A Supernatural Effort

Carleen Phillips, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Sep 16, 2009 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."

A fandom without controversy is a dead fandom. Controversy is needed to provide discussion, to make a show thrive. And in the Supernatural fandom? Well, since there are no females to pick on this time around, why not pick on the main characters. Yet with the not-so-friendly banter and arguments going on, it makes one wonder what show the fans are watching. Comments are filled with bashing, and the self-serving attitudes and threats that makes internet fandom such a joy to be around. "Don't confuse me with facts, my mind's already made up!" Where is the intelligent debate? Lost in the flames, my boy. Lost in the flames.

Listen to me. It's everyone's fault.

You know the story. You know what happened in the season four finale. But see, the steps taken towards this goal were so intricately planned. Sam had to play his pivotal role. Dean had to play his pivotal role. The angels played their own roles, as did the demons, and Lilith, and Ruby. Bobby played his role. John. Mary. All of them. So why are we pinning the blame solely on Sam, or Dean?

What it appears to boil down to is, which is your favorite brother, and are you going to stick by him? As human nature repeatedly dictates, the best way to build someone up is to tear the other down. What a useless sea-saw. It's a good thing the apocalypse isn't really happening, and that it doesn't depend on these two guys to stop it, because their back-ups would be at each other's throats, each deeming the other "unworthy". What is surprising, are the number of fans that act like they didn't see this divide coming. Even Kripke himself said the brothers would be at odds, that the fandom would split, and gosh darn it, he was right! But instead of the fans patting each other on the backs and consoling each other in their time of need, they're tearing into each other. Seems to be the order of the day. Viva la fans. Apocalypse Now, Redux.

The writers have done their jobs well. Fans can channel their outrage into what the characters have to be feeling at this moment. Things such as a lack of trust. Or anger. Helplessness. They are trapped within the fact that they have no control over what happens next, that many external factors are at play. Oh, fans know all about that one, having to sit back and be emotionally manipulated. The writers wanted to touch that deep-seeded, emotional core, and man did they ever.

So what now? Well, some fans talk of bailing on the show. Sure. It makes sense, you know, if the very first episode of the season didn't hit all your buttons and completely knock your socks off. It would make more sense to stick it out and finish the journey. There's a Hail Mary waiting, and I'm not talking about The Mama. Then again, with the writer's redundant habit of resurrecting the dead, who knows? That should be reassuring to fans, at any rate, the fact that they can bring something back to life, given the chance.

If the writing and the characters are making fans sincerely feel something, then that means they're doing their job, and doing it well. But acting in response to these feelings, that's all on the individual. Messages are not just words on a screen. Living, breathing, feeling flesh and blood lies behind each statement. It seems ironic to complain about the brothers not forgiving each other as the fandom itself burns with rage and misunderstanding.

Find a group of like-minded individuals, and strap yourself in. There's a hell of a ride coming up.

Published by Carleen Phillips

I'm a mother of three, a figure-skating instructor, a yoga enthusiast, and a part-time writer. View profile