i'm just going to leave this here. [link]

I'm more where Cass is. Saying what you've been told doesn't merit consideration.

To show how far off base I am with IO9, they called this the most homoerotic episode ever, because Sam was cast as jealous boyfriend, with Benny being usurping new lover.

Which...do I need to be more Wincesty to get that? I didn't think Sam was jealous, so much as confused and increasingly worried by Dean's continued vagueness, and it was a rational response to the things he let through.

Benny did not remotely strike me as a Sam replacement, despite his repeated use of the word "brother" and the title of the episode--he is a Cas replacement to me, and then not even.

Amelia is not a Dean substitute, because Sam's not romantically involved with Dean--he may have to choose between "indulging" in a romantic or fraternal bond, but that's not the same thing. Benny is not a Sam substitute--Sam is no longer battling a monster inside, and he's Dean's brother and will continue to be his brother in perpetuity. He might not always be the guy who fights beside him--but if he's going to get jealous about that, he can fix it by not quitting hunting--I did not get that read off it at all. Sam was mad because Dean was cagey, in peril, and then in cahoots with a monster. Not because there was homoeroticism (I actually see little to absolutely none Dean/Benny) or brother replacement. This isn't like the siren, and if Sam doesn't think Cas would replace him, why would Benny?

i'm just going to leave this here.

Nice point, tiggy.

ita, I think this episode was completely homoerotic, at least in terms of purgatory. She doesn't mean it literally with regard to Sam and Dean, but I think she's talking about how Dean tends to replace Sam with another man. Even Gordon, for a hot second way back when, you know? And then Cas and the siren.

I didn't see Sam as jealous, either, just concerned and confused. It's the secret-keeping that makes it so suspicious, just as Dean was suspicious when Sam was keeping secrets. I think it's just a partner thing, but it's cooler to label it honoeroticism.

The scene with Dean, Cas, and Benny was full of hoyay, though, if you ask me.

I think this episode was completely homoerotic, at least in terms of purgatory

Okay, I wrote and deleted a lot. Let's see if this stays.

What is the difference between just fighting at someone's side and fighting homoerotically at someone's side? Is there a difference? I believe there is.

What's the difference between fighting at someone's side when Sam's not there, and replacing Sam? Is there a difference? I believe there is.

I believe there is a homoerotic charge to how Dean interacts (but not how he fights alongside) with Cas. NSM Benny. I believe that Nick and very specific Cas moments (early S5 only) were Sam-replacement. Benny's not, Gordon wasn't. I mean, was Garth??? And was there hoyay there too?

I don't know when I became picky about hoyay, but the moment when Benny saved Cas was the moment Benny really became Dean's comrade and not just a guy who was helping him with a shared motive (because he accepts his priority, although he doesn't understand it) but I don't see a hoyay charge there.

I thought Gordon was replacing John as a father figure?

I thought Gordon was replacing John as a father figure?

If anything, yes. Dean seemed to be looking to him for approval, and a bit of camaraderie, but of the sort I bet he wished he could have had with his father, by earning his respect. Not the "in each others pockets" "finish each others sentences" sort of things that I would peg Sam-replacing as.

I don't model all of Dean's relationships as "like Sam" or "like sex" and the IO9 review seemed to be assuming there was just one template, because those two were the same.

Here's a test to see if your feels need to go back to the shop (I typed ship...) for retuning: [link]

I am not watching the same show as IO9, clearly.

Also they need to proof their stories. Apparently when I disagree with someone, I am more likely to bitchily notice they used the wrong name occasionally.

I noticed that! They said Sam somewhere where they meant ... someone else I don't remember now, but not Sam.

They meant Dean. Unless Sam was in Purgatory and homoerotically fighting monsters.