Oh, I know. I should have made that clear.

Off the top of my head, Jared playing Hell!Sam in that ep with the merging identities, and Dean's reaction to Lucifer taking Sam, with his hands on his head and tears in his eyes.

ION, I'm watching Women In Trouble, and Adrianne Palicki is freaking adorable.

I'm still shy season 1 feels. I apologise.

And I'm off on the countdown. Today is 39 days. Well, assuming the widget I just found is right. For some reason I refuse to do the maths. I found two conflicting widgets, but I'm going with the 39.

Today's IO9 topic is: expound upon a death. Any death, any reason.

I chose Pamela, and I talked about more stuff than her death. I'd never really put her all together in one place before, but I'm now choosing to think of her as a Sera avatar.

Hendrickson's death (and everyone at the police station, really) was gutting to me. One, because I thought the people the boys saved/engaged in saving themselves at the police station were actually safe... for the time being, and two, because he ranks at the top of my most beloved guest characters I'd have liked to see again list. Pretty sure he and Sheriff Mills tie for first on my list; or, no, I think she outranks him, but he's a super close second.

And I'm probably forgetting some guest characters I also loved, but I'm betting these two will hold fast to their spots.

I think that episodes ranks as a favorite, too, now that I think about it.

Jus in Belo is one of my favorite episodes, too. I love the BTS photo of Jensen carrying Jared's chains as they walk through the set. And the tattoo reveal, which was awesome, in the moment. And of course, Henriksen finally understanding, and coming to a moment of fellowship with Dean. He was a favorite recurring of mine, too, and for just a few moments I could contemplate what a great resource he could be for hunters. His unexpected death--amd Nancy's--hit hard.

It was Henrikson, wasn't it? I couldn't remember the spelling (and still don't), and the first couple of googles got me to Hendrickson. Now I have to go look more.

Yeah, Nancy's death (I couldn't remember her name) was also harsh. Show.

Jo and Ellen's deaths hit hard for me. Very hard. What made it hurt so much was seeing Ellen watch her only child dying a horrible death and the two of them managing to turn that into something that had meaning and purpose. Ellen's last moments had me both sobbing and cheering her on as she took out the hellhounds.

It's Henriksen, named after Lance.

So far, IO9 people have brought up Ellen and Jo and John.

I've found that people seem to miss characters more than they analyse the impact deaths (or continued appearances) would have on the plot.

Gabriel was a lot of fun every time he appeared, but he didn't appear that many times. And jimmying him into the plot many times a season would have been more awkward than finding a way to get Castiel in as a recurring character. If he doesn't have power, how much fun is he? If he does have power, what is he doing? What side is he on? Why is he not fixing everything or killing everything or doing similar wide-ranging powerful actions?

Didn't his conversion and death...well, wasn't it the only goddamned non-sucky thing that happened that episode?

I do think Ellen and Jo should have been in the series more before they died, but I think they died well, with agency and impact, and each of their reappearances were well-considered and sad.

Maybe that's the problem. Not that people died, but that they weren't around more before they did. But I do think Gabriel didn't have a place in the boys' lives.

It's Henriksen, named after Lance.

That's funny, because when I first typed it, I thought, "No, I'm confusing that with that actor named Henriksen," Except I spelled his name wrong, too. Oops.

Brady's death seemed really significant to me, because it had so many levels. They were killing a powerful demon, yeah, but it had the feel of a hit, as well as personal vengeance. Their complete calm was incredible ("You see, Brady, we're the ones you should be afraid of."), and the damp, shadowed alley created the atmosphere of a hit, but Sam twisting that knife was so raw and personal and clearly satisfying to him, it was chilling.

That said, the death that hit me hardest was probably John's, until Ellen and Jo died.