Now that I'm home again, I went to the Supernatural wiki, and their assumptions line up with mine WRT Sam:
Sam can force a demon to leave its host through sheer force of will. Initially, using this ability caused Sam a great deal of stress and would often result in severe headaches and nosebleeds, but with time and practice he was able to exorcise a demon without these side-effects. Once removed, the demon "smoke" falls to the ground and burns a black circle as it descends back to Hell.
...
When fueled by a certain amount of demon blood, Sam powers are strong enough to allow him to not only exorcise demons, but kill them too. Killing a demon creates the same light inside their body as when they're killed by the Colt or Ruby's knife.
It makes sense laid out like that. Otherwise what he said to Alistair would have made none.
And tonight we can be broken by My Bloody Valentine again! Whoo.
Thanks for sorting it out. I did have it wrong.
I'ma have to get a second tv for the bedroom.
The back end of S3 is much better than the beginning. We're up to the dream root now! Whoo.
Sam is just having his dream about Bela. CJ hasn't seen this episode and he was shocked that Sam was dreaming of her. Can't wait to see his reaction to the rest of the fun.
Dreaming about Bela was really out of character, imo, but it was funny.
Plus, I never overlook a moment to see JP throwing someone down on a bed.
Sam being a doof about Bela is
weird.
I can overlook the dream, because hey, dreams. But when she showed up and he was all tongue-tied, that was very odd.
Sam is clearly NGA in S3.
Yeah, that whole bit, while humorous, was not my Sam. Plus, you gotta imagine that both Sam and Dean have found themselves having embarassing dreams around eachother and ignore them out of self defense. I'm not even talking about slash, just guys being guys.
when she showed up and he was all tongue-tied, that was very odd
I can see the situation being all weird, because, hey, just dreamt and all, but the extent was extreme.
Sam is clearly NGA in S3.
So very resolved in S4.
I am all pissy at Ruby from now, out of an incredible protectiveness for Sam. But I wonder whose plan that was, to work him that way, because NSM with the current plan and properly exploiting their weaknesses.