan that Marie secretly loved him and wanted him to buy the necklace for her using forged love letters. Cardinal de Rohan told the diamond makers it was for Marie when he bought the necklace. The diamond makers told Marie about the purchase, and Marie had them all arrested. While modern historians believe it was all the fault of independent scammers, the French public at the time believed it was all Marie's Keikaku. They believed Marie was an evil Austrian who wanted to destroy the romantic Cardinal de Rohan while receiving a decadent diamond necklace on someone else's budget.

Also, she was heavily involved the firing of Finance Minister Jacques Necker. While Necker would later be revealed to have completely failed to bring France out of debt, the French public believed Necker was the savior of the French budget. Necker used accounting tricks to hide problems in the budget, but when the truth was revealed during the revolution, the public initially blamed Marie's excesses instead of the "genius" Necker and his "perfect" math. When the truth finally came out, it was too late. Marie's reputation as a profligate was too large to be removed by something as silly as the truth.

As for actual faults during the revolution, Marie's only problem was being convinced that God would let them turn back the clock with no real consequences. Instead putting all their chips on the constitutional monarchists of the Feuillants Club, their stubbornness helped lead to the domination of the Jacobin Club and their own execution. This is no great fault of Marie's, since more worldly French nobles made the same mistake and gave the same advice to Louis XVI.

Kippenberger The idiot I mentioned (Jeanne) WAS the one who broke the camels back with the whole "Diamond Necklace Affair" Stunt. Didn't know about Jacques though. I know he was fired but not because of imcompetence. I THINK A documentary I watched - Can't remember which one - said it was because of something else but I don't remember what.