I had postulated in part 1 that if Chuck/God had been the one to send Sam's vision in Baby, then why didn't he warn Sam about Lucifer as well? My belief is that not only did God want to save his sister, but he wanted to save his children as well, to offer them a shot at redemption. Family, that's what this show has always been about and it's my belief that Chuck/God wanted to save his family, and at what point did God put his plan to do that into effect? My guess, the moment Heaven was commanded that Sam and Dean Winchester be born. Chuck/God kept talking about the Chosen and it got me thinking of who that could possibly include, other than the obvious, so I went back and compiled a short list of those of God's children who redeemed themselves. I can't help but believe that God had known all along that all of these children would eventually seek redemption. Perhaps God had known this to be the case all along, and why He chose them to begin with.
First there was Gabriel. He was an arch angel, one of the first to be created by God. He had been a part of those who helped God lock his sister away in his attempt to save the world. Gabriel had opted out of heaven when the arch angels decided to take over when Dad "left". He hid in his own little corner of the world and became the Trickster delivering his own brand of justice to those he believe deserved it. Gabriel also stood by and did nothing while his brothers decided to begin the Apocalypse. It wasn't until spending time with the Winchesters that Gabriel eventually had a change of heart, stood up to his brother and in the end provided the boys with a way to stop Lucifer. Gabriel, was the first of God's chosen to have redeemed himself.
Gadreel is another of God's chosen. Chuck/God chose him to guard the Garden. He put Gadreel in charge because he trusted him out of all the other angels. It was unfortunate that Gadreel had been deceived and the Serpent got in, corrupting mankind for all eternity. Gadreel was punished by Chuck/God for such a disappointment. As I believe (in Show) that Chuck/God knows and sees all and has pretty much had a hand in orchestrating most of the events in some small way, I think God knew all along what Metatron would do and that the angels would fall, including Gadreel. It stands to reason that God knew of Gadreel's guilt and sorrow for the part he played in corrupting mankind. Gadreel's only goal was to seek redemption in the eyes of Heaven. His first action was to answer Dean's call and save Sam's life. It was only because Gadreel was so blinded and driven by his need to redeem himself that he enabled himself to be tricked once again. In the end though, Gadreel sacrificed himself for humankind. Gadreel is another one of God's chosen that sought and found redemption.
Then we have Metatron. God/Chuck chose him to write down his word and I don't believe it was because he was closest to the door. Metatron has been quite the pissed off angel. He had been plotting revenge upon his brethren since he was driven from his home in Heaven. He bided his time, concocted a perfect plan and managed to expel the angels from Heaven, Gadreel being one of them. Metatron didn't want to just take over Heaven, he wanted to take over the planet and become the New God. Metatron confessed that a big part of the reason he did that was to get his Father's attention, but I'd say we are inspired and want to emulate those we love the most. Metatron used Cas, he used Gadreel and he used every tactic to turn the angels on Cas, who was trying to stop Metatron. Metatron killed many, including Kevin all on his journey to become God. His attempt failed though and the result was Metatron becoming human, which in the end saved him. Metatron's shot at redemption was most obvious in Don't Call Me Shurley and it was God/Chuck himself that offered it to him. The episode starts with a very downtrodden, human Metatron dumpster diving for food, and yet we see the humanity in Metatron when the food he does find he gives to a dog. (I'm not even going to go into the symbolism of Man's best friend being dog and dog backwards spells out God....just saying). In a flash Metatron finds himself in a bar with Chuck/God himself, given the opportunity to help Chuck with His so called autobiography. Chuck/God who "seemingly" gives up on all of humanity, in the end manages to elicit Metatron's understanding of why God created humans in the first place, why he put humans first and even why humans are ultimately saved in the end by offering us a place in Heaven. God's so called indifference to his creation had prompted Metatron to fight for it. It was then that Chuck/God did his "rewrite" in which He offered to sacrifice himself to save the World, and with that Metatron did exactly what God had wanted him to do, he brought the book to Sam and Dean Winchester. The Winchesters, God's original plan to not only save the world, but save his family. When the boys realise that God is willing to make a trade, Dean eventually confronts Chuck, stating that it's His fight. Chuck/God on the other hand has a different plan in mind. Chuck tells Dean that if his plan fails, humans will step up, the Winchesters would step up, they would find a way, and confessed it's why He saved Sam and Dean long ago. The Winchesters and his chosen few were the firewall. God's so called plan will "direct" the boys to find another way to stop Amara, in essence "God's Way". Metatron even sacrificed himself in an attempt to save the world, now whether he read about the part he played in Chuck's book or not, he did, in the end find redemption.
Lucifer was the most trusted of God's children and the first to fall and disappoint his father. As we learned from God, he didn't banish Lucifer to the cage merely because he was disappointed in him, Lucifer became corrupted and couldn't be trusted. God banished him for the safety of the world, just like he banished his sister for the same reason. It's not that God stopped loving Lucifer or Amara, as much as he loved them, he couldn't seem to reach them either. For the sake of all, God opted for trapping them, perhaps time is what they needed before Chuck/God reached out to them again. The flaw with that notion of course is how pissed off they would be, but it seems to me that God was looking beyond the anger. As we have learned from Lucifer himself, he had been the one to send to Sam his visions (sans the one from Baby). Why then would God/Chuck not have warned Sam about this is the question I pondered earlier. I believe God/Chuck wanted Lucifer out of the cage. Sam had been lured to the cage and God knew Sam would have the strength to say no. It was Lucifer's conversation with Sam that was important. As much as it was hard to watch Sam go through the torture, the message was clear. Lucifer wanted out because he wanted to stop Amara. Whether Lucifer realized it or not, though his motives might have been for selfish reasons, his main goal here was to stop the Darkness, to stop Amara from destroying his Father's creation. Though Sam pointed out that it was just as likely that Lucifer would want the Apocalypse again, he did make it a point to bring up the fact that it would be better than nothing at all. While Sam was right that either way, humans end up with the short end of the stick in either scenario, the significance here is that Lucifer wouldn't have wiped out all of God's creation, he was the lesser of two evils so to speak. Cas said yes to Lucifer because he believed he was the answer. God never intended on Lucifer being the answer, God just wanted Lucifer to want to be the answer. Lucifer did try. He attempted to stop Amara, which is what God wanted from him. God wanted Lucifer to want to try. Lucifer was never intended to succeed, the success came in Lucifer coming face to face with his Father and forgiving and understanding. Father and Son coming together, talking it out, offering and accepting forgiveness. Lucifer had found redemption and God reunited with another of his chosen children.
This brings us to the last of God's' chosen, Castiel. Cas, as noted by Naomi, was always different, the spanner in the works. Cas was chosen to guide and protect the Winchesters. While Cas has made big mistakes, his intentions have always been to help, he's always tried to do the right thing. Cas has learned by his mistakes, he lived as both angel and human which gives Cas an understanding and a devotion to humanity that no other angel could possibly comprehend. The Winchesters have taught Cas the importance of friendship, humanity, family and love. While Cas saying yes to Lucifer may have seemed to be a mistake, Cas was doing exactly what God had wanted him to do. Cas agreeing to be Lucifer's vessel, in turn gave Lucifer his chance at redemption. It also gave Cas a sense of being important in this fight, especially since he was beginning to feel, expendable. God has given Cas the most important job of all though, Cas is the protector and guardian of the Winchesters as well as humanity itself. God has left the world in the very capable hands of Sam, Dean and Cas.
It was so clear to me as the season concluded it's true meaning, what show has always truly been about in fact. Family. Supernatural has always been and always will be about family. Sam and Dean Winchester, created by Heaven at God's command, would come to represent what God wanted for himself. It's through Sam and Dean that God finally achieves this goal. From the moment Chuck/God appeared in Don't Call Me Shurley and the appearance of the Samulet, it became so apparent to me what Chuck was doing and how he had been orchestrating the situation so it came to the conclusion he so desperately wanted. While it was the last four episodes of the season that completed the picture, the writing on the wall has been there since the very beginning.
The Codependent Angle: Sam & Dean Winchester
For the conclusion of this article I wanted to start at the beginning. In the beginning we have Chuck/God and Amara/Darkness. God and Amara are literally the definition of codependency for one cannot exist without the other. If one dies, they both die and with that anything and everything in creation as well. God and Amara must exist together or there is no existence at all. Chuck/God loves his sister and vice versa. Still, God wanted more, but in wanting more it didn't mean he didn't love his sister less. Chuck/God created life for both of them to watch over, but Amara didn't want to share God. She wanted only them. In an effort to protect His creation, God traps his sister. He doesn't love her any less, but he wanted to protect his creation and this was the only way he could think to do it. God never wanted to physically harm his sister in any way. It's my guess that God had hoped time is what she needed before he attempted to reach out to her again. I have no doubt that he always intended to do that. What makes me so sure? The very fact that Sam and Dean Winchester were created specifically at his command and every single event that happened to them, both good and bad. Sam and Dean Winchester had been God's plan all along, his weapon not only to save humanity, but to save his family as well.
Sam and Dean Winchester have often been described by others to be severely co-dependent. While Zach and doctors saw this as a problem, it's this co-dependency that has literally saved the world. In Season 5, the angels tried to convince Sam and Dean to be vessels for their perspective arch angels. They tried convincing Sam that he had been Lucifer's intended, while Dean was convinced he was to be Michael's. Sam had been compared to Lucifer because he had been the little brother who refused to follow Daddy's footsteps. Dean had been compared to Michael as the obedient son who did in fact follow Daddy's rules. The angels, including Lucifer himself, convinced themselves that Sam and Dean were meant to help them start the Apocalypse. As we come to the conclusion of this eleven year story, it's my belief that Sam and Dean's similarities were not those of Lucifer & Michael, but of Chuck & Amara.
Chuck/God loved his sister but wanted something more. He wanted to experience something more. Sam Winchester loves his brother with all he has, but as child he had always wanted something more. He wanted to go to school. He wanted to live safe. Chuck created the world and humans. Sam chose to go to school, have a girlfriend, possibly get married and become a lawyer. In both cases, neither Chuck or Sam loved their sibling any less. In both cases, nothing would change their love for their siblings. Amara loved God and didn't want to share God with anyone or anything else. Amara thought God loved her less, that she wasn't enough. Dean, like Amara, thought the same way. Dean felt Sam didn't love him the same way because Sam wanted to go to school. Dean took care of Sam as children, he still takes care of Sam the same way. Dean always believed that they were enough, that they were all they needed and couldn't understand that just because Sam had wanted to experience new things, it didn't mean he didn't love or would be willing to kill or die for Dean. Sam has always had faith, he's always been seen as the light in Dean's life. Dean has often been tied to Darkness. It happened after his trip to hell, when he confessed to enjoying torturing others. It happened in Purgatory as well, when he confessed that he found a calm there. He was free to kill without conscience or guilt. Dean was deemed worthy of the Mark and eventually became a demon. If we look at the big picture, it's clear to see that :
Sam = Chuck Dean = Amara
The difference though, is that Sam and Dean's co-dependency succeeded where God and Amara's had failed. It is why God created them in the first place. It's why they are mirror images. Sam and Dean are God's success story. They epitomize everything He wants for himself and his family. It's why Sam and Dean have experienced all that they have, both good and bad. God never intended on having a showdown with Amara. It's always been God's intention to reunite with His family and Sam and Dean Winchester have always been his method in which to do so. Everything the boys have been through has made them a stronger unit. No fight, nothing one has ever done to the other has broken their bond. They have hurt each other sure, but they have always forgiven each other. They have felt that they've disappointed each other, but that never stopped either one from loving the other. They fight for each other. They believe in each other. Though they've both attempted to go one without the other, to follow a domestic path to try to cope with their loss, neither one have truly found happiness in any other life than the one they have with each other. "There ain't no me if there ain't no you"...."I need him and he need's me". Sam and Dean epitomize co-dependency, just as Chuck and Amara do. Dean was worthy of the mark not because he was a killer as he believed, he was worthy of the mark because of his likeness with Amara. Sam and Dean have succeeded in a way God/Amara have not. Dean was bonded to Amara not because he was meant to destroy her, but because he was always meant to reach her. That is why Dean was worthy of the Mark. Dean's love for his brother is what enabled him to reach out to Amara to get her to remember her own love for her brother. This was God's plan all along. This was how he was going to reunite with Amara. Sam and Dean have always been God's weapon, not only to save the world and to leave it in their capable hands, but to save his own family. Sam and Dean have played a part in the redemption of all of God's chosen who have fallen. God has his family back and it was Sam and Dean Winchester who gave them back to Him.
God told Dean that He and Amara were going to take some time and when Dean asked about them, the world, God told Dean that everything would be fine, that the world still had Sam and Dean. It kind of makes me wonder about where the story is headed now. Will Sam and Dean eventually become full time MOL? Will they guide other hunters to keep the world safe until God returns? I don't know where the story will go from here, but I do know that whatever direction it takes, Sam and Dean Winchester will be facing it together.
Thanks for reading!
-Anna
I would rather believe in your version than think that the writers didn't really know what to do with Amara, and was just making it all up as they went along. I'd rather believe that Lucifer was let out of the cage for a reason, and can now find his purpose, whether that be for good or continued evil. I don't like the thought, as some comments elsewhere have suggested, that Cas was wrong to say yes to Lucifer. That he did it out of low self-esteem only, and that it was pointless. I like to think that he did it to try to save Sam, Dean, and the world and that he was right to do so. Misha has hinted that Cas becomes more like the angel he was when he was introduced. I hope so, make him fierce again, that would be great. I don't envy the showrunner and writers that have to keep this show going forward. We the fans want epic stories in 42 minutes on a limited budget. Some people want a road show, others love the bunker and the MOL story line. We want strong women guest stars, but don't want romance unless they can meet our impossibly high standards, and not really even then, because we get a little jealous. We don't want our favorite guest stars to die, even though this is a very dangerous world they live in. It has to be hard to keep the story moving forward, without mangling canon, but also staying fresh and exciting. Here's hoping for an amazing season 12. Thanks for the article, Anna, I enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteHey Mallena. Thank you so much for reading....I know it was a long piece. The way I look at it....Kripke always only had a 5 yr plan..no matter what, he never intended on going past 5. Kripke often had to treat all his finales as though they would be the last especially during the reign of DO at the WB. Jeremy Carver joined Kripke's team early on and stayed with him for three years. Carver was there for both the introduction of the angels and the introduction of God back in Swan Song. At least for me anyway, because I always believed Chuck to be God. Now Swan Song closed the Apocalypse arc for sure, I always felt as though there was more story than this. It seemed to lack closure for me. I guess it was always the fact that Sam & Dean had to be born. Perhaps if Swan Song had concluded the series it wouldn't feel so open ended for me. The fact was, there was more story to tell. Sera tried to go a bigger route and while I enjoyed s6, and some of s7, it was a pretty anticlimactic ending to the leviathans. Then Carver came back, Carver who right from the beginning felt as though he was continuing where he left off. He was there with the onset of the angels and God and he continued telling the story. Now while a lot of the angel stuff didn't appeal to some, all three of Carver's seasons felt like it was the continuation of the story kripke began so long ago, at least for me. I don't know if Carver had always had this plan in mind, or he came up with it when he returned, but it became obvious to me that he wanted to delve into and conclude the story Kripke started.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting that Carver has been a part of the show for so long, I didn't realize that. The apocalypse and the first 5 seasons are hard to live up to, but I appreciate that the story continues, though it has been disappointing sometimes.
DeleteWell I have to say you certainly see the show different than me. I would not quite give Jeremy the credit you want to give him as I believe he did little for Sam and season 9 was unforgiveable in the way Sam,s violation was treated .
ReplyDeleteYet he was once one of my favourite writers .
The God situation on the show ended in a damp squib for me amnd I wonder if Amara had been connected to Sam whether we would of seen the same story that we had with her and Dean.
I admire your look at the show it may not be mine for my own reasons but thank you for your often interesting articles .
Thanks for reading. When the season ended, it had just connected for me that it was the conclusion of a story which began so long ago. Sam and Dean Winchester having to be born always resonated with me....and had show ended as kripke believed it was going to, then I probably would've chocked it up to them being born to stop the apocalypse alone. But Show went on and new showrunners continued a story which I believe was to be bigger. It seemed to me, a how do you go bigger than the apocalypse question. Sera tried with the levi's but not everyone liked that story, though soulless sam was awesome. Carver taking over in s8, knowing that he signed a contract lasting three years, would most likely come in with an idea, a story arc that he wanted to try, or perhaps always wanted to do...who knows. I do believe though he had a plan coming in...and again, how do we go bigger than the apocalypse...that still seemed to be the notion the writers were asking themselves. Carver went in a different direction, yet a plausible one from the start. Sera and co. had mentally beaten the crap out of sam in s6 and s7, nearly killing him. For Sam to simply bounce back after such and ordeal especially given the loss of his brother and everyone else in his life, it wouldn't have been reality for sam not to crack. Carver went against expectation, sam's superhuman, robot abilities and wrote him as vulnerable and broken and lost. Losing his touchstone was more than Sam could bear. Season 8 thru 11 might not have pleased everyone, but the story that unfolded felt natural and organic. Sam broke when Dean died. Dean broke in Purgatory. Dean took out his issues on Sam. Sam was made to believe he failed his brother. Sam was ready to give up to atone, & Dean realized how his own issues pushed his brother to feel that way. Dean begged his brother to stop the trials, knowing full well that his hurtful words and actions drove Sam to wanting to complete them...Dean reaches Sam but Sam falls anyway, dying....Dean can't let Sam die...He can't let his brother die thinking that Dean thought he was a disappointment. So he does what Sam considers the unthinkable & possesses him. Understandable but with time, the lying & the deceiving had to stop especially when Sam thought there was just something wrong with him. Dean's fear kept the truth from Sam, which Sam would've been able to forgive sooner had his hands not been used to kill kevin...I get it though...Sam had every reason to be angry & Dean should've apologized to SAm for the lying...but instead Dean threw himself a pity party that lasted the rest of the season....as much as that part of the story wasn't all that enjoyable for some, including myself, I got it...I understood where it was going....when s11 came to it's conclusion, Carver's story arc made perfect sense to me. I also think Singer & Dabb had a hand in it as well. When Carver let them know he was leaving, Dabb, concluded the end of Carver's arc....as much as it felt like a rush job, and we missed out on what could've been a cool moment between God & Sam, I just felt the conclusion of the story was fitting......and whether it was legitimately planned or serendipity....the way this arc ended tied in with the entire concept of this show. The introduction of Amara and her relationship with God really felt to me exactly where Carver planned on going all along....and the codependency angle that was really focused on for the last three years now seems premeditated....like it was a plan in the making for quite a long time.
ReplyDeleteI do hope that the samulet will be touched upon again though in s12....I get there wasn't much time at the end...it was mostly strategic & orchestrated....the chessboard being set....I do think we should get a scene where Dean acknowledges that Sam had the amulet the entire time....here's to hoping LOL