#when on the inside he is like ' haha i sold my soul to a demon & am gonna kill everyone who's ever wronged me '

[xbadnews-a]

“is  that  all  you  can  do  in  the  face  of  tragedy?” @jiwone

Percival tries, quite poorly, to stop the twitch of irritation that invades his features. His first instinct is always difficult to stop, it was stronger than any reserves of self-control he kept. It's a pride-wrought response, something he tries to keep to himself but had never quite had the control to do so.

Percival felt like he was locked in an infinite battle, overcoming & adapting at every turn. The lengths he would take to do so were indefinable, insurmountable. ( perhaps this is why the words strike him, like the back of a hand. it's an insult, it must be. ) if he were to stop, tragedy would win & grief would take him. Which wasn't an option - not yet, at least.

The instinct to snap back at the other rears it's head, barking at him in tandem with his heartbeats. It made each steady ' thump ' feel heavier as he guided the emotion, tempering it to the best of his ability. But that outrage is his protection & so he rides it like a high.

" No. It's not," he admits, sounding almost pleased with himself. Almost, being the keyword. A private ' something ' is folded into the words. A dare, maybe? or even a threat. It's hard to identify even as he pushes words through his teeth. Percival was nothing if not a slave to impulse & so a smirk causes the knot in between his brow to unravel, " but you don't get to know every card I have to play. "

[damianumbra-blog]

DAMIAN BLACKWELL, who strongly resembles DJ COTRONA, has made Ceres Centropolis their home. They are a 35/1300 year old DEMON and has been in the city for TWO YEARS. They have been known to have MIND MANIPULATION. They are known to be DETERMINED &  OBSERVANT and ARROGANT & UNREASONABLE.  If you’re lucky, you may catch them working at ROUGE NIGHTCLUB as the OWNER. 

So before I get into this asshole, hello everyone! I’m Nini, I never know what to say in these kinds of things besides IM EXCITED and I AM 100% down to plot at any time. I might not always have the ideas flowing but we can always bounce off each other. Also sometimes i’m slow in responses, forgive me now. I’m also always here to talk about anything else, shows!!! movies!!! good looking faces!!! haha anyway on to the next matter: this is just going to be a rough couple of details. my scatterbrain is about to show bear with me: 

so my dude is super old! which makes his patience extremely low, funny how that works right? he did have a human life aka he had parents, grew up, had a wife, even had a kid which ended up being why he sold his soul. Desperate after an accident caused his son to pass away, he hadn’t realized exactly he had done until it was too late. It was a trade his soul for his sons life thus began his demon path. however if you get curious to ask him of his former life, he wouldn’t be able to tell you any of it. he has been entirely stripped of those memories after years of turning into what he is now.

mind manipulation is the power he loves to use the most but he has plenty others as well, it all really just depends on his mood. how the mind manipulation works is one of two ways: he can create illusions, make people see what he wants them to, play into their fears but he also can make someone do something against their will. the rest of his abilities are what you would imagine with demons ( telekinesis, teleportation, healing, super strength/speed/etc )

his weaknesses are also common demon things that you would imagine but if you use any of these things against him he will not be one happy camper. there is also a certain way to summon him directly but a phone call will do just fine.

the more souls he takes ( whether in deals or not ) the stronger he is and that is also what his immortality thrives off of. he likes to do deals the most, gets a kick from seeing people in complete desperation that they’d be doing such a thing

he has tattoos riddled all over his body, now all but one of them are normal tattoos that he has gotten just to get them. however there is a single one that you might not always see in the same spot. it looks like this innocent right? he calls it Thumper. it moves around, usually not in the company of others. however, if he sets it free from his skin, you’ll find out it’s his own personal hellhound that will kill on his command. yikes.

most people would do best to avoid him, he’s not known to be someone you want to do anything with. definitely not someone you want to owe. the closest you should want to get to him is being inside his nightclub ( rouge ) but otherwise he does what he wants, when he wants.

Connections maybe???

I don’t actually have in mind but pls message me if you wanna work something out with him!! 

I do kind of want someone he could be a bad influence on

some enemies but that will probs be everyone

 Side note: even though his powers are to manipulate others, if it ever comes up i’ll message you first before doing anything to make sure its okay with you!! 

[foxesrefuge]

your were tagged ;D What do you think of Riko as a character inside the books? (no HCs) / Any fave HCs you want to share? / Any pairings/ships you like with him? / fic recs? / art recs? / Kevin&Riko - do they have/had feelings for each other? / Thoughts on his finale scene? / Did you read Nora's extra content? // tag other bloggers you think have something interesting to say about him! (maybe someone we don't know yet??) #Thoughts on Riko Moriyama

HOO boi XD here comes the trainwreck.First of..all thank you @c-valentino for tagging me and…. making me uh ..work and think on my own (sobs) haha *nervous laughter (noreally tho, thank you, целую!!)I probably won’tcome up with super new or hyper interesting stuff and… actually, Icould just link CVal’s whole post here……………………but okay here wego, then!!Ugh, I guess I have to out myself now real quickbefore we dive in: I was always kinda very interested in the ‘BadGuys’. No matter what, I’d try to find out more about them, try tofigure out how their twisted brains work and why their Morales werealways a bit questionable, which doesn’t necessarily mean I’m okaywith whatever they’re doing or understand and support their actions(hell fucking nooo).I’m just finding it super interesting tothink and sometimes even talk about.

Now, since that’s settled:I think Riko is justas interesting as our MC’s, if not one of the most interestingcharacters, and maybe also one of the most tragic ones (imo). I don’treally think you get this impression after reading the series for thefirst time, though. He seems super flat and not interesting enough inthe books. I wouldn’t have given him a second thought if I didn’t getthe chance to read the extra content.

Which leads me now to my actually toughts on Riko, based  onextra Content and HC’s:The way Riko sees the world isobviously reeeally different from how our MC’s view the world,which is quite,.. understandable, regarding where he comes from, howhe was raised and trained and what he went through (bc hooo boi,that’s not a life I wanna live). This guy knows he’s the son ofExy, obviously The Number One and the actual King of the court. Thereshould be no way anyone could have the power or strength to outpacehim (oh and Riko is going to make sure of that). He is a Moriyama andthinks of his players as his property, he basically gets what hewants and who he wants. Sounds like a pleasant life, right? But Idon’t think he had one. He is living with this pressure form“above’, knowing that he always ‘has to be’ The Best of them all. Hehas to deliver otherwise he would be no use and therefore not worthkeeping in the nest, on the court and alive. I always picturedhim feeling the pressure and weirdly enough people tend to forgetthat Riko is not a robot… because being pressured like that,knowing you have to be THE BEST all the time, no matter what .. thatreally really really fucks with you and your brain. He isprobably under constant stress, giving more than just his best ,whichhe also expects from his players. There is no space for compassion,no place for weakness, nor failure. His live is Exy and there isnothing else than Exy keeping him alive. It’s his past, hispresent and his future for the rest of his life. His mentalbreakdowns always turn into violent outbursts because that boy can’treally cope with the mess in his head (probably not even aware ofthat) He never learned how to control his anger or himself. Why wouldhe? He is King, a Moriyama, he is the one controlling. So yeah, youbasically don’t want to be near him when he’s having his moments. Hisruthlessness makes him go overboard at times. A lot of times.He’salso never at fault. No matter what he does because.. what the hell??Such a concept doesn’t even exist. So how in the world is Rikoa tragic character, when we just settled that he’s nothing but anabsolute ruthless monster with no restrains???!!

Lemme explain ok. Riko was born into this world of Exy, Thesecond son, not the first(!!), growing up and having those insaneexpectations to life up to –  he would be a worthless piecenothing, not needed on the court. He had Kevin, the brother who wasalways by his side, on and off court; his number 2, his property,*his*. Riko doesn’t know how to treat people right though,doesn’t know the concept of actual friendship, It’s always just Exyand Exy and Exy, there is no time for friendship. I also believethat he deep down feared for his life, he just wasn’t aware of thatbecause his brain was too occupied with getting better.One of myHC’s is that: he was super restless the whole damn time, not able tocalm down, constantly under pressure.He basically barely slept.How is there time for sleep, when you can use that precious time ondrills?It wrecks him. The nest destroyed a perfectly fineboy, gave him the chance to basically develop this crazy god complexand also turning him into this Exy monster. And most of the time hewasn’t even aware of his problems because there is just no time andspace for that shit.

Now what happens if one suddenly takes away his Exy? Welp,there’d be nothing left of this fucked up guy. He is a mess, abroken soul, not good enough to be alive.He has nothing, not evenhimself because he was sold to the court and owned by the court.There are many many many demons living in his ribcage, twistinghis brain in the worst ways. I’m not even sure if he’d be able tolive a normal human life outside the nest, without being able to feelanything besides the need to do better and better and better. It madehim mad to the point of no return … so yeah uh .. don’t you thinkthat’s kinda tragic??

Fave HC’s: Mhh, I uh … you know what?

basicallyeverything CVal came up with and mentioned  in her post

…..…..(did u think I was joking, Val?)

Riko with freckles, I dig that!!

Riko playing an instrument.. preferably the piano (ok listen, just the picture of Riko, in a black suit … sitting in front of a piano…no?just me?ok)

Riko being an amazing swimmer

Also some Au’s

Riko and Ichirou → actually interacting with each other (Onii-san,y'all I’m chokiNG ( maybe some kind of Uchiha-Verse or something like that, why not? I dig it))

Fox!Riko ( @bvccvrdi  thank you for this and @shihoran for destroying me and my emotions daily w this)

Pairings/Ships and Feelings:

Riko/Kevin clearly. There is no doubt.

Especially after reading the extra content and old drafts.Thesetwo were boyfriends. Their relationship was hella unhealthy and probsreally violent but  … they just can’t live without each other(I mean can u imagine how obsessed Riko had been with Kev?? He wasHIS, okay? His and ooonly his.He didn’t even touch Kevin’s side of the room after all this time,can u imagine??). They were rivals for sure .. but .. they were alsoabsolutely obsessed w each other.I currently ship them likenothing else. Too invested. Even though I’m more than just conflictedabout this but I just cannot help it.

Thoughts on his final scene:….I have to admit thatI’m super unhappy with how the AFTG series ended. I’m glad to have ahappy end, couldn’t be more great full but everything feels so rushedand off. And I think it’s all due to Riko’s super quick death.Everything happened way too fast, I actually hate that he died, orspecifically how fast and easy that happened. It just didn’t fit atall, in my opinion.

Art Recs:

Give @shihoran a follow and you’ll be well supplied!!

And here are some other amazing pieces:

I ♔

II ♕

III ♖

IV ♗

V ♘

VI ♙

VII ♚

VIII ♛

IX ♜

X ♝

XI ♞

Fic Recs:

 I haven’t really read that many, mainly because I know there aren’t that many. But here are a few I really liked

♥       what if i did    MadHatterNO7

♠      Meant to be mine    shihoran

♣       bvccardi’s Fox!Riko

I also know @c-valentino is working on something reeeeally really nice, y’all. So You better stay tuned, pumped and hyped!!! because I suRE AF AM!!!!

Everyone I’d love to hear from was already tagged, I believe. But whatevs, I’m going to mention y’all again. Feel free to ignore tho:

@shihoran​ @viviena​ @still-waiting-for-godot​ @bvccvrdi​ @ziegenkind​ @mochis-mullet

[chocobutt-trash]

I got tagged by @valkyrieofardyn, wheee~

Rules: tell me your favorite characters from fictional works (movies, books, tv, video games, etc.) and tag 10 people!

(This list is not ordered)

1.) Prompto Argentum (FFXV): He’s one of the realest, most fully-fleshed out characters I’ve seen in a videogame in a long time. His struggles are totally relatable to mine, which is why I like him so much. If someone with such similar hangups to me can do such great things, I can’t help but admire that and he gives me hope. He honestly tries his best, keeps his kindness and optimism despite being horrendously treated, and also has killer style. Fucking love him.

2.) Melfice (Grandia 2): He’s been my favourite character since I was fourteen. His Blood Brothers-style story arc with main character Ryudo had me completely sold. Such angst! Such sadness behind that evil persona he gained from being cursed by Valmar. And uh, such a goddamn sexy voice. My god. And with that big ol’ horn on his head, I totally will be blaming Melfice forever for my love of the D.

3.) Tails (Sonic the Hedgehog): For similar reasons to Prompto. Tails is just a little ray of sunshine, always does his best and puts others before himself, even though, with his insane mechanic skills and empathy, he should really be the MVP of the entire Sonic franchise. He doesn’t get nearly enough credit, but he’s not the sort to complain about it. As long as his friends are okay, as long as Robotnik is stopped, he’s happy. I just want to give him all the nice things.

4.) Allan Karlsson (The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared): God, this book is the best. Allan Karlsson is, as the title says, a hundred-year-old-man who, on his centenary birthday, decides to climb out the window of his nursing home and go on an adventure. He’s characterised brilliantly, and throughout the bizarre adventure you end up finding out a lot about the escapades of his entire life. He’s SUCH a cool person. The coolest. If I could be such a lackadaisical and awesome old man I could die happy.

5.) Fujimoto (Ponyo): I’m a geology major and Fujimoto lives on a volcanic guyot under the sea alongside trilobites and other extinct creatures from the Cambrian era, so what’s not to like? But seriously, I love his backstory, there’s a lot of isolation and sadness and frustration there. Leaving humans behind to chase the call of the sea, hating what people are doing to the planet, falling in love with a goddess of the ocean. And damn if he doesn’t have the prettiest hair in the entire world.

6.) Ardyn Izunia (FFXV): One of the best-written villains in anything ever. I mean, Melfice will always be my fave for nostalgia reasons, but Ardyn is so fantastically characterised. His voice, his mannerisms, his motivation. He’s one of few characters I genuinely hate, and the backstory is so fucking tragic. He certainly knows how to hold a grudge, and I love that he’s a total morally ambiguous Judas/Jesus analogue. Like, how much of what he does is just playing the Devil’s Advocate to facilitate the end of the Starscourge, and how much of it is just the pained efforts of an old man who wants to die? God, it hurts thinking about it. And yet I can’t forgive him for hurting so many people. Damn, he’s just so complex and real.

7.) Letty Hempstock (The Ocean at the End of the Lane): From my favourite Neil Gaiman book. Like Ardyn, Letty is also an old, old soul, (in fact, Ardyn has nothing on her) but she is bright and optimistic and still exploring her power. She is mythologically tied into the real world in a way I’ve never seen before in fiction, a very, if I may say, geological way. And I simply love it. She’s got her own motivations and plans, but she’s ultimately a helpful and totally engaging, sparky character. I would feel like the Earth stood a chance if she was real.

8.) Gaara (Naruto): An old favourite from my weebiest days. I loved this character so much I cosplayed him excessively, haha. So much angst, so much demonisation, when really he was just a big softie underneath. I just wanted people to be nice to him. Gaara was a classic example of nurture creating the illusion of nature, of child-PTSD, of mental trauma and his eventual healing process over the long arcs of Naruto’s entire run made me so fucking happy. He outgrew his (literal) demons and did great things. Damn inspiring.

9.) Bruce Robertson (Filth): I debated marking Bruce as my top character of all time because, my god, he actually IS the best-written villain ever. Because he’s not entirely a villain, he’s just an ordinary person, your average copper in Edinburgh. A man who you start out almost agreeing with at the beginning of the novel, and wind up down a rabbit hole so deep you wonder how you got there, you start to worry as you read that you might have become this terrible thing - the way he’s written gets you inside his head, makes the lines blur. Bruce is utterly real, utterly believable, and completely, wholly nasty. I wish I had the skills of Irvine Welsh, to achieve a characterisation so great. I hate him but love his character, love every nuance and inflection. For the love of god, read Filth.

10.) Kilgrave (Jessica Jones): God, this man disturbs me, and it’s precisely because he’s so perfectly believable. He’s a man born with mutant powers that make people do his bidding - he’s grown up entirely within a privileged context, never having to worry about obtaining anything. People just do it for him. And as a result his personality is somewhat stunted - a literal manchild. The most terrifying thing is, we have all met someone like Kilgrave in life. He doesn’t fully understand that he’s hurting Jessica. He doesn’t understand she doesn’t love him. And he feels sleighted, hurt by this. Like all good villains, like Ardyn and Melfice and Bruce Robertson above, Kilgrave has aspects of his history and personality that are pitiable, that make me feel sorry for him. But it doesn’t make me hate him any less. God, he’s a bit of a lost cause, but such a great character study.

I tag: @yourscientistfriend, @cuiwi, @sodsta, @thatisludicrous, @shockerrbreakerr, @barcodechocobo, @chocoomba, @prettyprompto, @catbuttermargerine

[mittensmorgul]

Hi! So, does this mean that Sam has completed the first of the Trials for closing the gates of hell? Or does he have to intend to close them?

Hi there! I’ll start out with a few comments, and then I’ll try to answer this as best I can. First, I am in Downtown Migraineland right now. I apologize in advance for any weird incoherency in this reply…

(note from the future, i.e. nearly 4 hours after I started trying to piece this reply together: My migraine is gone, but this reply went into A LOT OF DETAIL about the parallels not only in this episode, but in all of s12. This ended up being really weird meta on what I think Dabb’s Grand Plan for the entire season is hinging on. IT IS LONG. Just a warning.)

I think a lot of s12 has been paralleling A LOT of the past, turning it inside out, applying it through a different lens or allowing characters to see these things from a different side, and resolving things in a better way.

That said, I think they’ve been referring back to the Demon Tablet Trials and the Angel Fall Spell (because the angel fall spell was a spell, not Trials. Metatron confirmed that). But all the elements of those things are being addressed in different ways, and paralleled to ~similar~ things happening in s12… I’m struggling to try and put this together in a linear narrative that even comes close to connecting all the dots. There’s SO MUCH going on in this episode, I’m not sure that’s really possible, but HECK I WILL TRY.

(second note from the future: this is about 3k long, so it’s going under a cut. THERE IS SO MUCH)

(i am typing this from the floor where I’m curled up around pictures of Andrew Dabb and Davy Perez while weeping gently)

(A/N: cut removed during the tumblr nippocalypse of 2018)

Let’s start our parallel journey with 8.14, Trial and Error. The episode that began with Dean reveling in his new room in the bunker, the fact he’s “nesting” (and one episode after he gloried in the shower room’s water pressure), where he glared daggers at Sam for tossing a gum wrapper on his floor while talking about how wonderful it was to live in a place with no weird stains or odd smells.

That ENTIRE script was flipped in the beginning of 12.15… Dean’s just covered in blood, sits right down on the furniture, drops Lucille (I’m calling it Lucille, but it’s got other relevant parallels I’ll get to in a sec…) on the library table while SAM is the one reacting to the “offense” that Dean’s presenting here– right down to the weird stains and gross smells.

*Necessary Digression #1

(aside to note that bit of siren he picked out of his hair sorta reminded me of Chuck pulling Castiel’s tooth out of his hair in 5.01… But those “back to back to back” hunts that Sam and Dean just got back from– a ghoul, a wraith, and a siren– ALSO HAVE HISTORY that really needs to be mentioned here…)

(see what I mean about this being impossible to address in a linear fashion?)

ghoul: 4.19. (written by Dabb fyi) Family/not family. that whole episode dealt with finding out about a deep family secret (the existence of Adam) that was all wrapped in a deceptive betrayal. Adam was already dead, being impersonated by a ghoul. Sam and Dean had been divided over whether to indoctrinated Adam into the hunting life for his own protection (Sam), or to keep him out of it entirely for his own protection (Dean). But in the end it was already too late. It had been a trap set for John, but Sam and Dean ended up tidying up the ghoul case that had led John to meet Adam’s mother in the first place. John had tried Dean’s approach (keeping Adam in the dark about the monsters for his own sake), and it hadn’t saved him. Frankly, if John HAD told Adam about the monsters, he might’ve been able to save himself.

6.10: Samuel attempts to feed Sam and Dean to a couple of ghouls (aah, the sweet bite of family betrayal)

6.16: Not exactly ghouls, but Bobby mentioned a “ghoul-wraith smorgasbord” as one of the unusual monster activity things that eventually led them to Eve. Also, that whole episode was about the monster inside (literally! Khan worm! possessed by monsters!) and family betrayal.

wraith: 5.11 (also written by Dabb): Sam and Dean get themselves committed to a mental hospital by telling the unvarnished truth about their lives (>.>) in order to help an old hunter friend of John’s. The wraith “poisons” both Sam and Dean, and even though they were perfectly “sane” when they entered the hospital, the wraith’s poison made them crazy.Made them fight against invisible monsters of their own mind’s creation. But Sam and Dean soon realized how they were being affected, fought through the illusions, and save themselves.

6.19: The “Jefferson Starships” that Eve was making (hybrid monsters combined of all sorts of different monster bits) had been part wraith. Dean let Eve DELIBERATELY bite/infect him with this monster mix because he’d already drunk the phoenix ash that would in turn poison HER. She just happened to be wearing Mary Winchester’s face while she did. Family (in a horrifically mutated fashion… basically a lie), monster possession. Dean finally turning the tables and turning HIMSELF into the weapon that killed Eve.

siren: 4.14. aah, the infamous siren episode. Love… and love. Deception, family betrayal, and a monster that feeds on lust. Dean believed (wrongly) that Sam had been infected, but really DEAN had been the one “seduced” by the siren– and his siren had not been a “hot chick.” It took Bobby interfering to slay the thing.

7.08: when Dean visits Sam and Becky at their apartment after their wedding, Dean accuses Sam of not acting like himself, and Becky gets defensive asking if Dean thinks she’s a witch, or a siren.

12.11: Sam tells Dean who’s lost his memories about some of the things they hunt, and Dean’s fascinated by the fact that sirens aren’t all “hot chicks” 

AND I AM REALLY DYING TO KNOW IF THAT BIT OF SIREN IN DEAN��S HAIR WAS A HOT CHICK OR A DARK HAIRED, BLUE EYE’D DUDE.

*/digression #1- back to the point… for now

So here’s a list of the other relevant bits of 8.14 that were addressed in 12.15:

Hellhound glasses: I think we can all agree that we have been waiting years to see these things again.

multiple people attacked by hellhounds. in 8.14 they’d all sold their souls though. in 12.15 NEITHER Gwen nor her dead boyfriend did. That hellhound was deliberately released as a distraction by Crowley’s idiot minions so they could figure out what he was up to (and they found Lucifer chained up in Crowley’s secret room there)

so these people were attacked for NO REASON. They were innocent. They didn’t deserve to be attacked and killed just because they happened to be existing there >.> (sort of like the random monsters the BMoL intend to exterminate don’t deserve to die just for existing… but I digress, and will digress back to this point again in a bit…)

the goal in 8.14 was for Dean to kill the hellhound to start the trials, but SAM was the one who managed it in the end. The goal in 12.15 was for Dean and Crowley to hunt the hellhound while Sam protected Gwen (driving her off to safety in Baby)… but in the end it fell to Sam to kill the beast

the hellhound in 8.14 HAD BEEN CROWLEY’S. It answered to him. Now the hellhound in 12.15 ONLY ANSWERED TO LUCIFER. Basically, the Alpha hellhound. And instead of fighting against Crowley, Dean’s fighting alongside him while they both discuss how much they’ve changed. They’ve both moved a little more toward center– to that grey area where they’re both a little good and both a little bad like Meg and Cas in 8.17, but also Dean and Crowley have “rubbed off all over each other >.>

BUT HERE IS A KEY DIFFERENCE! Yes, Sam killed the hellhound and saved the “girl of the week,” BUT instead of it being the catalyst for him to behind hiding stuff from dean (the damage of the hell trials), it becomes the catalyst for him BEING HONEST with Dean… INVERSION!

Also, thinking back to 12.14 where Sam killed the Alpha Vampire, he’s now also killed the “Alpha Hellhound.”

*Necessary Digression #2:

back to 6.19 for a quick moment. Eve, mother of all the monsters. But apparently God created Hellhounds but considered them a failed experiment that he tried to wipe out, only to have Lucifer keep one for himself and twist it into the entire lineage of hellhounds we know. I’m trying to puzzle through the lot of this, now that Mary is clearly being paralleled to Ramsey the Hellhound, which lizbob and I are discussing in the chattybubbles:

The theme of the season is clearly motherhoodhow does she relate to Mary though :PI mean the whole pregnant thing makes it sound omre like Kelly

mittensmorgulyeah… but Mary “birthed” the entire plot of the series in more than one waythough none of it was actually her fault (like it wasn’t actually ramsey’s fault that she was let out of her cage)she was just doing what hellhounds dowhen they’re masterless

elizabethrobertajonestrueAnd this is the whole attack dog thingmary, Dean AND Cas all get it

mittensmorgulI am having shades of Eve (since she died wearing Mary’s face)

[…] where we talked about God having created the Hellhounds…

then again, he kept trying to create “monsters” to keep the world in balance. Every Apex species needs something to keep it in checkI think “Eve” was his balance there, creating the monsters to balance humanity

elizabethrobertajonesYeahand 12x14 discussed that as wellhow they’d been in balance

And Dean had unknowingly been on Sam’s BMoL leash the entire episode. All those “back to back to back” hunts that Dean came back from covered in blood, wielding “his father’s weapon.”

*Necessary Digression #3– and yes I’m aware we’re still mid-digression #2… bear with me here:

Dean apparently clobbered those three monsters mentioned above with a barbed-wire wrapped baseball bat that he said “Dad loved this thing” or whatever. Yes, haha, a reference to Negan. But that blunt, bloody instrument was also a major parallel to early s8– when Dean came back from Purgatory (that he referred to as “pure”) COVERED in the blood of all sorts of monsters, while Sam remained “clean.” That baseball bat made a nice stand-in for Dean’s purgatory weapon, no?

Dean telling Sam about his time in Purgatory, describing it as 360 degree combat, cutting a bloody swath through every monster in the place…

And Sam hit a dog.

THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE IN 12.14!!!

Sam is taking Dean out on all these bloody hunts and hiding stuff about the source here. Meanwhile Sam’s hanging out with a veterinarian (student… close enough), but instead of hitting the dog, THE DOG HIT HIM. Literally, jumped all over Baby.

So going right back to the beginning of s8, i.e. the part of the story where Sam and Dean began to think that they could change the entire world to make it “safer,” to stop the supernatural from even existing on Earth (by slamming the gates of hell, altering the entire balance of nature).

BUT THIS TIME IT’S HAPPENING IN A DIFFERENT WAY.

The BMoL are trying the same sort of cosmic adjustment, committing monster genocide in the name of “the greater good” that got Sam and Dean wrapped up in four years of “cosmic consequences” that they’re only NOW beginning to recover from.

Sam nearly dying, the angel fall, Cas losing his grace, shoving Gadreel down Sam’s gullet, Metatron destroying heaven, Dean taking on the Mark… right down the line to releasing the Darkness and then reconciling Amara and Chuck to balance and save the universe.

I mean, Dabb is just killing me with what he’s doing here. I’ve now been working on this reply for the last 3 hours…

mittensmorgulI am STILL working on my first ask message, where I’m tryin gto sort through ALL the pies he[’s got his fingers in…

elizabethrobertajonessort of belatedly realisinghe’s genuinely got a finger in ever freakin’ pie in the show

elizabethrobertajonesDabb JUST tying up his OWN loose endsis actually tidying up the ENTIRE show

mittensmorgulthis is a turducken wrapped in a piecaken wrapped in a croissookie

elizabethrobertajonesDabb era is season 4 - presenthahahahahais that your new Dabb era tag

mittensmorgulshould beto think i had reduced it to just a linzer torteit’s everything

elizabethrobertajonesyeah

mittensmorgulJust as I typed that, Rowena on screen said “It’s MEGA.”

*/digression #3

*back to digression #2

*actually, let’s end digression #2 here as well…

Imma try to stay on point from here on out. Let’s see how well I do…

This isn’t about restarting the trials. This isn’t about recreating the angel fall spell. This is all about going back to revisit these things that ended up being Cosmic Consequences™ level MISTAKES. Giving everyone a chance to face these things again, in a different way, and make better choices. They’re in the process of finding another way.

The last little bit of my chat with lizbob might give you an idea of where I think this season is headed, and it all boils down to love… and love. (edited a bit because REALLY LONG and rambly, and there was a lot of “yeah” and “huh” sorts of comments through here…):

elizabethrobertajones: Joshua seems nice and all but God related to him as a gardner just as he related to Metatron as a writer

mittensmorgul: after he locked up the darkness, he was trying to create that balance on his own, but he really lacked the finesse to do it properly

elizabethrobertajones: Hm. and the writing is controlling the narrative on a BIG scale

elizabethrobertajones: gardening, if you were controlling the world, would be clipping it into shape. like just tidying it up taking out some weeds. like say… eliminating all monsters

mittensmorgul: but if we’re about balance and finding better ways, and Chuck’s still talking to Joshua… now that he’s reunited with Amara maybe things CAN be better now?hopefully?

mittensmorgul: BUT CHUCK SAID THAT DEAN WAS THE ONE CARRYING THE STORY NOW

elizabethrobertajones: don’t know if Joshua is still talking to God :Pyeah

mittensmorgul: he put the earth in DEAN’S hands

elizabethrobertajones: Dean gets to decide what happens and he doesn’t approve >.>

mittensmorgul: Dean’s the gardener now. I think he likes the weeds

elizabethrobertajones: And he tends to the garden in the traditional ways which WORK and keep a good sort of peacehe relates to the weedsknows some dandelions can be pretty

mittensmorgul: he thinks he’s one of the weeds

elizabethrobertajones: no need to rip them ALL upyeah >.>poor Dean

mittensmorgul: heck, most of the “weeds” are food for the beesbalance

elizabethrobertajones: CAS SAW IT ALLback in 7x21the whole planit was perfect

mittensmorgul: yepAnd Chuck CONVENIENTLY left Cas out of his description to Dean about the world being left in his hands (and Sam’s)BUT CAS HADN’T FIGURED OUT HIS PLACE YETHe’s still struggling to figure it outBUT WE ALL KNOW HIS PLACE IS WITH THE WINCHESTERS

elizabethrobertajones: yeah

mittensmorgul: He’s the third piece of the triptych here

elizabethrobertajones: he loves themdone dealwell he needs a sense of HOMEand he’s already done the whole I love you thinglike

mittensmorgul: Dean’s the firewall, sam and cas are the two sides

elizabethrobertajones: what else needs to happen

mittensmorgul: love… and love

elizabethrobertajones: (marriage propsal)

mittensmorgul: yep

elizabethrobertajones: like the next big step :Phe’s already platonically embedded in the familywhat’s the next motivation to live with them and call them home if the question is STILL OPENAFTEr that

mittensmorgul: he’s still trying to figure out what family and FAMILY mean to himhence his trip back to heaven

So onward to Sam’s battle with the TRUTH, and how it relates to veterinarians and dogs he’s hit (or who have hit him).

Well, this time around, the dog hit HIM. The veterinarian knows part of the story. She knows the monsters are out there, but she very specifically does not know certain things… like… she thinks Crowley seemed “nice.” Pffft

BUT SHE ALSO STEPPED UP AND SAVED SAM in more ways than one. First her speech about honesty, and how it was her deception (that she loved her boyfriend) that had gotten him killed. If she’d only told him the truth, they wouldn’t have been out there camping together where the monster found them. Instead of just breaking his heart, she now feels like she has his blood on her hands, which is a far worse sort of guilt.

When she finally confessed the truth to Sam, she was able to take back her agency. She saved Sam, whacking the hellhound with the green cooler.

*gives props to the props* the green cooler saves the day! :P

Sam lost his glasses in this fight, too. He was fighting blind, against an invisible enemy he could only really see by following its tracks in the dust. 

And the episode ends in a tidy inversion of how it began. (pffft, tidy…)

SAM is now covered in blood, and Dean is clean.

Now Sam has his chance to “come clean” with Dean.

Sure, Dean doesn’t know everything yet, but the image is coming more into focus. Sam and Dean are getting closer to being on the same page here.

(also, Mick is in Sam’s phone as Frodo, while Mary had the MoL in hers as “hobbits.” I’m sensing a theme here)

Sam had been lying to Dean about where all their hunts were coming from, essentially leaving Dean in the “hellhound on a leash” role. But now that Sam has told him the truth, Dean can cut that leash. He’s not just the attack dog anymore.

There may still be truths that need to come out, but at least Sam and Dean are nearly back to a level playing field here:

Dean: What do you want me say? Do I like it? No. Do I trust them? Hell no. But you’re right. We work with people we don’t trust all the time. Hell, I just Liam Neeson’d it up with Crowley. So, if you wanna give this a shot, then fine. But the minute, and I mean the second, something feels off, we bail.

Kinda makes me wonder what Dean might feel was “off” enough to follow through…

Finding out Ketch killed Magda? Finding out the truth about the Colt? Learning about the Monster Genocide Agenda? Or maybe just seeing behind the curtain that Sam saw through about just how incompetent the MoL’s intel really is…

Dean’s already seen their “attack dog” in action (Ketch), and he was not impressed. Now that Dean’s been let off his leash and been given part of the truth like a PERSON with AGENCY, and is able to make his own choices based on the fact that their info is coming from the MoL, I wonder if he’ll start piecing all of those sketchy details together for himself.

I have a feeling he’s gonna have a BAD feeling right quick…

[mixtapekings]

Listen Review of Future’s ‘High Off Life’ by djbooth.net

Future’s ‘High Off Life’ is a familiar journey through a terrain of toxic lust, sleepless paranoia, wealthy boasts, and deep-seated trauma.

Hip-hop recognizes Future, born Nayvadius Wilburn, as a multi-Platinum, GRAMMY-winning trendsetter who doesn’t follow anyone’s rules but his own. Instead of working inside the industry, Future works around it, doing as he pleases from a mountain top built upon his tireless work ethic. Consistency, as much as talent, made him into a superstar.

So it should come as no surprise that Future decided to release his eighth studio album, High Off Life, during a pandemic. While some of his peers are waiting until the storm passes, Future moves forward, releasing new music as if unphased by the world’s tragic predicament. With features from Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Drake, DaBaby, and more, High Off Life is the biggest release of the week, but will it be the best?

In usual 1-Listen album review fashion, the rules are the same: no skipping, no fast-forwarding, no rewinding, and no stopping. Each song will receive my gut reaction from start to finish.

1. “Trapped In The Sun”

The atmosphere feels like the beginning of an epic tale of a man turned monster. “That yellow Lambo outside.” Boss talk. Future makes trap music sound like Greek mythology. The bounce is infectious. The production could score a remake of Scarface. Brags on top of brags. Future is a super-villain, and he does not hide it. Future is in his mixtape bag. He has mastered “Former drug dealer who made it out of that life” lyricism, but I heard this story before. Strong start. Will revisit.

2. “HiTek Tek”

Let’s see where he goes. Banger! ATL Jacob tag! The bass would devour a weaker rapper. Future is like a toxic Energizer Bunny who loves any beat that makes him sound like he’s in the center of chaos. “I started off po, but not no mo.” He’s flexing like the rich rapper that he is. A lot of tricks. Future still finds the fun in rap. ATL Jacob is a beast. This song is full of sound effects. I laughed at him bragging about having the Glock on him while sitting courtside. Why sir? Why do you have that on you? The production reminds me of What A Time To Be Alive. This one is good.

3. “Touch The Sky”

Southside production. This is good. “Off the top rope, Andre the Giant.” Future is full of wealthy stunts. Is he one of the best braggers in rap? [Editor’s Note: Yes.] I’m loving this. “I can tell she got a man by the way she text me, nigga.” This man is a monster. “I perform with my drum” is a robust double entendre. Yeah, we have a keeper. I’m a sucker for Future and Southside collabs. These two are mad scientists wreaking havoc. Doctor Robotnik meets Shadow the Hedgehog. Future is the Shadow of hip-hop, and Drake is his Sonic.

4. “Solitaries” feat. Travis Scott

How many collabs does Future have with Travis? Wheezy tag! Shouts to Lil Wayne, lol. Future sounds lively. This man just said, “Coronavirus diamonds you can catch the flu.” Future is his name, outlandish is his language. Travis is getting to it. Not mad, but not in love either. I would have loved it on Travis’ Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. Skip.

5. “Ridin Strikes”

Every Future album is a reminder that he’s richer than you. “Ridin Strikes” sounds like you should play it in a tank. He’s getting some bars off. My only issue with Future is, the subject matter starts to get stale. He overstuffs his album to the point where I crave a change. Can he hear my thoughts? The beat just switched. A news clip. Oh, this is something. I would watch Future in a bank robber movie. Give him a role like T.I in Takers. Alright, I’ll keep this one.

6. “One of My”

A simple build-up. He’s taking his time with this one. Yep! His vocal texture is the perfect tone for a ghost story. “One of my niggas ain’t got no soul.” YEP! We have the one. Future hangs out with some terrible guys. I wish we had a way of seeing a person’s karma. If Future lives his raps, I know his karma is in dangerous reds. I wish this were the intro. Imagine a Future styled GKMC; that was probably Monster. “One of my niggas ain’t got no soul” is the spookiest lyric of 2020.

7. “Posted With My Demons”

This beat sounds like a bottomless pit of despair. This is not what Tory Lanez meant by Demon Time. Future jumps on haunted beats and tells you about the monsters underneath your bed. High Off Life has been mostly about his past trails and his present riches. “All this dope I sold.” There’s a lot of darkness in this man’s heart. He looks like such a wholesome man. “If the streets don’t kill you first, it will make you strong.” Future makes trap music; real trap music; music that represents the inescapable cycle of darkness that will corrupt saints and cause angels to fall from heaven. Keeper.

8. “Hard To Choose One”

If you like trap Future, this album is for you. Future’s delivery sounds slower than usual. I wonder if that’s because Lil Baby raps so fast. The two have similar perspectives, except Lil Baby has a good heart. He’s practically the Little Mermaid compared to Future’s Ursula. Don’t mind me; I have animation on the brain. Love his flow here. “Load up my rifle; I don’t go to bed.” Future is haunted by something, and no one can convince me otherwise. The last three songs have all been killer.

 9. “Trillionaire” feat. YoungBoy Never Broke Again

Jeff Bezos is going to make this song his ringtone. Youngboy is taking advantage of all the attention he’s garnished over the last year or so. Future aligns himself with young rappers who compliment him. Future is singing his heart out. I kind of missed him singing. Youngboy is singing, too. This is a started from the bottom rap ballad. “Trillionaire” might be the breakout record. YouTube views are going to be crazy.

10. “Harlem Shake” feat. Young Thug

I have a good feeling about this one. “Choppa make them do the Harlem Shake.” Future loves to rap over beats that sound like they would play in a strip club with a low health score. Just filthy. Thugger! I wish the tempo were a few BPM faster. Thug was cool. He didn’t explode as I expected him. That was mild. A cherry bomb, not an atomic one. Eh, not in love. Feels lazy. Skip.

11. “Up The River”

Maybe it’s because I’ve been in the house, but High Off Life sounds like an outside album, not a quarantine album. Future didn’t make this album for a world socially distancing. Okay! We got some heartfelt reflection. The super-villain dropped the act. Nevermind. “Got no room for mistakes.” Can someone please put Future in the studio with Mir Fontane. Those two would make something crazy.  I hope the second half leans into this direction.

12. “Pray For A Key”

Out of all the things Future could pray for, he prays for a “key.” Super-villain. There’s some premium trauma on this album, word to my boy Michael Penn II. “I been dying to go berserk.” Not a bad record. I like the production. The synth in the background is a nice touch. “Used to pray for a key.” This is… Cool.

13.  “Too Comfortable”

“Bitch, don’t get too comfortable.” Sheesh, that’s how you feel, man? I wish we could get a For The Love of Future reality show. That would be premium television. We got something here. I like the production; I also like the tone, flow, and energy. Future is such a subtle talker. No matter what he says, it never sounds as malicious as the words are. Who made this beat? It’s gorgeous. [Editor’s Note: Southside.] Oh, he just mentioned his son. He’s opening up. Dang, that was short-lived. What is Future’s real-life like? He’s a mystery. It’s part of the allure. “Better not get too comfortable.” I’ll keep this one—the most personal song on the album. Well, besides the one about his friends with no souls.

14. “All Bad” feat. Lil Uzi Vert

I love how shameless Future is. He doesn’t care if you judge him; his life is his life. Uzi brought a change in sound. All his beats sound like they belong in video games. Gotta love the colorfulness. “I’m from a whole different world.” I believe it, sir. “My nickname is Yung Spendit.” That’s a solid nickname haha. This one is a trampoline. I love that Uzi is back to releasing music. He’s a walking cartoon. “I am way smarter than you.” Baby Pluto and Pluto Sr. are a good combo. “If I hang up, don’t call back at all.” Future is a rap star who doesn’t dim his light for no one. I wonder when was the last time he apologized to someone. Probably never. You don’t become a superstar apologizing.

15. “Outer Space Bih”

The keys are gorgeous. Future has a solid beat selection. They’re distinctive, but only a handful stand out. This one does. “I’m a driving drug store.” I see “Outer Space Bih” being a favorite. “I got two G Wagons in my ears.” Future stunts are becoming more impressive. I see why he and Drake get along. They like to make us all feel poor. Keeper.

16. “Accepting My Flaws”

This title sounds like an outro. Who is that? Dang, someone is ranting. I wonder how Future would acknowledge his flaws? 808 Mafia tag. Yes! Man, this sounds like driving a hellcat in hell. Feels like a Future classic. HE’S GETTING TO IT. “Drink my blood, baby, we going digital.” I hope we never find out what Future does in his private life. I know it’s nothing good. Two minutes in and I’m ready to run it back. He’s on a roller-coaster. “Fuck them all, we don’t show them sympathy.” So far, not one mention of his flaws. I love it. “Lord forgive me I been on a rampage.” He has been fighting his demons; he’s been fighting the cup. Oh man, this is good. Easily the best record on the album.

17. “Life Is Good” feat. Drake

I like this record. It’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in rap form. “Baby got an ego twice the size of the crib.” Can’t imagine a woman with an ego bigger than Drake’s mansion. I can’t believe these two dropped this song in January, and life immediately got bad. How Future catches the beat switch is something serious. Lyrically, he sounds so alive. “Life Is Good” is one of his best rap performances on the album. He gets into a completely different zone when Drake is featured. Rap would sound completely different without Future. “Life Is Good” is a keeper, but this album doesn’t need to continue.

18. “Last Name” feat. Lil Durk

“I take care of families.” Oh, wait, we have something. This is sweet. Melodic Future bleeding it out. “I can’t go to sleep, I’m too paranoid.” I guess that’s why he wants a Draco in London. Being that famous can’t be fun. Lil Durk sounds great. Pray that all rappers get the healing they deserve. So many great songs inspired by deep sorrow. “Laughing to the bank got me running wild.” Future and Durk tag-teaming the last verse was sweet.

19. “Tycoon”

One day, Future will realize that we don’t need 21 songs. “Took that Draco on a PJ, I ain’t playing.” Man, this album is a paranoia parade. As much as I like confessional Future, I feel like he told us everything we needed to know about his life in the streets on “Sorry.” “Tycoon” is a good song, but this deep into the album, it’s not hitting as hard as it should. Bloated albums do a disservice to the deeper cuts. Admittedly, bloated albums are terrible for 1 Listens. It’s like being held hostage in a studio. [Editor’s Note: I apologize.] Okay, that was a little dramatic. Good record, though.

20. “100 Shooters” feat. Meek Mill & Doe Boy

Tay Keith tag! Okay! These hi-hats just woke me up. A nice Nas/Belly reference. Meek! I haven’t played any Meek lately. Hearing his voice is refreshing. I could use a new Meek project. [Editor’s Note: He’s working on one.] Man, Future does not care about these ladies’ broken hearts. I’m sure he breaks up with women just to rap about it. This is a good record. I would’ve liked this song earlier in the album. Doe Boy! This is a solid performance. I would like on a gym playlist. Nothing says leg day like having 100 shooters outside.

21. “Life Is Good [Remix]” feat. Drake, DaBaby & Lil Baby

This album is longer than the wait at Red Lobster on Mother’s Day. “Help me fight my demons.” At what age should you be expected to deal with your demons alone? I didn’t mean that. We all deserve a shoulder to lean on, no matter your age. I can’t wait until Future drops a gospel redemption album. It’s going to be glorious. “Halloween gang in this bitch.” Why is Drake credited on this? My man did not come back as a guest star. The beat switch is meaner than a classroom of toddlers on silent lunch. DaBaby! Such a great rap voice. He found a good pocket. He delivered a strong guest verse. “You a throwaway, baby, it’s okay.” Man, rappers can be so savage. Lil Baby! The pure-hearted gangster. His flow is something else—a rapping roadrunner. I hope Lil Baby will always rap like the cops are about to raid the studio, and he has to finish the verse before they kick the door in.

Final (First Listen) Thoughts on Future’s High Off Life

Future’s High Off Life is a journey through a terrain of toxic lust, sleepless paranoia, wealthy boasts, and deep-seated trauma. Mostly, it’s another chapter from the book of Nayvadius. We have a familiar gospel on our hands.

High Off Life features Future giving the people what they expect. We have a hopeless romantic who relishes the ghosts of his past and refuses to look away from the prosperity of his present. The 36-year-old rap innovator delivers another long-winded recollection of guns, glory, girls, drugs, and demons with suave flows and hypnotic cadences over hard-hitting production from the usual suspects.

To his credit, Future understands that he is a roller-coaster. The kind of artist who follows a designated path of loops, twists, and turns without losing the rush that makes each ride thrilling. High Off Life adds 21 new attractions to his dark, twisted theme park. It’s just that, we’ve all been here before.

Listen to Future on Audiomack.

from Listen Review of Future’s ‘High Off Life’ by djbooth.net

[mycasandstarrs]

SPN 8x14: “Trial and Error”

THEN: Crossroad demons and deals. Hellhounds. Kevin on his Prophet job. Goofer dust. The key to the Men of Letters Bunker.

Back at Fizzles’ Folly.

Days in the Life of Kevin Tran.

I guess Kevin abandoned his vegan diet.

He’s got something!

He’s also got a nose bleed. Ouch.

Dean decorating his room at the Bunker. :’)

Top it off with the picture of him and Mary. Please Dean, I don’t want to cry this early.

“I haven't had my own room – ever. I'm making this awesome. I got my kickass vinyl, I've got this killer mattress.”

I love him so much.

WHAT A DICK HEAD MOVE, SAM.

HA, Dean put up a grenade launcher is a decoration piece. AND there's the Purgatory weapon!

Dean cooked in the Bunker kitchen! Goddamn it, I love nesting/domestic Dean.

(I hope Dean cooked for Mary when she was around.)

The burger was so good Sam took it with him. Bless.

Eugh. Poor Kevin.

A “small” stroke???

“I figured out how to close the Gates of Hell.”

“Come here, you smelly son of a bitch.”

Aww, the happiness!

“The tablet says, ‘Whosoever chooses to undertake these tasks should fear not danger, nor death, nor...’ A word I think means getting your spine ripped out through your mouth for all eternity.” Oh.

Trial #1: Kill a hellhound and bathe in its blood.

“Look, you get on the net – see what you can dig up. I'm gonna go for a supply run because we need goofer dust, and the kid needs to eat something that's not ground-up hooves and pigs' anuses – not that there's anything wrong with that.”

Dean’s on a roll this episode.

I would have loved to have seen Garth and Kevin interact. That would’ve been awesome to see.

“This whole ‘saving the world’ thing – it's a marathon, not a sprint. You got to take better care of yourself.” Good words from Sam.

“Did you know that there are, like, 6,000 kinds of tomatoes?” haha. Sam probably did.

Sam’s got a lead: The Cassity’s.

“I got you a present. The, uh, blue ones are for the headaches, and the greens are for pep. Don't O.D.” Oh my god, Dean.

Shoshone, Idaho.

“Hey, pal, who runs this joint?”

“You're looking at her.”

Ellie.

“You guys here about the job?” A perfect opportunity to blend in.

Carl Granville.

“So you're not a Cassity? “

“No, my wife is. Her and her family own the place. I'm just one those, uh – what you call 'em? Trophy husbands.”

“You bed down in here. Breakfast is at 5:00, dinner is at 8:00, and in between, you're mine. Questions?”

“I miss my room.”

Dean, please. the room looks fine.

“Okay. Job is yours if you want it. But I better warn you – it's crap work.”

haha.

Alice Cassity.

“She's a real piece of work, huh?”

“Alice Cassity's a piece of something, all right?”

A piece of shiittt.

“So, what are we thinking?”

“What, dealwise? Well, Ellie's the help, so that rules her out.”

“And Carl doesn't really seem like the sell-your-soul type. So, Alice?”

“Ding-ding-ding.”

They couldn’t be more wrong.

“Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. 

Hellhounds are near...

RIP Carl Granville. Killed by a hellhound.

“This wasn't a wolf.” Ellie knew.

“Let's grab our stuff and get out of here.” NO NO NO. Not yet!

Carl made the demon deal to be with Alice.

“You think our demon signed up more than one schmuck while he was in town?”

“Wouldn't be the first time.”

y e p

Sam, the man with the plan!

Time to meet the rest of the Cassitys.

Noah Cassity. “He's 71, worth a billion, and just married wife number 5, a 20-year-old lingerie model.”

Alice is the oldest.

Then there’s Cindy Cassity. “She had a single on the country chart a few years ago. Then she started hitting the bottle, and, well... Her last album was a bunch of holiday songs for dogs. My favorites were ‘Jingle Bark Rock’ and ‘Don't Pee on this Tree: Happy Arbor Day.’"

Margot, the youngest. “She ran away just before Alice and Carl tied the knot, lives in Paris.”

“Okay, tonight is an all-hands-on-deck situation. I'm gonna need one of you inside, serving dinner and pouring drinks – a lot of drinks.”

“Okay. Well, have fun. I won't wait up.”

“And somebody's gonna man the grill.”  

“What kind of grill?”

Goddamn, Dean’s great.

“I do like a man who can handle his meat.” OOOHHH ELLIE.

Dean would be a great chef.

There was no more wine in the bottle! Don’t be so damn dismissive.

Cindy is the devil.

“Get cancer and die, old man.”

“You first, sweetie.”

pfft.

“Are they always like this?”

“More or less.”

“How can you work here?”

“I love the property, I love the animals, and I tune out the people.”

Ellie’s awesome.

There’s the bombshell: Crowley was the demon that made the deal.

Kevin’s got a way to see hellhounds. "The dire creatures may be seen only by the damned or through an object scorched with holy fire."

You two are in WAY over your heads.

Dean in glasses!!! Hot diggity damn.

“I think you're really hot. You want to go to my room and have sex?” weLL SHE WAS REALLY DIRECT ABOUT THAT.

Wow, that was really hard for Dean to turn down (and I can’t say I blame him).

“Ellie, um... Rain check?”

“This is one night only. Sorry.”

Oohh, that should have been your clue, Dean.

RIP Margot Cassity. Killed by a hellhound.

“You can't do this. You can't—”

“Yes, I can. You want to know why? Because it's what I do. And, buddy, I'm the best.”

Well okay then.

“I'm a grunt, Sam. You're not. You've always been the brains of this operation.“ DEAN NO

“And you told me yourself that you see a way out. You see a light at the end of this ugly-ass tunnel. I don't.”

“'Cause that's what I have waiting for me – that's all I have waiting for me. I want you to get out. I want you to have a life – become a man of Letters, whatever. You, with a wife and kids and – and – and grandkids, living till you're fat and bald and chugging Viagra – that is my perfect ending, and it's the only one that I'm gonna get.”

You ever lose the will to live? ‘Cause that’s how I feel after hearing Dean’s monologue.

“I Touch Myself” by the Divinyls. One of my favorite songs. Ellie’s got good taste.

“Margie used to say that – that if we were rich, we'd all be happy.” Margot sold her soul for her family to be rich.

“This is gonna sound crazy, but there is something evil out there.”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“It’s coming for me.”

There you go.

Damn it, Alice!

Ellie made a deal to heal her mom from Parkinson’s.

“That was a stupid move, Ellie.” SAID THE MAN WHO MADE A DEAL TO BRING BACK HIS DEAD BROTHER. Though I guess that gives him the full right to say it. Still, Dean, don’t judge her.

“I did it for my mom, Dean. What would YOU do for your mom?”

“Crowley didn't tell you about the 10-year ticking clock?”

“What? I knew that when I died, I wasn't going to heaven, but he never said anything about that or monsters.”

That’s despicable.

Euch, the hallucinations.

Sammy to the rescue!

RIP hellhound. Killed by Sam.

:( I hate the idea that Ellie’s going to Hell when she dies. I love her, she’s awesome.

“We'll track down another Hellhound, and I'LL kill it.” Stubborn as a donkey, Dean.

“I want to slam hell shut, too, okay? But I want to survive it. I want to live, and so should you. You have friends up here, family. I mean, hell, you even got your own room now. You were right, okay? I see light at the end of this tunnel. And I'm sorry you don't – I am. But it's there. And if you come with me, I can take you to it.”

“Sam, be smart.”

“I AM smart, and so are you.”

“Better than me, better than dad. I believe in you, Dean. So, please – please believe in me, too.”

I love Sam’s monologue to Dean. I love it and appreciate with all my heart.

Trial #1 is complete.

“I'm good. I'm okay. I can do this.”