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apocalypsosI get where it's coming from. I just think that Sam needs to learn how to SAY WHAT HE MEANS.
Let me explain. It's the fandom's attitude regarding the phone call in "Faith" and John's non-reaction to it. Like, I said, I get where it's coming from, BUT --
This is what Sam says on the phone. (As boosted from the TWoP recap.)
"Hey, Dad, it's Sam. You probably won't get this, but, ah. It's Dean. He's sick and, uh, doctors say there's nothing they can do, um, but, ah, they don't know the things we do, right? Um, so don't worry, cuz I'm-a gonna do whatever it takes to get him better."
At no time does Sam really say Dean is dying. He says he's sick and that there's nothing the doctors can do. Which, okay, if you're a normal person, you think, "OMG HE'S DYING!", but when you're a Winchester and you follow that up with, "they don't know the things we do," it kind of implies that it's supernatural in nature. And then Sam's telling him not to worry (even if he sounds a little iffy about the prospect) and that he can handle it.
On one hand, it would have been nice for John to contact them to make sure Dean was okay. On the other hand, Sam doesn't make a hard enough case for John to understand the extent of Dean's injuries, implies that the cause isn't something your average doctor can handle (like, say, an exorcism or something) and then says he can deal with it.
Assuming that's the only phone call regarding the situation that John got, what's he supposed to think? Sam didn't call him every hour on the hour bitching at him to get to the hospital to see his oldest son before he passes away. Sam didn't leave him a thousand messages about the serious nature of Dean's injuries. Sam called him once, and somehow managed to avoid the word "dying" like he was dancing around a landmine. (Which he probably was more for himself than for John -- God knows if I were talking about my brother and dying in the same sentence, I wouldn't be able to hold it together.)
Let me explain. It's the fandom's attitude regarding the phone call in "Faith" and John's non-reaction to it. Like, I said, I get where it's coming from, BUT --
This is what Sam says on the phone. (As boosted from the TWoP recap.)
"Hey, Dad, it's Sam. You probably won't get this, but, ah. It's Dean. He's sick and, uh, doctors say there's nothing they can do, um, but, ah, they don't know the things we do, right? Um, so don't worry, cuz I'm-a gonna do whatever it takes to get him better."
At no time does Sam really say Dean is dying. He says he's sick and that there's nothing the doctors can do. Which, okay, if you're a normal person, you think, "OMG HE'S DYING!", but when you're a Winchester and you follow that up with, "they don't know the things we do," it kind of implies that it's supernatural in nature. And then Sam's telling him not to worry (even if he sounds a little iffy about the prospect) and that he can handle it.
On one hand, it would have been nice for John to contact them to make sure Dean was okay. On the other hand, Sam doesn't make a hard enough case for John to understand the extent of Dean's injuries, implies that the cause isn't something your average doctor can handle (like, say, an exorcism or something) and then says he can deal with it.
Assuming that's the only phone call regarding the situation that John got, what's he supposed to think? Sam didn't call him every hour on the hour bitching at him to get to the hospital to see his oldest son before he passes away. Sam didn't leave him a thousand messages about the serious nature of Dean's injuries. Sam called him once, and somehow managed to avoid the word "dying" like he was dancing around a landmine. (Which he probably was more for himself than for John -- God knows if I were talking about my brother and dying in the same sentence, I wouldn't be able to hold it together.)
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no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 11:47 am (UTC)While I thought from the way Sam said it, it made clear that a)Dean was dying and b)Sam was in a denial-phase of "but I`m gonna fix it", I had more of a problem with the utter non-acknowledgment we got of it later.
No throwaway line in the next episodes, nothing when they met in Shadow and the utmost "Whatever"-shrug in Salvation. Where incidently John didn`t look at all like the dying thing was new to him. More like it was yesterday`s buisness. And not important one at that.
Now that, really bothered me.
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Date: 2006-08-14 05:34 pm (UTC)And then there's the fact that when it comes to the boys, Sam might have a problem with it, but from Dean's past reactions he'd probably tell Sam to shut it and that Dad has his reasons. Considering he's the one that was dying, that's within his rights, whether or not he's really bothered by it.
And yeah, when confronted with it, John didn't apologize. But when does this family EVER apologize? Hell, when does anybody in this family ever say what they should? Most of the reason they keep exploding at one another is because none of them say exactly what they should. They bottle up their emotions and never say a damn thing that would make their lives so much easier. Tell your father you want to go to college, and listen to said argument with rationalization and understanding? No, hide it until you're fully prepared to "walk out that door and never come back," and blow up and kick the offender out. They're three guys who have bad tempers and never say what they mean. If John had apologized, it would have been a freaking miracle. After Dean confronted him, though, he told him he was right, a miracle in and of itself.
Plus, there's the question of if John even HAD his phone at the time. When he called them at the end of "Asylum", he did so from a pay phone. Who has a cell phone and decides to use a pay phone instead? It's not like he was trying to avoid being bugged or traced or something, so where the hell was his phone?
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 05:59 pm (UTC)I thought the boys have gotten way better with it. Dean in Scarecrow, Sam in Something Wicked.
It`s not that I don`t think John doesn`t care about his sons. He obviously does.
But otoh I couldn`t blame Sam or Dean for not being so sure of it. Or at least how much of a priority they are to him.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 06:12 pm (UTC)And they both think the other one is more important to Dad, which I think makes them just like every other set of siblings on the planet. And they're all wrong. ;)
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Date: 2006-08-14 06:24 pm (UTC)Dean did in Shadow, when he apologized for almost leading him into a trap. :)
As far as their big Stanford fight went, both John and Sam would maybe have reason to apologize, though John more since he kicked his son out. They both squirmed around the issue, so I`d say level playing field.
Apart from that I don`t think they had any cause to apologize to him IMO.
And they both think the other one is more important to Dad, which I think makes them just like every other set of siblings on the planet.
I agree with them thinking the other is more treasured/favored by Dad but I meant on their own. How much does Dean think John values him? The Faith thing wouldn`t exactly boost his confidence. Strictly speaking from his perspective here, I can`t blame him for thinking he is just not important enough to warrant a call.
And that`s truly sad because I in no way believe that would be John`s intention and he`d be horrified if he knew.
I have long since said that this family would benefit heavily from telepathy.
no subject
Date: 2006-08-14 06:32 pm (UTC)*snickers* Or empathic abilities. Either one would work. :)