SPN Season 6 Finale

[oselle]

You know that old song, "Love The One You're With?" You know it..."If you can't be with the one you love, honey/Love the one you're with!"

Yeah, I think that's it. That's my newfound approach to Supernatural. It's never, ever going to be the show I want it to be or think it could have been but it's the show I've got. So I'm just gonna...love the one I'm with.

So, the finale.

The first hour was basically an exercise in wrapping up the whole Lisa-and-Ben saga in a way that would seem to close that chapter for good, and without going the obvious but unpalatable route of killing them off. Now, I say "seem" because I'm still not convinced that we've really seen the last of them, memory-wipe or not. I can easily imagine a scenario at the end of the series where Lisa and Dean have some chance encounter and Lisa falls in love with Dean because they were always meant to be together and not even angelic intervention could keep them apart yada yada yada. I feel like I've seen this in some movie. It sounds awfully familiar. If you can think of it, please share, because it's driving me nuts. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind? Nah, I think it was something much chick-flickier. Anyway...

I love the way injuries are so mutable on this show. Characters can endure the most horrific battering and just walk it off, but a little shiv between the ribs puts them at the brink of death. There's no way that was a fatal wound, and I have no idea why Lisa was on a ventilator or why Dean was so sure she'd be "dead by midnight." I'm also surprised that Dean didn't immediately demand that Castiel heal her, but I guess he figured he was in no position to ask Castiel for favors because of what Castiel might expect in return (feel free to think dirty thoughts, if you like). But wait, then he did ask Castiel for a favor, so that can't be it. All I could think was that poor Castiel had to wipe not only Lisa and Ben's memories but those of everyone in the hospital who had treated them, and then rewrite her admission papers, insurance reports, charts, etc. Poor Cas.

Jensen was quite prettily shattered over erasing himself from Lisa and Ben's life, but of course Jensen always rocks scenes like that. It needs to be said, though, that this move hardly makes Lisa and Ben safe -- they weren't in peril because they loved Dean, but because Dean loved them. The fact that now they don't even know who Dean is doesn't make them any less of a target for anything that wants to get at Dean, because he hasn't forgotten all about them. But whatever. I just hope it'll be a good long while before we ever see them again.

The second hour, for me, was all about Castiel's broken heart. I know there was something going on with Sam, but it was underwhelming to say the least -- after all the dire warnings about "the wall" coming down, he certainly emerged from it quite unscathed, although I do have to admit that this was one of the few really convincing performances I've seen from Jared. Maybe he's best when he only has to play against himself. I'm not even sure why Castiel took the wall down, unless it was just to keep Dean distracted so he could go and bust open purgatory, but I don't think it matters -- Sam's "wall" was just one of Season Six's dangling loose ends, and this was how they chose to snip it.

A loose end that was not snipped was poor Adam, who has been ignored all season and now has gone permanently down the memory hole without meriting so much as a mention. Considering the show has always been about "family," it hardly seems possible that neither Sam nor Dean would spare even a passing thought for the fate of their own half-brother, and the writers could have so easily addressed this just by having Castiel tell us that when he let Sam out of the cage, Adam was also released to go back to heaven. But whatever.

Anyway, Castiel's broken heart. Take Cas's plaintive speech in the first hour, throw in a whole lot of hopelessly yearning looks, and to me, Cas chose purgatory because he'd lost Dean. Period. Now, I know this isn't what they were getting at, but that's how it played for me. When he turned up at the end, I swear, the look he gave Dean was so you-left-me-no-choice that I was doing my little couch-squeals again, just like two weeks ago. He just loves...er, loved Dean so very, very much. And I gotta say...Omnipotent, Smiting, Bow-Down-And-Love-Me Castiel was really friggin hot.

Now, some folks think Castiel is the new Big Bad and so the boys are going to wind up hunting him all through Season 7 and these writers are lame so they probably will, but I prefer to think that Dean is going to try to save Cas because come on...Dean loves him too. For all that Dean looked sad when he lost Lisa and Ben, he looked absolutely horrified when he lost Castiel especially since on some level he must know that Castiel did it all because of him and wow...I'm like, really heading off into Crackville now. I really do kind of dig Castiel as God although what passes for theology on this show is outlandishly silly but I'm going to have a lot of fun thinking about that in church on Sunday unless of course I'm raptured up to heaven tomorrow and get to meet Castiel for myself. Doubtful.

Finally, I want to share a very important discovery I made during this episode, and I hope it'll be as special to you as it was to me. It's called Ben & Jerry's Late Night Snack and it's "Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with a Salty Caramel Swirl & Fudge-Covered Potato Chip Clusters" and it will forever end the dreaded "salty or sweet?" snack torment. It totally figures that this momentous treat only came into my life the day before the beginning of the end of the world. Now I wish I'd bought more than one pint. Perhaps if there's looting tomorrow I'll be able to pick up a few more, by the grace of Cas.

Here endeth the Sixth Season.

Comments

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Yeah, at some point during the ep I realized I was totally on Cas's side. I've read so many people complaining about how he ruins the show by taking away from the brothers, but frankly it seems like the problem is that there being no coherent storyline for Sam and Dean this season doesn't make it Cas's fault just because he's the one person who did have a coherent arc.

That arc just happened to be about him making a mistake, and knowing he was a screw up, and feeling too ashamed to go to Dean, and then when he finally confessed to Dean Dean rejected him and the guy just wound up feeling unloved by everyone. And that would have been fine if it was everyone except Dean, but then Dean was too rejecting. So Castiel just planned to show Dean he was right and save everyone and go on saving everyone. Because even if Dean didn't love him back Castiel would go on loving him and trying to make him happy.

And then he unfortunately drank a bajillion souls that made him insane and played on his main emotions, which were hurt and betrayal, so he decided to make Dean love him or wish him into the cornfield. Now he can't even believe Dean loves him! He's just scared of him! The idea of Dean being able to kill this guy is too hard for me to believe.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

So Castiel just planned to show Dean he was right and save everyone and go on saving everyone. Because even if Dean didn't love him back Castiel would go on loving him and trying to make him happy.

*Blubbers!*

It's so true. What's so funny (and I don't even know if the writers see this) is that we finally have a character other than Dean who will do anything for love and winds up making terrible mistakes because of it. And the fact that he's doing it over Dean, who knows all too well what that feels like, is too delicious for words...and OMG! I just realized that the show actually pulled off that "role reversal" they kept talking about, only it was unintentional! It seems like they do that a lot -- try to make us care about one thing, and inadvertently make us care about something completely different! LOL, it's so great!

The idea of Dean being able to kill this guy is too hard for me to believe.

Rest assured, if that happens, I will come out of fanfic retirement to fix it. Because...no. Just no.

[sistermagpie.livejournal.com]

Interesting that Sam tried to kill Castiel. I don't think Dean would have. Castiel wasn't even actually doing anything in that moment. He was scary and all, but he was pointing out that he'd saved everyone. Sam knifing him in the back rather proved his point about not having a family.

I admit, though, that in the first ep I assumed Castiel told Balthazar to go to the boys and pretend to be a double agent because he wanted to save Lisa and Ben.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Sam knifing him in the back rather proved his point about not having a family.

*Blubbers!

Oh, Cas!!

[mulder200.livejournal.com]

My heart was breaking for Cas when he was telling Dean all the things he's done for him. He was just so visibly aching, my God.

And suddenly Ben Edlund's comment about how you don't realize you love someone until it's gone now make WAY more sense.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

This is exactly why Dean will spend all of Season 7 trying to save Cas.

[mulder200.livejournal.com]

At this point, it's like forget about Sam and Dean. Castiel rocks the house.

I can't help it. I just feel so bad for him. He did this FOR Dean and Dean REJECTED him so what else could he do?

Honestly, Castiel going darkside reminds me way too much of Darth Willow from Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Now, all we need next season is Dean giving him a "yellow crayon" speech.

I’m not an angel anymore. I’m your new god, a better one. So you will bow down and profess your love under me, your lord. Or I shall destroy you.

Also THIS. Even after all this, he still loves Dean! I mean how epic is that!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Oh, dear. The epic love of Dean and Castiel is much too epic for a yellow crayon speech! They just need to let some fanfic writers have a crack at this one. Emphasis on CRACK.

My heart was breaking for Cas when he was telling Dean all the things he's done for him. He was just so visibly aching, my God. Misha Collins is amazing in his ability to pull off a speech like that with poignancy instead of self-pity.

I mean how epic is that!

This show cracks me up in its ability to create great love stories only when it's not trying to. There's something very Zen about that. "Do by not doing." LOL!

gah this episode killed me...

[eramoestitia19.livejournal.com]

I'm actually thinking of boycotting this whole series because of how ridiculous it has gotten. I wish they would stop being so sloppy. >__<

Re: gah this episode killed me...

[eramoestitia19.livejournal.com]

or rejecting this season lol Just curl up in a corner and refuse to believe it is happening XD

Re: gah this episode killed me...

[oselle.livejournal.com]

You've just got to let it go. Stop thinking and just...love the show you're with.

[mangokulfi.livejournal.com]

This post is my happy place right now. The season as a whole continues to make no sense, but the Dean/Cas in the past few episodes make me very, very happy. I also loved you comment about their zen epic romance. It's funny because it's true. Also I think it's another case of the writers following the actors, much like they took their cues from Jensen when it came to characterizing Dean back in the early seasons.

I am also hoping for lots of MadGodCas/Dean dub con fic over the summer. *hint, hint*

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Also I think it's another case of the writers following the actors, much like they took their cues from Jensen when it came to characterizing Dean back in the early seasons.

I'm sure the actors' performance and chemistry with each other helped to develop this epic love story, which is why it developed so naturally and didn't feel shoehorned into the show.

It's a mixed blessing though because these writers eventually panic when this sort of thing happens. They enjoy the ride for a while and then suddenly they act like they've got to put the brakes on this thing because it's not going where they intended.

That's exactly what seemed to happened with Dean's character -- they took their cues from what Jensen brought to the table, and then they panicked because Dean was dominating the show and they tried to "correct" the situation by forcing Dean into the background.

I am also hoping for lots of MadGodCas/Dean dub con fic over the summer.

They're really just handing it to fandom on a gold platter, aren't they?

[oxer12.livejournal.com]

All I could think at the very end was, "Kneel before Zod!" (or Todd, if you're talking about the wishing well ep)

Then I went, "Evil Cas? Really, Show?" But then I realized that Cas drank up all the soul juice because he loves Dean so very, very much and had been rejected, so what else was he gonna do?

P.S. I also discovered Late Night Snack a few weeks ago, and I hugged it and loved it and called it George. Nice job, Jimmy Fallon! ♥

[oselle.livejournal.com]

All I could think at the very end was, "Kneel before Zod!"

LOL, I also thought that but Cas was so totally hot and I loved the way Misha played it with this awful serenity...like he really is God. Or at least A god.

I don't know what the show is saying about religion but I guess in SPNverse, the only God is whoever seizes the title. It may very well be that the real God shows up to deal with Cas but I'd much rather prefer that be left up to Dean especially if the "dealing" involves lots of long, smoldering looks.

[amber1960.livejournal.com]

I wasn't enraptured by the finale any more than I will be raptured at 6pm local time today...but I did enjoy it, and the emo between Dean and Cas made it for me. I am with you 100% on the saving Cas fight being a worthy theme for Season 7, and we do still have the delicious Crowley in the mix to add a little spice.
So yeah, loving the show I am in, for sure!

[oselle.livejournal.com]

we do still have the delicious Crowley in the mix to add a little spice.

I was so sick of Crowley when he was floundering around in Sera's hot mess at the beginning of the season but he was so much more fun during these past couple of episodes that I won't mind seeing him back from time to time.

[twirlycurls.livejournal.com]

I can't say I'm going to miss the show this summer (and -especially- not this crummy season) but I'm definitely going to miss talking about it with you.

"Characters can endure the most horrific battering and just walk it off, but a little shiv between the ribs puts them at the brink of death."

It seems to be almost entirely gendered, too. Remember that girl in the silly sex-doll episode that got a little bump to the head and insta-died? Yeah.

I agree with you about the Wall. Half a season of build-up and dire warnings and OMG-Sam-can't-handle-it and that's all the consequences he suffers? Putting up that wall was the biggest waste of time, ever. Leading us to believe that it was going somewhere and then delivering no pay off was... well, typical storytelling for Sera Gamble.

"I do have to admit that this was one of the few really convincing performances I've seen from Jared. Maybe he's best when he only has to play against himself."

Heh, that's true! And I can't really think of any other actor it's so true of. Unique skill-set there for certain.

"And I gotta say...Omnipotent, Smiting, Bow-Down-And-Love-Me Castiel was really friggin hot."

I agree, that was one of my favorite things in the entire season. My husband and I had been pretty bored through the whole two hours -- idly tossing popcorn for the dogs, checking our watches, discussing housework plans, and then suddenly Cas was all "BOW DOWN AND PROFESS YOUR LOVE" and we were sitting at the edge of the couch all "yes-yes-yes-yes-YES!"

But then sadly, the cut to black. I felt so cheated, but at least we had our Queer as Folk marathon to return to.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

It seems to be almost entirely gendered, too.

Oh yes, I've noticed that. Pamela the psychic died of a single stab-wound to the belly that she certainly could have withstood long enough to get to a hospital. People show up in emergency rooms with their guts hanging out and can still be saved.

we were sitting at the edge of the couch all "yes-yes-yes-yes-YES!"

Me too, and I literally can't remember this show took me by such surprise or had me on the edge of my seat. Of course it faded to black then -- you can't end a season without a cliffhanger!

I'm definitely going to miss talking about it with you.

Aww, thanks! I always feel a little bereft when the season is over because I have nothing to talk about! But at least I won't be sitting around in my PJs till noon every Saturday morning banging away on my laptop!

[ann-tara.livejournal.com]

I thought the two episodes were an epic mess, but I guess that's what happens when someone comes in on the backside trying to clean up someone else's poo-poo piles.

That being said, and even though I hate that they made Cas the bad guy at the end, I do love how the Jensen/Misha chemistry made them all lose their shit so much that they turned the whole season on its head and made it all about the epic love affair between the hunter and his angel. That scene in the warehouse was, cut and dried, acted by two men selling a doomed relationship between two people who are in love, but have lost the middle ground.

I hope next season is set up for Dean saving Cas by the end of the year - like he has for Sam over and over again.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I do love how the Jensen/Misha chemistry made them all lose their shit so much that they turned the whole season on its head and made it all about the epic love affair between the hunter and his angel.

I love it too, but you know they're just teasing us with that before they run away from it in Season 7.

This whole thing is making me want to write fic again and I refuse! I've spent the past three summers plugging away on SPN fic and I don't want to do that again!

[emeraldus.livejournal.com]

The first hour BORED me. Second one showed signs of promise soon as Eureka's Jo showed up and how Sam fused his separate selves together was interesting but by then it was too little too late for me. Though it might--big stress on "might"--be interesting to see how Fuuma-like Cas can be next season. He's definitely the wrathful god.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

He's definitely the wrathful god.

The question is, will the wrathful god forget his one true love, Dean Winchester?

[muffaletta.livejournal.com]

Both the episodes bored me. When the show was so apathetic about integrating Lisa and Ben into the season, it seemed ridiculous to presume I'd care much about what happened to them now. If there had been even some attempt to show Dean heartbroken over Lisa dumping him or some indication there was still hope for the relationship, then maybe it could have worked. But as it stood, the Braedens could have died/moved to Estonia/been mindwiped/whatever...wouldn't have mattered to me. Jensen did a great job as always but ironically, I felt his heartbreak over his relationship with Cas much more profoundly.

The finale? I'm biased because I'd officially overdosed on Sam and his neverending soul issues way back when. Couldn't have cared less about the wall coming down. Jared did fine with the 3 roles but quite honestly, I hope we don't get another year now of Sam's PTSD issues. I really don't need to hear even more about how much Sam suffered during his hundred gazillion years in the worst hell possible. We get it, Sera. You wanted to throw Dean's hell experiences under the bus. Mission accomplished, your fav took even that away from Dean, let's move on already.

And as for godCas.....that last half hour was the best part. I'm just hoping the show allows Cas to be rescued/redeemed/forgiven. It would make for a great arc and I'd love for there to finally be a way to let Dean do something more than be wallpaper.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, I wish the Braedens had moved to Estonia. That would have gotten rid of them just as effectively without all this mind-wiping nonsense, although I always enjoy watching Jensen tear up.

I felt his heartbreak over his relationship with Cas much more profoundly.

Oh, absolutely.

You wanted to throw Dean's hell experiences under the bus.

You know, when you think about it, whatever Dean went through in hell was never touched on at all, except for the part about how he opened the first Seal. Dean remembers everything about hell, but he's apparently just...gotten over it. They're gonna have to cool it on how much he drinks, though, before some Parents Council blacklists the show.

And as for godCas.....that last half hour was the best part. I'm just hoping the show allows Cas to be rescued/redeemed/forgiven. It would make for a great arc and I'd love for there to finally be a way to let Dean do something more than be wallpaper.

You know they're NEVER going to let Dean "own" that. Even though Sam's never really had any relationship with Castiel, they're going to have to make him an integral part of Castiel's salvation. I hope they DO save him because I will be outraged if they kill him.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

My general feeling was that there wasn't anything wrong with the epsiodes that hasn't been wrong with the season all the way through - stuff built up that goes nowhere, people you're told to care about rather than made to care about and resolutions that have little or nothing to do with what has gone before.

There was some good acting but, given that the Winchester brothers were largely irrelevant to the denouement, unless you were a Lisa or Castiel fan there wasn't much to care about.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

I'm really disappointed that I've been unable to win you over to Team Cas.

[ghyste.livejournal.com]

I like Misha but they didn't invest enough into the development of Castiel's character to make me interested in him in the absence of a pairing to ship :D

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

I just keep telling myself that Cas is basically a drug addict here and Dean totally got over Sammy's demon blood issues, so it'll be all good. Right?!

Adam, for crying out loud, yes.

That Lisa and Ben thing also makes no sense because what about all her friends and neighbors and people who will be like, "You know, Dean, the guy you lived with for a year?"

But then I was all, "Who cares, because do you see how pretty Jensen looks leaning in that hospital room doorway?" and then I realized I was taking your approach to watching Show and sent up a silent thank you to you for teaching me the proper way to watch this season.

Also, I saw the episode of Jimmy Fallon when Ben & Jerry introduced the ice cream to him and I thought it is either the most delicious thing or the most disgusting thing ever - so good to know.

[oselle.livejournal.com]

Cas is basically a drug addict here

I really hope they don't resolve this with yet another addiction analogy. It's much more interesting when characters make terrible choices of their own free will, not because they're under the influence. It still bothers me that all of Sam's transgressions in Season 4 were dismissed because the demon blood made him do it -- and therefore he's absolved of all responsibility. Which is complete and utter bullshit anyway because Sam chose to follow Ruby before the blood-drinking even began, but that's so neither here nor there at this point.

then I realized I was taking your approach to watching Show and sent up a silent thank you to you for teaching me the proper way to watch this season.

And you're welcome. Practicing yoga has taught me to live in the present moment with full acceptance and no judgment. Ommmmmm.

it is either the most delicious thing or the most disgusting thing ever

The genius of Late Night Snack is that it is both the most delicious thing and the most disgusting thing.

[dodger-sister.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me now that Cas was running around killing his friends (Balthazar) before he was all juiced up anyways, so this is a completely invalid point. Though, as you pointed out, Sam followed Ruby before he was jacked up, so it doesn't mean they won't do it.

Dean and Cas just can't be broken up, is all! They can't! I mean...er, okay then.

The genius of Late Night Snack is that it is both the most delicious thing and the most disgusting thing.

I am totally giving you the Castiel-head-tilt face right now. :)