I love the way the 'Sam' vs. 'Sammy' is used in the show.
Oh word. So. Much. Word.
This doesn't mean that his concept of 'Sam' is stuck at Sam being a baby who cries when he's hungry. But it does mean that that 'Sammy' signifier comes out to play at occassions when this instinct of Dean's comes to the fore, when that dynamic comes into play most strongly.
In Dean's head there is Sam and there is Sammy. Sam is the overgrown ape who went to college and has a life of his own and can hold his own in a fight. Sam still can't kick Dean's ass but he's almost within reaching distance.
Sammy is the little brother who has nightmares about Bad Things and is scared of the monster in his closet. Sammy is the little boy who was too afraid to fight back on the playground and needed His Dean to protect him. Dean probably still has a hard time reconsiling the "Sammy" he knew his entire life with the new "Sam." Lucky for Dean Sam seems to get this after a bit and lets acknowledges the difference even (The "chubby" comment in Pilot, the reassurance in Bloody Mary, etc).
...Which is really exactly what you said but with only slightly different words. Brings new meaning to "I couldn't have said it better myself."
And Sam doesn't always correct Dean when Dean calls him Sammy
He actually doesn't correct Dean once after Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary is the last "protest" and it's less of a protest and more of a reassurance that he's okay.
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I love the way the 'Sam' vs. 'Sammy' is used in the show.
Oh word. So. Much. Word.
This doesn't mean that his concept of 'Sam' is stuck at Sam being a baby who cries when he's hungry. But it does mean that that 'Sammy' signifier comes out to play at occassions when this instinct of Dean's comes to the fore, when that dynamic comes into play most strongly.
In Dean's head there is Sam and there is Sammy. Sam is the overgrown ape who went to college and has a life of his own and can hold his own in a fight. Sam still can't kick Dean's ass but he's almost within reaching distance.
Sammy is the little brother who has nightmares about Bad Things and is scared of the monster in his closet. Sammy is the little boy who was too afraid to fight back on the playground and needed His Dean to protect him. Dean probably still has a hard time reconsiling the "Sammy" he knew his entire life with the new "Sam." Lucky for Dean Sam seems to get this after a bit and lets acknowledges the difference even (The "chubby" comment in Pilot, the reassurance in Bloody Mary, etc).
...Which is really exactly what you said but with only slightly different words. Brings new meaning to "I couldn't have said it better myself."
And Sam doesn't always correct Dean when Dean calls him Sammy
He actually doesn't correct Dean once after Bloody Mary. Bloody Mary is the last "protest" and it's less of a protest and more of a reassurance that he's okay.