Supernatural:Pre-Finale Preoccupation II

Here’s Part II of Liana B’s detailed road map for the Supernatural season finale! Did you miss Part 1? Read it here.

Supernatural: Pre-Finale Preoccupation Part II

(Spoiler warnings? not needed… other than the episode title, photos and description provided by the network, we members of the SFA – Spoiler Freaks Anonymous — have been in serious withdrawal symptoms going into the finale.  Speculation will run rampant, though!  And keep in mind that points are generalities; your views will most likely differ. Part I covers the players, Part II covers the issues.)

We can count the hours now before we get some answers to questions that we’ve been struggling with all season long.  Just a few endless hours to close out season four and set the groundwork for season five.  The riffs of “Carry on My Wayward Son” have become a tradition for each finale and while budget cuts have severely affected the signature classic rock this season, this song’s presence has become tradition.

The players are all in place on the chessboard of the impending Apocalypse.  In one corner we have Heaven and The Angels, with our beloved Castiel, his boss Zachariah, and the dearly-departed Anna who was much more interesting as a human who could hear angels talking in her head than she ever was as a fallen angel.  In the other corner we have the minions of Hell led by Lucifer, and with demons Ruby and Lilith making a power play for Queen Bee.  And smack in the middle of it all are the Winchester Brothers, brave, stubborn, determined, broken, and each drawn by diverging destinies to stop the rise of Lucifer.  For the first time in four seasons, it appears that they will be fighting towards these end means separately.  And it better be the last time… because there is something completely and intrinsically wrong in using the words ‘Winchester’ and ‘separate’ in the same sentence. (Credit: MICHAEL MULLER/THE CW ©2006 The CW Network LLC. All Rights Reserved)

One thing that will be utterly fascinating is that Executive Producer and Creator Eric Kripke wrote and directed this finale episode.  For the first time we will be able to see ‘Supernatural’ entirely through the creator’s eyes: his characterizations, his motivations, his vision.  This should be interesting!

THE MYTHOLOGY: We’ve known for a long time that Kripke and his writers will base their stories on existing myths and urban legends.  The fact that one can google all their monsters has been a show signature. They will take ALL the multicultural representations of a particular legend and then pick and choose those aspects which best fit their story, thus creating their own unique Supernatural version.  For this reason, it is nearly impossible to use the myths themselves to try to guess story direction since we do not know which parts of a legend they will choose.  The only danger here for the creative team is to work hard to avoid pulling a ‘Heroes’ in making the mythology as a whole so convoluted, ridiculous, and unbelievable that will have us wondering what the heck happened.  One of the great things about ‘Supernatural’ was its simplicity and  believability despite the subject matter it was presenting, although suspension of disbelief is getting harder and harder to come by.

Finale Speculation has run rampant as to what may be presented and what questions have been left unanswered.  Here is a brief rundown.  If anyone has a different theory not listed, we’re anxious to add it!

*  What is the end game plan of the Yellow-Eyed Demon?

*  How much of what is happening is due to angel agenda vs. demon agenda?

*  What happened to the “Leader of the Demon Army” and “Boy King” slant started in S2?

*  Why did Dean’s ability to see demons go poof?

*  The death of Lilith will be the final seal to free Lucifer

*  Lilith doesn’t break the final seal, she IS the final seal

*  Sam is a vessel for Lucifer since Lucifer is a fallen angel and angels can only inhabit special folks

*  The first human that Lucifer tempts becomes a demon.  We believe Lilith to be the first human, but what if it turns out to be Sam, as tempted by Ruby?

*  Corrupted angel Uriel told Sam that he isn’t being smited as long as he proves useful. Who and what manner defines ‘useful’?

*  The transformation of Sam from human to demon will be the final seal

*  Lilith’s meatsuit becomes the vessel for Lucifer

*  Lilith’s meatsuit becomes the new meatsuit for Ruby

*  Castiel will temporarily jump meatsuits into Dean

*  Ruby is not really Ruby but some other demon

*  Castiel will turn evil

*  Ruby will die

*  Bobby will die sacrificing himself for the Boys

*  We know demons can’t be trusted, but shouldn’t angels be the good guys?

*  Ruby is a double-agent for the angels in exchange for redemption

*  Sam will go evil and turn into a demon

*  Dean will go evil instead, shocking everyone

*  Dean will get angelic powers

*  Dean will have to kill Sam to prove his faith/loyalty; spilling family blood is the final seal

*  Is there any significance to Sam’s name being Samuel which connects to “Samael”, the angel of Tuesday, who is said to have taken Lilith as his bride and is the supposed name of Lucifer before he fell?

*  How much will the ongoing theme of FREE WILL mess up everybody’s plans?

*  … ???

OK, who needs some aspirin right about now?  Place your bets boys and girls; the winner will get bragging rights to say “I out-guessed Kripke!”  After all, if a thousand monkeys typing will eventually type an actual word… then a thousand fans speculating will eventually guess Kripke’s plan, even though they won’t know it. (oh relax, I’m not calling us monkeys!)  My only fear is that our overactive imaginations have raised our expectations too high with too many possibilities. All throughout season 3 we were told there was no way to save Dean and at the end he was sent to Hell.  All throughout season 4 we have been told that Sam is turning darkside.  Jared has been begging to play evil, the clues are all set up, therefore why expect a rabbit out of the hat and something different?

THE SEASON FAUX PAS: One thing that our Show has been guilty of this season, in addition to some rather patent inconsistencies, is keeping too much hidden away. We needed to see more of Ruby’s true nature so that we could truly love to hate her; Dean’s PTSD; more of Sam’s angst, despair, bereavement, and desperation and what he went through while Dean was in Hell. Sadly, the episode that was supposed to be devoted to this became instead a vehicle to showcase how politically correct the new Ruby meatsuit was prior to the demon sex stunt. Thus we are now a little short-changed in being shown how or why the different roads the boys have taken are causing the conflict in their relationship. All we are getting is the end result without the background to understand why it’s happening. Maybe we are supposed to figure that out for ourselves, but too many viewers are getting all the wrong messages.  And this is resulting in the inevitable choosing of sides splitting along the Sam-lines or the Dean-lines.

THE FUTURE: One has to wonder once you have presented Lucifer and the Apocalypse, where exactly do you go from there?  Perhaps the answer is as simple and satisfying as: back to your roots of saving people, hunting things… the family business.  I know one thing I don’t have ANY interest seeing on a long term basis:  demon!Sam vs. angel!Dean. The thing that has always set Supernatural apart and raised it on a pedestal above this television wasteland has always been the portrayal of the brothers’ relationship – family above all else.  Shows and movies that have themes of brother vs. brother are a dime-a-dozen.  Supernatural was unique in that it didn’t rely on that overused theme to move its story along. Even in shows where brothers are on the same side, that special bond is simply missing from the screen (i.e. Peter & Nathan Petrelli).  I believe Kripke & Co. fully recognize that the brothers’ relationship is intrinsic to the DNA of the Show.  After all, Robert Singer is still there, and he was the one that looked beyond the blood, gore & horror that everyone else was salivating over like giggling teenagers and pointed to the brother-bond saying ‘THAT is the core of your show’.

I have no doubt that the brothers finding their way back to one another will be a big theme in season 5, just as it was in season 1, thus bringing us full circle.  Even though the relationship will appear to be irreparably fractured, the brothers WILL get past the pain. They won’t forget what has taken place, but they can forgive one another, and allow their familial love to guide their hearts.  Kripke & Co. know their bread & butter is the brothers’ relationship. Before heroes can rise, they need to fall to rock bottom, and this has always been a hero’s journey. Supernatural has always been about Sam-n-Dean…. not Sam & Ruby or Dean & Castiel, and certainly not Sam VS. Dean.  After all, this was the concern that permeated discussions at the end of the third season.  With Master Kripke teasing that Dean would be spending a bit of time in Hell, viewers were having nightmares about multiple episodes lacking the presence of one of the brothers.

Most viewers have NO interest seeing demon!Sam vs. angel!Dean on a long term basis.  And long term in this case is a quarter of a season.  I don’t expect things to be fixed nicely in one or two episodes, but I certainly don’t want to see it drag out to 5-6 episodes.  One season of separation has been more than enough.  The writers had their fun, destroyed the relationship, and now it is time to fix it.  Beyond the demons, angels and apocalyptic battles, the reason we keep coming back is because of that bond, exemplified so excellently by series stars Ackles and Padalecki.

THE FANS:  It is no secret there exists a definite and unique love-hate relationship between the fans and Master Kripke. The episode “The Monster at the End of the Book” allowed the perfect opportunity to poke fun at us, while they poked fun at themselves.  I only wish he would expand his online surfing to a few more forums where there are responsible adults who can discuss the pros and cons of episodes without starting flame wars. The Master appreciates the support we provide and the grassroots efforts that have helped Supernatural get to Season Five. Yet the vociferous nature of the constant biting critiques have made it difficult to strike a balance between what he as the creator may want to present and what we as the fans may want to see.  With every viewer necessary in the count to maintain the numbers on this small network, no doubt concessions to the creative vision were made along the way.  (The pros and cons of that whole scenario are best left to their own study.)  Technically, our job is done now.  Our beloved Show has been given the gift of a fifth (and by all counts, final) season, and now our nagging nitpicking won’t really matter all that much anymore.  They could have Sam run off to marry Ruby and start making little demon babies and the outcome won’t matter.  Not that we will simply sit back and enjoy the ride – it’s not in our nature – but the ride no longer needs to conform so much to our wants and desires.

The stage is now set for the finale.  I’m actually dreading this finale.  Not because it will continue to pit Sam against Dean and leave us with a shocking cliffhanger, but because the outcome will then pit the Sam-fans vs. the Dean-fans all summer long. And THAT will be a hell to listen to worse than any torture Dean suffered.

Recently, datenshiblue on Live Journal offered fandom with an excellent perspective. Simply stated:  “Supernatural” is a story about humanity trying to survive in a world of supernatural forces.  While there are two sides (good/evil, heaven/hell), a more correct representation of those two sides is <the Winchesters vs. everybody else>. I really like this train of thought.  Let’s keep this in mind as we go at each other during the summer discussions, provided our brains don’t turn into mush after this finale.

THANK YOU SUPERNATURAL CAST and CREW: For all the ups and downs, hits and misses, and our general praises and gripes, Season Four has been truly incredible.  From the minute that Dean clawed his way back from Hell, to this finale that will no doubt leave us speechless, it has been a fantastic ride.  Words of appreciation are not enough for the stellar performances that we have been gifted with by Jensen Ackles, Jared Padalecki, Misha Collins, and Jim Beaver as well as the entire supporting cast.  To Eric Kripke and his team of writers, thank you for continuing to entertain us and awe with your creativity. To the inimitable Mr. Kim Manners, you will be in our hearts and prayers, and your presence missed.  To the entire crew in Vancouver who make it all possible under difficult conditions and inhuman deadlines, we thank you.  And to The CW and WB, look for avenues of appreciation that matter to you the most: our support of your products and sponsors.

OFFICIAL NETWORK DESCRIPTION:   “Lucifer Rising” -The Battle Between Heaven and Hell begins. The apocalypse is coming, and Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) prepare for the fight in very different ways. Sam joins Ruby (Genevieve Cortese) on a final run to kill Lilith (guest star Katherine Boecher), while Castiel (Misha Collins) and Zachariah (guest star Kurt Fuller) tell Dean it’s time to play his part in stopping Lucifer. Eric Kripke wrote and directed the episode.

Watch the SUPERNATURAL Season Finale, 9:00 pm Thursday on The CW.

(I also want to take just a moment to give a big shoutout of thanks to this fandom who offers some of the most fascinating and intelligent discussions on our little TV show on the CW Lounge, SN.tv, TWOP, LJ and other places. And to some dear friends who keep me sane and offer lots of food for thought in our weekly SPN discussions:  malanti.mage, Kamelion, IMTheresa, Kim, and Deej.)

Photo: Michael Courtney/The CW©2009 The CW Network, LLC. All Rights Reserved.