I'm with you - I'm so relieved that there is going to be a season 6, because I would have been absolutely gutted had the series ended with Sam locked eternally in Lucifer's cage. He made some mistakes, but he tried so hard to do the right thing. It certainly wasn't the ending I'd have wished for him. 

This was heartwrenching - I wasn't sure whether to stick my head in the door or not, especially when I read your warning. Think a part of me is still trying to get over the finale.

But as usual, you've crafted a beautiful dissertation on the boys' journey and sacrifice, and the fact that Team Free Will did win in the end, even though it was at a cost that Dean really didn't want to pay. 

And I could see him battling on, day after day, despite his crushing grief, because of his promise made to and love for his brother. 

I could see, too, Sam's choice being the only way out he could see, not just for himself but for the world. His line that he was the one to let Lucifer out so he should be the one to put him back in was such a simple statement, but oh, the weight behind it. Sam knew he wasn't getting out of that one long before Dean did, and the fact that he was willing to accept the consequences showed how much he had matured, just as Dean sticking to his promise and letting Sam go was a reflection of his own growth. 

But.....yeah, I'm keeping fingers crossed for a reunion in season 6, and the boys fighting side-by-side again. They do have work to do.

Thank you so much for sharing this, BJ. One can always count on you to deliver the most elegant and insightful pieces that not only wring the emotions from the readers, but engages their minds at the same time. Like your Jus In Bello piece, this one has had me crying and nodding sagely at the same time.

Awesome work.

Jules

Author's Response:

Jules, you write the most beautiful and thoughtful reviews.  Thank you!

I really don't think I could have stood the S5 finale without the knowledge that Sam would be back.  These boys have sacrificed so much, endured so much that I cannot image God allowing that to happen.  They both deserve so much more.

Thank you for mentioning my Jus in Bello story.  Both of these are more commentaries on the themes Kripke and his team tackled.  With such wondrous material to steal from, it is much easier to carry on where the episode left off.

Supernatural always has such intriguing ideas, and examining the brothers and how they approach their lives and how they accept their sacrifices offers us the best of humanity.

I love that Team Free Will won, that our Winchesters beat both heaven and hell and did it their way, but man, at what cost, for both brothers.

Again, thank you, B.J.

Thank you for this B.J.!  It was lovely.  I'm glad I finally found it!


Author's Response:

Hey, Erika, I'm glad you found it too and I'm most glad you liked it.  I think we had the same reaction to the finale, loving that our Dean stayed who he has always been, noble and true, loyal and loving.

I think he was everything we could want in a hero, as was Sam.  Both boys did what they had to do and they saved the world, when angels and demons alike would have destroyed it.

So far the reviews on this have been positive, even from those who disagreed with the episode's outcome.  Maybe I was foolish to be so leery of posting this.

Thanks again, B.J.

I loved the ending two, and thought it would have been appropriate with or without a season 6.  Although, I'm very happy for another season b/c I love Dean and Sam, too.n  I think your take on it is great.


Author's Response:

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing.  I love that their bond is what saved the world, that love was the answer.

I think I would have cried long and hard if this had been the end of the series and I'm so relieved that we do have the boys back for more adventures.  Thanks again and take care, B.J.