Has Sam Changed Since Seasons One and Two

[lady_windermere]

Just a quick poll. Not saying it is perfect, I'm feeling a little tired, and have probably missed out loads. Feel free to rip apart!

[Poll #1369540]

Comments

[kros-21.livejournal.com]

*fills the poll up right now*

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Thank You :-D

[bobbinrob.livejournal.com]

oh thats a very interesting question, I was always curious abour where Sam was when he was dead

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

I was thinking about it, and thought 'Why not do a poll'

I have the feeling he was in limbo, while his fate was decided.

[shadowc44.livejournal.com]

Good questions. I think Sam did come back a bit wrong. It's always reminded me a little of the story, "The Monkey's Paw" (be careful what you wish for, and be damned careful how you word it!). For one thing, we don't know exactly how long Sam was dead. One of the companion books said he came back on his birthday. I think it was at least 2, maybe 3 days. So where was he? Presumably a Reaper showed up. Did he go with the Reaper, or was he hanging around, watching Dean, wanting to communicate and not knowing how? If so, he probably had to forget that, the same way Dean had to forget his convo with Tessa.

If Sam was Somewhere Else, where was it? Purgatory? Quite possibly. Heaven? Maybe, though I have my doubts. If it was Hell, 3 days would be 3...months? Weeks? Not years, as I originally wrote. Math is not my strong suit! Not at all like Dean's 40 years, but still, it probably felt like quite a long time. So what happened to him there? Was he tortured by Alastair, or someone similar? Was he given the same choices? Wherever he was at, he was ripped out of there so fast it would probably the like metaphysical whiplash. If he came back "wrong" he probably wouldn't realize it. If something were missing, he might not recognize it was missing.

Sam still has some compassion, but not as much as he did. Maybe he had too much before, and some of that's been siphoned off. Harder? Oh, yeah, I would think that would make perfect sense. Also, considering the things they do, losing some compassion, becoming harder, more cynical and pragmatic, just seem like a logical progression. But also, he's always admired Dean, and has been trying for two seasons to be as much like Dean as he can. He's even taken on Dean's faults, like the drinking, in Sin City, I think it was, when he went to the bar in the afternoon to get drunk and pick up chicks. The whole thing of having casual sex is so un-Samlike, that's a big clue there of how much he's changed. The sex-with-Ruby thing was partly out of self-loathing. Sera Gamble said something similar in an interview. Sam used to be more self-confident, and prideful. Not that he's ever likely to give Dean a run for his money in the self-pity department, but for a while he was just falling apart, before Ruby came to put the pieces back together. For her own manipulative reasons. She has definitely changed his way of thinking, convincing him using his powers will help in the long run. She lied to him about being able to save Dean, and he forgave her. Who knows how many things she's lied to him about?

I think if Azazel were still around, he'd be delighted by the changes in Sam. He might want things to move faster, but he'd probably be saying, "That's my boy!" with the same kind of pride Dean had when he said it in Provenance. Hm, Sam never really got John's approval, in the way he wanted it. He doesn't seem to have God's approval. But Azazel, who wanted to be a mentor, if not a father-figure, he'd have his approval for sure.

BTW, I loved how Bobby tried to convince Dean that naw, Sam didn't come back wrong, but his eyes said, "That'd explain a few things!"

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

I'm not sure Sam was anywhere really after he died. I have him in a kind of Limbo, while they decide what to do with him. If he went anywhere it would be Heaven, as he is basically the good guy at that stage, who believes in God, and does try to follow Christian principals, even when hunting. He is the one reluctant to kill a human, rather than Dean.

It was 'Dream a Little Dream of Me' that Sam was in the bar in the afternoon drinking and saying he wanted to pick up girls. Before they went to hospital to help Bobby, but yes, that is when he is taking on more and more of Dean's characteristics. It is also when, at the end, Dean admits he doesn't want to die.

Maybe he would have Azazel's approval, but I'm not sure. Sam isn't really leading a demon army like he wanted him to. I see Sam doing what he think needs to be done, without any guidance, except for Ruby. Which is the problem as he does need guidance after everything that has happened to him now.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

I don't know, Maybe.

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

I'm not sure either. Waiting to see what others think with the poll.

[schmooie730.livejournal.com]

I don't think Sam came back wrong...I think it was more based on circumstance. Sam found out Dean sold his soul in order to bring Sam back to life and Sam KNEW he had to fight and be harder (more like Dean) in order to fight the inevitable.

Then when Dean died.....he had NOTHING. His only blood family was gone....because of him (again). I can't IMAGINE what that would do to someone's psyche. He had nothing, and all he wanted to do was die in battle with Lillith. So he went with Ruby and followed her lead. But then he realized that he could kill demons without killing the host (as long as the demon didn't do anything too horrible to the body). When Dean came back, he wasn't focused on dying, he was focused on saving people.

i think it's a dangerous road that he's on.......and I don't think he realizes just how bad it's getting. He is using his powers for good, but no one will even LISTEN to him, so OF COURSE he keeps it all secret. If/when he does talk about why he uses his powers, he just gets put down and told that he's a monster.

Okay end of rant :P

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Yes, he is keeping secrets, but, after all, he has three months of trying to survive on his own with only Ruby to depend on. Yes Bobby would've helped, but I doubt Bobby would understand the implications of the demon blood.

I see him as trying to carry on as best he can in the circumstances he was in.

[sophisti-girl.livejournal.com]

I don't think he came back wrong. I think he came back, and realizing it was his good nature that lead to him getting stabbed, he decided he needed to learn to act quicker. That being said I do think there are many circumstances that are affecting his behavior. Dean's death, Ruby's influence. There is no question Sam is not the same person he was in the beginning, but then neither is Dean.

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Yes they have both changed. It has been a trying time for them, with many curcumstances leading to the changes. Dean if far more broken now, while Sam has found a path, even if it is flawed.

I'm not sure, Sam has just changed so much, I feel there is a part missing we don't know about yet.

[dandies4ever.livejournal.com]

I don't think he came back wrong but he certainly has changed. I think the reason he changed was a mixture of Ruby manipulating him along with the circumstances.

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Yes I can see those two factors playing a large part in his changes.

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

Incidents like losing Dean over and over and over and over and then having him go to hell and living without him for so long have made him go around the bend a little bit, IMO.

I noticed the change after the episode where Dean went through deadly Groundhog Day.

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Oh yes Mystery Spot. He was six months without Dean in that one, and there was a change in him after that. He was also so focused on finding the Trickster, just as he was on finding Lilith (and still is). I think he still thinks that is the way to save Dean.

He has changed, that is for sure.

[exuberantself.livejournal.com]

I want an option that says something like, "Sam came back different." Not wrong, per se...he's still Sam, but he's not really the same as the kid who was kidnapped from a diner at the beginning of the finale pair.

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Yes he is different, even killing Jake was a big change for him. Which was almost as soon as he came back. It was the first indication of the direction he was going in.