Rewatch S4: Ep 11 - Family Remains - additional thought

[hells_half_acre]

I just had a realization about Family Remains that didn't occur to me before, even though, in retrospect, it is quite obvious...

I'm used to the monster of the week reflecting something about the brothers, but for some reason in my slight dislike for this episode, I completely missed the implications of this Hunt.

They were human.

We're used to the occasional human monster...well, sort of, we had them in The Benders, and many saw this episode as The Benders Recycled. Sam plot-line - crazy incestuous backwards family killing people.

The fundamental difference though is Dean.

I mistook the long sad looks at the corpses at the end as Dean's usual sadness over having to kill something human...but that wasn't it at all. Those kids were made into what they were by being tortured and neglected their whole lives...basically, as Sam said, they had "been through hell" and Dean had barked back  "like you know what hell is like!" and Sam had to backtrack and apologize...well, Sam had actually been right, and that's why Dean was all weird this episode.

Dean's been terrified about what he's become...about what he did in hell means for who he is as a person. In the end, the humans that had been twisted into monsters were both killed, both had to be put down as the only solution. Dean isn't the same as them, but I'm not sure he completely sees it that way.

It just occurred to me that it's ironic that Sam's constantly obsessing over whether or not Dean thinks he's a monster...I don't think he realizes that Dean worries that DEAN might be the monster.

Anyway, still not my favorite episode, but I can't BELIEVE I missed that the first time. Seriously, it's like hitting you over the head with it, and I was walking around humming to myself....

Ok, now that that's out of the way I have two more posts to do...

Comments

[contrary-lady.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I hadn't caught that, either. I think that Sam obsessing over Dean thinking he's a monster, and not realizing that Dean is worried that he might be the monster has to do with how Sam sees himself & how he views Dean. Sam has always felt like a freak, and up until season 4, he seemed to see Dean as the big strong hero. It's kind of how it's so easy to see the worst in ourselves, and the best in others.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Very true.

But crazy thing to realize! Now I wouldn't mind if they revisited this thought in the show...but maybe they've decided we've had enough "I tortured people in hell" angst. :-P

[contrary-lady.livejournal.com]

It's definitely something I wish they would revisit. I can't imagine Dean is anywhere near close to being alright with what happened in hell. Especially after finding out that what he did in hell was what caused the first seal to break. Perhaps they'll deal with that guilt later on, along side Sam's guilt at being the one who broke the final seal.

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, they'll definitely have to revisit it in that context. Sam still doesn't know that Dean was the first seal (to our knowledge, and I'm sure they'd put that sort of information exchange on the show). So, hopefully it'll be revisited then a bit.

Longest Dean has ever kept a secret is 10 episodes...and he's already up to 8 with the whole first-seal business. He might be going for a new record, but I'm hoping he tells soon!

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

oh that's very cool! i didn't catch that either....

[hells-half-acre.livejournal.com]

Well I'm glad I'm not the only one who just came to this realization! :P

[trystan830.livejournal.com]

:D