I also find it interesting that this isn’t the first time it’s been called a bromance. Metaton did it last season in 10×10.
METATRON: “Dean Winchester, whose entire existence is defined by a war on the dark and monstrous, bromancing around with the King of Hell!”
that’s Dean’s face as soon as the words leave Metatron’s mouth. He then proceeds to punch him in the face.
I feel like the fact that Crowley is calling it a bromance is really what’s surprising him here. Not to mention his non response when Sam called it a “summer of love”.
Yeah, considering Dean was labelling it “embarrassing” as early as 10×04, I’m pretty sure his in-universe surprise would be that Crowley has started editing their shared history himself, in a way that DEAN has never denied or edited to such a degree, but rather lets exist as a shameful thing that happened.
In fact it was Dean exploiting that past connection by keeping the answer phone message and using it against the demon mooks that was a successful weapon, whereas Crowley was basically all episode demonstrating a lack of control or in managing the stories he wanted to be in control of (making himself “Uncle Hoppity” to Amara being the main example. No I am not over that book yet. :P)… Dean using that answerphone message as a weapon is exploiting the truth of what happened between him and Crowley in a way that Crowley didn’t own to, in his way of trying to redefine and gain control of the situation, namely, as the above gifset is about, his ongoing issues with being too attached to Dean, by denying that it was ever more than he said it was.
(Considering how they have used answerphone messages as weapons before I would actually venture that in-universe the explanation for Dean keeping it is that he probably would have deleted some/most of the Crowley answerphone messages, but recognised that particular soundbite as one in particular that would be useful since it started with a lot of generic loud Crowley noises before getting personal – in the situation, exactly enough to draw demons to their trap… On the other hand it offers another level when it comes to analysis that keeping the ex’s answerphone messages is just… a thing.
And now that I have argued myself around to believing that Dean has the healthier and more positive understanding of Drowley right now, much to my own bemusement, I need to stop typing. :P)
It’s been a
while since we’ve had a very clear female parallel for Cas in an episode. I
remember Hannah was a parallel to Cas last season. In fact, a year ago, many
people were upset because they perceived a ‘romantic vibe’ between both
characters, but that didn’t bother me.
I preferred to analyze the similarities between Hannah and Cas. Now in episode 11×06, we saw Amara
as an obvious parallel to Cas.
The scene
between Dean and Amara that has perturbed so many people was a complete parallel
from beginning to end. “Tell me about
the Darkness”, Castiel asked Metatron exactly as Amara was asking Dean, “Tell me what is happening here between
us.”The next thing she says is, “You save me, I save you,” and then she
does this:
Can you
think of two other people saving each other? I mean, it’s not like Cas had
flashbacks at the beginning of the episode where we were reminded of “Cas. CAS! This isn’t you. This is the spell.
You can beat this!” and “I won’t let
you walk out of this room”. It’s not like Cas remembered Dean getting beat
up because he wanted to save Cas or Cas himself getting beat up because he
wanted to save Dean. Last season, Dean had become a murderer, a “thing” that
deserved to be “hunted”, but Cas wanted to save him. On the other hand, due to
Rowena’s spell, Cas had also become a “thing” that deserved to be “hunted”, but
Dean never considered the possibility of killing him. He wanted to save Cas. Both
of them always want to save each other. It’s true that Dean and Sam are always
saving each other as well, but in this episode we had specific reminders and
they were about Dean and Cas, from Cas’ point of view, just as Amara is trying
to figure out why she and Dean save each other. By the way, the fact that she
touched Dean’s face reminded me of this:
And this:
It also
reminded me that Cas has never touched anybody else’s face like that. Not even
Sam’s.
Anyway, let’s move on. Amara
continued her speech:
“You were the first thing I saw when I was
freed and it had been so long. Maybe that’s it. My first experience of his
creation. You can’t help but represent that for me. The sweet triumph and even
sweeter folly of what he’s wrought. There’s no fighting it. I’m fascinated.”
That could apply
to Cas so well. Dean was the soul Cas had to retrieve from Hell and the reason
he had to come to Earth in a vessel. Dean was the first thing Cas saw as worthy
of salvation even if Dean didn’t think he deserved it; the first thing he saw
as worthy of his trust; the first thing he saw as worthy of his rebellion
against Heaven; the first thing he saw as worthy of his protection; the first
thing he saw as a role-model; the first thing he saw as his mission. However,
Dean was also the first thing he saw when he was freed from the strings that
Heaven pulled; the first thing he saw when he was freed from death as an angel
(twice); the first thing he saw when he was freed from the souls of Purgatory;
the first thing he saw when he was freed from his ‘memory loss’; the first
thing he saw when he was freed from Purgatory; the first thing he saw when he
was freed from Naomi’s mind-control; the first thing he saw when he was freed
from death as a human; and the first thing he saw when he was freed from Rowena’s
spell.
Maybe that’s
it. Dean represents Cas’ first experience of God’s creation, too. But where Cas
always sees works of art, Amara sees things that God screwed up. Whatever it is
that makes Amara and Dean save each other keeps her fascinated. “There’s no fighting it.” But she doesn’t
know what it is. She asked why. Just as we continue to ask what exactly it is
that makes Dean and Cas save each other.
Dean asked
that once (8×22). He knew he would have stabbed in the neck anybody doing the
things Cas had done, but he was still giving Cas a free pass. Why? “Because it’s
Cas” was Sam’s answer. But that’s not exactly an answer. That doesn’t explain a
thing. What is so special about Cas? And also, what is so special about Dean?
Why has Cas given up so much because of him? The question is important,
considering that in this episode, Metatron was trying to decipher Cas. He
thought Cas was scared, but that wasn’t it. Then he thought Cas was mad for
being “everyone’s tool”, manipulated and used by enemies and friends alike.
What
Metatron said was meant to affect Cas. I’m not even surprised that Dean was
kind of mean to Cas at the end of the episode. After hearing from Metatron that
he’s a tool for his friends, Castiel wouldn’t be happy to hear Dean shouting at
him and complaining because he let Metatron go. It’s time for Cas to figure out what’s happening here between him and
Dean. There’s no fighting the saving each other, but… WHY?
PS: The
fight scene between Sam and the demons and Cas and Metatron was such an obvious
parallel too that I won’t even talk so much about it. Sam had the chance to
kill the third demon attacking him just as Cas had the chance to kill Metatron.
They both chose to stop. They both respected a non-killing policy. Saving
people! One day, if Sam gets his apple-pie life and Dean needs somebody who
always remembers the importance of “saving people” not just “hunting things”,
Cas will be able to do it.
Tonight’s Dean & Amara scene didn’t come across as romantic or sexual to me at all? Neither did their scene in 11×01? In both scenes, Dean seemed scared to me, not turned-on or interested. He’s disturbed by his inability to hurt her, even though she’s so dangerous. It reminded me more of his scenes with that man of letters guy – the one that wanted to collect him and was trying to trigger him with the first blade. Dean was terrified and didn’t have the power to fight back, while both Amara and… I think it was Magnus?… were both fascinated by Dean for reasons beyond his control.
It’s a parallel and a contrast to Cas, who likes Dean for what I would call the ‘right’ reasons – Cas likes Dean for who he is, and not what he represents. Dean also does represent things to Cas, but his like for Dean as a person is first and foremost (though this has not always been the case, I’d say).
There’s tension in the scenes between Dean and Amara, but not all tension is sexual or romantic.
Every time I see their interactions I see him “frozen”. Like a deer caught in headlights. He doesn’t have that romantic sexual look to him. I don’t know. Maybe people are seeing things we’re not seeing but I do NOT get romantic/sexual vibes from it at all. More like fear like you said. And now knowing what we know about her, and how God played the roles in their lives, I’m even more intrigued
My thought was a rabbit mesmerized by a snake, but yeah. Tharn, pretty much.
I think we’re supposed to get that creeped out feeling when we see them together, and YES, it’s exactly like the thing with Magnus in Blade Runners.
Or like the vampire that turned him in the alley in Live Free or Twihard, once Dean realizes he can’t fight his way out of it. I mean, that was the ultimate in creeper vibes. Also, the song they used tonight is so, so not romantic. I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to be afraid of Amara too.
I also thought there was something in her and Cas both using “tell me” at the same time. I guess I just feel like Amara is a Cas mirror in this particular scene, given where the conversation goes immediately after that, and she/Cas lets Dean/Metatron go, when it might have been in her/Cas’ best interests to not.
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