SPN Analysis – S1E11 – “Scarecrow” aka HOLY HELL WHAT THE HELL

I am seriously badly behind on my Supernatural summaries, not to mention my analyses – an unhappy state o’ affairs which I hope to begin remedying this weekend. But you do not have to go without! For my SPN partner Zeroth has been keeping up, and has this week’s analysis for you. (If you need a summary of Episode 11 before you can read his analysis of this bit, Snark Squad has a good ‘un here.)

So instead of looking at the whole episode, I want to look at one specific scene in this episode.

I am referring to when John Winchester, Dean and Sam’s dad finally calls them. It’s a packed and complex scene with absolutely beautiful production work.

In the last ten episodes we’ve gotten to see something of what John Winchester means to his sons. Dean is the good little soldier, and jealous of Sam’s rebellion. Sam is desperate for validation from his father, for acceptance and support. He rebels because he can’t live with being a good, obedient son like Dean is.

Dean raised Sam. Dean saved Sam’s life from their mother’s killer twice. Sam left the hunting lifestyle behind, and was pulled back in by Dean.

In just those ten episodes, we have a complex vortex of pain and meaning associated with the word “family” to each of these three people. For John, it is loss and vengeance and obligation. For Dean, it is terror and parental love and obedience. For Sam, it is rebellion and a desperate need to be loved.

Which is what makes this scene so very important.

Read the rest! And I promise I’ll get off me arse and start getting caught up on these things soon. I already know what I want to say – I just haven’t had the time to say it!

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SPN Analysis – S1E11 – “Scarecrow” aka HOLY HELL WHAT THE HELL
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