If You Like This, Try That: Popular TV Show Edition

Most TV shows wrapped up their regular season over a month ago, which I'm sure has given you plenty of time to catch up with everything you've missed. But now what? There are still quite a few weeks of summer left, and now you might be wondering what to binge-watch next. If you enjoy any of the popular TV shows right now, here are a few suggestions of what to try next!

If you like The Walking Dead, try Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)

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The Walking Dead is known for its depiction of humanity on the brink of extinction, of monsters attacking and eating humans, and of the deep truths about humans. Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin) is also known for many of these same aspects. Both shows follow a ragtag group that is determined to survive and find a way to save their people. Just replace creepy zombies with giant man-eating titans, trap the entire population of the known world behind a wall, and add extra-awesome fighting gear and swords, and ta-da! you've transformed The Walking Dead into Attack on Titan (sort of). If you like The Walking Dead and you're looking for something new and different, try Attack on Titan.

If you like Supernatural, try Grimm

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What could be better than hunting demons and monsters with two brothers? Hunting fairytale monsters with your best friend. Grimm is about Detective Nick Burkhardt who has the ability to "see" monsters that influenced fairytales in the real world. Thus he uses this gift to help him solve crimes. Grimm features a lot of stories about kidnappings and murders, strange circumstances, and lots and lots of bloody violence. In many ways, it reminds me of Supernatural because of the kick-ass characters, the plethora of monsters and lore, and gritty depictions. If you love Supernatural and you want something similar with a different twist (fairytales), Grimm is the show for you.

If you like Stranger Things, try Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency

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I'll confess that I haven't actually watched Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency yet, but I was informed that the show has similarities to Stranger Things. You know, the weird circumstances, lights flickering, trying to figure out what in the world is happening. Dirk Gently's has that supernatural, science-fiction flair that keeps you guessing and provides a little terror to your experience, much like Stranger Things. It, however, is more comedic than serious, unlike Stranger Things, but it's definitely possible you'll like both!

If you like The Office, try Parks and Recreation

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This one is a no-brainer. If you're a fan of The Office, you should watch Parks and Recreation (and vice versa). Both shows are comedy, both shows feature a fantastic cast of characters, and both shows take place in a typical working class environment. One focuses more heavily on business while the other focuses on government, but both provide a lot of laughs, quotable moments, and the sense of finding a TV family. Seriously though, why haven't they done a cross-over movie yet?

If you like Game of Thrones, try Vikings

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I haven't actually watched Game of Thrones or Vikings, so take this recommendation with that in mind. But everything I've seen on the Internet has stated that if you like Game of Thrones, you'll enjoy Vikings. Both feature bloody battles, kick-ass female characters, and a plethora of drama and tension to keep you intrigued. If you're a fan of any of these aspects, watch Vikings (and then come back and let me know if this suggestion is accurate).

What other recommendations would you give for these popular TV shows?

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Supernatural Reaction: "Beyond the Mat" (11x15)

             
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"ARE YOU READY TO RUMBLE????" Wednesday night's episode started off with a smack-down of sorts. I get that many wrestling matches are very theatrical, but a noose? That wrestler was asking for payback. Supernatural has been throwing good episodes at us since the return from break. Misha Collins has been portraying a scary good Lucifer, and our brothers are experiencing difficulties in coming to a decision (again) on how to take down the big bad. Just a warning to sensitive viewers: Supernatural is an intense and graphic television show. If you are in any way squeamish to violent/twisted story lines, I would look away from this post. As always...SPOILERS!

More heartbreaking childhood reminiscing and a trip away from important matters start off this episode. Hell is full of spunk again now that Lucifer has returned. It's quite weird seeing Crowley not in a suit or sitting on the throne. We all know that won't last long...and it didn't. While I'm fangirling over Sam's new flannel, Dean is fangirling over his childhood wrestling heroes. It's nice to see them get THAT excited. They were like a little boys again.

                                           

There's not a time that the Winchesters can go for fun without it turning into a case. That being said, we got to see Dean bounce around the ring smiling and then hurting himself. Our boys are getting older. You could look at it negatively, but considering that hunters don't usually get the chance to grow old, they're doing pretty good. Rio (the manager and Sam's boyhood crush) reminded me of Ellen Harvelle, yet another character death I haven't gotten over yet. Speaking of bar owners and bars, the wrestlers drank Dean under the table. Never would have thought that was possible considering we don't know when the last time Dean was sober.

                                

The red-eyed dealing Demons are back! It's been a while, and though they are evil, they're classic bad guys and so smooth. Demons have a way of suavely torturing humans, I guess it's because they've learned from the master of debonair punishment. Lucifer hits Crowley with the sharp reality that everyone hates him...

                                

...and Crowley strikes back with a double whammy in the form of Moses' Staff. I'm really loving that the writers made it so that the holy objects that God's power resides in, is of one-time use. It makes things hard but keeps one being from becoming too powerful. Hellhounds took over the wrestler's dumb deal, and the boys headed home. Tonight was another good filler episode. There was plot progression with the Lucifer/Crowley power struggle, and the Winchester's got a well-deserved energy burst. Sucks that we have to wait until March 23rd to see what looks like a GREAT episode!


In the end, we heard another way to sum up how outsiders describe this show:
"Some kind of weird satanic crap" - Sam Winchester

Let's talk about this slamming episode in the comments!

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Supernatural Reaction: "O Brother Where Art Thou" (11x09)

   

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We've gotten to the mid-season finale, and I'm sad that we have to wait to find out what will happen next. On the plus side, I was EXTREMELY satisfied with this episode! Warning: Supernatural contains mature content and is not suitable for the faint of heart. Trigger warnings for this episode include: large body counts.

                                      

Amara is awesome. I know that has to be an unpopular opinion, but I think she's an interesting character and I like what she has brought to the show. I also liked the fountain of blood she produced for the repentance man. Just when you think Supernatural has used every form of killing things off, they have Amara strike down the group of people with lightning. My jaw had already dropped at this point, and I couldn't imagine what was going to happen next.

LUCI IS BACK!

                            

Sam is praying and seeing clearer visions. He said that he feels calm when Lucifer touches him, and I find it funny that us viewers feel the same way whenever he's on screen. I've been hoping that he would return sometime before the show was over. Dean being the voice of reason (correct or not) is a part of his character that I've always enjoyed, and it's always great to see that brought foreward when situations start to rise.

Seeing that the brothers and Crowley are on speaking terms is going to help deal with this whole confusing mess. I can't help but notice the gears turning in Crowley's head when he finds out that God has a sister. I started to worry about Sam making the possible trip to Hell and if there was any way that he could be hurt.
















Rowena has also returned...in chains. I sometimes forget Crowley's powers, and I was anticipating major trouble from her. I almost teared up when she mentioned Charlie. :'(

                      

I applaud the set designers for creating a captivating (and not at all cheesy) version of Hell. I'm constantly blown away by the sets on Supernatural.

                

It was interesting to learn that the souls become a part of Amara, instead of the harsh death we thought was inevitable. This show constantly has me looking at all sides of a situation, and it's just another thing to appreciate about this series. Lucifer's glowing eyeballs were FANTASTIC! Another nice touch.

                 

Amara and Dean becoming one? I kinda see how that would work. Consider Dean's character traits: dutiful, restless, concerned, and rational (to name a few). Amara is the same way but in her own twisted version. She was scorned by God and is trying desperately to reach out and settle this once and for all. Loved the slow-mo knife shatter!

              

Discovering that Lucifer was the one reaching out to Sam instead of God was unexpected. Now Sam's rooming with the dark lord again, and I can't imagine what will become of this reunion. Reflecting on previous events that happened during season 11, it never occurred to me to consider that Hell was effected by the Darkness' return to earth. The complexity of this series is astounding, and unless I spend hours studying every episode, I don't think I'll ever be able to grasp the beauty of this show.

                           

Here's to hiatus! What were your thoughts on the lone man tear?

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Supernatural Reaction: "Just My Imagination" (11x08)

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Supernatural has featured fairies, creepy clowns, unicorns, and now imaginary friends. Just when you thought it couldn't get any more emotional, you meet Sam's imaginary friend Sully who inspired him to go to school and (try to) become a lawyer. Supernatural is a television show with mature content, and though this was a milder episode, I still caught a few trigger subjects. Warnings: Death of friends, depressing childhood, and death of a sibling.

I thought at first that the little girl was being a brat to her parents, but if Sparkles was my imaginary friend, I wouldn't want to leave either! Sparkles was adorable and so happy. I couldn't imagine coming back into my room to see my best (imaginary) friend was dead. Sad as it was, his blood was really rad looking.

                                      

Sam got a haircut (yes, I noticed). Also, I found it hilarious that he wished for marshmallow nachos as a child. I was surprised that Dean didn't indulge in the sweets Sully (Sam's imaginary friend) brought to use as a bribe to help him find out who was killing the other Zanna. I believe that this episode really struck home with me because of how supportive and inspirational Sully was with Sam. I wish we weren't so susceptible to losing the open mind we have as children, but episodes like this help us to rekindle that side of us (if you take messages from the show as I do).

                        
                     Please keep flailing that robe around. It makes you look like a Jedi Knight!

Sam and Dean as grief counselors...yes! The sweaters alone made me happy. When the mom was unknowingly smearing Sparkles' blood on her face, I felt mixed emotions of laughter and defeat. I feel defeat is the best word for the situation because it takes it back to what I mentioned about losing our open minds.

                                     

I noticed that Dean has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when in situations he can't wrap his head around. "A family that showers together..." Dean, what were you even thinking when that sentence started to form?

                       

I think Weems could have totally been Dean's imaginary friend as a child if his "childhood" would have been different. He kind of reminded me of Ash (mostly the mullet).

The killer being a child that was once a friend of Sully was another thing I enjoyed with this episode. It wasn't a monster, it wasn't the Darkness, it was a human that was driven by her pain to contact evil forces to help her get revenge. The witch who helped her? I believe it was Rowena.

                        

I started to touch on this earlier, but I feel that one of my favorite scenes from the episode was when Sully and Sam were hanging off of the bed and Sully mentioned to Sam that he could run away and go to school to become a lawyer if he wanted to. I like that the writers pulled this story line from the beginning of the series and brought it back to this moment. It makes sense that a dream like this came from the only support Sam took note of as a child (factor in that he was unaware of all that Dean did for him until he was old enough to understand). A boy raised on hunting would have no reason to go off and work for the government that chases them down for credit card fraud and false identities. That is why I loved this story arc.

For those of you that haven't watched the mid-season finale promo...DO IT!!! For those that have, LUCI!!! Only fans of this show can say that they're excited for Lucifer's return, haha! This next episode looks like it's going to be incredible.

                                     

Did you have an imaginary friend as a child? I did! Let's chat about it and this episode in the comments.

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Supernatural Reaction: "Plush" (11x07)

Did someone say "vengeful spirit?" Just a warning that Supernatural contains mature content. Trigger warning: Creepy Rabbit, Disturbing Masks, Clowns, Suicide.

I was quite a happy camper watching the boys tackle a vengeful spirit and seeing some more uncomfortable Sam scenes. I hope no one minds that I'll be inserting some Sheriff Donna lingo for this reaction post.

I'll start off by saying that I'm not usually disturbed by rabbits, the Easter Bunny, or the "Bunny Man" lore. That being said, the crazy-eyed bunny head showing up in the shadows through the kitchen window gave me the heebie-jeebies. I then wondered if I'd have to suffer through the whole episode with that thing staring into my soul. Thank you, Supernatural, for making Bugs Bunny no laughing matter.

This episode wasn't going to let us get off being slightly disturbed. No, the fun doesn't stop there. We meet the team mascot, a Jester who just wanted to "get swoll" with the Jock. I don't think the inventors of the Kettle Ball intended it to be used for murder. The fact that the coach didn't die from those blows to the head will remain a mystery to me.

Any hoot...we also (as I mentioned before) witnessed a clown that could have only graduated from a clown college that's located in children's nightmares. Again, I'm not usually unsettled by clowns...I was during this episode. I've got your back Sammy! Seriously though, Dean has only had to face his fear of airplanes once! 

                                     

Finding out that this was a vengeful spirit on the loose made me fist pump the air. A good old salt and burn was heading in our direction. I also enjoyed the twist on the back story. We first were lead to believe it was a suicide, and then we come to find out it was a scared straight moment gone terribly wrong. As much as it pains me to say this, whenever the boys get thrown against a wall or through a window, or against a car (I think you get the point) it reminds me that they're getting older and need to take note of possible broken bones and a slow recovery.
                                                                                                                                                       
In the end, the Winchester's prevail. With, what I'd imagine to be, a large knot on top of Sam's head from that bang against the car trunk.

               

This episode reminded me that the boys always have a lesson to learn. We're in season 11, and I personally adore (as I'm sure many others do) the constant need for more knowledge. They started with their dad's journal, then Sam's laptop, countless Libraries, the Supernatural series by Carver Edlund, Bobby, the Men of Letters bunker, and their fellow Hunters. The residual theme of learning is one of the many things that has caused me to develop such a passionate love, and continual fangirling, for this TV series. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Hide from the clowns with me in the comments. 

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Supernatural Reaction: "Our Little World" (11x06)

                   

The good ol' classics are over and Supernatural has returned to their mission: hunting down a soul-devouring teenager. Please be warned that Supernatural contains mature content. Here are a few reactions I had to this week's episode:

Sam and Dean don't have a special incantation to find Amara, therefore they must follow her trail of soulless victims. Thank you writers for creating a realistic set of teenage girls to kick-off the episode. Goldie hard-to-remember-last-name was complaining to her friend about her mom's rules and a desire to escape. Her typical and realistic complaints make up for the teenage girl that was carrying a Hello Kitty purse and a brush that could only be used on doll hair in the episode "Baby." The real-life parent relationship parallels with Amara and Crowley, and I thought it was a nice touch.

(soooo many)

Castiel's finally finished his Netflix binge, praise Chuck! I mean God...a girl can only hope that Chuck Shurley ends up being God all along. That might just be me...back to Castiel. Our angel leaves the bunker and hunts down Metatron (*grumbles* *secretly hopes he takes him out*)and gives him a firm talking to.

I hope that the writers didn't intentionally rip off the movie Nightcrawler's plot, rather that they were attempting to reflect Castiel's television watching in Metatron's own life. Otherwise, that would be my one complaint for Wednesday's episode. Also, Demon Tablet?!?! I hope I wasn't the only one to forget about that. That just happened. Andddddd Cas let him go.



SAM SUGGESTED AN EXORCISM, AND THEY PUT A DEMON TRAP ON THE CEILING, ALL IN ONE EPISODE!!! I was pretty excited with those choices, and it reminded me that we haven't had a good exorcism in a while. You know you're a Supernatural fan when you use "good" and "exorcism" together in a sentence.

I appear to be part of the small group of people that viewed Dean and Amara's interaction to not be something you would call and report to a pedophile hotline. I saw the advancements coming from Amara, but no sign of sexual attraction from Dean. Yes, it was awkward. Yes, the two are bound by the mark. That doesn't mean that it has to be sexual. I see Dean's reactions to be that of confusion and deep interest in what the attraction is on a non-pedo level. I was also nervous that she was going to eat his soul in order to further plot and get him on her side.

We also found out that Amara is God's sister (*fist pumping the air*). This is actual mythology that I've read up on in the past, and I'm elated to see that they are writing it into the story line! (It's quite an interesting tale, and I would recommend reading it if you enjoy folklore like myself). This also puts her on the top of the food chain, and the Winchesters are going to need help from someone or something.

I'll wrap up this post with the beautiful and blood-pumping ending we got: Sam is having his visions again, and we saw the Cage. Is Lucifer going to break out?? For the love of Sam's luscious mane, I hope so. Another possibility: ADAM. MILLIGAN. The third Winchester three times removed (once by their father, twice by the ghouls, and the third by the Cage). If he gets out, he's going to be one angry boy.

The end with Amara walking down the street gave me the impression that it signified her solo-entry into the human world, but I felt that she might have passed someone important without even knowing, like *cough* Chuck (I'm still hoping).

Did you watch "Our Little World"? What are your theories? React with me in the comments!

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The Road So Far: Five Reasons Why You Should Watch Supernatural

I don’t know about you, but for a long time I didn’t know what Supernatural was. I was on tumblr, so naturally I had seen gifs and feelsy graphics of the Winchester brothers everywhere, but I didn’t know where they were from or who they were. Following a text post  If you haven’t already started the series, and are looking for some incentive to do so, read on.

1. It's the family business.

One of the first things you will learn once you begin to watch Supernatural, is that the family business is something that is not easily left behind. Saving people, hunting things, the show is addicting from the get go. And, as the fandom is aptly named, we’re all one big SPNFamily.

2. The fandom has a gif for literally everything.

No, really. We do.

3. Sam's hair becomes increasingly more fabulous.

If even possible, Sam Winchester’s hair grows in length and fabulousness, until it becomes the glorious moose-mane we all know and love. By the end of the show, we expect his hair to look a little like this: 

4. Lucifer.

Come on now. Just how many fandoms can say that Lucifer is one of their favorite baddies and is just ‘misunderstood’? One. One can do so. And it’s Supernatural. Besides. Dean may be the one with the classic rock obsession, but Lucifer's the one who can quote Devil Went Down To Georgia and have it work.

5. The Winchester boys.

Perhaps this one's a given, but in all seriousness, the relationship between Sam and Dean alone is worth watching this show for. The sacrifices they make for each other will make you squee and cry and wonder where you can find a Winchester of your own.


What do you think? Convinced that Supernatural is the show for you yet? No? Let us know!

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The Road So Far: Three Must-See Episodes of Supernatural

As it approaches it’s eleventh season, Supernatural has surpassed 200 episodes, a daunting marathon for any viewers just joining the Winchesters on the road. While I would definitely recommend watching from the beginning, there are several episodes that I think can be watched as standalones and yet still capture the dry humor and brotherly affection we’ve come love without the viewer knowing all the intricate backstories. These are three of those episodes, in no particular order. I’ve tried to keep spoilers out, but beware!

Fan Fiction (Season 10, Episode 5)

The fifth episode of the most recent season of Supernatural, and the 200th episode of the show overall, I would definitely consider Fan Fiction to be a must-see episode. As Sam and Dean investigate the disappearance of a teacher, they are stunned to find that the school is putting on a musical version of their life. This is definitely the most humorous of the episodes I’ve listed here. From Dean freaking out about the existence “Destiel” within the musical production to the appearance of Chuck at the end, this episode is teeming with humor and familiar faces. If that’s not enough to persuade you to watch this episode, the students in the musical singing Carry On Wayward Son should be.

While I’ve listed this episode as a standalone, there is definitely some background information necessary in order to completely understand all of the jokes made. If anything, I would suggest watching seasons one through four before watching this episode.

Mystery Spot (Season 3, Episode 11)

Caught in a Groundhog Day-like time loop, Sam is forced to repeatedly relive the same Tuesday and watch Dean die in a new way each day. This episode is equal parts feelsy and hilarious. The ways in which Dean die range from plausible to downright crazy. Choking on a taco, slipping in the shower, falling piano…the writers didn’t hold back when imagining the death of everyone’s favorite Winchester. I think I like this one so much because it has a happy ending, something that we don’t often see in Supernatural, while at the same time we see Sam out of his element a little as he’s forced to find whatever’s causing his brother to die mostly on his own.

Sam, Interrupted (Season 5, Episode 11)

In order to investigate a monster that's killing patients, Sam and Dean get themselves admitted to a mental hospital. This episode actually freaked me out a little at first (a steady three-point-five on my scare-o-meter) and, while I had my suspicions at first, the monster was not what I thought it was. However, this episode did contain the humor I love from the Winchester brothers. Keep in mind that the boys were admitting themselves to a mental hospital. They didn’t need to say much to do so. Drop a few hints about starting the apocalypse, being high off of demon blood, etc. and they’re good to go. Add in a crazy ex-Hunter and an exam happy nurse and you’ve got the makings of an excellent episode of Supernatural. 

What episodes would you consider to be must-see? Disagree with whether or not these should be considered standalone? Let’s talk family business.

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Sam and Dean Winchester at Hogwarts

One of my favorite things to do is sort my favorite characters into Hogwarts houses. In fact, it might just be an unhealthy obsession of mine, and, because I just can't get enough of the Winchester boys, Sam and Dean have become my latest victims.

SAM WINCHESTER // SLYTHERIN
Sam was hard for me to Sort. However, when consulting with my sister, we both came to the conclusion that, while he definitely possessed traits consistent with all four houses, he was predominantly Slytherin. We based this decision on two things:

1. His actions as soulless!Sam. Yeah, we know that at the time he wasn’t in possession of his soul, the way in which he handled himself was largely consistent with the actions of a Slytherin. For example, the way he allowed Dean to be turned into a vampire in hopes that vamp!Dean would lead him to the head honcho. He allowed himself to become ruthless, although we know that he wasn’t entirely himself.

2. He’s incredibly cunning and, at times, ambition is what drives him. We see this primarily in the first season when Sam has just come back from college and rejoined Dean in the hunting world. He left because of his own needs, something that can be seen as both selfish and ambitious, particularly in what he planned to do at Stanford. Law school was definitely ambitious for a boy who had previously been on the move for his entire life.

Because of these two things, Sam was placed into Slytherin.

DEAN WINCHESTER // HUFFLEPUFF

Dean was an easy one to Sort. He too possesses many traits that could place him within any of the four Houses. Hufflepuff, the house of the loyal, however, seemed to be the most fitting for the oldest Winchester boy. As we’ve seen over the entire series, family and loyalty to that family is everything to Dean. It’s why he didn’t understand why Sam would leave and go to Stanford. It’s why he followed his father’s instructions blindly and unwaveringly. More than that, though, one of the biggest things about Hufflepuffs (besides their loyalty), is their incredible dedication and ability to work hard. This is something we also see from Dean. He throws himself into his work entirely and tirelessly. 

He also is quite the fan of food, something that, while not exclusively attributed to Hufflepuff, is a Harry Potter head canon.

What do you think? Was I spot on with Dean? Was Sam's house iffy? Let's talk Hogwarts and our favorite Hunters.

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The Road So Far: Sam Winchester (Part Four)

the entirety of this post will be spoilers. proceed at your own risk.

part one // part two // part three

When we left off, several months ago, I was discussing the importance of two particular episodes in showing Sam’s character development: Houses of the Holy (Season 2, ep. 13) and Born Under a Bad Sign (Season 2, ep. 14). Sam had just been weighed down by the incredible guilt of knowing that he was responsible for the death of a fellow hunter, and he couldn’t forgive himself.

It doesn’t just end there for Sam, though. He meets Madison, and, for the first time since Jess, he lets himself love again. He lets himself imagine a future away from the world of demons and hunting and pain. And then he finds out that she’s a monster and must be killed because she cannot be saved. The parallels between Madison and the reason she had to die and Sam himself are kind of hard to ignore, you know? Sam, in his own eyes and, to some extent, even Dean’s was a monster. And John had ordered him to be killed.

The third episode that I think has incredible impact on and provides insight into Sam’s character is All Hell Breaks Loose (Season 2, ep. 21-22). First, Sam’s worst fears are confirmed. He’s the reason why both his mother and Jess died, and THEN the idea that he’s a monster is confirmed with the knowledge that the demon bled into his mouth. He finds out that he really does need to be saved, and is forced to watch good people turn to killing.

More than that, he’s forced to fight. And he has the chance, during the episode, to turn to violence in the same way that Ava and Jake do. But he doesn’t. He doesn’t use his powers to do what Azazel wants.

Okay. This is what I really love about this. We’re starting to see Sam come full circle here.

Sam has always thought that he’s a freak. We’ve talked about this. We’ve cried over this. We know it to be true. Over the entire second season, we see that Sam definitely has the capability of becoming a monster and that he believed he was going to become one.

But here’s the thing: SAM WINCHESTER HAS NEVER WANTED TO BE A FREAK OR A MONSTER.

So he didn’t become one.

And then Dean arrives on the scene and everything is okay. Everything has to be okay because Dean’s there. Because that’s what Dean does and he’s right there.

And then Jake stabs Sam.

We focus so much, during that scene, on Dean’s facial expressions, his pain, gAH EVERYTHING DEAN BECAUSE FEELS AND PAIN AND DEAN. What we don’t really focus on is Sam. Sam’s reaction. And I think that Sam’s reaction is equally as important as Dean’s.

Here’s what I think:

I think that maybe Sam didn’t think this was such a bad way to go. He went out defying the demon. He died doing the exact opposite of what he was supposed to be doing — the opposite of what Azazel and Gordon and John thought he would do. They all thought that Sam would need to be killed because he was going to kill others.

They never considered the possibility of Sam choosing to do the right thing on his own.

But he did. He had a choice, something that we see over the course of these episodes. We see that he has the exact same choice as Jake. And he chooses not to kill Jake. He could have made excuses. “He’s trying to kill me,” or, “he’s not human anymore,” but he doesn’t. He doesn’t. Sam Winchester has always seen the good in people. The humanity. And he shows time and time again that the most important thing to him (besides his family) is not hurting anyone. He doesn’t kill Jake because he doesn’t want to be responsible for hurting anyone, regardless of who they are.

Sam didn’t kill Jake until Jake started using his powers to hurt others. He didn’t kill him until his death protected others.

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The Road So Far: Sam Winchester (Part 3)

the entirety of this post will be spoilers. proceed at your own risk.

part one // part two

Today we're continuing our analysis of Sam Winchester, one half of the monster hunting duo featured in Supernatural, starting with Sam's realization that he must be saved. And if not, he's going to turn into a monster and, because of that, he has to die. Not only that, but that his death was ordered by his own father. Ouch.

Sam doesn't focus on that though. He doesn't focus on the fact that his father ordered his brother to kill him. No. Instead he's consumed with what will happen if he becomes a monster, and the safety of those around him if he becomes one. He worries about it to the point that he finds himself agreeing with John. He tells himself, "one day I could become the thing that killed mom and Jess. One day I could be a monster. One day I could kill people I care about. I could become one of the things we hunt." 

This is where Sam's incredible trust in his brother comes into play again. He makes Dean promise to kill him if that happens. If he goes to the dark side. And he does it because he trusts that Dean cares enough about him that he won't allow him to jeopardize the safety of those around him.

Okay. Now I'm going to get really specific and talk about two episodes in which we really see Sam's character the best. 

1. Houses of the Holy. (Season 2, Episode 13)

Houses of the Holy shows us, if nothing else, that Sam has faith. And, by the way he talks about it, we can surmise that he's had faith for a long time. Most likely since before Stanford. He's been praying since before Stanford and that means that he found his faith since before his life looked anything like normal. And it means that he did it on his own.

But more than just finding his faith. He kept it. That's what kept him with Dean. He still believed, even when he and Dean were hunting horrible, twisted monsters, that there was good in the world and that it was worth fighting for. I think part of that faith leads him to believe that if he only does enough good, he'll be safe. If he does enough good, it'll counteract the demon blood. If he does enough good, he won't become one of the monsters he hunts.

This leads into the second episode I wanted to talk about.

2. Born Under a Bad Sign. (Season 2, Episode 14)

Before I get to into depth with this one, I want to talk about the episode in general for a bit. When I was talking about this post with my sister, she argued that it really didn't reflect on Sam at all, being that he was possessed for the duration of it. I disagree. I think that for at least the first half of the episode, up until Dean makes it clear that he won't kill his brother, Sam was in control.

Why I think that is there is no way that Meg could have faked the range of emotion we see from Sam in this episode. Sam is horrified by what he's done. He's horrified. He begs Dean to kill him, even before they knew what was happening. He wants to admit at the end of the episode that he's responsible for that hunter dying. We also have evidence that demons can let their hosts take control for periods of time, so what if Meg did let Sam take the reins?

Anyway. Let's just go with Sam was in control for a while at least. 

He wakes up in the middle of nowhere, covered in blood, and he can't remember anything. And then, when Dean shows up, he learns that he's been gone for a week. He knows that something bad happened and he can see himself killing a man. A good man. 

Dean is the one we always see struggle with guilt and is most often credited with having a guilt streak a mile wide. But Sam is exactly the same way. Exactly. He wants nothing more than to help people, as we've seen from the beginning. To know that he's responsible for killing someone? Especially when that someone was a hunter? That, in Sam's mind, was unforgivable.

To Be Continued...

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