Top Brother Moments in Season 7

[ash48]

I am totally wearing my heart on my sleeve here, but stuff it! I love the SamnDean bromance in the Show and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I've been thinking about the broments in S7 and thought I'd share.



Ok, so - we didn't get any hugs during the season but we did get some delicious brother moments nonetheless. AND we got one of the best bromance episodes in the whole series (imho).

Top Bro Moments in Season Seven (in chronological order)

I'm glad to be able to start with the episode that had the MOST broments in it. It was CHOCK FULL! This may well be up there with the A Very Supernatural Christmas as my all time favourite bromance episode. (Not quite...but close).

1. Stone Number One
(7.02 Hello Cruel World)



Dean: Hey. I am your flesh-and-blood brother, okay? I’m the only one who can legitimately kick your ass in real time. You got away. We got you out, Sammy. Believe in that! Believe me, okay? You gotta believe me. You gotta make it stone number one and build on it.

*happy, happy sigh* Such fabulous dialogue - Dean not only pulls Sam off the ledge but asks him to believe and trust in him. Probably my favourite scene of the whole season.

I also love the acknowledgement that pain in hell feels different to the pain of real life. Dean's own experience helped Sam through his - and I rather love that.

2. Nurse Dean



Dean checking Sam's stitches fills my heart with glee. We don't get much h/c on the Show so I need to wallow in the moments we do get (not that there's much comfort here, but there is caring and er...::koff:: hand holding). We ALSO had Dean giving Sam food and drink...*happy swoon*

3. You Got to Carry Me



Dean: Come on, I’m the one with the broken leg, you got to carry me. Sam!

Not only do we have Dean desperate for Sam to be ok (*hearts*) but we have the acknowledgement that they use each other to support themselves. And yay....unconscious!Sam, broken legged!Dean. I remember thinking that's all we'd get in this ep, but then they had AN AMBULANCE SCENE!!! \o/

4. Stay With Me



Dean: Sam, stay with me, you hear?

I thought I'd only get this in fanfic. But....Yay show! THANK YOU! Desperate!Dean, Seizing!Sam, "Stay with me"! *happy fangirl*

5. Sam defends Dean
(7.04 Defending Your Life)



Sam: But he -- he has the right to an attorney. Doesn't he?
Osiris: Huh.
Sam: Let me defend him.

Be still my heart. Just Sam saying "Let me defend him" makes me weak at the knees (or maybe that's chained!Dean...). These boys and what they do for each other...<33 (though I expect nothing less!).

6. I Don't Like Lying to You
(7.07 The Mentalists)



Looking back, this episode had lots of bro moments. They were having a lovers brothers quarrel and so many elements in the episode were comments on their relationship - right down to the sibling museum. There was that lovely moment when the guy in the museum talked to Dean about the Fox sisters...Sometimes, one's true gift is taking care of others. There were some nice parallels between Sam and Dean during this scene. My favourites are Sam trying not to smile at Dean's antics in the cafe and the speech at the end.

Dean: Maybe it's 'cause I don't like lying to you. You know, it doesn't feel right.

I know many felt that Sam shouldn't have given in so easily but I think that is part of their dynamic and Sam did call Dean on his drinking and sleepless nights. Dean's confession that it was him lying to Sam that caused him all the grief was a good broment. It ended in smiles all round and it was nice to see them back on even footing.


7. Did We Get Licorice?
(7.10 Death's Door)



Dean: All right, scoot, jerkface. Show your elders some respect.
Sam: You scoot, asshat.
Dean: Did we get licorice?
Sam: No, we did not get licorice. We got good snacks. Licorice is disgusting.
Dean: I'm sorry, I didn't quite understand that, uh, Mr. "Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich."
Sam: I stand by that sandwich. Nobody likes licorice. It's--it's made of dirt.
Dean: It is a classic movie food. It's right up there with popcorn.
Sam: Popcorn?
Dean: Yeah.
Sam: You're out of your mind.
Dean: What, it's like little chewy pieces of heaven.

This little exchange is a little chewy piece of heaven that's for sure. I love outsider POV and it's great that we get to see how Bobby sees the boys. I love the "did WE get..." they are such a married couple. (and that's not even a reference to wincest - it's just how they are. They've been together THAT long!)

8. Communicating Through Time
(7.12 Time after Time)



Oh man... just the act of Dean carving "Sam" into the skirting makes my heart skip a beat. It reminds me of them carving their initials into the Impala in Swan Song. <333 And him lying down in the exact same spot as Sam...? \o/ *dolphin noises*



Sam's face when he finds Dean's letter is priceless. For all Sam's badass-ness he's just a little bro needing his big bro. SO sweet.

9. Don't get killed.
(7.13 The Slice Girls)



Sam: Look... Dean, the thing is, tonight... It almost got you killed. Now, I don't care how you deal. I really, really don't. But just don't – don't get killed.

That's it. Right there. Neither of them want the other do die. It would be far too much to bear (I still can't believe they decided to leave "don't die" out of the finale. It would have tied in so beautifully to this moment. Let us know that it was written and therefore the sentiment was there.) A quiet moment of desperation.

10. Sam gets Dean a slinky
(7.14 Plucky Pennywhistle's Magic Menagarie)



Sam: By the way, to celebrate...
Dean: What?
Dean: No!
Sam: Yes.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!! Sam actually TOOK TIME to get Dean a slinky. HE KNEW \o/ And HA!...Dean got Sam a clown. :D He's such an awesome big brother. *g* (yay Dean's face!)

While I'm on this episode there's this little moment that is just toooo adorable to not mention...

11. Saammy...?



It's the way Dean says "Sammy". He's having a little moment with Sam about clowns and the love, familiarity and fondness in that one word makes my heart swell. In fact their whole conversation here is adorable - "Don't have one of your episodes.." (and how gorgeous is Dean in this cap! *swoon*)


12. Big Brother's Probably Dead.
(7.16 Repo Man)



Hallucifer: Oh, no. That's every cellphone Dean's got. One of them should've picked up, right? Big brother's probably dead.
Sam: Shut up.
Hallucifer: He said "shut up" to me.

This may seem like a strange choice but if anyone EVER doubts how much Dean means to Sam it's right here. He breaks his resolve to ignore Lucifer when Dean is in peril. Lucifer hit a nerve - Dean.

13. Oh, You Guys are Having a Moment.
(7.17 Born Again identity)




I admit that I would have liked a few more "moments", but the moments that did exist were nice. Dean's quiet desperation throughout the whole episode was evident - him bursting into the doctor's office, promising Sam he'd find an answer, multitude of phone calls trying to find an answer. Looking at this cap make me realise that Dean was fighting his feeling of failure. Seeing Sam fall apart, knowing that he risked that when he returned his soul. :(

There were also a couple of other little moments in the episode: When Sam was about to be electroshocked he muttered "my brother..." and there was that little moment when Dean ran around the bed to Sam after Cas took away the hallucination and yelled "Sam". AND Dean's declaration at the end of the episode that they have no friends. (they only have each other...)

14. We're just THAT comfortable with each other...
(7.19 Of Grave Importance)



Confirmation that the bathroom door stays open during showers so they can discuss cases. Just saying! (and yeah...any excuse to use a cap of wet haired!Dean)

15. Shut up Sam
(7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragon Tattoo)



This episode was the height of the two of them working together so fabulously. Sam laughing at Dean when he was seducing the guard, Dean teasing Sam about knowing Harry Potter and them both agreeing that they'd go in if there was any trouble.

I maintain that this season was about rebuilding their relationship. It needs to be back on solid ground just so they can mess with it once again. ;) (I hope! It's weird - when we had all the angst all I wanted was for them to be good again and now that they're good again I want the angst back....)


A mixed season. Perhaps not as brave (soulless!Sam) or as angsty (every season so far!) as some seasons but it had some quality moments. My fav eps would have to be "Slash Fiction" (homage to Pulp Fiction and Natural Born Killers FTW! Levi!Sam and Levi!Dean were as hot as hell and the writing was spot on...) and "Girl with the Dungeons and Dragon Tattoo" (entertaining with fun new OC, brothers in a van, split frames and leverage style story telling...). Both written by Robbie Thompson. He also wrote Time After Time, which I also loved. He's definitely a keeper! (PLEASE MORE!) Some other favs were Hello Cruel World, The Mentalists, Death's Door and Sam's moments in Born Again Identity. In fact, there weren't many I didn't like.



We may not have had the heart wrenching angst or overt bro!moments in S7 but the overall feeling of them working as a unit, figuring out their trust issues and demonstrating their CONSTANT LOVE FOR EACH OTHER made this season enjoyable for me.

I may have missed some moments (or yours might be different) so feel free to let me know!

Screencaps from homeofthenutty. Colouring and cropping by me. Thanks to el1ie for the twice over and suggestions. (though I've tinkered a lot since the last look /o\) <3

Comments

[callistosh65.livejournal.com]

I'm looking forward to rewatching season 7 again over the summer. I agree with a lot of your assessment here. Apart from a rather weak last couple of episodes, where it seemed to run out of steam, I really enjoyed season 7. Loved your bro' moments here - that is just made of happy:-)))

My personal favourite is the slinky-giving scene - and Dean laughing at Sam in the one before. Just bromance heaven, really.

[stormcloude]

I'm curious what you think about them cutting the bromance out of the season finale and giving it all to Cas/Dean?

Because the whole Dean lying to Sam's face about trusting him and then going off and killing Amy was a big blow to any bromance for me, and was one of the things that made me stop watching. And from what I heard about the season finale, it seems like a theme that continued all year.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I recently re-watched the last 6 eps and for the most part they are enjoyable, but I agree they ran out of steam as they neared the end. I didn't mind the eps as such but they weren't as power packed as season finales are well known for. I did love the first half though..

And the slinky scene it just so adorable. The fact that they could smile and laugh at and with each other...<333

[altruisticinteg.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

IMO, season 7 was definitely the biggest bromance year for the Winchesters. They showed us how much they need each other in a variety of different ways, sometimes in the smallest of details, and it was such LOVE!

Since the finale, strive2bhappy and I have been having a tennis match of s7 brotherly moments and you hit every one of the ones we’ve named.

If you don’t mind, I’m going to stay cuddled with this post until s8. :D

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

when we had all the angst all I wanted was for them to be good again and now that they're good again I want the angst back


IKR. Truer words, never spoken!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I'm curious what you think about them cutting the bromance out of the season finale ...

Hey.

You do realise that asking me this means I will rant on a bit yeah? Eek... just skip if it's too much..

I have to admit that when I heard that they cut out the "don't die" scene from the finale it saddened and annoyed me. I really can't understand the decision to do that considering how much it would have meant for us to see it and also that is was also in the promo. It (still) makes no sense to me. So yeah...not very impressed I have to say.

As for the and giving it all to Cas/Dean?

That's a bit trickier to answer. To be honest, I try not to see the Cas and Dean scenes as Cas/Dean. I mean, I know it can be taken like that (and it is often played like that) but I try to see it for what it is. I see Cas as just another one of their allies (like any other OC) and try not to see him as taking anything away from the brothers. No matter how much Cas loves or becomes BFF with Dean he can never take away their brother bond. And actually never has. Ruby did more damage to the bond than any other OC. I'm not a Cas fan, but I'm trying to find some good there as I know he'll be around for a bit.

But, I know what you mean. Dean and Cas had more meaningful scenes than Sam and Dean did (and yeah, that stung a bit) but I'm trying not to let that spoil the overall enjoyment of it for me. The fact that they separated the brothers at the end gives me hope that they will continue exploring their relationship in S8. (and I am way to excited about the prospect of what they could do with that....)

(told you I'd waffle on...)

And if you will still bear with me.... The Amy moment.

I'm sorry to hear it this made you stop watching. It was indeed a difficult moment but as with any major strife between the boys this meant there was more stuff to explore between them. I think this issue drove much of the opening of the season and is what made it as powerful as it was. Once this issue was cleared up and the boys started to rebuild the trust we ended up with much less angst and something many fans complained about. Looking back it was the only issue that existed between them for the entire season. Hence my feeling that the season was all about rebuilding their relationship. Of ALL the seasons this is the one where they are most comfortable, most honest and most in tune with each other. The result? A season with less drive. Without issues between them we just have two brothers hunting together. I'm not complaining because it's something I've wanted since S4, but it does mean there's less urgency and emotional investment.

I will say I disagree that their distrust was a theme of the season. In fact I feel it was completely opposite. After the Amy moment it was all about rebuilding and finding that trust again (the Amy moment being the catalyst). They were certainly closer than they were during S4-S6. I think that's why I ended up enjoying it so much. Also, Cas was only in about 4 eps - so out of 23 that's not so many (for me...).

/o\ Did I say too much?! Seems like I had some feels about that question..

<3

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yay! Glad we agree. :D

It really was a big bromance year wasn't it? We didn't have all the angst but we did have some lovely stuff happening between them.

Hee... *"cuddle post".... I think that's why I did this. So I had something to hang onto until S8. <33

[ash48.livejournal.com]

We're a fickle bunch aren't we?! *g*

[phx69.livejournal.com]

I like the Adventures in Babysitting episode too when Dean drops what he is doing to track down a missing Sam. The look on his face when the girl calls and tells him Sam is missing? And then his talking about Sam in the car? I thought there was a lot of good moments in that episode!

[phx69.livejournal.com]

What I try to remember with Cas is his defense of Sam to Lucifer and his saying Sam was his friend. That was Cas's choice - he chose to call Sam his friend. His relationship with Dean started as more a duty. Cas had no choice in that part. And I take tiny things like him insisting on Sam having a sandwich when Sam didn't take it at first.

However, unfortunately, Dean tends to have more friends than Sam in this series anyway. Dean and Garth connected; Dean and Bobby connected = Sam really only connected truly with Dean. He is a lot more emotionally guarded and isolated then people give him credit for.

[tiniowien.livejournal.com]

So much love. :D Thank you so much for taking the time to compile it all! I'm gonna have to go back and re-watch he season now. XD

[de-nugis.livejournal.com]

Yes! That little "Sammy" on the phone in Plucky's is one of my favorite bits ever.

Add:

Sam telling Dean that Dean could unload on him, it's kind of what he's there for. And Sam's general level of awareness and concern for what Dean was going through, in the midst of everything in his own head.

I'm another who loved Dean's conversation in the car with Krissy. I loved that he looked at a kid and saw a blend of himself and Sam -- so much of their relationship has been about their different experience of family, and it seems like between that ep and Plucky's s7 showed Dean getting a more stereoscopic perspective, being in the place he couldn't reach in Dark Side of the Moon, when he was still too hurt and despairing. It's tempting to Dean to read Sam's different perspective as a judgment on Sam, or a judgment on Dean, or both, but now it seems he's looking back without guilt or blame.

And any list should include Sam's face at the end of the finale, that disjointed panic at losing Dean.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh yes indeed! The look on Dean's face when he realised Sam was missing. (and er... the I do rather love that ep for some lovely hurt!Sam moments....).

I'd definitely put that up there as a top moment (and when Dean was talking about Sam in the beginning of the Wedding episode...)

xox

[ash48.livejournal.com]

My pleasure hun! This was rather a little self indulgent because I wanted an excuse to go through the eps again. :DD

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

And yet predictible in our fickleness! The same people who wanted the boys on the same page are those declaring the season a little boring. I know, 'cause I'm one of them! :D

That being said, this post reminded me of how much I really enjoyed large swaths of S7!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Can I just jump in here to say that I think the Sam and Cas friendship is developing into something interesting. I love it most when it's about all three of them - and I think we saw that more toward the end of the season. The moments between Cas and Sam were as strong as between Dean and Cas. I loved Cas's genuine apology and their chat afterwards.

I love your observation that Cas chose to call Sam "friend", especially as he has become Sam friend over time. It's grown from a genuine respect.

He is a lot more emotionally guarded and isolated then people give him credit for.

We often think of Sam being "connected" to people because of his empathetic nature, but it's true that there are not many people outside Dean that he genuinely connects with (now). I rather love that because it gives his character another dimension and another issue now that he's separated from Dean...

[maenad.livejournal.com]

That is an excellent list. :)

The warehouse scene in Hello Cruel World is pretty high on the list of 'things I could watch all day', and most of the season is just adorable. As for the missing bit from the finale - that had better show up as a deleted scene on the DVD so I can just quietly pretend it was always in there.

when we had all the angst all I wanted was for them to be good again and now that they're good again I want the angst back...

It's funny - I don't really mind them being on good terms because I think it's perfectly possible to bring in drama from other angles. They've just got to do it. For a lot of the season, Sam's fragile psyche and Dean's suicidal tendencies served that purpose perfectly well. But that sort of petered out, and they really dropped the ball on providing proper emotional foreshadowing for the ending.

If your story is that they can cope with anything except losing each other, then you've really got to make that the focus of your final episodes, and not just by showing that they're comfortable together, charming though that was.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

The same people who wanted the boys on the same page are those declaring the season a little boring. I know, 'cause I'm one of them!

Hee! I kinda struck me the other day that in all my "wishes for the next season" were about them being on the same page and catching a break. And then we got that! So I've looked at this season as an..."ok, so that's what it looks like for them to have no real issues between them"...now I'm ready for them to mix it up again. Though I would rather separation anxiety rather than "throwing the amulet away" anxiety...

And I'm glad this reminded you of what there was to enjoy about the season. It was, in part, my reason to doing this. There was much to enjoy overall. *g*

xox

[phx69.livejournal.com]

I do think it would have been more intersting to have popped Cas and SAM into purgatory together. We do not get to see them working together - Dean is always there. I think the writers are bowing to the Cas and Dean shippers in doing that, personally, instead of exploring the fairly uncharted Sam and Cas relationship. We have already been hit over the head with how special their connection is by the show numerous times. And yes, I know Cas is still working to get back into Dean's good graces, however, that was coming - I do not think they needed to go this Cas and Dean buddy soldiers way.

I will be expressly disappointed if we see Dean and Cas coming back with an even stronger connection to the exclusion of Sam again - like we were getting pieces of in season five (?) or was it four (I get them mixed up because I largely disliked both). THAT would be a mistake, I think, because while there are a lot of very vocal Cas and Dean fans, MOST fans (when you count actual numbers) are Dean AND Sam fans. Cas is just an interesing re-occuring character. The problem is the majority is not as vocal as the few.

Anyways - that is one of the things I did not like about the finale. Being hit over the head, again, with a Dean and Cas pairing, regardless of Cas just disappearing like that. We all know he did that to take a look around.

I personally hope we don't have to watch Sam struggling by himself for very long. We have seen him broken so often as he constantly loses Dean and that is too heartbreaking. I hope they are reunited early on the screen. And I hope we are given some reason to at least think Dean might be equally worried about his brother. Just becuase Dean is in purgatory doesn't mean Sam is in any less danger. But - at the end - Dean didn't even ask if Sam was there. That bugged me. I would have thought that would his first question, after 'where are we?'

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh you liked the "Sammy" too? It was such a little moment but soooo cute. :)

And yes. Sam's awareness of what was going on with Dean was a great development - especially in his way of dealing him. Not pushy, just gentle concern and reminders that he was there.

but now it seems he's looking back without guilt or blame.

Oh yes! and isn't that something. There were character developments throughout this season that weren't major firework moments but rather gradual realisations and acceptances about each other and themselves.

And any list should include Sam's face at the end of the finale, that disjointed panic at losing Dean.

YES! Oh yes....agreed. Their separation always says so much about how much the need each other.

xox

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

I can't really handle any more "he doesn't love me" anxiety, TBH. And at this point I really think it would stretch credulity too far, anyway.

When I beta stories that are like "and Dean still thinks Sammy wants something other than him" I'm always like, um...not so much, at this point, right? I realize that low self worth is a bedrock of Winchester characterization (although it takes different forms in Dean and in Sam) but surely they pretty much realize that they are IT for each other. (If for only the logistical reason that everyone else is dead! But really years of unmitigated, desperate devotion should be their first set of data.)

[counteragent.livejournal.com]

Yes, what you said.

[el1ie.livejournal.com]

Excellent - I love the additions, totally forgot about that liquorice scene, you're dead right about the POV, that's something we very rarely get to see.

I also have much love for them getting drunk together...

Yeah, I agree with the fickleness of wanting them together and yet when we do get this the season isn't somehow satisfying and we want the angst back! However I'm still of the opinion they could have given a more personal push and drive to the season without driving the brothers apart - to me, one doesn't automatically mean the other.

And I'm well aware that I was one of those that didn't want the season to end on them being separated and yet when it did thought it was the best thing they'd done this year!.... Hehe - yeah fickle. What I'm thinking now I'd like to see is somehow getting Dean out of purgatory but maybe it's temporary, maybe there's caveats and tasks to perform or else he'll be dragged back. Make it about them again, put one or both of them in peril and ramp up some sort of anticipation. I'm ok with them arguing, I'm ok with them going at problems from different angles as long as there is imminent danger to one of them as the driving force behind those differences I'd be a lot happier. I honestly think they blew it over Sam and his hallucinations, that whole episode was too dis-jointed and had Dean's focus shown to be somewhere else, phone calls were nice, but they introduced the wrong motives there for me.

There were some lovely brother moments all through the season though and you've definitely made a great post here pointing them out because they can get lost in amongst a strangely stagnant year and it's really important to remember them.

Thanks.

[snchick12.livejournal.com]

Omg I loved this!!!! and dude I know!!! Dont get killed! Yeah u too!
Ugh they left that out!! i was watching the finale and was like wait they missed a line lol!! the angst was there but not all together it was here and there which I liked:) season 7 was a great season!! again loved this!!! thanks!! And btw love your fan vids!!!!!

[geckoholic]

I also love the acknowledgement that pain in hell feels different to the pain of real life. Dean's own experience helped Sam through his - and I rather love that.
Thiiiis, so much. Love that one. :D


Just Sam saying "Let me defend him" makes me weak at the knees (or maybe that's chained!Dean...).
LOL, ILU. *gg*


This little exchange is a little chewy piece of heaven that's for sure.
WASN'T IT JUST?!

(I still can't believe they decided to leave "don't die" out of the finale. It would have tied in so beautifully to this moment. Let us know that it was written and therefore the sentiment was there.)
Stuff in the promos is totally canon. Yep.

Confirmation that the bathroom door stays open during showers so they can discuss cases.
Nope, not gonna get over that one anytime soon either. *gg*