Word. Wordy McWord, even. You put into words most of my feelings on the Arwen situation.
My thoughts on Ruby and Bela are kind of... complicated. Okay.
Ruby: I LOVE that she's a demon. I love that Sam is courting her. I love the context that Sam is gambling his soul away as surely as Dean did, with a much more slippery slope. I love that Ruby seems to think she's going to be Sam's right hand demon when the revolution comes, and that she's evidence of Azazel not holding the patent for demonic plans. I love that the show is hinting at Sam as Antichrist, and that it's Dean who's going to make Sam fall. (Or descend, which is another awesome concept.) I like that Katie is making Ruby follow the demonic playbook, playing off Meg and YED's dark smarmy grittiness. That she's funny and cocky and oddly charming, but inhuman. So inhuman. But I don't know that I love Katie's performance otherwise. I love Supernatural's demons, and so I love Ruby, but she isn't bringing anything particularly new to the role. And that's okay, because of all the awesomeness that Ruby's character is creating with Sam's. (Okay, I have to say it: I don't find her hot. This is where being a lesbian screws with my critical view of the show.)
Bella: The anti-Ruby. I find the actress really, really, REALLY attractive. I find the concept of Bella interesting... once or twice. Not so prominent in the series. It's an American, working class, gritty show, and she throws me. I don't love that the writers are sacrificing Dean and Sam's character for Bella. I find it interesting that a woman shooting Sam doesn't immediately equal death, but I don't quite buy that Dean gave her his cell. I don't see where she fits. Although if my fanon is good and Bella is actually communing with Papa Winchester, that gives the boys a good reason to stick around. (And, well, I'd pay tickets to see John and Bella: The Traveling Comedy Tour. With John being as gruff and tactless as ever, calling her sweetheart a lot, and Bella being bitchy, and John refusing to let her work until she lets him contact his sons.)
Re: women's strengths: Eowyn vs Arwen
My thoughts on Ruby and Bela are kind of... complicated. Okay.
Ruby: I LOVE that she's a demon. I love that Sam is courting her. I love the context that Sam is gambling his soul away as surely as Dean did, with a much more slippery slope. I love that Ruby seems to think she's going to be Sam's right hand demon when the revolution comes, and that she's evidence of Azazel not holding the patent for demonic plans. I love that the show is hinting at Sam as Antichrist, and that it's Dean who's going to make Sam fall. (Or descend, which is another awesome concept.) I like that Katie is making Ruby follow the demonic playbook, playing off Meg and YED's dark smarmy grittiness. That she's funny and cocky and oddly charming, but inhuman. So inhuman. But I don't know that I love Katie's performance otherwise. I love Supernatural's demons, and so I love Ruby, but she isn't bringing anything particularly new to the role. And that's okay, because of all the awesomeness that Ruby's character is creating with Sam's. (Okay, I have to say it: I don't find her hot. This is where being a lesbian screws with my critical view of the show.)
Bella: The anti-Ruby. I find the actress really, really, REALLY attractive. I find the concept of Bella interesting... once or twice. Not so prominent in the series. It's an American, working class, gritty show, and she throws me. I don't love that the writers are sacrificing Dean and Sam's character for Bella. I find it interesting that a woman shooting Sam doesn't immediately equal death, but I don't quite buy that Dean gave her his cell. I don't see where she fits. Although if my fanon is good and Bella is actually communing with Papa Winchester, that gives the boys a good reason to stick around. (And, well, I'd pay tickets to see John and Bella: The Traveling Comedy Tour. With John being as gruff and tactless as ever, calling her sweetheart a lot, and Bella being bitchy, and John refusing to let her work until she lets him contact his sons.)