Re: Bobby, that's definitely one way of looking at it. The question to me becomes kinda two-fold -- first, are the boys actually capable of doing the work they fob off on Bobby or whomever, if whomever isn't around to do it -- and second, are the boys truly supposed to go it alone?
The first, I think, is easier -- I think they ARE capable, most of the time, of fending for themselves. Calling on Bobby or whomever to help is more expedient than strictly necessary. Now there are exceptions -- when they first met the Trickster they were so befuddled I'm not sure they WOULD have extricated themselves without assistance. But by and large I think the boys have the knowledge, the tools, and the skills to go it alone.
Harder to answer: should they? John Winchester clearly advocated the lone-wolf mentality, although equally clearly he DID have assistance and semi-friendly ears to bend here and there. In general, though, he had a whole lot of trouble delegating.
That the boys do not, points I think not to any substantive lack on their parts, so much as a desire, unlike their father, to NOT feel as if they are entirely alone in this quixotic venture. So they cultivate contacts in ways that maybe -- we don't necessarily know this for sure -- John did not, or to a degree that he did not.
Now if you take the stance that this is done out of weakness -- lack of knowledge, resources, skills -- then it might not necessarily be a good thing. But aside from Bobby's arguably immense library of knowledge, which the boys clearly need to tap pretty regularly, I don't think the boys lack in ability or skill. Sam CAN do his research, cogently, and I suspect that if he were required to, Dean can as well. The question then becomes ability vs. expediency.
Not to mention that cultivating some insider contacts carries a few extra perks, not least of which is safe harbor, someone who'll notice if Sam and Dean vanish off the map, and so on. So I think the only reason to see Bobby as a negative would be if the boys avoid learning/doing things simply because they can always call on him for assistance. It would be risky, because ain't no guarantee Bobby will always be around and available.
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The first, I think, is easier -- I think they ARE capable, most of the time, of fending for themselves. Calling on Bobby or whomever to help is more expedient than strictly necessary. Now there are exceptions -- when they first met the Trickster they were so befuddled I'm not sure they WOULD have extricated themselves without assistance. But by and large I think the boys have the knowledge, the tools, and the skills to go it alone.
Harder to answer: should they? John Winchester clearly advocated the lone-wolf mentality, although equally clearly he DID have assistance and semi-friendly ears to bend here and there. In general, though, he had a whole lot of trouble delegating.
That the boys do not, points I think not to any substantive lack on their parts, so much as a desire, unlike their father, to NOT feel as if they are entirely alone in this quixotic venture. So they cultivate contacts in ways that maybe -- we don't necessarily know this for sure -- John did not, or to a degree that he did not.
Now if you take the stance that this is done out of weakness -- lack of knowledge, resources, skills -- then it might not necessarily be a good thing. But aside from Bobby's arguably immense library of knowledge, which the boys clearly need to tap pretty regularly, I don't think the boys lack in ability or skill. Sam CAN do his research, cogently, and I suspect that if he were required to, Dean can as well. The question then becomes ability vs. expediency.
Not to mention that cultivating some insider contacts carries a few extra perks, not least of which is safe harbor, someone who'll notice if Sam and Dean vanish off the map, and so on. So I think the only reason to see Bobby as a negative would be if the boys avoid learning/doing things simply because they can always call on him for assistance. It would be risky, because ain't no guarantee Bobby will always be around and available.