Review for 3x07 'Fresh Blood'
Nov. 17th, 2007 05:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
galatheaSera Gamble and Kim Manners for the win!! This week’s episode Fresh Blood was an exhilarating and utterly satisfying ride, a bright reminder of why I love this show so damn much! It made me cry and laugh and shudder, all within the short range of 40 minutes and can easily hold its ground beside other outstanding SN episodes. ♥ ♥
Every now and then Supernatural creates these episodes that are damn near perfect: the character dynamics are spot on, the writing is concise, has depth and is rooted in previous events, the monster-of-the-week plot and the story between the Winchester brothers are perfectly interwoven with each other, the acting is even more remarkable than usual, the cinematography is beautiful and on top of it all we get a cool song that reflects on the characters and their situation, before we fade out into black. Fresh Blood pretty much is one of those episodes for me and while I liked most S3 episodes so far and loved and cherished a lot of the character and plot developments, this one was the first that had me fully invested and left me with incoherent glee.
In comparison to most other episodes this season Fresh Blood benefits from being embedded into the background context of Supernatural - it didn’t need a lot of expositional scenes and could just jump right into the story. The vampire lore was established in Dead Man’s Blood and Bloodlust, the history with Gordon is a recurring theme since the beginning of S2. The one-shot characters were at the sidelines and only served to move the plot around Gordon and the Winchesters, but they still maintained enough depth to tell a story of their own. Perfect!
Choosing a vampire themed episode for the brothers' final confrontation with Gordon was the logical choice, coming full circle for the character, who got started in his life as a hunter by a vampire attack and was obsessed with them ever since. In the end Gordon found his nemesis in the very creatures he hunted, and even though that's exactly the kind of poetic justice that can appear clichéd, Sera Gamble’s writing and Sterling K. Brown's acting made this plot twist believable and interesting. Gordon became a hunter to seek revenge for his baby sister’s death at the hand of vampires, and he died at the hand of a vampire, who sought revenge for the death of his daughter, killed by a hunter. It’s a vicious circle between the hunters and the hunted and it refers back to Lenore’s belief that vampires and hunters need to change in order to find a peaceful co-existence, the truce between her group and the Winchesters being a first step into the right direction.
Gordon never believed in shades of grey. His actions have always been rooted in the belief that supernatural creatures have no other choice but being evil, and consequently he applies that belief to himself when he is turned into a vampire. He instantly succumbs to the vampire instincts and doesn't even try to fight it, simply killing the first person he meets to still his hunger. It’s established in this episode that newly turned vampires go through a phase of adaptation. They obviously keep their lucidity and retain a connection to their human persona, so it's no surprise that the part of Gordon that is still human comes to the conclusion that he has to die. After all, he has become the very thing he hunts.
What works so beautifully in this turn of events is that Gordon, the vampire, is basically indistinguishable from Gordon, the vampire hunter. A ruthless, dangerous, narrow-minded, obsessed man, blinded by misdirected convictions, who uses whatever means necessary to achieve his goals. He lost perspective on goodness and humanity long before he became a vampire, hence his being turned into one works as a perfect externalisation of his inner 'monster'.
The final face-off between Sam and Gordon was staged beautifully. It was visually compelling and rich in symbolism. Gordon used his own inner darkness for the hunt; he readily admitted to Dean in Bloodlust that the darkness inside him keeps him hungry and sharp. So, I think it was entirely appropriate to externalise that darkness metaphor by plunging the room into darkness, with Gordon using his night-vision as an advantage over Sam, cutting Sam off of his natural environment and his support system (Dean). Where Sam struggles with the darkness - firmly believing in his choices and the ability to control his own inner impulses - Gordon uses the darkness to prey on his opponent. His vision is 'clear', where Sam’s is obstructed. So it’s wonderfully ironical that with his final attack on Sam, Gordon moves them both back into the light, not only reuniting Sam with Dean and giving him the added motivation to fight for his brother’s life, but also depriving himself of his main advantage. The metaphors of light versus dark, choice versus destiny, innocent versus monster just worked beautifully in this scene.
Sam cutting off Gordon’s head with a wire was gruesome to watch, and I shortly wondered if that’s believable, but I think I remember faintly from the Mr. Ripley novels that it is entirely possible to sever a head with a piano cord, with an extreme rush of adrenaline it shouldn’t necessarily require extra-human strength to achieve that. On the other hand, Sam was fighting for his' and Dean's life, fuelled by Gordon's attack on Dean and since I assume that Sam may still have his powers, it would theoretically be able for him to subconsciously unlock Jake-like super-strength in a rush of anger and desperation, like he did with the telekinesis incident in Nightmare.
Sam looks dazed, amazed and a little lost at his blood-covered hands after the adrenalin rush wears off, as if he just now discovered what he is capable of, not much unlike I would imagine him after he shot Madison, just less emotionally involved. He made a decision earlier that Gordon has to die in order to protect himself and Dean, but actually going through with it, in such a brutal manner even, obviously shakes him and it’s one more hint that Sam’s still very much himself. There’s no sign of satisfaction in Sam when they walk away from the scene, he did what had to be done, but it doesn’t feel like victory.
I have to insert here, that I was immensely happy that they made the decision to kill Gordon before they knew he was turned into a vampire, every other approach would have been a major cop-out of the importance of that decision. This is the first time in the show that Sam and Dean consciously agree on taking the step to kill a human being. Granted, this is not a question of whether it is justified to kill a person, in order to keep them from abusing supernatural means, but a question of self-defence, after all, they need to protect themselves from a homicidal lunatic, but still, it’s a huge step for the show. That Sam agrees to that step shows how much he hardened up over the last couple of weeks, he’s done with allowing others to push him around on no other grounds than prejudice and fear. He’s finally conceding to his brother’s stance that sometimes the hard decisions are unavoidable. He doesn’t need to like it, but he isn’t shying away from it anymore either, taking his share of the consequences, instead of letting Dean take the brunt of it.
I have to say that I am sad to see Gordon go, even if the way it came to pass was completely satisfying. I always loved this character as an extreme example for a hunter, who long ago crossed the lines between good and evil, without realizing it. He also worked well as a dark mirror for the violent tendencies in Dean, showing that where Dean is able to overcome dark impulses in himself, because he is grounded in humanity and family, Gordon lost that ability long ago and embraced the darkness as part of his hunter’s instincts. I honestly expected the writers to draw out the sub-plot between Gordon and Kubrick and the Winchesters and their possible negative influence on the hunter’s community longer in S3, so I was a little surprised at this turn of events, but I guess with all the new plots that popped up this season they eventually had to bring closure to some of the loose ends from previous seasons.
Sam: "I've been following you around my entire life. I mean, I've been looking up to you since I was four, Dean. Studying you, trying to be just like my big brother. So yeah, I know you. Better than anyone else in the enire world. And this is exactly how you act, when you are terrified. And I mean, I can't blame you. It's just, I wished you would drop the show and be my brother again! 'Cause .. just cause!" ♥ ♥
So, having that out of the way, I can finally turn to the brother stuff and boy, did they make me happy this week, as I wasn’t really expecting a reconciliation between Sam and Dean any time soon. I had to think back to the beginning of S2, where Sam desperately tried to push Dean into opening up to him about his grief over John’s death, but only achieved that Dean was closing up on him. Until he finally found the right words in Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things by making Dean’s behaviour about himself, Sam, instead of making it about Dean. The moment he admits that he is afraid to lose Dean, instead of trying to convince his brother that it is necessary for Dean’s own sake to open up, Dean’s walls break down. He never could deny his little brother the support he needed.
The same mechanics apply in the scene where Sam finally gets Dean to drop the mask he was wearing for his brother’s sake, as well as for his own. Where in Red Sky At Morning Sam was insisting on Dean needing to care more about himself and only achieved that Dean blocked again, he finally changes his tune in Fresh Blood and openly admits the devastating effects that Dean’s behaviour has on him, and ultimately Dean can’t deny him here either.
Sam confessing his life-long hero worship towards his big brother, admitting that he still needs Dean to fill that role for him, visibly breaks through Dean’s defences (and very likely melted every single fangirl on the planet into a puddle of mush) and forces him to drop the act of confidence and fearlessness. He knew that Sam was suffering from his detachment, but he still genuinely believed that it was better for Sam, that it was preparing him for the time Dean won’t be around anymore, and Sam just ripped that blanket of denial from him. There is just no way for Dean to turn his back to that kind of plea from his little brother, especially after he dedicated his life to protect and guide and comfort him.
Kudos to Jensen and Jared for knocking this scene out of the park! Sam’s earnest plea on the verge of tearing up and Dean’s silent concession to it, hesitantly seeking out eye-contact with his brother after he made his point, really broke me down. There’s no need for big words from Dean’s side here, it’s all in the little gestures and in his soft look at his brother, his voice going from obnoxious to gentle and his posture from aggressive to compliant. God, I love those boys! ♥ ♥
And I especially love, how this exchange in the room is mirrored in the end scene, where Dean decides to show Sam how to fix the car, just in case he won’t be around anymore in the future. Sam just as silently accepts Dean's gesture in the spirit it is offered, when he takes the tool from his brother’s hand. He doesn’t argue Dean's unspoken 'when I am gone', leaves it alone this time, quietly conceding to his brother's point. Both brothers give and both receive, finding common ground in all the emotional mess, striking a truce for the sake of their brotherhood. It’s just utterly beautiful! ♥ Furthermore, that final scene gifted us with one of the rare moments of brotherly bonding over domestic activities, a moment of peace and quiet in their turbulent lives and Bad Company's 'Crazy Circles' just provides the right background for that pivotal moment. *sighs happily*
Dean showing Sam how to work on the car is not only a display of brotherly bonding, but also highly symbolic, since the Impala is the Winchester equivalent for safety, comfort and home, and so far taking care of it was always Dean’s responsibility. He provided these values for himself and his brother and in sharing that with Sam here, he allows him to take a part in that responsibility and acknowledges him as an equal. They may have returned to the relative comfort of their established roles, with Dean reclaiming his big brother role and with Sam admitting that, despite all his efforts to be self-sufficient, he still needs to be able to revert to his little brother status, but the dynamics changed here. It opened their interaction in a way that allows for both of them to reverse the roles if needed.
It will be interesting to see if now, on basis of their newly found connection, both will be able to also talk about the secrets they keep from each other, mainly Sam’s knowledge about Mary and the mysterious deaths of their mother’s friends and Dean’s fears about Sam’s 'wrongness', induced by the words the YED said to him. I am also curious to see if Dean will now take actual measures to support Sam in his efforts to save him, possible consequences be damned. Man, this relationship will never become boring.
What else was noteworthy:
(1) I have to admit that I was irritated by Bela’s appearance in this episode and found her role a bit contrived. Since when is Gordon not able to find the Winchesters on his own? And how convenient is it that Gordon, a man who just broke out of prison, happens to have a priceless supernatural object on him to hand over to Bela for information?! Uhm, that was a bit stretched to say the least. Also, when did Bela and Dean exchange phone numbers? I mean, I don’t exactly see them swapping numbers, just in case they want to have a chat! Anyway, since her role was minimal, I wasn’t bothered too much in the end. I was outright delighted though, when Dean threatened to kill her for good, for selling them out to a psychotic killer and even managed to convince her of the seriousness of that threat, through the phone nonetheless. Heh! Bela may be cold and self-centered but there is no way that she could just ignore such a threat against her life, so she caved and tried damage control. Still, this is the third time she showed no regard for Sam and Dean’s lives, and I really want them to react to that, should she ever cross their path again.
(2) It seems that despite the money Bela gave to them for saving her life, the boys again opted to squat in an empty, derelict house, so I wondered if they actually lost all that money in Atlantic City or if it’s owed to their efforts to stay low profile and leave no traceable trail for the feds and hunters like Gordon and Kubrick.
(3) I also very much enjoyed the side-plot around the vampire Dixon, who simply tried to restore his family and who didn't care about the costs, as long as he didn't have to spend eternity alone. The family oriented aspect of the vampire community was already played as a mirror to Dean’s attitude towards family and revenge in Dead Man’s Blood, where Luthor took the same defensive stance towards his family like Dean. So, paralleling the motivation for Dixon’s actions, born out of desperation and loneliness, with Dean’s actions after Sam died, worked quite nicely, even if it was emphasized bit blatantly to drive the point home.
(4) The story aspect of the new born vampire as a victim, rather than a monster, at least until it completed the adaptation process, served once again as a reminder how often Sam and Dean are left with no other option than to do what’s necessary, even if they are convinced that the creature doesn’t exactly deserve to die. The situation with Lucy was very reminiscent of the Madison situation, she was clearly an innocent victim, but her admission that she wasn’t able to control the vampiristic urges, didn’t leave Sam and Dean with much of a choice. I am just happy that both of them were still able to feel empathy with the girl.
In conclusion: Fresh Blood was a brilliant episode, certainly the highlight of S3 so far for me. ♥ It had everything I love about the show and then some more! Too bad that we are now facing a four week mini-hiatus again. Let’s just hope that in that time the writer’s strike will find a satisfying solution, because the thought of having a premature ending of the show just pains me even more after this episode than it did before!
Did you know? Gordon's character was killed because Sterling was contracted for another show and his new network refused to release him for further appearances on Supernatural. Originally it was planned for S3/S4 that Gordon finds out about Sam's involvement in Steve Wandell's death (BUABS) and puts a team of hunters together to bring Sam down.
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no subject
Date: 2007-11-17 06:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-17 06:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-17 07:19 pm (UTC)I never knew that; but that's interesting to know. I had heard something along the same lines, but not completely.
As for the entire episode? I definitely agree with you; it ranked up there. ^^ ♥!
no subject
Date: 2007-11-17 07:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-11-18 09:16 pm (UTC)The use of Bela didn't bother me. As someone who openly trades in things, she was obviously easy to find, and I'm gathering that the boys are doing a better job than before of keeping a seriously low profile. I figured that, rather than Dean telling her outright where they were, she would have used a dodge with the cellphone to get his location, so I didn't assume that he'd been an idiot. I do agree that her total disregard for their lives should definitely affect how they deal with her the next time they cross paths, and I hope that's not for a while. And not just because we've got both holiday and strike hiatuses coming up ...
no subject
Date: 2007-11-19 01:05 am (UTC)The episode would've worked without Bela just as fine. ;) I was more irritated in the beginning than really bothered. If we need to have these recurring characters in the episode, I rather have them incorporated in this way, on the sidelines of a larger Supernatural universe in which the boys are moving around, as opposed to them being an integral part of the story. I really could use a break from Bela now as well though!
And I totally agree, I refuse to believe that Dean would give Bela their location after their last encounter with her. It's easy to do a cellphone tracking right after you made a call to another number. Besides, if she really called Dean under the pretense to thank him for rescuing her life, there's no reason to ask for their location. So yeah, cellphone tracking it is! *lol*