A kind of ranty response to vague SPN spoilers...

[saone]

The Grim Reaper is hitting Supernatural again. - executive producer Sera Gamble told TVGuide.com at Sunday's PaleyFest that the season finale will feature at least two unexpected deaths.

"There will definitely be deaths," said Gamble, who penned the penultimate episode for Season 6. "I would say that the last couple of episodes are pretty dark..."

First of all, they're not unexpected deaths now, are they, Sera? :P


You know, I've just figured out why all the character-killing on SPN rubs me the wrong way - besides the fact that they've thrown away some amazing actors and roles over the past few years - it reminds me way too much of how tptb treat death in comic books.

When death isn't used as a temporary thing to spark major events (Captain America, Batman), it's used as a cheap, easy way to bring 'ze drama' and as a slight of hand to hide real problems within a story.

Having a huge, multi-book crossover, but you don't think the story's popping the way it should? Kill off a few secondaries! Written yourself into a corner with a character and trying to change him/her would be too much work? Sound the death knell! Having trouble selling copies and you think 'shaking things up' would help? Dust off a few old, beloved characters, then slaughter 'em wholesale!

I guess I just can't help thinking about Buffy and how, regardless of the show's other problems, it handled death so well. That was another show about a group of people involved in constant battles against monsters and evil, but the difference is, when a character died on Buffy, I usually bawled like a little baby. Death was used sparingly, so it had a much, much greater impact.

In comics I've been trained to associate death with meh, and damn if I'm not there in Supernatural-land as well.

Comments

[tygrrlyli.livejournal.com]

I also felt like death, in Buffy, just happened sometimes. It didn't always have a point or needs to be meaningful to a plot point. Kind of like when Buffy's mom died. It was a real death. People sometimes just die. It sucks and you have to deal with the fall-out.
I think her death meant the most to me -because- it wasn't steeped in all the things surrounding Buffy.
Anyway, yeah, it really is the case that when I read Marvel comics I just assume anyone who's alive will die and come back. Period.
Which made it kind of surprising when Jean Grey stayed dead. Meh.

[saone77.livejournal.com]

I think her death meant the most to me -because- it wasn't steeped in all the things surrounding Buffy.

*nods* I get it. Though, I think, for me, Tara's death hit the hardest. She wasn't killed by a monster, she just accidentally caught a bullet fired by some thug wannabe super-villain.

And yeah, both of those deaths were used to advance the story, but because of the way they were handled, they weren't any less poignant.

I just assume anyone who's alive will die and come back. Period.

Ha. I'm writing this Losers/Fantastic Four crossover and when I heard about last month's 'big' death I couldn't even work up enough energy to be peeved about it.

Which made it kind of surprising when Jean Grey stayed dead. Meh.

I know! At least for now, anyway. Though, and I'm really not current on any of the X-books, haven't there been allusions that Hope is somehow connected to her?

[darthnikki.livejournal.com]

Ya know I have to agree with you, plus if someone died on Buffy bar it being a vampire of course they stayed dead!! Now do't get me worng, I'm happy that Cas and Bobby didn't stay dead, but I'm a little tired of them bringing back characters that popped their clogs in past seasons, it's stupid and repetative and a tad boring. I don't know about other ppl, but the onkly character I want to see back in some way is John Winchester...I know this is highly unlikey due to all the work that JDM has now. But I don't really care about first Meg, Agent Hendrickson, Ellen of even fluffy the dog!! Find a new story line for crying out loud coz the bringing back the dead has been (excuse the pun) done the death!!

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

...Probably because in SUPERNATURAL, like in comics, death is never permanent. How many times have S & D come back from Hell now?!

btw- surprising deaths- I hope Mischa has a good agent :)

btw again- right there with you on Tara's death. Still think that was tragic. Also Larry :(

[saone77.livejournal.com]

I'm happy that Cas and Bobby didn't stay dead,

Both killed and resurrected in the space of about ten minutes... That's gotta be a record, right?

Find a new story line for crying out loud coz the bringing back the dead has been (excuse the pun) done the death!!

It's just so blah, right? What really sucks is if they used the trope a bit more sparingly, seeing a (as in one/singular) dead character come back could have been pretty damn powerful.

[saone77.livejournal.com]

It's not really Sam and Dean who bug me since they're the leads (it is getting a bit ridiculous, though, and to answer your question, they've only come back from hell once each, but then there was the time they died and went to heaven, and all of Dean's Trickster caused deaths in Mystery Spot, and Sam's lightening strike in the wishing well ep, and the time he got stabbed in the back by the guy from Leverage, and when Dean flatlined in the second season premiere... yeah) unless one of them breaks his contact, or pulls a Sheen, they're sticking around.

What bugs me is when the writers somehow craft these super interesting characters, then wait until the fans really like them, and then they kill them off. And while they might bring the actors back occasionally to portray ghost or evil versions of those characters, they're mostly gone for good.

I think it's really affected how I watch the show. After a while I just stopped caring about the secondaries, and I'm afraid that apathy has bled over into my feelings towards the main characters as well.

Poor Larry. :/

[darthnikki.livejournal.com]

Definately a record, bet even Christ himself would have trouble with that!! ha ha ha x

It is very blah, rather than be something new and unusual it's become more or less canon for spn now. And its very tedious and boring. I want my show to make me think, to make me gasp and cry. To make me laugh, not roll my eyes and think not again!!

Now it's been said 2 characters will die, but hey it's ok coz they'll be back next season no doubt, as ghosts, or something equally inane!! I haven't seen any eps yet as it hasn't been shown in the UK, but from what I've read, or heard from other fans, I'm seriously considering just avoiding it altoghter!!

[saone77.livejournal.com]

I want my show to make me think, to make me gasp and cry. To make me laugh, not roll my eyes and think not again!!

Exactly! I've actually found myself watching some eps this season just for the pretty factor because I knew the story wasn't going to impress me. :/

I'm seriously considering just avoiding it altoghter!!

I've been DVRing it so I can watch it later and fastforward through all the commercials and boring bits. ;)

[wirrrn.livejournal.com]

It pissed me off how the only death of consequence during the Mayor's Ascendance was Big Gay Larry...