User blog comment:Savannah Star/Something I need to get off my chest./@comment-5619706-20121110042152

A lot of people are forgetting Dean only settled down because of Sam's dying wish. So there really is a difference. And even then, Dean himself said he could never rest everytime he remembered Sam was in hell.

I agree with you, Dean is off-character--he barely has good quips, no rock music recently, no girls, etc. But I'll tell you why--PTSD, that's why. Even his flashbacks are considered symptoms of a traumatic event. Consider the fact that his best friend and his brother both fell out when he needed them the most, you begin to understand why he acts like that. (I'm not excusing his actions, as I myself have begun to dislike idolizing him this season).

Moreover, after 7 seasons of putting Sam in the limelight, it's about time Dean gets his share. Even duirng season 3, which supposedly gave focus to Dean's deal, he was still overshadowed by Sam being the 'messiah' or leader of the demon army. Season 4 gave us more of Dean's importance, but no. He was still overshadowed with the plot of Sam drinking demon blood.

The writers haven't taken the fraternal bond away, they are just writing tension to create a story. Their bond will return, trust me. It's like this every season. Even Sam trying to quit hunting happens every season, it's actually not OOC anymore.