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Let's talk about S/P/N 15x07, "Last Call."
Or as I like to call it, "the ep that makes me go feral because it tells us so much about Dean's sexuality, character, & arc."
YES others have written meta! YES I will talk about it myself for the satisfaction! I LOVE IT.
THREAD
Or as I like to call it, "the ep that makes me go feral because it tells us so much about Dean's sexuality, character, & arc."
YES others have written meta! YES I will talk about it myself for the satisfaction! I LOVE IT.
THREAD
What's the context of this episode?
Dean's been kind of down/depressed, feeling hopeless in the face of the idea that they have to defeat God (& not really working towards that goal much), & he's mid-divorce with Cas. He goes out on this solo case to try to clear his head.
Dean's been kind of down/depressed, feeling hopeless in the face of the idea that they have to defeat God (& not really working towards that goal much), & he's mid-divorce with Cas. He goes out on this solo case to try to clear his head.
& he ends up at Swayze's Bar.
Look, there are many things to be said about this. Dean loves Patrick Swayze. Arguably has a CRUSH on Swayze. It's very tied up in Dean pretending not to like "chick flicks" but he secretly does, which is queer coding.
This was a Choice
.
Look, there are many things to be said about this. Dean loves Patrick Swayze. Arguably has a CRUSH on Swayze. It's very tied up in Dean pretending not to like "chick flicks" but he secretly does, which is queer coding.
This was a Choice
.
Speaking of Choices: professional actors made many here. Deliberately.
Dean is smacked on the ass by a woman & then Lee smacks him on the ass too. Dean & Lee CONSTANTLY have physical familiarity & fond eye contact.
I will limit myself to 1 tweet about this lest I list it all.
: professional actors made many here. Deliberately.Dean is smacked on the ass by a woman & then Lee smacks him on the ass too. Dean & Lee CONSTANTLY have physical familiarity & fond eye contact.
I will limit myself to 1 tweet about this lest I list it all.
My point is that I just really need every person to digest & accept the fact that this is textually bi Dean. Not subtext; it's TEXT.
Dean & Lee had a relationship. Their history is alluded to in touch & in words. They had an orgy together. Dean's bisexuality is not repressed.
Dean & Lee had a relationship. Their history is alluded to in touch & in words. They had an orgy together. Dean's bisexuality is not repressed.
It's also now canon that Dean tries to hide that he can sing well. Most people don't know (like Sam) but some do (Lee). Hence "Eye of the Tiger" callback.
& so: that's also the implication for his sexuality. Dean singing ON STAGE with bi lighting is him being ready to be Out.
& so: that's also the implication for his sexuality. Dean singing ON STAGE with bi lighting is him being ready to be Out.
They dedicated an entire half an ep at minimum to emphasizing he's bi... & to Dean having a conversation with someone he (initially) trusts about potentially having a break from hunting, & what that could mean.
"This is nothing you can't have, man. . . You deserve a break, bro."
"This is nothing you can't have, man. . . You deserve a break, bro."
"But Lee's turns out to be a villain!" some might say. "Isn't the point that giving up hunting is bad?"
Nope. Lee's a DARK MIRROR for Dean. He exists to exhibit the truths behind Dean's desires, & then what they'd look like if they turned bad.
Take it from him: "I am you."
Nope. Lee's a DARK MIRROR for Dean. He exists to exhibit the truths behind Dean's desires, & then what they'd look like if they turned bad.
Take it from him: "I am you."
There are LAYERS here. You can't focus on the dark side & ignore the truths that take place in the (often bi) light.
The singing? The conversations about taking a break? Throwing men out of the bar, which is framed heroically? "Road House rules" (another Choice)?
The singing? The conversations about taking a break? Throwing men out of the bar, which is framed heroically? "Road House rules" (another Choice
)?
NONE of that was bad. It shows what Dean wants.
Things only get badâliterally & visuallyâwhen Dean's tied up as Lee suddenly says wrong things in the dark.
The contrast exists to show that maintaining Goodness is a choice, & Dean would have no problem upholding that.
Things only get badâliterally & visuallyâwhen Dean's tied up as Lee suddenly says wrong things in the dark.
The contrast exists to show that maintaining Goodness is a choice, & Dean would have no problem upholding that.
"No one cares, Dean."
"Well, I do."
It's a reminder to himself as much as it is to Lee. It's a re-centering of purpose that he sorely needs.
& what's also key?
Lee is human, but is now a "monster" in Dean's words. Because Lee lost his ability to care, Dean can't abide by that.
"Well, I do."
It's a reminder to himself as much as it is to Lee. It's a re-centering of purpose that he sorely needs.
& what's also key?
Lee is human, but is now a "monster" in Dean's words. Because Lee lost his ability to care, Dean can't abide by that.
Remember: Lee is a dark mirror for Dean. "I am you."
By fighting & (tragically) killing Lee, Dean "kills" the darker side of himself. The side that's struggling to keep going right now... AND the side that fears eventually wanting a break means you must be selfish & stop caring.
By fighting & (tragically) killing Lee, Dean "kills" the darker side of himself. The side that's struggling to keep going right now... AND the side that fears eventually wanting a break means you must be selfish & stop caring.
He can keep going. He can find strength to fight Godâ& in the end, take a break & CHOOSING peace. It won't make him dark. He's the most caring man on Earth, even when it's hard. Reinforced later.
Isn't he owed a little happiness? & that's not in the having. It's in just being.
Isn't he owed a little happiness? & that's not in the having. It's in just being.
The bonus is what's going on with Cas in this episode. Dean's clearing his head & finding his center again while Cas is calling him.
Come home. I need you. Remember what matters.
& again, contrastâLee turns out not to be "real/true" in the way Dean thought he was. But Cas IS.
Come home. I need you. Remember what matters.
& again, contrastâLee turns out not to be "real/true" in the way Dean thought he was. But Cas IS.
& after Dean goes through all of this... he's grounded again, he recognizes that even amongst questions of what God controls there are still choices to be made, he's reminded that letting his caring heart lead him is priority, he's lost another friend...
He comes home to Cas.
He comes home to Cas.
It's awkward. They're still distanced. But this ep is a turning point for Dean.
He's not angry at Cas anymore, he wants to talk, he's ready to move forward... he just doesn't know how to yet.
& then you get Rowena saying "fix it"... & then after that is the Purgatory prayer.
He's not angry at Cas anymore, he wants to talk, he's ready to move forward... he just doesn't know how to yet.
& then you get Rowena saying "fix it"... & then after that is the Purgatory prayer.
I just !!!
S15 is packed with Dean development to hone in towards the end of his arc, but "Last Call" manages to hit SO many buttons.
⢠He's always been bi, & is ready to be Out
⢠He can want a breakâ& maybe run a bar like the Roadhouse
⢠Caring is at the core of who he is
S15 is packed with Dean development to hone in towards the end of his arc, but "Last Call" manages to hit SO many buttons.
⢠He's always been bi, & is ready to be Out
⢠He can want a breakâ& maybe run a bar like the Roadhouse
⢠Caring is at the core of who he is
It's about the CHOICE. It's about wanting to live your truths, & that "caring" can mean many thingsâfrom defeating God & saving the world, to making the hard choices when it counts, to maybe running a bar where people are safe.
(14x10 & its matching Texan Star also say hello.)
(14x10 & its matching Texan Star also say hello.)
& I recognize that rereading this info is sad(der) now because of what we got in the end, so uh... sorry.
But that's half the point: it's repeatedly blatantly clear what we were meant to get, down to deliberate echoes in word choiceâcaring, happiness, deserve, even Roadhouse.
But that's half the point: it's repeatedly blatantly clear what we were meant to get, down to deliberate echoes in word choiceâcaring, happiness, deserve, even Roadhouse.
Dean was meant to choose to take a break, maybe run a barâwhether on Earth or in Heaven. At minimum, if Dean was meant to end up in Heaven, he was meant to choose it with eyes wide open. & the next time the phone rang with Cas' name (15x19), he RAN for him. He was VERY ready.
& the whole season tells you that.
This ep is just my favorite
So... thanks for letting me ramble on about it!!!
DEAN WINCHESTER: BI ICON, ONCE-LOVER OF LEE WEBB, THE MOST CARING MAN ON EARTH WHO DESERVED TO CHOOSE PEACE AFTER GAINING HIS FREEDOM, & SOULMATE TO AN ANGEL
This ep is just my favorite
So... thanks for letting me ramble on about it!!!
DEAN WINCHESTER: BI ICON, ONCE-LOVER OF LEE WEBB, THE MOST CARING MAN ON EARTH WHO DESERVED TO CHOOSE PEACE AFTER GAINING HIS FREEDOM, & SOULMATE TO AN ANGEL
& a very big thank you to the talented kings Jensen Ackles & Christian Kane, & their longstanding friendship. They gave me many rights with their acting choices.
Here's an iconic bonus for the road.
Here's an iconic bonus for the road.
This thread is now on Tumblr! https://alwaysanoriginal.tumblr.com/post/641486170364198912
