Question about the last couple of SPN episodes

[moonshayde]

I know I haven't posted any thoughts on Smallville and Supernatural last week. Did I? I don't even remember anymore. Anyway...

I do have a question about the episode of Supernatural, though. Spoilers, obviously.



Does Dean remember Hell?

I ask because I'm not sure what we're supposed to think. That might be the point. In Yellow Fever, hallucination!Lilith said that he remembered ever bit of it. In It's the Great Punpkin, Sam Winchester Uriel tells Sam to ask Dean what he remembers of Hell.

We've seen flashes of Dean remembering something in several episodes. (Btw, kudos for making the flashbacks weird and abstract and creepy without revealing anything. The screams last episode were a nice touch.)

But if Dean truly remembers everything, how can he act so much like Dean? Even if he's acting the part, wouldn't we seem him off in his private moments? I haven't picked up anything overly weird about Dean this season, except maybe a couple of brief debatable moments, but I could be missing something. I am not always that observant.

Or does he subconsciously remember Hell and only fragments are coming through. I always thought it was this option, but based on the above episodes, I am not so sure.

What are your thoughts? Am I failing to make a connection?

Comments

[destina.livejournal.com]

I think maybe Castiel has done something to help repress his memory so he can function. That's my theory, anyway. It seems like only flashes are coming through, bits and pieces; he doesn't seem traumatized by it, though - EXCEPT for that moment where he creeped away from fake!Lilith's touch in Yellow Fever. That cringing, slinking reaction to her was very telling. Possibly there is some reason we're unaware of why Dean can sort of remember hell, or pieces of it, but it isn't scaring/freaking him out. And that is an interesting possibility.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

Interesting. I never considered Castiel playing a part in it. I figured it was just the typical human reaction to block things out.

For me it seems like Castiel does know about the flashbacks considering that scene where he was watching Dean sleep.

But even the pieces and bits don't seem to freak Dean out aside from Yellow Fever which may indeed have been a bigger trigger. I know in last week's episode he did seem confused/slightly off when looking at the mask. That was more intense than the flashs and dreams he had before.

Interesting theory though. Hmmm.