I think, for me, this is where I think Sam starts to get to know his brother as a man, not just his big brother. Because I doubt Sam let himself think about his family at Stanford, so at 22 he's still remembering his family like he's 18 and angry with the world. That's nicely put. As a resentful and rebellious teen, Sam really wouldn't have had any inclination to understand why his father and brother behave the way they do, and no, I doubt he would have allowed himself to think about them while he was away. Too painful, too dangerous. Self-preservation would require that he compartmentalise, lock all those thoughts away and bury them deep. So he's coming back with all his knowledge of his brother out of date and limited to begin with, has been totally wrapped up in his own issues for the first couple of episodes. This is where his eyes are suddenly opened, and he is able to make the connection between his own recent horrific experience and his mother's death, which until now has only ever been a story for him. Now, all of a sudden, he is able to understand that for Dean is isn't a story, and never has been: it was a massive trauma that he has never really recovered from. He's seeing Dean the person for maybe the first time, as opposed to Dean the big brother, who he has taken for granted all his life. Is a lovely moment.
in the Pilot, little Dean is out in the hallway that night; so how much did he really see? I'm sure he imagined it plenty of times, but it makes me curious. And, if he didn't see his mother burn to death, I'm sure seeing Jess on the ceiling didn't help - because suddenly he had a body to put his mother's face on. It must have been horrifying. I've always been curious, too, because he shouldn't have really seen anything much, unless he wandered to the doorway, saw everything, and then backed away before John spotted him. But in Home all he says he remembers is the flames and heat, although he could be playing it down there. I'm pretty certain, though, that whatever he saw was more than enough to traumatise a four-year-old, especially when it was followed up with the complete dislocation of his life from everything even remotely familiar when John removed the family from Lawrence. And yeah, seeing Jessica on the ceiling, providing a clear visual to go with those childhood memories, must have been beyond horrific. The look on his face when he glances up and sees her in the Pilot...but he doesn't freeze up. Good in a crisis, is Dean.
I love that sequence too - Dean is a Big Damn Hero. Also, didn't JA say that he was very freaked out for that scene, esp. since he had this kid in his arms and was worried? ♥ Yeah, he's said that in a couple of interviews. Bless.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2008-01-29 09:56 am (UTC)That's nicely put. As a resentful and rebellious teen, Sam really wouldn't have had any inclination to understand why his father and brother behave the way they do, and no, I doubt he would have allowed himself to think about them while he was away. Too painful, too dangerous. Self-preservation would require that he compartmentalise, lock all those thoughts away and bury them deep. So he's coming back with all his knowledge of his brother out of date and limited to begin with, has been totally wrapped up in his own issues for the first couple of episodes. This is where his eyes are suddenly opened, and he is able to make the connection between his own recent horrific experience and his mother's death, which until now has only ever been a story for him. Now, all of a sudden, he is able to understand that for Dean is isn't a story, and never has been: it was a massive trauma that he has never really recovered from. He's seeing Dean the person for maybe the first time, as opposed to Dean the big brother, who he has taken for granted all his life. Is a lovely moment.
in the Pilot, little Dean is out in the hallway that night; so how much did he really see? I'm sure he imagined it plenty of times, but it makes me curious. And, if he didn't see his mother burn to death, I'm sure seeing Jess on the ceiling didn't help - because suddenly he had a body to put his mother's face on. It must have been horrifying.
I've always been curious, too, because he shouldn't have really seen anything much, unless he wandered to the doorway, saw everything, and then backed away before John spotted him. But in Home all he says he remembers is the flames and heat, although he could be playing it down there. I'm pretty certain, though, that whatever he saw was more than enough to traumatise a four-year-old, especially when it was followed up with the complete dislocation of his life from everything even remotely familiar when John removed the family from Lawrence. And yeah, seeing Jessica on the ceiling, providing a clear visual to go with those childhood memories, must have been beyond horrific. The look on his face when he glances up and sees her in the Pilot...but he doesn't freeze up. Good in a crisis, is Dean.
I love that sequence too - Dean is a Big Damn Hero. Also, didn't JA say that he was very freaked out for that scene, esp. since he had this kid in his arms and was worried? ♥
Yeah, he's said that in a couple of interviews. Bless.
(edited to fix tag)