Review for 2x03 'Bloodlust'

[galathea]

Okay, it's now official: This season is going to kill me! Ever since the finale of last season it was my biggest fear that the writers kill John off and give Dean's character a dark turn as a result, so this episode hit right home for me and left me worried about Dean and where his path may lead him. I really have to have trust in the writers that they are not going to break him completely or my night sleep is seriously endangered. *g*



I enjoyed this episode's plot more than the last one, not only because I never cared much about clowns, but also because unlike last week, the plot this time was more closely interwoven with the brothers' dynamics and reflected back on them on so many different levels that it was interesting to watch how the plot unfolds.

Gordon: "See, most people spend their lives in shades of gray. Is this right? Is that wrong? Not us."

The question of good and evil, black and white and all the shades of grey in between was something brewing under the surface of last season on different occasions, mostly referring to their cases where humans were involved, like in Nightmare, Faith or The Benders, but also shortly in Dead Man's Blood and Skin from the monster's point of view, so I was glad the show addressed this topic in more length here. While I think the writers handled a lot of the issues quite well in this episode, there’s also a bit of a simplification going on in the depiction of the black & white position of the brothers, presumably in order to drive a point home, which at times doesn’t do the complexity of the characters justice.

I think the show has been blurry in regard to Sam and Dean's moral boundaries over the course of S1. While it is true that Dean has always been quick to suggest killing humans who abuse the supernatural for their own gain, he has also been willing to listen to his brother’s voice of moral reason, and that is true for Dean's behaviour in Bloodlust as well. On the other hand, Dean has been the only one so far to show remorse over actually killing a person - through direct action (Tom) or as an indirect consequence of his actions (Meg) - which hasn't always been the case with Sam (see below). Dean has also been the one, who was able to relate to Sue Ann’s desperation to save her husband in Faith, while Sam classified her as evil without a second thought.

While Sam tends to be the voice of reason in the brothers' relationship, he didn't always have the moral high ground in S1. I don't think Sam had any real remorse for saving Dean's life at the expense of a stranger's life in Faith. He apologized to Dean, but I felt that was more for his brother's sake. He knew how much Dean would resent that sacrifice. Sam's conscience didn't seem to stir either, when he watched Sue Ann die at the hand of the Reaper. He didn't even attempt to help her and showed no remorse about the fact that she died as a result of his intervention. In The Benders Sam left Pa Bender with Deputy Hudak, knowing that there was a good chance that she was tempted to kill her brother's murderer, but he showed no sign of ruefulness about that either. So, on occasion Sam’s moral boundaries are skewed as well, especially if it serves his sense of justice.

Sam and Dean might not actively kill 'evil' human beings, but they certainly don't seem to have any problems if the perpetrators are brought to 'justice' through their intervention, no matter how it comes to pass, and that's definitely not a flawless moral stance. Granted, in all of these cases humans have been at the centre of the moral dilemma and not the monsters Sam and Dean usually hunt. However, I would argue that just like Dean tends to transfer his hate of the supernatural to humans who involve themselves with it, he is also able to transfer his ability to see shades of grey in human 'monsters' to monsters of the supernatural variety, as long as he can relate on a human level to them. I think the same reverse logic applies to Sam’s ability to suppress moral considerations, if it suits his personal feelings.

Anyway, the vampires in Bloodlust have been the first supernatural creatures in Supernatural to present a grey area within a 'monster' type. That nicely refers back to Dead Man’s Blood, where Luthor already pleaded for the vampire’s right to live, but with different arguments. It’s worth pointing out though, that Dean is right when he says to Sam that killing people is in the vampire’s nature and that didn’t change with Lenore’s group. It's not that the vampires gave up feeding off humans because they came to the conclusion that killing humans is morally wrong, it’s simply a way to ascertain their own survival by avoiding to be hunted down and be killed themselves. Lenore says explicitly that they adapted, because they realized that they weren't at the top of the food chain, which clearly suggests that they would still kill humans if that was the case. So, does the fact that they quit feeding really make them less evil? What constitutes 'evil', the intention or the act?

In the end letting the vampires go sure was the right, the humane, thing to do, but it’s a risk, given that they have no moral compass to act on and could potentially revert to their old habits, if Lenore’s struggle to hold Eli in check is any indication. The brothers let potentially dangerous creatures go, because they don't act on their intentions in a given moment, trusting in their ability to control their urges, which can be seen as a reflection of modern jurisdiction, and I really love that about the episode.

As pointed out above though, I think the suggestion that Dean cannot differentiate, cannot see the shades of grey, while Sam can, is too clear cut and simplistic and doesn’t do the characters justice. It’s not even correct in this specific episode! Dean might see black (vampires=killers=evil) in this particular case, but Sam doesn't see grey either, he sees white (they don't kill now=good). Sam's approach to the topic is just as simple as Dean’s. He is awfully quick to trust the vampires just because they didn't kill him. They still knocked him out, kidnapped and threatened him, which is not exactly a peaceful course of action, when they could simply have approached him in human form, trying to seek out a dialogue.

Also, even when Dean is still clearly convinced about the vampires' evil intentions and eager to help Gordon to wipe out the nest, he reacts appalled when Gordon tortures Lenore. He feels sympathy for her suffering and promptly orders Gordon to stop. Dean might have felt satisfaction, when he killed the vampire at the mill, but he doesn’t feel satisfaction or even indifference at witnessing Lenore’s pain. And that not only indicates that his behaviour at the mill was influenced by other factors than just hatred for supernatural beings, but also that he is able to see through his hate, if given the right incentive.

In conclusion: Dean clearly hates supernatural beings, a result of his life-long personal, as well as professional, experience, while Sam is usually the more reasonable, morally grounding part in their relationship. Still, I feel that to amplify these general and not completely exclusive character traits to a point where the brothers are reduced to black and white positions, is a disservice to the characters, and I found that part of the episode disappointing. In any case, it has to be taken into consideration that Dean is in a particularly twisted frame of mind in the aftermath of John’s death, so his hardened stance throughout the episode can also be seen as a direct result of that.

Dean: "I can't talk about this to Sammy. No, I got to keep my game face on. But, uh, truth is I'm not handling it very well."

Dean’s character arc directly develops further from where Everybody Loves A Clown left off. He is restless, itching for a hunt, looking for a vent to all his pent up feelings and the strain to keep his emotions in check discharges violently on the first opportunity, when he decapitates a vampire with a raw brutality. Man, I have to admit that was chilling to watch! I thought I already saw Dean’s scary face in his interrogation with Meg, but the writers took Dean a step further here, and personally I could have gone without that gruesome scene. Dean’s expression of satisfaction, hate and anger when he kills that vampire is disturbing, and I guess my own expression mirrored Sam's, a mixture of deep concern, worry and horror. Dean's subsequent bleak and defiant look, when he meets his brother's eyes, tells a completely different story though. Dean knows he overreacted, but he is nowhere near willing to admit that to his brother - no doubt trying to avoid to expose himself to another 'you have to deal with dad’s death' lecture from Sam - so he latches onto Gordon instead, looking for a strong affirmative support for his self-destructive behaviour.

I think that Dean is so used to define himself through John and his family, that he is totally lost after his father's death. He doesn't know anymore, who he is as a person. He is like a drowning man, helplessly lashing about him, but hurting himself and those close to him in the process. He takes to Gordon so fast, because he needs to fill the void John's death created in his life - and Sam is spot on about that - but in the end Dean needs to realize that he has to find his own way now, that he has to take lead, instead of being led, and that he has to grow into a man of his own. When Dean questions their past hunts and John’s decision to raise them to hate all supernatural beings, he takes a step to separate himself from his father’s ways. He is finally able to openly admit to Sam that John wasn’t perfect - whereas in the last season he usually tried to defend their father’s actions and decisions towards Sam - and I think that's the right direction for Dean to take.

Gordon: "Dean, it’s not a crime to need your job."

I found the introduction of Gordon especially intriguing. He is a dark representative of what Dean could become further down the road, if he doesn't manage to keep his violence in check. Someone, who uses his anger and hate for the hunt, who is eroded from the inside out by negative emotions, reckless, relentless, almost just as inhuman as the vampires he hunts. I am glad that despite the connection Dean feels to the other hunter at first, he soon realizes how unhinged Gordon really is and subsequently rejects him. When Gordon states that Dean is a killer, just like himself, it's obvious that Dean doesn’t agree. After all, for Dean the hunt has always been about the people he saves first and foremost and only secondly about the creatures he brings down, and that’s a major difference. The hunt never was a means to an end for Dean, it had a purpose beyond that, even if he momentarily can’t focus on that aspect of his job.

Anyway, like the Winchesters, Gordon was drawn into the hunting lifestyle by a personal tragedy - the guilt over the death of his sister at the hand of vampires - and Dean visibly relates to that. However, unlike Dean, Gordon isn’t grounded in his family or even by a hunting partner, he is a lone wolf, who allowed his obsession to take over and excuse any extreme action as reasonable. The way Gordon tortures Lenore shows that he lost any point of reference for humane behaviour long ago, and while Dean certainly feels the same pull of darkness inside himself in this episode, it’s not only Sam’s influence that keeps him on track, but also his own realisation of the errors of Gordon’s ways! Dean is visibly appalled at the sight of Gordon torturing Lenore and outright shocked at his confession that he hunted down and killed his sister himself.

As an interesting sidenote: When Gordon suggests that Dean would do the same in his situation, i.e. that he wouldn’t hesitate to kill Sam, if he was turned into a monster, the camera stays on Dean's expression, while Sam and Gordon talk. He is visibly distraught at the suggestion, a flicker of anxiety and uncertainty crosses his face, when he looks at his brother. This short moment was too obvious to not be of any significance, and it brings up the speculation that the secret John told Dean entails Sam going evil at some point and Dean having to fight his own brother! :(

Anyway, I love Dean’s instant reaction to Gordon's threat to hurt Sam with his knife, how he finally sides again with his brother and shakes off Gordon’s influence over him. The fight between Dean and Gordon was great, a nice visual for Dean fighting down his own darkness in the form of Gordon. Meeting the other hunter was a lecture in self-reflection for Dean, which he really needed in order to see where his self-destructive behaviour may lead him!

Sam: "Dad's dead. And he left a hole, and it hurts so bad you can't take it, but you can't just fill up that hole with whoever you want to. It's an insult to his memory."

Another vital part of Dean’s self-reflection process is grounded in his brother though. I loved Sam in this episode more than ever for his devotion, loyalty and love for Dean. I like the reversal of roles we see in this season a lot. Last season I have always been grateful for the fact that Dean was at Sam’s side in the aftermath of Jessica's death, supportive, a rock, keeping Sam grounded and preventing that he burned out over his guilt and need for revenge. Sam needed Dean and he was there, steady and stable. This season Sam is doing the same for Dean, and I am very happy about that. It’s important to remember though that Sam lost his father, too, and since Dean is spiralling out of control, he has to deal with his feelings of grief and guilt on his own - on top of his worry about his brother - which makes his efforts especially admirable.

Anyway, Sam's reaction to Gordon is very much the direct opposite to Dean's - cautious, distrustful and wary. Sam is visibly unhappy to see that Dean bonds so quickly with Gordon and even trusts him, a total stranger, over his own brother, and I think his rejection of the other hunter is rooted in jealousy as much as it is rooted in worry about Dean. Despite Sam's best efforts, Dean is unwilling to open up to him and to see his brother connect so easily to a stranger, where he himself is held at an arm's length, undoubtedly feels like a further rejection to Sam. Furthermore, Sam is not used to being the caretaker in his relationship with Dean, his position as the younger sibling didn't prepare him for handling his brother's fragile psyche, and so he pushes too hard and corners Dean, which, unsurprisingly, gets him exactly nowhere with his brother.

Sam's attempt to directly confront Dean by cutting right through his brother's defence mechanisms and calling him on his true feelings backfires spectecularly, as Dean simply strikes back, like a wounded animal that is attacked. I have to say that it caught me by surprise when Dean hit Sam, even though I should have foreseen that. Dean moved on from verbal hits against his brother in Everybody Loves A Clown to physical one’s in Bloodlust, his reaction to Sam’s concern escalating in the same fashion as the rest of his behaviour in this episode. I loved Sam’s collected reaction to the blow, clearly seeing his brother's reaction for what it is, namely a defensive stance, and neither hitting back nor backing down from his position, and in the end his persistence does come through to Dean.

Sam: "Guess I have to stick around to be a pain in the ass then!"

The final scene, where Dean is unable to simply apologize to Sam for hitting him, asking Sam to just hit him back instead, and Sam’s amused reaction to Dean’s proposal was just adorable. ♥ And while Dean did a lot of talking to the wrong guy in this episode, in the end he is able to talk to Sam again, and the sincerity in this little exchange with Sam gives me hope that Dean will come through this trial intact.

It’s interesting that Dean’s admission that his instincts tell him to kill every supernatural being, echoes his statement that it is instinct that induces vampires to kill every human. In the end though, both Dean and the vampires didn’t act on those instincts, thus demonstrating that Lenore’s hope that both sides can change is not entirely misplaced. Sam’s quiet reassurance that Dean didn’t kill Lenore is what matters in the end was heart-warming. He clearly feels sympathy at Dean’s self-doubt and tries to show him that he always has the choice.

Dean’s acknowledgment of his violent feelings and his active examinations of his motivations and fears, was an important step for Dean. Only if he is able to reflect on his own weaknesses, he can fight them and actively decide to not go down the same route Gordon took. Dean might be like Gordon to a certain extent, but it’s in his reach to actively choose the direction he takes, rather than just let it happen, and that gives him the advantage, especially with Sam at his side. ♥

What else was noteworthy:

(1) Apart from the excellent, yet scary, character insights in this episode, it also managed to provide us with a lot of fun scenes. Especially the first ten minutes of the episode were a pure fangirl heaven! A spooky moonlight chase scene that ends with a gruesome decapitation? Very nice! The return of the Impala? A truly celebratory moment! The beautiful camera work and lighting turned the simple scene of the Impala racing down the highway into a tribute to the car. And AC/DC's Back in Black? I think we can all agree that there couldn’t possibly be a more fitting song for that scene. That was just awesome! ♥

(2) Two changes of costumes within five minutes was just delightful, as was the banter between the brothers during the morgue scene, 'Silence Of The Lambs' references included! I mean, what more can a girl ask for? ♥ Even though the viewer (and Sam apparently) is aware of the fact that Dean is indeed wearing a game face here - although with much more success than in the last episode - I couldn’t help but enjoy this first ten minutes thoroughly, if only for the moments of light-heartedness they brought into the ongoing drama of this season.

(3) Unlike many other fans, I am not very keen on seeing Whedonverse actors in Supernatural. For various reasons I like to see Supernatural as far away from the Jossverse as possible, but I can say I really enjoyed Amber Benson as Lenore. She did a convincible job, in fact, I wouldn’t necessarily have recognized her instantly, which always is a good sign, acting wise. On a sidenote: I was particularly fond of the actor who played the Sheriff. Sometimes Supernatural comes up with this small side characters, who are very lovable and funny - Jerry from Phantom Traveller comes to mind - and this character was one of them, lively and tangible in one short scene.

In conclusion: So far S2 managed to exceed my expectations, which makes me very happy, since I tend to be overly pessimistic. Even with the stuff I feared the most for this season, the way it plays out on the screen so far is re-assuring. I love Supernatural for many reasons, and one of it is that despite what the boys go through, even if it is as scary and disturbing as in this episode, the show very rarely ends without Sam and Dean coming clean with each other to a certain extent.

And last but not least:
Gordon: "Lighten up a little, Sammy!"
Sam: "He (nods in Dean’s direction) is the only one who gets to call me that!" ♥ ♥

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Did you notice? The orderly’s name in the morgue is J. Manners, which of course refers to director Kim Manners and Dean addresses him as Jeff/John, which are JDM's/Daddy Winchester's names.