#carry on my wayward son parody | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

gayward-son · 1 month ago

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My favorite parts of wayward son just off the top of my head:

Agathaaaaaaaaa. Her character development starting from a girl who only wanted to run away to a girl who takes her destiny in her own hands and carves out the life she wants. That started in this novel!! That scene where she and penny get ready to fight the vampires and have flame in their hands holy shittt

Shepard's introduction!!!!! I don't think I ever considered another friend joining our main heroes and fitting in so well so quickly. He immediately won me over with his insane stories and his nonchalant persona was perfect balance to the rest of the gang's turmoil. So satisfying when his character got expanded on in AWTWB because WS gave us the time to fall in love with him!

Expansion of the magical world by showing how region and dialect affect spells as well as showing more and unique magical creatures

Fun escapades with Simon and Baz as an actual couple like ren faire and fireflies scene <3

Baz and Penny's friendship deepening to found family levels

Seeing way more of Penny's vulnerable self and her gaining a stronger identity outside of being "Simon's dread compainion"

Incredibly realistic and informed by the context depiction of a downward mental spiral. I posted this somewhere else but Simon's mindset is too relatable to me sometimes lol

Also sidenote, from the perspective of someone who's been here for a bit, I remember Carry On was criticized and written off (including by the fandom) as "just gay hp fanfic" and for not taking itself seriously enough. I fought back these claims with blood for years and then Wayward Son came out and really showed just how much the Simon Snow series is far more than what it was originally parodying. It felt like the series was truly standing on its own two feet without the hp strings dragging it down. So yeah when I found out ppl didn't like it it really threw me for a loop because I didn't know what ppl were expecting??? Yeah it sucks to see the couple that you're rooting for struggle because of trauma and miscommunication but that's what made AWTWB so satisfying. I don't remember when AWTWB was confirmed but I don't think it was long after WS was released that we knew it was an in-between book

Anyway, shoutout to WS for really tackling the "happily ever after" part of a magical adventure and making the characters feel real

People saying Wayward Son and Any Way the Wind Blows are bad I will never understand you. I love my characters flawed and depressed and experiencing crisis and depth through personal growth.

#intellectual monologue

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something-of-a-hermit · 5 years ago

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I got this pin and both of my siblings took one look and started singing Carry On Wayward Son except to the tune of Take Me Home Country Roads

#CARRY OOOOOOON #my WAYward SOOOOOOONNNN #THERE’LL be peaaaaaaaaaace #wheN YOU ARE DOOOOOOOONNEEE #WEST VIRGINIAAAAAA #supernatural #spn #carry on wayward son #take me home country roads #the ability to make a parody out of a n y t h i n g runs strong in those two #the fact that the lyrics fit feels very cursed

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riley-phoenix · 3 years ago

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Tag as many people as you have WIPs and they get to send an ask about one that intrigues them.

Punishment - requested by anon, smut, Malia X Reader (male)

Scary Sunday/Supernatural Saturday - actually 2 different fics that have the same story but I wrote 2 for 2 different characters, Dean Winchester X Reader/ Malia Tate X Reader, Body Swap fic, idk wether its gonna be enemies to lovers or friends to lovers yet, maybe frenemies to lovers?, Crappy names... I know... I think I was going for a freaky Friday parody?

The Werelion - literally just chapter 6 of my Teen Wolf/Supernatural crossover series, first 5 are out

The Forbidden Element - Ninjago fanfiction 💀

Love, Danger, Shadow - My series "The Bound Anthology" from the Antagonists POV, Choices: Nightbound Fanfiction

The Smile Anthology - A Teen Wolf parody/rewrite of my Choices: Nightbound series, "The Bound Anthology", for Teen Wolf Characters. Malia X Reader

Begins, Returns, Ends - "The Smile Anthology" from the Antagonists POV

Mixing Business With Pleasure - Choices: Nightbound Fanfiction, Smut, Nik Ryder X Reader

Fooling around - Teen Wolf parody/rewrite for teen wolf characters, smut, Malia X Reader

First Case - Suits Fanfiction, post series finale. Considering making it a series and Changing the name to SUITS: SEATTLE

Wayward Son - Supernatural, takes place in 2026 (a year after the series finale)

"Me" Trilogy - Malia X Reader, Reader enters the Teen Wolf universe by accident

"You" Trilogy - "Me" Trilogy from Malia's POV

Carry On - A fix it fic for the Supernatural series finale

Super-Dee-Duper-Natural - Supernatural crack fic

Keeping Up With The Gunners - reality show Fanfiction for Arsenal FC

Shadownatural - Supernatural/Shadowhunters crossover

Hunter Alone - Supernatural Crack fic, home alone parody, inspired by a post I saw by @sexynursedean @nightshifters

Pack Dynamics - Teen Wolf, Malia X Reader, general stupid teenager trip stuff, Smut, fluff

One thing Straight -Teen wolf, Malia X Reader, a fic about being queer and confused, Aromantic fic, Awkward bout with romantic attraction, really this fic is just for me to vent about being Aro but wanting a relationship with Malia Tate.

Tagging: @nightshifters @taurielthepirateking @lilcasx @parkkrys @rottenstyx @night-wing-owl @scilessweetheart @nicoistrying @lucbian @leseveybian @cactuwus @all-alone-he-turns-to-stone @akuri-shinsou @ladylamrian @loveinfinitelyandforever @twjournals @regulusblacksbabygirl @incorrectarsenalfcquotes @heartsuits @just-ilde @maliahalefandom @maliatatefuckyeah @w00w33 @statticscribbles @teenwolffan-with-nolife

#fandoms on tumblr #writers on tumblr #tumblr appreciation #artists on tumblr #tumblr #game #supernatural #teen wolf #Malia tate #suits #supernatural fandom #spnfandom #teen wolf fandom

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thecatandthekindle · 4 years ago

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Review: Any Way The Wind Blows (Simon Snow #3) – Rainbow Rowell

You may or may not know that this book series began life as a story within a story. In Fangirl, Cathy Avery is a college freshman struggling with new experiences who copes by writing fanfic for a series of books about a chosen one called Simon Snow. Snow is an orphan attending magic school and fighting attacks from a monster. The idea took off and fans begged Rainbow Rowell to write the full book.

The magical world of Simon Snow is based on a relationship between Normals and Mages. Any phrase that is well-used by Normals (including pop songs, hence the book titles) can be used as a spell if imbued with magic. Mages can use their powers to cheat Normals, by faking payments or paperwork , or maybe stealing a car and there are no repercussions. There are drawbacks, however, if a phrase falls from use it loses its power. It is a clever idea. Mages are dependent on Normals in a way that Normals are never dependent on Mages. Without Normals there is no magic. Simon Snow is the only Normal to date to have magical powers.

You don’t need to read Fangirl to enjoy this series. You can jump right in with the first book, Carry On, which joins Simon and friends in their final year at the Watford School of Magicks. Simon’s roommate and school nemesis (and possibly evil vampire), Baz, has disappeared. Simon should be having a peaceful year at school but Simon never has a peaceful year when attacks from the evil monster called the Insidious Humdrum threaten all magic. Simon must defeat the monster and fulfil his destiny as the ‘chosen one’. He must also find out what happened to Baz, whom he unaccountably misses,

In Wayward son, Simon is struggling with life after fulfilling his destiny. He and his friends go on a road trip round America. On the way they rescue Simon’s ex-girlfriend from a cult and pick up a Normal that knows way too much about magic.

In the final book Any Way The Wind Blows, Simon tries to build a life for himself without either magic or a destiny. Instead he is drawn into the investigation of new ‘chosen one’. Many questions are answered in the final Simon Snow story, including hints about Simon’s birth family. Before the book ends, Simon’s golden quartet all seem to find their place in the world.

I have to say, when I read the first book it felt more of a parody of other famous chosen one stories (mentioning no names). It was fun, but I never really felt I engaged with the characters. The shock ending wasn’t nearly as shocking as it would have been with a seven book build-up. More than anything I was reeled in by Snow’s budding romance. I was keen to see how it would play out and it kept me reading. By book two the characters were much stronger and I began to genuinely care about them.

Through Any Way The Wind Blows the characters are so well developed I truly became emotional about their futures. When the story-line of Simon’s family finally came to fruition, I cried. I cried again when the book ended. I desperately wanted to know these kids had a bright future ahead and I was devastated I wouldn’t be able to witness it. Rainbow Rowell bowed to fan pressure in writing these books in the first place and I am hoping with all my heart that she can be persuaded to continue the Simon Snow chronicles into a much longer series. #OneMoreSimonSnow

Now someone please tell me how to get Kansas and Queen from playing in my head.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#rainbow rowell #any way the wind blows #simon snow #ya fantasy #ya fiction #bookreviews #booklr #thecatandthekindle #@catandkindle #RainbowRowell #AnyWayTheWindBlows #AWTWB

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sinnabonka · 4 years ago

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Hillywood should do another SPN parody to 'We Didn't Start the Fire' (re-titled 'We Didn't Like the Finale') & get all the cast involved. Put everything right. It's the only way. Picture it: Hannah & Hilly (& fangirls around the world) are sitting watching the finale in horror. Hands over mouths. The 'Carry On My Wayward Son' cover plays faintly. Hilly clicks off the TV. They look at each other grimly. Fans on Zoom are shaking their heads. Laptops slam in unison. "We've got work to do." *MUSIC!*

I LOVE IT.

Now we just need someone to contact the girls and clearly communicate that we are willing to participate! Also, we need to get the cast on board (fuck NDAs and fuck the network).

We probably should start with Jackles 👀

#I mean he is a heller #he is definitely pissed as much as we do #maybe even more #spn #destiel #deancas #the15yearshow #theysilencedthem #spn finale #hilliwood #parody

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earbuds-and-hightops · 4 years ago

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An Open Letter to Supernatural

[ Spoiler warning for 15x20, obviously ]

I understand that a well-contemplated complaint about this ending cannot be made without first reading the original, pre-COVID, script of 15x20, but in the long run, the initial plan is not what will be remembered.

What will be remembered is what this show created. What it became beyond two brothers driving around the country, hunting monsters. Characters were introduced and developed, and in that, Sam and Dean Winchester become so much more than two kids living on the road. In the past 15 years, the cast, and thus the family, grew to something that would be unimaginable to those who started this project back in 2005. Not only did the characters and their stories become meaningful, but the show itself grew into, well, a family. The fans who have kept this show alive since Day 1 have come together to form what I believe is the greatest community in pop culture.

What hurts the most is that this finale did not do any of that development justice.

The finale (and consequently the episodes leading up to it) reverts back to the story between only Sam and Dean. While some see this as an ode to who they are--their brotherhood and familial bond being the heart of their values and the root of their characters--I cannot help but see this as a rejection of their experiences this past decade and a half.

What’s worse, episode 15x18 confirmed one of the most pure and powerful and goddamn beautiful romances that television will ever see. This story of an angel who abandoned his family and the only beings he’s known for thousands of years, all for one person. I knew from the instant the screen faded to black on November 5 that the story of Castiel will always be remembered, even if his feelings were unrequited. Castiel will always be remembered.

And then there’s Destiel. I was genuinely impressed that this show would even grow to include a queer angel, more importantly, a queer character in a leading role. The queer-baiting and the “bury your gays” trope both make this confession and its lack of acknowledgement that much worse (and is worthy of an entirely separate open letter for another night). It matters less if Dean does or doesn’t reciprocate these feelings and more that it’s wrong that he completely ignores it. Cas’s love confession, this beautifully tragic and tragically beautiful emotion coming from a being who wasn’t supposed to feel emotions at all, is something that, unfortunately, will become a secret that dies with Dean Winchester.

It’s truly a shame that the writers of this show let that happen.

We haven’t even touched the fact that Castiel’s death was an act of sacrifice to save Dean. Dean’s limited reaction and lack of mourning* tears apart this phrase that has become pivotal to the entire show and fanbase: “Family don’t end in blood.” While it would be a lot to ask that Dean rescue Cas from the Empty and resume their cycle of rescue and resurrection, I think it’s only fair that Dean take the time to fully accept Castiel’s actions and words for what they mean instead of simply moving forward as if they never happened.

What’s more, Misha Collins is one of the greatest and kindest people in this world, and he’s poured his heart and soul into Supernatural, just like everybody else. He’s spent 12 years on this project, and the final two episodes hardly mentioned his character. He didn’t deserve this. It’s heartbreaking that his last credit on this show will be a prank call from someone trying to impersonate him, and not something that pays tribute to such an important character and important actor**

The most devastating part of this ending is what happened in 15x19. Pardon my French when I say that that episode, the ultimate climax of the season and latter half of the series, was a piece of dog shit. It’s incredibly frustrating to invest in 15 years worth of television and look forward to this ultimate battle between two average boys and God the Almighty Himself and to instead watch a 6-minute long fist fight on the beach with the only dialogue being variations of “seriously guys, stay down.”

My issues with 15x19 lie less in the storyline that was chosen and more in how they were presented. I am completely on board with Jack taking God’s power and eventually becoming the new God, but the episode was far too quick to have any real meaning, and, as stated before, Castiel’s sacrifice, which allows Sam, Dean, and Jack to do what they do in 15x19, is hardly mentioned.

Most fans agree that 15x19 was far too quickly paced. The plot with Michael and Lucifer was questionable to begin with, but should have been an episode on its own if it were to be perused at all. Michael’s story in particular could have been fleshed out to reiterate this theme of overly loyal sons and their fathers, as well as their relationships with less loyal siblings, but was instead reduced to about 20 minutes of screen time.

Though this is less important, Lucifer’s plan to make a new Death felt like a cheap cop-out just to close the storyline with Death’s book, but we can finish that discussion another day.

The general fan reaction to this atrocity of an episode was that this was meta, and according to Becky, the ending was supposed to be dog shit. This, along with the untouched storyline started when Cas died, gave fans so much hope that the finale would be this amazing piece of art that puts Supernatural in the history books.

While it’s obvious that an hour cannot perfectly tie up every single event and arc with a pretty little bow, it can at least...try. Any finale should, at minimum, pay tribute to what the show started as (which 15x20 did well) and what it became (which 15x20 failed to do miserably).

In addition, a reference to character back in season 1 is incredibly frustrating when recurring characters with actual, well, character go unnoticed. I mostly reference Eileen here, but this also applies to Jody and Donna. Nobody even mentions the other wonderful friends who have helped Sam and Dean along their journey to Heaven. If family doesn’t end in blood, then why doesn’t it extend to include Castiel, Jack, Mary, Rowena, Charlie, Kevin, Jody and her girls, Donna, and so many others?

Dean’s death was sad, I’ll give them that (and honestly, I was expecting it). However, considering that this man has defeated apocalypses, killed Death, and taken down God, his death via nail in the wall was incredibly anticlimactic, and something that could literally have happened at any point over the 15 seasons. While Dean’s death was obviously not my ideal ending, I think it could have worked if it were done properly, and in this case, it was not. That said, I do appreciate that Sam did not try to bring Dean back, as that would indicate literally no growth at all.

Dean’s funeral was...pathetic, to say the least. Sam being the only person there was depressing considering that Dean had lots of other close friends (and you’d think that Jack would pay his respects, but apparently not), however, this is likely a scene that was impacted by COVID and the availability of some of the cast, so I will not dwell on that scene.

Dean’s time in Heaven complicates matters even more. Firstly, Bobby confirms that Castiel is no longer in the Empty and has been in contact with Jack. I would have loved to see this reunion; Cas is essentially Jack’s father, and I would have loved to see how their upgrading/remodeling of Heaven brought them closer together. I understand that the writers were trying to focus this finale story on the brothers, this goes back to my earlier point that you cannot simply ignore everything that that this show has grown to include. Bobby’s explanation also begs the question of why Dean had no intention of seeing Cas (or Jack, for that matter) again now that he has the opportunity.

Secondly, Dean’s instinct to go directly for the Impala was very in-character, however, the editing implied that driving was all Dean did until Sam died. As we know, Sam dies of old age, likely (completely guessing here) upwards of 40-50 years from Dean’s death, and that is a very, very long time for Dean to simply driving around the mountains. It would have been nice to see Dean reunite with other family and friends who are also in Heaven, however, again, COVID restraints.

Sam’s ending was similar to what I and a lot of other fans imagined (not necessarily wanted, but predicted) it to be: kids and a wife, living a normal, monster-free, life. I hate to believe that he doesn’t end up with Eileen (to my recollection, his wife was a blur in the background, and it is unclear if she was meant to be Eileen) however that might just be my bias and appreciation of Shoshannah Stern. While I’m glad that this storyline gave Sam the room to grow and develop without his brother, it also completely ignores everything that he’s been through this past decade and a half, and that is something that should not happen. Sam grew and changed so much since he left Stanford and leaving that life, the life of a hunter, behind feels very counterintuitive.

Let’s not even discuss the wig that Jared wore. It reminded me of the Cain wig that Rob wore in the Hillywood parody.

What shocked me the most at the beginning of this episode was the lack of a “The Road So Far” compilation. I hoped for the full song with a recap of all 15 seasons, or, at minimum, the typical single-season recap. “Carry On My Wayward Son” is such an important part of the show and the culture of the fan base, that it seems almost sacrilegious that the season finale not begin with this song and a memorial to the events in the past season (or series).*** I’m very happy that it was included at all, but I was shocked when Neoni’s cover took over.

No disrespect to Neoni; those girls are incredibly talented and I love their music, however, a series finale of a 15 season long show does not feel like the place for a cover when they already have the rights to the original, and the original is so iconic.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge Jensen Ackles’s reaction to this conclusion. At a con panel about a year ago, he said that he needed to be talked into agreeing to this script by Erik Kripke himself, because the ending just wasn’t sitting right with him. So many fans took this to believe that he was homophobic and afraid that of Destiel becoming fully canon, and he got so much more hate than he deserved, because ultimately, he was right in his first opinion. This isn’t the way this story should have ended. Jensen explained that he had been “too close” to the story, and that it took a more holistic view from a step backwards (the audience’s perspective, as he puts it) to agree on this ending, but honestly, nobody knows Dean Winchester better than Jensen, and he knows what’s best and what would be the best way to finish this character’s arc. I think fans and Jensen alike agree that this wasn’t it.

I sympathize with all of the cast and crew members who disagree with how this show ended but are bounded by contract to support this show no matter what. Especially Misha and Jensen.

Over all, I believe that Supernatural will go down in history (in internet communities, at least) as one of the greatest shows ever. While I do agree that the writing quality in terms of both dialogue and plot declined as years passed, the community, the family, that this show created cannot be ignored because of a poorly written/planned ending. I think that the fandom will collectively let go of this disaster of an ending that we were given and will, just like Sam and Dean, write our own stories. I have full faith and confidence that Supernatural will not be represented by this finale episode, but by the beautiful stories, amazing characters, and the family that this show created and what the fans have chosen to do with it.

Sincerely,

A Fiercely Frustrated but Fiercely Loyal Fan

* I do not count that last clip of Dean crying on the floor as mourning. In my mind, that was a reaction, not an emotional healing and overcoming, if that makes sense. I argue that if Dean were to fully mourn and process everything (like Sam did in 15x20) we would have seen at least a bit of that on screen.

** This is where I would have loved to see some of the original scripts. I hope that the writers initial intentions were to have Misha more involved in these last two episodes than what was likely a voice memo created in 10 minutes tops at Misha’s house.

*** The strange montage at the end of 15x19 makes so much more sense. I still would have preferred that montage at the beginning of 15x20. This also shines light on the video that Misha posted. What would we do without him :)

#supernatural #spn #spn season 15 #spn finale #spn 15x20 #an open letter #no beta we die as men #destiel #deancas #dean winchester #sam winchester #castiel #jack kline #erik kripke #robert singer #andrew dabb #that god awful finale #i spent 4 hours drafting this

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itsfuckingcanon · 4 years ago

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List Of Supernatural Videos That Are Greatly Under-appreciated

-Castiel Being Done With Everyones Shit For 6 Minutes https://youtu.be/HfLVxPp-80w

-Behind The Scenes Perspective of Supernaturals: A Fans Perspective... Directors (it’s basically a mocumentary of the cast) https://youtu.be/p18WkFoFvSA

-Any of Misha’s cooking videos with Maison or West (even though they aren’t SPN)

-Hillywood Supernatural Parody 1&2

https://youtu.be/tCZy8cAgBlM

https://youtu.be/Nsy06n-omrg

-Profound Bond Making Sam Miss Hell for 4 Minutes https://youtu.be/aMEFHo3HVWk

-Supernatural Gag Reel Season 1-15 (it’s 3 hours long tho 😳) https://youtu.be/gGaAiZBR4aY

-Sam Being Soulless For 8 Minutes https://youtu.be/9rZYCiDV9aM

-101 Facts About Supernatural https://youtu.be/LwoIP8tv2PY

-Why Deans The Best Big Brother in Television (I CRYYYYYYYYYY) https://youtu.be/6-miMZmMMqI

-Why Sams The Best Little Brother in Television (same) https://youtu.be/v5V09N-H5SY

-Dean and Sam Winchester In sync https://youtu.be/I4Cuyi_5YeM

-All of Sam and Deans Hugs Ranked (the commentary is hilarious) https://youtu.be/mtOfghXC7es

-My Top 10 Heartbreaking Dean & Sam Moments | Supernatural (cue me internally screaming for 14 minutes and 45 seconds)

https://youtu.be/TLvvUPFtM58

-Supernatural: 10 Times Sam & Dean Winchester Made Us Cry (why do I do this to myself) https://youtu.be/AAxQ5z3ujI8

-Dean being a Chaotic Dumbass for 5 and a half minutes https://youtu.be/6xEFauQA2Nc

-All of Jack and His Dads Hugs Ranked https://youtu.be/SVtbeQMdBRk

-Top 10 Favorite Supernatural Music Moments (Seasons 1-8) https://youtu.be/KL_wIC71r-8

-10 Best Supernatural Music Moments https://youtu.be/cAwMDIo9wKI

-Misha Collins Responds to Your Craziest Supernatural Fan Theories https://youtu.be/_hfdRkLwnY8

-Supernatural as Vines (and literally any other Supernatural as vine comps) https://youtu.be/lxD79te0o3U

-Supernatural The Road So Far Season 1-14 https://youtu.be/FD5VUPwJ9-0

-Supernatural is Kinda Dumb... https://youtu.be/FfN9kHTanFg

-sam being so very sam for 6 minutes https://youtu.be/ryIGiFrbyMA

-Misha Collins Funny Bloopers Vs Real Life https://youtu.be/r-9mXGl7xwE

-Dean and Cas being “buddies” for 8 minutes https://youtu.be/Oj-F8N1SUPk

-Supernatural The Road So Far Season 1-14 ALL Carry On My Wayward Son https://youtu.be/FD5VUPwJ9-0

-sam and dean being dorks for 5 and a half minutes https://youtu.be/SUFAFed031Y

-casifer being a little shit for 8 minutes and 15 seconds straight https://youtu.be/gOSIuXtaPfs

#supernatural #spn #spnfamily #winchesterbrothers #supernatural crack #sam and dean #spn vids

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francesderwent · 4 years ago

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no rest for the wicked

wow still had a super visceral reaction to "carry on my wayward son" starting up

"all I'm saying is you're my weak spot. and I'm yours"

so if dean's hallucinating maybe sam should drive????

"if this is going to be my last day on earth, I do not want it to be socially awkward"

I have never been a fan of the creepy-evil child trope, and I don't think it works here. there is no established reason for lilith to want to do this. why does the demon who holds everyone's deals also enjoy being a seven-year-old girl?? why does she ACT like a bratty seven-year-old girl? no reason at all

sam, wiping demon blood on his shirt: it's a secret tool that won't help us later because I know nothing

obviously supernatural is a pretty macho show. it's about two dudes driving across america killing monsters and sleeping with pretty girls. but on the other hand, it's kept from going totally over the edge because they just fail. so. much. they're not a parody of strength, because they do the best they can, they throw themselves at problems and assure each other that they're going to win, but when it comes to the big stuff, when it comes to the stuff that really matters, they DON'T win.

#Cate liveblogs!

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oreolesbian · 4 years ago

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the funniest part of tonight is that a week ago, my friend and i made a joke about them playing a dramatic emo cover of carry on my wayward son for the finale, so i googled “dramatic carry on my wayward son cover” and i shit you not, the exact same cover we hear in the finale is the one we had listened to and joked about...i s2g this episode was a parody lmaooooo

#spn

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ilikebeesandflowers · 4 years ago

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Finale? What finale?

That was just the Empty torturing a wayward gay angel... Here’s what really happened after Cas confessed his LOVE to Dean Winchester and was taken to Super Mega Hell...

Unedited, unproofread, unbeta’d- just pure, unadulterated, whiskey-and-rage-fueled fix-it fic. Ps, El Sol cerveza is the official beverage of fake-dream-worlds, and therefore the entire narrative of the finale is sus.

Love Lift Us Up (Where We Belong)

Cas slumbered, but fitfully. Oblivion plagued him with nightmares.

Some dreams replayed memories, even of memories that were not strictly his: one by one, everyone he loved torn apart at an atomic level, rent, poofed to dust. His sleeping self watched on a loop as Bobby, Charlie, Donna, nameless others fell, obliterated.

He saw Michael slay Lucifer, the foregone conclusion so many times delayed.

He saw Michael betray the Winchesters. But how? Why? Michael had changed, hadn’t he? Adam had changed him. Even asleep, Cas knew this to be true.

He watched Jack, his loving and beloved son, fulfilling the promise Kelly had known he held. Jack bringing peace to the world, restoring balance, returning all life on earth to its rightful places. Cas was certain that this dream was true. He felt Jack’s presence, unmistakable lightness and goodness and purity.

The Empty roiled violently, rippling the fabric of its realm.

The dreams changed again to nightmares.

Dean, alone. Sam, alone. Eileen, alone.

The hunters who had died were again whole and alive, walking the earth as if Chuck’s poisonous animosity had never snuffed them. And yet they were all isolated from one another. Oh, the younger children clung to their parents, but the parents drifted from one another.

Charlie, alone. Donna, alone. Claire, alone.

The loneliness of the hunters infected the denizens of the Empty, and the Empty smiled in its sleep.

Cas dreamed that he watched Dean dying, an ignominious death in a ramshackle barn. He felt a wave of revulsion, of jealousy, like he did in another barn, once upon a time, witnessing a kiss between Anna and Dean. What had he felt then, way back when, when feelings were still so new and frightening? Had he been in love then?

The scene repeated, again and again, a horrible parody of what should have been. A confession of love, two foreheads touching, hands held over Dean’s heart. The scene replayed a hundred, a thousand times, Cas viewing from the vantage of the beloved, but Cas never could see who received Dean’s love. He only knew it wasn’t him. He could only watch through someone else’s eyes, hearing and seeing and feeling with intense loathing what should have been his.

Then Dean was dead.

The scene faded again. Cas saw Sam, living on, without Dean, without Jack, without Eileen, without hunters or hunting. In the space of a human heartbeat, he was married, raising a human child, a son. In another heartbeat, he was old, then dying, then greeting his brother in heaven.

He felt again a tug as if Jack were near. A faint glow.

Cas woke. Two amber eyes shone above him.

“Castiel,” said Jack, “something is wrong. I need your help.”

Cas scrambled to his feet. “The dreams? They were real?”

Jack couldn’t know what Cas had seen, and yet he shook his head and assured him that, no, those were the Empty playing tricks. “But reality is in danger. Heaven and Hell are out of balance. Heaven’s brightest are all here, when they should be up there. We’ll have to wake them.”

The Empty howled somewhere far off, something that sounded like, “Let me sleep!”

Jack stepped briskly in the inky blackness, tapping here and there, naming sleeping entities. “Hannah, you are needed. Duma, awaken. Gabriel. Michael. Raphael, your services are humbly requested.”

Soon, the din of awakened angels, archangels, seraphs, and reapers had summoned a furious cosmic entity of entropy and oblivion. “KEEP. IT. DOWN,” it hissed.

“And what will you do if we don’t?” Castiel asked, raising an eyebrow to the Empty, who stood before them in the guise of Meg Masters, circa 2009.

The Empty stamped its foot. “I took you in. You all died the death of immortals, a death that cannot be rewarded nor punished, but I took you in! And all I ask for is quiet!”

“But why?” Cas continued. “You despise us. Why do you trap us here?”

The Empty hesitated. “They dream,” it replied. “They dream, and so I dream.”

“We suffer nightmares of your making.”

“No-oo. The dreams are yours.”

“You enjoy the nightmares?”

“No.” The Empty faltered. “They wake me up. You stir, I stir; I must sleep!”

Jack spoke softly to the Empty. “Then expel them.”

“Expel them? What, just set them all free to commit chaos?”

“Just the dreamers.”

The Empty seemed to calculate the price of granting the nephilim’s wish. “That would be almost all of the angels and a number of powerful demons. They might return, clomping into my haven and disturbing my sleep.”

“No,” Castiel put in, his eyes lit with a wry smile. “If you expel them, they will be forever banned from your realm. They become subject to Purgatory, not Oblivion.”

Jack smiled at his father. “Exactly!” He turned again to the Empty. “So you’ll do it?” he asked brightly.

The Empty scowled. It nodded once, as if making a decision.

The world went white, then faded to reveal a sunny meadow. Roly-poly bumblebees flitted between fat heads of purple clover. A nest of chickadees chirped. Cicadas droned. A red kite soared above them, the string held by someone a long way off. Cas’ face softened, as if recalling a long-lost memory.

It hardened again as he sensed something amiss. “Jack,” he frowned, “the walls between the human heavens are failing.”

Jack nodded. “Yes, which is why we need more angelic energy. But watch.” He drew a small window in the air with his index finger. He pushed the cut-out, revealing an adjoining heaven belonging to a woman. Cas recognized her as the mother of the man with the kite. Her heaven contained a meadow: the same meadow that surrounded them, rather than the manicured lawn Cas knew from the man’s original heaven.

“They can co-exist,” he breathed.

“Yes. We can break these barriers and open Heaven. It doesn’t need to be a prison. We can fix it.” Jack grinned again, that same old smile he’d worn in life, when he learned the taste of nougat or the softness of a bunny rabbit.

The sight warmed Cas. The summer sky glowed just a bit brighter. “Tell me what to do, my son.”

***

For six days, as Heaven measures time, the angels, the archangels, and the nephilim worked. First, negotiating a truce with Hell and its imperious but righteous Queen, and then building a Heaven for all. On the seventh day, they rested from their labors. They gathered to watch the humans on earth for a little while. Almost no time had passed: the humans had had just enough time to recollect that they had watched their loved ones vanish; those unfamiliar with the supernatural had quickly forgotten the phenomenon, as well. The hunters in the warded hideout had had just enough time to embrace their newly un-vanished friends.

Sam was texting Eileen, only to remember that he still had her phone, abandoned on the sidewalk mid-text. He laughed at himself. “We have to drive to Eileen’s house.”

Dean lay hunched over the table, carving a word into the polished wood alongside the Winchester family initials. Thus far, it read, “CAST,” and he was just starting on the I. “Pack us up- I wanna finish this, but I can be ready in twenty.” They watched as he finished his tribute to Castiel. He put two fingers to his lips, then pressed the finger pads against the grooves.

Cas itched to know how Dean meant the gesture.

Dean hastily scratched the name “JACK” into the table, too. “You done good, kid,” he murmured, patting the letters as he might once have patted Jack on the shoulder.

The angels drifted back to their tasks. Cas stayed, watching his friends. His family. He followed their movements towards Eileen. He witnessed the tearful reunion.

Sam started sniffling long before Dean pulled up behind Eileen’s little red car. He stepped over the sidewalk, where he had first absorbed her death, and a sob escaped him. In a few strides of his long legs, he was at the door. His hand shook as he reached for the doorbell. The second phone in his pocket vibrated: her doorbell notification. How would she know that he was there? He clapped the knocker, stamped his feet.

The door opened. Eileen. A vision, a sight for even Cas’ sore eyes. Sam was overwhelmed. He croaked her name, and she was in his arms. Where she belonged.

Back at the curb, Dean turned his face from the lovers. He fiddled with his phone, but who could he call?

Cas heard Dean think his name. He felt a pang of longing, but it wasn’t his own. Or rather, it matched his own. Echoed his, merged with his, swelling the aching feeling until he felt full to bursting with yearning for something he thought he could never have. Had thought he couldn’t have. Now, he wondered.

He called to his son.

Jack appeared beside him. He followed Cas’ gaze. “It’s time for you to return to him,” he mused.

“Yes, but,” Cas tripped over the words he wanted to say and couldn’t bear to say.

Fortunately, Jack understood. Without another word, he took Cas’ face in his hands. For a moment, their eyes glowed brightly, then Castiel’s dimmed to their customary shade of blue. When Jack’s golden aura had faded as well, he pulled away from Cas. He glanced down at the slim vial now slung around his neck by a black cord. The substance within sparkled, swirled, its hue a dazzling, electric blue-white. It looked like lightning in a bottle.

Cas swept his son into a crushing embrace. “Thank you,” he wept.

“You can always come home,” Jack told him.

Cas pulled back. “No. Where I’m going is home.” He smiled through the tears rushing down his cheek. “Goodbye, Jack. I love you.”

He rather felt than heard Jack’s reply, as he crossed from the celestial plane to the mortal realm. He stood now on that same sidewalk. Far to his right, Sam lifted Eileen, carrying her bridal-style into her home, letting the door slam behind them. To his left, a long black car. He gripped the passenger door handle, pulled it open. The hinges squeaked. He folded himself inside before turning to the driver.

Dean looked every bit as awed as Cas felt. This was right.

Before he could say anything, even so much as a simple “Hello, Dean,” he found himself in Dean’s arms. Where he belonged.

#destiel #saileen #Castiel #sam x eileen #supernatural debacle #spn fixit fic #15.20 #long post #sorry I’m on mobile

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tyrannuspitch · 5 years ago

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Okay I’m at the end of my tether YEAH Wayward Son was bad but Carry On is still genuinely good and I can’t listen to one more person talk about how it was “literally just Dr*rry fanfic lol” I cannot TAKE this any more

There are many valid criticisms of Rainbow Rowell. But let’s just. Let’s all just sit down and ask ourselves. Even setting aside the whole concept of parody, what does Carry On genuinely - GENUINELY!!! - have in common with Harry Potter?

We’re going end up with a list looking something like:

Magic boarding school

Looming class tensions in magical world

Teen chosen one (KIND of)

Wise mentor, snobbish rival, genius best friend (all very common archetypes)

And what else is going on? That ISN’T present in Harry Potter?

Vampires -- Remembering that it was written in the Twilight Era and they literally do an “I know what you are / Say it” AND a watching-you-sleep. And I think broodily drinking rats in the catacombs is from Interview With A Vampire?

The question of monsterhood/personhood -- Not fully absent from HP, but never personally relevant to main characters or major villains

Love triangle -- In the days of TWILIGHT and THE HUNGER GAMES

Teen chosen one who has special powers and a magic sword, and who fights monsters -- Generic fantasy, and everyone from King Arthur to Percy Jackson... but, you know, not actually HP. (Okay, Harry uses a sword, like, once, but it’s Simon’s main weapon.)

Two teenage rivals who grew up together, are tied together by fate (the Crucible; their archetypes), and came oh so close to being friends, but are instead deadly nemeses... -- I don’t know much about superheroes, but this feels *very* superhero to me? (Sure, Draco has a little of this, but it’s just not on the same level. For the first four books his role was basically just as a school bully.)

The Big Bad Villain as a faceless monster who’s more interested in ending the world than taking it over, and is not, and apparently has never been, human -- Again, generic SF/F, but NOT how it works in HP

(And incidentally, HP’s whole thing with the human villains who want to become immortal and take over the world is nowhere to be seen in Carry On. The Old Families don’t want that kind of ~glory~ -- they want to keep magic *even more* hidden and exclusive than the Mage does.)

“But Lucian!” you cry, “Even if it does ask questions that aren’t relevant to HP, the main characters are still just like Dr*rry!”

Are they though.

Harry Potter:

Humble, but a natural leader

Brave, but too decent to do any real damage in a fight

Cautiously incurious

(Note that this list is short not because I think Harry’s uninteresting or undeveloped, but just because these basic facts of his character are all we need to establish a clear contrast)

Simon Snow:

Bad with people and plans and words, but immovable in his beliefs

Kind, but devastating in battle

Compulsively paranoid, recklessly curious, will do anything for Answers (i know him being ~Oblivious LOL~ is a bit of a meme, but if you actually sit down and look at the text... it’s literally only to HIS OWN suppressed feelings. he’s pretty damn observant otherwise)

And just in case that wasn’t enough:

Draco Malfoy:

Selfish and petty and the kind of cowardly where he’s shoving other people in front of him as a human shield

A bully; malicious to random strangers

Privileged in every relevant way (rich white human pureblood)

Brooding™ because he’s being blackmailed but honestly, it’s more about fear of the consequences than a morality crisis?

Honestly not a character we get a very full or three-dimensional picture of, but basically everything we do genuinely see in canon... is bad

(I’m not by any means saying that he’s purely evil, or irredeemable!!! I’m just saying that if he has a better side, we don’t know what it looks like, because it is nowhere to be seen in canon)

Baz Pitch:

Selflessly loyal, brave and principled (to bad people and to an unhealthy extent, but even so)

Arrogant, and vicious with his enemies, but only shown to be cruel to those few specific people -- and willing to risk (or give) his life to avoid excessive/unjustified violence (saving the dragon; planning to let Simon win their battle)

Very privileged, but in a very precarious way -- being a vampire is grounds for mutilation, exile, and execution

Brooding™ because he’s genuinely morally complex and, well. Because he’s had PTSD since he was five

Very three-dimensional, and while he has certainly done bad things, you’d be hard-pressed to find grounds to really describe him as “a bad person”

Like. Sure. We GET it. There are HP jokes! There’s an orphan at magic boarding school, haha, guess what that reminds me of!

But if you look even a little way below the surface... There’s so much more to it than that. The characters and story and, yes, the world have their own identity, and it speaks to different people from HP, and in different ways.

I’m not saying you have to like Carry On, but for your own sake as much as anything else... Maybe don’t dismiss a book that parodies and criticises the entire low fantasy genre as just a rip-off of one other book series, just because that series has eaten half the genre?

#long post #i'm sorry. but i'm TIRED #carry on #simon snow #rainbow rowell #not sure it really counts as meta it's just a list #co meta

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