Dean’s confusion, resentment, and heartache over the departure of Mary was felt all over, in Supernatural’s “American Nightmare.” While Sam wanted to investigate the family suspected of a wrongful death, Dean wanted to give them a pass. He was so sure of himself and his skills because they’re the only things he can truly control in life at the moment. So he jumped ahead, made grand conclusions, that allowed for Sam to be kidnapped…AGAIN! (We’ll get back to that in a second.)
This Winchester isn’t as ok with Mary leaving as he’d like you to believe.
It’s not like Dean isn’t putting an effort into comprehending why Mary left. He is. That’s why he texted her and tried to understand what his place in her life was. But he’s letting his personal problems spill over into his professional life (when don’t they) to the point where Sam is becoming Mr. Crabby Sam. *whispers* We don’t like when he’s crabby. Sam’s anger is his way of saying that he’s done, for the moment, focusing totally on his mother and catering to Dean’s self destruction tendencies. The people then and there needed them.
Unlike Dean, Sam can compartmentalize his pain and saw that Magda needed his help immediately. He’s felt her pain and knows how much being psychic can change your life. (Thank you Supernatural flashbacks. I feel a marathon coming for me. Also, are you hinting at a possible return of Sam’s powers?) That’s why he stays, gives the girl his number, and tells her to contact him if she needs him. He went through it alone and he doesn’t want that amount of self loathing, confusion, and fear to go unchecked. Our Sam’s grown up!
Now onto the kidnapping part. Why does this have to happen time and time again? Sam, our beautiful giant, was knocked out and forced to witness the suicide and murder of the family he was trying to save. I understand how it works for that narrative and how it serves as a way to rev up the tension. I wanted to jump through the screen and save them all from the evil mother too! But why Sam again? Is that the only trick writers have up their sleeve? Did we not just go through Sam being tortured by the savage British MoL? It’s time for a change that doesn’t lead to Sam having a concussion by the end of the night.
American Nightmare was also a reminder that not all monsters have claws, fangs, and scales. Sometimes they’re ordinary people; damaged, angry, and utterly selfish. Magda’s mother was blinded to the fact that her child didn’t mean to hurt her. She just saw what she wanted and sought out to punish her child for her wickedness, dragging down the rest of her family with her madness.
Investigations like this remind us why we love Supernatural so much. They bridge a gap between the show and real life to show us that they understand. They acknowledge that monsters aren’t just supernatural beings. Monsters can be our mothers, our fathers, our siblings. And like Magda, we don’t deserve the pain brought down upon us by those monsters. We deserve to be free, to have a second chance to live, free of the power that is suffocating us.
At the end of the day Supernatural teaches you to fight, to push, to survive.
Favorite Scene from American Nightmare:
Nerdy sweaters in 90 degree weather. Bless you Supernatural writers. This is just as good, or even better, than the priest outfits we were gifted with.
Favorite Quotes from American Nightmare:
- Do you know God, gentlemen? – Evil Mom
- Are you defending Vince Vicente? – Dean Winchester
- That’s right. One’s an angel, one’s a demon, and apparently they solve crimes. – Dean Winchester
- God doesn’t care what kind of life you live. Trust me. – Sam Winchester
- I’ll always be MOM. – Mary Winchester
Supernatural airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.