OMG! Supernatural!

[sholio]

We watched SPN 3x08 tonight and I had a thought.

Just how sneaky are the SPN writers, anyway?

Was the amulet just a "awww, cute brothers" moment (and it was definitely very "awwww") or does it somehow tie into Dean being able to get out of his demonic contract?

Bobby gave it to Sam to give to John, and Bobby's very good with charms and amulets and things like that. Somehow I seriously doubt that it's just a keepsake. I'm just wondering if it's actually supposed to be important or if it was just a cute little moment for this one episode.

And while I'm at it ... wow, Sam. You know, while I can see what their dad was trying to do, I can really see why his resentment issues run so deep, if he was left out of the loop for that long.

I also don't think I'd really thought, prior to this episode, about the logistical issues (and moral implications) of someone with a "job" as demanding and difficult as John Winchester's, raising two young kids. We saw them left alone in "Something Wicked", but I don't think I'd realized until this episode just how common it would have been, from the time they were very small, for the boys to have been left alone regularly for days at a time. Not only that, but it impressed on me how precarious their situation was, with John being their sole caretaker and regularly putting himself in situations where he ran the risk of getting killed.

I've never been a person who believes that parents ought to put their lives on hold for the sake of their kids. Actually, quite the contrary; I think our society over-protects and insulates children to a ridiculous degree. Kids are little human beings, after all; they're far more resourceful and resilient than people give them credit for. The conditions under which I grew up, in rural Alaska, would probably have been considered child endangerment by some people, but I can't imagine having lived any other way, and by the time I was the age of little Dean in this episode (12 or 13, maybe?) I was entirely capable of being left alone with my little siblings in our cabin in the woods.

At the same time ... the utter precariousness of their existence makes me shiver. Especially since Sam didn't have a clue what was going on; if something had happened to John, all he would have known was that one day Daddy wouldn't have come back, and they would've been on their own -- two little kids in a strange town.

Comments

[snarkydame.livejournal.com]

Ooh, good thought about the amulet -- I hope they do use it for something like that (I mean, using something that's been so consistently a part of Dean's image since season one would be pretty cool -- though a lot subtler than the writers have been this season).

I've read some pretty good fic dealing with how the boys handled being on their own so much -- it makes an interesting scenario.

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

Yeah ... I'm really an outsider in SPN fandom (don't really read much of the fic or meta) so what's new and interesting to me is probably old hat to a lot of SPN fans. *g*

... but I really would love to see them do something interesting with the amulet; we know that the writers do sometimes tie later plot developments to earlier ones (even if they often seem to be flying by the seat of their pants as well). I don't believe that they had it planned from the beginning, but looking at it and going "Ooh, we can use that!" does seem like something they might do.

[parisindy.livejournal.com]

i read somewhere that the necklace was a bit of an accident

just something found in the costume department that meant nothing till the fans started to talk about it and kripke was 'er... ohoh' hehe so he had to make a story up about it...

and really that neither proves or disproves your theory ... so yeah i'm done hehe

supernatural is my fav show now i so adore it :-)

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

Interesting to know! I'm still holding out hope that they're going to use it more later, though.

[parisindy.livejournal.com]

yeah i love the kripke and singer they can do no wrong... brilliant brilliant

i would love to see more of the necklace for sure

[xparrot.livejournal.com]

Considering it was from Bobby, yeah, I'm thinking that amulet has to have something more to it. Very curious what.

And aww...Dean was such the mommy of the family. A troubled little punkboy mommy, but he was the one who was always there for Sam when their dad was not...

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

From the flashbacks we've seen, it appears that Dean basically raised Sam. So much of their family dynamic makes so much SENSE after seeing this episode, because to Sam, John would have always been this shadowy, distant figure in the background of his life -- someone who protected him but also lied to him, someone he loved but didn't really know. Whereas Dean was the one who fed him and played with him and fought with him and spent all day, every day, with him. "Troubled little punkboy mommy" ... *hee*.

[anniehow.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the amulet was something that JA and the prop guy (girl?) came up with, along with his ring. JA wanted stuff that would show that Dean had been around the block a few times, and that he had picked up a few keepsakes along the way... they chose some stuff out of a box, then went to Kripke and asked for permission.

It's funny that it was so random, because the symbol actually ties in really well with SPN (see this post if you're interested... even if you're not into SPN meta, this is some cool stuff about lore... hey, I forget, but don't you have an anthro degree or something? Or did I just imagine you mentioning it? )http://researchgrrrl.livejournal.com/70908.html

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

I don't have a degree; I've only ever taken Anthro 101. *g* I'm just interested in history/anthropology and read about it a lot. That link looks right up my alley; thanks!

[derry667.livejournal.com]

Was the amulet just a "awww, cute brothers" moment (and it was definitely very "awwww") or does it somehow tie into Dean being able to get out of his demonic contract?

Hmmm... In all honesty, I actually really hope that it DOESN'T turn out that way because I don't want the solution to the problem of the Demon Deal to be something as simple as a magic amulet protects him. That's too "neat" and "easy". I want them to find a solution to the deal through a trial of courage or virtue or intellect or skill - or through sacrifice. I want to see Dean's salvation earned (by his and/or his brother's actions). I suppose I don't mind so much if the amulet plays a small role, but if it proves to be the crux of Dean's salvation, then I, for one, will be disappointed.

And another thing... well, if Sam had originally intended to give the amulet to their father and at the last minute changed his mind and gave it to Dean (and Dean knows this fact) - if the amulet saves Dean from going to Hell, isn't Dean going to wonder if their dad would have been saved if Sam had given him the amulet as he originally intended. Dean (being Dean) would think he cheated in getting his salvation, that he, in fact stole their father's chance to live (coz I assume that not only Dean's soul, but also his life would be saved). Geez! How much would THAT eat away at the Deanster? And I suppose I wouldn't put it past Kripke and co.

[friendshipper.livejournal.com]

Oh no, heavens no! I don't want the amulet to be some kind of magic solution to the problem. It would be a total cheat to wrap up the arc like that. But on the other hand, whatever solution they end up with (and I have no doubt there WILL be one, of course!) is going to have to be complicated; if no one ever manages to break contracts with demons (or at least, hardly ever) there has to be a lot to Dean getting out of it, more than just someone else offering themselves in his place or something like that, and I can't help wondering if this is a piece of the puzzle.

(But oh, you DO have a point about the guilt factor, if it does turn out that way! Like he needs more guilt ...)

[derry667.livejournal.com]

if no one ever manages to break contracts with demons (or at least, hardly ever) there has to be a lot to Dean getting out of it, more than just someone else offering themselves in his place or something like that, and I can't help wondering if this is a piece of the puzzle.

Oh. Okay, I don't mind it being a small piece of the puzzle, but I'd hate it to be a large basis of the solution. As I said, I want the solution to be something they do, not some trinket they they find. In all honesty, I think it should involve some sort of sacrifice. Nothing as simplistic as Sam trading his life/soul/whatever. But I think that whatever the boys do to stop it will have to involve someone losing something they value or perhaps have to live with the pain/guilt of something they've done. They may think the price worth it, but some sort of price will need to be paid. Salvation doesn't come cheaply. Or it shouldn't IMHO.

(But oh, you DO have a point about the guilt factor, if it does turn out that way! Like he needs more guilt ...)

It would also be a bit too much like his major guilt of early season two. It would seem a bit too much like a rehashed storyline to me. So, I don't like it from a dramatic standpoint, even aside from the fact that, as you say, Dean scarely needs more guilt.