#and then when he did leave he basically begged sergei to come with him !!!!!

[thedissociatives]

[theskategatsby]

3A: From the dream team to catastrophe

Aliona Kostornaia, Alexandra Trusova and Anna Sherbakova, better known as 3A, are 3 Russian figure skaters coached by Eteri Tutberidze.

While they were juniors, they were always seen dominating competitions by placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Only losing to each other.

Alexandra Trusova, popular for starting the quad revolution in women's figure skating, was seen as the 'leader' of the group, she was expected to start winning everything when she turned senior. Aliona Kostornaia was seen as the most artistic, graceful and theatrical one, she can't jump any quads, but she does have a triple axel. Anna Sherbakova on the other hand, can jump quads, yet she is the least talked about in this trio.

They all turned from juniors to seniors at the same time, and contrary to what most people expected, Aliona Kostornaia starts winning all the competitions. In May 2020, it was announced that Alexandra (also known as Sasha) would be leaving Team Tutberidze for The Angels Of Plushenko. Only a month later, it was announced that Aliona would also be leaving Team Tutberidze for The Angels Of Plushenko. Eteri Tutberidze and Evgeni Plushenko had a dispute not long before this about another skater, Evgenia Medvedeva, and they were still not on good terms.

Sasha mainly moved to Plushenko so she could be #1 at the camp and have all the attention on her, specifically from Sergei Rozanov, who is a coach who previously worked at Eteri's camp, but moved to Plushenko. He is the coach that helped all of 3A to get their jumps, this is another reason why Eteri and Plushenko are rivals. Sasha was unhappy about her main competition, Aliona, also moving to Plushenko and being coached by Sergei. A schedule had to be made where neither of them could see each other on the ice or even leaving/entering the rink. Because Sergei started coaching Aliona again, Sasha didn't want to be coached by him anymore and she started working with a different coach.

A few months later, Aliona decided to move back to Eteri, but she was given a very hard time. She was forced to give an interview on Russian state television apologising for what she did and practically begging Eteri for forgiveness. Sadly, Aliona got infected with COVID this season, which took her out of most competitions this season. Eventually, Eteri allowed Aliona to return to her camp under one condition, she had to get her triple axel back within 2 months.

Sasha also moved back to Eteri later because of the Eteri bonus, which basically means that those coached by Eteri get higher scores in competition. This switch was just in time for the olympic season, for these olympics, there were only 3 spots for the Russians, and one of them was already taken by Kamila Valieva. There were 6 more olympic-level athletes who had to battle it out for 2 spots to go to Beijing. Due to the level difference between Russian figure skaters and the rest of the world, going to the olympics almost guarantees coming home with a medal. After Sasha showcased her 5-quad record breaking performance at Russian test skates, she was also set to go to Beijing. This whole season, Eteri's team spoke very negatively of Aliona during press conferences, calling her lazy and saying that her personality is the reason she can't land quads. Suddenly, Aliona posted a picture of a broken arm, which knocked her out of the battle to go to the olympics. There was still a battle between Jelizaveta Tuktamysheva and Anna Sherbakova over who would go to the olympics, but because the federation has a preference for Eteri girls, Anna was chosen to go. At the time, Anna didn't even have any ultra C elements in her programs, but she ended up performing ultra C elements at the olympics.

These heartbreaking olympics ended with Anna in first place, Sasha, heartbroken, in second, and Kamila, the favourite to win gold, in 4th place. I have a more detailed post about Beijing 2022 on my blog if you're interested.

These olympics marked the end of the dreamteam that was 3A, and this will go down in history as the death of figure skating.

[thefriendlyfrog]

Too many thoughts on SPN 15x17, “Unity”

Welp, I don’t usually do this, but this episode was so great and packed with so many good parallels and callbacks I couldn’t help it! Meredith Glynn is such a great writer. So, let’s begin. Lots of spoilers under the cut.

The first scene opens up to Amara living life to the fullest in an Icelandic hot spring (I’ve been to some in Iceland and would 10/10 recommend – don’t bother with the Blue Lagoon, though). My eyes were immediately drawn to the super recognizable cover of Murakami’s “Norwegian Wood”. Now, I haven’t read this book since, like, high school (now realizing that was a DECADE ago), but I do remember the general plot and themes of the story (I should really reread that again, it’s a good book). Basically, the story is recalled by our narrator and protagonist Watanabe at a later point in his life as he is reminded of a time of life when the Beatles’ song “Norwegian Wood” plays. I don’t want to spoil the whole book, but basically it is a coming of age story that is steeped in themes of regret, sex, love, and death (among others, it really is a literary treasure trove!). Skip the next paragraph if you don’t want “Norwegian Wood” spoilers.

In short: Watanabe’s best friend from high school commits suicide which haunts him and his friend’s girlfriend, Naoki, for the rest of their lives. Watanabe and Naoki become close and romantically involved, but she leaves for a sanitorium. Watanabe wants to be with Naoki despite her telling him that she doesn’t think she can love anymore (she described herself and her high school boyfriend as soulmates). Watanabe later meets Naoki’s opposite, Midori, a lively girl who Watanabe grows close to and is also interested in. Watanabe essentially doesn’t move forward as he is waiting on Naoki while having Midori waiting on him. At the end of the story, it is revealed that it has always been Midori and he realizes he wants to be with her.

I thought that this was an EXCELLENT pick for Amara to be reading. It really sums of a lot of surface and not-so-surface level themes in Supernatural. Wondering if there is a parallel between Dean and Watanabe about sort of idealizing a life (with someone) that isn’t meant to be while ignoring love in front of you? Would love to hear all of your thoughts.

Moving on (I’m skipping through parts of the episode to just focus on some key observations)! Amara tries to convince Chuck to fight on behalf of this world and wants to show him some of his creations. So, she brings him to Heaven to see his ‘first children’ (i.e., angels). She also refers to angels as having prefect angelic devotion which immediately made me laugh because our fave angel Cas is really devoted to Dean humanity and not Chuck. Ahh! This whole episode just kept pointing out how special Cas is.

And then, callback after callback began. Amara brings Chuck to the bunker so Chuck says, “Is this a trap?” which made me think of episode 9 (“The Trap” by Berens). This was almost immediately followed by another callback when Chuck says, “You can’t hold me here forever,” to which Amara replies, “I can hold you long enough.” Um, Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets (12x10, Yockey), anyone?

Ishim: “You can’t hold me here forever.” … Lily’s powers are wearing off as Ishim approaches her until Cas stabs Ishim in the back with his angel blade. Cas: “You held him for long enough.”

Like, COME ON! Almost verbatim.

Skipping forward to Dean and Jack’s adventure to visit my favorite hippies, Adam and Serafina (like seriously, they were fantastic characters!). Adam refers to himself as, “…first dude off of the assembly line,” which is similar language that has been used to referring to angels in the past (again, invoking Castiel?)

Then Dean assumes the woman is Eve but they both just shake their heads and chuckle, “I’m Serafina,” I’m definitely not the first one to point this out but… the First Man being in a near-lifelong romantic relationship with an angel named Seraph Serafina?! Uh, yeah, ‘nuff said.

Serafina also mentions that she saw Jack when she and Adam were, “…sipping mushroom tea on the Hanging Gardens of Babylon,” which made me wonder if there was some sort of connection with Glynn’s season 14 episode, “Byzantium” (14x08), which is the episode Cas makes his deal with the Empty. Babylon was a fortress of the Byzantine empire (not going to lie, my historical knowledge about the Byzantine empire is preeeeetty limited).  

I also loved the whole speech by Serafina to Dean: “I mean, just think of everything that has had to happen to get Jack to this place, to this moment. Baby, it was meant to be,” Dean, of course, is upset by this because he is probably thinking that this was all basically predestined, and he has had no free will. However, he just needs to wait a little while longer until Chuck tells him to his face that he has never been able to control Cas since he laid his hand on Dean saving him from Hell.

Serafina also heals Adam’s wound and it is, of course, super reminiscent of Cas healing Dean (although, even Serafina doesn’t directly touch Adam when healing him – it’s, once again, unique to Castiel). Obligatory hand squeal: HANDS!!!! Wow, they are not even trying to be subtle about the whole hands thing. It is so IN YOUR FACE begging for the audience to notice it.

Adam then mentions how much power is in his rib: “But this puppy? Is packing enough punch to create LIFE. Or, in your case, destroy God.” Well, at this point I think we can all be pretty certain that in the end it will NOT be used to destroy God, so will it instead be used for creation? Excited to see how they defuse Jack’s supernova bomb next episode.

Rounding off Dean’s vignette is a heartbreaking scene with him and Jack in the Impala. Dean says, “I don’t know how to explain it. When I learned about Chuck, it was like – it’s like I wasn’t alive. Not really. You know, like, my whole life I’ve never been free. But like, really free. But now, me and Sam, we got a shot at living a life…But now we have a chance. And that’s because of you.” Again, this is before Dean learns that Cas’ actions were made of his own free will, and from the sounds of it, Dean’s connection to Amara as well. I also immediately wondered if Jack bringing Dean some sense of freedom was what Cas saw when Jack showed him “paradise”.

Moving on to Sam’s vignette: Sam remembers that Sergei mentioned the Key of Death was in the bunker (how did he remember this, wasn’t he unconscious at the time? A little disappointed Cas didn’t get to provide that little fact but I’m also glad that Sam actually served a purpose this episode and was a bit more front and center). They find the Key of Death and there is an inscription in Latin on the box:

Viator mortalis, cave, quoniam scias Clavem Mortis pensare graviter. Il tamen desideres ut introeas illum abyssum obscurissimum artis opus est tibi porta.

Okay, fair warning: I took Latin for 4 years but it has been awhile so my translation is super not perfect, but I figured I would take a stab at it because the subtitles were wrong at times and Google translate is not perfect. I translated it as something like this:

Mortal traveler, beware, because you know the Key of Death should be considered seriously. However, if you want to enter the darkest abyss, this work of art is the gate/door.

Honestly, there were a few words that I couldn’t find the right conjugations to and I know this isn’t 100% accurate, but it gives you the gist.

Sam then visits Death’s library and finds the Empty there, killing people (?) to get in touch with Death, whom they hasn’t been trusting as of late. We learn that Death’s plan is to assume the role of New God and restore the world back to order, bring back rules. The Empty is wary because they don’t know if they can trust the promise of being able to go back to sleep. Trust issues, the Empty says, because of “your busted-ass friend in the trench coat,” another subtle-not-so-subtle mention of Cas. But why, exactly, did Cas give the Empty ‘trust issues’? Was it because he woke up in the first place? Because he has ‘traipsed in and out’ of the Empty without dying?

We also learn that only Billie can read Chuck’s Death book, and, this may be a crack idea but… maybe Cas should be able to read the book because he was the one that killed Billie and made her Death in the first place? Seems like Cas might have a connection to Billie. It would be cool if Cas were the one to read Chuck’s book.

Finally, we learn a bit more about the Empty, and how they can’t go to Earth unless summoned. Hmm…

Flash forward to Amara and Chuck in the bunker. Amara tells Chuck, “It’s not too late, brother,” and, if you’re like me, you finished that sentence with “it’s never too late (to start all over again)”. So many great Destiel songs out there, but “Never Too Late” takes the cake for me.

Amara and Chuck decide to become one, become ultimate balance. Chuck extends his hand and Amara grasps it as she is absorbed into Chuck. I don’t even know if I really need to say this, but… HANDS! (Destiel is already canon to me but if the show is going to make it more explicitly canon for the audience, it’s going to be through hands as I know people have been shouting about for several seasons now).  

To finish, let’s talk about that kick-ass scene with TFW 2.0 at the end of the episode. We find out that Chuck’s real ending is to have Dean regress and give in to rage and kill everything he loves, probably ultimately leading to his own death. Woof, what a tragic ending (tragedy ≠ good ending). So, we’ve got to subvert that which Dean does after a heartfelt plea from Sam (“You would trade me?”). I enjoyed how much Dean looked back at Cas during this exchange, especially after Sam tells Dean that Eileen will die again. The parallels, the connection.

Honestly, I’m not sure why Cas and Jack were in that scene other than to have some meaningful glances exchanged between Cas and Dean and because TFW2.0 is together in the next scene. But… whatever, more Cas so I liked it.

And finally, the scene that had me shaking with VINDICATION.

Cas to Chuck: “What, you consumed your sister?” Chuck: “We came to an understanding, so spare me your contempt Castiel, the self-hating angel of Thursday. You know what every other version of you did after ‘gripping him tight and raising him from perdition’? They did what they were told. But not you. Not the ��one off the line with a crack in his chassis’” (Cas looks back at Dean after a moment)

Okay, so let’s break this exchange down. So much satisfaction with just a few sentences. Bravo, Ms. Glynn.

“We came to an understanding.” Didn’t Michael and Adam say the same thing after they decided to share equally in their bond and vessel? Callback #1.

“…self-hating angel of Thursday.” Ahh, it’s been so long since we got mention that Cas is the angel of Thursday. The last time was, what, when Crowley says it to Cas back in season 6? By the way, it was totally meant to be that Supernatural will finish off the series on a Thursday. Callback #2 (ish).

“You know what every other version of you did after ‘gripping him tight and raising him from perdition’?” This is the second time the show has repeated Cas’ first line to Dean near-verbatim in two seasons. You know, just in case the audience forgot Dean and Cas’ infamous first meeting (which I am like 99% sure we are going to get hella callbacks to next episode). Callback #3.

“They did what they were told. But not you. Not the ‘one off the line with a crack in his chassis.’” Again, Chuck is closely paraphrasing what Naomi said about Cas in season 8:

8x21 “The Great Escapist” – Naomi: “You're the famous spanner in the works. Honestly, I think you came off the line with a crack in your chassis. You have never done what you were told. Not completely. You don't even die right, do you?”

Callback #4. Seriously, Glynn packed four callbacks into such a short time period. Wizard.

My only *criticism* of this final scene is that Dean and Cas didn’t seem to react too much to Chuck’s news about Cas always having free will (although, I think Cas already knew this, but it is news and confirmation to Dean!). I highly suspect that will come next week, though. I’m SO excited (and also terrified) for next week. We are definitely going to be getting a lot of Cas next episode. Misha, in an interview, mentioned that we would get Cas’ ‘chapter’ in 18, and I’m wondering if this will be the true Cas-centric episode? I don’t know, maybe the Cas-centric episode was “Gimme Shelter” but I was expecting more of a “The Man Who Would Be King” kind of Cas-centric episode.  

All in all, 10/10. I keep reading and seeing things that are galaxy braining me, so it has been super fun reading all the meta and reactions to this episode.

Three episodes left. Get your tissues ready for Cas’ death (oops, is this even a spoiler at this point?) next episode. And remember, “Nothing ever really ends,” and “The end has no end,”

[noidea-headempty]

SPN 15x12 SPOILERS AHEAD

So instead of waiting until after the episode, I’ll just type everything out as it happens and then post it when the episode is over so this will probably seem incoherent sorry 😂

SPOILERS BELOW THE CUT

Yo is the fact that we’re seeing AU Kaia in the “Then” means that she’s gonna be the one to threaten Jody??? 

LMao Pop Tart Heart nice Rob

WAIT EARTH 2 HAS CLINTON AS PRESIDENT?? GODDAMNIT

Also Rob please stop being so hot and uh Chuck why the fuck are you so melodramatic fuck you why the fuck are you like this

Bitch please this Sam and Dean is different from all those Sam and Deans also fuck you I’m not gonna pity you now bitch. 

WTF WDYM ARE YOU GONNA START DESTROYING AUS ONE BY ONE (bitch is this why we have the corona pandemic this bitch really be out here cancelling our universe [please do it sucks])

AWW CW WHY DID YOU ROB US OF THIS A+ CONTENT WITH THE WAYWARD SISTERS I SWEAR I’LL NEVER FORGIVE Y’ALL

Shit there goes Jody being kidnapped by AU Kaia

BITCH PLEASE JACK SO DOES HAVE A SOUL. Like seriously the way he touched Mary’s initials and that swallow??? He does have a soul and you cannot change my fucking mind. Idk why the writers insist on the fact he doesn’t have a soul like did they not rewatch season 6?

Damn did Sam and Dean switch roles after Dean and Cas went to Purgatory?

C’mon he’s a Winchester they don’t follow rules and they kinda suck at lying low

Also I 100% trust Billie because she wants balance because she is THE neutral side.

SHIT IF JODY DIES IN THIS EPISODE I WILL BE SO FUCKING PISSED

Okay commercial break. So first thing’s first I hope that the SPN Cast and Crew are safe and everyone’s ok. Like I want everyone to be safe but at the same time... Like the anticipation of when they’re gonna film again ya know? But their health and safety comes first so even if they have to leave us hanging for months I’m fine with it. Second, I really don’t... oop it’s back

Let’s be real this is gonna be a reunion with AU Kaia right? THEN WHERE’S CLAIRE BECAUSE DREAMHUNTER

OOof is this how they’re gonna find out WAIT KAIA IS STILL ALIVEHOLYSHITPLEASEWAYWARDSISTERSPLEASE OMG I’M CRYING HELP ME WHERE’S CLAIRE SHE NEEDS TO RESCUE HER FRIEND ASAP PLEASE

DEAN BITCH YOU BETTER HELP HER GET KAIA BACK TO YOUR UNIVERSE DO IT FOR CLAIRE AND DONNA AND JODY AND PATIENCE AND ALEX

OKay another commercial break. Is this the writers’ way of tying up loose ends when it comes to the Wayward Sisters plot? TBh all this is telling me is that while that might close up the Kaia plot, if we end up getting her back this just gives us a lot more to work with SO WHY WON’T ANY NETWORKS PICK IT UP I’M SO MAD Like literally this already has a built in fan base and characters... This is fucking gold but I guess networks are idiots

LMao this is the content I live for just father and son playing connect 4 😂

YO I TOTALLY FORGOT THAT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY’RE MEETING

Bitch why are you gonna call Sergei he can’t be trusted

Also bitch why was that magazine specifically placed in front of her?? 

The fuck is a mandragora Dean what are you planning?

Oh bitch please y’all have faced worse odds

OMG THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT CLAIRE OH MY GOD I KNOW IT’S BEEN SAID ALREADY BUT DREAMHUNTER IS CANON

WAIT JACK ARE YOU PLANNING ON USING YOUR NEPHILIM POWERS??? THEN GOD IS GONNA FIND YOU PLEASE DON’T

AU Kaia you’re great and all but if you threaten my son and do this shit I will kill you

Loving this bonding moment THIS IS WHY WE NEED WAYWARD SISTERS I WILL KEEP SHOUTING FROM THE ROOOFTOPS

OOf AU Kaia I’m getting emotional don’t mind me IS JACK GONAA OH SHIT HE IS WHY BUT THIS IS FOR A GOOD THING BUT BILLIE IS GONNA BE PISSED

MERLE IF YOU KEEP TALKING MY SON DOWN LIKE THIS YOU BET THAT AN ANGEL BLADE WILL GO UP YOUR ASS

OOO I’m so proud of my son for telling that reaper what for!!

BITCH DON’T TOUCH THEIR ANGEL well fuck I just hope this isn’t gonna hurt Cas

Also fun fact Sam and Rowena have given me a Latin kink

Note to self: look up what those symbols mean later

LMao literally dumb right thing is literally the official Winchester slogan

LMAO BS male chivalry

Well thanks Cas for hitting me in the feels like that about Claire and Jody’s familial bond

OOF PLEASE DON’T TELL ME THE GUYS ARE GONNA GET STUCK THERE AGAIN? I’M NOT LIKING THIS (but it’s to save Kaia so it’s fine)

THE FUCK ARE THOSE?????

Commercial Break~ So Cas really came for us during those scenes with Jody huh? I guess Claire isn’t present because Kathryn is doing BLL (I think? or was it Season two of The Society? Either way I’m really happy for her) BUT STILL IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES IF SHE HAD BEEN AVAILABLE

Seriously what the fuck are those things?

GUYS GO FASTER I’M SCARED FOR KAIA WAIT WHAT IF SHE ENDS UP DYING AGAIN I WILL BE SO FUCKING PISSED AT EVERYONE

I wasn’t expecting that HUG BUT I LOVE IT

Yo this is making me sad now but at the same time I kinda get it why she has to stay and stuff

Damn the fuck that looked like some Biblical shit with the flood (well I mean it is God so I guess)

AAAAAHHH JODY GAVE KAIA A HUG SUCH A MATERNAL HUG I AM LIVING AND I AM LOVING THIS JACK AND KAIA BONDING

WAIT PLEASE GIVE ME A CLAIRE AND KAIA REUNION I AM BEGGING YOU LIKE I WILL PAY SO MUCH MONEY

I shoulda expected that BUt Billie please don’t kill my son or pull him away from his family again

Commercial Break~ I am very glad that Jody and Kaia did not die because not only would Claire have been devastated but so would the entire fucking fandom. Soooo please tell me this means we might get DreamHunter shit in either the finale or penultimate episode (if Kathryn is available) Honestly while this is probably what’s gonna happen: I hope that the finale (or at least the penultimate episode) is more than the boys. Like I want at least a small scene or clip or hell even a phone call of everyone doing great in Sioux Falls

{please tell me that our world is being included in this it really sucks}

Also Sam stop being an idiot and trust Death if not Billie then at least trust the fact that she’s basically the only thing in the universe that has some kind of power that’s maybe bigger than God

OOF I like the sound of that.. “Sam and Dean Winchester: messengers of God’s Destruction”

FUCK YOU AND YOUR LAZY BOY CHUCK

I feel bad for this poor boy

Shit he’s gonna kill him right?

Yup I was right

Sooo where’s Amara? Because I have a feeling that she might just be included in the end of Chuck’s book. Also does this mean that Sam might die before the end? Because I remember hearing from somewhere that one of the main cast members won’t reach the end of the series. So if that was the case, then maybe it’s Dean or Cas? Because if Jack and Sam are gonna (maybe) be God’s destruction then that means that Cas or Dean might not make it to the end. (and it would give the others further incentive to end him)

WHAT THE FUCK JARED’S HAIR IS SLICKED BACK I’M KINDA UNCOMFORTABLE AND WAS THAT A PRIUS? Is it gonna be like Dean Smith all over again?

[shirtlesssammy]

14x07: Unhuman Business

Then:

LaLaLa, this is not happening, LaLaLa

Now:

Uh, something seems to be wrong with my TV. Just Lucifer Nick blabbering on about his family and his regret for killing people that won’t help him find who killed his family.

At the bunker, Jack is not doing great, guys. Cas is attempting to heal him, but whatever is wrong with Jack is beyond his angel powers.

As the boys discuss their impossible situation, Jack falls to the floor, coughing blood and foaming at the mouth. They rush him to the hospital ASAP. 

Worried Dad Dean is HIGH MAINTENANCE, but I’ll forgive his overbearing ways. Jack is in deep trouble. First, the hospital just needs some basic data, like name and date of birth, both of which the Winchesters fumble on. Jack’s a Winchester you doofs! And I guess Jack is 18. And his dad exploded. Jack then collapses and the medical staff rush him to a room, Sam, Dean, and Cas by his side. 

(That framing tho)

God, my TV buzzed out again. Please stand by while I figure out WHY WE SHOULD CARE ABOUT NICK. He talks to a reporter and learns there was a cop, Frank Kellogg, who was patrolling Nick’s neighborhood the night his family died.

At the hospital, Jack’s tests results all came back negative. They’re going to have to run more tests. (Lol, I love how all of this is put in the vaguest way possible. Like not all tests are positive or negative, and what are they testing for?) The one thing they do know: His body is in complete systemic shutdown. (I read on Twitter the friendly reminder that you’re not a real hunter until you’ve died and come back again. Coolcoolcoolcoolcool.)

The brothers decide it’s time to explore other options: Rowena. Dean suggests calling her. Sam already did. (Samwitch! --my Saileen heart hates me every time I goof about this) (Natasha: SAME) The doctor walks in on the boys dressing Jack to leave. AND LET ME JUST FALL INTO A PIT OF EMOTION watching Cas put his coat on Jack.

ROWENA arrives as fast as she can (like, oof, there isn’t anything in this for her. She just showed up to help the Winchesters? Guh.) She thinks Dean is in trouble, but Sam reveals it’s really Jack, Lucifer’s son. Rowena’s out. Before she bolts though, Jack works his magic nougat ways.

Rowena breaks the bad news that without Jack’s grace, his nephilim body can’t sustain itself. Cas offers up his own grace to save him. I’M NOT CRYING, YOU’RE CRYING! As Ro is nixing that idea, Dean’s vision starts to blur and his hearing warbles in and out. 

Not sure what was happening in this next Nick scene. He’s weird around a woman in an alley. She invites him back into the bar (WHY?) (Natasha: WHYYYYYYYY?) and then he secretly pulls a knife. In a brief moment of clarity, he yells at her to get away and she runs. And for the record: the giant neon S stands for Satan.

At the bunker, Overprotective Dean brings Jack a sandwich and milk. PURE. Jack is packing up and ready to hit the road, live a little before he dies. I’M NOT DYING, YOU’RE DYING.

Dean gets some serious dimples of discontent after listening to Jack but he’s not disagreeing with the boy.

Sam and Cas AND Rowena are on the research train. Cas presides over a mountain of books while Rowena and Sam call everyone they think might be able to help the poor young wee nephilim.

Dean gets the updates. The books are a bust, but Sam talked to Ketch, who has tipped them off about a shaman who might help. Dean takes all this in...maybe? In actuality, Dean wavers in and out of focus again. Oh, Dean Bean. Cas offers to tackle the shaman lead and the Winchesters can stay behind to look out for Jack. Enter Jack, with backpack, ready for adventure! Dean and Jack are heading out, to Castiel’s disapproval.

A little while later, Dean and Jack pick up some burgers and Dean tosses Baby’s keys to wee Jack. It’s driving lesson time! There’s so much wrapped up in this scene: Dean’s stunted childhood, his incredible capacity to nurture, Jack’s hero worship. MY HEART is wrapped up in this scene. They ease out on the road and Jack gains confidence quickly.

Dean turns on some tunes and BTO’s “Let it ride” sets the mood. Classic rock is such an important aspect of this show, and we didn’t realize how much we missed it as a set piece until this scene of open road driving.

(I’ll confess that I spent the first viewing of this scene ready for Jack to pass out and the car to careen dramatically off the road. I’m glad it didn’t.)

Cas heads out to find Sergei the shaman but before he goes, he talks with Sam about Dean’s reaction to Jack’s illness. “He seems to be taking this particularly hard,” Castiel observes. Sam tells him that Dean feels bad for the time he spent wishing Jack a swift and painful death at the beginning of last season.

Heartbreaking dialogue alert:

Sam: He’s lost people. We’ve all lost people but…

Cas: This feels different. Losing a son feels different.

But stow away those emotions, friends, because it’s time to go back to fun!Dad Dean. They’re eating more fast food, pulled over on the side of the road. “I’m a driver!” Jack announces gleefully. Yes, bby. Dean suggests a bar with promising hook-up potential. (Me: flashes back to Dean’s “Last night on Earth” speech with Cas back in season 4...and like, all of season 3.) Jack’s got other plans.

Nick finds Frank Kellogg, brings up the bare facts of his case, and then pushes Frank inside and holds him by the throat. Time to chat.

By a tumbling, small river, Jack gets into Dean’s deepest emotions like he’s ordering an ice cream shake at a diner. While they fish, Jack casually brings up that Dean and his father went fishing and that it was one of Dean’s happiest memories of him. Dean tries to dissemble, but Jack’s sure as a rock. (Now, there’s been some discussion about whether this was meant to refer to John or Bobby. My vote’s heavily on John. Dean loved his father, was disappointed by him, and longed for many things he could never have at the same time. Fishing with John Winchester was probably a shocking circle of calm - a pool of stillness and peace.)

Jack tells Dean that he wouldn’t miss the big, showy things in the world. Instead, he’d miss more time with Dean and the other people in his life.

Dean BARELY holds it together, a quaver in his voice as he returns, “Who’d’ve thought time with me would make you sentimental?” Dean. Bean.

Meanwhile, Cas drives his adorable blue car to meet Sergei the shaman. He’s immediately enveloped in a circle of holy fire. Thanks, buddy.

Sergei lives in a pimped out trailer, with flowers painted on the exterior and lushly colored and patterned textiles draped all over the interior. He proposes a “recharging agent” for Jack - something to shock his system and derail the degeneration. He offers Cas archangel grace (purportedly from Gabriel) and a spell to activate it. And the cost is simply that the Winchesters will owe him a favor. Sounds like a hell of a price to me.

Meanwhile Nick beats the shit out of Frank Kellogg. We learn that Nick’s neighbor saw Frank leave his house the night of the murders and the cops made him cover it up. Frank confesses that he met a man named Abraxis outside of Nick’s house and the next thing he knew, he was covered in blood. Frank was possessed by a demon which is some crazy ass shit, right? Sigh. Nick kills Frank horribly anyway, in a scene that goes on for WAY too long.

WAY the fuck too long.

In a giant breath of fresh air, we get back to the bunker, once again full of TFW 2.0 and Rowena Our Queen. They hand Jack the grace and it enters his body as Rowena chants the spell. Lights flicker. Jack’s eyes glow golden again. It’s worked!

Jack stumbles and falls again, worse than before.

Cas chews out Sergei via phone call and Sergei defends himself by saying that “science is sometimes trial and error.” It’s...awfully reminiscent of Michael’s experimentation, yes? It also reminds me of real world experimental parallels - now and throughout history. In a word: yikes.

Side note: Having once had a loved one’s body try to shut down in the ICU with no discernible cause...this episode really did hit home for me. It’s so easy in fiction to have a magical healing ability, and so much harder when there’s no explanation, no quick cure, and treatments that have your doctors crossing their fingers. I feel for all these dudes, and the doctors as well, is what I’m saying.

Anyway, Cas is pissed, and vows to smite Sergei’s ass if Jack dies.

For Vengeful Science

At Frank’s house, Nick prays to Lucifer and begs him to come back. In the blackness of the Empty, what looks like the Empty entity morphs into being and its eyes glow Lucifer-red. Well, fuck. (I’m actually excited to see the Empty again, but I am quite displeased about Lucifer.)

In the bunker, TFW mourns Jack’s rapidly failing condition. Rowena counsels them to stay by his side, for death approaches on swift wings.

Root Beer Quotes:

He’s sick, his name is Jack Kline, his father exploded.

Samuel, I thought we were beyond this.

Well, if it’s grace he needs, he can have mine.

Eyes on the road.

This is the best day ever!!!

Born with a wheel in your hand, huh?

Life isn’t all these big, amazing moments. It’s time together that matters.

Life - all of it - is a risk.

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive!

[pendulumprince]

So how would you have wanted Yusho to be an antagonist? Like him siding with Leo or wanting to get rid of Zarc? Because while I was on board with Yusho is a villain back when Arc V aired I would like him to be a well rounded character. Like wanting to get rid of Zarc but he still loves Yuya cause he's his kid. So maybe he goes after Yuto, Yuri, and Yugo?

There are lots of ways Yusho could have been an antagonist. In fact, I’d venture to say that his story seemed more inclined to go in this direction, than for him to be the all-loving hero.

Season 3 was a mess in a lot of ways, but it is the one season where we find out the most about Yusho’s character and history. It’s in this season that we find out that he’s selfless by nature, sees the potential good in his enemies, and loves Yuya enough to basically act as a human shield for him against Yuri. All heroic traits… and all traits that could easily be applied to an anti-villain.

I’ve recently went into why Yusho should have been an antagonist, so I won’t rehash those arguments. From here, we can go into how Yusho could have been an antagonist while retaining the traits given to him in canon.

As you said, the most natural option here would be to have Yusho fighting against Zarc. But this begs the question of whether or not he knew that Yuya was Zarc.

If he didn’t know, that would make him most likely to side with Leo. If he, as someone who didn’t live through the Original Dimension’s cataclysm, was able to grasp the full scope of what Zarc was capable of… I think that would’ve very quickly pushed him into the ‘ends justify the means’ mindset. 

Because if you’re looking at things from Leo (and here, Yusho’s) POV, they had little other option. Zarc is going to revive inevitably, so: Ray must also be revived, because she alone can stop him. The only way to revive Ray is by merging her 4 reincarnations, so: kidnap the bracelet girls. The girls need to be put into the Arc V machine to fuse back into Ray, and the machine needs life energy, so: target the most vulnerable dimension (XYZ) and use the population there for it. 

Leo didn’t consider the dimensions to be ‘real’, so he never considered hurting anyone in them to be wrong to him until the very end. But I think Yusho would’ve mentally justified all of this to himself by focusing on he horror that would be Zarc’s revival, and the fact that the every carded person would come back upon Ray’s revival. So in this scenario, he likely would have a very ends-justify-the-means mindset.

Now, the ‘problem’ here is that Yusho was always in close contact with Yuzu. So if he were working with Leo, he could have taken her three years prior to canon. But there’s nothing to say that circumstances would have allowed for him kidnapping her. Maybe it was hard to get Yuzu alone at 11. Maybe he hd to leave for the Academia on a moments notice, and had no time to kidnap her. 

And Yusho can’t have been allowed to take her here, because such an event would have disrupted canon from the start. So Yuzu stays. Leo always knows where she is, and waits until theright time (Battle Royale) to create the right amount of chaos for Yuri to kidnap her in. She warps Yuri away when Yugo gets there, she gets warped with Yugo in turn, you know the rest.

So all of this would have Yuya fighting still fighting against Academia under Reiji’s directive. Reiji may or may not know about Yusho’s true allegiance (because even if he did know, there’s a fair chance he wouldn’t say anything to Yuya for the sake of the keikaku). Canon happens as normal, until the Fusion Arc, where Yuya finds out what his father has been up to.

And this would all be after the tremendous strain Yuya went through in the Synchro Dimension and, (ironically) to a lesser extent the XYZ Dimension. I would be after his decidedly pro-egaology duel with Jack and later, Edo. But to then come back and see the person who created the philosophy that’s anchored his life up to genocidal activities, brainwashing child soldiers, kidnapping young gils (including one that he helped raise)? This would be late in the game, so yes, Yuya would go Berzerk. A moment like this would have been ugly and tragic; it would have irreversibly altered their relationship. 

And this could also be accompanied by a Yusho vs Yuya duel, with Yusho trying to entertain Berzerking!Yuya to death. I think it would be important for Yuya, even in that altered state, to still see his father as an entertainer prioritizing smiles, because once he came back down and got over the shock, he’d still walk away with the knowledge that in order for egaology to have failed it’s founder in such a severe way, that there had to have been something wrong with it from the start. This would inspire him to revise egaology, and teach it back to his father (once Zarc is taken care of). 

Now, if Yusho did know that Yuya was Zarc? He’d be against Leo, all the way. Yusho isn’t stupid, and if he knew the full story, I think he’d have very quickly recognized that Leo’s actions were accelerating Zarc’s revival more than hindering it. And like you said, Yuya is Yusho’s son in every way, but blood. Just as Leo acted irrationally to revive his daughter, I also think Yusho would rather risk Zarc’s revival than destroy Yuya. 

Yusho would risk it by working against Leo, but I think he’d still work to stop Zarc’s revival, to save the dimensions at large and Yuya in particular. Targeting the other Yu boys… it would depend on how much he actually knew about them. 

The conclusion of Yuzu and Sergey’s duel had Sergey sending Yuzu flying through a building and out the other side. That would have killed anyone else, but Yuzu survived without a scratch, implying that her status as a bracelet girl meant that she couldn’t be killed by ordinary means. We can assume that the same applies to the Yu boys (further supported by the fact that Leo never carded or killed Yuri when he was still vulnerable).

So if Yusho didn’t know this, he would probably… target the boys with the intention of killing them. Sounds extreme, but if he knew about Zarc, he’d know that his pieces can’t come into contact with one another without disastrous results. So the logic would be, Zarc can’t come back if three out of four of his pieces are dead. This behavior is a textbook example of an anti-villain. 

But again, they can’t be killed normally, so I think this plan would probably backfire… but if stretched out long enough, this could potentially go on for the entire series. Target Yuto first, but he gets absorbed by Yuya; target Yugo next, but he’s absorbed by Yuri; target Yuri last, and get carded as a result. But Yuya would still find out what his father had been up to, and it would again force him to reevaluate things.

Another course of action would be specifically protecting the bracelet girls. Impossible to do for Serena, difficult to do for Ruri post-invasion… but with Rin and Yuzu, it would have been possible. To protect them by any means, even if had to cross a few lines he couldn’t come back from. Again, he fails, Yuya finds out about his well-intentioned misdeeds, must reevaluate egaology, ect.

This is getting long winded, so i’m going to stop here haha. But I hope I answered your question? If not, do tell me.