Tag: Supernatural

First Supernatural Con of 2024 comes to Burbank!

First Supernatural Con of 2024 comes to Burbank!

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This year the powers that be put a Supernatural convention during my spring break – yay! That meant I was able to travel to California, spend some time with my daughter in the Bay area, then take a short flight to Burbank for the con.  The hotel is one of my all time favorite con hotels, with a lovely pool and a spacious outdoor dining restaurant right there between the con area and the hotel itself. It was the perfect place to gather and have a drink and a bite in between panels and events, which was great because I got to reconnect with some friends I haven’t seen in far too long.

I also met alot of wonderful new people and fans of Supernatural – and of The Boys, including this mini Homelander who was adorable!

Shout out to everyone who came to say hi in the vendor room and picked up a copy of one of the books with chapters by the Supernatural actors and fans, Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll Be  Peace When You Are Done – or everyone who just stopped by to tell me they’d already read them and enjoyed them!  We were also able to bring the new book on ‘The Boys’ to this con – let me know what you think if you picked one of those up. It should catch you up and get you ready for Season 4 in a few months – can’t wait!

There was a substantial break in between the last convention of 2023 back in December and this one in mid March – so everyone was extra happy to be reunited, both fans and cast. And we were treated to some guests we hadn’t seen in far longer than that!

I inevitably miss a few people thanks to working in the vendor room, but I managed to catch quite a few this time – It was wonderful to have Lisa Berry back at a con. She talked about how she was already a passionate Supernatural fan when she was cast on the show, and then finding out there were so many other passionate fans! She enjoyed fans’ complicated canon questions because she is a fan herself.

Lisa: In my incarnation of Billie, she was always right next to Death.

Her character was continually frustrated with Sam and Dean.

Lisa: Billie’s whole thing with the Winchesters is that they always kept coming back to life. Now fangirl Lisa, she was like YES!

Favorite line?

Lisa: Hey.

It’s true, she could give Billie one word to say and it would come out memorable. She said that sometimes she was flown into Vancouver just to turn around to the camera and say ‘hey’!

One of her favorite scenes was the one in the library with Dean, with all the books.

Lisa: Jensen was so generous in that scene – everyone there is, so it’s safe to play.

A fan stepped up to the mic and shared that she had an AKF tattoo.

Lisa: That’s awesome – and yes please do (always keep fighting)!

It was also wonderful to have Matt Cohen back at conventions. I came into the ballroom a little late and Matt was standing in front of the stage and when I walked up the center aisle, he swept me into a hug to say it was good to see me – not a bad way to start the day! He made his way around the entire ballroom to greet everyone he possibly could. It was early so it wasn’t all that crowded, but the people who were there were treated to a great panel.

It does, however, mean that I hardly got any photos of Matt as he walked around.

Matt: There’s no better place to be in terms of diversity and acceptance than the SPNFamily.

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Happy Birthday Jensen Ackles! Here’s to 46!

Happy Birthday Jensen Ackles! Here’s to 46!

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Every year when March 1st rolls around and it’s Jensen Ackles’ birthday once again, I find myself feeling grateful that the man who brought to life two of my favorite fictional characters ever (aka Dean Winchester and Soldier Boy) is happy and healthy and enriching our lives with his creative presence. This year is no exception – whether it was playing a part as a talented actor, entertaining us at a convention, showing off his great form at the golf course, hyping some Supe Juice at the brewery or just selfies with family, friends and fans, I’m grateful for everything he shared with us this past year.

So let’s celebrate Jensen Ackles heading into his 46th year with a little look back at some of the highlights of his 45th!

March was the finale of The Winchesters, which saw the return of Dean Winchester, defying the laws of God (Chuck) and time to defeat an enemy threatening an alternate universe John and Mary – and ultimately Dean’s little brother, still alive in the universe of Supernatural we know and love. We all know Dean will do whatever it takes to save Sam, and he proved it once again – even after he was already settled into Heaven!

The spring saw Jensen roadtripping across the country with Clif to join his family in a new house in Connecticut, which gave us some travel glimpses along the way. Hopefully they’re having a blast renovating the house and enjoying the East coast weather for a change of pace.

In the spring, I was lucky enough to go to some conventions in the US, including the one in New Orleans in May. One of my favorite cities in the world.

Jensen showed off his “model poses” much to everyone’s amusement.

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Happy Birthday Dean Winchester, 2024 Style!

Happy Birthday Dean Winchester, 2024 Style!

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It’s January 24, 2024. This is the fourth January 24th without Supernatural, and you might think that Dean Winchester’s birthday would no longer be important. That maybe it might be a day like any other, without recognition or celebration. That surely the fandom would have moved on by now.

But you’d be wrong. And I am SO grateful!

It’s been a week of the hashtag #HappyBirthdayDeanWeek with fans recalling our favorite Dean moments each day. That means my timeline has been extra awesome, because I still can’t think of anything I’d rather be thinking about (and seeing) than Dean Winchester.  It’s really saying something about how complex both the character and the portrayal were that fandom has continued to disagree about his motivations and personality traits, his heroism and his failures, who he loves and what he values and who he wants to be, right on through the end of the show and going on four years later. There’s still brand new fanfic being written with Dean Winchester in a starring (or co-starring) role and there are still fan conventions that draw thousands of people and elicit questions about the show and the character. And again, I’m so grateful.

I’m also thankful that the gifted actor how brought him to life continues to love Dean Winchester too – and to keep him safe, as he said, “right here with me.”  Jensen’s insights in the book There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done include what he misses about Dean – his badassery, his humility, his vulnerability.

Jensen: It has been a privilege to play a character like Dean who has inspired so many people, because any excuse to give up is not an excuse that is good enough for the Winchesters. This is who they are. They fought because they believed in what they were fighting for, and that’s a part of the show that people connect with—to keep fighting the good fight, not giving up because the odds are stacked against you. Supernatural embodies that kind of resilience. I think Dean’s legacy is that he never gives up. He keeps fighting no matter what. The show carries the message to always keep fighting for each other, and that has inspired the fandom to keep fighting too, whatever fight they are facing.

He has also said he didn’t think he would ever say goodbye to Dean Winchester – that for him and for Jared Padalecki, the characters are woven into the fabric of their makeup and who they are as individuals.

Over the past year, both Jared and Jensen have talked about how much they’d like to bring back Sam and Dean and Supernatural. A limited series, a movie, a reboot of some kind. Maybe a chance to explore that “sweet spot” between besting Chuck and that fateful day in the barn. Maybe a “we’re needed” hiatus from Heaven. Some fans are concerned that any continuation of the series might mess with the canon that is awesome the way it is, or that the quality might be closer to late seasons inconsistency than early seasons artistry. I share those concerns but I would happily take the risk to have the Winchester brothers back!

The industry is all over the place right now, so who knows if it will be possible, but it’s a comfort to me knowing that Jensen and Jared want them back too. I’ve loved their other work – I’m about to mail Jensen his contributor copy of the new book, Supes Ain’t Always Heroes, which takes a deep dive into The Boys and Soldier Boy (including Jensen’s insights into that fascinating character). So clearly I love that show and character too!

But I will always miss Dean Winchester. Always.

Here are my favorite moments that I tweeted for this past week’s celebration. Isn’t it obvious why I am quite sure there will never be another character like Dean Winchester??

Day One – Fave young Dean childhood memory

I chose A Very Supernatural Christmas, the moment when Sam gifts Dean the Samulet. I vividly remember watching that episode when it aired and being so emotional. We knew Dean’s amulet well by then – I think I even owned a replica – but we didn’t know its backstory. To find out that it had been special to the brothers since their childhood, that it symbolized how they stuck together and had each other’s backs since they were little, often the two of them against the world – that made the amulet even more special.

Day Two – Fave comedic Dean moment

There are SO many to choose from, but I think the time I’ve laughed the hardest in this entire series is during the “bad acting” scene in The French Mistake. Dean’s FACE! That whole episode is a showcase for the comedic acting chops of Jared, Jensen and Misha – they are all beyond brilliant, including in this scene. Even though I’ve seen it countless times, I STILL cannot watch it without laughing out loud.

Though alot of other hilarious moments come to mind too…

Day Three – Fave action moment

I’ll sound like a broken record if I keep saying “there are so many” but….

For this, I chose one of the earlier Dean moments that made a huge impact. The end of Season 2, when there had been so much build up to the Winchesters trying to kill the Yellow Eyed Demon who destroyed their lives, and so much heartbreak when Sam was killed (and then resurrected), that the final showdown felt amazing. And when Dean aimed his gun and that bullet flew? DAYUM. Talk about Dean Winchester badassery. No wonder Jensen missed that aspect of playing Dean!

There were a few runners up that I saw on my timeline this week too, with good reason! That Reverse 180? Is it hot in here?

Day Four – Fave emotional moment

Broken record again, but seriously, the emotional moments are what really made me fall in love with this Show.

So I’ll choose one of the emotional moments that did that – that sealed the deal and landed me here, 16 years later, still missing Dean Winchester. It’s the scene at the end of Children Shouldn’t Play With Dead Things, when Dean pulls the Impala over on a gorgeous mountainside and opens up to Sam about how he’s really feeling. I remember watching it and the papers I was grading (yes, with a pen, it was a long time ago) just sliding right off my lap onto the floor as I stared open mouthed. This show – this character – I realized, was so much more than a little horror show on the CW. Holy shit, it was SO much more! All the kudos to Jensen for showing us just how deeply Dean Winchester feels, and to Eric Kripke for writing him that way.

Runner up was this scene that many others chose – one of the first times that Dean makes himself vulnerable, admitting to Sam that what he longs for, more than anything, is for them to be a family again. Kim Manners talked about how Jensen struggled with that scene, but as always – maybe because of that struggle – it ended up being incredibly moving and powerful.

Day Five – Fave inspirational Dean moment

This was a harder one, because (like Jensen) I find Dean inspiring in many ways, including his refusal to give up, his determination to Always Keep Fighting, his loyalty to his friends, and his unwavering support of his little brother.

There are many moments when Dean proves his love to Sam and the lengths he’s willing to go to in order to protect his family, and they all inspire me. Sure, the Winchesters probably shouldn’t sell their souls for each other or let the world burn to save the other, but that’s what’s so great about fictional characters – they are so damn compelling even when in real life that might not be a great idea. Or, you know, super healthy. But it’s so much of what I love about this show and this character. This is one of my favorite ones, when Dean lays it all out for Sam to save him from finishing the trials – and dying.

Day Six –

Fave moment of chemistry with another person

Call it Sam and Dean or call it Jared and Jensen, but the chemistry they’ve had since day one is what is widely acknowledged as the secret sauce to the show’s success. They have chemistry when they’re teasing each other like every annoying sibling ever, who nevertheless would have your back no matter what.

They have chemistry when they’re doing what they do (hunting) and they have chemistry when they’ve got each other’s backs. They’re so in sync sometimes they fall into step without even realizing it.

They have chemistry on the show and chemistry on the gag reels and chemistry at conventions.

From the very first season to the very last.

No wonder I miss watching them so much!

The last day is post whatever you want, so I’ll just close with a few Dean moments that make me smile. Sam and Dean belting out Night Moves driving along in Baby, a rare moment of pure fun, the two of them on the road in the car that was always home.

Dean and Cas sharing a drink and a laugh, another rare moment when the universe wasn’t on the verge of falling apart (at that very moment) and Dean could take the time to relax and enjoy Castiel’s company.

Dean mowing the lawn in WIAWSNB, so happy to be doing such a mundane thing. It wasn’t even reality, but somehow that makes it even more poignant. He had so little of “normalcy” and doing that for his mother brought so much joy.

Dean leaping over that fence like it’s nothing… okay, that’s a different kind of smile inspiring. Still, favorite moment, I’m not gonna lie…

Let’s end with this one, another moment of happiness. A morning tradition – an armful of fluffy affectionate Miracle. Sam and Dean having time to actually develop ordinary at-home traditions, what kind of miracle is that? If you can be glad for a fictional character, I’m glad for Dean, that he had all that.

If you’re missing Dean Winchester and Supernatural too, you can read the two books all about why the show and its characters have changed people’s lives, from the perspectives of fans and from the perspectives of the actors who brought them to life so vividly – including Jensen, Jared, Misha and many more. It always makes me happy to read how much they love their characters and the show and the fandom – no coincidence that There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done  ends with Jensen’s chapter and the words:

And let’s be clear. Supernatural will never end. The show might, but what it has built? This will never end. Besides, nothing ever stays dead on Supernatural.

Damn right.

Happy birthday, Dean Winchester.

I hope I get to see you again soon.

Gifs peach-coke, Incastielswings, heytheredean, kendaspntwd, samdeans, roadtripwithmybrother, ambrina, mishaa, theminimoose

Lynn

You can read Jensen’s thoughts on Dean and

Jared’s thoughts on Sam and many other

actors’ insights in There’ll Be Peace When

You Are Done and Family Don’t End With

Blood (and Jensen’s thoughts on

Soldier Boy in Supes Ain’t Always Heroes)

Links here on the home page!

Last Supernatural Con of 2023 – Nashville!

Last Supernatural Con of 2023 – Nashville!

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The last con of the year is always emotional. I am filled with gratitude that we still have these conventions to celebrate a show that’s been off the air for three years, but that I still love dearly. I used to think that for sure they’d be done by now, so every year that we still get to have these fandom reunions with fellow Supernatural fans and the cast feels like a gift. They’ve expanded now to include the actors’ other projects, but the core of the cons is still Supernatural, and I’m thankful.

My friend (and talented photographer) Kim Prior was supposed to come with me, but was sick unfortunately, so I staffed the vendor table mostly by myself – and thus missed a lot of panels that I would have loved to see. On the plus side, this was the first con with Supes Ain’t Always Heroes, our new book on The Boys, so that was exciting to share. And, as is usually the case, there were many friends to catch up with and toast the holiday season and the New Year.

I met up with my friend Sadie on Friday at an amazing little restaurant called Rosemary and The Queen. One of the best things about cons in Nashville is that the food and drink are AMAZING!

All the ambience (their playlist even included some classic Lou Reed!), great drinks and food, and an outdoor patio twinkling with multicolored lights. Some good conversation and what more could you ask? (Stay tuned for more on season 2 of Sadie’s ‘In Defense of Fandom’ podcast coming up)

On Saturday I finally caught a panel – Misha Collins, whose panels I never ever miss. Misha is following the post-SPN tradition of being long-haired and bearded and it’s working well on him just like it is for Jared and Jensen. (Though I’m probably in the minority of being ready for the beards to be gone. Luckily it is not at all up to me!)

Misha’s panel started late, but he promised to pack a lot into a slightly shorter panel – and he did!

He kicked it off with a hug for Rob. Awwww.

As for what’s keeping him busy right now, Misha let us know that he’s writing – something that might be a novel, in fact! (I like to think I kick started his return to writing when he wrote a chapter for ‘Fan Phenomena Supernatural’ almost a decade ago. He also has a heartfelt chapter on fandom in ‘Family Don’t End With Blood’ and of course his beautiful book of poetry and his cookbook.

It was nice to have the strike over and the actors able to talk about their work, past and present.

Misha: Now I can say SUPERNATURAL SUPERNATURAL SUPERNATURAL!

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Supernatural Does A Little Objectifying – Red Sky at Morning

Supernatural Does A Little Objectifying – Red Sky at Morning

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The sixth episode of Season 3 isn’t one of my favorite episodes, but it has its moments. It’s not as bad as Kripke sometimes fears it is, as one of the maligned episodes that even Chuck disparages in canon, and it does have some great bits. It’s written and directed not by ‘regulars’, which is unusual for Supernatural – written by Laurence Andries and directed by Cliff Bole, who didn’t return to do more SPN. I wonder what their experience was, and what the cast and crew’s experience of them was too. Season 3 was a weird season, what can I say?

From my perspective as a VERY passionate fan at the time, we were constantly afraid the show would be cancelled (and so were the people making the show). The fandom was alot more unified than it is now, as I write this in December 2023, though there were rifts and arguments about being a “Sam girl or a Dean girl” even then. But the show itself constantly being in jeopardy brought us together to keep it on the air, and that was a good thing. By the time the sixth episode aired, the network was also trying to keep the show on the air, which for them meant trying to counteract the testosterone-heavy cast by bringing in more attractive young women as series regulars – Lauren Cohan as Bela and Katie Cassidy as Ruby. It’s true that most of the fandom wasn’t on board with having Ruby and Bela riding around in the backseat of the Impala, but most of the fandom could also tell the difference between real life and fiction and were welcoming of the two actresses who did a fabulous job portraying them. This is, imho, the best of the Bela episodes – Lauren does a fabulous job, and of course she would go on to more great roles too.

So, let’s dig into this episode, which with 15 years of hindsight, is actually pretty damn good! (And has Sam and Dean in tuxes, so what’s not to like?) In the ‘Then’ we get a reminder of who Bela Talbot is and that she shot Sam. And that Sam tried to make a deal with a Crossroads demon to save Dean, but it didn’t work. In other words, the Winchesters are in a bad place.

The episode opens with a woman running on the docks – she looks towards the ocean and sees a creepy old ghost ship, and then poof, it’s not there. Lightning flashes in the dark and she runs away – but of course she can’t escape whatever this is. As she showers later that night (a little Psycho homage which is ingrained in all of our psyches so it’s always extra scary), we see a shadowy figure moving outside her transparent shower door. Ahhhhhh! SPN early seasons can be so damn scary!

We see a hand on the glass, and she opens the door, but of course doesn’t see anything. But back in the shower, someone grabs her from behind. We see her head slamming against the frosted glass, and her hand scrapes down it as she falls.

Seriously, scary.

And…title card.

Supernatural

And then we get one of those great moments, the boys driving in the Impala at night, roaring over a hill. (Yes, CW, it’s testosterone heavy, but times like this we don’t really mind).

Dean is pissed, asking if Sam has something to tell him.

Sam plays dumb, making jokes that it’s not Dean’s birthday, maybe it’s Purim…

Dean finally asks right out why a bullet is missing from the Colt, and accuses Sam of going after the crossroads demon after he told him not to, obviously pissed.

Sam doesn’t deny it.

Dean: You could’ve gotten yourself killed!

Sam: I didn’t.

Dean: And you shot her!

Sam: She was a smartass!

Dean still trying to protect Sam, Sam desperate to save Dean. My Show.

Dean sounds heartbreakingly hopeful when he asks if that got him out of his deal, and Sam sadly and angrily says he probably would’ve mentioned that little fact. Dean can be so cold this season, single minded about not doing anything that might get Sam dead all over again, reminding Sam that they need to find out who holds the contract.

Dean (sarcastically): And the crossroads demon is our best shot at finding out, but oh wait…

He reiterates that Sam shouldn’t have done it, that it was a stupid freaking risk, but Sam has had enough.

Sam: I shouldn’t have done it?? You’re my brother, Dean – and no matter what you do, I’m gonna try and save you. And I’m sure as hell not gonna apologize for it, all right?!

Dean doesn’t answer.

Poor Sam, so frustrated and scared. And poor Dean, so determined. And scared.

Dean still doesn’t quite understand that Sam needs him as much as he needs Sam; that he too will go to almost any lengths to save his brother. We, the viewers, know it at this point, but Dean’s insecurity about their relationship keeps convincing him that Sam will be fine and dandy without him around. Maybe even better off. The guilt he’s been carrying about pulling Sam back into the life, back on the road with him, distorts his ability to see Sam’s loyalty clearly – something he’ll struggle with for much of the show’s run, but something we’ll see has changed by the time the series finale airs. (One of the reasons I love it)

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Hawaii Supernatural Style – Honolulu Con 2023!

Hawaii Supernatural Style – Honolulu Con 2023!

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The first time there was a Supernatural convention in Hawaii I decided to be financially responsible and did not go. I’m on the East coast, it’s a long and expensive flight, I’ve been there a few times and while I loved it, I couldn’t use having never been there as a reason to go. So I stayed home, while some of my good friends went.

It was a long weekend of FOMO overload, with my friends – and several of the Supernatural actors too, to my great dismay – texting me to tell me what I was missing. I vowed that if there was ever a con in Hawaii again, I’d start saving my pennies and find a way to make it work. So I was full of anticipation for this convention and to finally return to Hawaii after many years. I was last there on my honeymoon, that should tell you something!

It was also the first convention I’ve gone to in a long time that I wasn’t a vendor, which meant I got to have an actual vacation and spend time with my friends! I love being at cons with the books and meeting people who’ve read Family Don’t End With Blood and There’ll Be Peace When You Are Done and Fangasm who tell me the books have been important to them and an inspiration. I love being a vendor with all the other amazing people in the con “vendor squad”. But I miss the days of being able to just hang out with fellow fans and talk about the shows we love and the cast we appreciate and ooh and ahh over everyone’s photo ops. Some of my favorite things about this con were hanging out in the outdoor space next to the elevators where people congregated in between panels or at the restaurant that was right on the beach and enjoying some delicious food and drink with some of my favorite people. Grateful!

That also meant I didn’t actually catch many panels, so this con report will be briefer than usual. I stopped in California on the way because I can’t fly OVER my daughter’s house without actually visiting her, so I didn’t get there until Friday. Hibachi style dinner at Aoki Teppanyaki Waikiki with friends and then fireworks on the beach at the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel – perfection!

The hotel itself was gorgeous, with swimming pools and wildlife hanging around the mini habitats, ponds filled with colorful fish and palm trees overhead. It’s the kind of place that makes you never want to leave, which is a feeling I’ve experienced every time I’ve been in Hawaii, no matter how young (or not young) I was at the time.

Some things never change.

And then it was Saturday, which looked like this from my lanai, and like this from the beach.

I couldn’t miss Misha’s panel, so that kicked off panels for me. He wore a beautiful lei and a shirt that he got at a thrift shoppe because it had feathers on it and reminded him of Castiel.

This was the first convention where the cast could talk about their characters and shows again since the strike is over, which made Misha happy.

Misha: OMG we can talk about our shows!!

Misha auctioned off some custom made shoes from the Gotham Knights costume designer to raise funds for Maui.

When that didn’t quite do it, he offered up the shirt on his back to the highest bidder – he then teasingly took it off, only to reveal he had another shirt on under it lol.

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Supernatural Gets Creepy (and Poignant) with Season 3’s Bedtime Stories

Supernatural Gets Creepy (and Poignant) with Season 3’s Bedtime Stories

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Season 3 was a memorable season of Supernatural for many reasons. I was well and truly down the rabbit hole of being head over heels in love with the show, and the fandom was busy trying to get enough people to watch it that we could keep it on the air. It was constantly touch and go, and yet I was continually struck by how amazing the show was – why didn’t everyone else see it??

It was extra scary by the middle of the season because there was a writers’ strike, and while the fandom overwhelmingly supported the strike and our beloved writers, that made it even less certain the Show would survive. Looking back, the strike changed the trajectory of the season, but of course we didn’t know that at the time.

‘Bedtime Stories’ was in the Show’s early seasons tradition, creepy and scary but at the same time able to rip your heart out with unexpected emotionality. The episode was written by Cathryn Humphris, who I was so sad to lose early on, and directed by Mike Rohl, who directed quite a few episodes and includes some gorgeous shots in this one.

The ‘THEN’ reminds us of the history of the Colt, Dean’s deal to save Sam and his insistence that he’s not scared, and just how worried Dean is about whether what he brought back is “100% pure Sam” – the story line that was so intriguing and didn’t really go anywhere…

And NOW…

Three guys bicker like brothers (which it turns out they are) next to a billboard advertising new home construction with the tempting “ONCE UPON A TIME… All homes were built this well.”

One announces that he’s the “brick guy” and the other is the “wood guy” while the third warns that if a good gust of wind comes up the whole place is gonna blow over. (Sound familiar?)

As they argue, we see that something is watching them, the feeling of the scene ominous.

There’s a growl and one brother asks the others, did you hear that?

For some unknown reason he goes off to investigate on his own, dramatic music playing, but finds nothing. (Of course, because this is a horror show, the first time someone checks it’s gonna be nothing, so that we’re falsely reassured…).  One of the brothers goes to warm up their truck and suddenly something attacks brother no. 1 and drags him away as he screams. Brother no. 2 runs and hides while something attacks brother no. 3, blood spraying all over the truck and splattering on the dirt. Brother no. 2 hunkers down, terrified, breathing hard.

He finally dares to look around the cinder blocks and sees his dead brother lying on the ground. He hears another growl and then footsteps, and then he’s screaming too.

‘SUPERNATURAL’

A giant toad sitting in the middle of the road almost gets run over by the Impala as it roars by, spraying water from a puddle in the road.

Sam and Dean are not exactly getting along at this point in the series. In fact, they are having a quintessential brothers spat. Dean is determined that his going to hell to save Sam will stick, because otherwise Sam won’t survive. Sam is determined to save his brother. Both are hard headed and just as invested in their codependent relationship at this point. I am not complaining about this – it’s one of the things I love so much about this show.

Sam: I don’t understand, Dean – why not??

Dean: Because I said so!!

Sam: But we’ve got the Colt now.

Dean is resolute, warning his brother with a terse “Sam…”

Sam wants to summon the crossroads demon to try to get Dean out of his deal by holding her at gunpoint and forcing her.  Dean insists that they’re not summoning anything, that they don’t even know if it will work. Sam retorts that they can just shoot her anyway and the deal will go away, but Dean insists they don’t know if that’s even true.

Dean: You’re pitching me a bunch of ifs and maybes and that’s not good enough because if we screw with this deal, you die!

Sam: And if we don’t screw with it, you die!!

Talk about quintessential Supernatural. Dean will save Sam no matter what, and Sam will save Dean no matter what. And good luck trying to talk either of them out of it!

Sam finally demands, why, because you said so?

Dean: YES, because I said so!

Sam: Yeah well you’re not Dad.

Dean: (yelling) No but I am the oldest, and I’m doing what’s best. And you’re gonna let this go, you understand me?

If that isn’t the face of determination, I don’t know what is.

Sam finally subsides. He sits silent and sullen, staring out the window.

Dean tries to draw him back in, bring the conversation back to something normal (for them).

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A Special Supernatural DC Con – #KristaCon 2023

A Special Supernatural DC Con – #KristaCon 2023

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DC Con is one of the two conventions that are local for me – that I can drive to. I set out early Friday morning down I95 to DC, or rather to Crystal City, where this con is usually held. On the way, I thought a lot about my good friend and co-author of ‘Fangasm’ and several of my other books on fandom and Supernatural, Kathy Larsen. We fell in love with the show together way back when it began, and fell into fan studies as a result, both of us changing the trajectory of our professional careers to focus on what fandom is all about and why it’s so often wonderful. I needed tissues as I drove, the route familiar because of all the days I drove down to Kathy’s house just outside of DC – to work on research, to go to a convention, to just hang out and watch episodes of Supernatural and squee together. I miss those days. I miss my friend.

So I was already emotional before I even got there. Another fandom friend had experienced a great loss shortly before the con, a tragic accident that took her husband’s life. I was looking forward to hugging her and hoping that she’d find solace at the con and being with her fandom family. I remember when my dad passed away seven years ago – I got the news just as I arrived at a Supernatural convention in San Francisco, and while I was in shock for some of it, there was no better or more supportive place to be. I felt cared for, and loved, and consoled, by both my fellow fans and by the actors, who went out of their way to comfort me. I didn’t even tell them, but somehow they knew. It’s the best part of fandom – especially the SPNFamily – the outpouring of love and support when you need it. I’ve felt it myself, and I hope I’ve helped give it to others who’ve needed it.

This con was about that, about an outpouring of love and support — for my friend and fellow Supernatural fan Krista, who has terminal brain cancer. The con and the SNS were dedicated to her, the actors and the fans expressing their love and gratitude, and saying an emotional goodbye. I still find it hard to believe that she won’t still be sitting there in front of me at the cons, video camera rolling. I’m so grateful we all had a chance to show her how much she’s meant to so many of us.

I first met Krista in 2009 when she started going to Supernatural cons. Over the years, I often sat right behind her, my voice sometimes (unfortunately) in her con videos as I laughed too hard or sang too loud. She contributed some of  her beautiful photos to Family Don’t End With Blood. We shared some fun times over the many years – trips to the original Starbucks and the fish market in Seattle, where Krista showed she knew how to order a fish.

Fun times in Rome at the only JIB I’ve been able to go to.

Dinners out on con evenings.

 

Krista was kind enough to emcee the book release party for Family Don’t End With Blood in LA, helping make that night incredibly special.

We’ve shared a lot of fun times. And lots and lots of laughs.

So this con, for me, was about celebrating the people I’ve been on this journey with, both from the start and along the way, and feeling incredibly grateful to have them in my life. It was a reminder of how truly special fandom – and especially this fandom – can be. Forget the stupid polls of which ship is better or the purposely inflammatory posts about how the show should have ended. This is what it’s all about.

I was on my own in the vendor room for most of Friday so I didn’t make it into the theater, which was sad because a lot of awesome people were there – Gil McKinney, David Haydn-Jones, Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster, DJ Qualls, Julian Richings to name a few.  Friday night I went to karaoke, which has been reinvigorated by DJ Qualls and his themed nights. This one was ‘The British Are Coming’, and DJ was dressed perfectly on a stage complete with Big Ben, the Yellow Submarine, and even the lanterns for one if by land two if by sea! Some of the fans’ cosplay was perfection too – and some of the performances!

Saturday and Sunday some lovely friends were able to sit at the vendor table for me sometimes, so I was able to catch some panels – including Misha Collins on Saturday. Like most of the actors, Misha wore his green #KristaCon shirt in honor of Krista. Rob gave him a supportive pat when he came onstage, all of them feeling emotional.

Misha to Krista: Thank you for being such a force of joy and optimism over the years.

That is so very very true.

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Did Sammy Come Back Wrong? Supernatural 3.04 ‘Sin City’

Did Sammy Come Back Wrong? Supernatural 3.04 ‘Sin City’

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The fourth episode of Supernatural Season 3 is one that I sometimes forget about, but it’s actually very interesting not only in how it moves the main plot forward, but also in how it moves the evolution of Sam and Dean’s (and the show’s) understanding of “monsters” forward too. Plus it’s a beautiful episode, with director Charles Beeson and DP Serge Ladouceur creating some gorgeous scenes. The show was still quite dark in this season, though it was transitioning, so I relish all the episodes that still retained that early season darkness, both literally and metaphorically.

This is one of the episodes co-written by Bob Singer, along with Jeremy Carver, two eventual showrunners themselves. The script is punctuated with all kinds of pop culture references, from the title referring to a comic, film and AC/DC song and nods to everything from Donnie Brasco to Psycho, Dick Cheney to Margaritaville.

The “THEN” reminds us of the Yellow Eyed Demon’s provocative question to Dean: How certain are you that what you brought back is 100% pure Sam?

It’s a theme that was so intriguing and I was hoping they’d make more of, but Season 3 is the season that was cut short by the writer’s strike and changed course in multiple ways, so nothing ever really came of that question unless you want to look at it as foreshadowing of Sam eventually losing his soul. We’re also reminded of the Colt that can kill anything, and Ruby’s manipulation of Sam with the promise that she can help him save his brother, the only thing Sam cares about right now.

“NOW”…

The opening scene is beautiful and disturbing, a church lit by candles that suddenly flicker as a wind blows through. A parishioner in the choir loft insists that God isn’t with them anymore as a nun and priest look up – to see the man pull a gun and shoot himself, collapsing.

The nun screams bloody murder, and we get the title card in a perfect juxtaposition.

SUPERNATURAL

Cut to Bobby working on the Colt, Dean making bullets. It’s incongruously beautiful, as Supernatural often is even when it’s violent and dark.

Sam tells them he might have found some omens in Ohio.

Dean: Well that’s thrilling…

Sam goes on about the guy blowing his head off in a church and another guy going postal in a hobby shop. Dean’s still not entirely convinced and not very excited about going to Ohio.

Dean (hopefully): There’s gotta be a demon or two in South Beach…

Sam: Sorry, Hef, maybe next time.

Sam calling Dean Hugh Hefner, the infamous Playboy mansion owner, is kinda adorable. I bet Dean loved it.

He asks Bobby how it’s going with the Colt, and Bobby admits it’s going slowly.

Dean: I tell you, it’s a little sad seeing the Colt like that.

Bobby: The only thing it’s good for now is figuring out what makes it tick.

Sam: So what makes it tick?

Bobby: (bitchface)

Dean (taking his cue from Sam): So if we wanna go check out these omens in Ohio, you think you can have that thing ready by this afternoon?

Sam laughs, while Bobby….does not.

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Supernatural Charlotte 2023 – AKA Spatula Con!

Supernatural Charlotte 2023 – AKA Spatula Con!

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The Road So Far/ The Road Ahead (aka in my head as Supernatural) con in Charlotte is one of my favorites. It’s an easy ninety minute flight, which I value more and more every single year (and my knee values more every single day) and SO many of my friends planned to be there. It felt a lot like the early days of Supernatural cons, when everyone knew everyone else because there were only a few to go to, so me and my friends were all there at one or the other.

It was clear that this was going to be a fun con because it was also “Spatula Con” – which meant that many fans actually brought spatulas with them, for all kinds of photo fun and shenanigans. (If you’re wondering why, it’s in honor of Jared and Gen’s appearance on Celebrity Family Feud, where the thing they’d bring from the kitchen to the bedroom was – you guessed it – a spatula). Hence, Spatula Con!

It was also gorgeous weather and the con hotel (a brief walk down the hall from the convention center, which made me very very very happy) had a lovely outdoor patio where we could all hang out and eat and drink and be merry. There was a lot of merry at this con!

I was a bit uncertain about how the con itself would go since because of the SAG and WGA strike, the actors can’t talk about any struck work – including the vast majority of their projects. I’m that fan who always has a burning question about the show I love, and is less enthralled by “what’s your favorite color?” type questions, so I wasn’t sure what this would be like. Of course, I should have trusted all these actors – because they can all think on their feet and tell a hilarious story, and that’s pretty much what they did. I laughed my way through most of the panels I saw, and so did the actors!

There inevitably are comments online about drama at every con, but this con was pretty much drama-free for those of us who were there. The fans had fun, the actors had fun, everyone was happy to be able to get together and share some good times and funny stories. The actors were diligent about not breaking any strike rules and the fans were conscientious in helping them do that, and all of that felt pretty damn good.

I didn’t have anyone to help me at the vendor table on a regular basis (shout out to all the friends who hopped in to let me run to the bathroom all weekend!) so I missed the Friday panels, which meant I missed a lot of my favorite people – Gil McKinney, David Haydn Jones, DJ Qualls, Kim Rhodes, Briana Buckmaster – and Nate Torrence (who played Sully in ‘Just My Imagination’) who I REALLY wanted to get to see. I hear his panel was awesome, and just seeing him coming and going, he seems like such a nice guy.

I did make it into the ballroom finally for Misha Collins, since I try to never miss his panel. He and Rob reminisced about some early panels, including for some reason the one when they did the “Eiffel tower”. Don’t ask.

Everyone onstage struggled with the limitations of the strike in trying not to say the names of actual shows, but it’s undeniably difficult.

Misha: We’re organizing a little strike picket for S-P-N and Kripke sent out an organizing thing – but it says the actual name on it!

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