man, they're killing me with all of Dean's angst. i just wanna squish him!

I am skeptical about dreamwalker guy being able to instantly know people's issues better than they do themselves. I'd have much rather it gone down as him trying to figure out avenues of attack from observing what went on in them for a while.

Also, when Not!Dean went black-eyed and taunty, they missed a perfect opportunity for Dean to hit him with an ice-cold whispered "Yeah. I'm going to Hell and becoming a demon. And once I do, I'll be coming back for you."

Well, Kripke has flatfootedly said John was a sadistic bastard. Guess it's canon now.

I just don't get why they let John appear to care about his kids--both his kids--in S1, and in IMToD. Surely all the sympathetic vibe can't be put down to just having cast a magnetic actor in the part?

I just don't get why they let John appear to care about his kids--both his kids--in S1, and in IMToD.

But what Dean admitted about his dad was only what he *felt*, Bev. And much as he loved John, I don't think it's unreasonable for him to feel some resentment for exactly what he said -- having all of that weight put on his shoulders.

After all, whether John loved them or not is moot. Plenty of men lose their wives and still provide their kids with a stable home. Plenty of men who lose their wives in grim circumstances, too -- the husbands of murdered women don't all head off cross-country to wreak vengeance on their personal Ted Bundy.

That said, I do love John. I understand him, and I (choose to?) believe that he knew what he was doing wasn't the best for his boys, but he couldn't stop himself. We know that he thought about giving them more -- the college fund for Sam, the home for Dean.

What struck me tonight was Dean finally admitting that he actually has some resentment. That's pretty rare. But it also sort of makes sense, when you look back, and think maybe there was a whole "he doth protest too much" thing going on.

What struck me tonight was Dean finally admitting that he actually has some resentment.

I need to watch again, but there was some stuff (e.g. about the music, the coat, etc.) that almost suggested to me that his resentment of John was strongly tied up in his resentment of himself.

Also, Beverly, insent.

his resentment of John was strongly tied up in his resentment of himself

I thought the "Do you even have an original thought?" was really telling.

I was kind of surprised that the coat came from John. I can understand that a young Dean would have liked a coat that looked like Daddy's, but surely a grownup Dean is capable of picking out a leather jacket purely for the sake of one that he himself prefers.

I thought the "Do you even have an original thought?" was really telling.

That's the kind of insult Sam would have flung at him during season one, and I don't think even Sam would say that to him now. Dean's being awfully hard on himself.

Thank you, Amy! I rewound and played that line three times and still couldn't figure out what it was.

And I do agree that it was a huge step for Dean to even be able to voice his resentment. Perhaps the only way he could get it out was to shout it, more vehemently than he actually believes.

I'm secretly smiling because I read a fic this week that ended with Dean confessing to Sam that he didn't want to die, or go to hell. And much like tonight's response, Sam just smiled and said, "Well, let's get on that, then."

Got it, Anne, and backflung.

I liked this ep. It wasn't exactly groundbreaking, but there was some funny mixed in (How adorkable was Sam about Bela?), we got some backstory, and it moved the arc forward a bit.