#compare to regarding dean how dean & rowena struck up a real friendship with barbed realness

[shallowseeker]

I'll just add that this is mostly a positive stance. The evil phrases are meant as a villain's taunt, not a judgment.

You guys know I thought the peer-to-peer relationships and dialogue were a little hokey at times in The Winchesters, especially with regards to how it handled therpay-ing in the Right Way(TM) as the Magic Bullet, but I'm overall very happy with the effort and themes the show introduced.

Natural crisis points in The Winchesters character arcs and struggles

(Image from fangasm)

If it ever came back for a short run or the characters appeared in later incarnations, The Winchesters had a lot of built-in crisis points to power it forward.

I think overall, Robbie Thompson built them well, because below are intrinsic qualities to each of them! He's good at building complex heroes.

Furthermore, it's a polarizing show. There are OG!fans that have always been actively rooting against it, which is VERY helpful for the writing team because such figures can immediately become an endless supply for bad-guy motives, villain monologues, demonic taunts, and dark mirrors.

Anyway, for characters, here's what I think:

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MAIN SERIES THEMES

#1 BREAKING: Everyone has a breaking point, and when you do, you humans...your edges are sharp. You'll cut each other into ribbons. Familial counter: So, we'll break! But we'll be there to help pick each other up again. Even if it hurts. Even if we bleed. #2 DESTINED IDENTITY: You are who I say you are. Because I'm the one who really knows you like I do. Familiar counter: I am my own person! No matter what you say. No matter how you wrote it before. #3 HUMANING WRONG/FIXING OTHERS: You think you can fix them. Classic blunder. You can't. They're unfixable. Miswired. They were just born wrong, you know. Always running into danger. Familial counter: Maybe people don't need fixing. Maybe they just need to be accepted. Maybe, sometimes, they just need support!

#4 PEACE OR FREEDOM: Which would you rather have, peace or freedom? Familial counter: Both!

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ALT MARY

Fear, powerlessness, destiny, entrapment, & the timeless Campbell classism of assumed stupidity

Go on, Mary. Trade your future for your blessed, blessed present.

No Mary Winchester in any timeline where ever triumphed, because she is just too easy to trap. So are you.

You think you're a hunter? You're prey.

Prey, like an impala on the open savannah.

You're easily manipulated Mary, because you're just dumb, a trait you share with all those backwoods Campbells.

We wanted the Winchesters for their brains, but we wanted you for your body.

("Stay present," was such an oft-repeated line for Alt!Mary. We could twist that.) ///

JOHN

The worst version of yourself & the complicated gray of the Men of Letters; the arrogance of trying to be "the brains" and trying to be "lone wolf"

Become who you were meant to be."

I know who you really are, because I wrote you that way.

You're powerless to change that, you know.

You're an abuser, a murderer, a bigot. It's your destiny.

You're just a soldier, a tool of war. A blunt hammer that hammers his own thumb.

You're going to become the monster at the end of this book, John. Don't youever doubt it.

And the best part? you're going do it to yourself.

"I'm a John understander, you see."

So, go on.

Be all that you can be.

///

CARLOS

Doomed to be alone and fearful of reaching out; you become embittered by the constant pain of loss; you're so pathetically needy

"You say you won't play my game, but you don't even see how you're already playing it."

You don't want to be alone, do you?

You actually want chaos to stay together. What if I told you that hunting could be forever? Would you choose it? I think you would no matter who it hurt.

You're the weakest link because you're so desperate and needy.

When you have your own chance of happiness, you can't even be happy for yourself; you're fundamentally broken (re:Anthony)

You're too busy steeling yourself for the loss that you ruin everything, so why bother wanting?

Might as well cut it out now before the love gets its hooks in you too deeply.

My favorite thing is that it's your foolish, reckless altruism that winds up hurting everyone around you. Irony's a bitch, ain't it?

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LATA

Violence is inevitable, even for you.

You're not a good person. That's just how you get through your day.

One thing writing taught me is that anyone can do anything if you know where to put the right amount of pressure.

And it's beautiful how desperately you want to be good and yet every action you take always hurts someone.

Your hands aren't really clean. You're just a hypocrite.

You innocents die, just because you wouldn't go against your principles.

Or, you know. Your tragic cowardice.

Everyone around you succumbs to violence because you're poison.

So go ahead and have your cake and eat it, too, Lata.

I hope you choke on it.

///

MILLIE

"Sooner or later, everyone is gonna leave you."

How can you turn your back on your dream to chase your husband's shadow?

It's gonna kill all three of you before the show's over, you know.

You warned John not to go down this path, and now you're the one lighting the way.

Doing this won't bring Henry back to you, you know.

You weren't there for him.

When he walked out that door, he said I love you.

You were silent.

///

ADA

Kill him. Kill your son.

I told you, Ada. Cute cuddly half-breed pups become the biggest, baddest wolves.

When push comes to shove, you know what's gonna happen.

You've always known that he'll turn.

He'll turn on you.

Would you rather your son die at the hands of a stranger?

If it has to be done, wouldn't you rather it be with your loving hands?

But maybe...if you become powerful, become successful enough, you'll have enough power to protect you and him. That's what you want, isn't it?

You can always try.

You'll never be powerless again, you say?

I'll take that bet. Don't say I didn't warn you.