Dean Winchester || Been to Hell and Back Again (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
67chevyimpala) wrote2013-09-19 02:07 pm
67chevyimpala) wrote2013-09-19 02:07 pm
Entry tags:
POLY-Chromatic Application
[nick / name]: Addie
[personal LJ/DW name]: N/A
[other characters currently played]:(IN POLY!) Neil McCormick :: Mysterious Skin (film) ::skintoskin & Lara Croft :: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (film & novel) :: ladycroft
[e-mail]: addictedwriter [at] gmail [dot] com
[AIM / messenger]: N/A
[series]: Supernatural
[character]: Dean Winchester
[character history / background]:
There are eight seasons of 'Supernatural'. Eight. I can't begin to summarize them in relation to Dean without losing some marbles. Fortunately, someone else has done it for me...
Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Winchester
Also: http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Dean_Winchester
[character abilities]:
Dean Winchester has been trained by his father, John, from a very young age to believe in and help with the fight against supernatural beings. He didn't join his father in the actual hunt until he was deemed old enough - early teens seems to be the consensus. Dean is a crack shot and proficient in a number of weapons, including but not limited to: hand guns, shotguns, rifles - and a grenade launcher, apparently - and bladed weapons, such as knives, swords, machetes and stakes. Anything that comes to hand during a fight is also a potential weapon ie. crowbars, chairs, letter openers, whatever. He owns a .45 Colt 1911 with ivory grips, which belonged to his father and a sawed-off shotgun, the latter being very handy for firing rock salt at demons. Who knew? He's used a Desert Eagle with wrought iron bullets and a special Colt with bullets that can kill almost anything supernatural.
He is also adept at hand-to-hand fighting, from brawling to martial arts. He possesses the ability of stealth and to initiate evasive maneuvers to avoid being caught. Perhaps he has some samurai in his genetics, though he might be more likely to allude to the Ninja Turtles instead, because, you know, pizza. He is strong, fast, agile and inventive. Dean fights well by himself, sometimes against multiple assailants both Human and supernatural, and he can hold his own. He fights well with his father and with Sam, though Sam was a little rusty when the series began, having been away from the 'family business' for a few years. It was initially easier for the older brother to just take the lead. That and he had to protect Sam. There's also an element of MacGyver to Dean, making what he needs with what he has, such as Molotov cocktails and explosives.
To paraphrase a certain comic book hero, he's the best there is at what he does, and what he does ain't pretty.
Dean is a good mechanic. He maintains and performs the majority of the repairs on the Impala, the car that belonged to his father and now considers his baby. He knows a lot of practical aspects to being a hunter with very little back-up, such as hot-wiring a car, picking a lock and dealing with security systems - as long as the latter isn't too complicated with heavy computer aspects. He isn't the most technologically-inclined.
On the cerebral side of things, he knows a lot about myths and legends, though not as 'bookish' or as interested in the research end of hunting as his younger brother, Sam. Some exorcisms he knows by rote. He is familiar with how a variety of government branches function and is very adept at impersonating their agents. Of the two Winchesters, he is the more accomplished 'conman', improvising, lying and laying on the charm with creative flair.
Dean is a very good poker player and pool hustler, both taught to him by his father. Hunting isn't exactly a job posted on the bulletin board of the local employment office and no one pays them to do what they do. Nor are there benefits to fall back on if business is slow or any health insurance if they're injured. Aside from anything they find of value while on the job, the motel rooms, food, clothing and supplies are either paid for by Dean's poker and pool skills or by credit cards under fake names. Dean is also pretty good at B&E.
He learned torture techniques during his time in Hell, but isn't fond of using them. He will, if so provoked. He also utilizes syringes of holy water, which he keeps in reserve for when he needs information from a demon or just wants to end them. Depends on the dose, doesn't it?
He has the ability to see the Fae for what they really are as of Season Five. Ninety-nine per cent of Humans do not have this ability.
Dean is also skilled in fixing injuries, on a level with that of a paramedic and a survivalist. He won't be performing brain surgery in a motel room, but he can set a broken bone, extract a bullet, apply bandages, provide the best pain killers he can buy/steal and knows the protocols for such things as head injuries (keep the patient awake), open wounds (sterilize, pressure bandage, sew up if necessary) and so on.
[character personality]:
Dean Winchester's life is... complicated. This bleeds into who he is and how he deals with the hand he's been dealt.
On the surface, Dean might seem pretty slick or, perhaps, a self-centered doofus, or a complete bastard. It depends on when you catch him. Regardless, judging this book by its cover would not be wise. Behind the smart mouth is a swift mind and behind the casual posture is a body ready to spring into action, if necessary. He can be childish about his rules - "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake-hole." - possessive of the Impala - "You better take care of that car or I swear I'll haunt your ass!" - and over-protective of his brother - "Watch out for Sammy" became a mantra, ingrained by his father. As much as he likes to needle and tease Sam, Dean loves him and wants him to be safe and have as 'normal' a life as possible. At the same time, Dean needs Sam to keep him grounded and watch his back and prove to him that all the crazy shit they go through is really worth it.
This dependency on the presence of his brother and the fractured hero-worship of his father lead to problems, when first one, then the other, leaves; actual departure for a different life at college in Sam's case and death for John - and then, death for Sam. Family is critical to Dean. He just can't take the thought of being alone.
When his father surrendered his life to a demon, it was so that Dean would live - with John Winchester's final words to Dean being to look out for Sam and if he can't save his brother, to kill him.
No pressure or responsibility there, right?
When Sam died, Dean sold his soul to a crossroads demon in order to bring his brother back to life. Dean figured he wasn't using his soul and therefore, wouldn't miss it and hey, he had a whole year before the demon would claim him. To the older Winchester, that was acceptable as long as Sammy was okay.
For a while, anyway.
For the most part, Dean is confident and comfortable in his own skin, though he figures the amount of brutal killings he's done and the people he couldn't save are contributing factors to him not being worthy of having a normal life. Low self-esteem lurks behind those eyes, which have seen far too much for someone so relatively young. He is loyal, brave, fierce, courageous, insightful, charming, intuitive - flippant, sarcastic, irritating, rude, impulsive, politically incorrect - and uses humour and wit as a shield. It also goes a long way to alleviating the tension and gravity of a number of situations, since the life of a Winchester is frequently dark, dire and just damn terrifying.
He can be caustic, blunt, evasive, vague and can change the topic on a dime - or try to, anyway. Sam only lets him get away with it when he's too tired or injured to argue. Bobby probably has more success at challenging this tactic, since Dean sees him as a father-figure. Warning: Don't get in Dean's way when he's angry, don't mess with his family or his car, and watch out if his intense focus is on you.
'Commitment' isn't really part of his vocabulary. He loves women and enjoys sharing time and pleasure with them, but he isn't about to let one into his crazy life. It wouldn't be fair to them and besides, Dean knows what's out there, what goes bump in the night, and couldn't 'retire' to a house in suburbia, a picket fence, two-point-five kids and a dog knowing it was all in danger from supernatural elements. He's also had his heart broken a few times and won't go through that again. Uh-uh.
Since his father was often away from days at a time, either hunting or hustling for money, Dean basically raised Sam. He did a decent job, too, shielding his younger brother for a while from the nightmares that his father didn't shield him from. Dean was the good soldier, even at the age of ten. He's good with little kids, as frequently demonstrated in the show. This includes the son of Lisa, one of the women he dared to love and eventually chose to give up for their own protection. He even went so far as to have their memories of him erased.
He loves music, especially rock 'n' roll of a certain era. He's 'old school' when it comes to how he listens to his music, too. Since a lot of his time is spent traveling in the car, which is a classic vehicle, he listens to his music on audio cassettes. No CDs or MP3s for Dean. Aside from his inability to play the more modern technology in the Impala - he'd have to modify the dashboard and you don't mess with a classic - cassettes just seem to feel right to Dean. He probably likes LPs, too, even if he doesn't have a record player. He sings quite well, though Sam might dispute that, depending on his mood. Musicians are handy for aliases, too, and Dean will frequently produce IDs with names akin to Jim Morrison, Jimmy Page, Phil Ehart, James Hetfield and the like.
Note that he plays poker and plays it well - you can't read my poker face - and that he frequently has to lie for a living. Dean can pull the wool over the eyes of the best of them, with the possible exceptions being Sam and his 'extended family', including some fellow hunters like Bobby, Ellen and Jo - hell, even Castiel, an angel. Regular folks with really well-tuned bullshit meters can usually see through at least some of his crap. The rest of the population is usually in the dark.
Dean is, in fact, a hero who doesn't actually think he qualifies as one, doesn't deserve to be considered one. Yet another reason why he truly is a hero.
Aside from all his skill and prowess, knowledge and humour, sarcasm, flirting and fierce loyalty, Dean Winchester is also the child of an alcoholic, a problem he has dealt with himself, especially in the later seasons. Neither he nor Sam had a 'normal' childhood, and I'm not saying that Sam had an easy time of it all, but John didn't hide any of the darkness in the world from Dean. He gave his eldest the responsibility of looking after his little brother to increased degrees since Dean was four years old. His wife, Mary Winchester, was killed by a demon then and Sam was just a baby. John came to rely on Dean to be mother and father, who also had to look after him on the occasions when he'd return from a hunt injured or when he came back from a bar with his winnings, drunk and smelling of smoke.
No child should have to cope with such adult situations.
There is a fascinating thesis on Dean and his status as one of the few examples on television of an ACoAs - an Adult Child of Alcoholics. I'll list the thirteen common traits, as they are presented, and say that Dean does, indeed, fit with many of these behaviours, coping mechanisms and reactions. The article says it better than I ever could. Please, take the time to read it. It is one of the most insightful observations about a fictional character that I've ever read. I could copy/paste, but that'd make this application reeeeally long.
Here is the link: No one Cares That You're Broken - http://lookatthesefreakinghipsters.tumblr.com/post/33972635142/no-one-cares-that-youre-broken-dean
The thirteen common traits are:
1.Can only guess what normal behavior is;
2.Have difficulty following a project from beginning to end;
3.Lie when it would be just as easy to tell the truth;
4.Judge themselves without mercy;
5.Have difficulty having fun;
6.Take themselves very seriously;
7.Have difficulty with intimate relationships;
8.Overreact to changes over which they have no control;
9.Constantly seek approval and affirmation;
10.Usually feel that they are different from other people;
11.Are either super responsible or super irresponsible—there’s no middle ground;
12.Are extremely loyal, even in the face of evidence that the loyalty is undeserved;
13.Are impulsive. They tend to lock themselves into a course of action without giving serious consideration to alternative behaviors or possible consequences. This impulsively leads to confusion, self-loathing and loss of control over their environment. In addition, they spend an excessive amount of energy cleaning up the mess.
Dean is all that and a bag of Doritos. Just don't get any of the coating on the inside of the Impala. Enjoy the ride.
[physical description]:
Dean Winchester stands at 6',1" or 185 cm and weighs in at about 185 lbs. or about 85 kg. He is strong, fit, athletic and looks yummy in just about anything he wears. He has brown hair and green eyes, a dimple in his chin and dimples when he flashes a smile. Generally considered quite handsome, even a bit 'pretty-boy', he certainly knows how to hold someone's attention, whether he really wants to or not. He's sexy and he knows it, which is another issue all in itself.
He tends to dress in jeans, tees, work boots, button down shirts and a leather jacket, though he does clean up well and has rocked a tux on at least one occasion. When impersonating someone from the FBI or the DOD, he wears a suit and tie. Thank God for second-hand stores.
He used to wear a silver ring on his right ring finger. It belonged to his mother: her wedding ring. He used to wear an amulet Sam gave him for Christmas in 1991. He removed both items in different episodes of Season Five. Though he no longer has these items, I felt it was important to be aware of their absence.
In the first two seasons, he wore two black bracelets. They are African support bracelets from Invisible Children, a group which focuses on the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) conflict in East and Central Africa and the children there who need help: immediate needs and long-term effects. Link to their website, for the curious: http://invisiblechildren.com/about/
Dean has a tattoo just beneath and to the left of his left collarbone. It's a pentagram to protect him from demonic possession. Sam has an identical tattoo in the same location on his body.
PB: Jensen Ackles.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: The end of Season Eight.
[journal post]:
[A device comes on line and it appears to be sitting on a table at a cafe, facing the street. It is late afternoon. A few people are milling about, taking care of business, meeting friends, heading home. After a brief pause, a man appears about fifteen feet off the ground, and, thanks to the laws of gravity, promptly plummets to the street, landing hard, face down.
The device, apparently wanting the capture the full reaction of the latest arrival in the City, zooms in on the figure as best it can as it lies there, face down, arms splayed out at the last minute to try and stop his head from hitting the ground. He is dressed casually in blue jeans, work boots, a tee and a worn, leather jacket. His hair is brown and cut short and neat. He looks up, body tense, eyes narrowing at his surroundings, and tries to stand.
Pain shoots through his left leg, but he barely makes a sound and manages to shift to an awkward seated position, shortly followed, with the help of a chair, to an awkward standing position. He's a handsome man, with appealing features and an athletic build, but to say he currently looks confused, concerned and just a little pissed off would be an understatement. He is obviously looking for someone. When he speaks, his voice is deeper than his apparent age might suggest.]
Nonononono... Sam? Sam? Sammy!
[third person / log sample]:
Blood. There was so much blood and damn, but the human body wasn't supposed to lose that much and live to talk about it.
Hey, because of that knife wound? I just couldn't stop the stuff from leaving my body. It was incredible! Good thing I had a few pints of o-negative in the trunk of my car. Boy, was my face red. Wanna beer?
He huffed a little at the thought, decided that Sam might find it funny or he might just make a face or roll his eyes at his older brother. Dean hoped that he was actually going to be able to enjoy the moment, whatever the reaction. Right now, he wasn't making much progress to reaching the back door, reaching his phone, reaching help, never mind having a beer with Sam. His lips were cracked and his throat was dry and a beer sounded so damn good.
Moving on automatic, he stretched out a shaking arm, placed the palm of his hand on the kitchen tile with a soft slap and tried to pull himself another few feet. It hurt, God, it hurt so fucking much. He had to stay focused, had to stay conscious. How long had be been locked in that closet, just bleeding out while some wacko was sharpening his knives for the next sacrifice? Shit, but Dean hated pagan rituals.
"Come on, come on," he muttered to himself, voice hoarse and head getting lighter by the moment. He'd wasted some energy breaking the door down, but it wasn't like he'd had another option. Then standing had been an issue and therefore walking was out of the question, so dragging himself across the floor was his solution. Pitiful, perhaps, but he'd worry about his dignity later. At least he hadn't been stabbed in a lung or have a gut wound. He wouldn't have made it out of the closet with those injuries.
There was a joke there, somewhere, about coming out of the closet, but he couldn't think of a punch line right at the moment, for some reason.
Oh, yeah. Stabbed in the front, left shoulder, near my tattoo. That'd explain a few things.
Still, thinking about it too hard would only make his head hurt more than it already did. And he still hadn't reached the door.
Hand out, on floor, pull...
The guy hadn't stabbed him in the femoral artery or slit his throat, either, for which Dean was thankful. It was lucky he didn't fit the parameters for the sacrifice. Kelly, a young girl of about thirteen, was going to die tonight so some woodland god could grow in power and raise havoc against developers who destroyed forests. Dean was all for helping Mother Nature, but even the tree-huggers wouldn't approve of this course of action. Kelly was going to be victim number seven - another magical number for this pagan god, apparently.
Kelly was going to see her fourteenth birthday if Dean had any say in the matter.
Shit.
He was almost at the kitchen island when the screen door opened and Marty the Wacko walked in. Dean pushed and rolled himself behind the island, grabbed the leg of one of the wooden stools with his right hand and waited. It wasn't as if there was blood on the floor leading from the closet and a door hanging on one hinge for Marty to clue in to the situation.
Why is my life some complicated? Oh, yeah. I'm a Winchester.
Wacko took three steps passed the island then stopped to look at the destruction before Dean heaved up onto one knee and swung the stool at Marty's head with as much force as he could manage. With a shout, Wacko dropped to his knees. Somehow, Dean stood, shaking, and yelled a cry worthy of a warrior in the ring as he clubbed the man again with the stool. Marty turned, held up one hand as if to ward off the blow, tried to get back on his feet, but Dean was having none of it. A third blow left the man sprawled on the kitchen floor, unconscious and down for the count.
"That's for six girls, you son of a bitch," Dean growled. "And for the dent in my baby's front bumper." The damn forest god had jumped into the country road the night before and the Impala had taken the blow. It had been like hitting a deer, but in '67, car bodies were metal, not crumpling plastic. The damage was there, but happily minimal compared to what a Honda might suffer. Man, they didn't make cars like her anymore.
Marty the Wacko had a lot to answer for, but first, Dean needed a phone. The one mounted on the wall looked like it was made in the Seventies and hadn't been cleaned in thirty years. He sighed.
Beggars can't be choosers.
Sam picked up after the second ring. "Dean?"
"How did you know?"
"You haven't returned my calls," said the slightly tinny voice of his brother. "And there's no caller ID. And I had a vision about --"
"Yeah, I get it, Psychic Lad. Rope in your Justice League joy and get over here, now. And by here," Dean continued when he heard Sam take a breath to ask where the hell he was, "I mean Marty's house on Route Four."
There was a brief pause. "Marty?"
"Yep." Dean leaned against the counter, wincing as he shifted for better support.
"Marty the camp counselor?"
"Yep. Seems like he bonded with the great outdoors. Look, I need you here, now, and with reinforcements. I have to go find Kelly and the sacrificial alter and maybe face-off with Herne the Hunter while I wait for your slow ass."
"Herne the Hunter is the keeper of Windsor Forest in England, not a minor tree god in Maine."
"Whatever, Geek-boy."
"I'll be there in ten with the Sheriff."
"Make it five and bring a medic."
"Dean --"
"Just do it."
"Jerk."
"Bitch."
Sam disconnected the call and Dean permitted himself a smile. It sounded like things would be back to normal soon, whatever 'normal' was. He hung up the phone and checked under the kitchen sink for something. Then he straightened, bottle of Deep Woods Off! in one hand and a carving knife in the other.
No rest for the wicked...
[personal LJ/DW name]: N/A
[other characters currently played]:(IN POLY!) Neil McCormick :: Mysterious Skin (film) ::
skintoskin & Lara Croft :: Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (film & novel) :: ladycroft[e-mail]: addictedwriter [at] gmail [dot] com
[AIM / messenger]: N/A
[series]: Supernatural
[character]: Dean Winchester
[character history / background]:
There are eight seasons of 'Supernatural'. Eight. I can't begin to summarize them in relation to Dean without losing some marbles. Fortunately, someone else has done it for me...
Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Winchester
Also: http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Dean_Winchester
[character abilities]:
Dean Winchester has been trained by his father, John, from a very young age to believe in and help with the fight against supernatural beings. He didn't join his father in the actual hunt until he was deemed old enough - early teens seems to be the consensus. Dean is a crack shot and proficient in a number of weapons, including but not limited to: hand guns, shotguns, rifles - and a grenade launcher, apparently - and bladed weapons, such as knives, swords, machetes and stakes. Anything that comes to hand during a fight is also a potential weapon ie. crowbars, chairs, letter openers, whatever. He owns a .45 Colt 1911 with ivory grips, which belonged to his father and a sawed-off shotgun, the latter being very handy for firing rock salt at demons. Who knew? He's used a Desert Eagle with wrought iron bullets and a special Colt with bullets that can kill almost anything supernatural.
He is also adept at hand-to-hand fighting, from brawling to martial arts. He possesses the ability of stealth and to initiate evasive maneuvers to avoid being caught. Perhaps he has some samurai in his genetics, though he might be more likely to allude to the Ninja Turtles instead, because, you know, pizza. He is strong, fast, agile and inventive. Dean fights well by himself, sometimes against multiple assailants both Human and supernatural, and he can hold his own. He fights well with his father and with Sam, though Sam was a little rusty when the series began, having been away from the 'family business' for a few years. It was initially easier for the older brother to just take the lead. That and he had to protect Sam. There's also an element of MacGyver to Dean, making what he needs with what he has, such as Molotov cocktails and explosives.
To paraphrase a certain comic book hero, he's the best there is at what he does, and what he does ain't pretty.
Dean is a good mechanic. He maintains and performs the majority of the repairs on the Impala, the car that belonged to his father and now considers his baby. He knows a lot of practical aspects to being a hunter with very little back-up, such as hot-wiring a car, picking a lock and dealing with security systems - as long as the latter isn't too complicated with heavy computer aspects. He isn't the most technologically-inclined.
On the cerebral side of things, he knows a lot about myths and legends, though not as 'bookish' or as interested in the research end of hunting as his younger brother, Sam. Some exorcisms he knows by rote. He is familiar with how a variety of government branches function and is very adept at impersonating their agents. Of the two Winchesters, he is the more accomplished 'conman', improvising, lying and laying on the charm with creative flair.
Dean is a very good poker player and pool hustler, both taught to him by his father. Hunting isn't exactly a job posted on the bulletin board of the local employment office and no one pays them to do what they do. Nor are there benefits to fall back on if business is slow or any health insurance if they're injured. Aside from anything they find of value while on the job, the motel rooms, food, clothing and supplies are either paid for by Dean's poker and pool skills or by credit cards under fake names. Dean is also pretty good at B&E.
He learned torture techniques during his time in Hell, but isn't fond of using them. He will, if so provoked. He also utilizes syringes of holy water, which he keeps in reserve for when he needs information from a demon or just wants to end them. Depends on the dose, doesn't it?
He has the ability to see the Fae for what they really are as of Season Five. Ninety-nine per cent of Humans do not have this ability.
Dean is also skilled in fixing injuries, on a level with that of a paramedic and a survivalist. He won't be performing brain surgery in a motel room, but he can set a broken bone, extract a bullet, apply bandages, provide the best pain killers he can buy/steal and knows the protocols for such things as head injuries (keep the patient awake), open wounds (sterilize, pressure bandage, sew up if necessary) and so on.
[character personality]:
Dean Winchester's life is... complicated. This bleeds into who he is and how he deals with the hand he's been dealt.
On the surface, Dean might seem pretty slick or, perhaps, a self-centered doofus, or a complete bastard. It depends on when you catch him. Regardless, judging this book by its cover would not be wise. Behind the smart mouth is a swift mind and behind the casual posture is a body ready to spring into action, if necessary. He can be childish about his rules - "Driver picks the music, shotgun shuts his cake-hole." - possessive of the Impala - "You better take care of that car or I swear I'll haunt your ass!" - and over-protective of his brother - "Watch out for Sammy" became a mantra, ingrained by his father. As much as he likes to needle and tease Sam, Dean loves him and wants him to be safe and have as 'normal' a life as possible. At the same time, Dean needs Sam to keep him grounded and watch his back and prove to him that all the crazy shit they go through is really worth it.
This dependency on the presence of his brother and the fractured hero-worship of his father lead to problems, when first one, then the other, leaves; actual departure for a different life at college in Sam's case and death for John - and then, death for Sam. Family is critical to Dean. He just can't take the thought of being alone.
When his father surrendered his life to a demon, it was so that Dean would live - with John Winchester's final words to Dean being to look out for Sam and if he can't save his brother, to kill him.
No pressure or responsibility there, right?
When Sam died, Dean sold his soul to a crossroads demon in order to bring his brother back to life. Dean figured he wasn't using his soul and therefore, wouldn't miss it and hey, he had a whole year before the demon would claim him. To the older Winchester, that was acceptable as long as Sammy was okay.
For a while, anyway.
For the most part, Dean is confident and comfortable in his own skin, though he figures the amount of brutal killings he's done and the people he couldn't save are contributing factors to him not being worthy of having a normal life. Low self-esteem lurks behind those eyes, which have seen far too much for someone so relatively young. He is loyal, brave, fierce, courageous, insightful, charming, intuitive - flippant, sarcastic, irritating, rude, impulsive, politically incorrect - and uses humour and wit as a shield. It also goes a long way to alleviating the tension and gravity of a number of situations, since the life of a Winchester is frequently dark, dire and just damn terrifying.
He can be caustic, blunt, evasive, vague and can change the topic on a dime - or try to, anyway. Sam only lets him get away with it when he's too tired or injured to argue. Bobby probably has more success at challenging this tactic, since Dean sees him as a father-figure. Warning: Don't get in Dean's way when he's angry, don't mess with his family or his car, and watch out if his intense focus is on you.
'Commitment' isn't really part of his vocabulary. He loves women and enjoys sharing time and pleasure with them, but he isn't about to let one into his crazy life. It wouldn't be fair to them and besides, Dean knows what's out there, what goes bump in the night, and couldn't 'retire' to a house in suburbia, a picket fence, two-point-five kids and a dog knowing it was all in danger from supernatural elements. He's also had his heart broken a few times and won't go through that again. Uh-uh.
Since his father was often away from days at a time, either hunting or hustling for money, Dean basically raised Sam. He did a decent job, too, shielding his younger brother for a while from the nightmares that his father didn't shield him from. Dean was the good soldier, even at the age of ten. He's good with little kids, as frequently demonstrated in the show. This includes the son of Lisa, one of the women he dared to love and eventually chose to give up for their own protection. He even went so far as to have their memories of him erased.
He loves music, especially rock 'n' roll of a certain era. He's 'old school' when it comes to how he listens to his music, too. Since a lot of his time is spent traveling in the car, which is a classic vehicle, he listens to his music on audio cassettes. No CDs or MP3s for Dean. Aside from his inability to play the more modern technology in the Impala - he'd have to modify the dashboard and you don't mess with a classic - cassettes just seem to feel right to Dean. He probably likes LPs, too, even if he doesn't have a record player. He sings quite well, though Sam might dispute that, depending on his mood. Musicians are handy for aliases, too, and Dean will frequently produce IDs with names akin to Jim Morrison, Jimmy Page, Phil Ehart, James Hetfield and the like.
Note that he plays poker and plays it well - you can't read my poker face - and that he frequently has to lie for a living. Dean can pull the wool over the eyes of the best of them, with the possible exceptions being Sam and his 'extended family', including some fellow hunters like Bobby, Ellen and Jo - hell, even Castiel, an angel. Regular folks with really well-tuned bullshit meters can usually see through at least some of his crap. The rest of the population is usually in the dark.
Dean is, in fact, a hero who doesn't actually think he qualifies as one, doesn't deserve to be considered one. Yet another reason why he truly is a hero.
Aside from all his skill and prowess, knowledge and humour, sarcasm, flirting and fierce loyalty, Dean Winchester is also the child of an alcoholic, a problem he has dealt with himself, especially in the later seasons. Neither he nor Sam had a 'normal' childhood, and I'm not saying that Sam had an easy time of it all, but John didn't hide any of the darkness in the world from Dean. He gave his eldest the responsibility of looking after his little brother to increased degrees since Dean was four years old. His wife, Mary Winchester, was killed by a demon then and Sam was just a baby. John came to rely on Dean to be mother and father, who also had to look after him on the occasions when he'd return from a hunt injured or when he came back from a bar with his winnings, drunk and smelling of smoke.
No child should have to cope with such adult situations.
There is a fascinating thesis on Dean and his status as one of the few examples on television of an ACoAs - an Adult Child of Alcoholics. I'll list the thirteen common traits, as they are presented, and say that Dean does, indeed, fit with many of these behaviours, coping mechanisms and reactions. The article says it better than I ever could. Please, take the time to read it. It is one of the most insightful observations about a fictional character that I've ever read. I could copy/paste, but that'd make this application reeeeally long.
Here is the link: No one Cares That You're Broken - http://lookatthesefreakinghipsters.tumblr.com/post/33972635142/no-one-cares-that-youre-broken-dean
The thirteen common traits are:
1.Can only guess what normal behavior is;
2.Have difficulty following a project from beginning to end;
3.Lie when it would be just as easy to tell the truth;
4.Judge themselves without mercy;
5.Have difficulty having fun;
6.Take themselves very seriously;
7.Have difficulty with intimate relationships;
8.Overreact to changes over which they have no control;
9.Constantly seek approval and affirmation;
10.Usually feel that they are different from other people;
11.Are either super responsible or super irresponsible—there’s no middle ground;
12.Are extremely loyal, even in the face of evidence that the loyalty is undeserved;
13.Are impulsive. They tend to lock themselves into a course of action without giving serious consideration to alternative behaviors or possible consequences. This impulsively leads to confusion, self-loathing and loss of control over their environment. In addition, they spend an excessive amount of energy cleaning up the mess.
Dean is all that and a bag of Doritos. Just don't get any of the coating on the inside of the Impala. Enjoy the ride.
[physical description]:
Dean Winchester stands at 6',1" or 185 cm and weighs in at about 185 lbs. or about 85 kg. He is strong, fit, athletic and looks yummy in just about anything he wears. He has brown hair and green eyes, a dimple in his chin and dimples when he flashes a smile. Generally considered quite handsome, even a bit 'pretty-boy', he certainly knows how to hold someone's attention, whether he really wants to or not. He's sexy and he knows it, which is another issue all in itself.
He tends to dress in jeans, tees, work boots, button down shirts and a leather jacket, though he does clean up well and has rocked a tux on at least one occasion. When impersonating someone from the FBI or the DOD, he wears a suit and tie. Thank God for second-hand stores.
He used to wear a silver ring on his right ring finger. It belonged to his mother: her wedding ring. He used to wear an amulet Sam gave him for Christmas in 1991. He removed both items in different episodes of Season Five. Though he no longer has these items, I felt it was important to be aware of their absence.
In the first two seasons, he wore two black bracelets. They are African support bracelets from Invisible Children, a group which focuses on the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) conflict in East and Central Africa and the children there who need help: immediate needs and long-term effects. Link to their website, for the curious: http://invisiblechildren.com/about/
Dean has a tattoo just beneath and to the left of his left collarbone. It's a pentagram to protect him from demonic possession. Sam has an identical tattoo in the same location on his body.
PB: Jensen Ackles.
[point in timeline you're picking your character from]: The end of Season Eight.
[journal post]:
[A device comes on line and it appears to be sitting on a table at a cafe, facing the street. It is late afternoon. A few people are milling about, taking care of business, meeting friends, heading home. After a brief pause, a man appears about fifteen feet off the ground, and, thanks to the laws of gravity, promptly plummets to the street, landing hard, face down.
The device, apparently wanting the capture the full reaction of the latest arrival in the City, zooms in on the figure as best it can as it lies there, face down, arms splayed out at the last minute to try and stop his head from hitting the ground. He is dressed casually in blue jeans, work boots, a tee and a worn, leather jacket. His hair is brown and cut short and neat. He looks up, body tense, eyes narrowing at his surroundings, and tries to stand.
Pain shoots through his left leg, but he barely makes a sound and manages to shift to an awkward seated position, shortly followed, with the help of a chair, to an awkward standing position. He's a handsome man, with appealing features and an athletic build, but to say he currently looks confused, concerned and just a little pissed off would be an understatement. He is obviously looking for someone. When he speaks, his voice is deeper than his apparent age might suggest.]
Nonononono... Sam? Sam? Sammy!
[third person / log sample]:
Blood. There was so much blood and damn, but the human body wasn't supposed to lose that much and live to talk about it.
Hey, because of that knife wound? I just couldn't stop the stuff from leaving my body. It was incredible! Good thing I had a few pints of o-negative in the trunk of my car. Boy, was my face red. Wanna beer?
He huffed a little at the thought, decided that Sam might find it funny or he might just make a face or roll his eyes at his older brother. Dean hoped that he was actually going to be able to enjoy the moment, whatever the reaction. Right now, he wasn't making much progress to reaching the back door, reaching his phone, reaching help, never mind having a beer with Sam. His lips were cracked and his throat was dry and a beer sounded so damn good.
Moving on automatic, he stretched out a shaking arm, placed the palm of his hand on the kitchen tile with a soft slap and tried to pull himself another few feet. It hurt, God, it hurt so fucking much. He had to stay focused, had to stay conscious. How long had be been locked in that closet, just bleeding out while some wacko was sharpening his knives for the next sacrifice? Shit, but Dean hated pagan rituals.
"Come on, come on," he muttered to himself, voice hoarse and head getting lighter by the moment. He'd wasted some energy breaking the door down, but it wasn't like he'd had another option. Then standing had been an issue and therefore walking was out of the question, so dragging himself across the floor was his solution. Pitiful, perhaps, but he'd worry about his dignity later. At least he hadn't been stabbed in a lung or have a gut wound. He wouldn't have made it out of the closet with those injuries.
There was a joke there, somewhere, about coming out of the closet, but he couldn't think of a punch line right at the moment, for some reason.
Oh, yeah. Stabbed in the front, left shoulder, near my tattoo. That'd explain a few things.
Still, thinking about it too hard would only make his head hurt more than it already did. And he still hadn't reached the door.
Hand out, on floor, pull...
The guy hadn't stabbed him in the femoral artery or slit his throat, either, for which Dean was thankful. It was lucky he didn't fit the parameters for the sacrifice. Kelly, a young girl of about thirteen, was going to die tonight so some woodland god could grow in power and raise havoc against developers who destroyed forests. Dean was all for helping Mother Nature, but even the tree-huggers wouldn't approve of this course of action. Kelly was going to be victim number seven - another magical number for this pagan god, apparently.
Kelly was going to see her fourteenth birthday if Dean had any say in the matter.
Shit.
He was almost at the kitchen island when the screen door opened and Marty the Wacko walked in. Dean pushed and rolled himself behind the island, grabbed the leg of one of the wooden stools with his right hand and waited. It wasn't as if there was blood on the floor leading from the closet and a door hanging on one hinge for Marty to clue in to the situation.
Why is my life some complicated? Oh, yeah. I'm a Winchester.
Wacko took three steps passed the island then stopped to look at the destruction before Dean heaved up onto one knee and swung the stool at Marty's head with as much force as he could manage. With a shout, Wacko dropped to his knees. Somehow, Dean stood, shaking, and yelled a cry worthy of a warrior in the ring as he clubbed the man again with the stool. Marty turned, held up one hand as if to ward off the blow, tried to get back on his feet, but Dean was having none of it. A third blow left the man sprawled on the kitchen floor, unconscious and down for the count.
"That's for six girls, you son of a bitch," Dean growled. "And for the dent in my baby's front bumper." The damn forest god had jumped into the country road the night before and the Impala had taken the blow. It had been like hitting a deer, but in '67, car bodies were metal, not crumpling plastic. The damage was there, but happily minimal compared to what a Honda might suffer. Man, they didn't make cars like her anymore.
Marty the Wacko had a lot to answer for, but first, Dean needed a phone. The one mounted on the wall looked like it was made in the Seventies and hadn't been cleaned in thirty years. He sighed.
Beggars can't be choosers.
Sam picked up after the second ring. "Dean?"
"How did you know?"
"You haven't returned my calls," said the slightly tinny voice of his brother. "And there's no caller ID. And I had a vision about --"
"Yeah, I get it, Psychic Lad. Rope in your Justice League joy and get over here, now. And by here," Dean continued when he heard Sam take a breath to ask where the hell he was, "I mean Marty's house on Route Four."
There was a brief pause. "Marty?"
"Yep." Dean leaned against the counter, wincing as he shifted for better support.
"Marty the camp counselor?"
"Yep. Seems like he bonded with the great outdoors. Look, I need you here, now, and with reinforcements. I have to go find Kelly and the sacrificial alter and maybe face-off with Herne the Hunter while I wait for your slow ass."
"Herne the Hunter is the keeper of Windsor Forest in England, not a minor tree god in Maine."
"Whatever, Geek-boy."
"I'll be there in ten with the Sheriff."
"Make it five and bring a medic."
"Dean --"
"Just do it."
"Jerk."
"Bitch."
Sam disconnected the call and Dean permitted himself a smile. It sounded like things would be back to normal soon, whatever 'normal' was. He hung up the phone and checked under the kitchen sink for something. Then he straightened, bottle of Deep Woods Off! in one hand and a carving knife in the other.
No rest for the wicked...