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davidmann95 · 3 years

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So you've talked a lot about Darkseid, but what about the other New Gods?

SO THIS HAS BEEN IN MY INBOX FOR ALMOST AS LONG AS THIS BLOG’S BEEN AROUND AND I JUST FINALLY FINISHED FOURTH WORLD

Well that sure was something. My musings on some major players that I either have substantial thoughts on, or where I especially think the majority consensus/interpretation has subsequently gotten them wrong (a state Kirby is well aware of, because a HUGE part of “Even Gods Can Die!” is him being frustrated at subsequent handlings of the characters even by 1984 mucking things up):

Orion: Perhaps the most hard-done by as a result of Kirby never being able to fully finish Fourth World as he had imagined it, as his character arc ends on a cliffhanger for a decade and is forced into a rapid completion later. When he emerges, while a warrior born he’s also every bit the classical, magnificent hero you expect to see in a superhero comic to try and overshadow his inner demons, while by the end of New Gods he’s embraced not only his true face (the OTHER face, as his father would put it) in the fight against Apokolips but the murderous, sadistic rage that is his birthright, reveling in inflicting agony and very much the berserker others have since portrayed him as. Surely as much a product of his trauma from a childhood on Apokolips (a detail frequently glossed over) and a sense of being unwanted as anything genetic, it’s ultimately unconditional love for him as he truly is in Hunger Dogs that lets him overcome his fear that he can’t be anything but a monstrous tool in service of better people than himself, and embrace ‘the tomorrow overture’. Even his anger has its righteous if tragic place as a primal force of upheaval: “It defies time! It stands firm against the hammers of change! It mocks life and defies death!” I won’t get to it for awhile yet, but very curious what Simonson does with him.

Lightray: Rules! He’s the closest the New Gods have to a traditional superhero, and it’s in that capacity that while a lousy warrior next to Orion (Kalibak thinks little of his attempt at fighting him, mockingly deeming him a “callow little killer”), his strength is in transformation: he makes himself light, he turns a tormented weapon into the glory boat, a machine armed against the New Gods into a weapon against Darkseid, Orion from a man alone into a friend. He’s not a warrior, but he’s the one who makes a better world worth waging war for and who might one day make such war unnecessary. Also he and Orion have definitely fucked.

Mister Miracle: Not WILDLY off the mark since, but it’s interesting that as I expect a result of JLI he’s been written so often since as an everymanish, relatable, bordering-on-comedic figure, when under Kirby he was very much the archetypal good guy. One often committed to freeing others as he had been freed himself, in the likes of Ted Brown and Shilo Norman, an avenue I’m surprised hasn’t been explored more often from what I’ve seen. Also worth noting: Darkseid declared the moment he got his hands on the kid that Granny would be twice as hard on him as others, and that it would eventually drive the boy away and let the war resume. Which not only indicates Darkseid’s understanding of the subtlety needed in control, but would seem to take Scott’s rebellion out of his own hands…except that at the moment of his escape Darkseid still offered him a choice, implored the boy to allow him to “complete the destruction of Scott Free – so you may live with the majesty that is the power of DARKSEID!” And instead he turned his back on his god and chose to be what he is.

Barda: Shockingly, great as she’s been since, her background is often severely mischaracterized. The shorthand is “love saved her and turned her from a servant of evil to a champion of good!”, but that’s…while not entirely wrong, a bad way of presenting it. When she leaves Apokolips initially, even after she starts hanging out with Scott Free and Oberson after having helped the former escape years earlier, she still believes in Darkseid. She fights and hates her former allies not because she’s turned against his vision of the universe (this is in fact a major aspect often overlooked - under Kirby Darkseid’s agents don’t simply fear him, they sincerely believe in him and his vision of how the universe works) but because she sees them as loathsome, brutish executors of his grand design. In short, she doesn’t think it’s the system that’s the problem, but a bunch of bad apples. It’s her experience with freedom and simple pleasures and life on Earth, her lingering guilt over the death of her friend Auralie as eventually manifested in her protection and training of Shiloh Norman, and yes, her eventual realized love for Scott, that brings her around to realizing she truly desires a life beyond what Darkseid can offer.

Forever People: Okay I actually don’t have a ton to say about the Forever People, though I do think they’re underrated and underutilized. Naive and in over their heads as the frequently are they’re also the best of their peers, believing in freedom and transformation and the potential of those around them to become better - their defining moment for me is when they reassure Sonny Sumo that having the power of the Anti-Life Equation doesn’t make him a monster. “Where we come from the Anti-Life Equation is one of many others–almost as awesome!! But they merely exist!! It’s we who live!!”

Metron: The big figure I haven’t really been able to crack. Machinery as not necessarily cold mechanization but extensions of ourselves and our souls, and able to nourish them in turn, is a big aspect of Fourth World, but Metron as the embodiment of mechanization and knowledge feels like not just an outsider as he’s framed but one who never quite became whatever Kirby had in mind for him, making his crucial role at the end of Hunger Dogs a bit of a non-sequitur for me. I’d be curious to hear what other people think.

Desaad: God Desaad’s been made boring. Not that he isn’t fairly one-dimensional under Kirby too, but his craft and awful glee as the god of torture isn’t just in strapping people to tables and poking them with unpleasant tools, it’s in manipulating their emotions and agonies to a fever pitch - he should be such an unsettling figure, and instead he’s a simpering helpless toady.

Highfather: Not a perfect figure, given how he’s framed with the likes of Fastbak, and the Forever People, and the Pact, willing to deploy fear as a weapon in the name of peace as Darkseid will use chaos in the name of a larger order, but always trying - as with Darkseid, an imperfect vessel of what he represents, but capable of growth and realization as a leader.

Steppenwolf/Heggra: Essential to understanding The Pact, they’re the old ways of the world and war, petty despots and warrior-kings, supplanted by fascism in Darkseid.

Darkseid: So I’ve discussed Darkseid before in terms of his broad use and ideas, but the very specific ways Kirby presented him have their own dimensions. In the world of superheroes he’s larger-than-life and often such in here too, but in rare moments, and by the end entirely as all artifice is stripped away? Kirby’s Darkseid is a profoundly human figure. He recognizes the irony that the Forever People believe in letting all be who they are, for that very need to fulfill himself is why he must pursue conquest (“And of course - that’s the pity of it!”). While he thinks to himself “Oh, how heroes LOVE to flaunt their nobility in the face of death! Yet THEY know better than most that war is but the COLD game of the BUTCHER!” he too believes in “Boldness! Risk! The raw meat of existence!” even as he consigns himself to the role of puppetmaster rather than warrior. He does or so he tells himself “no more than what HAS to be done!!” rather than indulging in cruelty for its own sake. He dresses up in ridiculous costumes for his schemes, he gets sarcastic, he recognizes honor and respects worthy foes, he feels love, he craves the laughter of a friend, he fears the obsolesce of his preferred way of doing things, he tells himself that should he achieve omnipotence others will find “eternal shelter”. He’s a person, one capable of a range of emotions, but he is the TIGER FORCE AT THE CORE OF ALL THINGS regardless…not because he is a mythic unstoppable force, but because every day he rises and believes in himself over all others, because there is a black hole within him that he can only hope dominance might fill regardless of what pain he finds in the process. But as Mister Miracle’s battle with the Lump foretold, when left truly alone over a world that is himself he will be only within “a self-made prison”, reflections of his own fear and agony.

#New Gods #Fourth World #Kirby #Orion #Lightray #Mister Miracle #Barda #Forever People #Metron #Desaad #Highfather #Darkseid #Opinion

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archtroop · 4 years

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Supernatural ENDS - A Darkness!Dean & God!Sam Ending MetaTheory

As Supernatural enters its final a story arc, there have been many theories of the possible ending for the Winchester brothers. Me, personally, I've theorized it before, but now, that the idea of killing/eliminating both God and Amara was made literal within the show – I would like to humor and toy with this idea once more – and with feeling – of the ending being God!Sam & Darkness Dean.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I present to you -

Supernatural: A Divine Comedy

FICTION BECOMES YOU (Is that a Misery thing?)

The brothers were written as God's way of dealing with his own issues with his beloved other half – The Darkness. But when I say “Brothers” I mean not only Sam and Dean: Before them there were Michael & Lucifer (and I would also suggest that the discrepancy presented through the seasons regarding who is the older brother and who is the younger may actually suggest they are a set of twins, foils, literally, figuratively and in any other way, and thus – stand first and foremost on equal grounds); Cain and Abel – whose story was altered by Lucifer's intervention – be it Chuck's intent or not – and Finally – Dean & Sam themselves.

There is actually one more couple I could think of who weren't mentioned but may have just been another set of Chuck's machination: Adam and Eve. The show obviously shied away from this parallel, but it did parallel Dean and Sam with their own parents. It's not that far fetched and I'll explain my reasoning later on.

In various myths of creations, in all cultures – pagan and monotheistic alike – the duality and the fraternity of two entities that are also a couple is very common: Morduch and Tiamat, Isis and Osiris and you google it. Morduch and Tiamat are especially interesting in this regard – since Tiamat is water and skies and the Primordial Goddess of Chaos – she is defeated by Morduch – who is the God of the Land - and thus earth is created. Well you get the picture.

My point is, Dean and Sam (notice I'm flipping the order of the names on purpose) are the last link in a series of sets, and in Chuck's perspective – they are his best and most enjoyable ones. In a very convoluted, subversive Supernatural-esque way – they are also unkillable to a certain degree – they have a free will too strong, and Chuck can't seem to bend them to his own will. Dean and Sam won't kill each other under no circumstances. And this drives Chuck towards madness.

The thing about free will and godly intent is that – as a Jewish saying goes - “everything is predestined, but permission is granted” - means God will not bend free will. He will give you all the roads less traveled, all the hints and clues and goading, but you are still free to choose. Also he knows what you may choose, unless you choose otherwise. It's a paradox of sorts, and that is exactly the point.

With Michael and Lucifer Chuck sought to have his own story under control. But Lucifer wouldn't comply. Lucifer, the Light Bringer, is actually a Chuck parallel. Chuck, too, had to have his own way. Michael, forever loyal to the order of things – just like The Darkness is – followed orders. And thus, Lucifer, cursed with the mark that held the Darkness (about that later on, too) - fell. My sympathy for the Devil in this case is that – Lucifer showed great free will (in the Supernatural mythology, by that point Lucifer was the carrier of The Mark, but I would give him the benefit of the doubt and allow Lucifer act on his accord regarding the rebellion). Lucifer's free will is immense: He had an actual, personal opinion, while it was an unfathomable notion to any other angel at the time. Lucifer sought the love and approval of his absent father – who was eternally immersed in his work. When he couldn't achieve that – he rebelled. Interesting to think of that in regards of young and willful Sam. Pride – was also a trait Lucifer and Sam shared. Sam had the audacity to step out, and he acted upon his free will. He rebelled. Sam, too, was “marked”, but was that the Demon Blood in him, or was it his free will? God's hypocrisy is also very apparent in this – angels are not to have free will, as it is not meant for them. Yet, they are capable, and are punished for acting upon it, be it benevolent or malevolent.

Adam and Eve followed. There are actually two separate tales in the bible regarding the emergence of mankind: The first depicts Adam and Eve as made equal and in God's image. The second one – tells the story that features the rib. Canonization of the bible by men preferred to emphasize the later – out of obvious reasons. Yet if you look closely and read carefully – the first one is still there. What is interesting about this duality is the idea of Nature vs. Nurture emerging: the Nature of Adam and Eve is equal. But the nurture – societal tale – is not. This is interesting especially in regards of Dean and Sam here – their predestined nature was neutral - a big brother. A younger brother. Just another family. But God's machinations, Azazel's plan (remember free will?) and the angels all together – created a “rib”: The story diverted, in a way that Dean not only fulfilled the role of a brother, but also acted as the mother, the father and anything else in between in a way – Sam grew out from under Dean's wing – from his rib, to be at his side. The roads all together lead to a situation, in which, by the time Mark Of Cain came up, Sam was not just the Abel of the story, But also the Colette. This toppled the story over, and prevented the ending Chuck was constructing.

Also, Adam Milligan was a reenactment of Seth – the third brother of Cain and Abel. Seth was born to replace the brother that died, and this is literally his only predestination. Within the show, Adam Milligan ends up as Michael's vessel, but if we go back, and think about god's great plan – it is most likely he would've thought of a backup for Lucifer's vessel – since the trait of pride and rebellion would've been the vessel's predisposition. Azazel had similar thought's actually. See my Azazel meta for more musings.

Adam ending up as Michael's vessel was one of the first chinks in God's plan. Dean and Sam had it their way, as did the angels and the demons. And God liked that story, he really did. But he was not satisfied. His characters surprised him. But they were also disobedient.

While Sam is the one who is constantly defined by his eternal faith (which is kinda proudfull on its own), he himself feels “unclean” and “unworthy”. Yet as long as he has Dean – he would have enough “Faith” for them both. In many ways, Sam's path to godhood was well paved from the start: he is the Saint, the Sacrificial Body, the one to take upon himself the sins of others. Many times he is the Jesus, the Messiah. Sam mourns the few even if he saved the most. He is the God humanity would've wanted – the God who is on the side of humanity, the God we deserve.

Dean, on the other hand, is The Righteous Man, the one to call the shots, most of the time, the one to be right about many things again and again. And this is not about doing the right thing, it's about being right about the nature of the thing. He basically embodies naked truth, a chaotic, primordial truth. In other words, if Sam is conscience, compassion and forgiveness – Dean is raw judgement, truths and facts (in fact, “Dean” in Hebrew – and thus in the bible – means “judgement”). They both comprise together flesh and spirit – body and Soul. Of course, this is not cut and dry, and their traits crisscross between them throughout the story.

When Dean took upon himself The Mark Of Cain, he became the carrier of The Darkness. He was the body that released her, he became the mother of The Darkness on the earthly plain. Darkness is matter and nothingness. God – is creation, spirit, soul. He en-souls earth with life. The Darkness is very much a mother earth figure, the material from which creation could happen. Sam is what gives Dean his motivation, his life. Without Sam, Dean is a sorrowful walking corpse. Without Dean, Sam is a soulless shell of a human being, vicious and remorseless. They keep each other human, sane.

The Mark in itself, embodied the rage of an entity trapped for eons. It drives the host mad with basic carnal desire and strips it of all its virtues. Demon!Dean embodies this. It's a cry for help. Amara screaming for freedom. In a way it is somewhat of an allegory to pagan beliefs and old faiths screaming in agony as Christianity crashes and tramples them. It manifests as this natural catastrophe of sorts, cruel and unpredictable. After all, vices are born from desires being locked away and ignored.

SAM AS THE CREATOR; JACK'S FREE WILL

God may have created all things, but his prime virtue is giving choice, and presenting his creations with numerous paths. Sam is this. Jack was born predominantly an evil creature (which is not entirely true – Lucifer was an archangel first, Satan – later. In closer look, he embodies free will and the freedom of thought). Dean was right about Jack being dangerous, about him bringing discord and hurt. But Sam was the one to insist on the fact that Jack is part human, and he has as equal chance at goodness. As much as Castiel was to be the one to raise Jack and influence him, he ended up being the one to insure his corporeal emergence of all things. This is in itself a beautiful thought: Castiel “fall” is about becoming less of a wavelength of celestial intent and more and more of a human being. His pull towards Dean, which is undeniable, in my opinion, is his longing to become a whole complete creature – by defending Kelly till the very end and ensuring the birth of humanity, Castiel embodies a very corporeal form of evolution.

But it is Sam who molds Jack the most: He gives him CHOICE. Dean, with time, comes to terms with Jack and who he is and may be. In this metaphor – Sam is God, Dean is The Darkness and Jack – is humanity and creation. Jack may bring discord and hurt, but as well may bring joy and hope. Jack in his turn invokes himself a guiding figure: Castiel, who is there to be by his side, an actual, real and corporeal guardian angel. He is the godfather figure, in this metaphor. The faith humans put in whatever there is other then God; a set of rules, a spiritual guide. It's beautiful on it own: Sam is to give Jack choice, but the angel – is the one to grace Jack with conscience.

“I AM TIRED”; DEAN'S SOLACE IS AMARA'S WISH

When the line “there will be peace when you are done” is ever uttered, we must recall a very specific thing: While Sam, as a Messiah figure, rises his head again and again, Dean is the one to repeat how tired he is. To actually be frustrated at having to save everybody. To be running on fumes. Time and time again, it comes up – he is torn between the duty and the longing for quite, and to close his eyes. He is a death seeker. Sam is forever hopeful, and hope is the last to die, if Sam's hope runs out – everything falls apart – Dean will shoot himself (Croatoan) or worse. When Amara came to Dean in a shroud of blackness, she offered him to be one with her. To receive an eternal rest. It reminded me of Jewish burial: the body is thoroughly cleaned and wrapped in white shrouds, then lowered into a hole in the ground. No coffins – you are to become one with the earth. Your soul is to depart and to be placed with all the rest of the souls in the “bundle of lives”. Amara goes on and says that the souls she consumed live inside her, and are at peace. And Dean is tempted, he is pulled towards her and her words. But he can never rest, for there is work to be done. He is cursed to feel responsible.

One other thing that makes Dean and Amara compatible, is their choice of freedom: Amara, as a free entity (and I mean – free from any and all inhibitions) indulges in humane activities, rather then trying to, say, take over or plot further revenge. Dean, too, is actually a very carnal, tactile physical being. In many ways, Dean embraces humane vices, as things that just exist – he acknowledges the joys of flesh (even though it is not his primary longing), and that furthermore positions him as an earthly being of raw matter. He may be very judgmental of human choices but not of their cravings.

In the duality of Creation and Nothingness, we now enter the duality of Spiritual and Material. And from the point of view of religiousness – spirituality is the divine, while the carnal is regarded to as vein. In that parallel, The Darkness is all that is ungodly – it does not render it as void (that would be The Abyss – dubbed as The Empty on the show), but rather the foil of Spiritual Divinity: Flesh and Blood.

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To save humanity, our heroes need to stop the God That Has Gone Mad. But since he is woven into the fabric of creation, he cannot be killed – it will cause a great imbalance. Billie's reincarnation as Death could be a foreshadowing: maybe if a reaper is made in Death's image, and the human is made in God's image – the human to annihilate God – will become him? Or, maybe the answer is The Darkness. But will Amara be willing to hurt her younger kin? Micheal turned on Lucifer at God's will. Cain killed Abel out of necessity (to save his soul); but Dean wouldn't kill Sam for neither of those reasons. He would have Sam corrupt or not but alive. Maybe a pair of soulmates are needed to complete this task – two humans who embody a bond on a metaphysical level, a strong enough bond to hold the balance of the universe with it.

In whatever scenario it goes down, at the end – no way God or The Darkness may exist without the other. A reincarnation of each of the entities would be needed to keep the universe on its feet. Since the idea of heroism has been presented – that would be the perfect heroic balanced act to put an end to the story: Sam taking God's place, and Dean becoming one with The Darkness. By becoming a corporeal manifestations of omnipotent entities, they have the power to save creation and maintain balance, while never loosing each other. Sam as the new God, is no more the writer, as much as he is An Archivist (A Men of Letters), Dean obtains inner peace within all the turmoil he is bound to carry throughout his life; to roam the earth and indulge in it, in its vices and virtues alike. God and The Darkness were never The Good and The bad, for Choice is both – but rather Spirit and Matter. The Darkness is an advocate of the Matter (as we actually get a glimpse of her, enjoying life among humans in the beginning of S15). God is the advocate of the spirit. Darkness!Dean may as well be that random entity that stirs things a certain way to its liking or approval. He may be the Judge and Executioner of those he deems unworthy of creation: him being fully responsible and overprotective of humanity being met with the power to intervene, would be a sight to behold.

And God!Sam? Will be there to answer your prayers and give you a long-time-coming guidance; an entity that advocates autonomy and free will, out of a sense of great purpose and love. An entity of eternal compassion and forgiveness. You can atone your sins before The Darkness, you may serve in Hell for your sins, but it is God's forgiveness you may need to enter Heaven. God!Sam and Darkness!Dean would care enough to negotiate with The Empty for all the souls there, to properly purge them, to give those souls new purpose, as part of creation, be it via reincarnation or raw energy. God!Sam may even remake Heaven in his image – where angels are working hard to help, to guide and protect, Castiel by his side above, Rowena bellow. Darkness!Dean would take it upon himself the cleansing of Purgatory, making it habitable for outcasts, for Darkness!Dean is the one to take in the most lost souls and finding them a place. The various creatures of nightmares and loss and pain would be slowly taken care of; one by one. A harmonious balanced creation may also mean that negativeness like ghosts are inevitable. But the way they are taken care of could be addressed by these newly formed prime entities, and it may be a better way.

But that's a whole other story.

...Oh and the Blackout? Is from Chuck's perspective. This is the ultimate Death of The Author, after all.

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On a personal note, after writing this out, I feel it is too cheery and is a happy ending with an actual stories that might follow and now I suspect that this theory won't hold on the show... Not enough peace.

I suspect Sam gives up his life to annihilate Chuck, and Dean commits suicide. Billie collects their souls, for keeps forever. That would be the other only way to stick it to God and obtain eternal peace. But. Who knows.

Or, S16 is a go for some strange reason, and Sam kills Chuck and takes over as God!Sam but is nowhere to be found, and Dean scouts the Earth and Hell and all of the Heavenly Host with his amulet around his neck hoping it will shine in the presence of God.

-The End-

#supernatural #spn #meta #god!sam #darkness!dean #spn ends #spn ends theory #slight wincest of the canonical variety #free will #choice #jack kline #spirituality vs carnal desires #divinity vs matter #foils #demon!Dean #amara #chuck #the darkness #spn god

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