You're just gonna need a little faith on this one.

[llywela]

List of Love!

It's been ages since I did one of these, but I've been feeling in need of a little season one goodness lately, and this one is an all-time favourite: perfect!

A whole miscellany of Things I Love About Faith
and other standout moments

In no particular order.

1. That opening image of the derelict house is such a horror classic – awesomely atmospheric – and the sight of the Impala pulling up outside caps it off beautifully.

I love that this episode opens on the brothers mid-case for the very first time. This is where we learn that whenever this happens, it means that Something Very Bad is going to happen to one of them.

2. I love that the teaser of this episode tells a complete, action-packed and dramatic story in and of itself, the storytelling swift and concise. Both brothers begin the episode so businesslike and focused, with Dean very much in charge and Sam co-operating fully rather than sulking as he has tended to of late; they work together in perfect harmony, the ultimate well-oiled team, united in their efforts after their recent divisions.

From Sam tripping on the stairs to Dean missing his shot, Sam getting the kids out of the house and Dean being left alone with the rawhead…the action is fast-paced, seamless and unremarkable. It's just another job.


Until it all goes wrong and Dean manages to electrocute himself as well as the rawhead.

A complete and coherent story told in under three minutes. Beginning, middle and end. Excellent job, Show.

3. That whole scene in Dean's hospital room just after his terminal diagnosis is heartbreaking.

Dean, characteristically, is fatalistic, so resigned to his impending demise that it hurts. Suck it up, soldier. Life has once again dealt him a lousy hand, but he never really expects anything better, and how he truly feels about it gets buried deep, locked away where no one can see it. Staying strong for his little brother is the most important thing, even now, maybe especially now, in the face of Sam's obvious distress.

Sam, on the other hand, is in bits: desperate to deny the diagnosis and utterly determined that this will not be the end, that he is not going to let this happen. His world has already crumbled into pieces once in recent months – how can he face up to the reality of it happening again?

Only the faintest trace of bitterness bleeds into Dean's voice as he tries to convince his brother to accept the inevitable. "I know it's not easy. But I'm gonna die. And you can't stop it."

But Sam's attitude hardens into angry defiance. "Watch me," he insists. In the last episode we saw Sam coming to the realisation that he and Dean have to stick together because each of them is all the other has…and almost immediately he is faced with the imminent loss of his brother. Plus, this is the third episode in a row where Dean has drawn the short straw and come off worse for wear, and there could well some residual guilt coming into play here about Sam's own culpability in all that. He's been making his brother's life a lot harder than it needed to be, just lately, and has suddenly run out of time to put it right. So he refuses point blank to accept the inevitable. With Dean gone and John still missing, Sam would be completely alone in the world, cast adrift. Dean is his anchor and he clings to it, refuses to even contemplate the possibility of failure.

Not the last time that this particular scenario will play out on the Show!

4. I love Sam's reaction to Dean turning up at the motel: torn between horror at the thought of his dying brother discharging himself from hospital and hauling himself all the way across town on his own, and absolute delight at seeing him because Dean is all he has right now and he is terrified that he is going to lose him.

But this scene always wrenches at my heart when I consider Dean's side. Sam so blithely explains that he has spent the last three days trying to find a way of saving his brother's life…but the fact that Dean has come to the motel looking for him suggests that in the midst of this research frenzy, as utterly focused as he has been, Sam has completely forgotten to actually spend any time at the hospital with his dying brother. It is very in character for them both. Sam's eyes are fixed on his goal, the future he wants to create, in which Dean will recover and therefore these lost days will not matter. But Dean knows only that he is sick and abandoned in the here-and-now and does not want to die alone. So he is forced, once again, to come searching for his absent family.

The fact that Dean allows Sam to help him to a chair speaks volumes for his pain and weakness. Jensen Ackles' acting never ceases to impress me – he is a tall, well-built and healthy man, and yet manages to make Dean look tremendously small and frail here.

Also in this scene, we have an early example of Sam employing subterfuge and deception to get Dean where he wants him to go, and completely comfortable so doing because, in his mind at least, the end justifies the means. Withholding information like this is one of the ways in which Sam most closely resembles his father, if only he could see it. All Dean can do is go along with the plan, lacking sufficient information to draw his own conclusions and too sick to do anything but trust his brother's well-meaning judgement – something Sam is only too happy to take advantage of.

Sam's ability and willingness to twist his brother around his little finger in order to get his own way is another well-established and consistent character trait.

5. Sam's phone call to John breaks my heart, along with so many other moments in this episode: the way he tries so hard to hold back the tears and forces himself to at least try to sound upbeat and positive, and the fact that he waited three days to make the call – waited until he had the tiniest glimmer of hope to cling to, because without that spark of hope he would just be calling with bad news, and saying it out loud makes it real.

In general, I do try where possible to understand why John behaves the way he does and make allowances for his situation…but not replying to this call is something for which I have never been able to forgive him. He may have had his reasons for not coming to be with his dying son, but there can be absolutely no excuse – other than sheer cowardice – for not even so much as returning the call.

Poor troubled Sam: facing the end of the world as he knows it, and carrying the full weight of responsibility for not letting it happen.

6. I love how very in character both brothers are as they progress into Le Grange's church tent. Sam is utterly focused on achieving his objective, which is fixing Dean. This is the only possible hope he has managed to find, and he is pinning everything on it. Dean, on the other hand, is all resigned reluctance. He thought they were going to a doctor, but instead here they are; he does not believe in faith healers, does not want to be here, and is only going through the motions because Sam needs him to.

So, Dean tries to hide away at the back of the tent, where no whack-job faith healer is likely to notice him. Sam is having none of it, however – this is his last hope, all he has to cling to, and he is willing to do whatever it takes to make it work. That means getting Dean as close to the front of the congregation as possible.

Sam quickly tries to divert Dean from his chosen spot and guide him toward the front, but his positioning means there is no way he can be subtle about it, so he succeeds only in stopping Dean dead in his tracks. He tries explaining that he wants to sit up front, but Dean's reaction, characteristically enough, runs along the lines of wtf. Right up front is the last place Dean wants to go.

This leaves Sam with just one option: physical relocation. He grabs his brother by the shoulders and determinedly hauls him in the direction he wants him to go. Since Sam is taller and heaver than Dean this is relatively easy for him to achieve, especially since Dean is currently physically handicapped by his failing heart.

Dean, of course, is as prickly as a hedgehog about the manhandling, resenting the entire situation deeply. He is way outside his comfort zone in all kinds of ways. We don't know where they have travelled from, but it is safe to say that it was a long and uncomfortable journey for a dying man. He firmly believes that the faith healer is a charlatan. Sam tricked him into coming here in the first place and is now adding insult to injury with this unsubtle demonstration of his superior strength, an unwelcome reminder of Dean's current debilitation.

Still, because this is so very important to Sam, Dean compromises by submitting to the relocation with as bad a grace as possible, allowing Sam to manoeuvre him a good few steps before shrugging his brother off. And Sam doesn't bat an eyelid at his brother's ill humour, since he has got what he wanted, which was Dean as close to the front as possible.

It's all so very them, on all counts, and seeing Sam so determinedly take control here makes for a nice contrast with the teaser, in which Dean was so very much in charge.

7. "Look, no disrespect, but I'm not exactly a believer."
"You will be, son. You will be."

Fast-forward three years, and Roy's words start to look more prophetic than even he could have realised!

8. I love that Sam's first refuge is research, of both the supernatural and non-supernatural variety. It is so very, very Sam – when confronted by a problem of any magnitude, his first impulse is always to seek as much information as he possibly can in order to both fully understand the situation and seek a resolution.

Sam has faith, absolute faith, that there is always a solution to every problem, if he just tries hard enough to find it. And once he has set his sights on a particular goal, he rushes at it headlong, utterly single-minded in his pursuit of that objective and blind to all other considerations. It is one of his most consistent characteristics.

9. Dean's body language is perfect for his situation – hunched over, defensive and in pain, but determined to manage on his own.


10. "Maybe God works in mysterious ways."

"Maybe he does. I think you just turned me around on the subject."

Hee. Even at death's door, Dean can still manage to flirt.

11. At the hospital, Sam is just completely and utterly shell-shocked, and his face when he is told that Dean is going to die is heartbreaking.


That progression there, from horrified disbelief, through shock and devastation to steely denial, tears threatening but grimly held back? That pretty much summarises Sam's journey through the early stages of this episode in a nutshell.

12. I love the way Sam kind of sprints around the car to help Dean get out, despite the fact that Dean was actually managing perfectly well, albeit slowly, by himself.

This is unfamiliar territory for both brothers. All their lives, Dean has been the one taking care of Sam, and he has got it down to a fine art, makes it look effortless. Sam, on the other hand, has never had to be the caregiver before, certainly not on his own like this. The role is intensely unfamiliar and it shows, as he completely over-does it in his eagerness to get it right, his awkward, fumbling efforts emphasising Dean's weakness instead of providing simple, subtle support for him to lean on.

Dean, of course, accustomed as he is to being the caretaker of the family, is deeply uncomfortable that his brother is seeing him so weak. Dean defines himself by how useful he can be to the people he cares about, needs to be needed, and hates being made to feel helpless and vulnerable. He has spent so many years taking care of himself as well as everyone else, having to take care of himself, that he has no idea how to let himself be looked after. So, Sam's clumsy attempt at helping succeeds only in putting Dean's back up, and he quickly shakes his brother off.

Plus, of course, the jig is now up and Dean can see for himself just where his brother has brought him – to see a faith healer. His annoyance at the deception Sam employed to get him here is as understandable as his scepticism at the very notion of a faith healer is characteristic.

13. I love when Sam tries to be all sneaky and covert – he always looks so shifty!



14. "But if you know evil's out there, how can you not believe good's out there, too?"
"Because I've seen what evil does to good people."

I love the consistency of the show. This debate has been running for four seasons now, and the relative positions of the brothers have not really changed in that time. Dean still finds it easier to believe in evil, which he has encountered on an almost daily basis for most of his life, than in good, since he has so much less tangible experience of anything of the kind – although season four has opened his eyes and mind considerably. Sam, on the other hand, sheltered as he has always been by his brother's unconditional love, has remained more open-minded throughout: willing to believe in a greater good whatever apparent evidence to the contrary life throws at him. His faith has been dented and diminished over the years, but never extinguished.

15. I love how the brothers each act as the other's moral compass. Whenever one is pushed toward the wrong side of that fine line they must tread, for whatever reason, the other is always there to pull him back.
Here, Dean is furious at the notion of anybody playing God and messing with innocent lives. Both brothers always take it badly when humans start messing with the supernatural – as if their jobs aren't hard enough already, without that. So, realising that a human was responsible for his healing, exchanging his life for that of an innocent and thus creating this terrible burden of guilt he now feels, Dean's outrage informs his reaction. Only a monster would do such a thing, and such a monster must die. He sounds cold and calm but that is how upset he is about this.
Sam, however, is horrified at the thought of taking a human life themselves, even that of the man they believe responsible, and provides the voice of reason to persuade Dean to an alternate course of action that doesn't involve getting their own hands dirty. This is why the brothers need each other so very much – they always balance one another so perfectly, keeping each other in line.

16. I love that Dean's body language positively screams his reluctance and discomfort throughout the scenes in the church tent, from spotting the security camera through the awkward moment in which he unwittingly draws Le Grange's attention to himself, and on to his healing and beyond.

I love that he is so massively reluctant to go forward when Roy calls him up to be healed. It is another hugely consistent character trait. For all his little vanities and flirtatious ways, Dean is deeply uncomfortable with being singled out of a crowd in any way – this is something he even admits about himself, three years later in Are You There God? It's Me, Dean Winchester.

Dean is a laid-back and sociable guy by nature, but the majority of his extrovert ways are a shield behind which to hide his inner insecurities; he draws superficial attention to himself to try to deflect anyone from looking more closely and seeing how unworthy he feels inside – or, worse, agreeing with that self-assessment. If he draws the attention to himself, that's fine, it's something he chose and has control over. But if attention turns to him unbidden, without his having asked for it, that just freaks him out. So, being singled out of a crowd like this – a whole tent full of people who need help just as much as he does? Deep discomfort. And he still doesn't believe the guy can help him anyway.

17. I love that for once the cops are there to express gratitude, rather than to run the brothers out of town.


18. I love that as he makes his way up to the platform, Dean has to grab onto a tent post for balance, and Sue Ann then helps him up the steps, his progress very obviously laboured – no one in the tent could be in any doubt that he needs this.



19. Sam looks so young in this episode!

So does Dean, for that matter.

Also, re-watching this episode always reminds me just how intensely I love the de-saturated colours and beautiful cinematography of season one.

20. Poor Sam is on pins throughout the scenes in the church tent. He went to such lengths to get Dean here, but from that point on it is out of his hands; everything depends on the faith healer now: on whether or not the man chooses Dean, out of all these needy people, and on whether or not the man really can perform the miraculous healings he claims. This is It, Sam's last, desperate hope of saving his brother.

Sam's reactions are perfect throughout: delight when Le Grange calls Dean up to the platform, disbelief when Dean at first refuses to go, and barely able to breathe with nervous anticipation as he waits to see if it will work.

21. I love Sam's 'thinking' face.


22. The entire tent erupts with delight when Dean collapses on stage. This always seems insane to me. I mean: total collapse isn't exactly the most obvious sign of healing! It looks more like the complete opposite, in fact.


Sam's panicked sprint to his brother's side is a far more realistic reaction.

See how he runs so fast he's a mere blur! That alarm is a great contrast to the joyous reactions of the rest of the crowd. These people have absolute faith in Le Grange's ability to heal. Sam, in contrast, came here in desperate hope, rather than belief.

Sam still sucks at the first aid, though. Fisting his brother's jacket and shaking him around probably wouldn't be the most useful of treatment if Dean had had another heart attack! His clumsy concern is all kinds of cute, however.

23. I just really love this image of the brothers peering into the church tent.


24. "Why? Why me? Out of all the sick people, why save me?"
"Well, like I said before, the Lord guides me. I looked into your heart, and you just stood out from all the rest."
"What did you see in my heart?"
"A young man with an important purpose. A job to do. And it isn't finished."

Dean's conversation with Roy Le Grange is awesome on a number of levels. Why me? Dean asks, and again we see how he struggles with the concept of being chosen, singled out, when so many others were also in great need. This is such an important episode in our early understanding of this character, providing tremendous insight into the insecurities and innate humility lurking behind Dean's confident exterior.

As for Roy's pronouncement that Dean has an important purpose, a job to do that isn't finished…well, that is a statement that positively resounds with renewed meaning once we get to season four! It is fascinating to look back upon this devout man and realise just how insightful his words truly are.

25. I love that the brothers find a doctor to confirm Dean's healing, rather than taking it at face value. It was hope that took them to Le Grange, rather than faith, and thus it takes independent verification to prove the miracle. I also love that in the doctor's surgery, even after all the tests have been run, Sam is still asking if Dean really feels okay. He has probably asked a thousand times since Dean was healed, needing that reassurance over and over, like a child. He was absolutely terrified of losing his brother.

The brothers' differing reactions to Dean's healing are striking. Sam is just overjoyed, practically bouncing with puppy-dog excitement. His plan worked, Dean isn't going to die, and that is all that matters. It's all he cares about, and all he can think about, just the overwhelming rush of that relief.

Dean, on the other hand, is sombre, his attitude troubled and contemplative. He knows from the start that something isn't right, and so can take no pleasure in his restored health.

Bless him, Sam doesn't want to let his high deflate, doesn't want to acknowledge any kind of problem here, still less contemplate the implications. But he trusts his brother's instincts too much not to agree to investigate, however reluctantly that agreement is given – and probably also feels that he owes Dean the indulgence of his concerns, at the very least.

26. I kinda hate Mrs Rourke for reinforcing Dean's belief that other lives are more important than his.

"Why do you deserve to live more than my daughter?" she snarls. Pure poison. And yet her reaction can be understood and even sympathised with, coming as it does from a place of desperation, as she faces the prospect of losing her daughter. Desperation and fear can drive people to all kinds of extremes – as this episode provides more than one example.

I kind of wish that Sam was around to leap to his brother's defence here, as Dean is incapable of doing it himself. Why should he deserve to live more than Layla? He has no answer, because he doesn't believe that he does.

On the other hand, however, why should Layla deserve to live more than Dean? They were both terminally ill going into the service, and Dean's death sentence was a lot more imminent than Layla's – a matter of days, or weeks if he was lucky, rather than months. The congregation was full of sick and injured people, and only one was singled out for healing. So who has the right to decide that one life is more valuable than another, to decide who gets to live and who should die? It is a fascinating and rather painful point to consider, even before the truth of the situation comes out, and Mrs Rourke's accusation hits Dean hard.

27. Dean distracting the cops is pure filler – but so very in character.



28. I love that when Dean gets back to the motel after seeing Le Grange, the first thing Sam does is apologise. He can't even look his brother in the face as he explains what he has learned: that for every person Roy heals, someone else dies in their place – which means that an innocent man died to enable Dean's healing. This is a tremendously powerful scene, emotionally raw.

Sam knows exactly how badly Dean will take the notion of someone else's life being exchanged for his. And take it badly he does, absolutely appalled to hear his worst fears confirmed.

Dean's reaction here is what makes him a genuine hero, whether he realises it or not (which, obviously, he doesn't). He would absolutely give his life back to that other man if he could, no question, never for one moment considers his own salvation to be worth the price paid.

That must make Sam feel worse, because I don't think he would. Even now he knows the price, as much as he regrets the loss of an innocent life, I don't think he would consider reversing it for so much as a second, even if it were possible. He considers keeping Dean alive to absolutely be worth it – but he can't say so, especially not when Dean is so horrified. He can't regret his brother's healing, so all he can do is try to justify it.

All Sam wanted to do was keep his brother alive. He was desperate for a miracle and he found one, invested everything he had into making it happen. But he was completely unprepared for any consequences. That's Sam all over. And what's interesting is that this episode sparked a great debate over whether or not Sam would still have taken Dean to the faith healer even if he had known in advance what the price would be. It is especially interesting to speculate with the hindsight of later seasons, knowing that the Sam he will become absolutely would have done it, no question.

29. This episode really knows how to twist the knife. It is heartbreaking to see Dean realise that he must deny Layla her healing, the same healing he has already received, and unable to explain why.

I love the framing of this scene: Mrs Rourke on one side and Sue-Ann Le Grange on the other, each of them urging Layla forward even as Dean tries to persuade her to turn back.


Of course Layla can't do it – she has faith in Le Grange and has already seen Dean receive his healing. Why shouldn't she at least take the chance of being similarly healed when it is offered? She knows what her illness is doing to her mother. She can't turn her back on the possibility of salvation, for all Dean's desperate urging. He badly wants her to have it, as well, but still does the right thing and creates a distraction to prevent the healing.

You can see how much he hates himself for it, though. Why should Dean deserve to live more than Layla? Why did Roy choose him and not her? Those questions are written all over his face.

30. I love the flashlight-fu as the brothers so efficiently search the derelict house.


Why yes, I am easily pleased. What of it?

31. I love that when Sam finds Sue Ann's altar, the photograph of Dean he finds on it is recognisably taken from the security camera from when the brothers first entered the church tent – Dean even commented on it at the time.

I also love the way the camera pans past the photograph of Dean a couple of times before zooming in on it.


32. Dean's conversation with Layla outside the tent, after he prevented her healing, is painful. He just ruined what might have been her only chance to be saved and she is deeply hurt, can't understand why he did it, but is still willing to forgive – and that only twists the knife in the wound.

Once again it is made clear how little Dean believes he deserves his restored life. Unable to understand why he was chosen, the knowledge of his healing only hurts him, rather than bringing any kind of comfort. He has devoted his life to saving others, yet now feels responsible both for taking a life and for preventing another being saved. He must really hate his job on days like this.


33. I love how effectively the show plays role reversal. Earlier, we saw Sam playing the voice of reason while Dean was too furious to think straight. Now they have flip-flopped, with Sam furious while Dean is more understanding.

Sam is probably deeply uncomfortable with how much he can identify with Sue-Ann – after all, he brought Dean here in the first place because he was absolutely desperate for a miracle, and never stopped to consider what the cost might be. So he compensates by transferring onto her the anger he is feeling toward himself. After all, it was Sam who insisted they come here, which led to Dean's healing, which led to Marshall Hall's death. But he can't acknowledge his guilt or self-reproach, because that would mean he regretted Dean's healing, and he can't do that. So he transfers all his emotional conflict onto Sue-Ann.

Dean was similarly unforgiving at first, back when they first started to figure out the case and thought it was just Roy playing God. Having just found out what the price of his healing was, he needed someone to blame for his own turbulent emotions. Now that he understands how the whole sordid situation came about, however, he is a lot more willing to empathise.

And…why yes, this is also just a very good excuse for random pictures of the brothers looking pretty. Plus, I really love the way they perch on the ends of their beds to brainstorm here.

34. "You know, if Roy would have picked Layla instead of me, she'd be healed right now. […] And if she's not healed tonight, she's gonna die in a couple months."

"What's happening to her is horrible. But what are you gonna do? Let somebody else die to save her? You said it yourself, Dean. You can't play God."

That's absolutely the right tone to take – there's nothing Sam can say that will make Dean feel better about what's happened and what they still have to do, so keeping him focused on the job at hand is totally the right way to play it. I love that Sam is so hyper-alert to Dean in this episode, having come so close to losing him.

35. I love the way the lights go out around Dean as the reaper closes in – such a classically creepy moment.



36. Call me shallow, but I love watching Dean stripping off his coat as he wanders into the motel room.


37. I love the way the scenes are inter-cut of Layla being healed by Roy and Dean being attacked by the reaper.

The contrast between the peace and joy of Layla's healing and the pain and fear of Dean's attack is tremendously effective, driving home the evil that lies behind Roy's 'gift' - evil that all those people in the tent will never be aware of. They see only the peace and joy and remain in blissful ignorance of the price being paid, out there in the dark.



38. I love when Dean looks over his shoulder like this.



39. I love the quiet, still moment of shock and confusion after Sam breaks Sue Ann's Coptic cross and releases the captive reaper.




40. I love watching the brothers sitting around brainstorming.





41. Dean has to lean on the car once he reaches it after his brush with the reaper – almost being killed (again) really takes it out of you!

I love Sam's quiet little 'you all right?' when he rejoins his brother. It was too close.


42. The ending is all kinds of cheesy, in many ways, but very fitting for the episode. This case has been really rough on Dean, and Sam knows it, and I love that he is still trying to take care of his brother as best he can, and is still all clumsy, adorkable kid brother about it.


Sam is adorably pleased with himself for getting Layla to come over and say goodbye to Dean – although, you know, it could easily have backfired on him, big time.

Dean is deeply troubled because he can't understand the rights and wrongs of what happened here. Doing the right thing didn't feel like the right thing because innocent people are still going to suffer, now that the faith healer has been shut down. It just isn't possible to save everyone.

Layla's continued faith and acceptance of her situation, therefore, touch Dean deeply. It's what he needed to hear, after everything, although the knowledge that she is still going to die remains painful.


So, yeah – it's a cheesy ending, but still tremendously touching and powerful for all that.

43. I love the way Show once again dodges a bullet by having the human perpetrator of supernatural evil killed by the reaper she had enslaved, thus saving the brothers from having to make any hard decisions about what to do with her.

This was a common tactic throughout season one, so that the moment one of the brothers took that step himself and killed a human could be played for maximum impact – A Very Big Deal. It is a little sad, sometimes, to look back and see how hardened the brothers have become to casual death since those days. It has been an inevitable result of their deteriorating circumstances, but that innocence can never be regained and it is right to mourn it.

44. Don't Fear The Reaper!


The musical sequence, contrasting the rapturous scenes of the old man being healed with the painful death of the young girl in the woods, dying in his place, is amazing. And the music, of course, is beyond perfect.

Awesome episode – one of my all-time favourites.


Screencaps made by me.

Comments

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Ahhh finally!! You met the deadline head on! Good girl! *hugs* What can I say?! I mean we talked about this episode over the last 3 years time and again, so I am just being redundant here. *lol* Faith - definitely still one of the best SN episodes ever. ♥

I know I say this every time, but damn, it kills me how young the boys look in these early episodes. Especially Sam, he’s a pup, really.

His world has already crumbled into pieces once in recent months – how can he face up to the reality of it happening again?
You know, I often watch Faith out of order if I am in the mood for some brotherly h/c and actually I tend to forget that this happens not shortly after Jess’ gruesome death and here Sam is all over again. Poor guy! *hugs Sammy* Thanks for reminding me. :)

In general, I do try where possible to understand why John behaves the way he does and make allowances for his situation…but not replying to this call is something for which I have never been able to forgive him.
Amen, sister! Especially since he had no problems in the last 2 episodes to send texts and even calls them for jobs. Whatever he was doing at the time, that he didn’t pick up his phone later or at least apologised to his son at some other point is unforgivable. We talked about this very often, but the dozens of fanfics out there that try to explore possible reasons for John's silence in order to condone his behaviour in any way always annoy me. Not that it isn't legitimate to do so, but in the end his reasons don't matter, the result stays the same. Therefore the effect his behaviour has on the boys stays the same as well, as they are just as much in the dark about John's motivations as we are and it's this lack of communication on John's side that allows the boys to always assume the worst e.g. that John doesn't care, is disappointed etc.

re 13: You know, what always makes me laugh about the breaking and entering scene is that Sam perfectly easy sneaks into the house through the window and then instantly takes out his lockpick set. Normally you wouldn’t expect the doors within the house to be locked. It’s funny that the study indeed is locked then.

So he transfers all his emotional conflict onto Sue-Ann.
Ooh, that’s neat. I never considered that, but I think you’re completely right! Good thinking!

I love the way the scenes are inter-cut of Layla being healed by Roy and Dean being attacked by the reaper.
I always find it heartbreaking that Dean doesn’t even make the effort to run from the reaper, if only to stall and give Sam more time to find Sue Ann. He’s willing to sacrifice his new life in an instant, he knows Layla will receive it and he’s okay with that.

Sam is adorably pleased with himself for getting Layla to come over and say goodbye to Dean
I love that too. And I love how attuned to his brother Sam is in this episode. He can be dense and pigheaded but he knows his brother and can read him well if he wants to. I love that he realised that Dean needs this closure and was willing to provide it for him. I love that quiet little moment before Layla arrives as well, where Dean earnestly asks Sam if they did the right thing. This early in the season Dean rarely asks Sam for advive or reassurance, always more willing to give comfort than to receive it, and that he does reach out here, shows not only how much he is rattled by the events, but also that he is comfortable to do so with Sam at this point.

I always loved this episode to bits and I love how it became even more layered with S4 angel storyline and Dean being chosen.

On a completely shallow note: Man, I miss that red shirt of Dean’s, it looks stunning on him.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I tend to forget that this happens not shortly after Jess’ gruesome death and here Sam is all over again.
It's only about six months since Jessica died. Poor Sam. :(

Sam perfectly easy sneaks into the house through the window and then instantly takes out his lockpick set.
ROLFMAO I know - I think I said something about that in the original recap. It always makes me giggle.

He’s willing to sacrifice his new life in an instant, he knows Layla will receive it and he’s okay with that.
That's the big difference between Dean and Sam, and we've seen it in other episodes as well. Dean will willingly lay down his own life for someone else, but he won't sacrifice someone else. Therefore it was unacceptable for Layla to be healed earlier, because an innocent man would die, but here it is his own life being exchanged and he can accept that. Especially since he already feels so guilty about being healed at such a high cost, and being chosen for healing in the first place ahead of people he considers more deserving, Layla included. With Sam, in contrast, he often seems willing to let other people die to save those he loves.

I miss that red shirt of Dean’s, it looks stunning on him.
♥ And he wore it a lot in season one! I suppose we shall have to sadly conclude that it fell victim to the hunting lifestyle at some point, alas.

He can be dense and pigheaded but he knows his brother and can read him well if he wants to.
Totally. And I think that 'if he wants to' is important, especially this early in the show, but even now, in season four. Because although he can read Dean well, he doesn't always make the effort. Here, though, he is hyper-aware of Dean's mood, after everything.

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

So this is what your lists of love look like, eh? Shall have to hunt them out then.*g* This was the episode when my fannish heart knew it was in. Home started the process, this clinched it. I think it's marvellous in so many ways. The basic premise it explores and how the brothers each react to it, the level of h/c and angst - JA in this? Wow. When he says that he'll pray for Layla in the final scene? Kills me. Just kills me ( and Julie Benz is perfectly cast here too). And the reaper himself is one spooks of the week they ever did.

Yup, love this one. Thanks for this marvellous recap.

And any thoughts on the idea of it being Sam's hoodie that he's wearing here? Don't recall Dean wearing smth like that in another episode..

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

ROFL yeah, I'm pretty sure that's Sam's hoodie Dean is wearing, yep. I think I probably commented on it in my episode recap way back when, that he'd pinched Sam's hoodie to wear. Course, when he checked himself out of hospital, he'd have had to wear whatever clothes Sam had left at the hospital for him - whether Sam left that hoodie there deliberately or not is another question entirely. The fact that Dean keeps it on thereafter until he is healed probably says a lot about his state of health, how cold he is feeling, what with the heart condition no doubt causing circulatory problems and whatnot. It could also say something about his need for comfort...

I know what you mean about this one being a real hook. For me it was the trio of Asylum-Scarecrow-Faith that did it. I knew I loved the show before then, but those three, forming a kind of mini-arc as they do, were what sealed the deal. From love to obsession, and I've never looked back!

And, um, yeah. This is what my lists of love look like. Long and image-heavy. *G* The rest are easy to find! Just click on the list of love tag at the bottom of the post, and up they will pop.

[keire-ke.livejournal.com]

This is one of my favourite episodes as well, so double squee for the list of love. It deserves it. <3 It kills me, every single time, how very resigned Dean is to give up his life for the first person who comes along. And the sad thing is, only Bobby ever calls him on it, in season 2 finale.

I would only add the "TeletubbiesFabric softener teddy bear, uh, I'm gonna hunt that little bitch down," because it never fails to make me smile.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

how very resigned Dean is to give up his life for the first person who comes along. And the sad thing is, only Bobby ever calls him on it, in season 2 finale.
It's true. :(

Hee, yeah, Dean's fabric softener teddy bear grudge is a good one. And all about the deflection, of course. Please don't let's talk about this, Sammy, it's too hard. But of course Sam has to talk about it, because he is devastated.

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Short answer, you know why. *g* More when I can stop and breathe.

This is the ep that hooked me on SPN. It's a flawless piece of writing, with everything else about it fantastic too. I adore it on many many many levels. And I'll comment asap. In the meantime, am I going mad or are the pics out of narrative order?

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Nose to grindstone!

And, um, yeah - out of narrative order. That's that little line up top, so easy to miss, that says 'in no particular order'! So I just chucks 'em in there in any old order.

Every time I watch this one it impresses me all over again - the writing, the direction, the acting. It's all just so beautiful and so perfect and makes me want to hug everyone.

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. There is much, much much to love here. And is very interesting paired with Houses, which links into the events of Season 4. That whole story thread very much appeals to me.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Hindsight is an amazing thing on this show, the way a new episode will air and link back to something that happened seasons ago, so that you look back with entirely new eyes and see whole new layers of meaning. Fantastic!

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

Probably we'll never get the answer, but I'd dearly love to know which threads were plotted from the get go, and which resonated later from throw away lines.

And either way, it's what I love so much about the show and what drives me crazy about some MB fans. Hello, the story's not over yet. Stop complaining because you don't have all the answers. If every question was answered, there'd be no more story. Sheesh!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, you know, there's actually people who really really hate this episode because a) apparently all technical and medical facts in this episode are nonsense b) Dean is depicted as an incompetent hunter by electrocuting himself and c) the obvious problem for John lovers

Just had to think back to that again when you said how perfect the episode is. I wonder if there's one episode that all fandom can agree on. I would've made a bet for Faith, but even that one isn't safe apparently. LOL

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Well, Show isn't great with medical details. That has always been true! Electrocution does short out cardiac and respiratory systems, though, so I've always been willing to let them have this one without complaint and not make any issue of the various other effects of electrocution that aren't mentioned. I just presume that the doctor is giving Sam the worst news and Sam then doesn't wait to hear the rest.

And I've never seen Dean as incompetent. A little careless, maybe, but the rawhead had him cornered so it was either shoot or die anyway. And I think the thing steps into the puddle pretty late on, more or less at the moment that he fires. Plus, in the dark it would be difficult to see where the water began. So, yeah, I can give him this one, too. *G*

And John lovers just have to admit what the evidence says, rather than clinging what they want to happen. ;-)

But, no - fandom is never going to agree on anything, I suspect!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, don't shoot the messenger, you know I don't care about either of these things. And yeah, I agree on Dean, I mean both boys (and John too) make mistakes all the time. They are not perfect and in their line of work it's difficult to always control all factors.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

LOL I know you don't care about those things. I just have to counter the points, on principle!

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

I think Dean's situation here falls under the heading of Shit Happens. A Lot. He wasn't incompetent, it was crappy luck. I get very tired of whinging because the boys get caught out, or make a mistake, or whatever. Hello, flawed human beings. Interesting characters. Deal with it. *g*

I'm consistently boggled by folk who can't assess the characters objectively.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Exactly! So that even a beautifully written/acted/directed episode like this has its insane detractors, is the point I think all three of us are making here. *G*

Aren't you supposed to be sleeping now? :P

Also, wow but LJ is making a mess with its message/comment delivery today! They are all over the place.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Ah man, tell me about it: If I got a penny whenever someone in fandom whines when one of the boys makes a mistake or they don't know something or look for help, I'd be rich. They are both competent and knowledgeable but the level of experience some folks expect surprises me, especially when it is clear that they run into a lot of stuff that's uncommon even for hunters.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Fandom is often a frustrating place to be! Sometimes it seems like people go into a show with certain pre-conceptions and expect every single episode to be based around those pre-conceptions, rather than watching it for the show that it actually is.

It isn't just SN, either. I keep seeing grumbling about TSCC, for example, from people who believe that as an incarnation of the Terminator franchise it should be non-stop action and shooting throughout every single episode. When although that can work for a film, clearly it isn't going to fly for a TV show. The whole point of making a TV show is that they get to explore the characters in more depth, explore that life is like for them beyond the shooting and action. But still comes the grumbling that character exploration is boring and there should be nothing but shooting. Bah.

SN attracts the same complaints, you know, from certain sections of the audience. All character focus is boring and it should be non-stop blood and gore because it's a horror show. Which, no. *sigh*

People are crazy!

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Heh, I think fandom got progessively worse as the show moved on and developed over the years. It was such a peaceful place back in S1. LOL Or maybe I just remember that wronly.

I keep seeing grumbling about TSCC (..)
Well, I guess preconceptions for the Sarah Connor Chronicles were to be expected, especially from die-hard Terminator fans and the first season definitely had more action elements than the second season, which is far less well received than the first in my opinion. Which is a shame, since I think the character work is really good in S2. Anyway, even if they wouldn't complain about the lack of action, I think the characters in itself are also different than in the movies, which also rubs some people the wrong way. Though I have to admit, that I like Lena Headey's version of Sarah more than Linda Hamilton one's. *g*

All character focus is boring and it should be non-stop blood and gore because it's a horror show.
Really? Wow, this is an argument I actually didn't hear yet. It was my impression that the majority of fans is in it for the relationship between Sam and Dean and most complaints I read are either about them not being featured enough in an episode (which, fair enough is someting I do as well *g*) or demeaned in any way. I guess I do not consort with the section of the fans you refer to. Thank God!

Btw, I adore that cap from Devil's Trap you used for your icon. Hmm, the way Sam towers behind Dean and both with such a determined body language, one united front .. delicious! ♥

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

TWOP is where I've seen that complaint. You know how I occasionally lurk around there, on days when I feel my blood pressure isn't high enough yet. *G*

I rather adore this cap, too. It is difficult to capture, too! The camera pans past so quickly.

[galathea-snb.livejournal.com]

Ah that explains it then. I never stop by there as you know, except for if you tell me so explicitly! *g*

I know! I remember that I was looking for that cap a long while ago for a wallpaper, but couldn't find it anywhere. Nobody captured it. That was before I had my own DVDs. *lol*

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

TWOP's TSCC weecaps have become my latest masochism. I keep reading them just so I can spit nails at the recapper, who can't even remember the details of what happens from week to week, he's so busy bemoaning the fact that plot and character development is taking precedence over shooting and explosions!

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

I think we're looking at a case of subjective investment that makes analytical objectivity pretty much impossible. But for creators of stories to let those subjective investments alter storylines -- that's the worry. And sometimes show folk do fall into that trap.

[wickedgrdn.livejournal.com]

Aww you picked my all time favorite episode. Huzzah! :) This episode was actually the one that got me hooked on the series, LOL. After that I was mainlining this show like you wouldn't believe. The addiction sets in quickly! ;) Beautiful recap as always. ♥

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Faith seems to have been the hook for an awful lot of people. Huzzah!

For me, I watched and loved from the start, but it was the little mini-arc of Asylum-Scarecrow-Faith that really sealed the deal. No going back from there! I've never understood the people who can resist!

[wickedgrdn.livejournal.com]

Someone on my flist had been begging me for about a year to get into Supernatural and I'd been pushing it aside because I had a lot on my plate fandom-wise and didn't really have time for another show. Consequently, all the other shows I like are really going down the tubes right now and so I thought to myself, we'll give it a try. I caught up on all 3 seasons online in about 2 weeks. Now I'm hooked. ;) I have a lot of love for Season 1, it's what I go back to alot when I'm rewatching the series. And yes, Scarecrow-Faith-Asylum is an awesome combination and really cements how great this show is.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Yeah, not watching a show at all is one thing - there are plenty that I know I would enjoy that I've never taken the time to watch. What boggles me is when folk do sit down and watch but fail to succumb!

Season one is like light relief these days, positively fluffy compared to what comes later. And the attention to detail in those early episodes is amazing - they feel so rich. Without a fully developed mythology to work with and without recurring characters to make room for, they had the time and space (and a healthier budget) to really lavish on each episode, and it shows.

[wickedgrdn.livejournal.com]

How do people not like this show? O_o It boggles my mind that it could even be possible, LOL.

And yes, Season 1 was made of so much awesome. You could really tell that they were putting a lot of effort and time into the little things and back then they had more carte blanche if you will, with the budget and all. I miss that, but I still have loads of appreciation for seasons 2, 3, and 4. All around this show just wins! ;)

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

I dunno about you, but in rewatching season 1 I just look at them and think, oh boys, if you only knew what was coming ... sniff ...

And to think worrying about their dad was the least awful thing that could happen to them.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I know! If only they knew how simple and uncomplicated life really was back then, however little it looked like it at the time...

Poor boys.

[karenmiller.livejournal.com]

And that is so the scary part! Yes, they had troubles, and they were scared, but ... sheesh. Y'know, given the habit the show has of dropping little throwaway lines that come back to bite us on the ass -- are you worried about what Rufus said? I'm thinking ... please, please, let them find peace. It's Rufus versus Carry On My Wayward Son. Which one's the promise, eh?

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

Faith is one of my all time favorite episodes. Faith, Home, and Nightmare elevated SPN from random show on TV to a reason to watch TV.

It's always bittersweet to look back on fledgling things. On one hand it's interesting to pick apart pieces and satisfying to find the seeds of what will be. On the other hand (for me) it runs the risk of turning into a train wreck of wistful once-was reminiscing, which (for me) has the tendency to make me slightly frowny the current direction of the show (if I'm feeling uneasy about things).

That being said, I LOVE S1. The simplicity of the mytharc, the boys relearning each other, the cinematography. Back then it was JUST Sam and Dean, two brothers driving around in their car. There was no Roadhouse, no impending apocalypse, no angelicallytouched!Dean or condemned!Sam, no legion of demons flying around. *happy sigh* This isn't to say I don't LOVE S4 for those same reasons, but sometimes it's nice to remember where it all started and appreciate things for what they were.

the fact that Dean has come to the motel looking for him suggests that in the midst of this research frenzy, as utterly focused as he has been, Sam has completely forgotten to actually spend any time at the hospital with his dying brother.

You are so right! Ouch, my heart.

Until I saw your caps, I didn't realize Sam was so secretly gleeful in this episode (the second doctor's office visit and Layla's "surprise" visit). The looks on his face! :D I want to squish his cheeks and tussle his hair, he's so kid-like adorable.

Also, I adore Dean in a hoodie.

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I think it is important to appreciate each season for what it is. I love season four for its immense scope and pace and dynamism and intensity. And I love season one for the richness of the detail and beautiful simplicity of the storylines. The show has changed a lot as it has grown, but like a child, we can love it in every stage of that growth. :)#

Gleeful Sam is so adorable. That gleefulness continues into Route 666, as well. Scarecrow and Faith mark a big turning point in the season, and especially in Sam. The first half of the season, he is always in this rush to find John and get it all over with already, so he can take his revenge and get back to his life. He sees this life back on the road as a very temporary arrangement. Then Scarecrow happens and he adjusts his thinking, recommits himself for the long haul...only for Faith to happen. So Dean's brush with death not only confronts Sam with the terrifying prospect of losing his brother, but also sees him shouldering total responsibility for Dean for what must be the first time ever - and he is successful. He pulls it off. It's his first real taste of responsibility and leadership - and he loves it.

It's kind of heartbreaking to compare Sam's faltering first attempt at Being In Charge here (and his glee) with his cold and ruthlessly efficient leadership seen so frequently in season four, no? Boy has come a long way in a very short time - talk about a baptism of fire.

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

I love season four for its immense scope and pace and dynamism and intensity. And I love season one for the richness of the detail and beautiful simplicity of the storylines.

So well said. I'm getting wistful again, which I can barely believe is happening over a TV SHOW. Ack, look what TV has done to me. I'm a sap. :)

It's his first real taste of responsibility and leadership - and he loves it.

Sam the reluctant but oh-so-good leader. I think I love his character even more because he doesn't want to be a leader, but he picks up the staff and trudges on anyway because there's nothing else short of giving up that he can do. Along the same lines we have Dean, the reluctant but-oh-so-awesome hero who doesn't want attention or recognition but just wants what's left of his family, to do his job, and then move on down the road in his Impala. What these boys want is so darn simple that it's even more heartbreaking when more and more road blocks prevent them from getting it. Kripke better be giving these boys something happyish in the series finale.

It's kind of heartbreaking to compare Sam's faltering first attempt at Being In Charge here (and his glee) with his cold and ruthlessly efficient leadership seen so frequently in season four, no?

*nods* It like how it's been a gradual change over 4 years. But there are episodes that the Sam-characterization-change light blinked on: "WiaWSNB" when we saw the contrast of who Sam has grown to be with wish!Sam's life, "AHBL-1" with leader Sam in contrast with the other special kids which may not have been much different than college-boy/civilian!Sam (minus the knowledge of the supernatural and weapons training), and "MS" with future!Sam and what could be/will be/was.

Boy has come a long way in a very short time - talk about a baptism of fire.

I love that. Are you sure you're not writing fic? ;)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

I think I love his character even more because he doesn't want to be a leader, but he picks up the staff and trudges on anyway because there's nothing else short of giving up that he can do.
It's really interesting to watch Sam, because he doesn't want to be a leader or hero or hunter or any of it...but on the other hand, a part of him kind of does. Not consciously, but...it's hard to explain what I mean. Especially at this time in the morning. It's that personality clash thing he has going with John and that resentment we see so frequently when Dean pulls rank. Sam is a natural leader of the kind that doesn't take kindly to having to follow anyone else's lead. Partly it's that he just wants to be in control of his own destiny and hates having it controlled for him. But it's also a personality thing. He likes to be the one pulling the strings, rather than having his strings pulled. So, although intellectually and emotionally he never wanted that leadership role, there is a part of him that always wanted to be top dog. Does that make sense?

It is fascinating to take these characters apart and realise just how many facets they have bubbling away beneath the surface. To mix a metaphor. Being able to see so clearly that who they have become over the years is very much who they have always been but forged by the circumstances we've seen them live through. Tempered. Or whatever the technical term is.

Are you sure you're not writing fic? ;)
Eek! My fic-dabbling days are far, far behind me LOL

[bowtrunckle.livejournal.com]

Does that make sense?

Yes, that makes complete sense. :) Sam doesn't want glory or attention or recognition, things "leaders" are traditionally associated with. In fact, he wants the opposite: not to be singled out, to be "normal", to be left to do what HE WANTS. But I think Sam's drive and his conviction of purpose sets him apart from other people, and these two things combined give him the appearance of being a slight control freak when really I don't think that he feels he needs to control the situation or other people (as control freaks would do), but he wants to be in control of his decisions. So, yes, Sam's all about being in control of himself. And even though he doesn't want to be a leader, the characteristics/personality traits that have helped him gain control when a lot of his life he's (apparently) felt not in control are also good leadership qualities. Combine all of that with his smarts and logical/strategic thinking and you have an INSTANT, RELUCTANT LEADER. \o/

Have you ever heard the saying about how the best leaders are the ones who don't want to be leaders?

Talk about The Hero's Journey. ;)

Being able to see so clearly that who they have become over the years is very much who they have always been but forged by the circumstances we've seen them live through. Tempered.

I couldn't have said it better. This is the stuff that feeds great characterization meta. *glee*

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Stopping by late to echo what everyone else has been saying: that I think Faith is one of my favourite episodes, certainly my favourite from season one.

I've never liked Julie Benz though. I think she comes across as rather cold, which is great for Darla, less so for Layla (and that FBI agent she played in Roswell).

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Hmm. She does tend towards aloof, doesn't she? I think it kind of works for Layla, though - it's part of why Dean puts her on such a pedestal in the episode, perhaps.

[littlepunkryo.livejournal.com]

I AM COMING BACK AND COMMENTING ON THIS, I SWEAR!!!! *saves the page* (BTW, you have your own "get off my lazy ass and COMMENT folder in my bookmarks.)

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

ROFLMAO I FEEL YOUR PAIN! So many entries to read, think about and comment on, so few hours in the day. The curse of the f-list!

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

It was so great to see Julie Benz on screen again in this episode, she did a great job....great list, although I would have added Dean's line about "hunting down that little bitch" the Snuggie teddy bear too! :p God was that a funny moment....

And yeah, that song was well used...little did we know how much of the Reapers we would see in the future, and that they wouldn't all be ugly!

Who was the first evil human the brothers killed again?

[llywela13.livejournal.com]

Who was the first evil human the brothers killed again?
Ooh, now there's a question! Dean shot dead a demon-possessed man with the Colt in Devil's Trap and felt that he had sacrificed an innocent life, that would probably count as the first time a human was killed by either brother. It was collateral damage to kill a demon, though, rather than an evil person being killed. Then in Croatoan Dean executed a woman infected by the demonic virus - that was the first time a properly evil human was killed, I suppose. Back then the show played it as such a big deal that weighed really heavily on them - these days they have become very hardened to it. :( Also, back then the show played it as a really big deal that Sam never killed anyone, that Dean always stepped up and took that burden on himself so that Sam was spared and remained innocent, which meant that the first time Sam killed someone was really built up into a huge deal (there was speculation that killing someone would trigger Sam to become evil!). Sam's first kill would have been Madison, I believe, the werewolf.

Heh, that line of Dean's about the snuggie teddy bear I never found funny at all - we don't get that advert over here, so the joke just flies right over my head and means nothing!

[sherrilina.livejournal.com]

ROFL, you are missing out--here, check him out!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZvCP25ka3E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qC1h0D7sl0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYr0GA22vGE&NR=1

It is actually rather creepy....:p