oselle | Jensen Needs You (Reply)

arabia764 was curious about why there's such a dearth of fics in which Jensen plays a more assertive role and I posted one of my usual excessively long comments about how he's not just pretty but projects an air of needy vulnerability which fanfic writers naturally pick up on. Some of you may recall a poll I did ages ago (can't find it, alas) in which I wondered why so many RPS AU fics cast Jensen as a melancholy rentboy and Jared as his likely or unlikely knight-in-shining-armor and the landslide winner of that poll was the response that mentioned the same thing -- that Jensen seems vulnerable, somehow wounded or needy, requiring care, protection, salvation.

I've been sitting here thinking about this and I've realized that this is hardly something that only fanfic writers pick up on -- casting directors and producers must see it too because that's been the one unifying element of just about every character he's ever played. Now I haven't seen every one of Jensen's roles, but here's a short list starting with the earliest one I know about:

Television
Eric Brady (Days of Our Lives): Never saw him in this, but I think he played the sweet-natured counterpoint to his manipulative bitch twin sister, Sami. His mother was possessed by Satan at one point. God, Days is an awful show.

Ben (Dark Angel): A bubbling hot mess of gorgeous, wounded desperation. Too beautifully damaged to live. Goes insane, comes to a bad end.

Alec (Dark Angel): On the surface a flinty, chronic smartass and self-interested oportunist...beneath it all, a needy lost soul with an unexpectedly kind, compassionate and generous nature. Masks his pain with devil-may-care sarcasm. Memorably described by one character as "all broody and Healthcliff-like."

C.J. (Dawson's Creek): Haven't seen much of this but I do know at one point he was dating Michele Williams, who in spite of her boyfriend's hotness, wore full-length flannel pajamas to bed (buttoned up to her neck) and sported a dreadful hairdo and he still loved her, so clearly he was playing a saint. I think he also volunteered at a suicide hotline. A TEEN suicide hotline, oy. And his name was C.J. And it was Dawson's Creek for God's sake. Do the math.

Jason Teague (Smallville): Affectionate, caring, would-be nice guy who can't escape the dark secrets of his hideous family. Repeatedly victimized, assaulted and manipulated by high-school football players, Lana Lang, Lana Lang's 14th-century witch ancestor, Chinese prison guards, scarves, viruses, nightmares, Lionel Luthor, Lex Luthor and his own predatory mother. Believes Lana Lang can save him with her love. Goes insane, comes to a bad end.

Dean Winchester (SPN): Apparent tough guy and leering skirt-chaser with a heart of gold, crushing self-esteem issues and a desperate craving for love, forgiveness and acceptance. Perpetually self-sacrificing to the point of being pathologically self-destructive. Takes more poundings than a veal scallopine (and much more photogenically). Cries a lot. Goes to hell, comes back to looming bad end. No further explanation needed.

Movies
Jake Gray (Devour): Affectionate, caring, would-be nice guy who can't escape the really dark secrets of his really hideous family. Relentlessly tormented by nightmares and waking hallucinations. Believes Shannyn Sossamon can save him with her love until she turns out to be his own predatory mother. Cries a lot. Goes insane, comes to a bad end.

Tom Hanniger (My Bloody Valentine): Affectionate, caring, would-be nice guy who can't escape the multiple traumas of his hideous past. Takes pills to quiet his inner demons. Did time in a mental asylum. Stares at himself in the mirror a lot. Goes insane, comes a bad end.

So you see, it's not us. We're just picking up on what he's clearly putting out there. Add that vibe to the seriously ridiculous prettiness and you've got...wounded rentboy Jensen, needy Jensen, vulnerable Jensen, passive Jensen (or substitute Dean for any of the above, if you like). If you've seen any of his other roles, feel free to fill in the blanks.