On Brotherhood and Sharing a drink.

[ash48]

I promised to be spammy while hubby's away. So here is it. Some meta and a (poorly constructed) picspam.



There was a line Dean said in the recent episode "Live Free or Twihard" that struck a note with me. I wanted to explore that a little.

"When's the last time we had a beer together anyway?"

That's the second time Dean's has said something like that. The last time was in Swap Meat when he and Not!Sam were sharing a drink together

"Is it just me or are we actually drinking together?" (It's interesting that the same sentiment is uttered to "alien" Sams).


I started thinking about all the times the boys did share a beer or a drink together and how, in many ways, it signified the state of their relationship.

Early on we often had scenes in bars where they were casually researching their next job:


(The Benders)

The boys are comfortable; sharing a beer and intel.


(Provenance)

Sam: "So what are we this week Dean? Rock stars? Army Rangers?"

I love this smile from Sam. Dean's flirting with the girls at the bar and Sam is full of admiration and a sense of the familiar.




The "sharing a drink" became more important as the seasons progressed. There was a lot less drinking in bars and more either in hotels or by the roadside. They were moments of sharing inner thoughts and secrets. And significantly - 2 major reveals.



(Hunted)

Dean: "He said that I might have to kill you Sammy"




(Heaven and Hell)

Dean: "...for thirty years. But I couldn't do it any more Sammy."


And then there's the comfort drink. Usually post hunt:


(Long Distant Call)

Sam: "I'm sorry it wasn't dad"
Dean: "I wanted to believe so badly there was a way out of this."



(Fresh Blood)

Dean: "And besides, it's my job right? Show my little brother the ropes."



(Houses of the Holy)

Sam: "I dunno Dean.... I wanted to believe so badly... I..."

(God this scene KILLS me in hindsight. Especially Dean's "I'm watching out for you" and Sam's "maybe I could be saved..." GUH

That's possibly one of my all time favourite scenes. Well, second to this one of course:


(A Very Supernatural Christmas)

Dean: "Merry Christmas Bro."


And the last time they really did share a beer was to say good-bye to each other:


(Swan Song)

Dean: 'The truth is, watching out for you, it's kinda been my job, you know..?" (whaaaa)


No wonder Dean misses it. Some much was shared. Whether it be comfortable research or heart felt confessions the boys were together. He missed it in Season 5 when the brothers seemed to be taking one step forward and 3 steps back and now in season 6, when they haven't really connected at all. *sniff*

The drinking they do in the show is significant. Not just something to "do" with their hands. Both boys have used it as an escape after loosing each other. Burying the pain. But they have also used it has a way of bonding and sharing.

My hope is that we will be able to see them share a drink together again. A real drink. A celebratory drink. A drink to that will signal that they are on some sort of road back to brotherhood.


(After School Special)


Cheers.

please excuse the poor quality of this picspam. The pics were more to emphasis a point rather than any claim I have that I can actually do these..*g*)

Comments

[greenpear.livejournal.com]

Is there enough "Sharing a Drink" for a vid with the song, "99 bottles of beer on the wall"???

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hee! Probably! They certainly do a lot of it. :)

[maichan.livejournal.com]

I love you for doing this!

A real drink. A celebratory drink. A drink to that will signal that they are on some sort of road back to brotherhood.
Yes, this! *wistful sigh*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

:D I really should be making my auction vid, but I got a bit side tracked with the need to see the boys TOGETHER!

*smish*

[lilly-the-kid.livejournal.com]

Pretty!
*happpy sigh*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

*happy sign* indeed. :)

[missyjack.livejournal.com]

Oh Yes! Wonderful point. Plus of course this activity was so important it featured in the Swan Song montage with them sitting in silence, drinking and watching the stars. *stifles sob*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks. They do a lot of drinking on the show - and each time it seems important.

(I gotta find that scene of them drinking under the stars...)

[sothcweden.livejournal.com]

I may be completely off base, but it seems like we've been getting fewer scenes in recent seasons between just Sam and Dean that don't drive the plot. I know they had to do something to keep from working the Js into the ground, which is part of why there are many more supporting characters now than at the beginning, but I also really miss scenes with them just being together, too.

The scenes where we get the classic line, "Shotgun picks the music" and the magic fingers discussion where Sam tells Dean that he's "uncomfortable," were great character moments, but didn't actually advance the plot any, and it's that kind of stuff I miss. Of couse we can't have any of that until they Fix. Them. Which had better be soon.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh yes. Those lovely inconsequential scenes often provided us with just lovely bro moments. We just don't get them any more. Mostly because they don't have those "bro moments" as much. If they do, it's usually to hammer home some angst or provide important info to the plot.

I suppose I'm all for not working them into the ground... but it would be nice to see some of those little moments again one day. :)

[barkley.livejournal.com]

Awww, I want them to share a drink again now!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh SO DO I!!

Please...

xx

[euphonious-glow.livejournal.com]

Aww, this actually made me a little teary-eyed. Thanks for pointing out all of these special moments. And this makes that scene from 6.05 hurt even more. ;__;

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I admit to getting teary finding those scenes and watching them again. I actually did shed a wee tear when I listened to the scene from Houses of the Holy again. Just so sad. All those special moments that we are just not seeing any more.

Maybe one day.

[yourlibrarian]

Nice picspam this. Also:

Sam: "So what are we this week Dean? Rock stars? Army Rangers?"

Totally shallow comment -- I love the way he says "rock stars". You can really hear the drawl there.

That scene is HotH is so sad to revisit considering how crushed Sam was to discover what heaven's host was really like.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hee! I noticed the drawl too when doing this. In fact there are a couple of moments early on in the series their drawls could almost be detected. Soooo sweet. :)

My god! That scene from HoH really hurt this time. I haven't rewatched it for a while and the sheer heart break from Sam and Dean's deep concern is so painful to watch now in retrospect. Long gone are those characters. And even though Dean still cares, I think there's a weariness about his care. He's just been through so much already. It's one reason why I had hoped they wouldn't go down this route with their characters.

I really wanted them to catch a break. No such luck. They are Winchesters after all.

<33

[static-pixie.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. This was lovely. I guess just something I thought of - remember when Ruby told Sam that the one requirement for learning to use his powers was sobriety? Probably it wasn't meant to reflect what you've posted since Sam was just drinking too much and alone at that point, but given that she was the Yoko factor that season it is interesting that it's there. Especially because drinking when things get tough is sort of the one thing that has connected all of the Winchester men thus far.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

And interesting point. (hee! I did love "Yoko factor that season" LOL).

But yes - I think it could be quite significant that Sam went from one time of drinking to another. From alcohol that kills the pain to blood that gave him a sense of power and control. I hadn't considered that, but it's really an interesting look at their drinking habits.

Thaks so much for sharing your thoughts.

[(Anonymous)]

You hit some real highlights. I can't tell you how perfect I find the Fresh Blood scene.

Did you consider including the Dream a Little Dream of Me scene of the boys drinking dreamroot to enter Bobby's dream? (You know the one - the ep where Sam demonstrated his ability to turn the tables on a self-proclaimed god.)

[annspal.livejournal.com]

oh shoot, sorry - didn't realize I wasn't logged in on this machine! (Why didn't 'captcha make me slow down and prove myself like it is doing now?)

[destina.livejournal.com]

Your posts just keep making me happy. :D This is an amazing illustration of what went right in past seasons, and...what's happening now. *g*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you hun. :D :D

There were things that went right in past seasons and to look back on those can be a little heart breaky, considering where they are now. :(

But there's hope here I think. With so much history between them they can't lose it all now. :)

xx

[zimshan.livejournal.com]

OH BOYS! You know you're in SPN fandom when scrolling through beer picspam makes you all teary eyed. WHY SO TRAGIC, SHOW. :((((((((

The little walk down memory lane was a pleasure though, thanks for grabbing that line and running with this, it was definitely warranted. :))

[ash48.livejournal.com]

You know you're in SPN fandom when scrolling through beer picspam makes you all teary eyed.

I know! I sometimes wonder why we torture ourselves over such heavy angst.

Then I remember the J's.... <33

And thanks, I remembered when that line was uttered in Swap Meat *shudder* and thought how sad it was then. And for Dean to say it again when he's faced with an alien Sam just seemed important somehow.

Thanks for stopping by hun. <333

[ju4jen.livejournal.com]

I loved this. Thank you for your hard work.

I love that the drinking provides continuity - doesn't matter what shit the boys went through that week, at some point beer was retrieved from the cool box. It just gives a wonderful sense of what life on the road was like in just a very cool short scene - regardless of what they were saying to each other.

It just emphasises the lack of continuity in season 6 - and Sam's 'otherness'
Thanks again

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I love that the drinking provides continuity - doesn't matter what shit the boys went through that week,<.i>

Yeah, it was like a familiar place. Something they could always come back to.

Though I have to say (even though season 6 is distressing me no end!) I don't think their lack of drinking is a sign of lack of continuity rather a real signal that all is not right in the Winchester world. As in, Sam is not Sam and therefore them not drinking together serves as a way of showing us this. It was this very fact that prompted this meta. :)

Thanks so much for dropping in. :D

[smilla02.livejournal.com]

Oh, boys. I cling to this, to this version of their love and bond, every time the show hurts me. I must remmeber that it's there, somewhere, and that hopefully it will be back.

Thanks for sharing, hon.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

I must remmeber that it's there, somewhere, and that hopefully it will be back.

Yeah. I think this is why I needed to do this. To remember what they had in the hope that they will be able to reclaim it.

SOON! Pretty please!

xx

[werty30.livejournal.com]

Thank you for reminding me about all those special moments.

My hope is that we will be able to see them share a drink together again. A real drink. A celebratory drink. Oh yes. And then they will drive together into the sunset... Somehow, your post makes me nostalgic and misty-eyed, as if the show was already over. Maybe because right now it feels like happy beer-drinking times are gone forever, and all that`s left is a bucket of hard-core unrelenting angst, a couple of unfunny one-liners and one Big Reveal.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Yeah. It's hard to be positive at the moment isn't it? Strangely, I have really enjoyed season6, though so much is hanging on the next couple of episodes for me to know if I will still be enjoying it as it progresses. After having my guts ripped out in the last one I needed to remind myself that there's history here and it will hopefully one day be reclaimed.

It certainly made me misty-eyed looking back on these scenes.

Thanks so much for popping in. I have hope for the future. I cling to my show and I just hope it won't let me down.

(thanks for the friend btw).

[greyowl88.livejournal.com]

Awwww...what a lovely picspam! :)

Cheers! to the brothers drinking together- again...one day...

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks honey. See? I can do positive when I have to. Though it ended up being probably not so positive...

damn..

(I am so scared for the next episode. Can you fly over and hold my hand...??)

[heartlessbytchh.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to remember when they had their last drink together. Thanks for answering that question for me.
And what you said here>
Sam: "I dunno Dean.... I wanted to believe so badly... I..."

(God this scene KILLS me in hindsight. Especially Dean's "I'm watching out for you" and Sam's "maybe I could be saved..." GUH
You just whacked me with Missouri's spoon.
I never made that connection.
duhhhhhhh
Now it's burned into my brain. Thanks Ash, you did it to me again.
:O

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hey,

You just whacked me with Missouri's spoon.

It's a killer isn't it? Honestly, if you go back and watch it, it's so prophetic. So sad. Sam so desperately wanting salvation and knowing that he doesn't get it is such a killer and Dean not being able to save him from it....

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oh show. Please cut these boys a break.

xx

[borgmama1of5.livejournal.com]

Great analysis!

Now that you've pointed out the pattern, I miss it too!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think I will always miss those casually sharing a drink moments. Hope we get to see some again soon.

<3

[geckoholic]

Great observation, hun, I never noticed it like that before!

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks babe. I sometimes think I have far too much time on my hands with all the thinking I do about his show.

That I wish I knew how to quit....

<33

[sandymg.livejournal.com]

Very good. Made me so wistful. Hope the Show fixes things. Sooner rather than later.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Thanks. It's a bit sad isn't to think of all these moments they've shared and for them to be so far away from each other now.

*fingers crossed* for a quick fix.

xx

[girlyghoul70.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous!!! AHHH Boys! How I do miss those sweet moments between Bros. The pic my icon came from in Changing Channels also illustrates how important that was. It meant enough to the Show and their relationship for that to be the still frame in their "Sitcom" The boys sharing a couple beers and a couple burgers- cheesy smiles and all When Demons come out to play! Together we'll face the day!*sniff*.

And I thought of another one- Hell House! Of course, that particular toast left Dean with no skin on his palm thank to Sammy's Super Glue- but still Da Boyz and their Pranks.

Deeply missed moments. And I don't think they will be sharing that drink just yet sadly. Though, the twisted part of me briefly wondered if that's why Sam let Dean turn- so then they could go out blood drinking together. Skipping off happily into the sunset with their red smeared lips. Heh.

Ok, I'm a freak! But all of the pictures you set up illustrate exactly why- as wrong as Sam has been since this Season began- that I can't give up hope for both our boys just yet. Sammy's still in there somewhere! And there's still beer to be shared *crossing fingers and toes*

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi!

And wow yes. I missed some of those other wonderful and significant sharing a drink moments. And I agree - to show it in their sitcom life as well, shows how important it is to their friendship.

hough, the twisted part of me briefly wondered if that's why Sam let Dean turn- so then they could go out blood drinking together.

HA!! There has to be fic potential there!! Awesome thought... :)

that I can't give up hope for both our boys just yet.

I can't either. I hope that they give us something to cling onto soon.

<3333

[feliciakw.livejournal.com]

Was sent over by girlyghoul70. This is some fantastic insight. Especially now that Dean's drinking is more of a coping mechanism than anything, one that Cas remembers (YCHtT), that Lisa called him on (also YCHtT), and that Sam clearly remembers and encourages (Friday's ep).

Some good, thinky observations here.

And when they're ready for that celebratory reconnection drink? I'll buy the first round.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hi there. Thanks for popping in.

I love that this episode really cemented the significance of this (I posted more in my ep reaction).

I found it very interesting that both Cas and Sam have been plying Dean with whisky. Maybe it's because they know it helps him. Maybe it's an easy out for them - give him drink, not support. Oooh.... that's far too thinky. Dean's drinking is definitely a coping mechanism.

xx

[phoenix39.livejournal.com]

I'm also thinking about Yellow Fever when Bobby was being responsible and gave the boys sodas because they were planning on driving. Then they're having a heart-to-heart and Sam's eyes turn yellow.

But it's been a long day and I have a feeling that I'm mixing episodes up.