Deep. Deep Breath.

[debbiel66]

Spoilers for tonight's episode and spoiler-less speculation under the cut.



Wow. I sort of feel emotionally numb. I feel like that was a really, really good episode but I can't be sure until I watch it again, and I'm honestly not sure I'll be able to watch it again until our five week purgatory is up. (Christmas?? Bah!)

But yeah.

So many gorgeous moments. Sweet. Bittersweet too but mostly sweet. I love how this episode made it absolutely clear that Sam and Dean were the best things that Bobby ever made of his life. His childhood was literally able to be buried because HIS BOYS gave him a second chance.

I am not going by any spoilers - I actually don't have any, so this is just speculation - but I'm guessing that Bobby won't leave them. Won't go into the light and won't be gone. Maybe just a little brain dead.

I think (hope! pray!) that Bobby will be in a coma for the rest of the season, only to come back in one of the last episodes of the season.

Somebody else feel this way but me? Please! Anyone? I need some reassurance, sniff.

Five. Weeks.

I've got some stories to write.

Comments

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I got the impression that he's dead, but chose to stick around as a spirit, taking the chance that he can help the boys from the Other Side before he goes all wackadoody. I was REALLY sure he'd make it until he did that sweet, loving "Idjits." That was so obviously a farewell.

But yeah. Gorgeous episode. SO much backstory. And Rufus!

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

See, I'm hoping for coma. (only for this show, do I type that sort of thing)

I know it felt very much like a Supernatural farewell, but I honestly don't think the show could handle this loss, let alone the boys. I could be wrong. But I hope I'm not.

[dragonfly-sg1.livejournal.com]

*continues to rock*

I ... I...

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Keeping the faith for brain-dead here. That will be my story for the next five weeks.

Yep. Denial works for me. :-(

[tifaching.livejournal.com]

Yup. Not dead yet. Not passed on. He'll stay for his boys. I believe that.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

Someone other than me feels that way!!!!! I seriously thought I was the only one.

I just think the fact it ended with a close-up of his face, not making the decision is a tip-off to the fact that his story isn't over yet. I wouldn't be surprised if he was out of commission for the rest of the season.

I seriously am not sure how I'll feel if I'm wrong.

[maraceles.livejournal.com]

I was so the opposite about Bobby--I was like, No, Bobby! Don't stay! If you stay you lose all those memories forever, but if you move on, you stay who you are! Sam and Dean wouldn't want you to become a ghost!

AND THEN I BAWLED. *WEEPS*

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I keep going - brain dead for a season. And then Crowley does something!

It could happen....

[super-pan.livejournal.com]

This is exactly how I feel, including the bawling and the weeping. But I feel like they made clear that Bobby couldn't stay and be the same. I would love to be wrong though.

[purplehrdwonder.livejournal.com]

I've been theorizing long-term coma since the end of 7.09 and that hasn't changed with this episode. As much as that fade to black was like a kick to the gut, I think he's going to hang around on life-support until someone (Crowley, Cas, someone) comes around and brings him back.

When the reaper said, "They'll be okay without you," I yelled at my TV, "No they won't!" So I refuse to accept it.

That being said, Dean's definitely out of his funk. He's pissed and Dick doesn't seem impressed (and that will be his undoing, of course). Sam's little scene in the waiting room when he pressed on his hand has me worried, though. I think he has a (much-needed) breakdown just around the corner.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

This! This is what I think too. But nobody thinks so too. Just me and you. *clings to fellow believer*

But I do agree with you about Dean - I'm hoping Bobby's (temporary!) demise will be the start of Dean's resurrection from the soul-dead. And yes, Sam does need that breakdown. Is it bad that I was incredibly happy to see that hand-rub?

[purplehrdwonder.livejournal.com]

*clings back*

I was very pleased about the hand-rub, too. His face...I could only imagine what Lucifer must be whispering in his ear. *wibble*

[super-pan.livejournal.com]

Yes, this scene was so heartbreaking! I couldn't believe his face!

[sandymg.livejournal.com]

Ahhh. So poignant. What a lovely episode. Let the whiners whine. It's what they do. But I think slow, sweet, moody episodes like this are a perfect balance to the action-fast episodes and definitely a balance to the comedic ones.

As for Bobby. I, too, am unspoiled. I'd love to have him around. If for no other reason than Dean. I can't even think about him having to deal with Bobby dead.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I agree with you about the pacing. The show has always had episodes like this that feel softer, slower. I think looking back, those are the episodes we keep coming back to....material for stories, whatever...

Do you think they really killed Bobby? I'm just having a hard time believing they would do that, story-telling wise.

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

I agree with you on that, Sandy. I LOVED finding out more of Bobby's backstory, especially his relationship with the boys. Slow pacing is just fine with me if there's a lot of character exploration involved.

But I think a lot of viewers (particularly the younger ones?) have gotten so used to everything in life moving at a breakneck pace that they don't know how to take a breath and examine something slowly.

[digitalwave]

What scares me is that they pretty much follow the format of Joseph Campbell's Heroes Journey on the show and, within that format, there is always the loss of the mentor at some point.

I would so, so love to be wrong about that, though.

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I think you're probably right and I'm in massive denial.

I would love anyone's interpretation of the very last moment of the episode though... why did they end it there if not to leave open Bobby's fate? It didn't have the definite closure of John's death.

[digitalwave]

I'm right there with in the denial. I would love for him to not be dead. I don't know if my heart can take it otherwise.

*hugs*

[ficwriter1966.livejournal.com]

why did they end it there if not to leave open Bobby's fate?

Just for the sake of the cliffhanger, I imagine.

I'm intrigued by Dean's visible ANGER in this episode. It might be the motivator he needs to fight back out of his depression and kick some Leviathan ass.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Still feeling numb myself. :((

As much as I would hate to see Bobby go I feel like after 2 very Bobby focused eps it would almost be an anti climax if he was still alive. They put a lot of effort into giving us Bobby's backstory. I would be truly surprised if he's not dead. Of course, that doesn't mean we won't see him again. I'm be absolutely sure that we will.

The more I think about it the more I loved that ep! <3

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking that you're probably right. But how can that BE?????? I just can't imagine the show without Bobby. What a heartbreaker. I wanted him to the bitter (or sweet) end.

But Jared tweeted that he watched the show with Jensen with Kleenex, so I'm guessing it was meant to be just as moving as it was.

:-(


Five weeks is so long. (Do you think they'll bring back Sam's hell!hand even more? Looking to a Sam!girl for reassurance!)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I know. It's hard to even imagine isn't it? And of course, I can't be sure. None of us can I suppose because Show likes to mess with us.

I LOVED SAM'S HELL!HAND. That was one of my fav moments (more in my review on this. *g*)

But I really really hope we get more. I can't believe how lucky we were that we got that. \o/

5 weeks! ACK!!! /o\

[ravelqueen.livejournal.com]

I really hope he survives too...maybe it's delusional, maybe it even works better as far as dramatic tension goes but I just love the character (and as someone else pointed out Deans tragicness would probably reach some breaking point and create a dark hole of angstiness to drown everything else)

I cried and sobbed so muh at all the sad and bittersweet moments and at the theme of family and that bobby acknowledges that he adopted those two and oh god that moment at the end! I miss those little happy moments and I really felt with bobbys little smile (also Jared is right Jim really hit the acting in this episode out of the park it was gorgeous)

argh I'm incoherent I loved it, but it broke my heart in so many pieces I'll probably will be searching for it till after the hellatus ;__________;

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

I really do agree with everything you said - everything. I will say this episode just motivated me to get off my writer's block more than any I've watched for a while.

It really does feel like a death, that episode.

[harrigan.livejournal.com]

I love this episode SO HARD!!

I am also spoiler-free. I think they left Bobby's fate deliberately vague. They may know the long-term plan, but they didn't reveal it to us yet. I'll be happy either way. If a beloved character has to die, give him/her a worthy send-off. And this was spectacular. Oh Bobby!

But I will miss, him, too. So if they do bring him out of his coma, I won't be annoyed. (To be honest, I would like to see a way for them to interact with Bobby even after he's gone 'beyond'. After all, if he can bind a reaper while he's in a coma, maybe he can be accessible in other ways that they've never encountered before. Without going the spirit-who-can't-move-on-and-turns-violent route.)

Like you, I do think/hope/pray the hell!hand ;D is a precursor of more to come.

I haven't read much meta on the ep yet (I'm traveling this week and barely got to see the episode) - but this short one by de_nugis was all kinds of awesome!

[debbiel66.livejournal.com]

de_nugis is always so thoroughly awesome. I will check that out, thanks!

I have to agree and long for everything you said. Luckily, I have much to keep me busy over the next five weeks - otherwise, I'd probably drive myself crazy tallying the days. :-)

[destina.livejournal.com]

I love how this episode made it absolutely clear that Sam and Dean were the best things that Bobby ever made of his life. His childhood was literally able to be buried because HIS BOYS gave him a second chance.

*nod!!* I love the idea that Bobby has always thought of them that way, long before we as viewers got wise to it. And that Sam and Dean probably thought of him that way too, before John and Bobby's falling out. Wow, it adds to much texture to all the past canon we have.

[inheritedjeans.livejournal.com]

I dunno. I almost feel like it would be OOC for Bobby to stick around after death. I think Bobby is the most likely of them to let go and trust that the boys will soldier on.

I was super proud of SPN for this episode. I loved it so much lots, even though *tear* Bobby!

/de-lurking

[lavinialavender.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing - your reaction was my favorite of those I read. You gave me HOPE that he might not be forever gone (and information about the impending hiatus), though I have a hard time believing any male main character can be forever dead on SPN. He's died before, after all, though this episode had a lot of...closure.