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bending_sickleFighting or Becoming the Monster: The Evolution of Sam
I'm still in the camp of not trusting Season 6 Sam. Even in Exile on Main St., I could never truly believe that we were dealing with Sam-Sam. (Although this may have been due some major confusion over the djin-poison: I couldn't shake off the feeling that the "it's all a horrible hallucination!" switch had really been flipped off.) The theory that I keep coming back to is that Sam seems to have gotten a little Lucifer on him and it won't come off.
All through the series, we've been dealing not just with Sam having the potential for evil but actually having the seed for evil inside him. (Yes, there's a distinction in that not only could he go bad, but he's already bad, even if only a tiny little bit.) For example, in When the Levee Breaks and Sam's hallucinating in his detox woes, he says, "What's in me, Mom..." to which his hallucination of her replies, "It's evil and you know it."
The show's gone on and on about the demon blood he ingested as a child and later - not to mention that, as Castiel points out, the amount of demon blood Sam drinks will change him. In When the Levee Breaks, Castiel sounds particularly prophetic: "Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. Most likely, he would become the next creature that you would feel compelled to kill." Take that statement and multiply if by the handful of gallons Sam had to drink to contain Lucifer and see what kind of monster that gives you.
(As to why the hell demon blood would be needed to contain an angel and why it's never been mentioned that Jimmy Novak - or rather, Castiel - is chugging down the red juice, I don't know and it annoys me very much.)
This isn't the first time that it's been hinted that Dean might have to hunt Sam (and hell, we've had other hunters have a go a few times already). Dean said in Metamorphosis, "If I didn't know you, I'd want to hunt you," and even Sam asked to be put down before Azazel's plan came to fruition.
But there's also Sam, who has a fountain of anger that shrinks and Lucifer himself squee at. Bobby even says in Swan Song, "Look, Sam's got a... darkness in him, I'm not saying he don't."
Then there's the whole destiny thing (which even Sam seems to be a supporter or, with his "because we have no choice" to Dean's "we make our own destiny"). Sam's destiny to turn into a monster has been set on so many levels. There's Azazel's plan, there's Ruby's blood plan, there's the Lucifer's vessel plan... Destiny's been clawing at Sam from every angle since day one.
So the show's been pretty heavy-handed with the idea of Sam carrying the seeds of evil inside him, of being evil. Sure, Dean was the one the shapeshifter immitated, and he's the one who's been turned into an actual monster, but in both times we knew it wasn't Dean, or that he was fighting it and winning. On the other hand, it's Sam who was possessed and whom we spend the first half of Born Under a Bad Sign thinking he's actually himself but gone bad. (Interestingly enough, this episode is the first and only time we hear about the binding link that locks demons into their vessels. So in fact we have Sam permanently possessed. [ETA: As![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
threecatmama points out, we do see the binding link again in The Devil You Know - a full three seasons later. Why aren't more demons using this?]) It's Sam who had the supposed ticking-time bomb of Croatoan virus in his system and who had the very definite little bomb of demon blood.
So I can work with the next step of Sam becoming a monster and carrying evil inside him. I can handle the idea of Sam and Lucifer being now intertwined in one being - be it smoothly or taking turns at the wheel. Who knows what happened in the cage? All I know is that Sam isn't acting like Sam, not even a horribly broken Sam: he's pulling Lucifer's faces. Sure, maybe Sam's just forgotten what it's like to be humana and is going through the motions - could be. But I think that the eerie similarity in behaviour and expressions between Sam!Lucifer and Sam must mean something - and if this isn't a conscious choice by Jared, I'm going to just throw my hands up and cry foul play. Because seriously, his blank faces, his smirks - oh gods, Live Free or Twihard! - and his "let's pretend to care" attitute - especially with the prostitute - are very much on the Lucifer side of things.
One small note about Live Free or Twihard: Let's pretend that Sam did know all along about the cure - mainly because if he didn't and still just stood there and smirked while basically sacrificing his brother for intel - which, honestly, whatever happened to good ol' tracking of monsters? why did you have to have someone turn into a monster yet fight for his humanity in order to infiltrate oh hai meta's theme I see what you did there! - then I'd have some serious issues. But let's pretend Sam knew about the cure. Why'd he call Samuel for help and pretend he didn't know about the cure? Why not call Samuel for help with the cure? It would've made Samuel much less suspicious than Sam's apparent utter memory fail. Unless it wasn't apparent and it really was memory fail in that when Samuel told Sam about the cure, he wasn't talking to the same Sam that called him for help. Samuel said, No, we talked about it months ago, to which Sam answered, Not me. It feels like Sam's strength of identity, his Samness, is fluctuating.
Coincidently, this could explain - or at least make me not froth at the mouth over it - Sam's complete turnabout from "I didn't want to drag you back into the hunter life! I want you to have an apple pie life! Even if it means you think I'm dead!" to "Come hunt with me! It's just not the same without you!" in Exile on Main St.. Seriously, Sam, what the fuck.
Curiously enough, the only time I've felt Season 6 Sam to be Sammy and not some horrid imposter was when he was impersonating Castiel and whining about being ignored by the angel. That felt like Sam and I beleived him. Was this because of the bitchface? Was this because if Sam hadn't been 100% Sam, Cas would've noticed something was off? Due to being an angel, that is, rather than knowing Sam inside and out, which is Dean's job.
Also curiously? As others have pointed out, we've now had three characters impersonating others already this season: Bobby impersonating Crowly and vice versa, and Sam impersonating Castiel - "Hello?" Plus there's the shapeshifter back in the mix, as well as the instances where the monsters play a role, like the djinn was a waitress and the vampire wasEdward Cullen a teen-fantasy version of a vampire. That's a bit of emphasis on falseness and impersonation right there.
Not to mention that Sam!Lucifer totally owned his impersonation of Sam in naught seconds flat, fresh in from Nick. Dean never had a doubt - not that the poor guy had a moment to think and evaluate, relaly. If a shapeshifter can root around his base's memories in order to impersonate them better, what's Lucifer got at his disposal? Although it is curious that Sam refused to reminisce or even answer Dean when asked when the last time they had a drink together was. It was like watching the clumsiest spy at work, realizing he hasn't done his homework. It was also reminiscent of Swap Meat, where Dean made the same sort of comment - Wow, you know, is it just me, or are we actually drinking together? - to an imposter!Sam. Coincidence or just tight self-reference?
So I see Dean as struggling against Nietzche's prophecy that, he who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster, always toeing the monster line as we have seen with The End, Dean's handiness with the torture rack, and most recently on Live Free or Twihard. Dean is the believer in free will and fights becoming a monster. On the other hand, Sam seems to have a slightly different prophecy on his head in the shape of U2's you become a monster, so the monster will not break you. In this case, Sam accepts his destiny - saying yes in Detroit is one in a long line of steps set out for him - and gives it a twist. It doesn't matter what you are. It only matters what you do (Sam, Metamorphosis).
As a complete aside, when the hell will the writers remember that Kali, who is alive and well, totally owns the Winchesters and Gabriel by way of her blood-binding magic? Wouldn't that be a) problematic or b) useful but most definitely c) important?
* The Orphan, RStallman
Note: This was written before watching 6x06 and in a complete spoiler vacuuum. Let's keep it that way, meaning anything after 6x06 - previews, set photos, rumours, casting calls, episode titles or descriptions - is something I don't want to know about. Anything up to episode 6x06 is alright and fair game, because I'll have watched it by tonight (where with my luck I'll probably be jossed over completely). Thank you for your consideration.
I'm still in the camp of not trusting Season 6 Sam. Even in Exile on Main St., I could never truly believe that we were dealing with Sam-Sam. (Although this may have been due some major confusion over the djin-poison: I couldn't shake off the feeling that the "it's all a horrible hallucination!" switch had really been flipped off.) The theory that I keep coming back to is that Sam seems to have gotten a little Lucifer on him and it won't come off.
All through the series, we've been dealing not just with Sam having the potential for evil but actually having the seed for evil inside him. (Yes, there's a distinction in that not only could he go bad, but he's already bad, even if only a tiny little bit.) For example, in When the Levee Breaks and Sam's hallucinating in his detox woes, he says, "What's in me, Mom..." to which his hallucination of her replies, "It's evil and you know it."
The show's gone on and on about the demon blood he ingested as a child and later - not to mention that, as Castiel points out, the amount of demon blood Sam drinks will change him. In When the Levee Breaks, Castiel sounds particularly prophetic: "Consuming the amount of blood it would take to kill Lilith would change your brother forever. Most likely, he would become the next creature that you would feel compelled to kill." Take that statement and multiply if by the handful of gallons Sam had to drink to contain Lucifer and see what kind of monster that gives you.
(As to why the hell demon blood would be needed to contain an angel and why it's never been mentioned that Jimmy Novak - or rather, Castiel - is chugging down the red juice, I don't know and it annoys me very much.)
This isn't the first time that it's been hinted that Dean might have to hunt Sam (and hell, we've had other hunters have a go a few times already). Dean said in Metamorphosis, "If I didn't know you, I'd want to hunt you," and even Sam asked to be put down before Azazel's plan came to fruition.
But there's also Sam, who has a fountain of anger that shrinks and Lucifer himself squee at. Bobby even says in Swan Song, "Look, Sam's got a... darkness in him, I'm not saying he don't."
Then there's the whole destiny thing (which even Sam seems to be a supporter or, with his "because we have no choice" to Dean's "we make our own destiny"). Sam's destiny to turn into a monster has been set on so many levels. There's Azazel's plan, there's Ruby's blood plan, there's the Lucifer's vessel plan... Destiny's been clawing at Sam from every angle since day one.
So the show's been pretty heavy-handed with the idea of Sam carrying the seeds of evil inside him, of being evil. Sure, Dean was the one the shapeshifter immitated, and he's the one who's been turned into an actual monster, but in both times we knew it wasn't Dean, or that he was fighting it and winning. On the other hand, it's Sam who was possessed and whom we spend the first half of Born Under a Bad Sign thinking he's actually himself but gone bad. (Interestingly enough, this episode is the first and only time we hear about the binding link that locks demons into their vessels. So in fact we have Sam permanently possessed. [ETA: As
threecatmama points out, we do see the binding link again in The Devil You Know - a full three seasons later. Why aren't more demons using this?]) It's Sam who had the supposed ticking-time bomb of Croatoan virus in his system and who had the very definite little bomb of demon blood. So I can work with the next step of Sam becoming a monster and carrying evil inside him. I can handle the idea of Sam and Lucifer being now intertwined in one being - be it smoothly or taking turns at the wheel. Who knows what happened in the cage? All I know is that Sam isn't acting like Sam, not even a horribly broken Sam: he's pulling Lucifer's faces. Sure, maybe Sam's just forgotten what it's like to be humana and is going through the motions - could be. But I think that the eerie similarity in behaviour and expressions between Sam!Lucifer and Sam must mean something - and if this isn't a conscious choice by Jared, I'm going to just throw my hands up and cry foul play. Because seriously, his blank faces, his smirks - oh gods, Live Free or Twihard! - and his "let's pretend to care" attitute - especially with the prostitute - are very much on the Lucifer side of things.
One small note about Live Free or Twihard: Let's pretend that Sam did know all along about the cure - mainly because if he didn't and still just stood there and smirked while basically sacrificing his brother for intel - which, honestly, whatever happened to good ol' tracking of monsters? why did you have to have someone turn into a monster yet fight for his humanity in order to infiltrate oh hai meta's theme I see what you did there! - then I'd have some serious issues. But let's pretend Sam knew about the cure. Why'd he call Samuel for help and pretend he didn't know about the cure? Why not call Samuel for help with the cure? It would've made Samuel much less suspicious than Sam's apparent utter memory fail. Unless it wasn't apparent and it really was memory fail in that when Samuel told Sam about the cure, he wasn't talking to the same Sam that called him for help. Samuel said, No, we talked about it months ago, to which Sam answered, Not me. It feels like Sam's strength of identity, his Samness, is fluctuating.
Coincidently, this could explain - or at least make me not froth at the mouth over it - Sam's complete turnabout from "I didn't want to drag you back into the hunter life! I want you to have an apple pie life! Even if it means you think I'm dead!" to "Come hunt with me! It's just not the same without you!" in Exile on Main St.. Seriously, Sam, what the fuck.
Curiously enough, the only time I've felt Season 6 Sam to be Sammy and not some horrid imposter was when he was impersonating Castiel and whining about being ignored by the angel. That felt like Sam and I beleived him. Was this because of the bitchface? Was this because if Sam hadn't been 100% Sam, Cas would've noticed something was off? Due to being an angel, that is, rather than knowing Sam inside and out, which is Dean's job.
Also curiously? As others have pointed out, we've now had three characters impersonating others already this season: Bobby impersonating Crowly and vice versa, and Sam impersonating Castiel - "Hello?" Plus there's the shapeshifter back in the mix, as well as the instances where the monsters play a role, like the djinn was a waitress and the vampire was
Not to mention that Sam!Lucifer totally owned his impersonation of Sam in naught seconds flat, fresh in from Nick. Dean never had a doubt - not that the poor guy had a moment to think and evaluate, relaly. If a shapeshifter can root around his base's memories in order to impersonate them better, what's Lucifer got at his disposal? Although it is curious that Sam refused to reminisce or even answer Dean when asked when the last time they had a drink together was. It was like watching the clumsiest spy at work, realizing he hasn't done his homework. It was also reminiscent of Swap Meat, where Dean made the same sort of comment - Wow, you know, is it just me, or are we actually drinking together? - to an imposter!Sam. Coincidence or just tight self-reference?
So I see Dean as struggling against Nietzche's prophecy that, he who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster, always toeing the monster line as we have seen with The End, Dean's handiness with the torture rack, and most recently on Live Free or Twihard. Dean is the believer in free will and fights becoming a monster. On the other hand, Sam seems to have a slightly different prophecy on his head in the shape of U2's you become a monster, so the monster will not break you. In this case, Sam accepts his destiny - saying yes in Detroit is one in a long line of steps set out for him - and gives it a twist. It doesn't matter what you are. It only matters what you do (Sam, Metamorphosis).
As a complete aside, when the hell will the writers remember that Kali, who is alive and well, totally owns the Winchesters and Gabriel by way of her blood-binding magic? Wouldn't that be a) problematic or b) useful but most definitely c) important?
* The Orphan, RStallman
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no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 04:27 pm (UTC)As for Sam, lots of interesting thoughts. He's always been different and he's almost always had demon blood and a link to the monster world. I have my theories that he carries Lucifer's grace via this demon blood, but the show has never gone there of course.
(Interestingly enough, this episode is the first and only time we hear about the binding link that locks demons into their vessels.
Actually, there is a second time, in “The Devil You Know”. Crowley carves a binding link into Brady’s chest. This link is hard to see, but looks suspiciously like the symbol Lucifer drew in the frost on the window in Detroit, right before Sam said yes.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 07:09 pm (UTC)Although I'll have to hesitatingly disagree with you on Lucifer drawing the binding link on the frosted window. I always took it to be a trident or pitchfork (here (http://cdn.screenrant.com/wp-content/uploads/SN522b_0388b.jpg-f1335849-t3.jpg)), what with the devil often being portrayed as carrying one. However, it does bear similarity to the binding link (here (http://www.screencap-paradise.com/caps/displayimage.php?pid=475745&fullsize=1), here (http://www.screencap-paradise.com/caps/displayimage.php?pid=475791&fullsize=1)), with the only difference being that the binding link has a closed circle.
I both like The Hammer of the Gods and curse its name, because there was so much potential and yet... And, of course, it took Gabriel out of the picture, who I'd love to see again, and I'd really be keen on Kali and the angle of there being other gods (and potentially monsters) who are not so gung-ho about the apocalypse thing.
...my theories that he carries Lucifer's grace via this demon blood - This sounds interesting; could you elaborate? Because while I understand the whole "demon blood makes you strong" and "angel grace is bad for you" I just cannot resolve the use of demon stuff to cure angel stuff - it feels like taking antibacterials for a cold virus - and my brain cannot compute. So I'm interested in other people's views on that mix.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 07:55 pm (UTC)My whole thing about the demon blood is this: It seem that Lucifer used his Grace to create the demons (we know that Grace is pure creation, no one took his Grace, they just locked him up). Demons seem to have some powers to move about, use telekinesis, super strength. There are similar to angel powers. We've seen Sam channel his "demon powers". His exorcism killings look a lot like when an angel burns out a demon. I'm just saying that the powers are similar.
We know Sam got demon blood from Azazel who is most definately a demon. We know Sam's abilities are greatly augmented by demon blood. So, if Lucifer's Grace made demons, and in a way powers demons, then it is Lucifer's Grace that powers Sam.
Gosh, I hope that made sense.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 08:52 pm (UTC)My only nitpick is the step where Lucifer used his Grace to create the demons. I agree with Grace being pure creation, and as the Super-wiki says (http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Demons#Background), in defiance [Lucifer] took a woman and stripped away her humanity to create the first demon, so there's precedence.
But this seems to be less an act of creation from absolute nothing than one of alteration of a given form. Similarly, Ruby (...hell will burn away your humanity. Every hell bound soul, every one turns into something else. Turns you into us...) and Bobby (Twisted, perverted, evil spirits, but end of the day, you're nothing but ghosts with an ego.) also talk about the warping of human souls (already created) as the origin for demons? Although Meg does call Lucifer Lucifer is the father of our race. Our creator. but that doesn't necessarily mean creator from scratch.
Also, ghosts and poltergeists can also do some of the things demons and angels do - telekinesis, teleportation (or movement between astral planes) - but they weren't created, just warped (In My Time of Dying)
However, whether Lucifer's Grace created demons or was the tool to shape them into demons, your theory still stands and is awesome.
...so the cracktastic extrapolation would be, can enough demon blood give you angelic grace of your very own? Like, ascend from demon-spawn to demon to angel?
no subject
Date: 2010-11-02 03:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-02 03:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 08:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 04:27 pm (UTC)*saves entry* I WILL GET BACK TO THIS.
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Date: 2010-10-30 04:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 05:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 06:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 07:53 pm (UTC)Also, I signed up for Nano! And it's all your fault! Just so you know. ♥
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 08:30 pm (UTC)No, please do watch! I mean, yeah, there's angst LIEK WOAH OMG but Sam! Sam's back, and he's pretty and buff in a not-scary-way and it will get better (or I'll personally smack the writers). Come on, you can't say no to Supernatural angst! It's like 50% of the show! (Also, Castiel ♥ x infinity so far.)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 09:07 pm (UTC)♥ (oh, oh, and do notice my zombie hugs icon, yes? It's just for you. ;p)
no subject
Date: 2010-10-30 09:44 pm (UTC)BraaaaiiiinsHuuuugs *moan* more huuuuuugs.Well, this being Supernatural, there is still some hilarity mixed in with all that angst and OMGWTFSAM. Although even Dean and his perky
nipplesself is being less than his usual "lalala everything's fine lalala" self.Definitely you can come cray about Sam to me. I've been here crying about him all alone and could use the company. ♥
Cas wins. SO MUCH. There's just been one episode with him - that I've seen, at least - but it was awesome like chocolate castles overlooking pudding lakes with marshmellow Loch Ness monsters all coated in a heavy coating of celestial awesomesauce. He was snarky! That's my favorite Cas flavour!
no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 12:08 pm (UTC)I think I might have seen the Cas episode, which was snarky and hilarious! ("I'm sorry if my people skills are a bit rusty.")
However, if I hadn't watched it yet your simile would've convinced me to do so, definitely. Marshmallow Loch Ness monsters? You win at life, Adri. ;p
♥
no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 02:12 pm (UTC)There's been a tiny bit of Cas in another episode - WATCH FASTER - and my heart went D: and I can't say anymore because of the spoilers, which aren't big or even small, but... Cas made me sad.
no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 12:45 pm (UTC)I felt guilty for breaking your layout, so I resized the image to be able to spam carefree. ;p
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Date: 2010-10-31 02:13 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 02:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-10-31 05:37 pm (UTC)"Cas?" Dean stared at the angel in disbelief. "What the hell?"
"I needed transportation."
"You couldn't find a car?"
"The terrain was too rough. I thought a quadruped would be best in the circumstances."
"Because quadruped beats a four-by-four?"
"Yes." Castiel nudged his mount closer to Dean.
"Whoah, dude! That thing smells like a butcher shop! Is it- Cas, you are not bringing in a Croat' horse into my camp."
"It's not infected with the Croatoan virus, Dean. It's Death's horse."
Dean eyed the putrescent stallion for a while. "It's dead."
"Yes."
"You're riding a zombie horse?"
Castiel slid off the horse and patted its neck thoughtfully. "It's still quit fast, although I think it lost its tail shorty after breaking into a gallop."
There was something else bothering Dean about the animal. Something that would've been more glaringly distressing had it not been for the whole "rotting flesh" bit.
"It's got a crowbar stuck in its head."
"I told Chip it was harmless, but he wasn't convinced." Castiel reached into his coat pocket. "Here," he said, offering Dean a rusted sickle. "It's also Death's."
"What, you just-"
"And this," added Castiel, digging into his other pocket. "His staff. And I also managed to steal these tools from a hardware store. Chuck was complaining about faulty wiring."
"Wow, Cas, you're..."
"A thief, I know. A highwayman." The angel hung his head. "A pirate."
"A freakin' ninja, that's what," explaimed Dean. "Getting these things off of Death? That's some serious shuriken-level skills."