I just rewatched this episode and I realized something: in a show like SPN that’s chiefly about brothers, any brothers they show are probably a sort of mirror for Sam and Dean. So I started really thinking about Andy Gallagher and Ansen Weems. Yes, they both have powers like Sam but only Ansen is really using them. Andy is just amusing himself and trying to keep out of trouble. He likes classic cars, women, and giant bongs but he’s also secretly way smarter than he lets on. I’m going to say he’s got a lot in common with Dean. Ansen on the other hand is everything Sam fears he might be: one of Azazel’s special children who’s embraced that dark side and is using his powers to kill people. And who’s he targeting? Anyone who has ever come between him and Andy. That must scare the hell out of Sam.
When Andy finally has to kill Ansen, Dean says Andy’s a hero but Sam has a different view:
SAM: Bottom line, last night, he wasted somebody.
DEAN: Yeah, but he’s not a foaming-at-the-mouth psycho. He was just, he was pushed into that.
SAM: Weber was pushed too, in his own way. Max Miller was pushed. Hell, I was pushed by Jessica’s death.
DEAN: What’s your point, Sam?
SAM: Right circumstances, everyone’s capable of murder. Everyone.
And Sam’s right. He was possibly just as capable as going darkside as the rest of the special children but maybe Azazel didn’t apply pressure in quite the right place. What if he’d targeted Dean instead of Jess? The Trickster did in Mystery Spot when he killed Dean on Wednesday and look what happened: Sam became a killing machine focused on hunting down the Trickster. Same thing happened later when Sam was torturing that demon at the beginning of season 10 while he was looking for Dean. Or when he was determined to save Dean from the Mark no matter what. Fiercely protective Sam determined to save his brother at all costs. Maybe Azazel should have worked on him that way.
nothingidputbeforeyou 