I really, really liked it. And I liked a lot of her other stuff when I went poking, but a lot of it is not for you. She's new to me, so yay!

I hear there's a Big Bang Sam/Gabriel that deals heavily with Mystery Spot

Black Swans -- It does deal with Mystery Spot, which pleased me greatly -- that's the only way I could possibly ever consider any kind of relationship, even a friendly relationship, between those two. After months of psychological torture and the repeated killing of Dean, which cannot possibly be overstated, writers just can't throw the two of them together so that Sam can have his very own angel. Even though the story takes place post-apocalypse, working through the aftereffects of Mystery Spot takes up a large chunk of the story. On the other hand, there's an element of Healing Cock going on that made me go "bwah?" every so often, but I was willing to go with it.

As far as glossing over issues goes, the show itself had the Winchesters pretty favorably disposed toward Gabriel at the very end. Maybe there was an element of "he died for the cause" involved, but Sam at least was remarkably willing to forgive considering what he'd been put through in "Mystery Spot."

They were willing to fight with him on their side. A sexual relationship (from what I've read it seems to be love in Black Swans) is a bit more than accepting the alliance of a very powerful being in an attempt to forestall the end of the world.

I've been looking at more S/G recently, to see how they're doing it. Damn! That guy is getting resurrected like nobody's business. And, sure, after he proclaims himself on Team Free Will and dies for the cause, he's a lot more fuckable. I do dig that.

But Mystery Spot is one of my favourite sad episodes of the season, and kinda like Bela shooting Sam, I get antsy when the ramifications get dismissed.

Damn! That guy is getting resurrected like nobody's business.

I know! He's either resurrected, or the whole messy issue of his death-by-Lucifer is just being ignored. In Black Swans though the story goes AU after episode 5.13 (The Song Remains the Same) so Gabriel never was killed, so no resurrection was needed.

Sam at least was remarkably willing to forgive

I think Sam was trying to grasp onto any kind of force powerful enough to help them in their battle. I don't know that he trusted or forgave Gabriel, but maybe he thought they could possibly use him.

double post

Gabriel does have a history of cheating death. So does Cas, for that matter. And Dean. And Sam. The whole dead dead dead, no, seriously, dead thing doesn't give me as much pause as the part where Gabriel killed Dean a bazillion or so times. I'm thinking that's not the quickest way into Sam's pants.

We've never seen Cas dead like the other angels, though, spread out with the wings. Sure, they'll bring Gabe back if they want to, but they did paint a nice and final picture of his death.

I don't blame writers for bringing him back, though. He was exploding with story potential, especially right there at the end.

It was great to find out that even the members of the Norse pantheon present accepted him as one of their own.

I know everything was set up for the big final confrontation between Lucifer and Michael, but wouldn't it have been something if Gabriel had actually been tricksy enough to win in "Hammer of the Gods" (or had Dad's help in doing so) and the whole Apocalypse had just fizzled out?

Sure, they'll bring Gabe back if they want to, but they did paint a nice and final picture of his death.

I'm probably leavening my point of view with a whole lot of wishful thinking. Gabe was a terrific reoccurring guest character.