The different perspectives here are chilling. Sam has no hope, and the only vestige of his old self is that he doesn't want Dean dead, but he'd rather he and Dean live in this Hellish parody of survival than end it all entirely. He's clinging to life, even when the only way to survive is to continuously torture and degrade his brother. Dean, if he lost hope for salvation and a better future for both of them, would rather die. But unlike Sam, he still has hope, so when Sam asks him whether he wants to die, he says no. But Sam, seeing things from his prism of brokenness and hopelessness, takes that as assurance that Dean can someday be happy being Sam's slave... all he needs is more pain, more assurance that escape is impossible, so he can let himself accept it without guilt.
This is scary, scary stuff. Dean is in such a dangerous situation, not least because of the psychological manipulation... if he loses himself, his determination to only be a slave on the surface, his disgust at what's being done to him, and his belief that he can someday save them both, then they're both going to be lost and miserable for the rest of their lives. Or he's going to kill himself, either way. But the odds are so stacked against him when it comes to the chances that he can get them both out of this intact. He's in a position of total isolation, powerlessness and ignorance. How can he convince Sam to fight alongside him, when Sam has already been broken past hope or caring? And even if he did convince Sam to fight with him, how could the two of them alone affect anything of the outside world?
Dean's this tiny, tiny, flickering light. I think we know him too well to ever count him out, but his task here is so incredibly daunting, it's hard to see how he can win. Awesome, intriguing chapter in a terrific 'verse. Can't wait for more!
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2010-06-26 04:06 pm (UTC)This is scary, scary stuff. Dean is in such a dangerous situation, not least because of the psychological manipulation... if he loses himself, his determination to only be a slave on the surface, his disgust at what's being done to him, and his belief that he can someday save them both, then they're both going to be lost and miserable for the rest of their lives. Or he's going to kill himself, either way. But the odds are so stacked against him when it comes to the chances that he can get them both out of this intact. He's in a position of total isolation, powerlessness and ignorance. How can he convince Sam to fight alongside him, when Sam has already been broken past hope or caring? And even if he did convince Sam to fight with him, how could the two of them alone affect anything of the outside world?
Dean's this tiny, tiny, flickering light. I think we know him too well to ever count him out, but his task here is so incredibly daunting, it's hard to see how he can win. Awesome, intriguing chapter in a terrific 'verse. Can't wait for more!