Thoughts on Dean and Ellie (and consequently Cas)
I’m sure everyone is going to talk this to hell, but I want to share my thoughts as well. Dean turning down sex? ABSOLUTELY it is a big deal - not just because he did it but because of how he did it, too. I’ve already seen people saying things like, “Obviously he turned her down because he was in the middle of a job,” and of course that’s true, but let me show you all the things he COULD have said, that would have been more typical of a Dean from a few seasons ago:
- “Not right now, sweetheart.”
- “Well, I’m a little busy at the moment, but” *charming grin*
- Or he could have even just started out with the rain check bit, rather than back-pedaling to it like his life depended on it.
What happened instead of any of this? He tensed up, pulled back a little, and said, “I can’t.” This is a phrase that DRIPS with connotation. ”I can’t,” means “there’s something stopping me - and more than just a hell hound.” ”I can’t” means emotions, investment. ”I can’t” means “there’s someone else.” ”I can’t” means “I’m in love.”
Just like last week with Aaron, this is 100% Dean reacting honestly, surprised out of his persona. Just like last week, Dean was too surprised and taken off-guard (probably by Ellie’s advances but more likely it was more by the fact that he didn’t particularly feel anything about them) to make a joke of the matter, to brush it off with a healthy dose of charm and wit - which is exactly what he would have done if he was only saying no because he was on a job.
The fact that - despite him being attracted to Ellie - Dean felt no desire to go there is only solidified by his obviously uncomfortable reaction to the kiss later in the episode. And again, a few seasons ago, even though he couldn’t have gone there in this scene, he would have grinned, made a crack about her calling him “great,” and THEN he would have moved on.
This Dean, season eight Dean, the Dean that knows he’s in love with Cas, couldn’t react that way because he just can’t feel that for strangers anymore.
I don’t agree 100% with this because I’m not sure Dean knows he loves Cas yet (hahaha aw man I’m a mess when it comes to those two), but the rest is pretty much perfect okay.
Besides, I was amazed at the amount of silence following that declaration. They literally let us sit through a very awkward moment with Ellie trying to wrap her mind around this, and Dean sounded conflicted, resigned, almost (dare I say it?) defeated when he said “I can’t”.
And yes, when he smiled and cleared his throat and said “I mean, I’ll have to take a rain check” it felt way too much like saving face than Dean “Aw maaaan, why did it have to be in the middle of work”
(Also, I laughed out loud when he said “what?” because that was exactly the same thing I was thinking)