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Supernatural: Mystery Spot – Holy F = ma!
Heartbreaking
What a brilliant episode!
The writers never cease to amaze me. I was astounded with their incorporation of Newton’s Three Laws of Motion into the story. A physic’s lovers delight to be sure.
“The experience of matter energy in space time requires a level of understanding that goes well beyond objective logic.”
First Law of Motion: Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
Thank goodness we had Sammy trying to alter this law many times throughout the episode. Knocking Mr. Pickett as he walked by in the restaurant would be a good example of this.
Dean in fact tried to alter this law as well, by ordering sausages instead of bacon and by acknowledging the daughter who kept walking by. In the sequencing, the daughter had kept hitting Dean as she walked by him. This was a very good way to show the external force of motion theory.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion: The relationship between an object's mass m, its acceleration a, and the applied force F is F = ma. Acceleration and force are, in this law, the direction of the force vector which is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector.
The piano falling on Dean would be representative of this Law.
I’ll address Newton’s Third Law of Motion at the end of my blog.
I thought it was very well thought out that they used a dog in the story sequencing. The dog, in many mythologies symbolizes being the guardian of the gates of death. It is thought that a dog can also be a guide to a person’s hidden side of life when they enter sleep and death. In addition, a dog can be a messenger between the hidden and the visible worlds.
Another interesting concept that I felt was brought into the storyline is the relatively new concept of Holographic Subquantum-Mind Theory.
Louis Malklaka presented a very interesting paper on this whole concept.
In the restaurant, when Sam knew what Dean was going to say and they went through the whole “jinx” dialogue, to me, something deeper was much more at work here, in the form of telepathy.
As L. Malklaka’s describes: “Telepathy can be similarly understood: when two people develop a close rapport, a 'resonance” between themselves, their resonant signatures “overlap” to a certain extent, allowing for the 'sharing” of “data', and, in some cases, even their “programs' (personality traits, etc.).”
Here was this whole concept displayed beautifully in a seemingly benign scene.
Based on last night’s episode, I thought it was significant that a radio was chosen as the receiver of the Bio-energy and Orgone life matter. Because Dean kept dying and Sam kept reliving this over and over, it was apparent, that Dean’s aura was still very much coherent and attached to the human physical realm.
It was wonderful to see Richard Speight Jr. back as the Trickster. I found him to be far more serious in this episode than in Tall Tales. I haven’t made up my mind yet whether he will prove to be an alliance of the boys or a detractor of them.
"Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead, only try to realise the truth: There is no spoon. Then you'll see that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself." Wiccan Magic
I do believe that by showing Sam the path though, that it helped to bring out the terror of what he is feeling in relation to losing Dean and the loss he is trying to cope with in terms of not being able to find a way to save his brother as of yet. I believe that ultimately, it will be Sammy, through his love of Dean that will be Dean’s saviour.
“Don't judge your future on a roll of the dice. Better remember: lighting never strikes twice” Huey Lewis and the Heartbreakers – Back in Time
It was wonderful to see the Village of Steveston again. This was the same area they filmed the episode Bloody Mary in.
Here’s a picture of our very own Mary taken in Steveston last October, when Mary and I visited.
http://i231.photobucket.com/albums/ee161/SJJCM/British%20Columbia%20October%20and%20November%202007/F1000001-1.jpg
My favourite law is the third law and here’s the reason why: Sam hugging Dean.
Newton’s Third Law of Motion: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
For all the sadness and angst and upset with Dean dying that was invoked and then watching Sam pretending to live, during that three month period without Dean, it was the hug at the end and the earnest and loving look in Sam’s eyes when he realized that it was really Wednesday and that his brother was alive – it was a moment chocked full of heart soaked motion. To top it off, for Sam then to keep Dean safe in his innocence when he realized Dean didn't remember anything after the Trickster, it was just so beautifully jigsawed together piece by piece. My absolute favourite part of the episode.
“It was the heat of the moment, telling me what your heart meant, the heat of the moment shone in your eyes.”
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Feb 15, 2008 9:42 AM
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SJ-I wonder if I can use your blog here to get my hubby to let my oldest daughter (11) watch the episode! He doesn't think SN is appropriate for her, even though she really digs scary/gory stuff. See, she's doing this rollercoaster project for science class, and she has to demonstrate Newton's laws. I could print your blog, then challenge her to find examples of the Laws in the epi....hmmmmmmmm
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Feb 15, 2008 9:48 AM
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Wow, SJ, I bet the episode's writers are feeling really smug right now! Someone got their metaphor!!
I think the Trickster was on Sam and Dean's side. He told them in Tall Tales that he liked them. And he could have chosen to kill them in that episode. I'm not sure what his role is in the demon war, but I don't think he's for the demons.
What concerns me, is that the Trickster can't save Dean.
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Feb 15, 2008 9:55 AM
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Whimsy - you could be right about the Trickster. He actually sounded concerned for Sam. I said over on Gabs's blog that I think Ruby sent him. She needs him strong, not robotic.
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Feb 15, 2008 9:57 AM
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Wow, SJ, you've done a brilliant job of analysis! I'm surprised they haven't given you a red star.
You're right that the writers were exploring the laws of physics. When I think back, the Mystery Stop brochure had equations on it, right? (See, now you've made me want to rewatch again.)
This is definitely one of those epis that I could watch over and over and still see more in it and figure out more. So, you didn't mention the Taxi Driver reference. I haven't seen this movie in years and am wondering what the Trickster's taunt means. Any ideas?
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Feb 15, 2008 10:15 AM
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Hi SJ! Great analysis of this episode! I hadn't really paid attention to the fact that the boys kept bumming into things, but your analysis of this makes total sense!
Whimsy: What concerns me, is that the Trickster can't save Dean.
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Feb 15, 2008 10:25 AM
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Hey Kris, This episode just works beautifully in showing Newton's laws. If you daughter enjoys scary/gory stuff, this episode so beautifully shows the principles in action. What a joy. Now, if she is going to be studying Einstein's Theory of Relativity, this could further her learning considerably. I chose not to bring that aspect into my blog, because I just love Newton's work, but it would be interesting to explore and do a comparison with.
If you do decide to let her watch it, the equivalence principle (the rope holding the piano) would be a great example of theory in motion.
Good morning Whimsy, Thank you. I must say, I was just delighted with the writers using this aspect in their story. It's simply over-the-top magnificent.
I hope the Trickster is on the boys' side. I didn't think of it, but you're right, his not being able to save Dean -that's sure not a good thing.
Kris, you could be right, maybe it is Ruby that sent him.
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Feb 15, 2008 10:54 AM
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Great analysis SJ!! (Especially loved the incorporation of Newton)This Trickster god deffo has me stumped. It seemed he was trying to teach Sam an actual lesson but then it seemed like he was told to teach that lesson...
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Feb 15, 2008 10:59 AM
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Thanks so much SB and Ocean, I sure appreciate it. The writers for this show never cease to amaze me with their thought process. I would never have thought though that they could display of all things, physics' principles, so well.
You're right SB, the brochure for the Mystery Spot had all sorts of equations all over it. I look forward to re-watching the episode also, as there's just so many delicions details in it.
And oh boy SB, you're sure on the ball with the Taxi Driver reference. I didn't pick up on that one. I'm absolutely going to go back and re-watch and see what I can tease out of that one. Thanks for bringing that up.
There's a school of thought as well Ocean that when things keep happening in a person's life, it reflects that a person is not dealing with an issue that they need to, before they can move on. Things will keep happening to them until finally a physical connection is made and the person is forced to deal with their issue.
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Feb 15, 2008 11:08 AM
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Good morning Caljo, Thanks so much.
The Trickster is sure living up to his name isn't he? I'm thinking that perhaps he's going so much against his own personal belief system that he's split in how he feels about the boys.
In Tall Tales, it was much more a fun loving type character so to speak, in very broad terms, but this time, it's like he has a whole other agenda going.
I'll sure be interested to see where this will go.
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Feb 15, 2008 11:17 AM
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Hi SJJCM,
I think the Trickster was on the brothers' side. He could have simply let Dean stay dead, but I don't think that was ever part of his lesson. Tricksters aren't inherently evil, I believe they are in it just for the fun. As he said, right before he ended his lesson, it wasn't fun anymore so it was over.
I also got the feeling he was sent to teach Sam a lesson. I'm not sure it was Ruby who sent him though. The cold, hard, inhuman post-Dean Sam looked like something Ruby would want Sam to become. Unless her main goal is to get Sam to lead the army. She may want him like the post-Dean Sam but without the Trickster obsession getting in the way.
And was anyone else wondering if the Trickster could have turned back time to before Dean made the deal? As Sam was begging to go back to Wednesday, in my mind I was screaming, "Forget Wednesday, go back to before Dean made the deal!"
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Feb 15, 2008 12:26 PM
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Hi Pandora, OMG - I hadn't picked up on that at all, you are so, so right, was it a missed opportunity on Sammy's part, did the Trickster have the power to turn back the time to before the deal, oh wow! That would have been something. Ohh no!!!!
You're sure right about the fun part with the Trickster, cause it sure wasn't fun last night, he was so serious and you're right, he could have let Dean stay dead.
With the preview for next week's episode and Ruby being so much in the fore front, I wonder if we'll find out some details on who is "controlling" the "evil" side.
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Feb 15, 2008 12:37 PM
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Hi Sandra! Greaat blog!
The reference to Travis Bickle may have soemthing to do with the fact that in Taxi Driver, Bickle is trying to save Iris, the 12 year old prostitute. He becomes obsessed with saving her. He becomes disgusted by the "moral" decay around him & obsessed to the point that he becomes unbalanced & violent. A vigilante.
Showing Sam as robotic in his routines after Dean dies, his slip into John-like hunting behaviors, his apparent lack of conscious when FauxBobby tells him about the amount of blood the ritual needs; this all echoes the "isolated loner" vibe that Bickle has in the movie.
There's a sort of subplot of Bickle being rejected by Cybill Shepard's character (this kicks off his stalker/vigilante tendencies) that you could tie into this episode by saying that Sam subconsciously feels rejected by Dean (because he died & left him), causing him to be depressed & even more (violently) at odds with the world around him. FauxBobby's voice-over phone calls gives some credence to this...the hunts that Sam is tackling on his own, the lack of contact. *shrugs* Then again, I could be totally full of s***.
As for the "in a skirt" part, I think that's the Trickster making reference to Sam's emo-ness. Actually, he's probably channeling Dean there, because I can totally hear Big Brother saying that to Little Brother!
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Feb 15, 2008 12:56 PM
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Happy Friday Rap,
Thanks so much, I really enjoyed doing up this blog, there was so much food for thought.
You, my dear girl, are a lifesaver. Thank you so much for filling in the details regarding Taxi Driver. I had missed the whole contexual sequence in relation to this until SB brought it up.
I think you're bang right on in your theory, it fits so well into the episode.
I love your take on the "in the skirt" part.
Did you enjoy the part with Jensen dancing around to In the Heat of the Moment? I just loved it.
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Feb 15, 2008 1:17 PM
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The Dean, dancing?! Ranks right up there in my top 10 favorite moments, EVER!
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Feb 15, 2008 1:29 PM
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