305 The Boogiem*n
- Thread starter alsplacebartender
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I'm totally going to watch this episode on Haloween. 
I'll proberly have the lights on but not sure yet. Depends if I feel brave enough.
I'll proberly have the lights on but not sure yet. Depends if I feel brave enough.
This episode is one of my favourites. The first time I watched this episode I had no idea who the killer was. It loses some of its impact second time viewing, but this is still a great episode. Dean is fantastic in this one. Now one of the main unanswered questions we're left with at the end of the episode is, did it really happen, or was it just a dream. I personally think that the events really did happen, but when it got to midnight the Devil lost his power, and God turned back time, similar to the end of the evil leaper episode Deliver us from Evil.
Oh one other thing. The Devil was right when he said Sam wasn't going to make it home, how would he know that? Maybe he just meant you're not going to make it because I'm going to kill you right now, because just after he says that line he grabs Sams throat.
Oh one other thing. The Devil was right when he said Sam wasn't going to make it home, how would he know that? Maybe he just meant you're not going to make it because I'm going to kill you right now, because just after he says that line he grabs Sams throat.
I believe that it really did happen, and God reset the leap. It's been shown several times in the series that God will intervene to help Sam if it looks like he will fail
This was the episode that my mother was always trying to make me avoid as a kid because she thought it was too scary.
I can still clearly remember the day I saw it for the first time. I was about 13 and I had just come from school... It left me without words. That was a time when they kept showing re-runs of the entire series quite often, and here in Mexico it wasn't even a cable channel where they showed those re-runs, it was a normal one, Air-TV. I knew they were going to re-run the entire season 3 again pretty soon, so I kept waiting for this episode, and when it came I taped it. I showed it to both my parents, even to my mom who was a bit scared of it, and they were blown away as well, then when I bought the DVD's I showed it to my whole family, my brothers and everyone else, and they were shocked.
To this day this is one of the episodes I keep playing over and over again and I never get tired of it, even though I know all the lines from it and now I can't help to see it as something quite funny in a Stephen King-ish sort of way. Everything that revolves around it sometimes makes me think that maybe not only Chris Ruppenboogie is an avid Stephen King fan, but probably most of the writers and the crew from QL as well, probably even Donald himself.
As for me, this was the episode that marked my life as a reader, because it made me discover Stephen King, which was the weirdest thing, let me tell you, and while reading him I discovered a whole new world of other authors and styles. They used to air the mini-series "It" quite often as well. Another thing my mom didn't let me watch because it was known to traumatize kids around the world, but one day I sneaked around and saw it by myself and when I saw the name Stephen King at the beginning, I understood what they were talking about in The B episode. I had also seen "Christine" before. What Chris did with this screenplay was very iconic and it remains one of the best Halloween episodes ever made. Of course it's the only one from this series, but even from any series, generally speaking, it still is.
My favorite part: Devil Al, of course. Love the red glow near his eyes.
A very suspenseful, mysterious and intriguing episode. Never saw the ending coming the first time I watched it.
My rating: Excellent.
I can still clearly remember the day I saw it for the first time. I was about 13 and I had just come from school... It left me without words. That was a time when they kept showing re-runs of the entire series quite often, and here in Mexico it wasn't even a cable channel where they showed those re-runs, it was a normal one, Air-TV. I knew they were going to re-run the entire season 3 again pretty soon, so I kept waiting for this episode, and when it came I taped it. I showed it to both my parents, even to my mom who was a bit scared of it, and they were blown away as well, then when I bought the DVD's I showed it to my whole family, my brothers and everyone else, and they were shocked.
To this day this is one of the episodes I keep playing over and over again and I never get tired of it, even though I know all the lines from it and now I can't help to see it as something quite funny in a Stephen King-ish sort of way. Everything that revolves around it sometimes makes me think that maybe not only Chris Ruppenboogie is an avid Stephen King fan, but probably most of the writers and the crew from QL as well, probably even Donald himself.
As for me, this was the episode that marked my life as a reader, because it made me discover Stephen King, which was the weirdest thing, let me tell you, and while reading him I discovered a whole new world of other authors and styles. They used to air the mini-series "It" quite often as well. Another thing my mom didn't let me watch because it was known to traumatize kids around the world, but one day I sneaked around and saw it by myself and when I saw the name Stephen King at the beginning, I understood what they were talking about in The B episode. I had also seen "Christine" before. What Chris did with this screenplay was very iconic and it remains one of the best Halloween episodes ever made. Of course it's the only one from this series, but even from any series, generally speaking, it still is.
My favorite part: Devil Al, of course. Love the red glow near his eyes.
A very suspenseful, mysterious and intriguing episode. Never saw the ending coming the first time I watched it.
My rating: Excellent.
I just loved Stephen King references in this episode as being a huge fan of his work.
I hope I don't go OT by saying how much the book 11/22/63--the teacher goes back to prevent Kennedy assassination- gave Quantum Leap vibes while reading
I hope I don't go OT by saying how much the book 11/22/63--the teacher goes back to prevent Kennedy assassination- gave Quantum Leap vibes while reading
The funny thing about this episode was that I interpreted the whole thing to be a dream. After Sam has his "dance with the devil" he wakes up and he's at the bottom of the staircase again, where he started out at the beginning. I just figured he blacked out and dreamed the whole thing.
Despite that I missed out on the fun of the mystery because I was told before I saw it, the eeriness of this episode is just brilliant. May I begin by saying how I adore how this connects to a conversion between Sam and Al in M.I.A.
"That's if He's the only one at work here, but you're forgetting about Him." *jabs a finger downward*
"I don't believe in the devil Al."
"Who gave you the right to go bungling around in time, putting right what I made wrong!"
This seems to explain the Evil Leapers. I'm not going to get into it because this is not the proper thread but the first two leaps involving them seem to directly be aimed at opposing Sam though it's pretty directly implied that they don't realize it. See the 'Evil Leapers' thread within the character discussion forum for the full version of my Evil Project theory.
Their part of the connection wasn't intended since the Evil Leapers like the celebrity leaps were a ploy forced by the network which adopted the show for it's fifth season but it's there nonetheless.
It was an interesting revelation how Sam didn't seem to be as fooled as he seemed throughout the episode, having been able to name almost every flaw with the Al guise. A couple I'd add is his lack of Al's fashion sense and not briefly drooling over Mary before naming her a suspect. This is debatable but it also doesn't seem very Al to have suspected a woman in the first place. To me that seemed like part of the murder mystery set up which was meant to attack Sam's fear of failure (or at least that's my theory) thus rendering him vulnerable.
One of the most spine shivering things about the devil character was that damn wheeze of a laugh. Obviously those cigars of Dean's actually provided a service. Personally I would love to hear him talk about playing this role.
The angle with Stevie, which had also been ruined for me was clever and amusing. In a way it seems like the whole thing with Joshua Ray and his comment of "There were two of you and one of you tried to kill me" was rearranged into one of Stephan King's novels 'The Dark Half.' (Google it) Fictionally of course in the QL universe. I only saw the film and that is one creepy story.
The opening is actually one of the most amusing moments when Sam reads that the book he was holding was published in 1879 and looking around at the surrounding decor and his outfit, that 's when he thinks he is for a moment. Oh dear sweet Sam, how he forgets his logic sometimes. XD Though we find out later that as long as the leapee is a Beckett ancestor/relative he can in fact leap prior to his lifetime.
Agreed. This is also supported by the tolling of the clock and the few shots we get of it's face while Sam and the devil are strangling each other. It actually doesn't make sense to me how Al didn't seem to remember the devil except that perhaps God wanted it that way.
"That's if He's the only one at work here, but you're forgetting about Him." *jabs a finger downward*
"I don't believe in the devil Al."
"Who gave you the right to go bungling around in time, putting right what I made wrong!"
This seems to explain the Evil Leapers. I'm not going to get into it because this is not the proper thread but the first two leaps involving them seem to directly be aimed at opposing Sam though it's pretty directly implied that they don't realize it. See the 'Evil Leapers' thread within the character discussion forum for the full version of my Evil Project theory.
Their part of the connection wasn't intended since the Evil Leapers like the celebrity leaps were a ploy forced by the network which adopted the show for it's fifth season but it's there nonetheless.
It was an interesting revelation how Sam didn't seem to be as fooled as he seemed throughout the episode, having been able to name almost every flaw with the Al guise. A couple I'd add is his lack of Al's fashion sense and not briefly drooling over Mary before naming her a suspect. This is debatable but it also doesn't seem very Al to have suspected a woman in the first place. To me that seemed like part of the murder mystery set up which was meant to attack Sam's fear of failure (or at least that's my theory) thus rendering him vulnerable.
One of the most spine shivering things about the devil character was that damn wheeze of a laugh. Obviously those cigars of Dean's actually provided a service. Personally I would love to hear him talk about playing this role.
The angle with Stevie, which had also been ruined for me was clever and amusing. In a way it seems like the whole thing with Joshua Ray and his comment of "There were two of you and one of you tried to kill me" was rearranged into one of Stephan King's novels 'The Dark Half.' (Google it) Fictionally of course in the QL universe. I only saw the film and that is one creepy story.
The opening is actually one of the most amusing moments when Sam reads that the book he was holding was published in 1879 and looking around at the surrounding decor and his outfit, that 's when he thinks he is for a moment. Oh dear sweet Sam, how he forgets his logic sometimes. XD Though we find out later that as long as the leapee is a Beckett ancestor/relative he can in fact leap prior to his lifetime.
I believe that it really did happen, and God reset the leap. It's been shown several times in the series that God will intervene to help Sam if it looks like he will fail
Agreed. This is also supported by the tolling of the clock and the few shots we get of it's face while Sam and the devil are strangling each other. It actually doesn't make sense to me how Al didn't seem to remember the devil except that perhaps God wanted it that way.
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In 'Play It Again, Seymour' Al suspected that Alison was the killer and didn't hesitate to say so. I think Al has no problem suspecting women of anything. I think it would be more like Sam to not suspect a woman, and I'm not even so sure about that.
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Is that what it's called? It's been a while.
blue enigma said:
Alright, I didn't remember that. I Haven't re-watched that episode yet after all my years of absence from the show.
Yup. "The Dark Half", indeed.
Interesting perspective. I saw the movie and read the book and never thought about the part you're referring in that way.
Considering that almost everything Sam said or did seemed to get "What a neat idea" as a response from Stevie, I am sure he must have used that in some way.
Oh,that was the first thing came to my mind when I saw evil!Al :roflmao:
Of course it was a great joy to spot on a Red Plymouth Fury and that dog! I am not going to lie,I expected to see something from Pet Sematary as well but I guess the references were enough for one episode.
A thought struck me. How exciting it would be if the devil's invasion had been performed the other way around.
While Sam appears to be acting on good intention, his thoughtful actions cause damage in other areas. Somewhat like Alia as Connie LaMatta who appeared to have Jimmy's interest at heart but was using him to drive a wedge between Connie and Frank.
Revelation: Sam is the devil in disguise trying to undo the real Sam's good deeds. Interference with Ziggy caused her to trace phony brainwaves that appeared to be Sam's.
While the real Sam is in a completely different leap.
There's probably flaws with this such as Sam's coming face to face with the devil being more meaningful but to quote Al (the real one, though I can't remember where he said it) "but it sounds good doesn't it?".
While Sam appears to be acting on good intention, his thoughtful actions cause damage in other areas. Somewhat like Alia as Connie LaMatta who appeared to have Jimmy's interest at heart but was using him to drive a wedge between Connie and Frank.
Revelation: Sam is the devil in disguise trying to undo the real Sam's good deeds. Interference with Ziggy caused her to trace phony brainwaves that appeared to be Sam's.
While the real Sam is in a completely different leap.
There's probably flaws with this such as Sam's coming face to face with the devil being more meaningful but to quote Al (the real one, though I can't remember where he said it) "but it sounds good doesn't it?".
I actually quite like this idea, but the trouble is that the Devil wanted to stop Sam, not the Project, as it's really only Sam who has the character required to fulfil this job...
Right but in this version he's being more direct than stopping Sam, he's countering Sam's work. Like he does later with the Evil Leapers (or that's my Evil Leapers theory anyway).
Undoubtably however the way it did occur was more effective and brilliant. Not to mention Dean was perfectly creepy for the role, I am sorry but not sure Scott could have pulled that off. Especially not that wheeze laugh!
Hahaha! I actually played with this idea in my head for a very long time years ago. Sam appearing as the Devil himself. I could never, for the life of me, figure out how it all would've played out. It struck me as almost impossible. But Devil Sam appearing while the real one is on another completely different place and mission... wow, very plausible.
I saw this episode today again (for like the 50000 time). I just couldn't resist. How great it still is! Do not watch it at night. What a creepy music! Even at the ending with the Stevie reference, when it's supposed to be calming down a little, it's still very unsettling. Love how Stevie drives his car at the beginning, the way he breaks in reverse: Just the way Christine drove herself in the movie. Quite funny. And it made me remember how it disturbed me the first time I saw it because everyone seemed to hear Al. I remember thinking what a strange house that was, full of probably even demonic people who could hear Al. One thing I kept noticing today: Fake Al is always looking at Sam directly, no matter who Sam is with at the moment. Somethig the real Al never does. One part where this is clearly seen is when Sam has his encounter with Ben Masters at Mary's house. It's almost as if fake Al is studying him or something. We later learn that he's actually watching his reactions and enjoying them ("That was priceless!"). I kept thinking that for any first-time viewer this episode is definitely going to be soooo scary. It still has that spark, even after two long decades.
The Devil Sam idea is so rough in my head I barely tried to make sense of it for some reason. Perhaps because it is just a random thought but I can't find a way to bring it all together in a clear picture myself.
Hmm, honest;y I am unsure if I have ever watched the episode at night before though I have watched it just about 50,000 times as well. It's one of my favorites. I might have watched it right before bed once, for some reason the memory is nagging a the back of my mind the question is if it's real or not. And bedtime for me (as of recently not on a school night) is 2am haha.
On a sidenote, and to get back to the SK topic a bit, I LOVE everytime I see a QL actor in a Stephen King movie. Dean Stockwell is the most obvious one, he appears in "The Langoliers" from 1995, but for example: Alan Scarfe, the psychotic psychiatrist who appears in "Dreams" also appears in the mini-series "Kingdom Hospital" from 2004, for which SK wrote the screenplay. He plays a doctor there (this time surprisingly not a psychotic one, haha!, but sort of enigmatic). He got a bit puffy, hehe! Laura Harrington, Conny from "Jimmy" and "Deliver Us From Evil" appeared in the movie "Maximum Overdrive" (1986), which was written and directed by King himself. She's like the heroin there. The guy who plays Hank in "Runaway" also appeared in "The Stand" (1994), written by SK. Max Wright, who appeared in "Trilogy" (and who was famous for being Willy in "ALF"), also appears there. They even have a scene together!! They both play some evil doctors. Kevin Spirtas, who played the alcoholic fiance beater in "Camikazi Kid" appears in the movie "Apt Pupil" from 1998. He only has a quick role there as a paramedic and he's smiling for like all the 6 seconds he's in there. He's the only one with a very small role in a SK film.
Today I was watching "Creepshow 2" (1987) again and Frank Sotonoma Salsedo, the guy who played Kenu in "Freedom" also appears there and has an important (yet again indian) role on the first segment of that movie. I just love it. And this is to mention just a few.
I was a very devoted SK fan a few years ago so it was hard not to notice them all.
Edit: I was forgetting about Kelly Overbey, who was in "Promised Land" playing the girl in the bank who was very grouchy about everything and who always kept smoking. She also appears in "The Stand". There she plays a common girl who was later sent to Las Vegas to spy on the bad guy's plans. Maybe I'll keep remembering actors from time to time...
Today I was watching "Creepshow 2" (1987) again and Frank Sotonoma Salsedo, the guy who played Kenu in "Freedom" also appears there and has an important (yet again indian) role on the first segment of that movie. I just love it. And this is to mention just a few.
I was a very devoted SK fan a few years ago so it was hard not to notice them all.
Edit: I was forgetting about Kelly Overbey, who was in "Promised Land" playing the girl in the bank who was very grouchy about everything and who always kept smoking. She also appears in "The Stand". There she plays a common girl who was later sent to Las Vegas to spy on the bad guy's plans. Maybe I'll keep remembering actors from time to time...
Wow I had no idea so many Quantum Leap actors appeared in Stephan King films, though I have only seen so few of them in comparison to how many there are.
The Langoliers I have seen, the only one from your list I have and got a total kick in the butt out of the scene in which Dean's character, a mystery novelist, totally channels Sam while dishing out his theory of their unusual situation. XD
The Langoliers I have seen, the only one from your list I have and got a total kick in the butt out of the scene in which Dean's character, a mystery novelist, totally channels Sam while dishing out his theory of their unusual situation. XD
Hahahahaha! Yeah, and then he even says: "Huh, you can't appear... at the Texas School Book Depository on November 22, 1963 and try to stop the Kennedy assassination..." Sounds like the ep. LHO? Haha! I wonder if King did this on purpose. He didn't write the screenplay there, but it's a line taken straight out of his novella.
LOL,I have always wondered if Mr King ever saw an episode of QL. His last novel about Kennedy assassination was like revisiting a story from QL
Just finished this episode since I felt like watching it today (sorry no screen capping this time, I must finish my final project for class today) and a thought came to me. What would have been totally epic would have been to have the devil at some point write 'Redrum' on the wall of Mary's house (since the devil was trying to convince Sam she was the killer) as one of the Stephan King references. I can just hear Stevie gasping "Whoa, what a cool idea!" XD
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Apologies for the double post.
Upon researching for a discussion of Satan in this episode elsewhere; the goat involved in Tully's death came to mind and thus so did bestie's certainty that it was symbolic of Satan though she's been unable to put her finger on how. So in that direction my research shifted and some very intriguing information came up which not only takes the symbolism of the goat in this episode in a surprising direction but further supports my head canon that this episode is connected to the Evil Leapers by in-story means (since writing wise clearly the evil leapers were a ratings ploy, so in no way were premeditated back in season three).
So I present to you folks, the Azazel Goat or more commonly known as 'The Scapegoat'.
A goat with the sins of every man in Israel confessed upon it's head and released into isolated wild or bluntly put, banished. It's a ritual of redemption that is recognized as The Day of Atonement.
There is both divine and wicked interpretation here which causes the symbolism to apply to both Satan and Sam.
The scapegoat was an offering of appeasement, of reconciliation. Isn't that essentially what Sam is? Banished from his own identity with the wrongs of the earth cast upon him?
Within this there is the connection to Satan as some saw the scapegoat as evil, the banishment of his influence and thus him.
As quoted here:
Source: http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/azazel-goat-and-atonement/
In addition Azazel whose name was used to refer to the scapegoat was described by The Book of Enoch to have corrupted man with deception and temptation and was imprisoned within a desert valley. For this reason the name is often thought of as referring to the location at which the goat was released. Oh wait a minute...isn't PQL isolated in the desert?!
Also my attention was unintentionally drawn to this passage:
Source:http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2203-azazel
Sam had felt pressured by the committee to step prematurely into the accelerator, a metaphor of sorts to having his hair yanked to urge him hastily forward and recall in the pilot episode Al described the staff throwing a party to celebrate the success of the experiment involving drunkenness and the printing of x-rated photos. So I couldn't help but see this as an amusing find.
The scapegoat has a deep connection with the climax of this episode when Satan for an instant becomes the goat (among the characters he'd murdered, which again, goat carrying Satan's touch) while in Sam's stranglehold and then was banished along with the sins he's committed throughout the episode. Not by Sam, by God but that still fits. He ordered Lucifer to be imprisoned for 1000 years, isolated from mankind.
As a side note for Lightning McQueenie if he should peek here in regards to our conversation regarding the possible identity crisis of the Al Satan; the snake in this episode is also a connection to Satan as it was his guise when he introduced sin to mankind through Eve.
Now here is where the Evil Leapers fit into this; there were TWO goats victimized on The Day of Atonement.
Identical in every way with no "spot or blemish" upon them they were brought before God in offering.
One was the Scapegoat, a live offering, the offering of appeasement/reconciliation which as already discussed describes Sam.
The other was a sacrifice, a sin (blood) offering. It was slaughtered. Alia was not killed but was brought before Lothos and in my personal headcanon Satan as her offering and had even less freedom than Sam. She was tortured upon failure and had at one time performed murder assignments as suggested by the mention that they'd appealed for the home wrecking department and Alia having a line "I can't kill all those people again".
Looking At Sam in contrast the scapegoat being released into the wilderness represents the concept that Al the Bartender had introduced that Sam can take control of his leaping. Just as I'm sure that it wasn't impossible for that goat to find it's way back, it wasn't for Sam either. Alia not so much. She was a prisoner.
Alia actually could also be the scapegoat because she'd been innocent with sin cast upon her and Zoey had actually offered her in favor, to repay a debt. Appeasement if you will.
Tell me, am I crazy to be so analytical? I can't help but be a bit embarrassed by myself sometimes around here because I know Bellisario doesn't want the show nitpicked even in positive ways but that's just how I enjoy a franchise. If I don't pick it apart to death that's it not scoring too high on my interest scale.
Upon researching for a discussion of Satan in this episode elsewhere; the goat involved in Tully's death came to mind and thus so did bestie's certainty that it was symbolic of Satan though she's been unable to put her finger on how. So in that direction my research shifted and some very intriguing information came up which not only takes the symbolism of the goat in this episode in a surprising direction but further supports my head canon that this episode is connected to the Evil Leapers by in-story means (since writing wise clearly the evil leapers were a ratings ploy, so in no way were premeditated back in season three).
So I present to you folks, the Azazel Goat or more commonly known as 'The Scapegoat'.
A goat with the sins of every man in Israel confessed upon it's head and released into isolated wild or bluntly put, banished. It's a ritual of redemption that is recognized as The Day of Atonement.
There is both divine and wicked interpretation here which causes the symbolism to apply to both Satan and Sam.
The scapegoat was an offering of appeasement, of reconciliation. Isn't that essentially what Sam is? Banished from his own identity with the wrongs of the earth cast upon him?
Within this there is the connection to Satan as some saw the scapegoat as evil, the banishment of his influence and thus him.
As quoted here:
Source: http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/azazel-goat-and-atonement/
In addition Azazel whose name was used to refer to the scapegoat was described by The Book of Enoch to have corrupted man with deception and temptation and was imprisoned within a desert valley. For this reason the name is often thought of as referring to the location at which the goat was released. Oh wait a minute...isn't PQL isolated in the desert?!
Also my attention was unintentionally drawn to this passage:
Source:http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2203-azazel
Sam had felt pressured by the committee to step prematurely into the accelerator, a metaphor of sorts to having his hair yanked to urge him hastily forward and recall in the pilot episode Al described the staff throwing a party to celebrate the success of the experiment involving drunkenness and the printing of x-rated photos. So I couldn't help but see this as an amusing find.
The scapegoat has a deep connection with the climax of this episode when Satan for an instant becomes the goat (among the characters he'd murdered, which again, goat carrying Satan's touch) while in Sam's stranglehold and then was banished along with the sins he's committed throughout the episode. Not by Sam, by God but that still fits. He ordered Lucifer to be imprisoned for 1000 years, isolated from mankind.
As a side note for Lightning McQueenie if he should peek here in regards to our conversation regarding the possible identity crisis of the Al Satan; the snake in this episode is also a connection to Satan as it was his guise when he introduced sin to mankind through Eve.
Now here is where the Evil Leapers fit into this; there were TWO goats victimized on The Day of Atonement.
Identical in every way with no "spot or blemish" upon them they were brought before God in offering.
One was the Scapegoat, a live offering, the offering of appeasement/reconciliation which as already discussed describes Sam.
The other was a sacrifice, a sin (blood) offering. It was slaughtered. Alia was not killed but was brought before Lothos and in my personal headcanon Satan as her offering and had even less freedom than Sam. She was tortured upon failure and had at one time performed murder assignments as suggested by the mention that they'd appealed for the home wrecking department and Alia having a line "I can't kill all those people again".
Looking At Sam in contrast the scapegoat being released into the wilderness represents the concept that Al the Bartender had introduced that Sam can take control of his leaping. Just as I'm sure that it wasn't impossible for that goat to find it's way back, it wasn't for Sam either. Alia not so much. She was a prisoner.
Alia actually could also be the scapegoat because she'd been innocent with sin cast upon her and Zoey had actually offered her in favor, to repay a debt. Appeasement if you will.
Tell me, am I crazy to be so analytical? I can't help but be a bit embarrassed by myself sometimes around here because I know Bellisario doesn't want the show nitpicked even in positive ways but that's just how I enjoy a franchise. If I don't pick it apart to death that's it not scoring too high on my interest scale.
I don't think so. Analyzing stuff like this is what leads to unique and creative new ideas, which creates more interesting new fics, etc. In any fandom I've ever been involved in there are many long analytical discussions, on blogs like Tumblr and LJ people write long journal posts analyzing their favorite shows/books/movies, the characters, etc. Right now I'm following someone on Tumblr who has analyzed every single aspect of Orphan Black (fantastic show) and tied it into all kinds of other stuff.
The interpretation I bring to this episode is psychological rather than religious, and my interpretation of QL generally is less religious than how others think of it. I don't know what DPB's religious background is or how observant he is, but spirituality at least is something he explores in his shows, and not just QL. It's safe to say that he knows the Old and New Testament, and those stories could've been on his mind or even in the back of his mind when he came up with ideas for episodes like this one.
Apologies for the double post.
Upon researching for a discussion of Satan in this episode elsewhere; the goat involved in Tully's death came to mind and thus so did bestie's certainty that it was symbolic of Satan though she's been unable to put her finger on how. So in that direction my research shifted and some very intriguing information came up which not only takes the symbolism of the goat in this episode in a surprising direction but further supports my head canon that this episode is connected to the Evil Leapers by in-story means (since writing wise clearly the evil leapers were a ratings ploy, so in no way were premeditated back in season three).
So I present to you folks, the Azazel Goat or more commonly known as 'The Scapegoat'.
A goat with the sins of every man in Israel confessed upon it's head and released into isolated wild or bluntly put, banished. It's a ritual of redemption that is recognized as The Day of Atonement.
There is both divine and wicked interpretation here which causes the symbolism to apply to both Satan and Sam.
The scapegoat was an offering of appeasement, of reconciliation. Isn't that essentially what Sam is? Banished from his own identity with the wrongs of the earth cast upon him?
Within this there is the connection to Satan as some saw the scapegoat as evil, the banishment of his influence and thus him.
As quoted here:
Source: http://www.ucg.org/holidays-and-holy-days/azazel-goat-and-atonement/
In addition Azazel whose name was used to refer to the scapegoat was described by The Book of Enoch to have corrupted man with deception and temptation and was imprisoned within a desert valley. For this reason the name is often thought of as referring to the location at which the goat was released. Oh wait a minute...isn't PQL isolated in the desert?!
Also my attention was unintentionally drawn to this passage:
Source:http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/2203-azazel
Sam had felt pressured by the committee to step prematurely into the accelerator, a metaphor of sorts to having his hair yanked to urge him hastily forward and recall in the pilot episode Al described the staff throwing a party to celebrate the success of the experiment involving drunkenness and the printing of x-rated photos. So I couldn't help but see this as an amusing find.
The scapegoat has a deep connection with the climax of this episode when Satan for an instant becomes the goat (among the characters he'd murdered, which again, goat carrying Satan's touch) while in Sam's stranglehold and then was banished along with the sins he's committed throughout the episode. Not by Sam, by God but that still fits. He ordered Lucifer to be imprisoned for 1000 years, isolated from mankind.
As a side note for Lightning McQueenie if he should peek here in regards to our conversation regarding the possible identity crisis of the Al Satan; the snake in this episode is also a connection to Satan as it was his guise when he introduced sin to mankind through Eve.
Now here is where the Evil Leapers fit into this; there were TWO goats victimized on The Day of Atonement.
Identical in every way with no "spot or blemish" upon them they were brought before God in offering.
One was the Scapegoat, a live offering, the offering of appeasement/reconciliation which as already discussed describes Sam.
The other was a sacrifice, a sin (blood) offering. It was slaughtered. Alia was not killed but was brought before Lothos and in my personal headcanon Satan as her offering and had even less freedom than Sam. She was tortured upon failure and had at one time performed murder assignments as suggested by the mention that they'd appealed for the home wrecking department and Alia having a line "I can't kill all those people again".
Looking At Sam in contrast the scapegoat being released into the wilderness represents the concept that Al the Bartender had introduced that Sam can take control of his leaping. Just as I'm sure that it wasn't impossible for that goat to find it's way back, it wasn't for Sam either. Alia not so much. She was a prisoner.
Alia actually could also be the scapegoat because she'd been innocent with sin cast upon her and Zoey had actually offered her in favor, to repay a debt. Appeasement if you will.
Tell me, am I crazy to be so analytical? I can't help but be a bit embarrassed by myself sometimes around here because I know Bellisario doesn't want the show nitpicked even in positive ways but that's just how I enjoy a franchise. If I don't pick it apart to death that's it not scoring too high on my interest scale.
It's incredible the amount of religious research has been put into making this episode, thanks for bringing it to my attention SBF
would it be ok if I quote you when we do the podcast for this episode?