Supernatural

I’m unspoiled for anything after 4.14 Sex and Violence and want to stay that way until the show takes the story where it will. However, I’d love thoughts and opinions on how this does or doesn’t fit with what others see the show doing.

Bridges have become increasingly present and obvious in the most recent episodes. Of course, now that it’s reached the point where (in my opinion) they must mean something, we may never see another.

Given the couple dozen dictionary definitions of the word bridge, perhaps there isn’t a single specific meaning we’re meant to arrive at, but there are a few connections we might be expected to consider. As physically presented in the show, bridges are supported spans crossing and providing a path across an obstacle. Their purpose can be to avoid danger or smooth the way. Bridge designs vary as appropriate for particular circumstances. Additionally, they act as a very basic shelter.

Beyond that, the sheer repetition of the element serves as does a musical or poetic refrain in recalling that a bridge is also a transition section between more important pieces. Dream interpretation for bridges include signifying connections between people or situations or stages of consciousness.

Even without my theory, I’m seeing the bridge motif (like the numerous twin moments still happening) as reassurance of an essential connection existing between the two boys regardless of the extreme stress currently in their relationship. Going with my theory – if Sam’s ‘usefulness’ is dreamwalking in Dean’s reality to get him the rest of the way back from hell – a bridge might be symbolic of a merging of pathways helping to explain the Dean-like Sam and Sammy-esque Dean we are seeing.

Idioms: burning bridges; bridge the gap; building bridges; bridge over troubled waters; cross that bridge when you [I, we] get to it; water under the bridge; like painting the Forth Bridge (that’s new to me – meaning never finished)

Literary: nursery rhyme “London Bridge” and the folktale of “Three Billy Goats Gruff” with the troll guarding the bridge…. (Once I had this thought, I had to go find and reread a season one fic, Conversational Winchester for Trolls by livejournalist eloise_bright. It still makes me laugh.)

Miscellaneous: My ‘bridging‘ ceremony from Brownie to Junior Girl Scout involved an actual small wooden footbridge set up in the school gymnasium. I believe that’s still common – though, um, maybe not so much for Sam and Dean.

Generally, the Winchesters are positioned alongside or under the bridges we’ve seen. I believe symbolically I’d like them crossing the bridge, except the two times I remember the action set ON a bridge (1.01 Pilot and 2.05 Simon Says) each resulted in an element of suicide (the woman in white) or forced suicide (the girl friend of Andy while under his twin’s control).

I’m working backwards looking for patterns. (Most of my speculation has been the result of backward thinking.) Please help by reminding me of bridge instances I’ve forgotten. Jump in with what you notice and what you think it means. (Season one caps are from marishna at summerskin and the rest are from oxoniensis.)

4.14 Sex and Violence

Seen from this angle looking up river, it’s revealed there are a series of bridges.

From a distance the view shows a curve ahead.

As the camera shifts to closer on the boys, some perspective trick keeps the red top of the bridge support in the frame. (Is it too crazy to see a link between the red at the pinnacle of the support and in the strip of red glimpsed at Sam’s open shirt? Yeah, I know, I know, but still….)

4.13 After School Special

This shot is used at both the beginning and end of this mid-episode scene. It shows the bridge currently impassable while swung open in order to allow for river traffic.

From this angle, we see the bridge’s structure (reminiscent of recent obstructed views?) There is a clear path through underneath.

4.11 Family Remains

Again, the scene is book-ended with the distance shot. The bridge supports here remind me of repeated pi symbols (pie!). When you let your eye see it, toward the back, the crosspiece of one layer intersects the upright of the layer in front of it creating a cemetery-like field of white crosses (a motif I’ve already discussed here).

In Dean’s close-up with the boys directly underneath the bridge, you can see at least one of the ‘crosses’ between the brothers.

4.08 Wishful Thinking

Okay, I’m stretching since this is actually a pier, I suppose. But it could be thought of as a bridge to nowhere without too much trouble. Here’s Dean walking off after admitting to Sam that he does remember hell but refusing to go any further. I love this shot for the elevating camera angle, the blue lamp in the corner, and the way Sam turns and follows Dean as if he were at the end of some sort of invisible anchor line.

edit 2: Also from 4.08 Wishful Thinking, here are the boys on Big Foot’s trail. Aww, it’s like a bridge with training wheels!

4.06 Yellow Fever

I came across this mural bridge originally when looking for crosses. In that post, I did hope there was meaning behind associating the crosses with power and a bridge.

EDIT: Oh, my! When we read the season four progression of bridges chronologically, look what happens! First there’s a two dimensional representation of a bridge. Then, the pier that isn’t actually a whole bridge, but at least it’s 3D. Soon, the boys are spotted directly under a section of bridge. (I don’t remember seeing the outside of this bridge at all.) Next, the boys are at a bridge, but it’s currently set to an open position, and so uncrossable. Finally, in the last shot before weeks of hiatus, we get a real whole functional bridge. It’s lofty and relatively fragile looking, but it’s there.

I love this so much as far as my speculating goes! If I’d worked this out sooner and put it together with the hyacinths, I wouldn’t have worried so much (or at least not in the same way) for the boys all these weeks. I’m tempted to just delete the rest of this post because who needs it? But, here it stays for the record.

2.05 Simon Said

Andy’s evil twin Ansem mind controls Tracy into climbing onto the dam’s edge. He also causes his mother and doctor to commit suicide in the ep as well as making Dean turn his gun on himself.

The sign reads:  WARNING / DAM AHEAD / VIOLENT TURBULENCE / AND RAPID CHANGES / IN WATER LEVEL

I will never stop loving Dean’s declaration that he gets a do-over. This is the ep where, under Andy’s influence, Dean babbles and reveals he’s afraid of what Sam’s powers mean.

1.21 Salvation

Dean arrives with the fake Colt John will take to his meet up with Meg.  (This is the same bridge that shows up in 4.13 After School Special, right?)

1.01 Pilot - I really don’t have anything particularly insightful for this ep, but the shots are all nice and this is where it all started.  Consider this a reminder as much as anything else, and let’s see if anyone else is inspired to put on his or her thinking cap.

Boys approach.

Boys leave.

Centennial Bridge at night. edit: I rewatched the Pilot and realized it’s the Sylvania Bridge on Centennial Highway.

Boys argue.

The woman in white distracts.

Boys chased by a possessed Impala.

Boys recover after tumbling over the edge. Dean landed in water and mud while Sam was able to cling to the outer edges of the bridge.

Tags: 1.01 Pilot, 1.21 Salvation, 2.05 Simon Said, 4.06 Yellow Fever, 4.08 Wishful Thinking, 4.11 Family Remains, 4.13 After School Special, 4.14 Sex and Violence, bridges, crosses, dreams, speculation, visuals