signal boosting on fandom and a SPN S6 question

[rivkat]

Laura Shapiro explains that Jay Smooth and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are making a documentary about remix, and seeking video submissions--vidders should consider participating!

Also, the OTW is seeking stories from fans who’ve received DMCA notices, or who’ve heard mention of the so-called “right of publicity” and its relation to RPF.


Did we ever get a serious explanation for Samuel Campbell’s resurrection? I mean, I see it as a great way to give soulless!Sam something to do that isn’t bothering Dean, and I absolutely see why Castiel would’ve thought that was a decent idea, but it’s such a big WTF that it stands out for me. (Also because of the absolute crapsack world of the Winchesters: they had a hunting family all along, but didn’t know it—isolated from them for no good reason! I mean, why didn’t anyone show up at Mary’s funeral and look at shellshocked John and ask him if something was hinky about how Mary died? Now I want that story—John shoving them away, maybe, because he doesn’t know anything about them; them only knowing him as a worthless civilian and deciding not to press.)

Comments

[lanalucy]

I read a fanfic once about a young Mary and John, and how he came to find out that her family were hunters. It was remarkably in-character for John, and showed how he slowly came to terms with everything after her death - it made the gradual progression into becoming a hunter himself make perfect sense.

[serrico]

Wasn't it something like, because they were hunting Alphas, Crowley wanted only the best hunters, so he (and Castiel) resurrected Samuel because the Campbells were The Best and Samuel was The Very Best? Or something?

I'm hazy on a lot of the Campbell stuff from s6. As you said, they gave Soulless!Sam something to do away from Dean, and they were an effective layer of smoke hiding Cas's involvement with Crowley, but the actual story mechanics of both those things seem to break down the more I think about them.

[malkingrey]

Did we ever get a serious explanation for Samuel Campbell’s resurrection?

My theory at one point was that the writers for the show originally wanted to have the resurrected character be John Winchester -- because then the promise to bring back Mary Winchester née Campbell would make a lot more sense, as opposed to being more than just borderline creepy -- but couldn't get Jeffrey Dean Morgan to come back for the part.

Because the story arc? Would have been so much better if it had worked out that way.

(So much of television turns out to be the art of the possible rather than the ideal, it's a wonder that any of it ends up as good as it sometimes does.)