How Dean is different, I'm guessing.

I've seen some theories put forward on why Dean would be "different." I just wondered if anybody here wanted to take a wild shot at prognosticating.

Or not. Personally, I've sort of avoided the question. But now that they've dragged it out into the light of canon, anybody got any ideas?

Dean has a deep cellular tan?

Bev, I'm not going to lie, when he was standing there backing Tessa up, I was thinking, "Man, Dean wouldn't be a bad reaper..."

Looks like I'll be viewing this episode of Supernatural on Saturday night. Well, at least ER was good. *sob*

I'm just hoping there's a *good* explanation behind Dean's *differentness*, really. I'm not sure what Kripke's going to pull out for that, you know?

Sam is different because he has demon blood. And angels are not the sweet Precious Moments beings so many people have imagined, and appear to have been *born* angels. So ... that leaves Dean where? Unless it simply has to do with him being able to save Sam from his own demonic impulses. And given Sam is a lying liar who lies (::sobs::), that's not working so well yet.

And given Sam is a lying liar who lies (::sobs::)

Usually I'm okay with Sam's ruthless pragmatism. It started when he was desperately seeking a way to save Dean from his crossroads deal, and has just escalated since then (trying to rescue Dean from hell, and now trying to stop the seals from being broken). But I Did.Not.Like him lying to Cole. Judging from Sam's face during that scene, I'm not sure he liked doing it either, but he felt it needed to be done to get the information about the demon's location.

And as for not telling Dean about his confrontation with Alistair ... I'm not sure I can hold that against him. That's a conversation they've been having over and over, and neither one has changed his position. Whenever Sam's ability to exorcise demons comes up, Dean spits venom at him ("If I didn't know you, I'd hunt you") or punches him, or finds some other way to tell Sam he's damned, he's wrong. Why should Sam let himself open to more insults and another round of a fight that never changes? Dean was unconscious; Sam was on his own facing Alistair, and he did what he needed to do to protect himself and Dean.

I Did.Not.Like him lying to Cole.

Was he lying? I guess so, because Tessa had just said. But I was almost as aghast at the thought that he might be seriously considering letting the kid linger there into eternity (you know, until the great grandson of Dean's unknown love child - there has to be one - has to Sacrifice Too Much to put him down a hundred or so years in the future). Either way, ouch.

I completely agree with you Morgana. It looked like it sickened him, but he did it anyway.

the dedication to Kim made me cry.

Me too. I'm glad it was a good episode. I'm glad this has been a good season to be dedicated.

I was a little bit distracted during the last Dean and Tessa scene (overly needy 27 pound cats do not make good viewing buddies), but I thought Tessa was suggesting Dean would go back to hell after the angels were done with him.