Will we have to say Goodbye to one of the Winchesters?
I’ve been sitting on these thoughts for a little while now, but last night’s episode really emphasized them enough to where I feel like I have to say something.
One evident theme in Season 11, in addition to love/hate, is sacrifice. You could even say it’s death. It was introduced at the end of season 10, when Dean killed “Death” - and ever since season 11 started, whether it’s with Billie or with Lucifer or being overcome by The Darkness so much that it makes one feel numb, death has been constantly discussed.
Billie keeps popping up, reminding the boys that she’ll be there to ensure that they stay dead {insert fandom screams of anger}. Lucifer stuck those deep questions back into Sam’s subconscious: “You have to be prepared to die. You have to be prepared to watch the ones you love die."
We still don’t know much about Dean’s connection with Amara, but after what we learned last night - that there’s more than a simple connection because of the mark, that there’s some level of attraction (ew) - we know that Dean is scared. Because these feelings associated with Amara are ones that keep him up at night. Ones that he doesn’t want to feel, but he’s powerless to resist.
Lucifer very obviously is going to use this connection to draw Amara out, at the least. What worries me is, what if Dean is the key to defeating Amara? What if they have some kind of connection that ties his soul to her, that could be the death of them both? What if they can’t destroy Amara without killing Dean as well?
In last night’s “Into the Mystic”, the boys actually discuss growing old, they discuss retirement (if they last that long, as Sam notes). These all are an “ending” of sorts. Dean is told to follow his heart… but exactly what is his heart leading him to? Amara? That can’t be good. Apparently he’s “pining” (shudder).
But what if Sam is the one who has to end it all? Jensen has hinted that Dean may hand the reigns over to Sam because of his incapability to exercise reason around Amara. Sam is Lucifer’s true vessel. What if, to save Dean, or to save the world, Sam does have to say yes?
What if, Lucifer is in control? He won’t bring Dean back. Billie will make sure of that. What if Sam dies? What will Dean do?
Everything - the themes, the subtext - so far in this season is pointing to love, and death. I’m afraid we may be saying goodbye to one, or both of the Winchesters soon. After all, they’ve exhausted all forms of being brought back to life at this point.
And where is God in all of this? Will he intercede to keep the boys alive and kicking ass? He’s always helped them when they absolutely couldn’t get out of something themselves.
Side note: Jim Michaels debunked this rumor, but there have been whisperings of Jensen leaving. I doubt it’s true, but if it ever was, how would they tell the fandom? Right away, or end Sam and Dean’s story and then let us know?
My fandom heart is so worried. I’m not ready to say a permanent goodbye to either of our boys. But then again, I don’t think I ever will be.