10.11 Initial reaction: Who doesn’t love a little torture?

[caranfindel]

If we didn’t get the hint from the title, the “Then” informs us that Charlie will be back (though I was spoiled, thanks Supernatural Twitter, which I have stopped following) and reminds us that Dean might have to resist the Mark on his own. So it wasn’t a surprise to see that Charlie was the one beating the crap out of the guy who looks like an older version of Edward Norton in the opening. And why do they do this? Why is the reveal obviously set up to surprise us, and then the promo people come along and spoil the fuck out of it?

In the bunker, Dean’s treating the Mark like alcoholism and following a three-step program: cooking healthy food (and yes, that omelet does look like crap), sleeping, and not drinking. And it’s adorable. It’s also nice to see the guys working together and getting along and talking and my favorite, the fact that all of the healthy food Dean makes for himself, he also feeds Sam. It’s just freaking adorable. Adding to this vision of domestic bliss is Dean’s reaction when Sam tells him Charlie is back: “Is she back from Oz? She didn’t call?” Like, their life and their relationships are so normal that people go away on vacation and then call and let them know they’re back.

We get the first of several comparisons of the Winchesters (and later, of Dean alone) and Charlie when Sam shows the video of the beatdown from earlier, and Dean points out that “what we do” looks the same to uneducated eyes. Other examples are when Dean says he can’t blame her for going after the person who destroyed her family, and “if a shrink interviewed us at that age, you think the report would be all kittens and rainbows?” And of course, thinking of little Sam and Dean being interviewed by a shrink just breaks my heart.

As the guys pack up to leave, we see that even a regular old knife gives Dean some bad mojo. So it’s no surprise that when they interrogate Edward Norton Sr. and Dean figures out he’s lying, he goes medieval on his ass (or maybe he was just bad because the guy’s obviously stolen Sam’s arm sling). Sam watches nervously, torn between “I should stop this” and “he might actually get some answers this way.” Other noteworthy things about this scene: “We do our homework at the FBI” (heh), Sam’s red and yellow tie (danger?), and officers Gabriel and Collins (from Genesis, or from SPN angels if you prefer to think of it that way, and I’m sure some of you do.)

(Also. Genesis. Heh.)

When the guys catch up with Dark Charlie, they get new nicknames (Rocket and Groot, which are okay, but will never compare to Moose and Squirrel), and then she’s just downright mean, calling Sam the albatross around Dean’s neck. So, on some level, this is what Charlie really thinks about Sam? Ouch. Anyway. Dark Charlie escapes (after cruelly vandalizing Baby! No, Dark Charlie! No!), Good Charlie shows up, and the new incarnation of Team Free Will (hey, Charlie's in red, and that's a TFW color) heads to the bar to discuss things.

And now we have to talk about something important, because dear God, Sam is so pretty in this scene. Dean looks pretty good too, in the red Demon!Dean shirt, but dammit, Sam. Your face. Your hair. I can't.

The husband was watching with me so I didn't think it would be a good idea to rewind this for additional drooling. So that's what I'm doing now. Bear with me.

Charlie explains that Dark Charlie is her dark side and hey, does that sound familiar to anyone here at the table? She also complains that being good sucks, but she’s not that good – she can’t hack, but she can tell Sam how to do it? That’s a pretty fine line there, "Good" Charlie.

Dean decides to guard Russell, Dark Charlie's target, and Sam knows it's a bad idea but lets him do it anyway, while he and Charlie head back to the bunker to change their shirts for some reason. (Too bad; I love Sam's green shirt.)

Meanwhile, Dean sits in the car, eating almonds and listening to relaxation tapes ("the key to quieting your mind is minding your quiet") and bless his heart, he's trying SO hard, and I love him for it. Eventually he goes in and meets Russell and stalls for time (adorably) and finally tells the dude what's going on, and then completely blows it and dude gets killed anyway. So, I guess I’m supposed to care that Dark Charlie killed the guy who killed her parents, but I don’t. He’s a jerk who decides to show remorse now that he’s being physically threatened. I’m more disappointed that Dean fell for “I just want to talk.” Also, “and then we hand him over to the cops?” He’s already been arrested and not charged, so that makes no sense. It's funny to me that she kills him with his own letter opener, since I assumed she had a knife hidden somewhere else on her person (but then, I have a weird sense of humor). As far as I'm concerned the worst thing she does is steal the Impala.

So naturally, after telling Sam and Charlie that he's "on my way" to their next location Dean blows them off and returns to the bar, where he apparently spends a good deal of time staring at a drink and watching his hand shake. So much for trying so hard. Dark Charlie shows up and says "You lied to yourself. That’s kinda your move." And yeah, it is. In addition to lying to other people (See: Sam. And Charlie. In the scene before this one. And others too numerous to mention.)

At this point the comparisons to Marked!Dean are fast and furious and yeah, kind of anvillicious, but I don't really have a problem with them.

"You know what I’ve learned about being dark? It sets you free. And part of you knows that’s right too."

Um. Yep.

When Dean told her exactly where Sam and Good Charlie were, I thought he was just being extraordinarily stupid, so I was glad to hear he'd been trying to throw her off track. It didn't work, of course, and Dark Charlie follows him to the house where Good Charlie and Good God You're Gorgeous Sam are meeting up with Good Wizard of Oz. I wonder if Glinda the Good Witch is going to show up here.

Dean hears a gunshot when he gets to the house, but he doesn't go in because Dark Charlie shows up. Seems like he'd be a lot more conflicted about that. For all he knows, Sam and/or Charlie have been shot. Anyway. They fight, and we're reminded that any injuries inflicted on Dark Charlie are also inflicted on Good Charlie. Does that work the other way around? Could they have knocked Good Charlie out to incapacitate Dark Charlie? We'll never know.

Important lines from this fight:

"You hit like a girl who never learned how to hit."
"You know what happens to heroes? They die."
"You hurt my friend." "I learned it by watching you."

Charlie’s arm gets broken once again. And once again, Dean continues to beat the crap out of someone long after it’s necessary. (And also, Sam gets magically tied up and Charlie kills the Good Wizard to kill the Bad Wizard and there's a weird mask and some other stuff.)

Sam interrupts Dean before he accidentally kills both Charlies, and Dark Charlie says "The magic was in you all the time," which reminds me of Ruby telling Sam that he never needed the feather, and damn, I miss those days.

And now that he's beaten the crap out of someone, Dean’s hand isn't shaking. Bad sign.

Afterward, Sam tells invisible, unheard Cas that "He’s calmed down now," which I guess means Dean was not calm after almost killing the Charlies? Charlie and Dean eye each other uncomfortably, and Dark Charlie is "quiet," which I guess means she's not fully assimilated back into Total Charlie? I'm doing a lot of guessing here. Help me out, Show.

Charlie forgives Dean and tries to get him to forgive himself, which isn't going to work, of course. She's sure he'll beat this, even though it took Cain hundreds of years and lots of murders, and tells him "One thing that you have that he didn’t," which is another callback to a great line from the past. Also, she doesn’t seem upset that she can’t return to Oz, so I assume she and Dorothy didn’t have the relationship so many figured they were going to have.

And that's it. I wasn't a huge fan of this one last night, but today, on lunch hour rewatch, it's growing on me.

And it's not COMPLETELY because of how pretty Sam is.

No spoilers in the comments, please, including the preview! Thanks!

Comments

[elwarre.livejournal.com]

The husband was watching with me so I didn't think it would be a good idea to rewind this for additional drooling.

This is part of the reason I have to watch new episodes by myself first. I want no one around to inhibit my drooling or squeeing, heh.

So, on some level, this is what Charlie really thinks about Sam?

I think maybe the uninhibited side of Charlie sees Sam as one of Dean's inhibitions, maybe the only thing that's keeping him from letting loose. The dark/good contrast here felt a lot more to me like unrestrained/restrained, especially since they brought the id into it. Also seeing how dark!Charlie tortures a few dicks for info and then kills a major dick - not really ok things to do, but not what I imagine darkness to be, either. So maybe Charlie sees Sam as part of what keeps Dean in check (the same way Dean has always done for Sam - for instance, heartbreaking "I'm here for you, Sammy" at the end of Swan Song). Bad!Charlie views that as a negative, a burden, but whole!Charlie probably wouldn't.

Re: Sam is so pretty in these scenes - yes, he is. Gorgeous. But I'm kind of popping back through seasons one and two lately, and the contrast is heartbreaking. If anything, he's gotten better looking as he ages, but he was so innocent and relatively unburdened (as much as a Winchester can be) back then. He seems so...tired, now. I'm sensing a major Sam breakdown soon.

This wasn't my favorite episode of all time (I was kind of laughing through the Oz bits - seriously? bird mask?), but I liked it. No angel/demon politics = thumbs up from me.

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

I think maybe the uninhibited side of Charlie sees Sam as one of Dean's inhibitions, maybe the only thing that's keeping him from letting loose. The dark/good contrast here felt a lot more to me like unrestrained/restrained, especially since they brought the id into it. Also seeing how dark!Charlie tortures a few dicks for info and then kills a major dick - not really ok things to do, but not what I imagine darkness to be, either. So maybe Charlie sees Sam as part of what keeps Dean in check (the same way Dean has always done for Sam - for instance, heartbreaking "I'm here for you, Sammy" at the end of Swan Song). Bad!Charlie views that as a negative, a burden, but whole!Charlie probably wouldn't.

Yeah, I can see that. It just breaks my heart for anyone to say anything bad about Sam, especially "wouldn't hurt a hobbit" Charlie.

Re: Sam is so pretty in these scenes - yes, he is. Gorgeous. But I'm kind of popping back through seasons one and two lately, and the contrast is heartbreaking. If anything, he's gotten better looking as he ages, but he was so innocent and relatively unburdened (as much as a Winchester can be) back then. He seems so...tired, now. I'm sensing a major Sam breakdown soon.

And I spent yesterday watching the tail end of S8 (TNT was having a marathon so I literally watched SPN from the time I got home from work until I went to bed) and he looks so much better now. :-) But I loved Trials!Sam so much. And I loved shiny young S1-2 Sam. Ironically, one of the episodes I saw last night was Clip Show, where Sarah (from Provenance) gets killed, and she tells Sam he looks good, he looks like he knows what he wants. And I'm all, no, he looks like hell, he looks like he's desperate to save your life and that's all he wants right now.

This wasn't my favorite episode of all time (I was kind of laughing through the Oz bits - seriously? bird mask?), but I liked it. No angel/demon politics = thumbs up from me.

WHAT was the point of the freaking bird mask? Seriously? But yes, the lack of angels and Crowena is definitely a good thing.

[elwarre.livejournal.com]

But I loved Trials!Sam so much. And I loved shiny young S1-2 Sam.

Oh, trials!Sam. A new level of gorgeousness. Honestly, Sam kinda looks amazing no matter what?

[themegalosaurus.livejournal.com]

Heeeey I was waiting for your episode review, mostly because I wanted to post these gifs which I have put on my Tumblr but I thought you would enjoy!!




Like, YES PLEASE SAM GOOD IDEA PLEASE AND THANK.

Also I hope you got as much pleasure from Sam's good grammar as I did ('you were kidnapped? by whom?")

I really enjoyed this episode. I liked that the writers followed through more on the Mark by having Dean hurt someone (other than Sam) who wasn't a total douche - enough with him beating up rapists and wife killers. It's getting properly serious now he's battering his friends. Also I loved Dean trying to reform himself and be healthy (like Sam) and Sam was such a cupcake throughout (as he always is). Also lots of room for fic in this episode I felt - like, the space when Dean WASN'T calm immediately after what happened - imagine Sam/Dean split into their better and darker halves - surely Sam could have had something to say to Charlie about what happens when a version of yourself does stuff you wouldn't agree with - etc etc. And I know space for fic sometimes also means a holey episode but, you know, I like to be positive!

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Heeeey I was waiting for your episode review, mostly because I wanted to post these gifs which I have put on my Tumblr but I thought you would enjoy!!

{smooches you}

YES SAM I WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE PROCESS AND YOU WILL BE THE BAD ONE. YOU WILL BE SO, SO BAD.

I really enjoyed this episode. I liked that the writers followed through more on the Mark by having Dean hurt someone (other than Sam) who wasn't a total douche - enough with him beating up rapists and wife killers. It's getting properly serious now he's battering his friends.

Good point. Dean knew every punch was also a punch to good Charlie.

Also lots of room for fic in this episode I felt - like, the space when Dean WASN'T calm immediately after what happened - imagine Sam/Dean split into their better and darker halves - surely Sam could have had something to say to Charlie about what happens when a version of yourself does stuff you wouldn't agree with - etc etc. And I know space for fic sometimes also means a holey episode but, you know, I like to be positive!

Another good point! You're just a little ray of sunshine today. :-D

[anactoria.livejournal.com]

Also, “and then we hand him over to the cops?” He’s already been arrested and not charged, so that makes no sense.

I'm assuming that since she 'followed the money', Dark Charlie had evidence that he'd bribed people. (Evidence that she'd got by committing a crime herself, sure, but let's not overthink it -- I'm sure the writers didn't! ;)) Dean really should've known better than to fall for it, though, for sure.

And now that he's beaten the crap out of someone, Dean’s hand isn't shaking. Bad sign.

Oh yes. :(

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Okay, yeah, good point about the money. And about us thinking more than the writers do. ;-)

[cuddyclothes.livejournal.com]

I love your reviews! Good Charlie and Good God You're Gorgeous Sammy is such a great line. He did look scrumptious and his hair was less flat. That's about the only thing I enjoyed. I'm a buzzkill.

[caranfindel.livejournal.com]

Sometimes you just have to watch with the TV on mute. ;-)