S12.E06: Celebrating the Life of Asa Fox

[catrox14]

 I've never heard that Dean keeps a journal of his own. Sam has the memory box. What episode was it revealed that Dean keeps a journal or even updates John's?

[mertensia]

Keeping a journal is something I'd expect of Sam or Bobby. 

[DittyDotDot]

5 hours ago, catrox14 said:

 I've never heard that Dean keeps a journal of his own. Sam has the memory box. What episode was it revealed that Dean keeps a journal or even updates John's?

Back when they first found the bunker, there was an episode where Dean was doing "inventory," Sam made a comment Dean should put it down in his journal for the archives.

I think it's been implied, over the years, both Sam and Dean have journals of some sort, but we've never seen them, as far as I know. But, we never saw Bobby had a journal until Dean pulled it out of that nook in the fireplace in The End either.

[Myrelle]

Dean was shown writing(or reading it, I can't remember which) in his own journal in Something Wicked, I believe.

[catrox14]

4 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

I think it's been implied, over the years, both Sam and Dean have journals of some sort, but we've never seen them, as far as I know. But, we never saw Bobby had a journal until Dean pulled it out of that nook in the fireplace in The End either.

Bobby keeping a journal in the alternate future I can see. Dean making notes in John's journal or having one of his own to document hunts, monsters, tactics, weapons etc is entirely plausible. What I find less plausible and unlikely is that Dean would journal about John's deal for his life; his deal for Sam's; his being tortured in Hell and torturing others that started the Apocalpyse; Sam's demon blood addiction; Sam's letting Lucifer out of the Cage; him taking on the MoC and being turned into a demon and becoming Killy McStabberson. I think those are things Dean would rather take to his grave than write about in a journal in his own hand. Besides the Winchesters Gospel still exists telling EVERYTHING that happened up to the Apocalpyse. I'm disinclined to think Dean is going to journal about how he feels about anything, although I would get a kick out of Dean having started a journal when he was demon!Dean just because demon!Dean had no fucks to give and he had no filter.

HUGE SWERVE: We know Dean is a reader and he's a nerd and he loves pop culture and movies etc. Maybe there is a writer lurking underneath all of it. OH EVEN BETTER. Dean becomes the new Carver Edlund and writes the sequel "Supernatural: The Gospel According to Dean Winchester" OR Dean becomes a screenwriter and writes the Supernatural movie under the pen name of J.J. Padackles  :):).

[rue721]

4 hours ago, Myrelle said:

Dean was shown writing(or reading it, I can't remember which) in his own journal in Something Wicked, I believe.

Yeah, I remember that, too. And I think we also see Dean's journal onscreen at some point much later in the series? Like sometime in S4-6? I'm super hazy on the details of it, though. Sorry!

I guess it just didn't faze me to think he was keeping a journal in any case, because John seemed to consider keeping one to be standard operating procedure -- so I figured that Dean would see it as SOP, too.

In practical terms, I assume that both Sam and Dean at least have some sort of compilations of their notes that serve as de facto journals. I mean, they take so many notes! They have had hundreds of cases and they did research for all of them. Why would they just delete or throw out all of that work? Although, I would also think that nowadays, their journals would be digital. But same diff IMO. LOL maybe they've taken to sharing a Google Doc. ;)

Edited November 25, 2016 by rue721
TOO MANY ACRONYMS. Or is it too many *abbreviations*? Eh.

[SueB]

3 hours ago, rue721 said:

Yeah, I remember that, too. And I think we also see Dean's journal onscreen at some point much later in the series? Like sometime in S4-6? I'm super hazy on the details of it, though. Sorry!

I guess it just didn't faze me to think he was keeping a journal in any case, because John seemed to consider keeping one to be standard operating procedure -- so I figured that Dean would see it as SOP, too.

In practical terms, I assume that both Sam and Dean at least have some sort of compilations of their notes that serve as de facto journals. I mean, they take so many notes! They have had hundreds of cases and they did research for all of them. Why would they just delete or throw out all of that work? Although, I would also think that nowadays, their journals would be digital. But same diff IMO. LOL maybe they've taken to sharing a Google Doc. ;)

 

My headcanon is Sam's journal is digital and Dean's is electric.  I don't know how Sam back's up though.  We saw his computer was trashed at the start of S2 and Frank smashed another again in S7. Plus Dean now has a laptop.  Way way back many centuries ago (S1), online backup was not a thing.  Now it would be.  

Now I need to know the answer to this question. 

[DittyDotDot]

USB/flash drive? Pretty easy and portable.

[rue721]

4 minutes ago, SueB said:

My headcanon is Sam's journal is digital and Dean's is electric.  I don't know how Sam back's up though.  We saw his computer was trashed at the start of S2 and Frank smashed another again in S7. Plus Dean now has a laptop.  Way way back many centuries ago (S1), online backup was not a thing.  Now it would be.  

Now I need to know the answer to this question. 

IRL online backup existed back in '05 or '06. I was in college then, and my roommate used "the cloud" to backup his stuff. I used jump drives. Or you could just email stuff to yourself.

[SueB]

I'll take those as viable storage options.  

[ElleMo]

On 11/22/2016 at 0:29 AM, Wynne88 said:

A few questions/observations:

- Asa's mother acted like she knew Jody well when they first arrived.  If Jody and Asa had only met a few months ago and mostly met up for coffee when he was passing through, how did Jody and Lorraine meet?

 

Jody wanted everyone, but Sam & Dean especially, to think that she was just friends with Asa and nothing more.  However, she was dreaming of a life with him, so it is plausible that she went to visit him at some point and met his mom but didn't want to mention it.  Also, I got the impression that they met more than a few month ago because the when Bucky told the story about ice skating, which Jody was a part of, he made it sound like it was a while ago.  So I think she really underplayed her relationship to Asa.  It's that or just shoddy writing. 

[ElleMo]

oops, double post. sorry

Edited November 26, 2016 by ElleMo

[ElleMo]

22 hours ago, DittyDotDot said:

I think Sam definitely has some issues with Mary. The way he got so pissy with the mom in American Nightmare made me think he did. But, I also think he understands why she did it, so I don't think he holds any real animosity towards her. She did make the deal that basically set them all on a certain course, but even if Mary hadn't made the deal, who knows if things would've turned out any better--or different--for Sam or any of them?

 

It tells the important stuff that she wants to know -- how/why her sons ended up as hunters, which is what she didn't want.

I hope that she finds out about the book series;  then she'll know the entire story up until Sam goes to hell.  Or maybe she can see the musical LOL

[DeeDee79]

I enjoyed this ep and it's always nice to see Jody. The introduction of Asa was well done and just from the flashes of his life that was shown in the intro I liked the guy. I excitedly thought that we were going to get another hunter for the Winchesters to bond with but it was nice to see them socializing even if it was at a wake.
I'm not sure what to feel about the Mary story line just yet. I know this is a show about supernatural beings and the hunters that take care of them but we've only seen disjointed conversations about their feelings and the back from the dead situation in between the rest of the action that's taking place. I know this show isn't overly talky but it would be nice to have a scene with the three of them talking things out instead of keeping their distance.

Quote

I hope that she finds out about the book series;  then she'll know the entire story up until Sam goes to hell.

My mom and I were talking about this too! I hope the show brings this up; I'm also curious about if Mary knew Bobby also.

Edited November 26, 2016 by DeeDee79
Forgot to comment on this quote

[DeeDee79]

After rewatching I'd like to add that I hope they bring back the twins. The fact that they were brought up and trained by a witch would definitely be useful and it would be nice to get a break from Rowena when they need those kind of skills.

[Bessie]

On 11/26/2016 at 5:12 PM, DeeDee79 said:

After rewatching I'd like to add that I hope they bring back the twins. The fact that they were brought up and trained by a witch would definitely be useful and it would be nice to get a break from Rowena when they need those kind of skills.

I loved the twins! Huge shoutout to the two actors. Their dynamic was very twinsy and I loved how they called out Elvis (?) on asking Sam prying, awkward questions. They didn't have a huge amount of screen time, but there was something very appealing about them. I'd be thrilled to see them again. 

[Boopsahoy]

On ‎11‎/‎25‎/‎2016 at 10:41 PM, ElleMo said:

Jody wanted everyone, but Sam & Dean especially, to think that she was just friends with Asa and nothing more.  However, she was dreaming of a life with him, so it is plausible that she went to visit him at some point and met his mom but didn't want to mention it.  Also, I got the impression that they met more than a few month ago because the when Bucky told the story about ice skating, which Jody was a part of, he made it sound like it was a while ago.  So I think she really underplayed her relationship to Asa.  It's that or just shoddy writing. 

I think Jody was purposely underplaying it. JMHO

[Myrelle]

Re-watched this one last night and it might be my favorite episode so far this season. This writer did a great job with Dean and that's all that matter to me at this point.

Loved, loved, LOVED! the reminder and callback to the fact that Dean is THE Dean Winchester. So good to know that Le Dean still lives in at least one of the new writers' minds on this show! YAY! and OO-RAH! for that.  

Loved him coming through that door way in complete take-charge mode and the ease with which he handled the crossroads demon there in hand-to-hand.

Loved that his POV and feelings were validated in this one. Loved that so much. Now I just need a big Mary/Dean convo in which they discuss many things, but most of all, what happened between John and Dean after Mary died with all those secrets of hers never being revealed. I need that conversation for this storyline to truly work. IA with those who feel that as of the present moment, Mary seems very self-involved and too much so for my taste within this storyline. She could have asked her sons anything, sop I'm glad that even she had the decency to say that Dean was right about that. Maybe she doesn't want to hear the truth from them, though; especially after seeing that they'd become hunters. And now that she's reading the journal she might become even more in denial concerning John and what a "great father" she thought he was, but as I said, personally, I need a conversation between Dean and Mary concerning many things, but most especially that, in order for this storyline to work well for me.

I hope they don't plan on making it simply about the fact that they became hunters in spite of her young and fervent wish that they never would. It is so much more complicated than just that and I want to see all of it laid out on the table concerning Dean-the abandonment and parentification issues that he still to this day suffers from AND the fact that her secrets and lies were directly responsible for her worst nightmare concerning her children coming true even while we know that the hunt and the hunting life is indeed what was destined for Dean and Sam and that it's what Dean(at least Dean, if not Sam-still not sure of this with him) sees as his calling in life and, as such, is even proud of being. Dean will likely assuage any of her guilt over that IMO. That's a given considering the fact that Dean usually does this with his loved ones when they express guilt, but I am still very worried that the John stuff is just going to be swept under the carpet again, making this a storyline that is mainly and only about Mary and her thoughts and feelings and what happened to her, with little acknowledgement yet again of those Dean issues that no writer on this show has yet addressed in anything more than a perfunctory way and in Dean's own mind. I cannot say it strongly enough that this storyline will not work for me at all if it just becomes All About Mary and strictly her feelings and fears and of guilt concerning the hunting life. I need more than that now because it has become so much more complicated that just and only that now.

That said, I'll again reiterate that this one goes in the win column for me. Jody is still alive. The side characters were okay(still not feeling Billie as any kind of a threat, though-not like Death, anyway and I even liked Tessa better in this role). I hope they remember that Dean still owes her one and that she will collect directly from him and not indirectly through someone he cares about or loves. They didn't make the deal, he did, and he would not forget this or let it be left unsaid. I didn't like the way the hunt ended. Anti-climactic, IMO, but the character stuff worked so well for me that I can handwave a lot about the hunt.

That's two in a row that I've liked now and after a not-so-great start to this season(IMO). Hoping to make it three tonight.

[catrox14]

I was just rewatching this.

It's one of my favs of the season. It's really well balanced and IMO characterizations are all in line as far as the main characters. Didn't love the stupid plot holes of hunters not having stuff they needed but whatever, I'll let it go because I enjoyed most everything else. 

I still really love how Jensen played Dean's contained anger and hurt with Mary. Great work.

I still want to know what deal Dean made with Billie so she would let him back in house. It doesn't seem to me that it was ever revealed. Billie was there to reap a new soul, not Asa's.  Loved how Jody totally respected Dean's POV about Mary and addressed what might be scaring him.

Edited April 24, 2017 by catrox14

[DeeDee79]

3 hours ago, catrox14 said:

I was just rewatching this.

It's one of my favs of the season. It's really well balanced and IMO characterizations are all in line as far as the main characters. Didn't love the stupid plot holes of hunters not having stuff they needed but whatever, I'll let it go because I enjoyed most everything else. 

I still really love how Jensen played Dean's contained anger and hurt with Mary. Great work.

I still want to know what deal Dean made with Billie so she would let him back in house. It doesn't seem to me that it was ever revealed. Billie was there to reap a new soul, not Asa's.  Loved how Jody totally respected Dean's POV about Mary and addressed what might be scaring him.

I also loved the collective hunters being in awe of the brothers and the fact that they were legends in hunters circles.

[DittyDotDot]

6 minutes ago, catrox14 said:

I still want to know what deal Dean made with Billie so she would let him back in house. It doesn't seem to me that it was ever revealed. Billie was there to reap a new soul, not Asa's.

Yeah, Billie was there to reap the soul of the people yet to be killed in the house. Wasn't the deal just that Dean would owe Billie one? 

[catrox14]

2 minutes ago, DittyDotDot said:

Yeah, Billie was there to reap the soul of the people yet to be killed in the house. Wasn't the deal just that Dean would owe Billie one? 

True, but at the end Billie said "You owe me one....That one" as she looked at Mary.  Now obviously Dean didn't promise her Mary, it was Billie that  decided that was the payment. However, Mary told Billie she would have to wait until Mary died again. So that means the bargain has yet to be fulfilled. 

spoilers for the rest of s12.

Spoiler

I thought maybe it was cashed in by Dean when he called on Billie in the Prison Break episode but that was altered when Cas killed Billie...so does that negate all of Billie's bargains or do they pass to another reaper? 

[bettername2come]

Damn, Mary had a nice car. I like the kid Asa. I love a Jody episode. I love that they're just gonna show up unexpectedly and eat her food and kiss her on the cheek. I would actually like to see Dean open more conversations with "I killed Hitler." I love that Dean called Jody a badass and that she was just delighted at Dean being an animated Japanese erotica chick. I think it's interesting that Sam and Dean are kind of isolated from Hunter culture. I liked the guy who fanboyed and the twins who stuck up for Sam and then wanted that guy to leave. Love Jody's reacting to seeing Mary with absolute delight and hugging. Half happy for them and half excited to meet the mom of these two wonderful men that she loves. I like that Jody tries to stop Dean from leaving and Sam stops Mary from following. They make a good team. It's like a punch in the gut when they make me remember Jody's dead husband and son. I like that we've seen her hunter origin story from the beginning onscreen. I'm amused at the reminders that we're in Canada - kid Asa had a mountie guy in his room, the postcards, the hunter friend mentioning the case with a First Nations girl. I like Billie and Dean. Poor Elvis. Died just so they could make that "Elvis is leaving the building" joke. "What are you doing? She's a demon, we kill demons." "No, she's Jody." I love Sam for that. Group exorcism! Sam/Jody hug! I'd forgotten that Bucky did it. Really Billie should be talking to Amara about Mary being alive. The Winchesters did nothing wrong this time. I like that Sam has his armed around Mary when they leave for breakfast at the end. I feel like he's just absorbing all the Mary he can get.  

[Hanahope]

So I wasn't sure about the beginning when Mary was a Winchester but still hunting.  I don't think it said, but I presume it was supposed to be right before Dean was born (though she sure didn't look 37 years younger).  but I thought Mary was going to give up hunting right after marrying John?  How did she explain her ventures to John, who I thought didn't know about her being a hunter?

But aside from that, decent episode.  I liked how they showed Asa growing up to become a hunter, always interested in the supernatural.  The Wendigo 'drink' was funny and it was nice seeing a "hunter event" and other hunters.  I definitely liked the twins and hope we see them again.

Lol at Jody pining a bit after Asa.  I'm glad that she survived the demon possession.  You never know with Sam and Dean's friends.  The group exorcism was very nice, and glad the demon didn't break her neck at the first opportunity.

Liked that Mary decided to stay with the boys (sortof at least) instead of taking the easy way out back to heaven.  Still, I'm sure that issue will come up again.

[The Companion]

On 11/17/2016 at 9:04 PM, Morrigan2575 said:

Wow, I loved this episode. Loved the weird little Hunter Family Network. I wasn't a huge fan of the Road House story but, it was cool to see that type of world explored again.

 

I did like the Road House (I know that is controversial, lol) and I loved having other hunters again. 

On 11/17/2016 at 9:11 PM, MysteryGuest said:

 

That being said, the boys got to be capable tonight, which was a big win.  I agree about Jody...I thought for sure they were going to kill her off and I was freaking out.  Thankfully, they didn't go there.  Interesting scene with Billie and Mary.  I would have been surprised if they'd gotten rid of her character so soon, but it was believable.  I honestly wasn't sure what she would decide, so it worked.

I like the idea of exploring the hunter world a bit more.  Especially in light of the BMOL looming in the background.  I think maybe Sam and Dean might have to enlist the help of their fellow American hunters to ultimately defeat them.  That would be cool.

I was TERRIFIED they would kill Jody. So help me show . . . .

I don't want the network to take over the show, but I like when the guys have a network of other hunters, personally.

On 11/17/2016 at 10:17 PM, Mick Lady said:

Mick and I loved it! I hope Dean's "I killed Hitler" lasts all season, what a hoot!

Me too. Hee.

 

On 11/18/2016 at 11:30 AM, Aeryn13 said:

One small bit that I found very funny is Jody telling the story of how she met Asa. Who tried to introduce himself as an FBI-Agent named "Fox Mulder". The obvious implication is that she called him out on it, identified herself as, if not a hunter per se, at least hunter-adjacent and then they hit it off. 

What made me giggle about this is that it seems like a secret hunting handshake. Like, all hunters use terrible role-playing names for their impersonation of law enforcement and all the actual law enforcement personel (or other witnesses) not in the know buy those names without question. And the only ones who call you out are other hunters so that`s how you can suss each other out Probably not what they meant but this idea is so cute.

I love this idea. 

On 11/18/2016 at 1:51 PM, catrox14 said:

 

-- It's just stupid to have a group of 10 + seemingly experienced hunters be so ill-prepared, one of which is Sam Fucking Winchester BTW, but they can't figure out how to identify the demon (like others have said "Christo" should still be a thing but whatever).No one has holy water, salt, markers or paint to make a better devils trap?

 

This is my only complaint. Then again, I complain about it over and over. I don't get why you wouldn't have holy water beer and make everyone do holy water shots. I mean, the very idea that multiple hunters will be in one place should be enough to want to take precautions.

On 11/19/2016 at 12:12 PM, catrox14 said:

ETA: Upon re-rewatch, Dean's face and voice were NOT OKAY when he asks Mary,  "Where you been?" I FELT Dean trying to push down the resentment. What a beautiful moment. Kind of punched me in the gut because I missed that at first. But upon re-watch, oh man. THAT hurt. All Hail the Ackting. 

Oh, my heart.

 

I loved this one. I love Jody and her relationship with the boys. I thought the character notes were great and they were set against a really interesting backdrop with new side characters that I found interesting and watchable. 

 

[Lemuria]

On 11/25/2016 at 8:44 AM, Myrelle said:

Dean was shown writing(or reading it, I can't remember which) in his own journal in Something Wicked, I believe.

Yep, he was.  

[Jgobs.1997]

Did anyone else notice the mid-late 90s GMC Sonoma at the beginning of S12E6? The plot was Emerson, Manitoba 1980. That truck shouldn’t be there. Has this been discussed before?