In this past Thursday’s episode of Supernatural titled Yellow Fever, Dean Winchester (Jensen Ackles) was infected with something called Ghost Sickness. In an exchange between Dean and his brother Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki) a comment was made by Sam that the others who had died from this were considered ‘real dicks’. Dean responds ‘so I’m a dick’?
Within minutes of the episode ending, the internet was filled with fans going to Supernatural forums and Live Journals to protest this apparent denigration of the character of Dean Winchester by the writers of Supernatural. Today, Supernatural Creator Eric Kripke has released the following statement to clarify the issue and assure fans that no denigration of Dean Winchester was ever truly intended.
Eric Kripke:
“So I’ve never before responded directly to the fandom’s comments about an episode, and I don’t plan to make a habit of it, but I couldn’t resist dropping in a thought about the episode “Yellow Fever.”
Which is this:
Dean is not a dick.
None of the writers, or anyone on the creative team of Supernatural, think Dean’s ever been a dick, past, present, or future. He’s a hero. Dean did NOT contract the ghost sickness because he’s a dick.
Victims contract the illness because they use “fear as a weapon.” Dean asks Lilith at the episode’s end, “why did I get infected?” And she cryptically responds, “you know why. Listen to your heart.”
We, as the writers, probably should have emphasized this mystery more, I take responsibility for that omission. But the point is: the reason he was infected is because of a SECRET he’s keeping. A dark secret that will be revealed in Episode 10. And not at all because of any dickishness, implied or otherwise.
Thanks, gang. “
Eric Kripke, Creator Supernatural
Dear Eric, some of your fans are dicks.I am on LiveJournal and didnt see any comments of this sort amongst the dozens of epsiode reactions I read. i just read lots of accolades for a show that was both hilarious and still advanced the character development of Sam and Dean, and the mytharc. A show that can be self referential in a funny postmodern way and a reflective way. A Show that can present life as morally confusing and ambiguous, as more complex than Good vs Evil. A Show that many of us adore especially because it pushes and challenges us. Keep being awesome, MJ
Many fans in all sections of the internet fandom for Supernatural were protesting the idea that the writers had written something that implied Dean Winchester was a dick.
I admire them for standing up for their favorite character and I admire Eric Kripke for listening to the fans on all internet communities devoted to Supernatural regarding this particular issue and taking the time to clarify that it was not the writers intention to malign the character of Dean Winchester and they had not made themselves clear that they never intended for it to come off sounding like they were saying Dean was a dick.
Of course it is your right to view that fans on any internet comunity who stood up for Dean and protested this ‘dick’ thing are in themselves dicks for doing it. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions on issues that involve fans or fandom.
I agree with your saying that Supernatural is an amazing show because it pushes and challenges us.