Most of the alpha/beta/omega fic I've read centres on the biological imperative, and fighting it, and caving to it. Or about what it's like to be the exception in your family, whichever way round it works. There are often heat suppressants involved, or very late puberties. They don' all have knotting, and if there's bebbies on the tin, ita ! doesn't go in. So I don't know how that works.

And, to be frank, the knotting is kind of underused. It's mostly a potential thing, like, once we knot, it's going to be hard to do with with anyone else next time round, but they can do scent imprinting just as well. They kinda hand wave over the locked together period, once the direct prostate stimulation is over.

And it's mythagowood.

I'm staring at this reading of S7 that's implying that Dean is suicidal because Castiel is dead, and they're reading it in a clearly D/C way. I mean, in a way that seems to say a) it's true and b) how could you enjoy Repo Man without liking D/C.

Clearly we know which ships I sail, but....

The idea that Dean is suicidal in S7 because Cas is dead.

First you need to find the evidence that he's suicidal, and then you need to tie it to Cas being dead.

By 7.15, Bobby is dead, so good look isolating your sources. Good luck telling this Dean from the Dean who did state years ago that he was scared to die, that didn't believe he deserved it, but who often got very eerily calm when it came down to the wire--he fights against evil to get out of that casefile much harder than he fights to save his life, if that tiny distinction makes a difference, and Cas being dead doesn't make a huge difference there.

THIS IS THE DEAN WHO DOESN'T FEEL HE DESERVES TO LIVE more often than, remember?

Defending Your Life makes a pretty clear case without mentioning Castiel's name. I think saying "Whoah...is that why he didn't fight back" is excusing the writers a lot.

Now...I think Cas could have easily been called to the stand there and Dean made to feel like shit, but to attribute him feeling like shit to Cas when Cas wasn't called--that's making stuff up to support your position. Yes, it's very close to Cas sinking into the reservoir, but between the flashbacks and the episode itself, I think it's clear where we're supposed to think they weight of this is coming from.

I don't know why I'm so tetchy about ships these days.

The basic case for Repo Man echoing Dean/Cas is actually a decent one. Just...falls apart on suicidal, and for some reason that frustrates me when the poster is stringing that part together.

Dean can't/won't be suicidal while Sam needs him, and possibly while Sam is alive. And for most of S7, he was worried about the wall and Lucifer riding shotgun.

I think Dean is tired of carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and I don't think he gets a lot of joy out of living at the moment, but I think he would probably find suicide a coward's way out -- unless he had lost *both* Sam and Bobby.

And honestly? For as much as he thinks he doesn't deserve to live, I think he probably feels he *does* need to make reparations for the damage their war has done, and that doesn't mean hanging himself and getting out of it.

Dean can't/won't be suicidal while Sam needs him

In Defending Your Life he wasn't fighting too hard, but I think ascribing that to Cas is being silly. Jo and Ellen are right there. Yeah, I'm sure he could be a contributing factor, the Harvelles are textual, and Amy's on the tip of everyone's tongue, you know?

They also said he was being sloppy, and I don't think he was. I think for every case, he fought just as hard he always does to win and come back--just the one case where his life was being judged, he felt it wasn't worth winning.

I think in Defending Your Life it was the laundry list of his wrongs that had to be weighing on him -- it's easy to ignore them when someone isn't listing them for you, and bringing in witnesses.

Suicidal because of Cas? No. Honestly, I think he mourned Cas, but I also think he was furious with him, which is the kind of thing that keeps the fires burning, you know?

I don't actually know what this is referencing, but it's adorable.

I've been looking at that on and off this morning, and I have no idea what it is.

I despise the opening "Am I the only one who..."

But I just said on IO9 I want less Crowley next season, and it seems I am.

Well, huh. I want Gabe to stay dead too.

And I think I've realised my assumptions for the arcs of just about everyone on the show.

Everyone dies. Most people come back at least once. Few of them stay.

I assess the writers' success with each point (each time). Looking at it that barely, the Harvelles are still a success. Great death scene. Jo's return and Ellen being casually married to Bobby (I wonder if the Sheriff's son is still alive--maybe the Lucifer thing never happened and Death wasn't disturbed) worked very tidily for me. Jo popping out again and the boys knowing that they'd both be dead if they made this call, but they had to make this call...yeah. Good one. So, Harvelles, well handled by my Show checklist.

I think they're probably not quite done with Crowley yet, and as much as I love him, I don't want to see him any *more* of him than we have been.

I think my biggest wish for the season is more MotW episodes and less "big evil conspiracy" stuff.

Yeah, I can see that there's wrapup, but I'd really like it to be that. Working with him--repetitive and hypocritical. Working against him--they're outclassed and somewhat repetitive and perhaps hypocritical.

I don't mind seeing more of Meg, but I want them to be *real* careful about why she's still alive. I don't want her to die, but I don't want the boys too compromised. Not more compromised than is delicious.

And, yeah, toning down the power level would be great. I don't mind if it's still an awful arc, but I don't mind if it's a bit more personally awful...though I flinch as I type that. I might not be strong enough to withstand it.

Vampire Diaries seems to continually have crises that are one or two lives (or love lives) big--I don't want it like that. But a whole new dimension and the entire planet sort of thing--there comes a point at which the Winchesters are not your guys. Either they fail, or someone better suited to the job should take over.

Oh, and Gabe is still dead. Don't get any ideas.