Evil!Sam
| Tropes and genres | |
|---|---|
| Synonym(s) | Anti-Christ!Sam, Boy King!Sam, Meg!Sam, Dark!Sam, Hell!Sam, Lucifer!Sam, Satan!Sam, Devil!Sam, Samifer, Dark Side!Sam, Possessed!Sam, Dark Messiah!Sam, Dark Lord!Sam, Demon!Sam, Soulless!Sam/Robo!Sam |
| Related tropes/genres | Non-Con, Dubcon, Mind Control, Slavefic, D/s |
| See also | !, Evil Twin |
| Related articles on Fanlore. | |
Evil!Sam is a term that was originally applied to Sam Winchester's character after being possessed by a demon in the Season 2 episode "Born Under A Bad Sign." It is specific to the Supernatural TV series.
As the series progressed, the term expanded to include any fanworks that refer to Sam's demon-given superpowers (prophetic visions, telekinesis, seen in seasons 1 and 2 and later on, the ability to exorcise and kill demons with his mind) corrupting him. A number of other Sam-specific tropes/characterizations that appeared throughout the series are considered to fall under Evil!Sam, including:
- Sam embracing his role as Anti-Christ!Sam or Boy King!Sam (of Hell) (from references during seasons 2 and 3)
- Sam's behaviour in season 4, when he began sleeping with the demon Ruby and drinking her demonic blood.
- Lucifer!Sam/Satan!Sam (also known as Samifer) in season 5, when Sam discovered he was the destined vessel for Lucifer/Satan/The Devil and consented to being his vessel
- The soulless Sam (a.k.a. Robo!Sam) who appeared in season 6.
Throughout the series and since the beginning, Sam has been destined for an evil and dark journey and path. Evil!Sam characterization and fanworks have thus become increasingly popular within Supernatural fandom.
Common tropes that appear side by side with Evil!Sam are noncon or dubcon sex, d/s, mind control and slavefic.
Examples In Fan Fiction
- Suite!Verse by leonidaslion - Sam has fully become the Antichrist, in both powers and personality, and Dean is imprisoned in a hotel suite as Sam sexually and psychologically tortures him into submission. (Sam/Dean)
- Evil!Sammy Universe by eboniorchid - Sam, part-demon, is forced to embrace his darkness and aid the demonic war machine. As humanity loses the war, Sam takes Dean as his slave. Dean struggles to conform to his new role, but harsh discipline and the threat of a drugged existence push him to submit. He tries to hold on to hope for himself and for Sam, but he slowly breaks. (Sam/Dean)
- To The End by sometimesophie - The world is ending, Sam has turned evil, and Dean stops running. (Sam/Dean)
- Centuries of stony sleep were vexed to nightmare and sequel ... by a rocking cradle by britomart is. "The Antichrist needs an heir."—his consort and right-hand man Dean helps. Told in second person from an unnamed OFC's POV. (Sam/Dean, Sam/OFC, Sam/Dean/OFC)
- Flying Weight by fleshflutter explores what happens after Sam is resouled and the consequences Robo!Sam's actions have for Sam, Dean, and their relationship. (Sam/Dean)
Additional examples can be found at Evil!Sam Master Recs List dated Feb 10, 2010[1] and as tagged by fans on delicious under evil!sam.[2] Sam/Dean focused thematic list community sd_recs has a listing of Robo!Sam fics in its Season 6 Codas plus Bonus Robo!Sam post dated Sept 2011.[3]
Fan communities set up on LJ include sammessiah, Evil SPN, and apocalypse-hell. The sammessiah LJ community also hosted a Sam Messiah Anti-Christmas Fic and Art Exchange.
Although Sam accepts his Anti-Christ side in fleshflutter's The Incestuous Courtship of the Antichrist's Bride, readers may not view this fic as an evil!Sam fic, as Sam not only tries to do good, but succeeds reasonably well, and it features a fairly high crack content level and emo!Sam asking Lucifer for romantic advice.
Examples In Fan Art
Because of the term "Evil!Sam" has been used in many different situations over the seasons, artists have been given wide latitude as to how to portray him. Below is a selection of representative samples.
a horned Sam by daunt. Created as part of the Sam Messiah Anti-Christmas Fic and Art Exchange.[4]
Sam with yellow glowing eyes. On the show, yellow eyes is one way to indicate demonic possession. This is a cropped version of the actual image. Art by quickreaver for monicawoe's Theosis[5]
Sam with black eyes, another sign of demonic possession. Behind him, the world lies in ruins. Art by soukuyah.
Evil!Sam often leads to an Evil!Dean in fan fiction and art, either through forcible or voluntary conversion. Art by Ponderosa121[8]
Not all depictions of Evil!Sam are dark and foreboding. "Even the AntiChrist has to do his trig homework" by dreamlittleyo, part of the Teen AntiChrist shared universe
Lucifer!Sam with a Hellhound. Art by lilypsiren.
Sam as Lucifer's vessel. Art by petite-madame.
worship by badbastion also coined BoyKing!Sam/Consort!Dean. Created as part of the 2013 Sam Messiah Anti-Christmas Fic and Art Exchange
Examples In Fan Vids
- God's Gonna Cut Them Down by sometimesophie. The vid was inspired by her story To The End (Youtube -2007). This vid took place shortly before the introduction of Evil!Sam in Born Under A Bad Sign as fans began to build their own fanon around the character.
- Snow on the Sahara by absrip. Sam turned evil and made the world burn. This is the aftermath of evil!Sam, told from Deans POV. Sam was saved but the darkness is ever lurking. Sam seeks redemption with Dean watching over him. Fans often created elaborate plotlines under which Evil!Sam could be redeemed. (2008)
- On The Darkest Side Of The Sun by Loki. Sam goes to the dark side, but he`s not the only one who does. Where one brother falls, the other will follow. Sam goes darkside and thinks he needs to hide his activities from Dean. As it turns out, he doesn't have to. Another popular permutation of the Evil!Sam trope. (2008)
- Blackbird by zimshan. Into the light of a dark black night, you were only waiting for this moment to be free. Zimshan chronicled Sam in Season Four. (2009)
- Evil Has Never Loved You by Loki. Even though Sam chose evil over his own brother, evil would never love Sam as much as does Dean. One fan's faith in Dean's love for Sam could not be shaken. (2009)
- Breakdown - An Evil!Sam Tribute Vid by Jaylan121. For other fans, Evil!Sam was a character to be celebrated. (2009)
- Afraid (The Way We Love) by Loki. Trying to save his brother he didnt notice how he became evil himself. This vid plays on fanon which paves Sam's path to hell with his obsessive love for Dean and the need to keep him safe. (2009)
- Let Me Go by Loki. Sam became evil and left Dean. He left him the note, and now Dean is trying to find his brother to stop him, no matter what he did to Sam in the past. When Dean finally finds Sam, he knows what he has to do, because he`s not human anymore, now he`s the same as Castiel, and Sam is his enemy. Well, let's face it, many of us, fans of Supernatural, think that this is how it should be and this is how it will be. Dean will fight Sam, Sam will fight Dean, and we don`t know what will be in the end because Kripke is like devil. Many fans felt that the Evil!Sam vs. Dean was an inevitable ending for the show. (2009)
- The Boy King by jmtorres. Sam Winchester, the Death Sheep from Hell. By 2010, some fans began approaching the Evil!Sam trope with a sense of humour and playfulness. (2010)