They are really drilling it into us to read subtext and parallels this season. This is the second episode so far, where the characters have, not only pointed out the parallels between their situations and the case of the week, but assigned themselves an avatar to represent them in the case. In 14x04 it was the aptly named Dirk and Sam, and in 14x06, Sam not so subtly draws a comparison between Charlie and the musca, to which Charlie replies:
‘’Ok I get it, I am just like the bug and I shouldn’t go off on my own, but your nifty metaphor has holes’’.
She then goes on to highlight the differences between their situations, further explaining how the show uses parallels. They are not perfect mirrors of our characters, more like distorted reflections.
Sam’s concedes:
‘‘Ok I know I know..how about this?’‘
and straight up explains the moral of the case of the week, and how it applies to what Charlie is going through. Charlie wanted to give up and isolate herself because she lost the woman she loved, but like Sam said the only way through is helping people, like the man they just saved.
‘‘and that’s worth it. Even through all the tears and death, it’s worth it’‘.
Just in case Charlie and Sam’s words weren’t anvil heavy enough, this whole conversation is intercut with clips of the musca hive, mourning their fallen family member. Which brings us to the end of the conversation with Charlie
‘‘just to be super clear, I am not like the fly monster…but I’ll think about staying.’‘
Once again reiterating how parallels are not exact copies. Charlie is not going to end up like the fly monster, she’s aware enough to pick up on the similarities between them, but she has also learned her lesson from the case and the MOTW. This is exactly the formula Sam and Dean’s (and Cas’) hunts and subsequent character development undergo in MOTW episodes for the past 13 seasons, only now it seems like the show actively wants us to pay attention to subtext, parallels and other tools they use to tell the story.
It’s been a running theme in the Dabb era, that the subtext all seems to eventually begin creeping to text, and I’m very intrigued and delighted by where this narrative is going. As much as I loved the subtlety, and at times ambiguity, of seasons past, this new approach of still making use of parallels and subtext to tell the story but also acknowledging this is what they’re doing, is refreshing. I’m here for everything season 14 is giving us so far, between fascinating character explorations, emotional growth and Dean turning a cock away from himself in Dick’s diner, I’m really excited about what’s still to come.