I enjoyed reading that a lot, and I was thinking about how unconditional love could indeed be the theme of the show, at its core. There's a lot of meta that happens, to bounce back against that, but when you think about how much self-sacrifice and devotion underlies the characters at the center of the story - Mary was making deals when Sam and Dean were just a twinkle in John's eye, and none of them ever hesitated to give of themselves for the other, even when it was wrong-headed or just plain wrong, or bad, or whatever. They all love each other so much. In different (their own) ways. So many characters are changed by having been brought into that small circle of love, just as the Winchesters are changed by being loved by Bobby, and Jody, etc. That found family + devotion + unconditional love is part of why I never quit the show, even when it made me mad.
Also love the way you describe Dean and Castiel, because it is interesting to watch people who have gone back to the show once it's done see it through that lens of completeness (you and sockii/sidewinder being two of the most fun to watch as they do it) and yeah, it was there on the page from the very beginning, whether they initially meant to have it be so, or not. In and post-season-8, arguably, they meant to, and so much of it was intentional, I do think that's where a lot of things about the show sharpen into focus. It was no longer Kripke's, and no longer a Frankenstein of leftover Kripke ideas and dangling threads. It acquired Carver as showrunner, and I started to really love the show again. (I can do without seasons 6 and 7.)
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carisma_sensei
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Date: 2021-04-13 10:42 pm (UTC)Also love the way you describe Dean and Castiel, because it is interesting to watch people who have gone back to the show once it's done see it through that lens of completeness (you and sockii/sidewinder being two of the most fun to watch as they do it) and yeah, it was there on the page from the very beginning, whether they initially meant to have it be so, or not. In and post-season-8, arguably, they meant to, and so much of it was intentional, I do think that's where a lot of things about the show sharpen into focus. It was no longer Kripke's, and no longer a Frankenstein of leftover Kripke ideas and dangling threads. It acquired Carver as showrunner, and I started to really love the show again. (I can do without seasons 6 and 7.)
Dean/Benny = <3. eta: so many typos, sigh