The Winchester Family Business

“Like a Virgin” Episode 6/12
Robin’s Rambles by Robin Vogel

An incredible montage of scenes from all six of the previous seasons plays over "Back in the Saddle Again," and I know my heart was beating hard in my chest as I watched.  There was mention of alphas, mothers, and an overview of what happened when RoboSam returned, all the way to the final, awful scene when Death shoved his soul back into his body as Sam screamed in agony.  
 
Cut to a scene straight out of "Phantom Traveler," in which a couple is flying through a terrible thunderstorm.  The young,  very nervous young woman spots something HUGE flying by the plane and is immediately panic-stricken, but her boyfriend asks for just a few more minutes, assuring her it was just a bird. She's sure it was NOT a bird, and he urges her to close her eyes, lean back, relax, think of beaches for a few moments. She reluctantly does so, only to hear him cry out as glass breaks and he is violently pulled from the plane. She opens her eyes, he's gone, the plane is going down! She holds on as the plane fills with rain and lightning and screams in terror.
 
Editor's comments: This felt so much more like an episode of old! I know, we had the old Sam back, but it felt like we had the old DEAN back, too, so protective of his brother!  Watching all those scenes from previous eps over that classic rock song made me feel like crying. Sounds sappy, I know, but this season of SUPERNATURAL hasn't been the same for me, and I've missed so many elements from what I remember! It felt to me like my favorite show was back in the saddle again, and they--and we--were riding high and happy!
 
As for the opening scene, I hate when they do stuff that makes me afraid to do stuff--like flying! It sure was scary and effective.
 
Dean waits anxiously outside the panic room as Castiel comes out, sliding down his sleeve. "His soul is in place," says Cas. "When is he going to wake up?" asks Dean. "I'm not a human doctor," says Cas. Dean wants him to guess. "OK, probably not," says Cas. Dean's annoyed at the lack of sugar coating, but Cas adds, "I'm sorry, Dean, but I warned you not to put that thing back inside him," says Cas. "What was I supposed to do?" demands Dean--"let T-1000 walk around, hope he doesn't open fire?" "I can tell you what his soul felt like when I touched it," says Cas harshly, "like it had been skinned alive! If you'd wanted to kill your brother, you should have done it outright." (OUCH!) Cas flies off, leaving Dean to chew on THAT guilty thought a while.
 
Upstairs, Bobby pours the two of them a drink. "Like my daddy said, just because it kills your liver don't mean it ain't medicine," he says. (Lots of REAL drugs kill your liver!) "Sam still asleep?" Dean nods. "He'll wake up," Bobby assures him. "Yeah," says Dean uncertainly. "He's been through how much?" asks Bobby, "somehow, he always bounces back." "He's never been through this," says Dean. He notes a newspaper article Bobby's looking at. "Job?" Dean's willing to help, even go to the library--anything. Bobby explains that a couple went up in a light plane. The guy was just found in the woods. Couple of Buddy Hollies? asks Dean--doesn't seem like world of the weird. "Pilot was found 17 miles away--flambeed," says Bobby, "girl's just gone, no body, no nothin'." "OK, I'm not changin' the channel," says Dean. "Dean?" says Sam behind him. Bobby stares, eyes huge. "Sam?" asks Dean, a million questions in the name. Sam hugs him, tight. Dean, after a few seconds, returns it. Sam holds him away, looks at him, smiles gratefully, then releases him to draw Bobby into a hug, too. "Good to see you," says Bobby, without enthusiasm. "Wait--I saw Lucifer snap your neck," says Sam. "Well, Cas," begins Bobby. "Cas is alive?" asks Sam joyfully. "Cas is fine," says Dean, "Sam, are you OK?" "Actually," says Sam, "I'm starving." This looks like the best news Dean's ever heard.
 
Around a table where Sam is scarfing up a sandwich and beer, Dean asks, "So Sam, what's the last thing you remember?" "The field, and then I fell," says Sam, as we once again see the scene where he and Adam go over into the cage. "OK, and then?" asks Dean. "I woke up in the panic room," answers Sam. (WHOA, that's a lot of missing time!) "That's it?" asks Bobby, "you really don't remember. . .?  "Let's be glad!" interjects Dean quickly, giving Bobby a significant look--"who wants to remember all that hell." "How long was I gone?" asks Sam. "About a year and a half," says Dean. "WHAT?" says Sam, flummoxed--"I was downstairs. . .I don't remember anything!--so how did I get back, was it Cas?" "Not exactly says Dean. "What did you do?" Sam asks his brother. "Me and Death," admits Dean. "DEATH? The Horseman?" exclaims Sam. "I had leverage--it's done," Dean assures him. "You sure?" asks Sam. "It's over," says Dean firmly, "the slate's wiped." "Well, isn't this just neat and clean," says Bobby sarcastically. "Yes, it is, for once," says Dean, but Sam,  sensing something awry, asks, "Is there anything else I should know?" "No," says Dean, smiling, "another beer?" "Yeah," says Sam.
 
Later, Bobby, dressed in a manly apron, works under a car. Dean, beer in hand, joins him. "How is he?" Bobby asks. "Good, really good, better than I could have hoped," Dean answers. "Mmmhmm," says Bobby sourly. "Why the poop face?" asks Dean. "I'm glad he's better, I really am," says Bobby, "but that kid went straight-up Menendez on me not 10 days ago, and now it's all just erased? Sorry, but I'm havin' a hard time even looking at him." "It wasn't Sam," Dean reminds him. "Maybe it wasn't ALL Sam," says Bobby, "but it was him, Dean. "What do you want to do, tell him everything?" asks Dean. "No, I just wish I could, that's all," admits Bobby. "If we start doin' that crap, we don't know what'll happen, it could crack the wall," warns Dean. Bobby knows. To Dean, this is a gift horse, and he's not looking for teeth--"I'm sending Death a damn fruit basket!" "He's gonna find out," warns Bobby, "one way or another, somebody'll tell him or he'll figure it out on his own, he's not dumb, he should hear it from us." "Could we just leave it alone for the moment, please?" pleads Dean. "OK," says Bobby, tossing up his hands and picking up a wrench, "but you'd better prep for the B-side, because when Sam realizes we're shinin' him, it ain't gonna be cute." Dean takes a swallow of beer.

 

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