If I try to put myself in Mary's shoes, my soul just...withers and dies.
Obviously, I've never come back from the dead, but I do have two children, and if I woke up tomorrow and they were suddenly in their thirties and emotionally traumatized beyond all recognition, I...I have no idea what I would do, really. But I can't criticize Mary for needing to step away for a bit.
I think it's really important to remember that Mary died. She didn't skip out on her kids, she died and got to be done with all the earth-y nonsense. I know the kids she's missing in heaven aren't real, but I get the sense that people in heaven don't really experience it that way. If we're going to let Sam be traumatized by a hallucinated rape (which yes, I think we should), then we need to let Mary be traumatized by the absence of hallucinated (or angelically synthesized, or whatever) children.
I really loved this plot development, actually, because there wasn't an easy answer, and no one was obviously at fault. It was the sort of thing that might actually happen when you throw together a bunch of wounded people who love each other but also have needs of their own. GIVE ME ALL THAT HEARTBREAK, YO.
This was my primary reaction to that episode in a nutshell. I wept for the boys, sure, but I totally sobbed for Mary. I can't imagine my babies being taken from me and suddenly being told that these grown-ass men are them. No they're not! What the hell kinda sick joke is this?! Mary felt personally compelled to find out what had happened to those ghost children. Of course she did! And she didn't really want those two big guys coming along in the first place -- Dean just invited himself and Sam along on that hunt like he expected she would be fine with it. What a pain in the ass he is!
At least Sam seems to be trying to understand her and expressing some sympathy for her situation.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2016-10-31 03:22 pm (UTC)Obviously, I've never come back from the dead, but I do have two children, and if I woke up tomorrow and they were suddenly in their thirties and emotionally traumatized beyond all recognition, I...I have no idea what I would do, really. But I can't criticize Mary for needing to step away for a bit.
I think it's really important to remember that Mary died. She didn't skip out on her kids, she died and got to be done with all the earth-y nonsense. I know the kids she's missing in heaven aren't real, but I get the sense that people in heaven don't really experience it that way. If we're going to let Sam be traumatized by a hallucinated rape (which yes, I think we should), then we need to let Mary be traumatized by the absence of hallucinated (or angelically synthesized, or whatever) children.
I really loved this plot development, actually, because there wasn't an easy answer, and no one was obviously at fault. It was the sort of thing that might actually happen when you throw together a bunch of wounded people who love each other but also have needs of their own. GIVE ME ALL THAT HEARTBREAK, YO.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-31 06:46 pm (UTC)At least Sam seems to be trying to understand her and expressing some sympathy for her situation.
no subject
Date: 2016-10-31 08:45 pm (UTC)