This isn't my article. I found it on a site and I though it would be interesting to share.
When the Winchesters went into a psychiatric hospital on Supernatural, they weren't just facing a Wraith, they were facing their own psyches. They may have gone a little cuckoo, but "Sam, Interrupted" was one of the madami psychological episodes of Supernatural, exploring the root causes behind Sam and Dean's actions.
For Dean, there are two obvious character flaws. The first is his compulsion to save everyone and his willingness to sacrifice himself to do it. The segundo is the way he copes with that stress: a steady stream of booze and women.
Even though the hot shrink was a Wraith-induced hallucination, she helped reveal some of Dean's inner feelings, particularly when it comes to saving people. Dean thinks that he needs to save the world, that no one else can do it, and that his own life doesn't really matter. This is no surprise to fans who've seen him literally sell his own soul to save his brother.
The origins of this Hero Complex are fairly obvious to deduce. As a young child, one of his first memories was being told to take Sam out of a burning house and save him while his mother died. John Winchester's frequent absences only continued this pattern, forcing Dean to take complete responsibility for Sam's protection, denying Dean any kind of a childhood. Ever since, Dean has been conditioned to ignore his own needs and safety for the sake of others.
How does Dean deal with this? Sex and alcohol. Just look at "Sam, Interrupted." The very first thing Dean hallucinates is a sexy woman whose job is to talk to him. During their first conversation, he also reveals that he only sleeps three or four hours every few nights and that he has somewhere around 50 drinks per week.
The steady stream of sleep deprivation, booze and sex helps to numb the pain, to dull Dean's senses to that he can get through the day. There's no way anyone can possibly enjoy being the sacrificial savior of humanity, but since Dean doesn't think he is allowed to stop, he has to resort to flirting and drinking to lessen the pain.
When you actually explore Dean's psychology, what you're left with isn't a classic hero, a mythic figure incapable of fault. Much like the hallucinatory shrink did, Dean is someone to feel sorry for. He has the hardest job in the world and he can't get out of it. He really does have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
What do you think?
When the Winchesters went into a psychiatric hospital on Supernatural, they weren't just facing a Wraith, they were facing their own psyches. They may have gone a little cuckoo, but "Sam, Interrupted" was one of the madami psychological episodes of Supernatural, exploring the root causes behind Sam and Dean's actions.
For Dean, there are two obvious character flaws. The first is his compulsion to save everyone and his willingness to sacrifice himself to do it. The segundo is the way he copes with that stress: a steady stream of booze and women.
Even though the hot shrink was a Wraith-induced hallucination, she helped reveal some of Dean's inner feelings, particularly when it comes to saving people. Dean thinks that he needs to save the world, that no one else can do it, and that his own life doesn't really matter. This is no surprise to fans who've seen him literally sell his own soul to save his brother.
The origins of this Hero Complex are fairly obvious to deduce. As a young child, one of his first memories was being told to take Sam out of a burning house and save him while his mother died. John Winchester's frequent absences only continued this pattern, forcing Dean to take complete responsibility for Sam's protection, denying Dean any kind of a childhood. Ever since, Dean has been conditioned to ignore his own needs and safety for the sake of others.
How does Dean deal with this? Sex and alcohol. Just look at "Sam, Interrupted." The very first thing Dean hallucinates is a sexy woman whose job is to talk to him. During their first conversation, he also reveals that he only sleeps three or four hours every few nights and that he has somewhere around 50 drinks per week.
The steady stream of sleep deprivation, booze and sex helps to numb the pain, to dull Dean's senses to that he can get through the day. There's no way anyone can possibly enjoy being the sacrificial savior of humanity, but since Dean doesn't think he is allowed to stop, he has to resort to flirting and drinking to lessen the pain.
When you actually explore Dean's psychology, what you're left with isn't a classic hero, a mythic figure incapable of fault. Much like the hallucinatory shrink did, Dean is someone to feel sorry for. He has the hardest job in the world and he can't get out of it. He really does have the weight of the world on his shoulders.
What do you think?
