I think Dean is identifying as the has-brought-danger potential-supernatural-threat outsider "almost" family member, Feeling it hard.

I think what he was "feeling hard" were all the anvils that were dropping on his head. The plotline was not in the least bit subtle. I'm just hoping that they don't consider that sufficient closure and that Dean and Lisa still get some sort of wrap-up.

I'm just hoping that they don't consider that sufficient closure

Oh please no. Lisa and Ben deserve better.

FIGHT THE FAERIES!

I can't wait. I liked this week okay. Sam scored points with me when he admitted that he didn't particularly care about Dean. I felt like I was hearing the truth for the first time.

Also-- will writers never use the phrase "short and curlys" ever again? ever. It's been done and was gross the first 1000 times.

If I were Kripke, sometime last year I'd have started the second unit shooting Colin Ford in a huge variety of scenes to ensure years' worth of Weechester Sam flashback footage.

I am onboard with suspension of disbelief. I don't care if WeeSam is a bit taller, I want to see Colin again. The Sam and John story would be AWESOME!

I'm just hoping that they don't consider that sufficient closure

I didn't get that Dean was thinking along those lines. I thought he was more likely to call her in the future because he stared at her name on his phone. Did Dean see any of the anvils or was that just for the audience? I felt like Dean was still in the same place WRT Lisa.

And the boyfriend's brother for disturbing the peace.

Didn't he attack the woman that Lucky was cozying up to as part and parcel of his unruly behavior? That seems better justification for death-by-supernatural-pet than being an affable drunk or serving eviction notices over past-due rent.

being an affable drunk

I thought Lucky was protecting the woman and the little boy more than the boyfriend. She was unhappy with the boyfriend's behavior, so Lucky took care of him, then crawled in bed with her and was rewarded by her calling him "the best boyfriend". I think Lucky had a crush.

Not saying jealousy is an alright motive. I just got the feeling that some of that played into the demise of the boyfriend.

Sam doesn't want Dean so much as he must have him to make things right. It's the closest he's going to allow a moral compass, and he's more than not going to take his lead when they're working towards a common goal if it's something Dean can feel about and he can't.

I love that, because Sam could wander off and not want his soul back. He could wander off and decide to get it by himself without interference, but he's decided to align himself to his one true navigator and go from there.

Did Dean see any of the anvils or was that just for the audience?

Dean did not see the interaction between Lucky and the woman at the end, no. But he really was identifying with Lucky in his role as an outsider brushed with the supernatural, and who was a part of a normal family and didn't want to lose that. He was saying something like "in your miserable life they were the only people who treated you decently" (I'm paraphrasing like crazy because I'm upstairs and the DVR is downstairs; sorry). "You killed anything that threatened them." He definitely identified with the guy, and he was seeing the woman and kid as more than ordinary civilians.

That's all I meant about hoping the writers don't see the final scene between Lucky/woman (WTH is her name?) as a mirror/substitute for closure between Dean/Lisa. They deserve an actual scene if it is to really end between them.

Soulless Sam is happier

can you be happy without a soul?

I wouldn't call it happy, so much as the knowledge of an absence of pain, guilt, shame, responsibility, hunger, anger, frustration. While still being tied to emotional words, the closest thing I could say Sammy might be feeling is "relief". But then he also has the memories of the good stuff, and then what he'd be experiencing is "loss". I'm sure someone could phrase that better, using non-emotional words.

It's pretty clear that he can enjoy things in the moment, although abstract happiness is a dicier prospect.