See, I guess I don't really see Sam as contemptuous of Dean most of the time in s4 (I think we get it in the siren episode, much as we got it in Asylum in s1, but while I think he does have those thoughts, I don't think they're the majority of his thoughts or feelings towards Dean)?
I think he's really truly concerned that Dean is broken and can't do what the angels want him to do (this is certainly his position in OtHoaP), and he's going to have to step in to save Dean from having to bear it all himself. Of course, Ruby is totally stroking his ego and Sam's besetting sin is pride - he believes he knows what's best for everybody, and so he has to focus on that and hold hard to it when everything else is falling apart, because it's the only way he can maintain any semblance of control over a situation where he's basically a pawn in a much larger game. He's afraid, and he can't control everything, and that makes him angry and if Dean could just SEE that he's doing all this for HIM... but of course, Dean can't see that etc. And yeah, some of it is selfish, is of the "I have to prove I can do this, I couldn't save Dean but I can save the world" variety, tied up with his pride, but at base, I do think it was all about protecting Dean because he couldn't bear to lose him again, and that his focus on vengeance was his way of showing love (he does the same thing when Jess dies, though not to quite the same degree), i.e., he's John's son in a lot of really unfortunate ways.
So I see all of his behavior in s4 as his version of Dean going to the crossroads - Dean sells his soul for Sam all in one go, while Sam does it piecemeal, rationalizing that it's not so bad (and honestly, in his shoes, if someone told me I could save the world by drinking demon blood and killing a demon, I might believe it, especially given how wrecked and irrational he was after Dean was gone), and his motives are good etc. while he slips further and further down the road to hell.
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Date: 2010-10-25 08:51 pm (UTC)I think he's really truly concerned that Dean is broken and can't do what the angels want him to do (this is certainly his position in OtHoaP), and he's going to have to step in to save Dean from having to bear it all himself. Of course, Ruby is totally stroking his ego and Sam's besetting sin is pride - he believes he knows what's best for everybody, and so he has to focus on that and hold hard to it when everything else is falling apart, because it's the only way he can maintain any semblance of control over a situation where he's basically a pawn in a much larger game. He's afraid, and he can't control everything, and that makes him angry and if Dean could just SEE that he's doing all this for HIM... but of course, Dean can't see that etc. And yeah, some of it is selfish, is of the "I have to prove I can do this, I couldn't save Dean but I can save the world" variety, tied up with his pride, but at base, I do think it was all about protecting Dean because he couldn't bear to lose him again, and that his focus on vengeance was his way of showing love (he does the same thing when Jess dies, though not to quite the same degree), i.e., he's John's son in a lot of really unfortunate ways.
So I see all of his behavior in s4 as his version of Dean going to the crossroads - Dean sells his soul for Sam all in one go, while Sam does it piecemeal, rationalizing that it's not so bad (and honestly, in his shoes, if someone told me I could save the world by drinking demon blood and killing a demon, I might believe it, especially given how wrecked and irrational he was after Dean was gone), and his motives are good etc. while he slips further and further down the road to hell.