John Winchester might have been capable of being a good father, but he certainly didn't show it. After his wife was murdered by the evil yellow-eyed demon, he starting raising his two sons like soldiers as he traveled around the country with them hunting monsters. Instead of having a stable home life, Sam and Dean spent their formative years in a series of dingy motel rooms, in and out of different schools every few months. From the time Dean was four years old, he was expected to be the primary caregiver of his little brother, something no small child would be saddled with. Throughout his entire life, he was essentially a surrogate father for Sam, and the codependency that exists between them as a result causes some severe emotional issues that still plague the characters. It's hard to watch them alone on Christmas in a seedy hotel room, or see 8 year old Dean making Spaghetti-Os for little Sammy, and not want to shake John Winchester and force him to actually take care of his children. What does it really say about Daddy Winchester that the immediate tip-off for Dean that his father's been possessed is the impostor saying he's proud of him -- simply because he knows that John would never say that to him?
Audrey Fox is an ex-film student, which means that she prefers to spend her days in the dark, watching movies and pondering the director's use of diegetic sound. She currently works as an entertainment writer, joyfully rambling about all things film and television related. Add her on Twitter at @audonamission and check out her film blog at 1001moviesandbeyond.com.
