Ok well ... that was the finale ... it was very well acted. And we never did get to know what Lost's smoke monster was for - though come to think of it it WAS connected to the character played by Mark Pellegrino - so Lucier may be connected somehow. In my head I have long had that entire scene with Dean sacrificing a kneeling Sam as really the only possible ending for all this. I also called it a week ago on here (with the added point that I haven't seen the past couple of episodes)
Post 1
I think that Death will agree to remove the mark from Dean if Dean will agree to reap Sam. Because Death is fed up with Dean interfering with the natural order to save Sam. After all in general it is Dean's big 'gotta save Sam' maneuvers that cause the most damage and ripples in the SPN universe.
The logic must be that the only way to ensure Dean will not try to undo it is if Dean is the one to make the final decision TO do it. The delight on Dean's face as he agrees in the preview is just like it was when he was taunting Sam back when he was a demon.
After all Death looked somewhat annoyed when Dean talked Sam into the start of this specific mess back at the start of season 9.
That would make the big relief moment the point at which he doesn't kill Sam. Maybe a reconcilliation? (I am not at all in the frame of mind where Dean gets instant reconcilliation or anything else after the misery that has been this season, but I get that the writers are somehow managing to write a different show to the one I am watching).
And the 'oh no' moment either Crowley interfering and killing someone, or Death taking someone (probably Sam) to punish Dean for not making good on the deal. (He then removes the mark ANYWAY because Dean is too much of a liability to be let continue on with that sort of power)
Post2
Dean is the one who has always had no problem doing whatever it takes in order to have Sam not be dead and if that results in the world getting broken (see the Apocalypse and
the giving up on the tablets at the last possible moment for details) then that is just too bad. It always leads to more problems. (Sam's major transgression was NOT in a bid to revive Dean, that happened after Dean returned - none of those plans have ever worked out for Sam).
That is why Sam is now doing what he sees is the only thing possible to do - whatever it takes.
They have said that Sam isn't going to stop in his effort to cure Dean and maybe the book IS too much.
Maybe Death knows that. Though why the book should be more powerful than the three tablets or the MOC I don't know.
So if Dean kills Sam then Sam can't use the book and Dean will have actually followed through on the decision he has made several times before - to kill Sam when Dean decides it is expedient - as Cain did with Abel -
and while Dean isn't interfering Death can make good on his deal with Sam to allow him to dieand be safe from hurting (as he sees it) anyone else.
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Post 3
... You can't fix that much damage with one episode. If they worked at it all next season they could not fix it. Which they won't even try to do, if the past 3 seasons progression is anything to go by.
Sam dying is basically the only thing that could even begin to fix it. Sam not being in the finale would not even come close to being the worst damage the writers have done to the character this season.
See? I got a lot of it
![:)](../../media/com_easydiscuss/images/markitup/emoticon-smile.png)
(I think a lot of us were on the same wavelength here though)
I figured the mark would be gone by the end of the episode and technically it was Crowley who found the last piece of the puzzle to finish the spell (which was what I meant). I did think that Death would be more in Sam's corner than he was but there wasn't really any way to predict that - I am THRILLED that Death's presence in Season 9 has been confirmed (a small ray of light!). Actually I would have been closer in my guesses but describing some of the things that happened seemed too much like a Samgirl complaining so I toned them down - clearly I shouldn't have worried about it. I forsee it being a cold cruel winter for a Samgirl next season though, I probably won't be back for 11, not with these writers. Most of the Supernatural experience has been a fun ride but the last season and a half have mostly been pure misery.
But the acting was excellent and the interaction between the brothers was heartbreaking in this episode. You guys are so good you know? Always remember that!
Jared and Jensen, ladies and gentlemen! Give them a round of applause, they earn it.