spammity spam
Jan. 19th, 2008 11:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
llywelaSo clearly I'm on a bit of a posting roll - sorry to spam up your f-lists, folks! Last one for the day, I promise. This one is for ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
galathea_snb, and anyone else who might be interested.
Things I Love About Supernatural's Wendigo
Okay, so I'm not even going to pretend there's a limit of just ten.
In no particular order.
1. That forest they all go hiking through is all kinds of pretty. Of course, the wendigo wandering around abducting and eating people is a downside, sure, and you wouldn't catch me camping out there for days at a time. But the scenery? That's pretty.
2. I love that Dean is treading so very carefully with Sam, in the early stages of the episode especially, in the wake of Jessica's death. Kid gloves all the way. How he so gruffly tries to make sure that Sam is something approaching okay and make him feel better any way he can when Sam wakes from his nightmare in the Impala: blunt but cautious questioning followed by an offer to let Sam drive as the most comforting gesture currently available to him. We didn't know it at the time, but for Dean to offer up the driving seat is a pretty big gesture. One that Sam instantly recognises for what it is, given the significance the Impala holds for them both, Dean in particular, but can't really appreciate or respond to at the time, because he's too busy trying to convince his brother that he's fine. Really. Dead girlfriend and nightmares notwithstanding.
I love the sheer bloke-ishness of this conversation, both of them trying to gruff it out, because they've had years apart and now they've been abruptly plunged into this intense and emotional situation before they've had a chance to get to know one another again. And it isn't as if emotional openness is something that's ever been encouraged in this family at the best of times. They're having to feel their way through it, sounding each other out, bit by bit, and it isn't easy for either of them.
3. I love Dean's pep talk to Sam beside the campfire. Everything about it. I first watched the show for JA, because I remembered liking him in Dark Angel and wanted to see what he was doing now. And I enjoyed the Pilot – and him – enough to watch again. But this was the moment that Dean had me, hook, line and sinker, and with him the show. And the rest is history.
"Listen to me: you've got to prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while. And all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul – it's going to kill you. You've got to have patience, man."
"How do you do it? How does Dad do it?"
"Well, for one: them. I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable. And I'll tell you what else helps. Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can."
It's just such a fabulous brother moment, Sam in pain and close to breaking down and Dean at his big brotherly best, providing both reassurance and meaningful distraction. And this is the guy who feels so uncomfortable talking about anything personal, but Dean will go to all kinds of lengths for Sam that he wouldn't dream of for himself. He even manages to raise a ghost of a smile from Sam. Excellent work, Dean.
4. I jump out of my skin every single time the hand comes out of Jessica's grave to grab Sam's wrist as he lays flowers. Even though I know it's going to happen and is only a dream. It's a perfect horror moment, and I love it.
Of course, since Jessica has only been dead a week the headstone really shouldn't be there. Put a headstone on a freshly dug grave, and it'll fall over within a year as the ground settles and subsides beneath it. But since this is a dream, we'll just let that pass.
5. I both love and hurt for Angry!Sam. His grievy belligerence throughout is a striking contrast to the relaxed, albeit conflicted Sam that we met in the Pilot, but Dean's claim to be 'the belligerent one' of the two always gives me pause for thought. He's talking about images and appearances, and on the surface of things, he is right. But if you scratch that surface and study the brothers over the course of the show as a whole, Sam has just as big a claim on the crown, and his is a cold, implacable brand of anger in contrast to Dean's hot, quick bursts of temper. However, Sam is mild mannered enough in general to soften and mask that side of his personality most of the time, while Dean wears his belligerence openly as part of his defensive persona.
6. I love the creep factor, which is heightened by the fact that we almost never get to actually see the monster. I know that was because the prosthetics suck, but it works. Implying that something is horrific and terrifying is so much more effective than trying to show it, because our imaginations take us way further than a television budget and the censor limitations ever could. The opening scenes with Tommy in the tent, hearing his friends scream but unable to see what's wrong, aware of an impossibly fast shadowy something circling his tent, just waiting for it to attack him, too – it's all the scarier for not being able to see what it is.
The same principle holds true in numerous other scenes scattered throughout the episode, especially those final scenes of the escape from the wendigo's lair.
7. I love the cinematography. That scene where the brothers pedeconference along a dark corridor after interviewing the old man? And then when Dean's out at the Impala and we're misled into thinking something is creeping up on him when it's only Sam? And again when Sam and young Ben explore the old mine in search of their siblings? And so many other examples. Really beautifully filmed, with gorgeous use of light and dark and shadows and silhouettes once again.
Having said that, though, damn, but this episode is dark! Can't hardly see a thing, at times.
8. I love that although Sam complains mightily about the fact that the coordinates John left point to a hunt, rather than to John himself as hoped, once Dean has firmly pointed out the merits and importance of working the job rather than blundering around blind and leaving innocent people in danger, he gives it his all and works it smoothly and efficiently. He still isn't happy about having a case to solve instead of getting the hell out of there and picking up the search for John, but that doesn't detract from the effort he puts into researching and resolving the situation. And his grief, anger and frustration certainly seem to bring out the best in him, as all the major breakthroughs in the case come via Sam.
9. I love that Dean scratches Anasazi symbols in a circle around the camp to keep the wendigo away overnight. I wish he'd remember that he knows how to do that and use the same trick again sometime; I like to see the boys having as many bows to their fiddle as possible. And I love that he doesn't care in the slightest about Roy laughing at him, because he's so comfortable with his knowledge and the effectiveness of this protection, he doesn't need the innocents in his charge to understand or even believe. He just needs them to be able to follow instructions. Which, of course, Roy can't, but that's another story.
10. I love the contrast of Dean's physical to Sam's cerebral, which shines through so clearly in this episode. Dean is immensely proficient at all things practical, from the making of those Anasazi symbols to tracking which way the wendigo dragged its victims out of camp to the improvisation of weapons; he's very much a hands-on kind of guy. And Sam's intellect and incredible memory for detail complement his brother's skills and aptitudes perfectly, making them one hell of a team, as Dean himself pointed out in the Pilot.
11. I love Badass!Dean totally taking charge of the retreat from the old mine, despite the sore ribs he is noticeably nursing in several scenes, and using himself as bait so that Sam can get the others out.
And I love how committed Sam now is to the safety of these innocents that only a day earlier he had resented so deeply for getting in the way of his quest for vengeance.
12. "Recycle, man." Hee. College student is one of the few fake identities Dean just can't quite pull off. He's got nothing to base it on. But I love the ease with which he goes along with the assumptions of anyone who disbelieves his cover story, letting them come up with something on his behalf that works even better, and running with it for all he's worth. He does it with the ranger in this episode, and again in numerous other episodes later.
13. It kills me every time that the ID card Dean shows Hayley identifies him as 'Samuel Cole' when he just introduced himself as Dean. And that despite having asked to see some ID, she doesn't notice this error – too busy admiring his car!
14. "Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean has the attention span of a gnat at times.
15. I love that Dean is so very pretty in this episode. Again. Yes, this is a recurring theme. Do I care? Not in the slightest.
16. And I love that Sam also looks good.
Apart from the crazy hair. Grief does insane things to that wayward barnet of his!
17. "I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know: saving people, hunting things – the family business."
Mission statement! I love Dean's optimism, especially here at the start of it all, when everything about his situation sucks but he still manages to remain upbeat, still believes that everything can be okay again, or at least as okay as anything in his life has ever been, if he can just work hard enough and keep believing long enough. Sam is the one with the fresh and tragic bereavement, but we shouldn't forget that Dean is under enormous strain, as well, with his father having so mysteriously disappeared and having to look after the grieving Sam. But here at the beginning of things he just quietly shoulders the burden with no visible sign of effort, and keeps going, and refuses to lose hope that things will somehow work out.
Throughout season one Dean retains this solid core of hope that sustains both him and Sam, although a gradual process of erosion slowly diminishes it, as he learns about Sam's premonitions and the reasons behind John's disappearance. But that hope is finally killed stone dead by the events of Salvation through In My Time Of Dying, and I grieve for it. He retains his upbeat personality, because that's a part of who he is, but I'm not sure he'll ever get that spark of hope back. The things he once hoped for and believed in so strongly are irretrievably destroyed.
18. I love the way Sam rolls his eyes, all here we go again, when Dean's first reaction to Hayley is to note how hot she is. I also love that Dean's second and overriding reaction to Hayley is to empathise deeply with her determination to find her missing brother; he still thinks she's hot, but it's the missing brother part of the equation that matters most to him.
But on the flip side of this scene, however, one thing I don't love is how skinny Hayley's arms are. Seriously. With all the bones and tendons standing out like that…you cannot tell me that those are healthy arms!
19. I love that Dean packs an industrial sized bag of M&Ms instead of provisions. And that he has enough left when the wendigo snatches him to use them in place of breadcrumbs to leave a trail. Babes in the Wood, eat your heart out.
20. I love the completely non-verbal conversation Dean and Sam have when Hayley challenges their supposed identities as rangers – one quick glance and the plan of action is agreed, not a word spoken aloud. And again when trying to escape the Wendigo at the end. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" And just like that the plan is settled on and acted upon, not a word of detail voiced. And this is even before they've really got to know one another again. So many layers to their relationship, even at this stage.
I know this picture doesn't technically illustrate that point, but it comes from the same scene, and is pretty, so there. *G*
21. I kind of love Hayley's little brother Ben. I love that he barely opens his mouth throughout the entire episode, and hides behind his spunky big sister whenever he's afraid, which is most of the time, but that when the wendigo snatches Dean and Hayley and he no longer has his sister to hide behind, he comes into his own and is the one who finds the trail Dean left. And I love how easily and convincingly he lies to the cops at the end!
22. I love how good Dean is with the innocents, Hayley in particular, his focus on their plight and his determination to get them out of this and see their family reunited, the way he is able to empathise so effortlessly when he needs to in order to keep Hayley calm and positive. This is his job, every day of his life, and he is good at it. It might have been chosen for him, but he's made a true vocation of it. The satisfaction of being able to save people like this, of seeing their family reunited – that's what makes all the rest of it worthwhile for him.
23. I love that silent shot of Sam sitting by himself first thing in the morning, brooding over his grief for Jessica and mulling over Dean's words of wisdom the night before. Sam's grief for Jessica manifests as anger and fierce vengefulness more than anything else – never any tearful demonstrations – but this quiet, sombre little scene speaks absolute volumes for what he's feeling inside.
24. "Oh sweetheart, I don't do shorts."
Yeah, but Hayley is smitten anyway, even if she'd never admit it.
25. I love Dean taking out the Wendigo with a flare gun. Awesome!
26. I love the way Dean and Roy jostle for leadership of their little group throughout the hike, right up until Roy's death. I love that it isn't just a testosterone thing, that each of them just expects to take charge automatically because he knows so absolutely that he has the knowledge and experience needed to get the job done and keep everyone safe.
I don't think it's any comfort to Dean that he is proved right in the end, not since Roy ends up dead because he didn't follow the brothers' warnings.
27. So convenient that Sam and Ben manage to fall through the floor right into the chamber where the others are being held…
28. I love the improvisation of weapons from whatever raw materials are at hand. While instructing Hayley and Ben in the truth behind the legend of the wendigo, Dean is constantly on the move, multi-tasking as he gathers up seemingly random supplies here and there around the ruined campsite, before finally revealing what he has assembled – the raw ingredients for an impromptu firebomb. Excellent!
29. Having been captured by the wendigo, Dean just glides straight into full-blown 'tis just a scratch mode the instant he comes around and Sam cuts him down, even though he's all battered and bruised and can't even manage three steps before his legs give way.
"You sure you're all right?"
"Yep. Yep."
Got to love a stoic man!
30. "Must you cheapen the moment?"
"Hell, yeah!"
Oh yes. 'Nuff said.
31. "Man, I hate camping."
"Me too."
"Sam, you know we're going to find Dad, right?"
"Yeah. I know. But in the meantime? I'm driving."
This is the payoff of that opening scene in the Impala, Sam recognising that Dean offering to let him drive the Impala was a pretty huge gesture, Dean being Dean and the Impala being the Impala. And by taking his brother up on the offer, Sam is also wordlessly expressing his gratitude for and acceptance of the support Dean has been giving him since Jessica's death. And also, possibly, acknowledging the fact that Dean just got banged up by the wendigo, has been nursing sore ribs, and would probably benefit from a break from driving for a while! I love the way the scene is filmed, the two brothers sitting side by side on the hood of the Impala, the use of light and shade, the way they both keep eyes front while they talk, right up to the moment Sam announces that he is going to drive, when he finally turns to look at his brother's profile. And the way Dean just tosses the keys to him without looking.
32. I just really like this shot of the brothers.
Wendigo gets a lot of stick from the fandom, with many people disliking it as the episode to immediately follow Jessica's death, but I've always enjoyed it, and consider it vastly underrated. There's a lot to love thrown in there!
galathea_snb, and anyone else who might be interested.Things I Love About Supernatural's Wendigo
Okay, so I'm not even going to pretend there's a limit of just ten.
In no particular order.
1. That forest they all go hiking through is all kinds of pretty. Of course, the wendigo wandering around abducting and eating people is a downside, sure, and you wouldn't catch me camping out there for days at a time. But the scenery? That's pretty.
2. I love that Dean is treading so very carefully with Sam, in the early stages of the episode especially, in the wake of Jessica's death. Kid gloves all the way. How he so gruffly tries to make sure that Sam is something approaching okay and make him feel better any way he can when Sam wakes from his nightmare in the Impala: blunt but cautious questioning followed by an offer to let Sam drive as the most comforting gesture currently available to him. We didn't know it at the time, but for Dean to offer up the driving seat is a pretty big gesture. One that Sam instantly recognises for what it is, given the significance the Impala holds for them both, Dean in particular, but can't really appreciate or respond to at the time, because he's too busy trying to convince his brother that he's fine. Really. Dead girlfriend and nightmares notwithstanding.
I love the sheer bloke-ishness of this conversation, both of them trying to gruff it out, because they've had years apart and now they've been abruptly plunged into this intense and emotional situation before they've had a chance to get to know one another again. And it isn't as if emotional openness is something that's ever been encouraged in this family at the best of times. They're having to feel their way through it, sounding each other out, bit by bit, and it isn't easy for either of them.
3. I love Dean's pep talk to Sam beside the campfire. Everything about it. I first watched the show for JA, because I remembered liking him in Dark Angel and wanted to see what he was doing now. And I enjoyed the Pilot – and him – enough to watch again. But this was the moment that Dean had me, hook, line and sinker, and with him the show. And the rest is history.
"Listen to me: you've got to prepare yourself. I mean, this search could take a while. And all that anger, you can't keep it burning over the long haul – it's going to kill you. You've got to have patience, man."
"How do you do it? How does Dad do it?"
"Well, for one: them. I figure our family's so screwed to hell, maybe we can help some others. Makes things a little bit more bearable. And I'll tell you what else helps. Killing as many evil sons of bitches as I possibly can."
It's just such a fabulous brother moment, Sam in pain and close to breaking down and Dean at his big brotherly best, providing both reassurance and meaningful distraction. And this is the guy who feels so uncomfortable talking about anything personal, but Dean will go to all kinds of lengths for Sam that he wouldn't dream of for himself. He even manages to raise a ghost of a smile from Sam. Excellent work, Dean.
4. I jump out of my skin every single time the hand comes out of Jessica's grave to grab Sam's wrist as he lays flowers. Even though I know it's going to happen and is only a dream. It's a perfect horror moment, and I love it.
Of course, since Jessica has only been dead a week the headstone really shouldn't be there. Put a headstone on a freshly dug grave, and it'll fall over within a year as the ground settles and subsides beneath it. But since this is a dream, we'll just let that pass.
5. I both love and hurt for Angry!Sam. His grievy belligerence throughout is a striking contrast to the relaxed, albeit conflicted Sam that we met in the Pilot, but Dean's claim to be 'the belligerent one' of the two always gives me pause for thought. He's talking about images and appearances, and on the surface of things, he is right. But if you scratch that surface and study the brothers over the course of the show as a whole, Sam has just as big a claim on the crown, and his is a cold, implacable brand of anger in contrast to Dean's hot, quick bursts of temper. However, Sam is mild mannered enough in general to soften and mask that side of his personality most of the time, while Dean wears his belligerence openly as part of his defensive persona.
6. I love the creep factor, which is heightened by the fact that we almost never get to actually see the monster. I know that was because the prosthetics suck, but it works. Implying that something is horrific and terrifying is so much more effective than trying to show it, because our imaginations take us way further than a television budget and the censor limitations ever could. The opening scenes with Tommy in the tent, hearing his friends scream but unable to see what's wrong, aware of an impossibly fast shadowy something circling his tent, just waiting for it to attack him, too – it's all the scarier for not being able to see what it is.
The same principle holds true in numerous other scenes scattered throughout the episode, especially those final scenes of the escape from the wendigo's lair.
7. I love the cinematography. That scene where the brothers pedeconference along a dark corridor after interviewing the old man? And then when Dean's out at the Impala and we're misled into thinking something is creeping up on him when it's only Sam? And again when Sam and young Ben explore the old mine in search of their siblings? And so many other examples. Really beautifully filmed, with gorgeous use of light and dark and shadows and silhouettes once again.
Having said that, though, damn, but this episode is dark! Can't hardly see a thing, at times.
8. I love that although Sam complains mightily about the fact that the coordinates John left point to a hunt, rather than to John himself as hoped, once Dean has firmly pointed out the merits and importance of working the job rather than blundering around blind and leaving innocent people in danger, he gives it his all and works it smoothly and efficiently. He still isn't happy about having a case to solve instead of getting the hell out of there and picking up the search for John, but that doesn't detract from the effort he puts into researching and resolving the situation. And his grief, anger and frustration certainly seem to bring out the best in him, as all the major breakthroughs in the case come via Sam.
9. I love that Dean scratches Anasazi symbols in a circle around the camp to keep the wendigo away overnight. I wish he'd remember that he knows how to do that and use the same trick again sometime; I like to see the boys having as many bows to their fiddle as possible. And I love that he doesn't care in the slightest about Roy laughing at him, because he's so comfortable with his knowledge and the effectiveness of this protection, he doesn't need the innocents in his charge to understand or even believe. He just needs them to be able to follow instructions. Which, of course, Roy can't, but that's another story.
10. I love the contrast of Dean's physical to Sam's cerebral, which shines through so clearly in this episode. Dean is immensely proficient at all things practical, from the making of those Anasazi symbols to tracking which way the wendigo dragged its victims out of camp to the improvisation of weapons; he's very much a hands-on kind of guy. And Sam's intellect and incredible memory for detail complement his brother's skills and aptitudes perfectly, making them one hell of a team, as Dean himself pointed out in the Pilot.
11. I love Badass!Dean totally taking charge of the retreat from the old mine, despite the sore ribs he is noticeably nursing in several scenes, and using himself as bait so that Sam can get the others out.
And I love how committed Sam now is to the safety of these innocents that only a day earlier he had resented so deeply for getting in the way of his quest for vengeance.
12. "Recycle, man." Hee. College student is one of the few fake identities Dean just can't quite pull off. He's got nothing to base it on. But I love the ease with which he goes along with the assumptions of anyone who disbelieves his cover story, letting them come up with something on his behalf that works even better, and running with it for all he's worth. He does it with the ranger in this episode, and again in numerous other episodes later.
13. It kills me every time that the ID card Dean shows Hayley identifies him as 'Samuel Cole' when he just introduced himself as Dean. And that despite having asked to see some ID, she doesn't notice this error – too busy admiring his car!
14. "Dude, check out the size of this freaking bear." Dean has the attention span of a gnat at times.
15. I love that Dean is so very pretty in this episode. Again. Yes, this is a recurring theme. Do I care? Not in the slightest.
16. And I love that Sam also looks good.
Apart from the crazy hair. Grief does insane things to that wayward barnet of his!
17. "I think he wants us to pick up where he left off. You know: saving people, hunting things – the family business."
Mission statement! I love Dean's optimism, especially here at the start of it all, when everything about his situation sucks but he still manages to remain upbeat, still believes that everything can be okay again, or at least as okay as anything in his life has ever been, if he can just work hard enough and keep believing long enough. Sam is the one with the fresh and tragic bereavement, but we shouldn't forget that Dean is under enormous strain, as well, with his father having so mysteriously disappeared and having to look after the grieving Sam. But here at the beginning of things he just quietly shoulders the burden with no visible sign of effort, and keeps going, and refuses to lose hope that things will somehow work out.
Throughout season one Dean retains this solid core of hope that sustains both him and Sam, although a gradual process of erosion slowly diminishes it, as he learns about Sam's premonitions and the reasons behind John's disappearance. But that hope is finally killed stone dead by the events of Salvation through In My Time Of Dying, and I grieve for it. He retains his upbeat personality, because that's a part of who he is, but I'm not sure he'll ever get that spark of hope back. The things he once hoped for and believed in so strongly are irretrievably destroyed.
18. I love the way Sam rolls his eyes, all here we go again, when Dean's first reaction to Hayley is to note how hot she is. I also love that Dean's second and overriding reaction to Hayley is to empathise deeply with her determination to find her missing brother; he still thinks she's hot, but it's the missing brother part of the equation that matters most to him.
But on the flip side of this scene, however, one thing I don't love is how skinny Hayley's arms are. Seriously. With all the bones and tendons standing out like that…you cannot tell me that those are healthy arms!
19. I love that Dean packs an industrial sized bag of M&Ms instead of provisions. And that he has enough left when the wendigo snatches him to use them in place of breadcrumbs to leave a trail. Babes in the Wood, eat your heart out.
20. I love the completely non-verbal conversation Dean and Sam have when Hayley challenges their supposed identities as rangers – one quick glance and the plan of action is agreed, not a word spoken aloud. And again when trying to escape the Wendigo at the end. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" And just like that the plan is settled on and acted upon, not a word of detail voiced. And this is even before they've really got to know one another again. So many layers to their relationship, even at this stage.
I know this picture doesn't technically illustrate that point, but it comes from the same scene, and is pretty, so there. *G*
21. I kind of love Hayley's little brother Ben. I love that he barely opens his mouth throughout the entire episode, and hides behind his spunky big sister whenever he's afraid, which is most of the time, but that when the wendigo snatches Dean and Hayley and he no longer has his sister to hide behind, he comes into his own and is the one who finds the trail Dean left. And I love how easily and convincingly he lies to the cops at the end!
22. I love how good Dean is with the innocents, Hayley in particular, his focus on their plight and his determination to get them out of this and see their family reunited, the way he is able to empathise so effortlessly when he needs to in order to keep Hayley calm and positive. This is his job, every day of his life, and he is good at it. It might have been chosen for him, but he's made a true vocation of it. The satisfaction of being able to save people like this, of seeing their family reunited – that's what makes all the rest of it worthwhile for him.
23. I love that silent shot of Sam sitting by himself first thing in the morning, brooding over his grief for Jessica and mulling over Dean's words of wisdom the night before. Sam's grief for Jessica manifests as anger and fierce vengefulness more than anything else – never any tearful demonstrations – but this quiet, sombre little scene speaks absolute volumes for what he's feeling inside.
24. "Oh sweetheart, I don't do shorts."
Yeah, but Hayley is smitten anyway, even if she'd never admit it.
25. I love Dean taking out the Wendigo with a flare gun. Awesome!
26. I love the way Dean and Roy jostle for leadership of their little group throughout the hike, right up until Roy's death. I love that it isn't just a testosterone thing, that each of them just expects to take charge automatically because he knows so absolutely that he has the knowledge and experience needed to get the job done and keep everyone safe.
I don't think it's any comfort to Dean that he is proved right in the end, not since Roy ends up dead because he didn't follow the brothers' warnings.
27. So convenient that Sam and Ben manage to fall through the floor right into the chamber where the others are being held…
28. I love the improvisation of weapons from whatever raw materials are at hand. While instructing Hayley and Ben in the truth behind the legend of the wendigo, Dean is constantly on the move, multi-tasking as he gathers up seemingly random supplies here and there around the ruined campsite, before finally revealing what he has assembled – the raw ingredients for an impromptu firebomb. Excellent!
29. Having been captured by the wendigo, Dean just glides straight into full-blown 'tis just a scratch mode the instant he comes around and Sam cuts him down, even though he's all battered and bruised and can't even manage three steps before his legs give way.
"You sure you're all right?"
"Yep. Yep."
Got to love a stoic man!
30. "Must you cheapen the moment?"
"Hell, yeah!"
Oh yes. 'Nuff said.
31. "Man, I hate camping."
"Me too."
"Sam, you know we're going to find Dad, right?"
"Yeah. I know. But in the meantime? I'm driving."
This is the payoff of that opening scene in the Impala, Sam recognising that Dean offering to let him drive the Impala was a pretty huge gesture, Dean being Dean and the Impala being the Impala. And by taking his brother up on the offer, Sam is also wordlessly expressing his gratitude for and acceptance of the support Dean has been giving him since Jessica's death. And also, possibly, acknowledging the fact that Dean just got banged up by the wendigo, has been nursing sore ribs, and would probably benefit from a break from driving for a while! I love the way the scene is filmed, the two brothers sitting side by side on the hood of the Impala, the use of light and shade, the way they both keep eyes front while they talk, right up to the moment Sam announces that he is going to drive, when he finally turns to look at his brother's profile. And the way Dean just tosses the keys to him without looking.
32. I just really like this shot of the brothers.
Wendigo gets a lot of stick from the fandom, with many people disliking it as the episode to immediately follow Jessica's death, but I've always enjoyed it, and consider it vastly underrated. There's a lot to love thrown in there!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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Date: 2008-01-19 04:58 pm (UTC)I love that Dean is treading so very carefully with Sam, in the early stages of the episode especially, in the wake of Jessica's death. Kid gloves all the way.
And I love that it's so obvious that it's not the first time he's been the one to try to make Sam feel better. For some reason, it makes me go "aww."
I love Dean's pep talk to Sam beside the campfire.
One of the best scenes of the series to me, hands down. "Saving people, hunting things. The family business." I actually had one of the episode openings on my mp3 because of that sentence, and how much Dean means it from the bottom of his whole soul.
But if you scratch that surface and study the brothers over the course of the show as a whole, Sam has just as big a claim on the crown, and his is a cold, implacable brand of anger in contrast to Dean's hot, quick bursts of temper.
That's something I think about sometimes - because Sam has proven he can hold a grudge like nobody's business, and yet he's got this outer calm that doesn't extend to his inner self. And Dean has all this belligerent, cocky
outward attitude, but - and this may just be me, because he can certainly bring the angst - to me Dean has this solid, inner calm that lets him do what he does and know he's doing the right thing, so he stays on kind of an even keel.
I love the contrast of Dean's physical to Sam's cerebral, which shines through so clearly in this episode. Dean is immensely proficient at all things practical... And Sam's intellect and incredible memory for detail complement his brother's skills and aptitudes perfectly...
I love so much that Dean is so good with his body - and not like that! I was reading something somewhere that Dean experiences the world physically - he likes to touch and taste and feel, whereas Sam experiences it more spiritually, preferring to keep his distance and think things through.
And I wonder sometimes if part of the reason Sam is so good with the research is because he was - at least when he was little - trying to make up for maybe not feeling he was as good as Dean at the weapons part. We found out that Sam didn't find out about the hunting until he was 8, but Dean knew how to shoot that shotgun when he was 10. That's a whole lot of catching up to do, especially for someone who probably didn't want to do it in the first place. And I think maybe he read a lot, just in the hope he'd find some random bit of knowledge that would make his family even a little safer.
I love Badass!Dean totally taking charge of the retreat from the old mine.
Arguably one of Dean's top three 'savings.' He's so matter-of-fact about it, I love it.
I love that silent shot of Sam sitting by himself first thing in the morning, brooding over his grief for Jessica....
You know what else I love about that scene? That it was his father's journal he was holding. Sad as it is, I think Jessica's death was part of a bridge from Sam to his father - because in the Pilot he can't really connect emotionally to the plan for revenge, because let's face it, he never knew his mother, so he can't miss her like Dean and John do. But now Sam knows how a man can drop everything and just go after this demon, and it may have paved the way between John and Sam, at least a little.
I love the improvisation of weapons from whatever raw materials are at hand. While instructing Hayley and Ben in the truth behind the legend of the wendigo, Dean is constantly on the move, multi-tasking as he gathers up seemingly random supplies here and there around the ruined campsite, before finally revealing what he has assembled – the raw ingredients for an impromptu firebomb. Excellent!
I love how Dean always does stuff like that. I've got a thing for deceptivelysmart!Dean, and my brain always short-circuits a little whenever I get to see just how brilliant Dean really is.
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Date: 2008-01-19 06:14 pm (UTC)I knew we were friends for a reason. *G* I love this one, but it seems terribly underrated among the fandom in general. It sets up so, so many patterns for the future - everything we need to know about the brothers and their situation is right here, way more so than in the Pilot, which was all about establishing the premise more than anything.
Wow, you've got a lot of meat in this comment. ♥ Awesome. I agree with every word.
how much Dean means it from the bottom of his whole soul.
He really does. That's what makes his loss of faith in season two so sad, because it was the one thing in his life that really made sense to him, the one thing he had to hold onto when everything else was falling apart: that he had this mission and this purpose that was bigger than him and that it meant something. So then it really hurts when he loses that belief and is left floundering.
Sam has proven he can hold a grudge like nobody's business, and yet he's got this outer calm that doesn't extend to his inner self. And Dean has all this belligerent, cocky outward attitude, but...has this solid, inner calm that lets him do what he does and know he's doing the right thing, so he stays on kind of an even keel.
That's such a good way of putting it! And so true. Sam is better at outward appearances than Dean is, but has far more inner conflict - at least until Dean had that loss of faith we just mentioned. Whereas Dean, who struggles to present an acceptable face to the outside world, and struggles to really believe in his own self-worth, does at least have the surety of knowing his place in the world to keep him grounded. It's the difference between looking out and looking in that I've talked about a couple of times recently. Sam is always looking out, always looking for answers and explanations, for something more, and so can never be satisfied with what he already had. But Dean looks in, takes comfort from what he has, and never looks for anything more than he has already been given.
I love so much that Dean is so good with his body - and not like that! I was reading something somewhere that Dean experiences the world physically - he likes to touch and taste and feel, whereas Sam experiences it more spiritually, preferring to keep his distance and think things through.
He really does - Dean touches or tastes absolutely everything, if at all possible. And Sam really doesn't like to touch, given a choice, prefers to remain aloof and observe from distance. They really are chalk and cheese.
And I wonder sometimes if part of the reason Sam is so good with the research is because he was - at least when he was little - trying to make up for maybe not feeling he was as good as Dean at the weapons part. We found out that Sam didn't find out about the hunting until he was 8, but Dean knew how to shoot that shotgun when he was 10. That's a whole lot of catching up to do, especially for someone who probably didn't want to do it in the first place. And I think maybe he read a lot, just in the hope he'd find some random bit of knowledge that would make his family even a little safer.
It's a good point. We know that John started teaching Dean to shoot when he was only six or seven, and that he was a natural at it. Of course, the striga incident only inspired him to greater efforts, and we also know that Sam considered his brother to have set a standard of perfection that he could never hope to aspire to himself. Dean is good at anything practical, but he isn't the slightest bit intellectual, and I doubt he ever was. But Sam is a natural with the books, so yeah, I can see him latching onto the research as the only avenue open to him for distinguishing himself somehow, for stepping out of Dean's shadow.
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Date: 2008-01-19 06:15 pm (UTC)Arguably one of Dean's top three 'savings.' He's so matter-of-fact about it, I love it.
I love matter-of-fact Dean. ♥
You know what else I love about that scene? That it was his father's journal he was holding. Sad as it is, I think Jessica's death was part of a bridge from Sam to his father - because in the Pilot he can't really connect emotionally to the plan for revenge, because let's face it, he never knew his mother, so he can't miss her like Dean and John do. But now Sam knows how a man can drop everything and just go after this demon, and it may have paved the way between John and Sam, at least a little.
It's just all kinds of sad, isn't it, that it took such a terrible tragedy for Sam to gain a little understanding of his father (and brother, because he couldn't understand why any of it was so important to Dean, either). :(
I love how Dean always does stuff like that. I've got a thing for deceptivelysmart!Dean, and my brain always short-circuits a little whenever I get to see just how brilliant Dean really is.
Dean is very smart, and very good at all things practical. What he isn't is academic, not in any way, shape or form. I also think he tends to be a bit intellectually lazy whenever Sam is around, just doesn't bother thinking too hard because that's what Sam is for. And he does tend to have people putting him down a fair bit, deriding his lack of book smarts. But when he isn't doubting himself, just gets on with what needs to be done, then his talents and expertise really shines through :)
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Date: 2008-01-21 03:26 am (UTC)That scene where Sam gets angry at the guide and almost reveals what they're dealing with, and the guide says something nasty to Sam, and it's Dean who gets defensive.
I just love Dean's whole...presence in this episode. He seems to be almost pure Dean this episode, the big brother, the hunter, and just himself. As the series goes on, he has more and more to deal with, more to worry about, but in this ep, even though Jess has just been killed and their dad is missing, he has so much less to worry about than he will later on.
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Date: 2008-01-21 08:02 am (UTC)That scene where Sam gets angry at the guide and almost reveals what they're dealing with, and the guide says something nasty to Sam, and it's Dean who gets defensive.
Yeah, he's very protective of Sam, because he knows where Sam's anger is coming from, and is worried about it. I mean, he's been dragged around by John for the last 22 years in search of the thing that killed Mary, and they never found it, and he watched his dad spiralling further and further down the path of obsession, and now he sees Sam teetering on the brink of the exact same thing.
I like that neither of them stops to tell the others that the reason Sam is so volatile is that his girlfriend was murdered only a week ago - it's way professional that they try to keep their own troubles to themselves. Dean tells Hayley about John being missing only when she blows his cover and a little truth is necessary to get her back on side.
I just love Dean's whole...presence in this episode. He seems to be almost pure Dean this episode, the big brother, the hunter, and just himself. As the series goes on, he has more and more to deal with, more to worry about, but in this ep, even though Jess has just been killed and their dad is missing, he has so much less to worry about than he will later on.
*sighs happily*
He's definitely a lot more together at this stage than any other. That's kinda what I was trying to say with the whole optimism thing. Although things are bad at this stage, they have no idea yet just how bad. And without understanding any of the reasons behind what's going on, Dean can still hope that if he keeps working hard, things will work out. What he wants is his family safe and together, everything is focused on that. He doesn't know yet about Sam's premonitions, or that John has gone into hiding from the yellow-eyed demon, or even that the YED exists. So right now things are still stable: Sam is grieving badly, but with support he can get over that. John has disappeared, but maybe if Dean works hard and proves himself he will come back. They are chasing the thing that killed Mary and Jessica, but they've been hunting it for 22 years already and found nothing, so it's still a long way off, nothing to worry about in the immediate. There will always be something to hunt, and right now that gives him purpose.
It's kind of tragic how every one of those hopes is destroyed by the time we reach season two. :( John did come back, but far from proving himself, Dean ended up costing his father his life - that's how he sees it, anyway. Sam might be recovering from his Jessica grief, but he is marked somehow by the YED and that is a source of terror. Save him or kill him. The hunt for the YED has gone from distant to immediate, and brought only disaster and loss. And the thought that there will always be more to hunt has become a source of despair rather than comfort.
So...yeah, I enjoy Dean's sheer Deanishness in Wendigo, when he was still on an even keel and his life hadn't started to spiral out of control.
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Date: 2008-01-21 08:08 am (UTC)That's what breaks my heart about Dean - he feels like, if something bad happens, it's because he either did something or didn't do something or didn't do something well enough. It's why that line in WIAWSNB always gets me, "I can fix things with Sam. I can make it up to him," when none of it is even his fault. It hurts, to watch Dean try so hard to do so much when, most of the time, it isn't even his responsibility.
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Date: 2008-01-21 09:39 am (UTC)Getting back to the Wendigo discussion, sort of, the cracks were visible early on, but easy to overlook - a bit like a chip in a car windscreen. The damage is visible, sure, if you look the right way, but it's tiny and seems unimportant and the windscreen remains fully functional, which is all that matters, surely. But unless that chip is treated properly while it is still a chip, if the stresses and strains on it remain constant or increase, sooner or later it becomes a crack, and then one day the whole windscreen shatters. And it could have been prevented. And that's Dean in season one.
If that makes sense.