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| Sam and Dean on Christmas |
In a world of superficiality, why do I find profound meaning
in Supernatural? I gave up watching
that show in the 4th season. I was good with the demons and the
ghosts, all of the baddies Sam and Dean had to fight, but not so good with the
false representation of God and angels they added to the plot in the 4th
season. So it’s been what, three years, four since I stopped watching? On a
whim, I bought a couple of my favorite episodes from Amazon, just so I’d have them
if the mood ever strikes.
Watching A Very
Supernatural Christmas from the 3rd season was like a trip back
in time. It’s always been one of the show’s best episodes, if not the best, at least of the seasons I’ve
watched. A little thing like impending death makes Dean sentimental. I’d
forgotten how . . . peaceful he was in the 3rd season, even while knowing
that he only “supposedly” had a few months to live. He wants Christmas, wants
to mend bridges and build memories, especially with Sam. He’s the big brother
and the father figure.
So at the end of the episode, as Sam is giving Dean what he wants, in spite of his own pain, celebrating Christmas in a dinky little motel room with a cheesy, fake Christmas tree and gifts from the gas station down the road, I cried. I couldn’t help it; those tears just wouldn’t stay tamped down. It’s killing Sam, knowing that his brother is dying, and the last thing he wants to do is celebrate Christmas, but he does it for Dean. It’s sacrifice, and when Sam looks in Dean’s eyes, the happiness in them, it makes the suffering all worthwhile.
So at the end of the episode, as Sam is giving Dean what he wants, in spite of his own pain, celebrating Christmas in a dinky little motel room with a cheesy, fake Christmas tree and gifts from the gas station down the road, I cried. I couldn’t help it; those tears just wouldn’t stay tamped down. It’s killing Sam, knowing that his brother is dying, and the last thing he wants to do is celebrate Christmas, but he does it for Dean. It’s sacrifice, and when Sam looks in Dean’s eyes, the happiness in them, it makes the suffering all worthwhile.
The episode really reminds me how life is so fleeting. Dean
has one Christmas left, or supposes he does, and he spends it with Sam, the
only person in the world he wants to spend it with. How often do we get so
caught up in our everyday lives that we forget about the connections? People
matter so much, and there are no guarantees at how long we’ll have someone we
love. I’ve lost coworkers in the last couple of years. People I loved. The loss
damaged me a little bit because, in both cases, the deaths were sudden and
unexpected. It
hurts to love because you know that someday you’re going to lose that person.
I know, when the people you love are Christians, you’re not
supposed to feel this way. And maybe the knowledge does give me some relief
since both of those coworkers were, I believe, Christians. But it doesn’t
diminish the pain of the loss. One of my dearest friends is 68 and the older she gets the more I am
reminded that our time together is limited. She’s a Christian, but I know
someday the Lord will call her home and I’ll most likely still have a good
portion of my life to live without her. And I’m afraid of how much that will
hurt. Sam’s afraid of losing Dean, and now, I totally get his perspective. That’s weird really because I never connected that well with Sam before.
On a lighter subject, I may do a study on Sam and Dean’s
MBTI in a future post. I’m curious now.
I still love the first three seasons. I keep hoping the Blu Rays will go on sale! =P
ReplyDeleteLewis said that the price of joy is eventual loss -- we pay for our former happiness with the pain of losing those we love, but the joy of having them in your life outweighs the eventual sorrow of a temporary departure.
I bought, oh, maybe 5 episodes from the first three seasons. The show may have gone downhill, but Dean and Sam will always be some of my favorite tv characters of all time!
DeleteWhich of Lewis's books is that from? The Problem of Pain? Because I own that one, but never read it. Maybe that's what I need to do with the rest of my summer vacation. Read through some of Lewis' work in conjunction with Scripture. Death is something that we were never supposed to experience. God knew we would fall, but He also designed us so that death would hurt. I wonder why. A reminder of all that we could have been?
Yeah... they're great characters. Shame about the fourth season onward. :(
DeleteI imagine so, yes. I've not read all of it either.
Went to a funeral this past week, for a great aunt. Only have one left from that generation. It was sad, in a way, but it was even more sad to look around at the reception and know that almost everyone in the room, when they die, won't be joining her in heaven. Loss to heaven is one thing -- eternal loss is quite another.
I really hate losing the elderly, which is a little odd I'm sure. I love their stories, and learning about the life they've lived. I'm sorry about your aunt, but you're right, the pain is less because you know where they are and that you'll see them again. When my grandmother died, it hurt a lot, but it didn't break me because I know when my time comes I'll see her again, standing with her Lord.
DeleteA lot of my relatives won't be joining my grandma in heaven either, so I know how you feel. It's hard when you love people, but they aren't believers. That's the worst part of being a Christian because we know where they're going.
Sorry about your great aunt! *hugs*
Life sucks, particularly when unsaved people die. :P
DeleteHow many seasons of Supernatural are there anyway? I know there's some weird span of time where tv shows can't be put on blu-ray for some reason, like with Moonlight, but they can with Supernatural. That really makes no sense. I want Moonlight on blu-ray!
DeleteUm... Eight seasons now? Nine?
ReplyDeleteThey say if it wasn't shot in HD they can't do BluRay but that must be a lie since they are doing the David Temnant seasons of Doctor Who... They may not have sold enough of Moonlight to justify remastering it. :(
They lied to us! Mwaaaaaah, I want Moonlight on blu-ray! Imagine, Mick St. John's face, in glorious high-definition. *sighs*
DeleteMaybe they'll indulge us one of these days, just to get us out of their hair. We Moonlight fans are notoriously tenacious. ;)
So Ten gets blu-ray. No surprise there, I guess. Since he is after all, the livin' end of Doctor Who according to the populace at large. ::p
Yeah, I know. Unfortunately, I think a lot of the fans have moved on. I know a LOT of shows are hesitant about going back and remastering old programming -- "Smallville" is holding off doing it (may never do it for seasons 1-4). I guess "Doctor Who" is popular enough in the states to justify it, but... yeah, I'm not paying $400 for that, thanks. I'm good with the Matt Smith seasons on HD.
Delete$400 for Ten's seasons of Doctor Who? Yipes! That's like . . . a paycheck for me!
DeleteWell, they're releasing them in a bundle pack -- seasons 1-7, for about $350, but I already own Smith's on Blu, so there's no point to invest in them. I assume they'll release them individually as well, at outrageous prices (I seem to recall paying at least $55 for the DVDs! and those were on sale! =P).
Delete