Work Text:
My fellow Americans,
First, I want to say thank you for using the We the People platform to sign a petition regarding the release of the Italian dub of Supernatural season 15, episode 18. This is a matter that I, like the over 227,000 of you who signed this petition in the last 48 hours, have been keeping a close eye on. In normal circumstances, a member of my staff (even my Vice President, Joe) would be the one responding to the petitions that gain enough support on We the People, but given the gravity of the matter, I felt the need to address this issue directly.
Before proceeding any further, I must state clearly and emphatically: the United States of America will not be declaring or threatening to declare war on Italy.
The United States and Italy have shared a friendly and mutually beneficial relationship throughout our shared histories, and despite my own interest in the subject at hand, we will not be resorting to warfare to resolve this matter. Neither the Italian President nor anyone else in the Italian government have any control over the dubbing of Supernatural. Our Constitution prohibits politicians, rightfully, from interfering with entertainment and media in this way. Believe me: I’ve consulted with every legal advisor and Constitutional scholar I know for a Presidential loophole that would allow me to gain access to the original scripts for “Despair”. None exists, and I’m both relieved and disappointed that this is the case. What stands as a victory for democracy is also a loss in our demand for answers.
I have been a fan of Supernatural from the beginning. Following Sam and Dean’s adventures throughout the past fifteen years has been a welcome respite, first through my tenure as a Senator for the great state of Illinois all the way through to my second Presidential campaign. I’ve laughed through “Changing Channels” and I’ve cried with every heartbreaking death. I, too, was captivated by the arrival of an angel of the Lord who claimed to have gripped Dean tight and raised him from perdition. It is disappointing that the writing team of Supernatural thought to end one of the most emotionally intimate relationships currently on television this way: a rushed love confession without reciprocation followed by yet another unnecessary, unfair character death.
And this brings me to the second part of this petition: even if we gained access to the various preexisting dubs of “Despair”, this would not stop Castiel from going to Turbo Hell. It is possible there is an earlier version of the script where Dean’s reciprocation of Castiel’s love would save them both, but as it stands and as it’s currently been filmed, Castiel is in Turbo Hell and there’s nothing we can do about it.
The people have spoken, and while I have no legal authority to access the original drafts of “Despair”, I greatly encourage the CW to release these to the public as a gesture of good will after everything they have put the American people through.
But let me be clear: we must not despair about this. Fans of Supernatural are one of the most passionate, dedicated fan bases currently out there. Write the story you want, of what you think should have happened. The canon of Supernatural is a sandbox filled with hidden depths and potential. Take your tools and go play. Build something better, together.
President Barack Obama
The White House
@POTUS