![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Review | 7x22 | There Will Be Blood
There Will Be Blood by Andrew Dabb and Daniel Loflin is an entirely plot-driven episode that picks up right from where Reading Is Fundamental left off. The episode mainly deals with Sam and Dean’s 'Easter egg hunt' for the ingredients needed to forge an anti-leviathan weapon – a hunt that forces them to strike several alliances that they are not at all comfortable with – but it also moves Bobby’s storyline forward. All in all, I think the episode is fairly entertaining. It is well paced, has a row of interesting guest characters and a storyline that manages to hold my interest. More importantly though, it gives us Sam and Dean as a well attuned team and even offers some light-hearted moments between them, which is definitely a step up from last week. Sure, There Will Be Blood is not the most exciting penultimate episode of a season ever, but it is not a complete let-down either.
As was to be expected, There Will Be Blood focuses almost entirely on the leviathan plot and offers little in terms of character exploration, and since there is still a lot of ground to cover, plot-wise, before the brothers can make their move against Dick Roman, I have no reason to assume that the final episode will be any different. I guess at this point I have resigned myself to the fact that the S7 finale will be the first Supernatural finale that does not revolve around Sam or Dean or the brotherly relationship. Now, while I find it a tad strange to have a season finale that, basically, is little more than a ramped up monster-of-the-week episode, there is also a positive aspect to this 'character light' approach. This is the first time that Sam and Dean are not in an existential crisis at the end of the season; they do not stand to lose each other (or anyone else, except for maybe Bobby’s ghost), their relationship is rock solid and they are in a relatively good place, emotionally – and I find that strangely relaxing. I mean, I have been saying for years that I want the brothers to catch a break and find some measure of peace or at least contentment, and that seems to be a real possibility at the moment. Sure, they have lost Castiel and Bobby – both may still be around, but what happened to them changed them to such a degree that they can no longer function as Sam and Dean’s confidantes/support structures – they lost their first home (the Impala), their second home (Bobby’s house) and now even their access to comfort food, but they still have each other and, ultimately, that is enough for them to stay afloat. It is an almost hopeful situation, and while I am still very frustrated with the lack of closure for the main character arcs this season – Dean’s in particular – the brothers at least seem to go into the next season relatively angst-free. And that can only be a good thing!
Dean: "I can’t do this, man. I can’t live on rabbit food. I’m a warrior."
Sam: "Dean, you’ll be fine."
Dean: "You don’t know that."
There Will Be Blood continues to illustrate the delightfully harmonious dynamic that exists between Sam and Dean at the moment. At least in that the writers have been very consistent these last couple of weeks. On the job, the brothers act in sync and negotiate disagreements like mature adults, and in their interpersonal interaction they are completely at ease with each other. Of course, there are the usual siblings moments, too, like Sam’s 'awkward' face when he realises that they both used to fantasise over one of John’s old playboys or Dean trying to make Sam laugh at his lame jokes. My favourite scenes are without a doubt the ones where Sam and Dean go grocery shopping together. Dean’s scandalised reaction to Sam’s statement that, from now on, they will have to forego his beloved 'road food' – pie included – and stick to fresh vegetables, fruit and water is just hilarious. ♥ Come to think about it, unless Sam and Dean intend to switch to raw fruit and vegetables, someone has to cook all that healthy food they have been buying, and I wonder which one of them is going to slave away in the kitchen. So far, we have only seen Sam and Dean eat at diners, and I am really curious to know if they are even capable of preparing a decent home-cooked meal. And while we are talking about the domestic aspects of the brothers’ lives: I think it is worth noting that, ever since Sam and Dean lost Bobby’s house as their home base, they started to frequently use Rufus’ cabin as their retreat, and over the last couple of months I have come to think of the cabin as the brothers’ new home. I just like the thought that Sam and Dean have a safe haven, where they can do their research, plan their next move and unwind for a while if they need to. ♥
Alpha!vampire: "So, now you want to prevent the extermination of the vampire race?"
Dean: "No. But it beats going down with you."
There Will Be Blood sees the return of the alpha vampire from Family Matters, and no matter how contrived I may find the resolution to the leviathan storyline in general, I am happy that it gave the writers a chance to revisit this particular character. Rick Worthy just has an incredibly impressive screen presence. He manages to imbue his character with a genuine sense of gravitas, power and age, thus giving his character a dangerous edge, and I find that very appealing. In that regard he reminds me of Julian Richings and his fabulous portrayal of Death, actually. Anyway, as a result of Rick’s performance, the scenes at the alpha vampire’s retreat are truly suspenseful, and I felt genuinely afraid for Sam and Dean during their confrontation with him. By the way, I love that instead of storming in guns blazing, the brothers opt for opening a dialogue with the vampire, aware that they have no real chance of surviving a straightforward frontal attack. It is obvious that Sam and Dean are not at all comfortable aligning themselves with the vampires, and they make no secret of the fact that they offer an alliance of convenience and that once the crisis is over, it is open hunting season again. In that context, I think it is telling that the brothers risk the successful acquisition of the alpha’s blood by demanding the release of his young captive Alan. I mean, being forced into an alliance with a monster may be one thing, but leaving a child at the mercy of said monster is another matter entirely. I love Sam’s visible inner struggle, knowing that he will push their luck if asks the vampire for the boy but being unable to walk away. And I also love that, even though Dean’s expression suggests that Sam’s decision to claim the child was not agreed upon beforehand, he does not miss a beat and supports his brother’s demand without hesitation. ♥
By contrast, the brothers make no attempt to rescue Emily from the vampire’s clutches as well, and I think that nicely illustrates the dichotomy of their situation. On the one hand, Sam and Dean’s instincts tell them to try and save the innocent victims, but on the other hand, they know that they cannot afford to lose the bigger picture out of sight here and that winning the battle for Emily and Alan might as well lose them the war against the leviathans. By saving Alan and leaving Emily behind, the brothers strike a compromise; an uncomfortable compromise, no doubt, but it would not be the first time that Sam and Dean accept collateral damage in the line of duty. Besides, at least with Alan there is a good chance of reintegrating him into human society. He is not only young enough to easily adjust to a change in his situation, but he probably also retained enough memories of his former life to be able to re-connect with his family and friends. Emily, however, would most likely be unable to adapt to her old life; the imprisonment shaped her, both physically and mentally, and given that she took the first chance to return to her 'father' when Sam and Dean set her free the first time around, there is no reason for the brothers to assume that rescuing her again would yield different results. Overall, I cannot blame Sam and Dean for their decision to leave Emily behind. In fact, I would probably not have been able to condemn them for not risking the mission for Alan’s rescue either, but I am glad that they at least walked away with that small victory.
Sam: "I’m just saying that the lore doesn’t have a single, real-life example of Casper, the friendly ghost. It’s all, basically, poltergeist, until a hunter comes along –"
Dean: "Yeah, well, the lore sucks."
Sam: "I’m talking pure hatred, Dean. No humanity. I mean, he could kill, possess people."
Bobby’s storyline in There Will Be Blood leaves little doubt about the fact that he is quickly losing himself to rage and anger, thus turning into a pale shadow of the person he used to be. Throughout the episode he struggles to control his emotions, and when he is once again side-lined by Sam and Dean, he lashes out in the most disturbing manner – by taking possession of an innocent civilian in order to pursue his vendetta against Dick Roman in person. Bobby clearly crosses a line here, and I am not sure he will ever be able to come back from it. Quite frankly, at this point I think it is entirely possible that he will deliberately turn his rage against Sam and Dean as well. While I think that, initially, Bobby’s motivation to become a ghost was at least partially motivated by his desire to protect and guide the brothers, his ties to that part of his humanity seem to degenerate more and more with every surrender to his violent urges. Now, the rate of Bobby’s deterioration is rather mind-boggling, given that it usually takes years for a ghost to turn into an angry spirit, but maybe we could argue that Bobby’s continuous frustration with his lack of autonomy, as well as his constant exposure to Dick Roman related information, serve to accelerate his decline. As it is, Bobby leaves Sam and Dean little choice but to take drastic measures once they find him. Dean may still be on the fence about dispatching him, but Bobby’s display of violence in their earlier conversation in the bathroom clearly unsettled him, and this latest proof of Bobby’s volatility may well sway him over to Sam’s position on the matter. By the way, I am a tad puzzled about Sam’s vehement statement that the lore does not have any accounts of benevolent ghosts. Even if that were true and no hunter ever chronicled an encounter with a friendly spirit, Sam and Dean do know different. They have dealt with plenty of non-malicious spirits these last couple of years, after all. So, I am just going to assume that, in his eagerness to make a point, Sam over-simplified his argument.
What else is noteworthy:
(1) As usual, it is nice to see Crowley pop in for a visit and throw insults at the brothers. While it does not really come as a surprise that Crowley is rather willing to comply with Sam and Dean’s request for his blood, I am quite astonished that he does not seem to know about Castiel’s survival by now. I mean, back in The Born-Again Identity he already had one of his minions at Emmanuel’s house, and I doubt the massacre of his underlings at the clinic due to angelic force went unnoticed. Not to mention that Sam and Dean’s cabin is covered in angel proofing, and that really should clue him in on the fact that they had contact with angels lately. And that is not even taking into account that he should be able to read the brothers’ minds! However, I am not quite sure why he would lie to Sam and Dean about the matter. He knows that they do not trust him either way, so I do not see what he has to gain from a lie here. Anyway, Dick summoning Crowley to him is a rather worrisome turn of events. I guess it is safe to say that he intends to secure Crowley’s blood before Sam and Dean can get their hands on it, either by killing him off – if leviathans can kill angels, they surely should be able to kill demons as well – or by offering him a deal. If the latter is the case, I would venture a guess and say that, even if Crowley agrees to cooperate with Dick Roman, he will most certainly double-cross him. After all, he has nothing to gain from the leviathans’ victory over humanity. Cattle!humans will not make demon deals or earn themselves a trip to hell through heinous acts, so hell will soon run out of souls – and Crowley has been nothing but consistent in that he will do everything to ensure the survival of demonkind.
In conclusion: There Will Be Blood is an entertaining episode – in the sense that it managed to hold my interest with its wide range of character dynamics and its enjoyable characterisation for Sam and Dean – and since I have accepted that the brothers will not be the focal point of the narrative in this year’s season finale, entertainment is actually the best I can hope for at this point. Still, I hold out hope that the final episode will give us at least one or two meaningful moments between the brothers. I assume that the leviathan storyline will be concluded in the finale, so Jeremy Carver can start the next season with a clean slate, mythology-wise, and Bobby’s storyline will probably be resolved one way or the other as well. I am ready. Bring it on, Sera!
* * *
Did you know? Apparently, the original script did not include the scene where Sam and Dean pressure the alpha vampire into allowing young Alan to leave with them. But Jensen and Jared thought it would be out of character for the brothers to leave the child behind and asked the writers to change the script accordingly. (JiB 2012)
And once again I am sorry this review is late and a bit rough around the edges. Unfortunately, I have been bed-ridden due to illness these last couple of days and my fever-muddled brain refused to cooperate on, well, anything really. But I wanted to get this out before the next episode monopolises my brain; I can always smooth this one out later. We’re having a long hiatus in front of us, after all.
As was to be expected, There Will Be Blood focuses almost entirely on the leviathan plot and offers little in terms of character exploration, and since there is still a lot of ground to cover, plot-wise, before the brothers can make their move against Dick Roman, I have no reason to assume that the final episode will be any different. I guess at this point I have resigned myself to the fact that the S7 finale will be the first Supernatural finale that does not revolve around Sam or Dean or the brotherly relationship. Now, while I find it a tad strange to have a season finale that, basically, is little more than a ramped up monster-of-the-week episode, there is also a positive aspect to this 'character light' approach. This is the first time that Sam and Dean are not in an existential crisis at the end of the season; they do not stand to lose each other (or anyone else, except for maybe Bobby’s ghost), their relationship is rock solid and they are in a relatively good place, emotionally – and I find that strangely relaxing. I mean, I have been saying for years that I want the brothers to catch a break and find some measure of peace or at least contentment, and that seems to be a real possibility at the moment. Sure, they have lost Castiel and Bobby – both may still be around, but what happened to them changed them to such a degree that they can no longer function as Sam and Dean’s confidantes/support structures – they lost their first home (the Impala), their second home (Bobby’s house) and now even their access to comfort food, but they still have each other and, ultimately, that is enough for them to stay afloat. It is an almost hopeful situation, and while I am still very frustrated with the lack of closure for the main character arcs this season – Dean’s in particular – the brothers at least seem to go into the next season relatively angst-free. And that can only be a good thing!
Dean: "I can’t do this, man. I can’t live on rabbit food. I’m a warrior."
Sam: "Dean, you’ll be fine."
Dean: "You don’t know that."
There Will Be Blood continues to illustrate the delightfully harmonious dynamic that exists between Sam and Dean at the moment. At least in that the writers have been very consistent these last couple of weeks. On the job, the brothers act in sync and negotiate disagreements like mature adults, and in their interpersonal interaction they are completely at ease with each other. Of course, there are the usual siblings moments, too, like Sam’s 'awkward' face when he realises that they both used to fantasise over one of John’s old playboys or Dean trying to make Sam laugh at his lame jokes. My favourite scenes are without a doubt the ones where Sam and Dean go grocery shopping together. Dean’s scandalised reaction to Sam’s statement that, from now on, they will have to forego his beloved 'road food' – pie included – and stick to fresh vegetables, fruit and water is just hilarious. ♥ Come to think about it, unless Sam and Dean intend to switch to raw fruit and vegetables, someone has to cook all that healthy food they have been buying, and I wonder which one of them is going to slave away in the kitchen. So far, we have only seen Sam and Dean eat at diners, and I am really curious to know if they are even capable of preparing a decent home-cooked meal. And while we are talking about the domestic aspects of the brothers’ lives: I think it is worth noting that, ever since Sam and Dean lost Bobby’s house as their home base, they started to frequently use Rufus’ cabin as their retreat, and over the last couple of months I have come to think of the cabin as the brothers’ new home. I just like the thought that Sam and Dean have a safe haven, where they can do their research, plan their next move and unwind for a while if they need to. ♥
Alpha!vampire: "So, now you want to prevent the extermination of the vampire race?"
Dean: "No. But it beats going down with you."
There Will Be Blood sees the return of the alpha vampire from Family Matters, and no matter how contrived I may find the resolution to the leviathan storyline in general, I am happy that it gave the writers a chance to revisit this particular character. Rick Worthy just has an incredibly impressive screen presence. He manages to imbue his character with a genuine sense of gravitas, power and age, thus giving his character a dangerous edge, and I find that very appealing. In that regard he reminds me of Julian Richings and his fabulous portrayal of Death, actually. Anyway, as a result of Rick’s performance, the scenes at the alpha vampire’s retreat are truly suspenseful, and I felt genuinely afraid for Sam and Dean during their confrontation with him. By the way, I love that instead of storming in guns blazing, the brothers opt for opening a dialogue with the vampire, aware that they have no real chance of surviving a straightforward frontal attack. It is obvious that Sam and Dean are not at all comfortable aligning themselves with the vampires, and they make no secret of the fact that they offer an alliance of convenience and that once the crisis is over, it is open hunting season again. In that context, I think it is telling that the brothers risk the successful acquisition of the alpha’s blood by demanding the release of his young captive Alan. I mean, being forced into an alliance with a monster may be one thing, but leaving a child at the mercy of said monster is another matter entirely. I love Sam’s visible inner struggle, knowing that he will push their luck if asks the vampire for the boy but being unable to walk away. And I also love that, even though Dean’s expression suggests that Sam’s decision to claim the child was not agreed upon beforehand, he does not miss a beat and supports his brother’s demand without hesitation. ♥
By contrast, the brothers make no attempt to rescue Emily from the vampire’s clutches as well, and I think that nicely illustrates the dichotomy of their situation. On the one hand, Sam and Dean’s instincts tell them to try and save the innocent victims, but on the other hand, they know that they cannot afford to lose the bigger picture out of sight here and that winning the battle for Emily and Alan might as well lose them the war against the leviathans. By saving Alan and leaving Emily behind, the brothers strike a compromise; an uncomfortable compromise, no doubt, but it would not be the first time that Sam and Dean accept collateral damage in the line of duty. Besides, at least with Alan there is a good chance of reintegrating him into human society. He is not only young enough to easily adjust to a change in his situation, but he probably also retained enough memories of his former life to be able to re-connect with his family and friends. Emily, however, would most likely be unable to adapt to her old life; the imprisonment shaped her, both physically and mentally, and given that she took the first chance to return to her 'father' when Sam and Dean set her free the first time around, there is no reason for the brothers to assume that rescuing her again would yield different results. Overall, I cannot blame Sam and Dean for their decision to leave Emily behind. In fact, I would probably not have been able to condemn them for not risking the mission for Alan’s rescue either, but I am glad that they at least walked away with that small victory.
Sam: "I’m just saying that the lore doesn’t have a single, real-life example of Casper, the friendly ghost. It’s all, basically, poltergeist, until a hunter comes along –"
Dean: "Yeah, well, the lore sucks."
Sam: "I’m talking pure hatred, Dean. No humanity. I mean, he could kill, possess people."
Bobby’s storyline in There Will Be Blood leaves little doubt about the fact that he is quickly losing himself to rage and anger, thus turning into a pale shadow of the person he used to be. Throughout the episode he struggles to control his emotions, and when he is once again side-lined by Sam and Dean, he lashes out in the most disturbing manner – by taking possession of an innocent civilian in order to pursue his vendetta against Dick Roman in person. Bobby clearly crosses a line here, and I am not sure he will ever be able to come back from it. Quite frankly, at this point I think it is entirely possible that he will deliberately turn his rage against Sam and Dean as well. While I think that, initially, Bobby’s motivation to become a ghost was at least partially motivated by his desire to protect and guide the brothers, his ties to that part of his humanity seem to degenerate more and more with every surrender to his violent urges. Now, the rate of Bobby’s deterioration is rather mind-boggling, given that it usually takes years for a ghost to turn into an angry spirit, but maybe we could argue that Bobby’s continuous frustration with his lack of autonomy, as well as his constant exposure to Dick Roman related information, serve to accelerate his decline. As it is, Bobby leaves Sam and Dean little choice but to take drastic measures once they find him. Dean may still be on the fence about dispatching him, but Bobby’s display of violence in their earlier conversation in the bathroom clearly unsettled him, and this latest proof of Bobby’s volatility may well sway him over to Sam’s position on the matter. By the way, I am a tad puzzled about Sam’s vehement statement that the lore does not have any accounts of benevolent ghosts. Even if that were true and no hunter ever chronicled an encounter with a friendly spirit, Sam and Dean do know different. They have dealt with plenty of non-malicious spirits these last couple of years, after all. So, I am just going to assume that, in his eagerness to make a point, Sam over-simplified his argument.
What else is noteworthy:
(1) As usual, it is nice to see Crowley pop in for a visit and throw insults at the brothers. While it does not really come as a surprise that Crowley is rather willing to comply with Sam and Dean’s request for his blood, I am quite astonished that he does not seem to know about Castiel’s survival by now. I mean, back in The Born-Again Identity he already had one of his minions at Emmanuel’s house, and I doubt the massacre of his underlings at the clinic due to angelic force went unnoticed. Not to mention that Sam and Dean’s cabin is covered in angel proofing, and that really should clue him in on the fact that they had contact with angels lately. And that is not even taking into account that he should be able to read the brothers’ minds! However, I am not quite sure why he would lie to Sam and Dean about the matter. He knows that they do not trust him either way, so I do not see what he has to gain from a lie here. Anyway, Dick summoning Crowley to him is a rather worrisome turn of events. I guess it is safe to say that he intends to secure Crowley’s blood before Sam and Dean can get their hands on it, either by killing him off – if leviathans can kill angels, they surely should be able to kill demons as well – or by offering him a deal. If the latter is the case, I would venture a guess and say that, even if Crowley agrees to cooperate with Dick Roman, he will most certainly double-cross him. After all, he has nothing to gain from the leviathans’ victory over humanity. Cattle!humans will not make demon deals or earn themselves a trip to hell through heinous acts, so hell will soon run out of souls – and Crowley has been nothing but consistent in that he will do everything to ensure the survival of demonkind.
In conclusion: There Will Be Blood is an entertaining episode – in the sense that it managed to hold my interest with its wide range of character dynamics and its enjoyable characterisation for Sam and Dean – and since I have accepted that the brothers will not be the focal point of the narrative in this year’s season finale, entertainment is actually the best I can hope for at this point. Still, I hold out hope that the final episode will give us at least one or two meaningful moments between the brothers. I assume that the leviathan storyline will be concluded in the finale, so Jeremy Carver can start the next season with a clean slate, mythology-wise, and Bobby’s storyline will probably be resolved one way or the other as well. I am ready. Bring it on, Sera!
Did you know? Apparently, the original script did not include the scene where Sam and Dean pressure the alpha vampire into allowing young Alan to leave with them. But Jensen and Jared thought it would be out of character for the brothers to leave the child behind and asked the writers to change the script accordingly. (JiB 2012)
And once again I am sorry this review is late and a bit rough around the edges. Unfortunately, I have been bed-ridden due to illness these last couple of days and my fever-muddled brain refused to cooperate on, well, anything really. But I wanted to get this out before the next episode monopolises my brain; I can always smooth this one out later. We’re having a long hiatus in front of us, after all.