Literally of mass importance to me that Dean and Sam are the popular cool & nerd loner brothers trope but subversive in how Dean would never be ashamed of Sam. that's his genius brother. i mean none of these losers even know Sammy's a hero. Cause thats the cool Winchester secret.
The dead gf/wife who haunts the narrative trope is a product of misogyny writers want give male characters all the redeeming traits of a man in love without having to deal with actually writing a woman. the woman remains an idea instead of a real person w feelings & complexities