the_other_sandy: Black and white TV (TV)
the_other_sandy ([personal profile] the_other_sandy) wrote2008-02-21 09:12 pm
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SPN Ep: Jus In Bello

You know, I think Kripke should've left the episodes in their original order.

I'm kind of hoping that "Jus In Bello" gets moved back before "Mystery Spot" on the DVDs when they come out. I can see Kripke's point about this being a big action episode and ending on a cliffhanger of sorts with the Lilith reveal, but on the other hand, this episode just didn't fill me with nearly as much squee as "Mystery Spot" did. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed "Jus In Bello," but it didn't make me squee in a range that only dogs can hear like "Mystery Spot" did.

For the most part, switching the episodes didn't affect too much, but being hot on Bela's trail after the Colt would've made more sense in an episode immediately following her stealing it, instead of two weeks later. Also, if "Jus In Bello" had been filmed after "Mystery Spot," I'd like to think that Sam would've freaked out more over Dean being shot, since he'd just watched Dean die over a hundred times and grieved over his "death" for three months.

Okay, let me get Bela out of my system for a minute before I get back to the episode. Point the first, I don't like Bela being shoehorned into episodes as a plot device. This episode could've easily gotten along without her. I totally believe she would turn the Winchesters in to the FBI in order to cover her tracks, but I would've been much happier if Agt. Henriksen had been clever enough to catch the boys on his own. Point the second, Bela had some nerve being all outraged at Dean for suggesting she stole the Colt to sell to the highest bidder. That's what she does. She's certainly bragged about it enough. So, I'm sorry if the shoe fits, sweetie, but deal with it. Of course, now I'm wondering what she really wanted it for if not to sell.

I was wondering how Sam and Dean would get Henriksen to believe them about the demons and let them free to help. And really? Getting possessed himself is about the only thing I think would've made Henriksen believe them that demons were real. But for all his smug arrogance in his appearances so far, at least he was big enough to admit he was wrong when confronted with the evidence. The way he was talking to Dean about wasting his life catching just a few bad guys when there was something so much bigger that needed doing made me think that Henriksen might just become a hunter after all this was over. Too bad he died, but at least the FBI are no longer after Sam and Dean. Both of them have now been declared dead. That's a first for Sam and the second time for Dean. I wonder if word will get out about that. Can you imagine Bobby's reaction to hearing about their deaths on the news?

Yay for Sam and his mad exorcism skillz! The exorcisms on the fly (and from memory!) were cool, and I loved the mass exorcism via P.A. system. Sam really had me worried when he grabbed Nancy through the bars of their cell because that's just not Sam, but I was relieved to see that he only wanted her rosary. To make holy water in the toilet in their cell. That's just wrong on so many levels, but it worked.

How many times has Dean gotten shot in his left shoulder now? It's a wonder he can still use that arm.

When did Sam and Dean get anti-possession tattoos? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea and about time they did something like that, but I foresee a lot of potential for continuity errors if the make-up people put the tattoos in the wrong place, or at the wrong angle, or forget to put them on at all.

I was kind of disappointed in the way the big climactic battle was shot. I like to watch fight scenes, but the quick edits and jittery camera work made it impossible to follow what was going on. It was more an impression of a battle than an actual battle, if that makes any sense. I want to watch the boys kick some butt in good lighting with a steady camera. Is that so wrong?

The scary demon kid is kind of a cliché (I immediately had a flashback to the Anointed One on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and he certainly wasn't the first), but she does have quite the temper on her, and she wants Sam dead. That can't be good. The rest of the season should be interesting.

And if anybody sees a screencap with Agt. Henriksen's name on it, would you please drop me a link in the comments? I hate spelling things wrong in public.

ETA: Got a confirmation. Special Agent Victor Henriksen. Yay! I don't have to change the spelling.

[identity profile] the-other-sandy.livejournal.com 2008-02-23 04:33 am (UTC)(link)
I don't know if it's so much that Sam was cool with killing Nancy so much as not being able to think of another plan. Trading one life for over thirty isn't the worst idea ever. Sam may be very smart, but he's also a fairly linear thinker. Dean's the creative one and was able to come up with an alternate plan that Sam hadn't thought of. I kind of like to compare it to my relationship with my former boss. She's very creative, but not at all practical. I'm totally the opposite. The upshot was that she would come up with all these plans for our workplace, and I would figure out how to make them work.

I think the only reason the demons let Ruby go was basic psychology. She had a knife that could kill them (and apparently had killed a few on her way in), and although Ruby was no match for thirty demons, none of those demons wanted to be the first to attack her because the first five or six of them were almost guaranteed to die before the rest of them overwhelmed her. Since no one wanted to go first, no one did, and she just walked away.

I loved Dean's bonding scene with Henriksen. I really would've liked to have seen him become a hunter. Maybe in your fanwank, Henriksen can team up with Ash. Ash can do the research, and Henriksen can do the field work.

See you in April!