Oh yes, definitely.

I think Dean's "Sam? You gotta carry *me*!" in Bobby's scrapyard was prophetic. I think, despite his issues with his wall falling, hallucinations still going on (I wonder what, or who, he was seeing in the waiting room when he was squeezing the scar on his palm?) Sam's actually developed some coping mechanisms. It's a lot to cope with, but he has them.

Dean, on the other hand, has always been so busy taking care of other people and plowing forward to the next thing and getting done what needs to be done he's neglected or avoided devising any sort of coping strategies. I think avoidance has gone as far as he can push it. I think he's going to fall completely apart, and I think Sam's finally going to have to carry Dean. I also think Sam's been waiting to do that for a long time. And I think more than anybody on earth, Sam's up to the task.

Hmm. I think that's a really interesting thought, Beverly. It'll be very good watching if it goes that way.

I'm scared this season is going to tear Dean down, and when they build him back up again, he won't be a substance abuser.

SNORK.

That's not...oh, hell, yeah, that was funny!

I don't see Dean ever being an evangelical recovering drunk. But I can see him getting back to S1 -- drinking for fun, but not carrying around a flask or using it to get to sleep, or just deal with his life.

I just watched the last ep. It was well done and also gut wrenching. Good lord.

Bobby.

I guess, drinking for fun...I mean, if they totally dried them out--that is one of the things that would make me actually not like the show as much in theory, because I would feel a bit preached at unless they did it well.

However, they have a history of doing things in ways I like them, so you know.

I just like his boozy crutch, with the implication that pills might help him not think so hard about the bad things sometimes, without coming out and saying it.

Cafe De Labielle is doing an advent calendar again this year. I like today's. It's nice and quiet.

I liked today's, too.

I don't think they'll ever dry Dean out completely. In reality, someone like him might have to -- it might be that black and white. This character, though? It's too much a part of him.

And don't forget, even without drinking or pills, Dean always has his other crutches -- sex, Sammy, and guilt.

I just watched the last ep. It was well done and also gut wrenching. Good lord.

I know! I think I'm ready to say good-bye, actually. The episode was so perfect, and explained so much, and was just a great big sad Valentine to Bobby. But I wish they hadn't dragged it out. Now that I've digested it, I think it's time for him to go, and doing it at the very end of the episode really would have been the way to go, without the drawn-out fake suspense.

Anne and I were pondering the fate of Bobby today - will he go with the reaper or will he stay back and try to help the boys, thinking he can be a benevolent spirit?

We were also wondering how much did John's behaviors towards his children trigger Bobby's memories of his own father. He said once he'd almost unloaded some buckshot into John's ass.

In other meanderings, I've long held the thought that there was something more significant about Bobby Singer and Singer Salvage than what has been shown. Bobby had a rather remarkable propensity for many languages and was highly resourceful, not to mention the amulet he gave Wee!Sam many years ago which had a rather pointed story attached to it.

At the same time, God has been AWOL.

This reminds me on some level about the movie Dogma, with the angels Bartleby and Loki, and God trapped in the body of a coma patient. I'm rather intrigued by the idea that perhaps Bobby was an unknowing vessel for God.

Speaking of vessels for God, the latest reaper gave me heebie jeebies in that he looked a lot like Chuck. For a split second there I thought he was going to take Bobby immedieately unto his bosom. Or something.