SPN: On the Head of a Pin + a fic rec

[chase_acow]

1. I really loved the title.

Here is the question/background posed as "How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?" on dear Wikipedia the reference is used as a metaphor for wasting time on trivial matters. So are we trying to say that Dean's pain/angst/ability and need to torture with the best of them doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things? How about Sam? Maybe it doesn't matter where he gets his mojo juice as long as he's using his powers for good.

Here is a discussion at Quantum Gravity Treatment of the Angel Density Problem by Anders Sandberg in which he quotes "According to Thomas Aquinas, it is impossible for two distinct causes to each be the immediate cause of one and the same thing." I'm not quite sure what it means, but I'm pretty sure it could be applied in our circumstances. Angels and demons and the end of the world as we know it. Heavy.

On the other hand, I watched this episode with a friend and when I asked her what she thought about the title, she said she might remember the saying being connected with the idea of being "one short step away from total disaster". Since the pin of a head is very small, no matter which way you turn, you fall off into the abyss. However my google-fu has failed me and I can't find a source for that idea. I like it too though.

2. I owe Castiel, or Cas as he's known around the block, an apology. So I loved him enough in Lazarus Rising that I wrote Dean/Castiel, but then he threatened to throw Dean back into hell and I had a bit of a knee jerk reaction decided I hated him. I cautiously started to like him a little better as the season wore on, but he completely won me over with this episode. I may have to write more fic, I'd really like too if I can wrangle my Big Bang to submission.

3. I can now legitimately say that I don't care much for Anna because I caught up with Heaven and Hell. [Aside: I'm sad that Pamela is dead because I really enjoyed her in HandH. I liked that actress.] I don't like Anna because she just fizzled from a slightly interesting character to someone who used Dean for last-night-on-Earth-sex. Now he might say he doesn't care, that he had a good time too, but really, it's just a way to devalue himself. After all, to his way of thinking, what else is he good for? Dean! Wake up! You deserve better, maybe even someone who actually likes you!

Angel!Anna keeping the same physical form kind of flies in the face of all the rules we've been given so far for angels and demons. It felt silly for them to go back on it when the actress isn't all that awesome.

4. Sam and Dean, you boys are going to make me bawl repeatedly before this season is over. I don't even know where to start really. It makes me anxious that Sam and I can both see the same thing and come to two completely different conclusions. Sam/Ruby still makes me gag a little, but at this point, I don't see how Sam/Dean (in any sense of the slash mark) can happen either. Both boys are so far gone into their own private pain. I'm starting to wonder if they ever really connected again after Stanford. Maybe this shattering of their brotherhood was a foregone conclusion after Sam betrayed the family to get a "safe" life.

5. Dean and John. The fact that he failed where his dad persevered is never going to give Dean a moment's peace again. I hate John Winchester. I hate the way he raised Sam and Dean, and the way he related to them even as adults. I hate the way his shadow lingers over Dean, and will until and even maybe past when Dean dies. It's not right.





Also, I don't rec fic all that much, but I really enjoyed Home Improvement by facetofcathy. J2

13,000 words, Rated for Mature Adults only, non-AU futurefic.

Jared was a grown-up; he didn't need Jensen to look after him. Not his job. Not his house. Not his damn dogs.

I love how the writing flows, and how it sucked me in despite how melancholy it feels. I loved this Jensen and how he relates to both himself and Jared. The fic has a neat structure because it's just Jensen trying to fit in during the first part and it works out so well. There's so much that isn't said that it really lets the reader plug a bit of themselves into the experience and I love that.

Seriously, go try it and see if you like it. This is going to be one of those fics that I go back to.