1) I liked the finale for all its tragically happy and brutally ironic themes, its beautiful acting, the many odd elements, and its almost obnoxiously open ending which all but demands the viewers to form their own alternative takes;

2) as mentioned, in a good number of places, the finale was *odd*;

3) there’s at least one exceptionally seductive conspiracy theory circulating, expertly dispensing argumentative context for some of the most conspicuous inconsistencies of the show’s end.

In regards to “bad writing”, here’s anecdotal impressions from wholly unconnected viewers with zero previous knowledge of the show:

Viewer #1: (phychological horror and mushy melodrama fan, moderately homophobic, loves to talk) You can’t expect me to evaluate fifteen years’ worth of development by its conclusion. But otherwise, structurally, it was beautifully filmed, the actors’ work was outstanding, and I never expected the songs to have so much significance! Narratively, and again this is very hard to judge, it seemed aimed strictly at young adults, at least on the surface. Basically, a fair distraction from the daily grid, which admittedly is quite important. I suspect there’s many plotlines I failed to pick up on, having only seen the finale? And hey, who’s that lady they beheaded?

Me: She’s no one important.

Viewer #1: Strange. Why would anyone waste time on someone unimportant in the finale?

(a valid question is valid)

Viewer #2: (art-house mindfuck and contentuous political drama fan, utterly indifferent to sexual orientation, hates talking) I have just finished watching, and what a shame it didn’t last longer! I greatly enjoyed it. Masterful performance! It made me feel deeply for these characters I don’t even know.

And then there’s me, who’s nigh religiously followed this show for the past eight years and yet never truly expected it to be perfect. I loved Carry On on its own merits, based off what we got rather than what we outhgt to have gotten. I’ve never thought of it this way before, but it might be that I am generally partial to stories which leave more questions than provide answers, too.

To sum up:

★ all else aside, we’d better get some answers, if not a full director’s cut of the initially planned finale;

★ the epilogue ep wasn’t “trash” no matter how much it hurt or how many expectations it disappointed;

★ there is absolutely no need for vicious personal attacks regardless of what you think of the episode;

So dad compared Leviathan!Cas to the big bad wolf… and in the end I can see where his brain went.

Because the hunters needed to cut Cas open, in the end, he said, just like when the wolf ate too much. Apparently. And Crowley didn’t recognize the wolf in the sheepskin because, quote, “Crowley was seduced by the idea of Cas being virtuous. Crowley is always trying to dominate angels and he never learns. So he gets bitten. Crowley went from saying you’re the bottom in this relationship to hiding out and saying wow you like to bend em right over and wincing. That’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing reading right there. Crowley’s only leverage against Cas in the first place was threatening the Winchesters. Really weak position in the end.”

Like that’s where his brain went. My brain has never gone there in my life. Cosmic wombs and unholy vore, sure.

So I asked him who’s red riding hood then? He said “duh. Us.”

Ok then!!!!

—

Addendum - I asked him about cosmic womb theory and he actually considered this, but in the end he said,

“I see your point, symbolically, but this arc is really about hunger, not corrupt creation or transformative growth within. It’s Hunger for power that corrupts and breaks you. So I think over-consumption fits better here. It hearkens back to the blood valentine episode (he remembered!). Cas gorged himself on power. And eating is a spiritual kind of violence. Being devoured by God is a thing in myth, like, a lot.

“And then the leviathan also carry on the theme of over-consumption, which is what masculine ascension does. Like the USA for example. It’s the worst trait of trying to be top dog in a world of domination, which is what a terrible father-god does. I do think there’s a feminine aspect to the leviathans and Eve, but it isn’t pregnancy or transformative incubation, no offense. It’s obliterative toxic consumption and domination of the feminine, which is something toxic father-creator-gods try to do in myth too often and it kills them and rots because it’s corrupt, narratively speaking. He didn’t grow Eve’s children: he just ate them. That’s why he’s the wolf. But the leviathan prevailed by cutting the wolf open.”

1. You understand both measurement systems.

2. The way you spell certain words changes all the time (color/colour, aluminum/aluminium)

3. You get perpetually confused about temperature “Wait, it’s 90*, how are we not dead?... Wait, where am I?”

4. Accent Chameleon!

5. You grow up with an outside perspective and an example of how it could be different.

Written for the KKM prompt: They (Arthur & Merlin) are both teachers, their students are far too interested in their teachers lives and think they'd make a great couple, so they try and get them together.

Bonus points if they're already couple and are completely oblivious to what their students are doing.

By kayson