Supernatural’s “Optimism” was a friendly reminder that Sam & Dean are not alone and will not be for the foreseeable future. They are training the next generation of hunters, planning for the future, and sharing their knowledge after 14 years of not having even an iota of what the future would bring to them.
This episode also reminded me of how strong Sam & Dean are. Even after all this time, after all this pain, they are still exemplary men. They give me hope and courage that I can fight my own demons without losing my love for living, creating, and connecting with those around me.
Without further ado, let’s dive into Supernatural’s “Optimism”!
Keeping Optimistic in the Face of Darkness
Supernatural is so much more than a show about monsters, demons, and the hunters who take care of them. Supernatural is a show about hope, belief, and perseverance in the face of whatever dark forces are coming your way. This is why I continue watching Supernatural.
In “Optimism” we got to see Sam & Dean out in the field with Charlie and Jack. One has the face of the woman who was their sister, friend, warrior in arms. And the other is a nougat loving nephilim without powers who wants to prove himself to his fathers.
They’re all hurt, have burdens they carry on their backs, and things they struggle with. Sam has his new leadership role. Dean has shaking Michael off and out of his memory. Charlie has the loss of the love of her life. And Jack is trying to live a life without powers after ONLY knowing a life with powers.
And, do they let that get them down? Do they let that stop them? No. They stumble a bit, like any of us would, but they get the fuck up, shake the pain off, and keep living their lives. If that isn’t an epic story about perseverance and optimism in the face of the darkness in our lives, then I don’t know what is.
Dear Haters
Ever since season 14 started, there’s been a lot of chatter online about how much Supernatural has changed and how they don’t like it. These fans harp on about how things were at their best when Sam & Dean were hunting the monster of the week. They want the Winchesters to turn back the hands of time and make it so Sam & Dean are the only hunters we care about or see on screen.
And I, well...I CALL BULLSHIT!
It’s been 14 seasons, people. Did you really expect this show to stagnate? To not move forward? To not ever change? Also, there have always been other hunters in the lives of Sam & Dean. What’s the difference now? Is it because we have them pairing up with other hunters once they’re out on the field?
Again, it’s been 14 seasons, people! Sam & Dean aren’t spring chickens anymore. It’s time to raise, nurture, and encourage the next generation of hunters. Plus, aren’t you sick and tired of Sam & Dean having to take care of the world all by themselves? I know I am.
I’m glad that Sam & Dean have a group of people that are with them 24/7 and learning the way of the Winchester hunting life. Sam & Dean CAN NOT and SHOULD NOT carry the burden of the apocalypse or keeping people safe all by themselves.
Help is what’s going to allow Sam & Dean the ability to heal from some of the wounds of the last couple years. Help is going to allow them to grow and chill, because dear God they deserve all the chill time the world can offer to them. Help is going to allow them to lead something more than the hunter life and actually have a chance to chase a little bit of the happiness that has alluded them for years cuz they were fighting threat after threat.
And don’t get me wrong, Sam & Dean are dealing with a huge threat right now. But things are different now that they have a community of people around them to give a helping hand. It’s not all on them and I’ll be damned if I hear anyone complain about how this show has gone to the pits because Sam & Dean aren’t out on the road, dealing with this shit alone.
They have a home now. And if you’ve watched Supernatural from day one, you’d know how important that is when it comes to the Winchesters character development. For so long the Impala has been there home. But now, now they have something more. They have the Men of Letters bunker. They have their mom. They have the other men & women that they’re training to save the day.
In my book, Supernatural has never been better.
Damn It, Librarian Lady
I don’t even want to go and look up her name because she A) gives library workers a bad name and B) she’s GOING TO KILL JACK! Once she finds him, of course, but still. DEATHHHHHHH! And I’m not down for anyone coming after our nougat son, especially a necromancer who tricked me into believing that she was the innocent.
Remember when Frozen came out? When Hans was part of the picture and you thought everything was going to be Disney perfect when Anna got back to the castle? And when he eventually betrayed us in the biggest plot twist EVER?! That’s kind of how I felt about Librarian Lady.
LL had the perfect workings of an innocent who needed to be saved. And kudos to Supernatural for pulling the rug out from underneath my feet while letting Jack explore what it felt to be attracted to someone. Possibly. Our nougat son is growing and hopefully he’ll meet someone BETTER, kinder, and less evil than LL.
Our nougat son deserves the best in this world and we’re hoping that Supernatural doesn’t kill him before we get to see our nephilim shine!.
Favorite moment from Supernatural‘s “Optimism”:
Our baby is all grown up and calling Dean Winchester an “old man.” T.T Remember when Dean didn’t trust Jack one bit and didn’t want to entertain the thought of this nephilim being good? Yeah, me neither. THEY’RE FAMILY NOW!
http://itsokaysammy.tumblr.com/post/180177092590/itsokaysammy-14×06-optimism
Why pick one favorite scene, WHEN I CAN PICK TWO!
http://ahoyspn.tumblr.com/post/180157587008
Check out the trailer for next week’s Supernatural titled “Unhuman Nature”:
Supernatural airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.