8.05 "Blood Brother" Dicussion and Poll

[SoCal]

So we finally get to see Benny. Why is Dean in cahoots with a vampire? A vampire who was locked in Purgatory, no less. Guess we'll just have to watch and see. And hope that this episode makes up for episodes 8.02 - 8.04.

[Aeryn]

I already know I'm not going to watch this. I don't care about Benny. I only care about Sam, Dean, and Cas.

Of course, my mood might change and I just might watch it.

[SoCal]

Dammit, I still miss LoveJeter's running commentary on each new Supernatural episode.

She always made it fun to follow, even if it wasn't a particularly terrific episode.

[Aeryn]

Okay, I'm watching it...but only because Edlund wrote this episode.

Will let you know what I think later.

[SoCal]

I liked the episode a lot and gave it a 4.

So we see it open with Dean and Sam going into another not very nice motel room, although this one has a mini-bar with beer and Toberlone choclate bars!

So Benny is going after the vamp who turned him but gets caught in an ambush and while he manages to kill them all (and send THEM to Purgatory), he get badly beaten up and calls on Dean to help him. Dean, still hiding the fact that a vampire helped him survive in Purgatory and brought out of it by him, takes Benny's phone call out of Sam's hearing. He leaves Sam, who is furious about being left behind and not told why, to go help Benny.

Now, if Benny could crawl into a barge, why couldn't he crawl to his car to get his own personal stash of blood? That seemed a weak point to me.

Anyhow, Dean brings Benny his blood stash (AB negative -- I wonder if that's the only kind he uses?), and Benny revives and takes Dean with him to go hunt down his "father." Liked how Dean was uncomfortable with Benny sipping blood (as if from a straw) in baby.

They also seemed to make it to a boat (we don't find out how they got it started) and over to the island with remarkable ease. And wouldn't the vamps have more protection? I mean, Dean and Benny got into the house with VERY little trouble. Also, it was night.....wouldn't it have been better to go there in the daytime when they would more likely be sleeping?

Benny runs into his old love, whom he thought had been killed by "father," but was instead turned by him. He's caught, but Dean has hidden himself (although not really well) and is taken to his "father," who wants to know how Benny was "ressurrected." Benny doesn't tell him and then reveals that his old love has released him from his handcuffs. He kills one other vamp who is in the room with them (that was good......he wants to know where Benny learned to fight so well), and then kills "father" (who was quite creepy, himself)>

Dean kills about 4 vamps and Benny seems to have taken care of the two others (is that all that were there? 7?) and only his old love is left. He wants her to leave with him, but she's been with "father" too long and wants him to stay with here there, hunting humans on the high seas (thus....vampirates!! ). Benny is distraught....he sees that she has become the monster he once was. She goes vamp on him, Dean comes up from behind, stabs her through the abdomen and then cuts her head off.

Dean has finally answered Sam's calls and tells him where to meet him, so Sam is waiting at the dock when Benny and Dean pull up in the boat. Benny has asked Dean WHY he ressurrected him.....why didn't he double cross him? Dean is confused (Dean would never double cross a "brother), and asks Benny if "he is okay?" Benny answers that he doesn't know who he is.

As Dean and Benny exit the boat, Sam looks at Benny who introduces himself, "I'm Benny," and reaches out to shake hands. When Sam grabs his hand, he must feel the dead, cold skin and knows he is shaking hands with a vampire or some kind of monster and motions with his other hand to get some kind of weapon, while looking angrily at Dean. Dean slowly shakes his head and Benny lets Sam's hand drop, saying, "You two have a lot to discuss," and walks away.

Sam is looking at Dean with and expression of extreme anger which Dean is trying match, but he only looks sternly defensive.

End of story.

I'm glad Sam finally knows about Benny. I hope Dean tells him everything that happened to him in Purgatory and why he felt compelled to help Benny out. We all know that Dean always felt supernatural things had to die, but his time in Purgatory seems to have changed that. At least for this one monster.

Liked the flashbacks to Purgatory. The way the leviathans appeared was cool. I think both Dean and Castiel were amazed that Benny saved Castiel from being eaten by the leviathan.

Sam's flashbacks were relevatory as well. We see how he comes to be involved with Amelia, whom I still don't care much for, but that might be because the girl playing her doesn't seem really compelling.

Looks like next week we get Garth back (boo!) and Dean and Sam are going to have a lot of talking to do over how Sam feels betrayed by Dean's working with monsters and Dean feels like Sam left Dean to "die for a girl."

[Aeryn]

I was too distracted by the bad acting to notice the story....except for Ty Olsson. He was pretty good.

Jared and Jensen really sucked.

[AntiArbitrator]

*pretending to not see Aeryn's comment about my boys*

Aeryn, please tell SoCal to stop using 5 syllable words.

I enjoyed this episode. Gave it a 4. Dean got the opportunity to kill something and Sam was looking awfully cute the entire episode. The Purgatory scenes were a lot more entertaining than the Amelia flashbacks. I was soooo looking forward to seeing what Sam’s life was like during that year, but I don’t think they are making it interesting, even though Sam did look adorable in his serial killer outfits.

Dean and Benny made a nice fighting duo. When Castiel joined them, the dialogue between Cas and Benny had me laughing uproariously. It was nice to see someone’s reaction who is not used to the way Cas takes everything literally. I loved the Leviathan special effects, and I too was surprised that Benny saved Castiel. However, Benny is not a dummy and he could not be sure Dean would honor their deal if his BFF died. I noticed Dean’s slick move when he pocketed the cash while they were in the office. I like this Dean. He is witty, doesn’t hesitate to invade a vampire nest with a vampire by his side, and he isn’t taking crap off of anyone!

The only reason Benny went after the vampires is he knew they would come after him once word got out that he was alive. Seeing Adrea threw him for a loop, but he was still a worthy opponent. Wow, Dean speared Andrea with a vengeance. A little jealous, maybe? At least Benny did not pout like someone else did.

I was touched by Benny’s bewilderment that Dean kept his word once he got top side, that Dean was really interested in Benny’s problems and that Dean would not leave his friend in Purgatory. Benny seemed grateful and I hope he never disappoints Dean. When Benny walked away, Sam gave Dean the best bitch face I have ever seen on him. He is royally pissed off.

The snappy dialogue is back. Thank you, Ben Edlund.

Dean: He's like a crappy little credit-card-counting criminal prodigy Rain Man.

Dean: Hey the trail is dead but the the room is paid for. You've got some research to do and I've got some personal crap I got to take care of, that's all.

Sam: What does that mean - personal?
Dean: Did you have a stroke? Vocabularly! Personal. As in my own grown up personal, I don't know, crap!

Castiel: It does present a curious curl in the metaphysics, doesn't it? If you murder a monster in monster heaven, where does it go?
Benny: And this is the crazy aunt I want to take on the road?
Castiel: I am not your aunt.
Benny: What? Really?
Castiel: I have no possible relationship to your sibling offspring.
Benny: Now you're kidding me.
Dean: Oh, you two are killing me.

Benny to Dean: You hear what he’s telling you Dean? Your buddy is telling you
Dean: You listen to me, you undead blood junkie

Dean: Benny, what's going on?
Benny: You and that whole friend thing, man.

Dean: Vampire pirates. That's what you guys are. Vampirates!

Dean: Was Fabio on the cover of that paperback?

[novemberschild]

I will start this off by saying I am not going to give a vote right now, because I haven't decided how I feel about this episode yet.

After the first time I watched I was confused and wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel, after the second I liked it a little bit better, but I am still not ready to give it a score.

Were we supposed to "care" about Benny in this one? Because although I don't hate Benny, I just don't feel anything for the character. I believe he is or has done some major manipulation of Dean and I am waiting to see how that turns out.
Nor do I feel anything for Amelia, I don't have a connection with her either and I still think she is mean to Sam.

What I did like was when Dean called Sam back and Sam yelled at him and at the very end when Sam saw Dean and Benny coming up to him, and he had a major pissed off look on his face that only intensified as he shook Benny's hand and then he turned that look on Dean. That was awesome. I really hope that the next episode picks up at this point so we can see Sam blast Dean.

I think I will have to watch this another time and maybe then I can give it a rating.

[AntiArbitrator]

November, I understand. I watched it twice before I posted because I wanted to make sure I had not missed anything.

Why am I the only one who has not recognized the manipulation? When Benny and Dean talked on the phone after Benny's resurrection, I interpreted Benny's expression as disappointment that Dean was not going to hang with him as a buddy. Others think Benny was devious.

In Blood Brothers, I think Benny learned lessons about friendship from Dean. I watched the episode the second time to see if I was reading that correctly. When Benny said, "That whole friendship thing", we saw the flashback to the conversation where Dean adamantly refused to leave Castiel no matter what Cas or Benny said. When Benny asked Dean why did he keep his part of the deal, I interpreted that as Benny was not used to people caring about him. Benny was a human being who was turned by a selfish vampire who taught him to do horrible things. But Benny changed and had stopped drinking blood directly from people. He no longer wants to kill and he sees something worthy in humans.

At this point, I trust Benny more than I trust TPTB because they are likely to do an about face just to mess with me.

P.S. Blame Evilsquirre1 for the term "bitch face"; not my fault.

[Aeryn]

Nov 1, 2012 19:01:03 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

*pretending to not see Aeryn's comment about my boys*

Aeryn, please tell SoCal to stop using 5 syllable words.

Dean and Benny made a nice fighting duo..I like this Dean. He is witty, doesn’t hesitate to invade a vampire nest with a vampire by his side, and he isn’t taking crap off of anyone!

I was touched by Benny’s bewilderment that Dean kept his word once he got top side.

I have no control over SoCal. She's a one-woman wrecking crew.

I don't like Dean being butt buddies with a vampire. This show is SUPPOSED to be about two brothers who save people and hunt things. I'm sick of Sam and Dean not seeing eye to eye, the petty disagreements...AND THE GODDAMN FLASHBACKS!

[Deleted]

Don't like Benny. But after all the trash Cas and Dean threw at Sam with the Ruby situation, I can't wait for Benny to reveal his true self in the end, just like Ruby did. Now who's the fool, Dean? And ugh... still not over him trusting a MONSTER. It makes Dean look desperate like he's trying to replace Cas with the next guy to come along.

[Deleted]

Nov 2, 2012 21:34:30 GMT -5 Aeryn said:

Nov 1, 2012 19:01:03 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

*pretending to not see Aeryn's comment about my boys*

Aeryn, please tell SoCal to stop using 5 syllable words.

Dean and Benny made a nice fighting duo..I like this Dean. He is witty, doesn’t hesitate to invade a vampire nest with a vampire by his side, and he isn’t taking crap off of anyone!

I was touched by Benny’s bewilderment that Dean kept his word once he got top side.

I have no control over SoCal. She's a one-woman wrecking crew.

I don't like Dean being butt buddies with a vampire. This show is SUPPOSED to be about two brothers who save people and hunt things. I'm sick of Sam and Dean not seeing eye to eye, the petty disagreements...AND THE GODDAMN FLASHBACKS!

SAME. And Sam's girlfriend is so fucking annoying. I think she needs to be stabbed with a stiletto... or eaten by Benny.

[novemberschild]

Ok, I watched it again and liked it a little better and gave it a rating of 2. I don't think it is going any higher than that, sorry.

I liked the Purgatory flashbacks and the end scene was very good, subtle yet effective. I still don't feel anything for Benny and I don't care for Amelia much either.

I read an article over at Alice J's site about the Jared M&G at Chicon, and after reading that I feel like I have more insight into Sam.
Jared says that the reason Sam kind of panics over certain situations now is because of what has happened in the past in Mystery Spot and when Dean dies. Sam never really got over any of those deaths and it plays a big factor in how Sam reacts now when Dean does something stupid like, going into a vamp nest, with a vampire!

[lala2]

Honestly, though, that's just Jared's interpretation of his character's whacky, OOC actions. We have no idea if any of what Jared said will actually be incorporated into the show and made canon.

[SoCal]

May I use 4-syllable words? No? Inconceiveable!

[novemberschild]

Lala2, You are correct, we don't know what the writers will do.

I wonder sometimes if the writers know what they want to do, I wonder if they are familiar with past seasons and know what has gone on.

[SoCal]

I'm more interested in Benny's story than I am in Amelia's.

Why would I be more interested in a vampire's story than a vet? I think the answer is obvious.

Remember that Dean was surviving on his own in Purgatory (Cas had disappeared) until Benny showed up and actually saved him. I can see where that would cause Dean to have second thoughts about killing the monster that saved him. You know, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I don't know how that story will pan out, but it looks like the fact of it is going to cause Dean and Sam some major problems.

[AntiArbitrator]

Nov 3, 2012 9:55:05 GMT -5 lala2 said:

Honestly, though, that's just Jared's interpretation of his character's whacky, OOC actions. We have no idea if any of what Jared said will actually be incorporated into the show and made canon.

Happy birthday, lala.

Nov 3, 2012 11:28:34 GMT -5 SoCal said:

May I use 4-syllable words? No? Inconceiveable!

Hmm..1..2..3..4..5 syllables. At least I did not need to check the dictionary for that one.

Nov 3, 2012 12:29:50 GMT -5 SoCal said:

I'm more interested in Benny's story than I am in Amelia's.

Why would I be more interested in a vampire's story than a vet? I think the answer is obvious.

Remember that Dean was surviving on his own in Purgatory (Cas had disappeared) until Benny showed up and actually saved him. I can see where that would cause Dean to have second thoughts about killing the monster that saved him. You know, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I don't know how that story will pan out, but it looks like the fact of it is going to cause Dean and Sam some major problems.

I must agree that Dean had good reason to bond with Benny and Benny has done nothing to cause Dean to distrust him. Dean has matured from thinking that if it is not human, kill it. I will not fault Sam for giving Dean grief over Benny, but Dean would have been stupid to trust Ruby after what John Winchester had told him about demons.

Sam was already angry when Dean left the motel; then Dean did not answer Sam’s calls; then Sam learned he was invading a vampire’s nest with a stranger. Sam would have been pissed off no matter who or what was with Dean. But the vampire meet and greet made it 10 times worse, for sure! I know we cannot trust promo clips but if Sam punched Dean first, that would be an interesting change from big brother punching younger Sammy.

Everyone I have talked to loved Sam’s angry expression at the end of the episode.

[Aeryn]

Nov 3, 2012 11:49:48 GMT -5 novemberschild said:

I wonder sometimes if the writers know what they want to do, I wonder if they are familiar with past seasons and know what has gone on.

This is exactly what I think. However, Edlund is more than familiar with past seasons...he's still my favorite writer, but after this crappy episode I'll be keeping an eye on him.

[lala2]

Nov 3, 2012 11:49:48 GMT -5 novemberschild said:

Lala2, You are correct, we don't know what the writers will do.

I wonder sometimes if the writers know what they want to do, I wonder if they are familiar with past seasons and know what has gone on.

Yeah . . . I'm sorry if I burst your bubble or anything! I would love for some exploration of Sam's choices and some real development for his character, but I have no idea if the writers will give us anything like that.

There was an article over on TWFB that the writers understood that this was a controversial storyline for Sam that not many would like so I hope there's a good payoff. I wish I could say that I knew a good payoff was coming, but you never know w/these writers.

Nov 3, 2012 15:04:58 GMT -5 AntiArbitrator said:

Happy birthday, lala.

Thank you!!

[novemberschild]

LOL, Lala2, You didn't burst my bubble I have noticed that the writers make choices that sometimes make me/us wonder what they are thinking or doing.

Even though I am a Cas fan I still love Sam and Dean, they are the heart of the show, without either of them the show would not exist.
I can say if I was a big Sam fan I would be unhappy with how he has been shown not only this year but last year as well. I was not happy with how his wall breaking memories was shown last year. I think Jared would have done an excellent job if the show would have shown us something! anything, about what he was going thru, instead, we got tiny, tiny glimpses that were basically useless to show us what was happening with Sam.

I know i am late but Happy Birthday Lala2

[evilsquirre1]

I liked this episode. This one was the best of the season. I like me some Bennie I hope he hangs around some more.

Even that boring story with Sam and the Vet wasn't as irritating in this episode. Still isn't it odd the Sam is fixing what's her name's sink and she comes in thinking he is a creepy stalker. Yeah cause that's typical stalker behavior to break in and start fixing stuff. The woman's an idoit with a bitchy attitude and a high opinion of herself. Why would Sam stalker her he has banged monsters with more personality.

We got more back story on Bennie, Castiel and Dean in purgatory and those are the scenes that really stood out and made this episode good. Did anyone notice that Jensen's Texas accent comes out the more he does scenes with Ty Olsson who plays Bennie and I just like that. Plus Ty Olsson is another male hottie that's always a plus. ;D More Bennie please!

[waggy3015]

Nov 2, 2012 23:26:07 GMT -5 @smallvillian0 said:

Don't like Benny. But after all the trash Cas and Dean threw at Sam with the Ruby situation, I can't wait for Benny to reveal his true self in the end, just like Ruby did. Now who's the fool, Dean? And ugh... still not over him trusting a MONSTER. It makes Dean look desperate like he's trying to replace Cas with the next guy to come along.

I don't like or trust Benny either.

One of the reasons is because he's a vampire. I know there are some good ones, like Lenore, and Benny hasn't done anything yet--that we know of--to make us believe he's bad, but still.

Another reason is because Dean kept him a secret from Sam. Yet Benny knew enough about Sam to have the STONES to tell to Sam's face, when they finally did meet, that he's(Benny) heard alot or knows alot about Sam. Now I understand that Dean probably thought he'd never see Benny again, but Dean did tell Benny to call him if he ever needed Dean's help, so doesn't one think that Dean probably should have told Sam about him, at least a little bit?

A third reason is how Benny got out of Purgatory. I didn't like the fact that he was stuffed inside of Dean. I also didn't care for the idea that Dean didn't have to find some bones, he could have just dumped Benny's essence in some dirt and been done with it.

All in all, I'm hoping Benny does end up being a bad guy. Truthfully, Benny just seems a little too slick and sleazy to be a good guy.

[Deleted]

Nov 7, 2012 16:22:43 GMT -5 waggy3015 said:

Nov 2, 2012 23:26:07 GMT -5 @smallvillian0 said:

Don't like Benny. But after all the trash Cas and Dean threw at Sam with the Ruby situation, I can't wait for Benny to reveal his true self in the end, just like Ruby did. Now who's the fool, Dean? And ugh... still not over him trusting a MONSTER. It makes Dean look desperate like he's trying to replace Cas with the next guy to come along.

Another reason is because Dean kept him a secret from Sam. Yet Benny knew enough about Sam to have the STONES to tell to Sam's face, when they finally did meet, that he's(Benny) heard alot or knows alot about Sam. Now I understand that Dean probably thought he'd never see Benny again, but Dean did tell Benny to call him if he ever needed Dean's help, so doesn't one think that Dean probably should have told Sam about him, at least a little bit?

Really!!! I'm so sick of Dean constantly choosing new strangers over his own brother, and hiding things from Sam. If Benny is so trustworthy, he should just tell Sam why he trusts Benny so much. I hate the unnecessary drama they continue to add to Sam and Dean's relationship. And tonight AGAIN calling Sam a bad brother. WAH WAH WAH I'm sick of the fighting and Dean always feeling so butthurt.

[LoveMyBoys]

DUDE! It just hit me; I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner. And if I'm the only one then you can call me an unobservant, clueless idjit (go ahead, I can take it ), but Benny--the guy who plays him--has been on SN before, as another vampire no less: he was Lenore's nest mate, Eli.

[AntiArbitrator]

LMB, we wonder why they did not keep Benny as the Eli character, which would have shown a history between him and Dean. Oh well...

[LoveMyBoys]

A thought on this came to me unbidden the other day: maybe if they'd gone that route Sam would have more reason to be conflicted about taking him down, like Dean, and not as set on it as he is with Benny. (Not that they necessarily thought of this.)

[SoCal]

Nov 7, 2012 22:30:49 GMT -5 @smallvillian0 said:

Nov 7, 2012 16:22:43 GMT -5 waggy3015 said:

Really!!! I'm so sick of Dean constantly choosing new strangers over his own brother, and hiding things from Sam. If Benny is so trustworthy, he should just tell Sam why he trusts Benny so much. I hate the unnecessary drama they continue to add to Sam and Dean's relationship. And tonight AGAIN calling Sam a bad brother. WAH WAH WAH I'm sick of the fighting and Dean always feeling so butthurt.

Jeez, oh that's rich! How many freaking times has Sam chosen someone other than Dean AND kept secrets from him? If your rant isn't calling the kettle black, then what is?

Both Dean and Sam have chosen to keep secrets from one another, but after fighting for his life for a year in Purgatory, Dean has chosen to trust the thing that helped him while he was there.

Man, o man, you have a VERY selective memory.