I think Henrickson (or however that's spelled) is wrong in the rightest of ways, though. Gordon's a flat out villain.

Hmm. Maybe I just like the "bad" guy who's actually right. Underinformed, but mostly quite right. They're the best sort of antagonist in my eyes.

I don't think Gordon's that wrong about their goals and intents so much--it's just that theirs contradict his. I think his goals are wrong, and that's where it all breaks down.

But that's all outside of the race thing. I think that Hendrickson is one of the most interesting challenges that the boys have faced, all the more interesting for being completely mortal, with not even knowledge of the supernatural.

Gordon, the YED, etc...they're more one note in comparison. The interest I have in the YED (well, aside from how much pain he can visit on our two heroes) is about the details of his plan. But he's not very different from himself.

Gordon? They need to mix some shit up to make him interest me again. Two episodes is a good enough amount of time. Then he gets boring, and doesn't have enough agency (as written so far) to make it suspenseful for me.

none of the black characters on SPN have been on the boys' side. They've been smart, creative, full of agency, generally. But they're consistently wrong when it comes to the Winchesters' goals, intents, and motivation. They're antagonists, not allies.

Even Missouri?

(quick edit to add - I realized that Missouri casts a much larger shadow over the SPV-verse in my head than she does in canon because of how often she shows up as a resource/refuge in all the fanfic I've read.)

I think that Hendrickson is one of the most interesting challenges that the boys have faced, all the more interesting for being completely mortal, with not even knowledge of the supernatural.

Oh, absolutely. I would not mind seeing an arc which ends with him becoming a (grudging, fundamentally untrusting) quasi-ally to the boys. After remaining an entertaining and smart antagonist for a while, of course. I don't ever see him as ever becoming an out-and-out ally, not given the boys' tendency to commit insurance fraud, B&E at the drop of a hat, etc.

I realized that Missouri casts a much larger shadow over the SPV-verse in my head than she does in canon

I think that's true for most of us. She was only actually in one episode! But her name is in the first line of the notebook, she obviously has more than just that one day's worth of history with John, she has an empathy with Sam and can make Dean uncomfortable. Also, she doesn't DIE. So -- yeah.

Speaking of a one-off who can have a lot of impact. To keep Hendrickson interesting, I want some depth added to his short-circuit skepticism: he obviously didn't get into law enforcement for the puzzles, because he willingly ignores clues that don't fit his schema. So, like, did he have a crazy grandma he's embarrassed about, that made him all Aristotelian Badass? Does he love the law, or use it as a weapon? I would be very happy if, in a third season, we got Agent Gotcha to admit that he really enjoys the Winchesters, because they're the biggest challenge he's faced so far. He could even quote David Simon about how most crooks are dumb. (And then Erika would faint from happiness, even though she doesn't watch this show.)

I'm not sure how to keep Gordon interesting, in a way that doesn't become wankily angstful. Dead sister and a mean streak aren't much to work with, you know? Maybe he is secretly a domino champion and raises rabbits in his back yard trunk of his car, but we don't know about it.

Stargates: They had episodes on Friday. They were ordinary. Just thought I'd mention them. I still love them, but it felt like repeat tv.

I hope we get to see more Missouri. I really enjoy the character and I fear we won't as Loretta Devine's pilot was picked up. (Apparently.)

Morgana, good catch--I'd forgotten about Missouri, which is dumb. My excuse is that I had a huge sushi dinner last night and was barely conscious while writing my post.

And of course Cassie - who I try to forget about and I do that so much that I can't really recall the plot of Route 666 - just that she certainly seemed to be on Dean's side.

just that she certainly seemed to be on Dean's side.

Certainly his front.


What?

I'm not sure we can really count Cassie as an ally, per se, because during her pre-series interactions with Dean she kicked him out as soon as she found out about his real identity. During "Route 666" her only function was to be the damsel in distress (and to get Dean nekkid, so I guess we can thank her for that). She doesn't really serve any other helpful narrative purpose.