Something worth fighting for
Apr. 17th, 2011 09:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gwaevalarinI'll be honest: I was extremely spoiled for the episode, and I didn't expect too much from it. Aside from some fun thanks to a certain character maybe. Boy, was I wrong. See, season 6, this is how amazing you can be.
Dean drives a Mustang, Ellen and Jo are still alive, Ellen is married to Bobby, and the Titanic never sank. Oh, yeah, and everyone with ancestors who came with the Titanic is dying under weird circumstances. The Winchester's kind of weird.
And the reason for all this is Balthazar. Who went back in time to save the Titanic. Because he hated the movie. Back when I still had more faith in the show, I'm pretty sure that would have made me more than suspicious. Now, with all that has happened in season 6 so far, I was slightly disappointed and put it down to the writers completely ignoring Balthazar's character development so far.
Now, watching the scene for the second time, I can see all the little hints clearly, that should have told me that things are not as they seem.
Balthazar is a little too defensive, when he tells the boys about how he un-sank the ship. There is also too much rambling and reasoning. About saving people, and only small details being different. He cares too much about it all. He gives too many explanations for his oh so random, look at me I can do whatever I want, actions. And they are just too weird, even for Balthazar's standards. It almost seems like he is trying to convince himself that what he did was okay, that nothing really bad is happening. Yes, sure, people are dying, but they'd be not alive either way. And the other small changes are either insignificant or even good, see Ellen and Jo. There is just too much back and forth between claiming do have done a good thing and not caring, like Balthazar can't quite settle for one version of the story. I believe Balthazar that, had he done it for fun only, he really wouldn't care too much about the consequences. But it wasn't him, it was Castiel's plan. And I think Balthazar can't bear the thought that Cas may not be doing the right thing. But we'll get back to that later.
"Sorry, you have me confused with the other angel. You know, the one in the dirty trench coat who is in love with you?"
Even if Balthazar says it exactly as the throwaway line I expected, there is so much in this one sentence. Of course, there is the obvious Cas/Dean squee. But as much as I love it, if we're honest, that's pure fanservice that will never ever play a role in the show again. Still: SQUEEEEE! <3
Other than that, it supports the points I made so far:
1. For Balthazar, Castiel is the angel who cares. The one who does the right thing. He can go and at least pretend that everything is just fun and no rules, because he know that Castiel is still the responsible one, who will make sure that the world doesn't fall into complete chaos.
2. It's another almost too obvious instance of: Look, this is me doing something simply because I'm random. Cas has nothing to do with this, whatsoever.
And then there is the most important aspect of this sentence: The angel who is in love with you. You can interpret love any way you want here, but Balthazar does actually mean it. Castiel, who cares so much about the Winchesters, that he can't abandon them. Even now, when he should fully concentrate on the war at his hands, he still always has one eye on Dean, to make sure that he is okay, that Dean is not ending up in harms way. Sam and Dean are Castiel's weak spot in this war. He chooses them over this big, potentially crucial, advantage in his war against Raphael. He risks the future of the whole world, Heaven and Earth, for them. I'm glad he does. But it's dangerous, it gives his enemies leverage against him. And that makes things so much more complicated. Balthazar used to be jealous that Castiel chose Dean over him. Now, I believe, it's not about himself any more. Dean isn't standing between him and Castiel any more, but he is still standing between Castiel and some of the things he has to do. From Balthazar's point of view, the bond Cas has with Dean is getting his brother into trouble and putting him in danger, because Castiel just cares so much about this stupid human.
And as if to prove Balthazar's point, there Castiel is, saving the boys from Fate. And then he is kind of trying to avoid the whole Balthazar sank the boat matter, and even being sarcastic about why Fate would be after the Winchesters, and very smoothly brining up the topic of killing Fate. Just to save the Winchesters of course. And with the first real sign that something isn't right here. Castiel is awefully quick with his suggestion to simply kill an ancient entity like Fate, who's not exactly evil in the strict sense of the world. A little recless in her methods maybe, but not any more evil that Death. Just... part of the universal order that has gone awry.
"You need new friends, Cas."
Did you see the look on Castiel's face? The one that said: "Oh, really? Because Balthazar is not the one who leaves me hanging with my problems." Castiel is seriously on edge, trying to balance the war and still taking care of the Winchesters. No wonder, Balthazar is seeing them as a diversion and potentially a danger for Cas.
And then Castiel sends the boys to draw out Fate. At least he tells them that they're bait. He just doesn't tell them the exact reasons, or at least not all of them.
And then we come to the part, where those real reasons are revealed. That part that, I have to admit, took me by surprise, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
Bottom line, Balthazar saved the Titanic because Castiel asked him to. And they came up with the plan because it would get Castiel 50.000 souls that he needs in his battle against Raphael. How and why, exactly, I still have no idea.
Fate is wrong in one respect, though. Balthazar is not under Castiel's orders. Not exactly. He does somewhat fall back into what he knows: Following. He does follow Castiel, and he does whatever Castiel asks of him. But other than back in Heaven, he doesn't do it out of duty. Every single time he follows Cas, he does it out of his own free will. Yes, when Castiel tells Balthazar to stop and not kill Fate, it does sound like an order. But Castiel never forced Bal to follow him, even when he had him in the ring of holy fire back in "The Third Man", he didn't force him to hand over the weapons. Castiel is the leader in their alliance, but Balthazar is at his side because that's where he wants to be. He is there, because he loves Castiel, and because, when it comes down to it, Castiel is all he has left.
I said a while ago that I believe that Balthazar will either try to get Cas off his path, or stand by him and protect him at all costs. What I didn't consider back then is that Balthazar hasn't been on Earth that long, still hasn't really grown used to free will and what it means exactly yet. He doesn't have much of a moral compass that would enable him to tell Castiel when to stop. So he simply can't be the one person Castiel really needs right now: Someone to tell him when he's going too far.
But what Balthazar can do, is be there, whatever happens. Whatever slippery, dark path Castiel is going down, Balthazar will be at his side and support everything his brother does. And Balthazar knows that whatever path Castiel will choose, and however wrong it may turn out to be, he will always choose it with the best of intentions. He will follow it, trying to choose the right decision from a pool of impossible decisions.
But what Castiel really needs right now, and what Balthazar - unfortunately - simply can't give him, is a moral compass: Dean. And I dearly hope that Dean won't realise that too late.
Castiel is struggling. You can see it in every moment, especially when someone tells him that what he does is wrong. Fate is right: He is desperate.
When he still pretends that Balthazar un-sank the Titanic of his own accord, he is so uncomfortable about the lie, that it almost seems like he wants Dean to figure it out. But Dean doesn't, simply because he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to see the betrayal any more than Cas want to lie to him and Sam. But what is Castiel supposed to do? There was a scene in Season 4, when they captured Alastair and Dean complained that Castiel tricked him into helping instead of just asking. It's pretty much the same situation now, Castiel tried asking, but Dean didn't listen to him all season. He can't ask Dean to help him, but he still needs him to. And he can't tell him about the betrayal, because he knows Dean won't forgive him. It's a downward spiral and Castiel has no way out. So he can now either take what he needs and lie to his friends, or he can lose the war, watch Raphael get the Apocalypse back on track, and then everything he - and the Winchesters - fought for will be for nothing.
I'm not saying I approve of what Castiel does here. Far from it. But just because I don't like it, doesn't mean I don't understand it. Think about it: What other options does he really have? From the moment he rebelled for Dean in the Season 4 finale, where should Castiel have taken a different path? Where could he have taken a different path? There aren't really any other options for him. That doesn't make his actions the right thing to do. It really, really doesn't. I'm just not sure that there is a "right" thing to do.
"You can choose freedom. And I still believe that is something worth fighting for."
Castiel is nowhere near turning evil. He is just in an impossible situation. And he knows it can only end badly. This sentence sounds almost like saying goodbye. Like apologising now, because he knows when Dean finds out - and he will find out - he won't get the chance to apologise any more. Castiel is willing to give up everything for Dean and humanity once more, even their friendship. I hope it won't come to that, I hope there is still a way out, or at least a way to fix it when it is all over. But here is one more reason I'm glad that Castiel has Balthazar to catch him and hold him, when everything else is falling apart.
Even if I can't support everything Cas is doing right now, I can't condemn his actions either. I believe that Cas does the best he can, so you will find me right next to Balthazar at his side. No matter what.
Sorry, if my thoughts on this episode are all over the place. I hope what I write makes somewhat sense.
Basically: Castiel lying to Dean, and himself: My heart breaking into tiny little pieces.
Balthazar being at Castiel's side, no matter what: ♥ ♥ ♥
Dean drives a Mustang, Ellen and Jo are still alive, Ellen is married to Bobby, and the Titanic never sank. Oh, yeah, and everyone with ancestors who came with the Titanic is dying under weird circumstances. The Winchester's kind of weird.
And the reason for all this is Balthazar. Who went back in time to save the Titanic. Because he hated the movie. Back when I still had more faith in the show, I'm pretty sure that would have made me more than suspicious. Now, with all that has happened in season 6 so far, I was slightly disappointed and put it down to the writers completely ignoring Balthazar's character development so far.
Now, watching the scene for the second time, I can see all the little hints clearly, that should have told me that things are not as they seem.
Balthazar is a little too defensive, when he tells the boys about how he un-sank the ship. There is also too much rambling and reasoning. About saving people, and only small details being different. He cares too much about it all. He gives too many explanations for his oh so random, look at me I can do whatever I want, actions. And they are just too weird, even for Balthazar's standards. It almost seems like he is trying to convince himself that what he did was okay, that nothing really bad is happening. Yes, sure, people are dying, but they'd be not alive either way. And the other small changes are either insignificant or even good, see Ellen and Jo. There is just too much back and forth between claiming do have done a good thing and not caring, like Balthazar can't quite settle for one version of the story. I believe Balthazar that, had he done it for fun only, he really wouldn't care too much about the consequences. But it wasn't him, it was Castiel's plan. And I think Balthazar can't bear the thought that Cas may not be doing the right thing. But we'll get back to that later.
"Sorry, you have me confused with the other angel. You know, the one in the dirty trench coat who is in love with you?"
Even if Balthazar says it exactly as the throwaway line I expected, there is so much in this one sentence. Of course, there is the obvious Cas/Dean squee. But as much as I love it, if we're honest, that's pure fanservice that will never ever play a role in the show again. Still: SQUEEEEE! <3
Other than that, it supports the points I made so far:
1. For Balthazar, Castiel is the angel who cares. The one who does the right thing. He can go and at least pretend that everything is just fun and no rules, because he know that Castiel is still the responsible one, who will make sure that the world doesn't fall into complete chaos.
2. It's another almost too obvious instance of: Look, this is me doing something simply because I'm random. Cas has nothing to do with this, whatsoever.
And then there is the most important aspect of this sentence: The angel who is in love with you. You can interpret love any way you want here, but Balthazar does actually mean it. Castiel, who cares so much about the Winchesters, that he can't abandon them. Even now, when he should fully concentrate on the war at his hands, he still always has one eye on Dean, to make sure that he is okay, that Dean is not ending up in harms way. Sam and Dean are Castiel's weak spot in this war. He chooses them over this big, potentially crucial, advantage in his war against Raphael. He risks the future of the whole world, Heaven and Earth, for them. I'm glad he does. But it's dangerous, it gives his enemies leverage against him. And that makes things so much more complicated. Balthazar used to be jealous that Castiel chose Dean over him. Now, I believe, it's not about himself any more. Dean isn't standing between him and Castiel any more, but he is still standing between Castiel and some of the things he has to do. From Balthazar's point of view, the bond Cas has with Dean is getting his brother into trouble and putting him in danger, because Castiel just cares so much about this stupid human.
And as if to prove Balthazar's point, there Castiel is, saving the boys from Fate. And then he is kind of trying to avoid the whole Balthazar sank the boat matter, and even being sarcastic about why Fate would be after the Winchesters, and very smoothly brining up the topic of killing Fate. Just to save the Winchesters of course. And with the first real sign that something isn't right here. Castiel is awefully quick with his suggestion to simply kill an ancient entity like Fate, who's not exactly evil in the strict sense of the world. A little recless in her methods maybe, but not any more evil that Death. Just... part of the universal order that has gone awry.
"You need new friends, Cas."
Did you see the look on Castiel's face? The one that said: "Oh, really? Because Balthazar is not the one who leaves me hanging with my problems." Castiel is seriously on edge, trying to balance the war and still taking care of the Winchesters. No wonder, Balthazar is seeing them as a diversion and potentially a danger for Cas.
And then Castiel sends the boys to draw out Fate. At least he tells them that they're bait. He just doesn't tell them the exact reasons, or at least not all of them.
And then we come to the part, where those real reasons are revealed. That part that, I have to admit, took me by surprise, and I'm still trying to wrap my head around it all.
Bottom line, Balthazar saved the Titanic because Castiel asked him to. And they came up with the plan because it would get Castiel 50.000 souls that he needs in his battle against Raphael. How and why, exactly, I still have no idea.
Fate is wrong in one respect, though. Balthazar is not under Castiel's orders. Not exactly. He does somewhat fall back into what he knows: Following. He does follow Castiel, and he does whatever Castiel asks of him. But other than back in Heaven, he doesn't do it out of duty. Every single time he follows Cas, he does it out of his own free will. Yes, when Castiel tells Balthazar to stop and not kill Fate, it does sound like an order. But Castiel never forced Bal to follow him, even when he had him in the ring of holy fire back in "The Third Man", he didn't force him to hand over the weapons. Castiel is the leader in their alliance, but Balthazar is at his side because that's where he wants to be. He is there, because he loves Castiel, and because, when it comes down to it, Castiel is all he has left.
I said a while ago that I believe that Balthazar will either try to get Cas off his path, or stand by him and protect him at all costs. What I didn't consider back then is that Balthazar hasn't been on Earth that long, still hasn't really grown used to free will and what it means exactly yet. He doesn't have much of a moral compass that would enable him to tell Castiel when to stop. So he simply can't be the one person Castiel really needs right now: Someone to tell him when he's going too far.
But what Balthazar can do, is be there, whatever happens. Whatever slippery, dark path Castiel is going down, Balthazar will be at his side and support everything his brother does. And Balthazar knows that whatever path Castiel will choose, and however wrong it may turn out to be, he will always choose it with the best of intentions. He will follow it, trying to choose the right decision from a pool of impossible decisions.
But what Castiel really needs right now, and what Balthazar - unfortunately - simply can't give him, is a moral compass: Dean. And I dearly hope that Dean won't realise that too late.
Castiel is struggling. You can see it in every moment, especially when someone tells him that what he does is wrong. Fate is right: He is desperate.
When he still pretends that Balthazar un-sank the Titanic of his own accord, he is so uncomfortable about the lie, that it almost seems like he wants Dean to figure it out. But Dean doesn't, simply because he doesn't want to. He doesn't want to see the betrayal any more than Cas want to lie to him and Sam. But what is Castiel supposed to do? There was a scene in Season 4, when they captured Alastair and Dean complained that Castiel tricked him into helping instead of just asking. It's pretty much the same situation now, Castiel tried asking, but Dean didn't listen to him all season. He can't ask Dean to help him, but he still needs him to. And he can't tell him about the betrayal, because he knows Dean won't forgive him. It's a downward spiral and Castiel has no way out. So he can now either take what he needs and lie to his friends, or he can lose the war, watch Raphael get the Apocalypse back on track, and then everything he - and the Winchesters - fought for will be for nothing.
I'm not saying I approve of what Castiel does here. Far from it. But just because I don't like it, doesn't mean I don't understand it. Think about it: What other options does he really have? From the moment he rebelled for Dean in the Season 4 finale, where should Castiel have taken a different path? Where could he have taken a different path? There aren't really any other options for him. That doesn't make his actions the right thing to do. It really, really doesn't. I'm just not sure that there is a "right" thing to do.
"You can choose freedom. And I still believe that is something worth fighting for."
Castiel is nowhere near turning evil. He is just in an impossible situation. And he knows it can only end badly. This sentence sounds almost like saying goodbye. Like apologising now, because he knows when Dean finds out - and he will find out - he won't get the chance to apologise any more. Castiel is willing to give up everything for Dean and humanity once more, even their friendship. I hope it won't come to that, I hope there is still a way out, or at least a way to fix it when it is all over. But here is one more reason I'm glad that Castiel has Balthazar to catch him and hold him, when everything else is falling apart.
Even if I can't support everything Cas is doing right now, I can't condemn his actions either. I believe that Cas does the best he can, so you will find me right next to Balthazar at his side. No matter what.
Sorry, if my thoughts on this episode are all over the place. I hope what I write makes somewhat sense.
Basically: Castiel lying to Dean, and himself: My heart breaking into tiny little pieces.
Balthazar being at Castiel's side, no matter what: ♥ ♥ ♥
