Whatever it was that made Dean think that Sam couldn't handle himself against demons or that he wasn't as good a hunter as Dean (actually, I think Sam is the better hunter overall), Dean should have woke up and smelled the coffee by now!
See, I never saw that in the show. Dean was nervous and fearful over what Sam could become in the seasons 1-5, especially after Ruby manipulated him. In Season 6, Sam had no soul, and when he got his soul back, his mind was a mess. Dean was trying to protect him.
In Season 7, Dean was concerned about the damage Castiel and Hell had done to Sam's mind. In Season 8, Dean was mad at Sam for not looking for him, and then wanted to protect him from the obvious toll of the trials. In Season 9, Dean manipulated the situation to keep Sam safe.
None of these instances showed Dean feeling Sam wasn't good enough to hunt. He might joke that he (meaning Dean) is the better hunter, but it's always a deflection of the fear he has deep inside.
If Dean is guilty of anything, it's that he doesn't trust Sam to stay alive and out of trouble. he also doesn't understand that Sam isn't the same as he is and shows his love and support in different ways. That's the part that Sam resents.
no subject
See, I never saw that in the show. Dean was nervous and fearful over what Sam could become in the seasons 1-5, especially after Ruby manipulated him. In Season 6, Sam had no soul, and when he got his soul back, his mind was a mess. Dean was trying to protect him.
In Season 7, Dean was concerned about the damage Castiel and Hell had done to Sam's mind. In Season 8, Dean was mad at Sam for not looking for him, and then wanted to protect him from the obvious toll of the trials. In Season 9, Dean manipulated the situation to keep Sam safe.
None of these instances showed Dean feeling Sam wasn't good enough to hunt. He might joke that he (meaning Dean) is the better hunter, but it's always a deflection of the fear he has deep inside.
If Dean is guilty of anything, it's that he doesn't trust Sam to stay alive and out of trouble. he also doesn't understand that Sam isn't the same as he is and shows his love and support in different ways. That's the part that Sam resents.