#watching 6.10 for reference

[lesbianmaxevans]

grey's writers die by my blade for the owen/teddy yearning when he was dating cristina

[tartheanmaid]

I'm only on season 4 which makes sense as to why I thought it was incest lmao. nontheless thanks for the explanation and I'm curious how we'll find out Jon isnt Ned Stark's son

they do it pretty bad in the show. id recommend you stop watching after like 6.10 (and since you’re so early on, my like blog title thing is a reference to jon and sansa’s quite romantic reunion in season 6 episode 4 lol)

once you finish the show i’d reccomend reading a series of essays by adam feldman, called the meereenese blot essays. these are the only fan essays/theories to ever be endorsed by george, so they’re pretty on point.

after that, just dive into the books, no need to bother with the show any longer lol

[commentaryvorg]

Danganronpa V3 Commentary: Part 6.10

Be aware that this is not a blind playthrough! This will contain spoilers for the entire game, regardless of the part of the game I’m commenting on. A major focus of this commentary is to talk about all of the hints and foreshadowing of events that are going to happen and facts that are going to be revealed in the future of the story. It is emphatically not intended for someone experiencing the game for their first time.

Last time in trial 6, everything became terrible in a hopefully-mostly-deliberate way as Keebo took over as protagonist. Tsumugi pandered to the audience by trying to twist the story to be all about them and not this story’s actual goddamn cast, then completely forgot about that moments later as she forced an arbitrarily cruel final vote on the students that has nothing to do with actual hope and despair, apparently Kaito’s efforts in trial 5 suddenly mean nothing because it turns out the audience is totally okay with unfair executions after the mastermind broke the rules, and Keebo kept spouting a familiar meaningless buzzwordy hope that didn’t address any of his friends’ actual reasons for being in despair, which the audience lapped up because they’re morons while Keebo utterly failed to consider that maybe what they want from him isn’t actually a good thing.

Keebo’s already chosen to become the first arbitrary pointless sacrifice of the vote, and the Mass Panic Debate we just finished was supposedly him trying to inspire one of the others to do the same, even though he wasn’t even shooting his hope at them.

“Nekomaru”:  “Even if you won’t give up, as long as you don’t sacrifice someone el—”

Not giving up is the definition of hope! Doing anything other than that should not be necessary for hope to “win”, you arbitrary fucking murderer!

But one way or another, whether due to Keebo’s nonsensical Hope Bullet efforts or not (I’d very much like to think not), Maki chooses to sacrifice herself.

Maki:  “If Keebo and I sacrifice ourselves… then Shuichi and Himiko live, right? Then they can… survive this absurd killing game…”

Of course it would be her. Her backstory meant that she’d never cared all that much about her own survival or her own suffering, so if she can die to let at least Shuichi and Himiko live, then that’s no real loss, right? Kaito only helped so much with her sense of self-worth… and maybe his influence has been dampened right now because of all the bullshit Tsumugi has been spouting.

Shuichi:  “Maki…?”

There’s a very subtle wavering to Shuichi’s voice here beneath his surprise. He can’t bear the thought of losing her too, and it’s this pain that’s going to lead to him figuring everything out and fighting back.

Maki:  “I don’t want this killing game to end with despair. That would just… piss me off.”

Tsumugi:  “Even if you only feel that way cuz I wrote you like that? Just like with Kaito…”

Tsumugi’s still bullshitting about the Kaito part, but otherwise what she’s saying is not entirely wrong. Despair being bad is self-evident and you don’t need to be written a specific way to think that. But the feeling of needing to “defeat” despair is something that’s still a part of Maki being manipulated, not by the way she was originally written, but by that Flashback Light in chapter 5. Maki still can’t quite see that to its fullest extent, despite having long since realised that the main point of that Flashback Light was to manipulate her into killing Kokichi.

Maki:  “Even then… I’ll choose that ending if it means I can kill you. Even if I have to sacrifice my life, I will kill you!”

Now that’s something that’s how Maki’s always been written. Deal with problems that have no easy solution by killing them, and definitely kill the big evil mastermind no matter what you have to sacrifice to do so. Maki Roll, can’t you see that this is exactly like what you were trying to do for the first half of Kaito’s trial?

This would at least be Tsumugi’s writing backfiring on her, if this “punishment” she was going to receive was actually death. But since it’s not, she’s quite happy with Maki choosing this, and guh.

“Makiiii”

“my darling assassin T_T”

“That’s my Maki.”

“Assassiiiiin”

Maki has fans. Her fans seem somewhat possessive of her (although at least she doesn’t have the total sicko that Shuichi has). It also seems that some of them are hung up on the idea that she’s an assassin and don’t see her as so much more than that, as if the only reason they like her is a shallow “hurr durr schoolgirl assassin hot”, rather than any of the many things that have been compelling and interesting about her character and her arc. She deserves so much better than this.

“ALL OF THESE TEARS”

“;_; i’m gonna cry…”

At least a few of them are actually having meaningful, human reactions to this – a character they love is going to sacrifice herself for her friends! This is sad! …or, well, it would be if the sacrifice was at all meaningful and not completely arbitrary, but, you know.

“Another hope loop?”

This might finally be a vague allusion to other seasons we haven’t seen. I can kind of imagine a “hope loop” becoming the fandom term for one particular way in which the meaningless arbitrary hope ending was once resolved, but it doesn’t sound like it’s referring to DR1 or 2 specifically.

“Shuichi looks yummy <3”

I’m going to keep giving you updates on this one person just so you can keep seeing how much of an absolute creep they are.

Tsumugi:  “I told you over and over there’s nothing for you out there.”

Keebo:  “No, once the audience sees this ending, I’m sure they’ll help us.”

Oh, poor naïve Keebo, thinking that the audience is a force for good and actually gives a fuck about any of his friends when they’ve been watching them die. When they’ve been doing this for fifty-three seasons and keep wanting more. This ending right now is not meaningfully different from any of the previous ones and is not going to change anything about the audience’s behaviour at all, Keebo.

Shuichi:  “It’s because of hope that this whole thing is happening!”

But Shuichi gets it! He’s figured it out! I also love the emotion in his voice here. All of Shuichi’s (English) voice acting in this last part of the trial we’re entering is just fantastic.

The music used for Shuichi’s Rebuttal Showdown here is Clair de Lune again, which is lovely. It’s like that’s become less Kaede’s song and more just a song for Shuichi’s sadness over losing his friends.

It’s a neat twist that the last Rebuttal Showdown is against the game’s actual protagonist. This is possibly the easiest one in the whole game, with Shuichi’s words coming in completely horizontal, unmoving lines. He’s just explaining the plain truth of the matter. He’s not wrong and he’s not trying to get in anyone’s way; he’s about to fix this whole ridiculous mess.

Keebo:  (Shuichi… why? Is this the power of despair? Or…)

Yes, Keebo, despair is clearly so powerful and so evil that it dares to make Shuichi not talk like hope is the best thing ever. It couldn’t possibly be that Shuichi’s actually making complete sense and isn’t in despair any more and you should listen to him.

Buuut, Keebo’s only bullet (or, well, blade) is still just “hope”, so he still thinks that’s the only possible solution to this situation.

Keebo:  “Despair takes everything from people! Even their strength to press onward! That’s why it’s not possible for despair to be better!”

Keebo, you absolute moron, this isn’t about which one is better! Obviously Shuichi knows that hope is a better feeling to have than despair, because he’s not an idiot! But no matter what Tsumugi’s trying to make it sound like, this isn’t about proving any kind of point like it was in DR1; this is about what happens next. This is about whether the outcome of the vote, regardless of which meaningless label is slapped on it, is something we’re actually okay with, including the fact that the killing game will keep happening if we do this.

“Shuichi is the cycle of despair?”

“What are you saying, hat boy?”

“What if Shuichi is the mastermind?”

“You’re slipping up, detective.”

“Fire, Keebo! I’ll allow it!”

Aaaaaand the audience has suddenly completely stopped caring about Shuichi as a character because he dared to say a bad word about hope. This is again not remotely what an actual reasonable, human audience that’s been enjoying this story up until now would ever do, and this time it can’t just be the cherry-picked minority of despair lovers, because this is the people who are rooting for “hope”. A reaction something like “well, he’s kind of got a point, but I still want more killing games…” would be reasonable, but not just immediately denouncing him the moment he questions them. Did they not even care about Shuichi at all during the five chapters they’ve seen of him and the arc he’s had?

Shuichi:  “The people watching probably feel the same way… They want hope, too.”

Oh, Shuichi, you are giving them far too much credit. You’re assuming that the “hope” they’re obsessed with is actual hope that will inspire them in their daily lives. It sure would be realistic and understandable and relatable if that was the actual way the narrative was portraying this, but it really isn’t.

Shuichi:  “Even if it’s fiction, everyone wants to feel hope… It gives them… courage.”

That should be how this works. And I love that Shuichi clearly understands this on a personal level. Now would be a very relevant time to remind everyone that Shuichi’s Likes in the report card are listed as “Novels”. Which means that, most likely, he always used fiction to give himself courage, especially when he had so little courage on his own in the first place! Shuichi understands better than any of these one-dimensional morons in the audience exactly what gaining real hope from fiction really feels like!

Shuichi:  “While they ignore all the tragedies that we had to suffer to get there!”

Keebo:  “Shuichi, that’s—”

Monokuma:  “Then let’s start the Voting Time!”

Hah, Monokuma sure does jump in quick. He’s afraid of Shuichi pointing out what’s really going on here and how real all their suffering is and making the audience realise that maybe they shouldn’t actually want this after all, isn’t he.

Shuichi halts them to ask what the “punishment” for this vote will be, because he’s already figured out what it is. If we’d been playing as him, we’d have seen plenty of inner monologue of him slowly realising this and piecing it together as Tsumugi rambled on and on. But since we’re not seeing inside his head right now, all Keebo has seen is Shuichi being almost completely quiet and then suddenly jumping in with a fully-formed theory explaining exactly what’s going on and why this vote is bad. Shuichi really does look like a hero from the outside.

Shuichi:  “That’s what Rantaro was talking about.”

…

Rantaro:  “You wanted this killing game, so you have to win no matter what. …No matter what.”

…

Shuichi:  “Something similar must have happened in the last killing game, and he was given a choice. He sacrificed himself… and was forced to participate again.”

See, Rantaro wasn’t the only survivor of his killing game. There were two actual survivors who got to escape into the outside world just like Shuichi and Himiko hypothetically would here. Rantaro just sacrificed himself to allow for that. (In my headcanon, those two survivors were both girls and kind of reminded Rantaro of his sisters and that’s why he chose to do that.) It’s still a stretch to think that Rantaro would ever have thought of that as “wanting” this killing game like his message said, though, so I still think that line was mostly there just to make chapter 4’s opening stinger mysterious.

But man, spare a thought for Rantaro’s two friends who survived and escaped, dreading to watch Rantaro go through this again while having forgotten about them, but watching anyway because they have to know what happens to him… and then seeing him be the very first one to die. That has to have been awful. I hope that when Shuichi, Maki and Himiko do escape, they find those two and every other pair of survivors from each past killing game and start some kind of big therapy group to deal with their trauma together and share stories of their lost friends and reassure themselves that they’re all still real.

Shuichi:  “Tsumugi will still be the mastermind, Keebo will still represent the viewers… and Maki will be the new Ultimate Survivor. The killing game will begin again.”

Even if Maki wouldn’t necessarily die in this outcome, the fact that she’d lose her memories of everything in this killing game and forget about Kaito and Shuichi and be reset back to the guarded, lonely, self-loathing assassin she was at the beginning would still be awful and unacceptable. Especially since Kaito was one-in-a-million and the next game probably wouldn’t have anyone willing to help her out of it again.

It’s a little odd to think that Tsumugi would still be the mastermind? I always assumed Tsumugi wasn’t the mastermind of Rantaro’s game, simply because if she then also masterminded this game as well, it’d ruin the mystery for the audience. Unless she usually cosplays as some made-up character and this is the first time she’s ever played as herself (or at least someone who looks like herself and superficially shares her nerdiness but is less terrible and murdery).

“Izuru”:  “Then it’s despair? You’re going to choose despair to end the killing game? …How boring.”

“Celeste”:  “But this is fine. Our audience loves despair, so this will please them too.”

Will it? I mean, maybe it would if it were actual despair, since there’s emotional investment you can get from that even if it’s nothing but painful emotions. But what’s actually going to happen with the “despair” outcome of this vote is simply Shuichi, Maki and Himiko (and apparently Tsumugi) continuing to live isolated, boring lives in the academy without any more killings. That’s not a despair ending, that’s a boredom ending. Precisely the kind of thing the audience shouldn’t want.

Keebo:  “Then… hope has to win this game, too. If we continue to win for hope, then this killing game will surely end someday!”

Keebo, dude. You’re going to continue doing the thing that Shuichi has just explained is exactly what causes more killing games to happen… and then you’re just going to hope that eventually they’ll stop happening anyway? You are not being very smart right now. If you’re going to hope for something to happen, you should also at least act in a way that might help make it come true, otherwise your hope is useless.

Shuichi:  “When Maki said she was going to sacrifice herself just now, I thought… Why? So many of our friends have sacrificed their lives. Why Maki? Why now? Why do we have to go through it again…? The sorrow of losing Kaede… and Kaito… Why do we have to feel that sadness over and over and over again…? Why do we have to bear that burden…?”

I love Shuichi here so much. I love that he’s realised what this means and that it’s cruel and unfair and wrong.

Shuichi:  “Well, I don’t care how much the audience wants it, I’m not gonna feel that way anymore! I don’t want anyone to feel that way anymore!”

I love that he’s realised that the audience wants this from him and how fucked-up that is! I love that he’s thinking that not just for himself, but for every hypothetical character in future seasons who’d ever have to go through this same pain if they don’t end this right here!

I just… really wish that that actually seemed like what the in-universe audience wanted at all. Some people were sad when Maki offered to sacrifice herself, but not a single person was thinking “oh man Shuichi’s going to be devastated to lose another best friend” and empathising with the pain Shuichi’s feeling here and enjoying doing so in that immersed, in-story way. Instead, they just immediately stopped seeing him as a person the moment he spoke out against them and their precious “hope”.

The thing is, I’m still enjoying Shuichi’s emotional pain here! Of course I am! Because I care about him and I’m empathising with him, and all of this is making me want him to succeed and get what he wants and never have to feel like this any more, even as I’m enjoying that he’s feeling this way right now.

And, see, while the in-universe audience are obviously inherently more twisted than an out-universe audience because the people they’re watching aren’t really fictional and they know this, that doesn’t have to automatically make them this kind of one-dimensional asshole who can’t even empathise with the characters or engage with this like it’s a meaningful story at all. Things could still have been made to work while having them basically respond to Shuichi and his story like those of us on the other side of the real fourth wall.

Enjoying actual genuine fiction requires suspension of disbelief, compartmentalising away and ignoring the knowledge that it’s all made-up, so that you can get invested and care about what happens. So in a similar way, it might be just about believable if we could be shown that this in-universe audience has instead been suspending their knowledge that it’s real, compartmentalising away and trying to ignore the fact that real people are suffering, so that they can still enjoy this and keep watching despite knowing that people – uhhh, characters, definitely not real people – are going to die. Then they could have been reacting to this approximately like a real person watching genuine fiction would (you know, with actual investment in and empathy for the characters), until Shuichi blows the lid off their wilful ignorance right here and forces them to confront their awfulness.

Shuichi:  “Even if this is fiction, even if we’re all fictional… The pain in my heart is real! The sadness I feel when I lose the people I love is real!”

I am so, so glad that he’s realised this! This is one of my favourite moments in this trial and completely restored all the faith first-time-me had lost during all the ridiculousness of last post. This is exactly what we need to be talking about and really should never have stopped talking about – the fact that of course they’re still real people regardless of how fake their memories were. They still really felt all that pain, and they still really meant everything they did for their friends, and they still really died, regardless of the “writers” that were sometimes pulling strings behind the scenes.

And I adore the way Shuichi calls them “the people I love”. He’s not talking about specifically romantic love here, because he doesn’t have to be. Of course he loved them anyway regardless of what kind of love it was; they were his friends and they gave him all of his strength and meant everything to him. If anyone tries to use this line as proof that Shuichi must have had romantic feelings for Kaito as well, they’re completely missing the point. Using the word “love” in a platonic sense will always melt my heart and it’s especially so in this context here.

Although, while Shuichi is using this pain of his to prove to himself that he’s still meaningfully real, I do wish there was a little bit of time spent on the realisation that, since they all must have felt the same way as him, his friends must have been real, too. Being deceived into thinking they were just lies was what caused Shuichi to fall into despair, and there’s no way he’d have been able to climb out of that despair and talk so passionately about losing his friends if he didn’t truly believe once again that their lives were worth exactly as much as a “real” person’s. He has definitely figured this out by now, but it’s kind of a shame he never directly mentions it.

Shuichi:  “I won’t forgive this game that treats us like toys. And if this is what the world wants… then I reject that world! I’ll fight the world that inflicts suffering for entertainment!”

Shuichi is being such a hero and Kaede and Kaito would be so proud to see him like this!

And it’s still inconceivable that seeing him like this isn’t what the audience wants. This is a far more inspiring and meaningful story than any of the nonsense Keebo has been spouting. They should be cheering Shuichi on, not Keebo – even if that means cheering Shuichi on against themselves.

“What are you saying, detective?”

“Forget about Shuichi.”

But nope. The audience doesn’t care about him. Now that he’s speaking out against them, they’d rather just drop him entirely.

“You’re in despair, right?”

“It’s okay to feel despair sometimes…”

Yes, clearly the only reason Shuichi is saying this is because he’s being controlled by that super-evil force known as “despair”, not because he’s right.

“C’mon, Keebo! Attack!”

“hurry up and refute it!”

“Force hope through!”

And of course, they just want Keebo to yell more words about hope at Shuichi, because doing that will totally change his mind and make him think inflicting suffering for entertainment is okay. Yelling emptily about hope can achieve anything, right?

“The big reveal, at last.”

Uhh, no? What does this person even think the “reveal” is supposed to be – the fact that these characters aren’t actually fictional and that watching them suffer for entertainment is fucked up? That’s not a reveal, that’s something that should have been apparent from the start but everyone has been wilfully ignoring. (And it’s something that everyone should now be forced to confront whether they like it or not, but apparently almost nobody is.)

“mmm… shuichi’s eyes ^q^”

This “fan” of Shuichi’s is still here. And they still don’t actually give a fuck about him and haven’t been paying attention to anything he’s been saying or feeling at all.

“Why have we been doing this…?”

You! You, right there, are the one sensible actual human being in this whole stupid audience! This is what everyone should be thinking right now – realising that Shuichi has a goddamn point and that this whole practice is vile and that if they actually care about any of these characters at all then they should want what Shuichi wants, which is to end all this and never have another killing game again!

“something’s different, right?”

“Are they blaming us?”

These ones are more ambiguous, but it is possible that these two people are also vaguely starting to realise that what they’re doing is not okay. Maybe.

Tsumugi:  “It doesn’t matter what you do. No matter what a fictional character does or says, it’s just fiction to the outside world.”

See… based on the audience’s current comments, it’s really seeming like this is actually true, in this world. Those three just now are the only comments during this part that give any sense of people actually listening to Shuichi’s words. The overwhelming majority are like the ones I quoted at the beginning, complaining about Shuichi’s outlook and wanting Keebo to “fix” things for them.

Shuichi:  “I… refuse to vote.”

Tsumugi:  “Refuse to vote…?”

Keebo:  “Monokuma said that if we don’t vote, we’ll be killed for breaking the rules!”

Shuichi:  “Yes, I know. That’s why I’m doing it.”

And here’s this rule which has been vaguely a thing in the background of all the Danganronpas but was pointedly highlighted at the beginning of almost every trial in this one, making it kind of obvious it’d somehow be important later on. It’s also quite relevant that Monokuma’s declarations of this rule always explicitly said that not voting would result in death, not just “punishment”, because it means Tsumugi can’t suddenly pull a loophole and pretend this still just means they get forced into another killing game.

(Although that’s only assuming that the audience still cares about her following the rules, which, ha fucking ha.)

Shuichi:  “If this ends without a single vote being cast for hope or despair… The audience would hate it. They’d never accept an ending like that… So I abstain! I refuse to give the outside world the ending it wants!”

I appreciate Shuichi’s determination and willingness to give his life to end this killing game for good and give a huge fuck-you to the audience… but honestly, it’s kind of flimsy that this would actually achieve that. It’s hard to believe that, over fifty-three seasons, there haven’t been a few kind-of-disappointing endings here and there (even accepting that this audience laps up meaningless buzzwordy hope-versus-despair nonsense like this). But surely the occasional boring ending would only make people shrug and hope the next season is better, and it’d take several in a row for them to finally think things will never get better and the show might as well just end.

Which, to be fair, might have been happening already if this season took longer than usual to come out and some people weren’t sure it ever would. But that apparent fact was buried in some obscure audience comments and wasn’t something Shuichi seemed to notice, so he shouldn’t be nearly so sure that this would work.

Plus, it shouldn’t only be about the ending – the rest of the story is a part of the story too. The other trials in this game have mostly been fantastic and there should be no way the audience wouldn’t want more of that kind of thing, no matter how disappointingly it ends!

…This should also still not actually be a disappointing ending at all, because look at what an amazing hero Shuichi’s managing to be! He’s willing to give his life to stop the real villain behind all this – not some meaningless concept of “despair”, but the people who actually wanted him and his friends to suffer! This is still something that it should be possible for the audience to accept makes a good story, despite the fact that they themselves are the villains in it.

Keebo:  (Hope… won’t end the killing game? If that’s true, then this feeling that I must win for hope is…)

Geez, Keebo, glad you’ve finally caught up with us. It really should not have taken you this long.

It’s pretty neat that the “lying” mechanic as used here with Keebo isn’t actually lying – hope is just a concept, it’s not even a fact that you can lie about. Instead, it’s representing Keebo finally choosing to ignore and go against what his inner voice is telling him to do. The only weapon he has is hope, but that doesn’t mean this is the only choice he has.

“What are you doing, Keebo?”

“Hurry up and side with hope.”

“COME BACK HOOOPE”

“it’s hope again, right?”

And of course, the majority of the audience is not happy about this. Really, though, Shuichi has already ruined their hope ending by pointing out that this “hope” is arbitrary and cruel, and no amount of empty yelling about hope from Keebo could change that now even if he did keep listening to them.

“show us maki roll!”

This single comment here is the closest anyone in the audience ever gets to even vaguely acknowledging Kaito’s existence, since they’re using the nickname he gave her. And the utter lack any other mention of Kaito from the audience is quite clearly another thing that is completely Unrealistic and Wrong. Kaito was the best, and a significant amount of the audience should have been invested enough in his story and his influence on Shuichi and Maki to still be occasionally mentioning him here.

“i wanna break Shuichi’s fingers <3”

I sincerely hope that when Shuichi gets out of here, he ends up absolutely nowhere near this person and they never figure out where he’s living. Geez. Go and re-examine your life, you sick creep.

Keebo:  “I may be a robot, but the thought of my friends dying still fills me with sadness. I don’t want anyone else to feel this way!”

You know, if they’d actually done anything at all with Keebo’s issues about being a robot, it could have worked pretty well in this trial. He’s always been struggling to fully understand the feelings of “real” humans, and so he should have also struggled to justify to himself that his own feelings matter even though they’re just being “simulated” by computer software. But he still feels it, so it still matters, robot or not. That’s exactly the kind of argument Shuichi had to make to himself to justify that he’s still real. Keebo could have been the perfect person (among those still with us) to help Shuichi and friends come to terms with the existential issues that this trial has given them! If only Keebo had had an actual proper character arc about accepting himself as just as much of a person despite being a robot, and also if only he’d ever been trying to give his friends actual hope during this whole deal. His character has so much wasted potential.

His protagonist status wears off here, which is an appropriate moment for it to do so. All he was ever meant to do as the audience’s protagonist was to keep the cycle going and keep more killing games happening, and now that he realises that, he doesn’t want to be their protagonist any more.

“gonna dismantle you, Keebo.”

Oh boy, here’s some foreshadowing to what they actually end up doing, because apparently none of them ever really cared about Keebo as a character or a person.

“WTF? You already killed each other?”

As if the fact that the murderers were all participants of the game makes everyone in the game a bad person and therefore it doesn’t matter if they suffer and die? As if most of the actual murderers were even bad people and not good people desperately trying to save everyone and/or being manipulated into it? Yeah, no, sure, this was all just a meaningless slaughterfest and so it’s totally okay for them to all continue to die.

“the questionnaires were pointless?”

I mean, it’s not like you guys ever affected Keebo’s actions in any meaningful way up until now anyway; I don’t know why you’re so disappointed.

“Shuichi has a point.”

Hello, sensible person! I don’t know if this is the same person as that one from before, but it’s nice to see at least a tiny, tiny fraction of the audience getting it. It really is such a tiny fraction, though – the vast majority of people are still just complaining about not getting what they wanted. And I’d like to just put this down to the fact that the people who are realising this are also nice enough to then stop watching and stay out of the comments section – but, no. The comments section is exactly where these people who’ve realised this should be, because they should be trying to persuade everyone else to agree with them and realise that this is fucked up and no longer want this!

Shuichi:  “New characters are created just to show the outside world a fictional hope. They get written into these killing games, forced to betray one another…”

I appreciate how Shuichi is describing them as being “created”, because it proves that he now understands that this is exactly what happens. This has nothing to do with the pregame assholes who auditioned and wanted this; they just donated their bodies. The characters who are actually in this killing game never wanted any of this, yet they were literally created to suffer. That is not fucking okay and Shuichi will not let it continue. No-one else will ever be created for that purpose. He and his friends are the last.

Shuichi:  “To end this killing game, and end it forever… We will reject Danganronpa!”

This whole speech here accompanies Shuichi’s protagonist status switching back on, and it has pretty nice dramatic effect. He’s being a hero!

Shuichi:  “Tsumugi… you were right. I’m weak. I’m weaker than anyone else… If I didn’t have my friends, I’d be useless. That’s true even now!”

It’s lovely that Shuichi is okay with this. He realises that this is the character Tsumugi wrote him to be… but that doesn’t mean that it’s not still who he is, and it doesn’t mean he’s not real.

But he’s still not giving himself enough credit at all. Yes, he’s only able to be strong when he has friends to rely on and inspire him, but all that potential strength is still right there inside him, ready to be brought out by the right people! All he needs is a little nudge in the right direction, from the right kind of heroes.

Shuichi:  “If Keebo and Maki didn’t stand up… I would have ended it all right then.”

It’s really sad to think what Shuichi probably means when he says “end it all”. Kind of like the way he once said that Kaito “saved his life”, without ever properly elaborating on what he meant by that.

But still, Shuichi – Keebo and Maki may have chosen to sacrifice themselves, but you’re the one who used the pain of that to realise that you’re still real and figure out what everything meant. They weren’t trying to encourage you to do that, or even to be strong at all, when they made their choice. That all came from you, and from your own strength that you’ve built up through Kaede and Kaito’s belief in you. You’re not as weak as you were at the beginning, not by a long shot!

Shuichi:  “But it’s because I’m weak and because I lost my way… that I finally realized. I finally realised how cruel this “hope” really is.”

It’s cruel because the best way to write a good story is to have characters that are weak and suffer like Shuichi has been. The most inspiring type of heroes who give people the most hope aren’t the ones who are perfect and invincible, but the ones who struggle and suffer and yet still manage to win in the end. Shuichi has realised, because of his own suffering and the fact that he’s managed to claw his way through it anyway, that this is the kind of thing the audience should want to see, because it gives them the hope that they can overcome their weaknesses and struggles in the same way. A storyline like Shuichi’s should be exactly what the audience wants and exactly why this has happened so many times to so many real people who didn’t deserve to suffer for this.

I say “should be”, because this isn’t even remotely what the in-universe audience actually wants to see at all. It’s honestly bizarre how obvious the divide is between what Shuichi is describing as a genuinely inspiring engaging fiction that should be the reason the audience keeps wanting this, and the one-dimensional idiocy that this nonsensical audience apparently wants instead. If the out-universe writers are able to write Shuichi talking about the audience wanting this kind of story, they should also be perfectly capable of writing the audience actually wanting it! This shouldn’t be difficult.

---

[Next post]

[beatlejuice64]

Destiel: Season 6 - A catalog of Supernatural episodes

A catalog of each episode in Supernatural that features scenes related to Destiel. This includes scenes between Dean and Castiel, scenes with other characters that address their relationship with each other, and scenes that allude to Dean’s bisexuality.

Season 6 Summary Analysis

Castiel keeps his distance from Dean in an effort to protect him. He sees that Dean has a real shot at a happy, normal life and does not want to interfere with that. Being separated from Dean’s influence causes Cas to lose his way, and he becomes hardened and less sympathetic toward humans. Dean considers Cas to be a close friend, and he tries to stay loyal even when Sam and Bobby suspect Cas is up to something. Dean feels betrayed at Castiel’s manipulation and severely disappointed that he would stoop to working with Crowley instead of going to him for help.

My interpretation: Cas lets go of the possibility of a romantic relationship with Dean because he sees that Dean is happy with Lisa. Cas throws all off his energy into the war with Raphael to cope with this loss. Dean loves Lisa, but their relationship doesn’t work out because she and Ben cannot share the hunting life with Dean. After distancing himself from Lisa, Dean’s feelings for Cas grow, but he still does not fully admit them to himself. He repeatedly exhibits behavior typical of someone who is repressing an aspect of their sexuality.

6.01 Exile on Main St.

When Dean asks about Cas, Sam says he hasn’t heard from Cas at all and doesn’t know where he is.

6.03 The Third Man

Dean suggests calling Cas for help on a case. When he shows up, Sam is pissed that Cas answered Dean’s prayer when his own have gone unanswered for the past year. Cas tells Sam he and Dean have a profound bond, which makes Dean slightly uncomfortable: “Dean and I do share a more profound bond. I wasn’t gonna mention it.”

Cas, who is in soldier mode due to the angel civil war, explains that he answered Dean’s prayer to retrieve the Staff of Moses: “Sam, Dean, my ‘people skills’ are ‘rusty.’ Pardon me, but I have spent the last ‘year’ as a multidimensional wavelength of celestial intent. But believe me, you do not want that weapon down here. Help me find it, or more people will die.”

Dean unsuccessfully tries to talk Cas out of doing a soul cavity search on a young boy: “You’re gonna torture a kid.” “I can’t care about that, Dean. I don’t have the luxury.”

Cas explains the Raphael situation and apologizes for not being upfront about it: “Cas, why didn’t you tell us this?” “I was ashamed. I expected more from my brothers. I’m sorry.” 

Cas chooses Dean over Balthazar: “I believe the hairless ape has the floor.”

6.06 You Can’t Handle the Truth

Cas answers Dean’s call for help diagnosing Sam. He feels bad for not coming to Dean sooner, and Dean convinces him to help figure out what’s wrong with Sam:  “What happened to you, Cas? You used to be human, or at least like one.” “I’m at war. Certain regrettable things are now required of me.” Cas pours Dean a drink while they’re talking.

Lisa breaks things off with Dean because of Dean’s obsession with hunting, his unhealthy relationship with Sam, and because of what happened when Dean was a vampire: “You’ve got so much buried in there, and you push it down, and you push it down. Do you honestly think that you can go through life like that and not freak out?”

6.07 Family Matters

Cas determines that Sam has no soul. Cas uses sarcasm with Dean, which throws Dean off a little: “Of course. Your problems always come first.”

6.10 Caged Heat

Dean feels uncomfortable when Cas reveals he’s watching a porno while Sam and Dean are doing research in the next room: “If the pizza man truly loves this baby sitter, why does he keep slapping her rear? Perhaps she‘s done something wrong.” “You’re watching porn? Why?” “It was there.” “You don’t watch porn in a room full of dudes, and you don’t talk about it. Just turn it off!” Cas gets a boner, and he doesn’t turn it off. Samuel walks in and comments: “This is what you boys do—sit around watching pornos with angels?” “We’re not supposed to talk about it.”

Dean notices that Cas is not helping to find Crowley: “You know, Cas, you could help.” “I’m ambivalent about what we’re attempting.” “Well, breakin’ into monster gitmo is not exactly a two-for-one in the champagne room.”

Cas shows genuine concern for Sam and thinks Dean may be making a rash decision: “Sam’s soul has been locked in the cage with Michael and Lucifer for more than a year, and they have nothing to do but take their frustrations out on him. Do you understand? If we try to force that mutilated thing down Sam’s gullet, we have no idea what will happen. It could be catastrophic.”

When the hell hounds come, Meg agrees to stay behind to fight them. She kisses Cas, and he kisses her back, which thoroughly confuses Dean and Sam: “I learned that from the pizza man.”

When Meg leaves, Dean teases Cas, but he’s too naive to understand: “Well, she’s smart, I’ll give her that. I was gonna kill her, too. ‘Course I’d have given you an hour with her first.” “Why would I want that?”

Dean thanks Cas for his help and offers help in return: “Crowley was right. It’s not going well for me upstairs.” “If there’s anything we can do...” “There isn’t. I wish circumstances were different. Much of the time, I’d rather be here.” “Cas, we know you’ve got a steaming pile on your plate. There’s no need for apologies. We’re your friends.”

6.12 Like a Virgin

Cas and Dean argue about returning Sam’s soul to his body: “I’m sorry, Dean, but I warned you not to put that thing back inside him.” “What was I supposed to do? Let T-1000 walk around, hope he doesn’t open fire?” “Let me tell you what his soul felt like when I touched it. Like it had been skinned alive, Dean. If you wanted to kill your brother, you should’ve done it outright.”

6.15 The French Mistake

Dean is frustrated that Cas agreed to use him and Sam as bait: “When will I be able to make you understand? If I lose against Raphael, we all lose everything.” “Yeah, Cas, we know the stakes. That’s about all you’ve told us!”

Cas feels bad for being so secretive: “I’m sorry about all this. I’ll explain when I can.”

6.17 My Heart Will Go On

Balthazar expresses resentment of Castiel’s fondness toward Dean: “Sorry, you have me confused with the other angel. You know, the one in the dirty trench coat who’s in love with you?”

Cas is willing to kill Fate to save the Winchesters: “If I know her, and I do, she won’t stop until you’re dead.” “Awesome. So what do we do?” “Kill her.”

Cas refers to the Winchesters as friends: “You need new friends, Cas.” “I’m trying to save the ones I have, Dean.”

Cas chooses the Winchesters’ safety over the power of 50,000 souls after Fate threatens to kill them.

Cas demonstrates his belief in free will, and his appreciation for what Dean and Sam have taught him: “You’re the ones who taught me that you can make your own destiny. You don’t have to be ruled by fate. You can choose freedom. I still believe that that’s something worth fighting for. I just wanted you to understand that.”

6.18 Frontierland

Dean calls Cas to help with time travel. Rachel answers for him, and she talks down to Winchesters for trying to take Cas away from battle. Cas interrupts her as she’s insulting them. She is surprised that he would drop everything to help them.

6.19 Mommy Dearest

Bobby recognizes Dean as the one Cas consistently responds to: “Why does it always gotta be me that makes the call, huh? It’s not like Cas lives in my ass. Dude’s busy... Cas, get out of my ass!” Cas and Dean share an awkward look: “I was never in your...”

Dean appreciates Cas being there to help fight Eve: “Well, if she is here, I’m glad we’ve got Smitey McSmiterton on our squad.”

Castiel’s feelings are hurt when Dean insults him for being powerless: “Something in this town is affecting me. I assume it’s Eve.” “So, wait, Mom’s making you limp?” “Figuratively, yes.” “How?” “I don’t know, but she is.” “Oh, well that’s great, ‘cause without your power you’re basically just a baby in a trench coat.” Cas glares at Dean and looks out the window, prompting Sam to say, “I think you hurt his feelings.”

Dean teases Cas some more: “I’m fairly unpracticed with firearms.” “You know who whines? Babies.”

Cas and Dean disagree over taking time to save two young boys: “Millions of lives are at stake here, not just two. Stay focused.” “Are you kidding?” “There’s a greater purpose here.” “You know what? I’m getting a little sick and tired of the greater purposes, okay? I think what I’d like to do right now is save a couple of kids, if you don’t mind.”

Cas doesn’t understand why the Winchesters don’t share his sense of urgency: “Pardon me for highlighting their crippling and dangerous empathetic response with ‘sarcasm.’ It was a bad idea letting them go.”

Even without his powers, Cas tortures a monster without blinking an eye.

Despite Castiel’s apparent lack of empathy toward humans, he yells out in anguish when Eve bites Dean.

When Sam and Bobby express suspicion that Cas is working with Crowley, Dean can’t get on board with the idea: “Bobby this is Cas we’re talking about.”

6.20 The Man Who Would be King

We learn that Cas, overconfident after being brought back by God, pulled Sam out of the pit. We also learn that Cas initially went to Dean for help with Raphael, but chose not to ask him because he wants Dean to have a real shot at happiness: “Everything he sacrificed, and I was about to ask him for more.”

Cas initially went back to heaven to try to explain the concept of free will to the other angels, but he has grown pessimistic over time: “If I knew then what I know now, I might’ve said, ‘It’s simple. Freedom is a length of rope. God wants you to hang yourself with it.’”

Dean continues to believe that Cas was tricked by Crowley instead of believing that Cas has been lying to him. He even offers to help Cas: “Cas, you’ll call, right? If you get into real trouble?”

Dean feels uncomfortable lying to Cas: “You know, he’s our friend. And we are lying to him through our teeth.” “He is the Balki Bartokomous of heaven. He can make a mistake.” “This is Cas, guys. I mean, when there was no one, and we were stuck, and I mean really stuck, he broke ranks. He has gone to the mat, cut and bleeding for us, so many freakin’ times. This is Cas! Don’t we owe him the benefit of the doubt, at least?”

It’s hard for Cas to watch Dean defending him: “And the worst part was Dean trying so hard to be loyal, with every instinct telling him otherwise.”

Cas second guesses his choice to deceive the Winchesters: “I had no choice. I did it to protect the boys. Or to protect myself. I don’t know anymore.” “Hiding, lying, sweeping away evidence... and my motives used to be so pure.”

Cas is unsure if he’s doing the right thing by working with Crowley: “My interest was conflicted. I still considered myself the Winchesters’ guardian. They taught me how to stand up, what to stand for, and what generally happens to you when you do.”

After Bobby refers to Cas as “a Superman who’s gone dark side,” Dean deflects his status as Castiel’s closest friend onto Sam, “This makes you Lois Lane.”

Cas saves the Winchesters from demons even though he knows it’ll anger Crowley: “For a brief moment, I was me again.”

Cas is furious with Crowley for sending demons to kill the Winchesters: “I’m only gonna say his once. If you touch a hair on their heads, I will tear it all down. Our arrangement, everything. I’m still an angel, and I will bury you.”

Dean is elated to see Cas when he returns: “Well, Bobby, what do you think about Cas saving our asses, again?” “We never should’ve doubted you. We just hope you can forgive us.”

When Dean realizes that Cas HAS been lying to them, he feels betrayed—much moreso than Sam and Bobby: “You gotta look at me, man. You gotta level with me and tell me what’s going on. Look me in the eye and tell me you’re not working with Crowley.” “Why else would you keep this whole thing a secret, unless you knew that it was wrong? When crap like this comes around, we deal with it, like we always have. What we don’t do is we don’t go out and make another deal with the devil.” “Yeah, it sounds so simple when you say it like that. Where were you when I needed to hear it?” “I was there. Where were you? You should’ve come to us for help, Cas.”

Cas desperately tries to make Dean understand: “I’m doing this for you, Dean. I’m doing this because of you. You’re the one who taught me that freedom and free will...”

Dean pleads with Cas to stop what he’s doing for his sake: “You’re a freakin’ child, you know that? Just because you can do what you want, doesn’t mean that you get to do whatever you want.” “I’m not gonna logic you, okay? I’m saying don’t just ‘cause. I’m asking you not to. That’s it. Look, next to Sam, you and Bobby are the closest things I have to family, that you are like a brother to me. So if I’m asking you not to do something, you gotta trust me, man.”

Castiel’s ego gets in the way of trusting Dean: “I’ll do what I have to do to stop you.” “You can’t, Dean. You’re just a man. I’m an angel.” “I don’t know, I’ve taken on some pretty big fish.” “I’m sorry, Dean.” “Well, I’m sorry, too, then.”

Cas struggles with a crisis of faith because of his differences with Dean.

6.21 Let It Bleed

Cas is furious with Crowley for kidnapping Ben and Lisa. 

Cas tries again to make amends with Dean and help him understand his position: “I thought you said that we were like family. Well, I think that, too. Shouldn’t trust run both ways?” “Cas, I just can’t.” “Dean, I do everything that you ask. I always come when you call. And I am your friend. Still, despite your lack of faith in me, and now your threats. I just saved you, yet again. Has anyone but your closest kin ever done more for you? All I ask is this one thing. I’ve earned that, Dean. I came to tell you that I will find Lisa and Ben, and I will bring them back. Stand behind me the one time I ask.”

Cas is hurt when Dean compares him to Crowley and won’t trust him. He is also mad at himself for letting things get to this point. Dean can’t let it go because he feels so betrayed: “Why don’t you go back to Crowley and tell him that I said you can both kiss my ass.”

Cas comes to heal Lisa in the hospital and apologizes to Dean. Dean asks him to wipe Lisa and Ben’s memories of him.

6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much

Dean and Castiel continue to fight. When Dean refuses to let Cas follow through on his plan to open Purgatory, Cas breaks down the wall in Sam’s mind.

Cas feels like everyone has abandoned him: “I’m doing my best in impossible circumstances. My friends, they abandon me, plot against me. It’s difficult to understand.”

Dean pleas with Cas to return the souls to Purgatory: “I know there’s a lot of bad water under the bridge, but we were family once. I’d have died for you—I almost did a few times. So if that means anything to you, please... I’ve lost Lisa, I’ve lost Ben, and now I’ve lost Sam. Don’t make me lose you, too.”

The combination of Castiel’s feelings of abandonment combined with the souls scrambling his brain lead him to reject Dean: “You’re not my family, Dean. I have no family.”

[biscuit-babbles]

Alpha! Inasa X Omega! Reader Part 2

(Warning! There is a NSFW section, but you will be alerted to it before it comes up. Secondly, his quirk is actually named Whirlwind, in reference to the gif.)

SFW

Inasa is obviously a very passionate guy. That’s why it was no surprise to you when he hurriedly asked you to be his mate at the start of your 3rd year at Shiketsu High School.

Almost two years had changed little about the alpha you love. What it did change only proved more effective in making your inner omega purr.

When he asked you to be his mate, you could clearly see these being boasted. He knew how much you liked how he matured. The way his canine teeth went from small points in his smile to alpha fangs, ready to pierce your skin and make you his. His build had grown more sculpted the more he trained, and he trained often. Inasa’s voice only deepened with age, and even the softest croon can make your heart swell.

Despite these physical changes, he still was the childish alpha that hunted down your scent, hungered for your touch, and lived for your smile. He still does.

That’s why all of Eastern Japan could probably smell how ecstatic he was. His croon echoed the whole school. You had to calm him down, but that only proved to make him happier, seeing you care for him like that.

When you finally exposed your neck to him, prepared for his claiming mark, he took that chance. His fangs gently and slowly sunk in, careful not to hurt you. When blood welled from your wound, and whimpers escaped your lips, Inasa panicked. He tried to softly croon, which eventually soothed you.

That night, he excitedly took you to his home. Inside, everything seeped with his scent. He led you to a walk in closet in the hall leading to his bedroom, unused yet well cared for, and offered it to you for a nest. To sweeten the deal, he even offered to pay for improvements. Whether that be a mini fridge, television, sound system, whatever you need to feel safe and comfortable.

When you first moved in, everything was perfect. He made you breakfast, washed your clothes, and spoiled you with gifts and affection. There wasn’t a week you didn’t wake up to a brand new blanket for your nest lying among your sea of scented pillows and stuffed animals.

The perfection became overwhelming when your first heat as Inasa’s mate occurred.

(Warning! The next section will include NSFW themes! Specifics will be mentioned under the cut. If you are not comfortable with any of these, you are allowed to leave at any time.)

NSFW

(Themes include: swearing, sex toys, masturbation, dirty talk, rough sex, breeding kink, knotting, unprotected sex, and cream pies. Due to my ability in writing, the NSFW section will be for female readers only. If you want a male version, feel free to ask.)

Your heat started on a beautiful Tuesday. The whether is beautiful as you get ready to go outside. But you start to feel warm, and a sudden heat in your lower stomach urges you to find Inasa. You were confused, as your heat wasn’t due in two weeks. It must have been becoming a mated omega that irked your heat closer.

Inasa was in his room, watch vines on YouTube, when your scent hit his like a train. His vision went blurry, eyes dilated greatly, and a loud growl vibrated the house. Inasa had gone from a docile alpha to an alpha in need of his mate.

Although, hearing your mate growl only proved to startle you. Hiding in your nest was your preferred comfort in this moment, especially with what hid among the layers of blankets. You never told Inasa, but after you moved in, you had bought a vibrating dildo. You planned on using it for your heats, and now you were to use it.

Locking the inside of the closet doors - provided for by Inasa to help you feel safe - you unravel your toy. At 6.10 inches long and about 5 inches around, it had a steady curve and several vibration settings. The toy was a deep velvet red color with a jelly-like material that allowed it to be flexible and soft. A permanent knot rested idly at the base of it, ending at 1.4 inches and a whole 7 inches in girth.

As not to alert your alpha, you decided against using the vibrator aspect. Instead, you went for filling your slicked insides with the toy. Due to your heat, and the lack of attention down there for the past week or two, the sudden fulfillment made you gasp loudly. Adjusting to the toy, you began to pant into your pillows that spilled with Inasa’s scent. After a good 30 seconds, you began to slip the toy in and out of you.

Your heat began to cloud your senses, making you increase the pace rapidly. Forgetting you were trying not to disturb Inasa, you began crying and screaming his name, begging for more. Not even the large knot that had popped into you could content the need for a real cock.

Hearing your desperate pleas, Inasa leaves his bed. He himself was having a difficult time keeping his lust under control, especially since his own hand was not as wet, warm, and pleasing as an omega’s pussy. He forced his bedroom door open, growling as he approaches your nest. Your scent filled the hall, thick enough to be cut with a knife. The cries that emitted from your mouth only fueled Inasa’s insatiable lust. Yet, you fell quiet when you saw the doorknob to the closet twist erratically.

“S/O, open the door, now. Please.. I can smell how badly you need me, and I need you too. Please, please, oh sweet Gods, please, let me fuck you... Wait...” after a long, low growl, ”are you using a fucking toy? That will not do... Open the door. I will not let a toy replace me!”

You knew he didn’t mean to sound aggressive or possessive. He just needed to comfort you, and the thought that you would chose a toy to please you over him made him angry.

That’s exactly why you slowly began to undo the lock, but you didn’t have the will to pull the toy out from the depths of your slick. It felt painful to not be filled.

Inasa threw the door aside and stepped in, grabbing you and pinning you against the plush floor of your nest. He nipped and licked at your neck, desire making him growl. After a good 5 minutes of this, he locked the door again and removed the toy from you. With the toy, he withdrew a moan mixed with a whine from your throat.

“You don’t need some stupid fucking toy. You can have my cock instead. Does my pretty omega want my cock?”

Nodding mindlessly, you tried to meet your needy hips with his cock. Chuckling darkly, he croons.

“No no, baby. You used a toy instead of coming to me. Only bad omegas do that. Bad omegas get punished,”

His words are combined with his large, calloused hands groping your chest, making you whimper. His mouth continued to abuse your neck, making you cry out. With no pressure against your entrance, you thought you were going to puke. But Inasa is not a bad alpha, so his tease didn’t last long.

With a quick dismissal of his punishment, he undid his jeans and slipped them off effortlessly. Surprise clouded your face, and hungry made your mind go blank. Holy fuck, he was so much bigger than the toy.

Before you can voice any concern, he jerks his hips forward. Inasa filled you fully, the tip hitting against your cervix. The sheer girth also hit your sweet spot, making your head go empty, and your brain to mush. His pace in brutal, fucking you ruthlessly. His pelvis smacks against your hips, practically making you bounce against his cock. Finding this kind of intercourse especially arousing, he leaned into you. One hand supported himself beside your head while the other gripped your hip. Growls and curses flowed freely out of his mouth, making his mind spin with what he wanted to do to you.

Though, slicing through his thoughts, he heard your helpless whimper. So quiet that it almost escaped him. But nothing can escape an alpha with the instinctual need to grant his omega’s every sexual desire.

“A-alpha... knot me... Cum inside of me...!”

How could he refuse that? Those filthy words escaping his mate, his omega, his S/O, made him finally press his fully formed knot into you. The feeling of his knot, so thick and unbearably filling, made you cum. It was the hardest you had ever come, and the feeling was multiplied by the feeling of his pulsating cock being milked by your twitching walls. He had came too, filling you with his seed. So much so, some disobeyed and escaped. After coming down from your highs and realizing you have to wait for his knot to die down, do you notice a new feeling.

“Inasa.... did you.. break through my cervix?”

And in fact, he did. His cum inflated your womb, making you feel full. Although, this very information made Inasa croon loudly and nuzzle your neck. Scenting you thoroughly, he smiles.

“I would love to have pups with you,”

[windwardrose]

RWBY 6.10

First may I say AAAAAAHHH HELP

Second may I say AAAAAHHH HELP again

- Okay, so it looks like everything I predicted was wrong, except for the part about things getting messy. Things have Got Messy. Getting the airship wasn’t hard. That was when the hard stuff just started. So we’re not just brushing off Ruby’s defiance last episode, and we’re not going to make this easy and triumphant... Most of me is happy and some of me is just full of what I referred to once as “good, old-fashioned fear for the character’s safety.”

- Maria tried. Kind of. Kudos for the attempt. Granted, I can’t fly a plane, so I should be respectful.

- That sad, understated little moment when Weiss watches all the connections flicker off on her scroll and looks up wide-eyed with momentary abandonment. Ow.

- QROW WHY. But I know why, I guess.

Here we see a character for whom self-hatred has become a casual instinctual habit, now extending this self-hatred into global acceptance of blame in a totally irrational way. Qrow my sir, there’s a reason I relate to you: and for your sake stop this, stop. It Really Truly Doesn’t Help. It only hurts more and more.

It’s such an easy habit to get into for some of us kinds of folk, and it’s hard to get out of, and goodness only knows I can slide into it again if I’m not watching myself hard - but it’s so futile and sad, and seeing Qrow react that way onscreen is making me worried for him even more. He’s taken a downhill track into despair, and I’m not sure what it will end in.

I think he will still fight for others’ sake, but I’m not really sure if he’d care much for fighting to protect himself, now.

- NOOOO ADAM THOU UTTER CREEP

Did we ask for him? No. Did we require him? No. Does he add a fine decorative touch to the landscape? Honestly not enough of one. No benefit is conferred by having Adam Taurus enter a scene (except for making all the viewers yell in concert of shocked suspense and outraged horror).

I have a worry about Blake now, who is facing Adam alone. I made a prediction years ago and I’m afraid it’ll come true - we’ll see - I mean, they won’t really damage a team main - this had better be good, right? Right?

And in closing, AAAAH HELP.

[mittensmorgul]

So I've been having Thoughts and Feelings about Dean being the lead torturer for TFW. In 10x21 and also in 13x22 (and obviously in 4x16 and probably others I've missed). What do you think?

Hi there. I have had loads of thoughts and feelings about this, but probably not more than Dean himself has. S4 was agonizing as the true horror of what he experienced in Hell unfolded. We learned little by little what actually happened to him. First that he remembered it at all (in 4.06! IT TOOK UNTIL 4.06 for even US the audience to learn he remembered things about Hell), and Sam didn’t even know that Dean remembered any of it until Uriel told Sam to ask Dean what he remembered in 4.07.

I’m putting this under a cut, because this essentially turned into a retrospective of torture on Supernatural post 4.01, and heeeeck it’s kinda dark. It also got really, really long.

Sam begins pestering Dean for details in 4.08, and at the end of the episode Dean tells him he’s not going to lie anymore, but he’s not gonna talk about it, either. Because it was just THAT traumatizing for him. EIGHT EPISODES LATER.

It’s not until the final scenes of 4.10 that Dean breaks down and tearfully confesses some of his experience to Sam.

Dean: It wasn't four months, you know.Sam: What?Dean: It was four months up here, but down there... I don't know. Time's different. It was more like 40 years.Sam: My God.Dean: They, uh... They sliced and carved and tore at me in ways that you... Until there was nothing left. And then, suddenly... I would be whole again... like magic... just so they could start in all over. And Alastair... at the end of every day... every one... he would come over. And he would make me an offer. To take me off the rack... if I put souls on... if I started the torturing. And every day, I told him to stick it where the sun shines. For 30 years, I told him. But then I couldn't do it anymore, Sammy. I couldn't. And I got off that rack. God help me, I got right off it, and I started ripping them apart. I lost count of how many souls. The -- the things that I did to them.Sam: Dean... Dean, look, you held out for 30 years. That's longer than anyone would have.Dean: How I feel... This... inside me... I wish I couldn't feel anything, Sammy. I wish I couldn't feel a damn thing.

And it’s not until the final scene of 4.11, aka that episode that they intentionally tried to craft as something so awful no network would ever air it again, like, deliberately scraping the bottom of the barrel to see how bad an episode they could get away with making, including all the shock value and zero redemptive quality, that we learn the absolute horror of Dean’s experience. Not only did he torture, but he liked it, and he can never forgive himself for that.

DEAN: You know, I felt for those sons of bitches back there. Lifelong torture turns you into something like that.SAM: You were in hell, Dean. Look, maybe you did what you did there, but you're not them. They were barely human.DEAN: Yeah, you're right. I wasn't like them. I was worse. They were animals, Sam, defending territory. Me? I did it for the sheer pleasure.SAM: What?DEAN: I enjoyed it, Sam. They took me off the rack, and I tortured souls, and I liked it. All those years, all that pain. Finally getting to deal some out yourself. I didn't care who they put in front of me. Because that pain I felt, it just slipped away. No matter how many people I save, I can't change that. I can't fill this hole. Not ever.

And it can’t possibly get worse than that. He’d essentially described what it feels like to become a demon, and it seems he was well along in the process when he was finally pulled from Hell and restored to his body with all the demon smoke scrubbed off his soul. Or else it wouldn’t trouble him to live with this memory of what he became there.

Note also that this is the turning point where Sam begins to buy into Ruby’s claims that Dean is “weak,” and too weak to really follow through with the hunt for Lilith. And Sam returns in the very next episode to start drinking Ruby’s blood and practicing his demon magic again. He believes that Dean “broke” permanently, and no longer trusts his ability. He begins to see Dean as “fragile.”

Which is why he goes running to Dean’s rescue in 4.16. Cas is no longer “in charge,” because he’d grown too sympathetic to the humans in his charge (literally Dean specifically, and Uriel was now running the show. And Uriel WANTED Dean “broken.” He wanted Dean damaged enough to be subservient to Heaven’s will.

Everything that happened in that episode (thanks, Edlund) is critical for understanding Dean and Cas. Cas begins to understand Dean on a truly human level:

DEAN: You ask me to open that door and walk through it, you will not like what walks back out.CASTIEL: For what it's worth, I would give anything not to have you do this.

But he does it anyway. Meanwhile Cas begins to learn that something is truly rotten in the state of Heaven, that their orders aren’t all coming for reliable sources and that some angels have defected to Lucifer’s side in this. Dean learns the horrific truth that his “failure” in Hell was more than a moral or personal failing, but was literally the first key in starting the apocalypse. But after going through this fresh hell together, he and Cas are finally on the same side in this... on the side of Humanity over the squabbles of Heaven and Hell.

Sidebar to note that in the very next episode, Zachariah had to step in with a false reality to motivate Dean into even wanting to continue the fight... even if Zachariah’s machinations tended to go sideways on him...  but this is still important to note for Dean’s next run-in with torture, because it was yet another run-in with Zachariah and a manipulative vision of a horrific future where Dean apparently DIDN’T comply with Heaven’s wishes where he discovered his future-self was casually engaging in torture again.

In 5.04, Dean is disgusted with his “future self” that he seemed to rely heavily on his skill as a torturer. He called it classy. And look how well all that turned out for him... >.>

Over the years, Dean’s had multiple other run-ins with torture-- either performing it himself or his observations about others engaging in it. I’m just gonna make a list here for reference purposes, because I think a pattern emerges:

6.03: Dean is HIGHLY judgmental of Castiel’s treatment of Aaron Birch, a CHILD who Cas “can’t care about” because he’s at war... Dean’s reaction is expected, but it’s also used to demonstrate Sam’s LACK of a reaction. We’re supposed to be suspicious of why Sam would just... stand there and watch this happen, and we’re supposed to be very concerned for Sam because he doesn’t become upset the way Dean does.

6.07: Dean is HIGHLY judgmental of Sam (especially now that he knows Sam has no soul) when he learns what Samuel is doing with the Alphas he captures-- that he’s torturing them for information, but Sam doesn’t know what information.

6.10: This one’s full of torture on all sides >.> Dean is tied up and threatened with torture by Meg, Meg is eventually captured and tortured, but Dean kills Christian-possessed-by-a-demon. Dean then turns around and traps Crowley, and threatens him with Meg torturing him... not Dean himself doing the torture, but he’s tired of being on Crowley’s payroll trying to earn back Sam’s soul, and he seems less fussy about torturing demons than people, but still not doing it himself.

6.19: we see, and Bobby sees, Cas torture one of the people Eve had turned into a Jefferson Starship, for information on Eve’s location. I highly doubt that Bobby actually shared that fact with Dean, because he seemed downright horrified enough. And the pain of 6.20 is gonna hit Dean like a ton of bricks, so I like to think he didn’t know about Cas’s casual torture here.

6.21: But as horrific as everything in 6.20 was, it drove Dean to this point of bleak despair, learning of Cas’s betrayal that goes back more than a year, with the final straw being Lisa and Ben’s kidnapping. Dean... breaks. He grimly picks up his torture implements and tries to find where Lisa and Ben are being held by trapping and torturing demons. He’s so distraught he nearly gets himself killed, but Cas arrives just in time to save him. Meanwhile Sam resorts to a different tactic-- summoning Balthazar and asking him for help. Cas finds out that Balthazar “betrayed” him to the Winchesters, and kills him. It’s... a terrible state of affairs all around.

7.06: With a captured Leviathan, it’s Bobby who sets about systematically-- well not torturing per se, but trying to figure out what might even hurt or kill a leviathan. It’s effectively the same as torture, though, and thank heck Dean isn’t the one carrying it out. Enter: the season of throwing cleaning products at bad things.

7.15: Dean is tied up and tortured again, this time by someone he’d tied up and tortured back during the apocalypse, someone who’d been possessed by a demon they needed information from, and yet someone who claimed to want to help and actually consented to the torture if it got the demon to talk... but it was all lies, and now the guy wanted “his demon” back.

Then there was Purgatory, where everything was “pure.” It was 24/7 WHERE’S THE ANGEL, and interrogating everything he could catch and killing everything else. It was about finding Cas and surviving everything else. And it’s fucking scary. When he gets back, he’s shaken by his experiences there, but he’s also finally got a different context to associate with his abilities as a torturer. Something “safer” to pin those associations on at any rate rather than pointless gleeful torture for torture’s sake.

8.02: We see Dean resort, via flashback to his torturing a monster in Purgatory, to a similar but slightly more restrained technique (slamming a witness against a wall, choking him, and holding a knife to his neck) to get information back in the real world. He doesn’t go through with physical harm, but heck... that was torture.

8.07: But then Cas miraculously comes back. Dean’s wary, but it’s not Dean doing the torturing in this episode. It’s Crowley, torturing Kevin. Well, Dean does threaten a demon that Linda captured into revealing Crowley’s location, and then kills the demon when they get the information. >.>

8.10: Again, it’s Crowley doing the torturing, of Samandriel. It also becomes clear that Cas is suffering the aftereffects of some similar form of torture inflicted on him by Naomi, and his actions bear this out when he’s ordered to kill amandriel. It seems that Dean is put off again by torture, concerned for Cas, but refuses to even listen to information Crowley’s minion tried to share before killing him outright (whoopsie... that could’ve saved some trouble in 8.17...)

8.15: Dean is tortured by a witch (and Sam is, too), and they’re forced to relive hell-related memories. Not fun...

8.17: Dean describes Cas’s interrogation technique as “zero dark thirty,” and is rather horrified. He’s beaten and nearly killed by Cas before he breaks through... Cas heals him, and he finally learns that Cas has been controlled by Naomi this entire time, but then Cas flees, now being controlled by the Angel Tablet itself, with his only mission to protect that tablet at all costs.

I think it’s fair to say that Dean, by this point, has some fairly complicated associations with torture.

8.21: Cas is tortured by Crowley, and the Angel Tablet is stolen from him, but he escapes. 

8.22: Basically one long, slow torture by Crowley, killing people they’ve saved until they agree to his demands to turn over the Demon Tablet.

9.02: Sam and Dean have to save other hunters from being tortured by Abaddon. They were a trap designed to capture the Winchesters, but Gadreel-in-Sam was not something they’d been expecting...

9.03: Yeah, April tortures Cas, but Sam and Dean also capture a “rogue reaper” and torture him for information on Cas’s location. Dean had no difficulty cutting into a reaper who had been dispatched to capture and torture Cas for info...

9.09: Cas is captured and tortured by an angel faction, but managed to steal another angel’s grace and save himself.

And then in 9.11, Dean takes on the Mark of Cain, and is affected by it for the next season and a half... wherein he wrestles with the “darkness” in him, and then whoopsie, finds out that a lot of that darkness in him was The Darkness and not him at all...

Which period covers one of your original episodes you’d asked about: 10.21.

This was Dean’s final descent into the darkness of the Mark of Cain. I mean, even back in 10.14, there was a lot of references to what he was asked to do back in 4.16, and the same sort of vibe, with the twist that Dean KNOWS he needs to do this, and that he’s literally the only person in the world who can. So instead of grim acceptance and resignation, he basically psychs himself up for killing Cain, puts a plan in place, and does what needs to be done.

In 10.14, it’s no longer, “if I go in there, you won’t like what comes out,” but “I need to go in there, regardless of what comes out.”

So even if this isn’t a torture situation, it’s a moment for Dean to confront that similar moment (and loads of others like it) from his past.

10.21 I take with several grains of salt, because first of all it’s a Bucklemming episode, and they’re infamous for a gratuitous use of torture, sexualized violence, and general skeeviness. But also, this is Dean succumbing to the Mark of Cain/The Darkness. He does the torturing because he’s pragmatic. He’s good at it, and he’s also already “tainted” by it in ways that Sam isn’t (or at least not to this degree... Sam had his own run with darkness at the beginning of s10 when he was torturing demons for information on Dean, not to mention his treatment of Rowena in the run up to the end of s10, which absolutely also counts as torture).

10.22: Dean gives into the darkness, and while it’s not presented as torture, he’s an asshole who torments the parents of a kidnapped girl, slaughters his way through the entire Styne family, and nearly kills Cas before walking out.

But then the MoC is gone, and Dean’s himself again for the first time in a year and a half.

Through s11, Dean is more often the witness to torture (Cas under the Attack Dog Spell, the various things the Darkness perpetuates such as the Zompires, and the werewolf victims in 11.17) or the victim of torture (by the naczer... nachez... the ghoulpires in 11.04, by the demon in 11.15) than the perpetrator.

The BMoL and Lucifer were behind most of the torturing in s12, forcing Dean to refresh his perspective on those morally grey areas.

I think another important episode you missed was 13.07, where they capture and confront Ketch, who’d been torturing and killing witches for information on Rowena’s whereabouts. Dean sees through Ketch’s lies from the start, and has no problem torturing Ketch. (again, this is Bucklemming, so have your serving of salt) But Dean knows who and what Ketch is, and that goes a long way, I think, to making it easier for him to dole out torture in this case.

13.14: Donatello has been corrupted by the demon tablet and attacks Sam. Dean attempts to interrogate him, but Donatello is too powerful and nearly suffocates him with magic. Cas falls on his sword, carrying out a horrific torture of stripping Donatello’s memories from him, leaving him brain dead, because Dean and Sam had not wanted to kill Donatello, despite that essentially being the only way to stop him. And it tortured Cas as much as it tortured Donatello, as we saw the results of that particular ability of Castiel’s demonstrated by the broken and tormented version of him in the alternate universe in 13.22.

And while it’s also Bucklemming, I will give credit to 13.22 for demonstrating the parallel between the AU!Castiel version of torture, and the cooperative version that Dean and Cas carried out together. AU!Castiel was reprogrammed to the point of breaking under the weight of the horrors he’d perpetrated, and his only purpose, which he seemed to take pleasure in, was this specific form of torture for information, stripping the memories from his victims until nothing was left.

We had this particular horror set up both with Donatello, but also a season earlier in 12.11 when Dean’s memories were disappearing one by one, until nothing would’ve been left of him. He’s got a very personal association with that particular form of torture.

And in full disclosure here, this is one of my personal biggest fears. I do not like amnesia as a trope, I do not like reading it, I avoid stuff based around loss of identity, because it’s triggering and nothankyou I do not need a psychotic break today. So... suffice it to say, the lack of my going into explicit detail here is a method of self-preservation, and I thank y’all for not posing more direct questions about it. I will not answer them.

But Dean and Cas working together, getting information from someone who’d betrayed all of humanity in giving information to the angels, and yet STILL only taking that ONE bit of information before stopping the torture... I mean they were trying not only to save Charlie and Ketch’s lives, but trying to rescue them before the angels tortured them into giving up everything about the human resistance, putting the rest of humanity in jeopardy.

This was about more than just a horrific act of torture, but about the stark contrast between both the method and the cooperation between Cas and Dean, the trust, and who they are as people compared to what they so easily could’ve become.

Dean so very easily could’ve become what Ketch was in 12.21, and Cas could so very easily have become what AU!Castiel became, BECAUSE of torture inflicted on them, and torture they’d doled out themselves, but that’s not who they are, and it doesn’t define them.

So yeah, I guess that’s the evolution of Dean as a torturer. 

[deanirae]

Here’s the promised rant! It goes on for thirty years! The season 6 as i can’t unsee it because i rewatched it at a weird point in life!

Step one: if you have shipping goggles on, take them off. If you have a big sentiment towards Cas's perspective in 6.20, for now, leave it at the door. It belongs in the trashcan, I hope you know that.

Welcome to season 6 and the gender-coded horror aka all the things that were done to Dean because he just wouldn’t stay in the kitchen.

Season 6 in its entirety stronger than any other season placed Dean into the role of a woman. It’s a thing since day one in spn, but s6 was all about it. Dean's horror in that season strongly resembles stories about women being abused and belittled because they are believed to be less than men; simply because they aren’t men [and know jack shit]. Their feelings don’t matter, neither does their consent, not really, which the season’s vaguely threatening “can’t or won’t?” encompasses very well [women don’t get to say “no” or “can’t” and keep it. It will get dissected and disrespected. Which is also Dean’s story].

Re-watching season 6 I felt like I was watching Rosemary's Baby but simply without the baby??? Everyone there is either lying to Dean or gaslighting him or both, all the while he's being repeatedly told everything that has been done to him, everything that hurt him, everything that took his choice away, was done to him for his own good or for the greater good vaguely including his own (or not) . And maybe he should shut the fuck up and drink a cocktail [or, according to Cas, some more whiskey].

This pattern stars in the very beginning of the season where Dean is being told that an important truth regarding Sam was hidden from him on purpose because Bobby Sam and Cas knew better what's best for Dean and they treated Dean's arguments as emotional and unreasonable. Dean fucking spent an entire year suffering from grief after losing his brother whom due to abuse and brainwashing Dean couldn't help but see as his own child (which is something that season 12 canonically confirmed). Like with Ro’s baby being declared dead at first but hey I digress, scratch that.

Unfortunately, this is just the beginning of his choice being taken away from him, since right away he gets guilt-tripped back into the hunting life and all the things that were supposed to be so good for him he got endlessly ridiculed for. Soulless Sam even drags Dean’s entire life when Dean chooses to stay with Lisa. Dean doesn’t know Sam doesn’t have a soul. He’s just supposed to take the abuse from the guy who pushed him into the domestic life in the first place and consider it normal.

Dean is also being called soft and too feminine, too weak to be treated as an equal decision making party in the hunting arrangement. He’s ranked below Gwen, only woman in the group, the lowest ranking member before Dean came.

Also very interesting that throughout the season Dean is heavily connected with taking care of children, bonding with them, and feeling for them deeply [Ben, 6.02, 6.03, 6.19], which again is something he gets criticized for every single time.

The criticism however doesn't end there and an extremely important example is where Dean begins voicing his concern regarding Sam and his behavior. Even though Dean knows Sam best, Bobby insists that Dean is being paranoid. Even after Sam literally served Dean to the vampire, he gets ordered to stop being so weak and get dressed into a more reason-based professional approach to the problem and he's supposed to put his trauma aside, basically he's being told to man up. Because he’s being emotional. And probably wrong and hysterical.

Of course it's no surprise that the game-changing moment for Dean too puts him in a woman's position within the narrative. While sexual assault isn’t a problem only women experience, statistically and, especially in the media, this is the sort of violence that women are in a larger threat of facing than men. What's more to it, what happens on screen in the episode only shows the girls being lured into a trap and forcefully changed. And all of this has extremely sexual connotations. Being unwillingly turned into a vampire and the forced feeding with a vampire's blood is a blatant metaphor of rape. In Dean's case the sexual undertone of the assault was heavily accentuated even in dialogue.

But not just there. In the episode Dean takes the vampire book and refers to its cover [the vampire watching the girl sleep] as “rapey”. He’s uncomfortable with the whole thing. The act of staring at an unaware sleeping woman is presented as a monster vs woman thing to do, as an assault. When Dean gets turned, he watches Lisa sleep before she startles awake [6.05]. Lucky, the dog-skinwalker, watches his “love”/unaware owner sleep, then crawls into her bed [6.08]. Castiel, despite of knowing the sigils were literally meant to be a restraining order, enters Dean’s room, watches him sleep. Tries to convert him [620]. The same episode also brings  up all the times Dean, completely unaware, was being watched by him. Just like the girl from the book cover was, just like Maddie was.

No surprise Cas takes the creepy cake because he resonates with the disturbing theme perhaps the most, showing through how in season 6 Dean's relationship with Cas played out. Or, to be more specific, how Castiel's relationship with Dean played out (and there is a difference).

The thing of the biggest import here, before I begin, is that power imbalance, the difference of species. The angelic mindset in the Angels versus Humans dynamics, which is rooted in the same arguments men use to establish their dominance over women and to later excuse it: according to Angels (and technically supernatural beings in general), humans are weaker, too emotional, definitely dumber, less experienced, less competent.

And what they deserve, at best, is patronizing treatment showing them where is their place, because they’re too fragile and too stupid to make decisions for themselves. Not worthy taking a meaningful position in a war, but at the same time they're extremely valuable due to their souls, which to an extent kind of reminds me of how women are often seen as valuable only because they are capable of childbirth, which is an ability unique to them in the same way having a soul is something that angels just lack, so they use humans for that.

Castiel might say he values humans as his equals, but even if he believes that, his actions don’t reflect it [5.18 for example, pick ANY episode from s6]. The thinking is so ingrained into him like patriarchal perspective is in men’s heads by default. Castiel's and Dean's relationship in season 6 is solely gender coded in this regard. Castiel simply isn't capable of seeing Dean as his equal because he’s, according to Cas, weaker, less experienced, too biased by his flawed - or castiel's actual words - “crippling” - human perspective, therefore he should be put away from the fighting for his own good. No matter the cost, no matter Dean’s judgment on the matter, no matter his choice. Safety is priority, right? Early in s6 Dean, desperate, tries to protect Lisa and Ben like that too, but he understands, he backs off. They reach balance.

But when the narrative puts Dean in Lisa’s place? The only thing he's allowed to do is to perform some basic tasks that are completely unrelated to what's happening on the Big Front and only when Cas sees it fit, and only how he sees it fit. Dean, as long as  it is for Castiel to decide, doesn't even have to know what he's doing. In fact, in the original plan it was supposed to go along the lines of: Manly Men (angels) Fight Wars To Protect Women (Dean) because they're capable and strong and cunning and rational, while Women (Dean) Stay At Home And Rake The God Damn Leaves. What they do is keep the fire going for the Victorious Soldier when He returns from War and if they don't get that, they're just dumb because their human little brains are too small to comprehend the stakes. So they don’t get a vote. They’re supposed to trust blindly. Men (angels) know better. And all of it of course is because Men (Castiel) love Them (Dean) so much and They’re willing to do everything and anything to protect those poor, brittle things (favorite pets?).

The list of anything and everything includes: lying about everything all the time directly into Dean’s face despite of the crushing emotional pain Dean was in. And I don’t even mean burning Crowley's bones-lying, but every single time Dean has voiced his worry that something is wrong with Sam. What Castiel does is to placate Dean, reassure him that he doesn't know what happens but he's so sorry and he'll try to find out! Aids and encourages Dean’s alcoholism just to make him docile, while lying to him actively, by the way [6.06]. And when that stops being an option and Dean is determined to return the soul to Sam, Castiel suddenly stops being so understanding and sweet. Like a flip of a switch. He guilt trips and indirectly threatens Dean before he follows through [6.10] and after placing Sam's soul back in its place [6.12]. And of course it has nothing to do with actual worry over Sam's wellbeing.

Cas pulled Sam out of the cage and didn't bother to check on him for over a year, even though soulless!sam prayed to him repeatedly. Not to mention that he later broke Sam's wall without blinking, so he did the exact thing he “warned” Dean about and by “warned” I mean that he made sure Dean would know the blame, if anything happens to Sam, is going to be his. The point of the whole show of concern was to keep Dean busy and technically powerless because together, alive and kicking, the Winchesters, while extremely dysfunctional and codependent, make a much bigger threat for the supernatural because it's so much harder to keep the game going when suddenly both of the brothers are asking questions and Dean is no longer being pulled down, preoccupied and controlled by T-1000. Dean is much more compliant when he has no support and when he has no moves to make, which Castiel knows.

So yes, maybe Castiel didn't pull out Sam soulless on purpose but it is no accident that he was so determined to keep him that way regardless of how much it cost Dean, whom, of course, he loves so fucking much.

And when you are an angel loving a man/mother figure so much you are also going to hurt the child just to force him to accept his position and stand down. And later tell him that he had it coming because he didn't listen and didn't do what he's told (if the babysitter is slapped, she’s clearly done something wrong). All of it in the name of freedom, of course.

While attempting to emotionally manipulate Dean into supporting his cause and agreeing that what Castiel is doing is right, Cas invokes values like caring, protecting, being a family -  which are in our society values mostly associated with women. Even the Superman metaphor presents Dean as Lois Lane (which Dean knows, so he throws that hot ball away as fast as he can). Throughout the entire 6.20 Dean is shown as and approached to as the delicate hurt wife that can't believe she's being cheated on, so everyone’s just being soft and protectional on her, poor thing, which starts in 6.19.

And fuck lemme tell you a thing about 6.19, buckle the fuck up. The episode very telling in the context of this gender-based abuse reading. It’s because both Bobby and Sam immediately understood that something is wrong about Cas while Dean couldn't. And, the way see it, it’s not the problem of Dean trusting Cas more and blindly because he's in love with him and stuff, no. At least not mostly. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that technically in the presence of both (especially soulless) Sam and Bobby Cas didn't put that much effort into playing soft concern and caring thing  as he did during the brief encounters he had with Dean alone. Sure Cas determined when he made it clear to Dean that driving the boys to their uncle is not something they have the time for, but there is a difference between the way he spoke about it in Dean's presence, to Dean directly, and the comments he made when only Bobby was there to hear them. Here, compare for yourself:

CAS: Dean, can I have a word? We need to find Eve now.

DEAN: Yeah. Go. Me and Sam just gotta make a milk run.

CAS: We need your help here.

DEAN: Hold your water. We’ll be back in a few.

CAS: Dean, Dean. Millions of lives are at stake here, not just two. Stay focused.

DEAN: Are you kidding?

CAS: there’s a greater purpose here.

DEAN: you know what, I-I’m getting a little sick and tired of the greater purposes, okay? I think what I’d like to do now is save a couple of kids. If you don’t mind. We’ll catch up.

Now, same problem, but with no Dean to hear it. I heavily advise you to dig 6.19 out and watch if not both scenes at least this one because the way Misha delivers his lines here is vital. I know just the words to describe that for you, but hear that for yourselves:

BOBBY: They won’t take long.

CAS: They might find more orphans along the way.  

BOBBY: Oh, don’t get cute.

CAS: Right. Pardon me for highlighting their crippling and dangerous empathetic response with “sarcasm”. It was a bad idea, letting them go.

Now, a bit on both [I still insist you should go watch that scene i’m begging you]:

First scene? Castiel approaches Dean gently, asks for a permission to talk in private, gives him space. He speaks to him super softly. I threw up softly. Dean doesn’t notice the demand in the demand at all, so he just goes ok, you do you, I do me i don’t get it??? So Cas goes into  the emotional territory [always works, don’t it], still soft.

Now dean gets it, but doesn’t budge. So bigger ammo goes off. And don’t even get me started on “Dean, Dean,” and how throughout the show only the villains do the variations of repeating Dean’s name to address him. The delivery slightly differed here but

It was followed by an order that was all the way patronizing. Only Castiel’s eyes reflect the irritation, his voice doesn’t - even though as scene with bobby makes clear - he’s pissed as shit. On dean specifically. He does say “they” but note that sam hasn’t spoken once on the whole issue? It’s dean who he was talking to.

He thinks Dean is crippled for being empathetic and bound to children and he isn’t rational enough to understand the stakes. Let it sink in. now think about it in the context of being a gender [species] issue. Let it sink deeper.

Something in Dean’s words, that thrown in “if you don’t mind” - that’s totally subjective but it kind of makes me think of this women-specific way of speaking from many decades before. Like 40s-50s wife thing? That implied asking for permission woven into their lexicons? Dean is, of course, bitter here, but still, you ever hear a man use that construction? I haven’t. Feel free to discard this point it’s just me trying to work with leftovers of my linguistic training and it’s subjective and i’m in no way saying that line went like that on purpose, ok? It just Bothers  me on some crawling under my skin level.

“Letting” someone do something is Bad Idea - says dude who slaughters in the name of Choice and Freedom. Oops.

And a bonus: Eve lured Dean into her trap, relying on his maternal side. Then, she tried to reach him using Mary. The whole thing being a mother to a mother talk because as a “mother” you should get my feelings.

Another bonus because you probably didn’t dig 6.19 out. That wasn’t an impersonal, rationalish vaguely grumpy sarcasm. That was soft, belittling, ridiculing contempt, the exact one you will meet again in 7.01! I wonder why!!

say bye bye to 6.19, we’re going elsewhere now. Still within the realm of season 6 fucking with Dean’s agency, gendering his problems, and somewhat within the realm of Castiel’s soon to be kingdom.

All that talk about making sacrifices for Dean’s good [because of dean/for dean, mind you] and preserving free will? Oh man, that was to not even convince God [who was blogging about cats at the time], but to make himself feel good and justified in what he’s doing.

And if he really meant what he said by “i’m doing this for you, i’m doing this because of you”, that’s because Dean is his prized possession. Spoils of war from apocalypse no. 1 [5.18 anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Entitlement?]. His trophy wife.

And no one can lay a hand on Dean and hurt him [michael, raphael, balthazar, atropos, crowley, demons] or even insult him [rachel]. Except of him, of course [ignoring him for a year, not even to say sam isn’t dead, grabbing and slicing Dean’s arm without asking and warning, guilt tripping him as hard as it gets re: Sam, agreeing to put him in harm’s way during crowley-related errands, keeping the lisa blackmail going due to convenience, re-making Dean’s reality and life without his consent BUT when that didn’t pan out, making him keep the knowledge just because he wanted to? Um, yikes? And of course hurting sam to get specifically to dean?]

Because

CAS: I’ve earned that, Dean. [6.21]

*mic drop*

[baelerion]

The Cracky Wedding Ceremony Theory

Before reading I would highly suggest you take a look at this post first @jonsaforlife @tigereye771 @scullylikesscience @stuckincinemascope & @thenutofroyalty have a very interesting discussion who inspired me to do my own research and write this meta.

Done? Ok. So there’s a lot of marriage subtext if you look deeper into it. Twice is the number of ceremonies hinted at, actually. And while the following points don’t automatically come up as obvious when presented alone, once they all are listed together it can easily reach an eyebrows raising level of weird.

First you have the more traditional ceremony happening during the fireside scene in 6.04

• Sansa is wearing Jon’s old cloak as a literal protection against the cold (and it’s such an important detail in that Melisandre in 6.02 is given a random NW’s cloak to keep herself warm)

• She is then being told by Jon that, from now on, it’s the two of them together.

"Where will you go?" “Where will WE go?”

• You even have a reference to the protector role switch between father and husband.

“If I don't watch over you, Father's ghost will come back and murder me.”

• This one is more tinfoil-y, but in the books several newlyweds/young couples are seen to be drinking from the same cup. Jonsa’s cute ale moment could symbolize this.

• There’s also the matter of the huge emphasize put on separating them from the rest of the Starks when it comes to Winterfell being their home.

“Winterfell is our home. It's ours. And Arya's and Bran's and Rickon's.”

Then you have the reversed ceremony happening in 6.05

• Sansa is sewing a Stark cloak for Jon (and an exact replica of her father’s at that, not Robb’s or anybody else’s)

• Sansa reaffirm her position as a trueborn Stark as well as her intention to support Jon’s cause by using both her name and the influence/connections that come with it. They’re in this together, remember?

“The North remembers. They remember the Stark name. People will still risk everything for it, from White Harbor to Ramsay's own door.”

“I don't doubt it. But Jon doesn't have the Stark name.”

“No, but I do. Jon is every bit as much Ned Stark's son as Ramsay is Roose Bolton's. And there are also the Tullys. They're not Northern, but they will back us against the Boltons without question.”

Jon exchange a glance with his father figure for a day friend Edd as if to make sure he heard about that weird marriage proposal too.

• She tells Brienne that Jon will “keep me safe” and that she “trust him”.

• I could also go on with how it’s to Edd, his closest remaining friend/brother at the Wall, that Jon gives his old NW’s cloak in 6.03 before exclaiming that his “Watch has ended” and how it’s beside Edd again (who’s wishing him “Good Luck”) that he can be seen putting on the Stark one before leaving Castle Black (his now former home) in 6.05. Here’s an interesting thing the game of thrones wikia has to say:

The bride is typically led and presented by her father [...] with the father on the right and the bride on the left - then after being presented the couple stands in front of the septon with the bride still on the left and now the groom on the right. If the bride's father is dead, her brothers or other close male family member often lead her down the aisle instead.

How convenient is it that Edd was standing on Jon’s right in that shot? Or that Sansa was, as is custom for the grooms, the one waiting for Jon? Or that she was the one standing at his right when they departed?

More hints are provided for both cases in episode 6.09 & 6.10

• You have Jon vowing once again to protect Sansa, going to war against her psychopathic ex husband and holding true to his vows

“I won't let ever let him touch you again. I'll protect you, I promise.”

• With the battle won and the Boltons gone for good, they can now provide a home for each other.

• Sansa later join Jon atop Winterfell’s battlements and after arguing over a bedroom tells him that he is a Stark to her. She reminds him of his place within the family, of his status as a true and important member of the pack. Of her pack. This exchange share a lot of similarities with a NedCat one in 1.01. It’s also important to note that Jon does not hesitate to credit Sansa for the Vale support or to asses her status as the new head of House Stark.

“I'm having the lord's chamber prepared for you.” 

“Mother and Father's room? You should take it.” 

“I'm not a Stark.” 

“You are to me”. 

“You're the Lady of Winterfell. You deserve it. We're standing here because of you. The battle was lost until the Knights of the Vale rode in. They came because of you.”

Jon also makes a point to remind Sansa that it’s still the both of them against the world. They come as an item.

“We need to trust each other. We can't fight a war amongst ourselves. We have so many enemies now.”

• Last but not least, during the King in The North scene, they’re being seated together at the Great Table like a husband and wife ought to be. Thanks @obiwan-katnobi‘s link to this page we know that:

Traditionally, a bride stands to the left of her husband on their wedding day and at social events.

The reason a wife would traditionally stand to the left of her husband is because a man's right arm was considered his sword arm. Should a husband have to protect his wife, he would hold her in his left arm and fight off any danger with his right arm. It was therefore in the wife's best interests to always stand on the left of her husband.

Another reason is that the union of the right hands of the bride and groom symbolizes their union as one, their strength in being together, and the combined resources that they bring to their marriage.

And thanks to this amazing point made by @jonsaforlife we know that Game of Thrones’ production team is aware of this tradition and is actually using it.

[toneelspeler]

SKAM MEME!

I was tagged by @softnorwegians who has been amazingly cool over the past few days and that’s why i’m doing this for her :). 

Name/nickname/whatever you prefer to be called? My name is Laura; any Dutch nicknames I have are unpronounceable for most of you guys so i won’t bother you with them. You can call me toneelspeler as well (synonym for actress in dutch, the more you know).  

Pronouns? She/her

Age? 22. At least for 8 more days.

Fav Skam character? Isak. Because we’re stupidly alike in character, although I would love to have his “listen-to-advice-and-do-it” skills. 

When did you start watching Skam? I joined in during the s3 hiatus. I had seen an awesome video on youtube of it, and after I saw Isak’s dramatic walk to Nas at school in 6.10 part 1 I was sold. Because that is totally what I do, walk dramatically to music through life, tripping on my heels. 

When did you make your blog? 2 days ago. I have been a lurker for yeaaars though, since at least season 2 of glee. so I’ve been around. I’ve seen some stuff. I didn’t make one because I didn’t feel like I had anything to contribute to fandoms before.

Who are you cheering for to be s4′s main? Sana. Isak’s season was punctual because of what happened in Orlando (and I really love the references that Julie put in the first episode. because that made me really feel that this season was for the LBGTQ+ community. To show them a happy story). I hope Sana’s season can do the same for what’s happening in Europe at the moment. Also Iman is gorgeous as hell and I want all of her clothes. 

Who do you think is most likely to be s4′s main? Sana, so I’m pretty happy about that. 

What are your main interests? acting. directing. producing. teaching. reading. watching well made (written and acted) shows and movies. writing about acting. (women’s) history. 

Something you’re always up to discuss? Well I have been discussing some stuff about the acting in Skam so you can always come for that to me. Season 3 is the freshest in my mind, but I have seen all the seasons so if you need to tell me about great acting moments in those, please do!!

Something you refuse to discuss? I don’t talk about the cast beyond my appreciation for their acting. Look, I’m a trainee teacher around Henrik’s age who teaches kids around Tarjei’s age; I’m extremely uncomfortable with any (skam) rps going around. I’m currently debating whether I should write anything on acting scenes between those two because I don’t want to give any wrong impressions, or validate those ideas. I probably will write something, but I have some fears about posting it.

Other favorite shows aside from Skam? I have been busy, so I haven’t watched a lot recently. I used to ADORE Shameless (US), but I couldn’t continue after season 5. Noel Fisher was astounding. I also still love Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. Les Revenants was also pretty good. Band of Brothers and The Pacific are also close to my heart. 

Since I’ve been here for only 2 days, I don’t want to bother people by tagging them, but if you want to do this meme, please do! I’d like to get to know the people that read my stuff! <3

[ebthblog]

The Top 10 Jewelry Pieces from EBTH

At EVERYTHING BUT THE HOUSE we’ve learned that not all that glitters is gold. From sparkling sapphires to dazzling diamonds, we’ve rounded up the best and the brightest from our jewelry box to ooh and ahh over. Shield your eyes from the shine, because here are the top ten jewelry pieces from EBTH.

1) 12.19 CT Sapphire, Platinum, and Diamond Ring

Final Bid Price $47,625

This 12.19 CT ring is made of Sri Lankan sapphire, platinum, and diamond. The September birthstone, sapphires are the gem of wisdom, loyalty, and nobility. These blue stones have a long history of being worn by different cultures for spiritual purposes, to increase self discipline, and channel higher powers. This particular sapphire was made in Sri Lanka where the Buddhists believe that sapphires encourage spiritual enlightenment.

2)  4.20 Carat Diamond and Platinum Ladies Engagement Ring

Final bid price $42,400

This beautiful engagement ring includes one large lustrous diamond at approximately 4.2 carats and single tapered baguette step cut diamonds to accent the larger stone. This astonishing ring is a stunning example of perfect symmetry and craftsmanship with the gems arranged on a hand assembled platinum band. The cut is so precise that you can see through every layer of these glittering gems!

3) Late 1930s Cartier of Paris Gold, Diamond and Enamel King and Queen of Hearts Bracelet Set

Final bid price $27,400

Founded in 1847 by Louis- Francois Cartier in Paris, Cartier began its illustrious history as a luxury watch and jewelry maker. These particular Cartier pieces feature the classic playing card design of the king and queen of hearts with diamonds and gold plates. Coincidentally enough King Edward VII of England referred to Cartier as "the jeweler of kings and the king of jewelers” for his exceptional designs and customer service through the years.

4) Tiffany & Co. Platinum and 1.74 Carat Diamond Solitaire Necklace

Final bid price $22,750

Since its founding, Tiffany & Co. has been a pioneer of the world’s design movements in jewelry and decor. Tiffany & Co. set the standard for sterling silver and for American jewelry with designs ranging from the geometric and dazzling Art Deco to the nature-inspired works of Elsa Peretti. Tiffany and Company’s exceptional designs that remain the height of luxury and glamour, like this Diamond Solitaire Necklace. This simple yet elegant necklace has a 1.74 carat round cut diamond that hangs from a polished platinum cable chain.

5) 18K Yellow Gold 6.10 CTW Diamond Ring

Final bid price $20,500

With 18K yellow gold and a central 6.10 ctw diamond, this ring is sure to turn heads. The best kind of gaudy, this ring encapsulates 38 diamonds to frame the main diamond. This might not be your average engagement ring, but it is sure to seriously sparkle in the sun--and with that many diamonds, it could sparkle in the dark, too.

6) 18K Yellow Gold Diamond and Emerald Floral Multi-Strand Beaded Choker

Final Bid price $19,766

This necklace makes a statement with multiple strands of polished emerald beads, adorned with yellow gold flowers that are encrusted with diamonds. Known as the “stone of successful love”, emeralds are the May birthstone, and known for their mesmerizing green glow. A symbol of rebirth, this springtime stone is believed to grant the power of foresight, youth and good fortune. Cleopatra cherished the deep rich green of emeralds and EBTH does too!

7) Rolex 18K Yellow Gold 2.56 CTW Diamond Bezel Day-Date Wristwatch

Final Bid Price $18,250

Rolex began in London after step brothers Hans Wilsdorf and Alfred Davis had a vision to improve the design of watches. In 1905, Hans wanted to create reliable watches with an elegant design so he began incorporating and importing Swiss movements from a watchmaking company in Bienne. Over the years they were able to create unheard of innovations in watch making, like the day-date invention. In 1945 the first Datejust watch was created, with watches now giving the time and date. Like this diamond bezeled beauty, Rolex watches watches outstanding reliability and commitment to a luxurious look and feel has helped the company continue to reign as the top luxury watchmaker in the business.

8) White Gold, 4.56 CTW Diamond, Sapphire, and Tourmaline Ring

Final bid price $17,900

The extravagant ring combines three different gems including diamonds, sapphires and green tourmaline stones. Tourmaline means, “stone of mixed colors” which is the perfect way to encapsulate this colorful18K white gold cocktail ring that features intense blue and green tourmaline in a medallion design. The green and blue together provide a polished pop of color to border the round cut diamond center.

9) Lady's 14K Gold Three Diamond Ring

Final bid price $17,200

A classic beauty, this diamond ring includes three diamonds centered on the ring made of 14K white gold. The word diamond derived from the Greek terms meaning “unbreakable” and “unalterable” because they have the highest hardness and thermal conductivity out of any natural material. Diamonds have been a treasured gemstone since their use as religious icons during ancient times. 

10)  10K Yellow Gold Diamond 1990 Cincinnati Reds World Series Ring

Final bid price $16,000

This 10K yellow gold, diamond Reds World Championship ring is from 1990 when the Reds won the world series by sweeping the Oakland Athletics four games to none. These rings were given to players, coaches and front office Reds employees on payroll in 1990. These rings were not made available to the public making this authentic ring attractively rare. 

On the hunt for your own show-stopping piece of jewelry?  EBTH is the premiere marketplace for antique and vintage designer jewelry. From vintage luxury watches and designer necklaces to antique engagement rings and retro costume jewelry, you’ll always find one-of-a-kind jewelry at auction prices.

[mittensmorgul]

What have been your favorite destiel moments so far this season, and can you point me to any really in-depth, detailed metas that kinda encompasses the themes, narrative and direction of the show so far this season?

Hi there! *points you toward my whole entire blog, except maybe the crack tags*

(no, there’s even probably some insightful stuff in the crack tags… no, wait, Let me get some coffee and then try this again)

Oh gosh there have been Some Destiel Moments™ this year, haven’t there? Oh my gosh. Just, the whole entire thing of 13.01, Dean’s desperate crushing grief, his bashed knuckles that are pointed out to us early in the episode by an angel-in-disguise but not explained until after said angel was unmasked and we learn her true objectives. How she taunts Dean with the “fact” that Cas was “all the way dead” this time and there’d be no bringing him back, as if she’d KNOWN how and why he injured his hand before, as if she’d heard his prayer to Chuck and then used Dean’s specific grief over Cas like a weapon to best him in that fight. And only after the fact do we get to see that scene where Dean prayed, and it was all literally prefaced on his grief for Cas. Dean alone prepares his body, and throughout the episode he can’t even say the words “Cas” and “dead” in the same sentence.

Just, wow.

It takes us until 13.03 for him to acknowledge it, to not only say it out loud, but to scream it into Sam’s face, that the reason he can’t be okay is because Cas is dead. And again, wow. That whole scene, after an entire episode where Dean was barely holding it together, and we see him struggling to cope on what should be a routine hunt, he finally breaks completely.

But hey, Jack overhearing his rage and grief is what somehow prompts Jack’s power into a cosmic alarm clock that wakes Cas up in the Empty.

(and since we later discover that Jack has no idea he’d had any part in Cas’s return to life, that he had no idea his power had done that, but we’d learned all season long that his power largely acted outside of his logical control, but more on an emotional and instinctual level, and was triggered mostly by Intense Emotional Protectiveness… I mean, y’all do the math here. It’s a pretty simple formula.)

If anyone was confused about Dean’s major emotional trauma this season, 13.04 sort of clears it up by process of elimination. Sam is the one upset about Mary’s loss, but Dean’s largely accepted it. As Samuel once told him way back in 6.10, Dean knows how to live without her. He’s been doing it his whole life. But 13.04 is also a turning point for Dean and Jack, after Jack saved Sam’s life, his power deflecting a bullet… but at the very end of the episode when Sam hopes this means Dean’s finally making some progress toward recovering from his grief, Dean states unequivocally that no, he is not okay, and he’s still essentially hopeless. Sam still does not get it.

This is fine. Everything is fine. *breathes into paper bag*

13.05 shows us Sam desperately doing everything in his power to nudge Dean into all of his (admittedly terrible) coping mechanisms– junk food, drinking, strip clubs, and a hunt with just the two of them… just like old times. Sam can’t accept that Dean is just not bouncing back from his grief this time, despite Dean telling him that his pushing isn’t gonna help either. And we see Dean “going through the motions” one last time, partly for Sam’s sake, but also partly because literally nothing else matters anymore.

(and hi hello opening song of s13, I didn’t need what’s left of my scooped out heart anyway, please just take it already)

(sorry, I was referring to Nothing Else Matters, in case that wasn’t clear :P.)

Dean skips right from discovering the asylum was still filled with the trapped ghosts of the doctor’s victims– and probably a dozen other things they could’ve attempted to find the bodies and free those ghosts– and goes right to Plan Z, shooting his heart full of poison (Thanks for the diy death kit, Dr. Robert). He doesn’t even give Sam a chance to talk him out of it, and then accepts his death with a sort of cavalier “oh well” attitude when Billie shows up and reveals she’s the New Death.

Billie offers him anything he wants, and he doesn’t even consider asking for his own life back. He asks for the souls trapped in the asylum to be released, because he doesn’t believe Billie will go back on her former ultimatum that the next time he dies will be the last time. I mean, CAS LITERALLY KILLED HER FOR THAT IN 12.09.

And then Cas died in turn in a jarringly on-the-nose, cosmically consequence-y fashion. Which Billie even says to Dean when he wonders how she was even alive, because Cas killed her. Her response of “How’s that working out for him” is like a punch to the stomach for Dean. He’s at such a low point he’s completely resigned himself to his own final death, because not even God, not even Death herself can bring Cas back from where he is.

Except…

(pffft, I was looking for a gif of this shot, of the light blooming across Dean’s face as he realizes that Cas is alive, but this version works) :D

Then we have the fever dream that was 13.06. What the hell was that whole entire thing? NONSENSE, I TELL YOU. I MEAN IT STARTS OFF WITH THIS:

THEN AFTER WATCHING DEAN GROW EVER MORE DESPONDENT OVER FIVE WHOLE EPISODES, IT MOVES ON TO THIS:

And when Sam is confused and questions Dean about this sudden turnaround in his whole entire personality, Dean basically gives 100% of the credit to Cas being back.

Please explain the entire first 5 ½ episodes of the season WITHOUT implying destiel. It’s entirely unpossible. Just… the whole narrative falls apart.

Yes, yes. At this point, folks can try and convince themselves that Dean’s feelings are purely platonic or familial, but then why is Sam’s reaction so markedly different? And not just in regards to Cas. I mean, go back up and read the bits about 13.03 and 13.04, where they each get a chance to voice their grief. Dean’s bursts out of him like a wildfire, and is clarified with words to be JUST about Cas, and it’s literally debilitating levels of grief. Sam’s feelings of loss are almost entirely focused on Mary, as a specifically familial loss. Sam is our exemplar of what losing a family member looks like right now, lampshading just how powerfully Dean has been affected by Cas’s death.

Again, please explain that difference and the intensity of Dean’s grief as a purely platonic thing. The narrative is making it very difficult to dismiss a deeper relationship between Dean and Cas here.

I mean… I’m trying to control myself about adding gifs to this post and I’m having a really difficult time.

13.07 brought back “Don’t do anything stupid,” which in 12.10 got a bucketload of subtext attached to it. Human weakness, and the clarification that Dean’s not mad, he’s worried about Cas. It’s not just a throwaway line, and it’s not just an insult. It’s their version of just come home safe.

And Dean knows something’s not right when he calls Cas, but circumstance prevents them from actually exchanging any useful information. And again, Cas is referred to as “your angel,” by Ketch specifically addressing it to Dean despite the fact that Sam is standing right there too, and the fact that Sam had been the one willing to believe Ketch’s lie throughout most of the episode. Yet, he still addresses this to Dean…

Then we discover that Asmodeus is impersonating Cas on the phone while holding Cas and Lucifer in his prison cells. And that he’s keeping Cas specifically as a bargaining chip to use against the Winchesters. Over the next two episodes, we discover that once again it’s SAM who keeps getting updates from “Cas,” and not Dean. Which is head-scratchingly odd considering all of this ^^. Because Cas is NOT CAS on the phone right now, and it’s easier to maintain the illusion with Sam than with Dean.

Incredible.

So that’s where we are right now. Well, as far as the destiel goes.

Now on to part 2 of your question. Some really in-depth and detailed metas that cover the themes, narrative, and direction of s13 to this point…

Again, this is kind of difficult. I think I summed up the basics here (well, leaving out the stuff setting up Wayward, and the AU’s and Michael and his agenda, and Jack, and Lucifer, and Asmodeus and his agenda, and the angels and their repopulation agenda… okay I apparently left out a lot of stuff… since the first bit of your question was specifically about destiel)

But I tag everything I write or reblog by episode number. The secret formula is this:

spn 13.06 (which translates easily to work for any episode by switching out the number at the end of this: http://mittensmorgul.tumblr.com/tagged/spn+13.06)

Note that there are 32 PAGES of results in this specific tag. That’s over 300 posts. Not all of them are meta, but a goodly portion of them probably are. From there you can probably find other tags that may be of interest in your quest for All The Meta. :D

[mittensmorgul]

If I were to do a Crowley centric rewatch, which episodes would you pick to watch? Thanks in advance :).

Hmmm, he’s been in a lot of episodes... and I have to confess, I have a hard time just watching random episodes out of sequence, so it’s not something I’ve ever done (aside from just watching a specific single episode because I felt like it... hello 7.14). It’s just not something I’ve really thought about like this.

He’s mentioned in canon (or at least referred to, even if not by name, by Bela in s3) several times. I believe Becky is the first one to name him at the very end of 5.09, and we meet him for the first time in 5.10, so that’s probably where I’d start.

He played a major role in 5.20 and 5.21, and we finally learn a little more about his history in 6.04 (also Jensen’s directorial debut, and a great Bobby episode).

After that he spends much of s6 acting as the season’s villain. I’d definitely put 6.10 and 6.20-7.01 on the list. The end of s6/beginning of s7 marks his first major loss as a character, and puts him in a position where once again working with the Winchesters is more to his advantage than working against them.

7.22-8.02 once again put Crowley back in a position of some power after the leviathans are defeated, and he begins working his schemes to secure his position again, reversing his dynamic with the Winchesters yet again. 8.07 shows us some of his cards...

His role in 8.17, 8.19, and 8.21-8.23 is critical to his next reversal of fortune regarding his relationship with the Winchesters, and he’s left all but human with his power base decimated not only by his humanity and his kidnapping, but by Abaddon’s return.

I like 9.04 because I like 9.04, and snarky Crowley is great. :D

9.10, 9.11, and then the rest of his s9 episodes should also be on the list as he woos Dean after luring him to take on the Mark of Cain.

I’m having a really hard time picking episodes to leave off this list, it seems... >.>

Narrowing down his s10, s11, and s12 episodes to which are key for a Crowley rewatch seems almost impossible.

At this point in writing this, I realize I’m probably not doing a very good job of narrowing it down to key episodes rather than just summarizing his seasonal plot arcs, and I think the best thing I can do here (since my tumblr time is being interrupted by real life again) is refer you to the Crowley page of the superwiki. Every episode he’s in is listed there, and again, it’s a lot. :P