Recap – “The Third Man”
Sam and Dean silently accept his apology, until Cas grabs Dean and slices his hand. “I need your blood.” So much for shame and humility. Dean protests, but Castiel needs it. He needs human blood. Cas pours the holy water into the bowl and does his Enochian ritual. They hear the police sirens and Sam wants to know how long the spell will take. Before he can answer, it’s done. Dean asks about the boy. “Don’t you think the police will take him home?” Ooh, so cold. They will though and hopefully the kid will learn his lesson about selling his soul from now on. Don’t do it, or two guys and a stressed out angel will bust you like a pinata.
Next thing all three are outside a mansion at night. Dean isn’t impressed. “Huh, I was expecting more Dr. No, less Liberace.” Cas walks inside and takes a look around. Nice place. Got a bit of a Spanish feel to it which isn’t my style, but it’s nice. There is one big, ugly ass frog sitting there and I’m thinking it’s the same stunt frog from “Bedtime Stories.” Welcome back froggy! Castiel zooms upstairs and finds a room that has a grand piano with disco lights and a dance soundtrack playing. Okay. It’s the disco angel!
“Even I know that’s a bad joke,” Castiel says. See, hanging around with Dean has taught you something. Castiel tells Balthazar he grieved his death. Balthazar is somewhat apologetic, but not really. He really didn’t want people looking for him. Cas wants to know what he’s doing. “Anything I want. This morning I had a menage a, what’s French for twelve?” Ooh, I like this guy. He’s the patron saint of partiers. Castiel states he stole the Staff of Moses. Good not asking the question there Cas. Balthazar admits it freely. He stole a lot of things.
Castiel thinks he’s an honorable solider and brings up how many times they fought together. “Yes, too many times to count,” Balthazar says. Castiel knows he’s not a common thief. I wouldn’t call anymore who steals weapons on God common. Balthazar pretty much says that in his own words. Castiel needs his help. Balthazar pledges his allegiance, that hasn’t changed. Cas asks for the weapons. “Don’t ask that,” Balthazar says. Oh, he’s also a wants his cake and eat it too angel.
Castiel calls him insane and tells him the holiday is over. Raphael knows he’s alive. He doesn’t care, he’s armed. “I’m sorry Cas, all else aside, I’m really happy to see you, even though you have that stick up your ass.” That’s all though, for there’s the crash of lightening. Balthazar confirms that wasn’t Cas and it’s time for him to go. “Tell Raphael to bite me.” I love this guy! I’m already picturing him and Crowley hanging out in expensive digs drinking fine expensive scotch and plotting world domination. I hope to see him back.
Balthazar disappears and Castiel isn’t wise enough to do the same. Raphael and his three henchmen appear outside, much in the same place Sam, Dean, and Cas did earlier. Raphael warns them they’re all snakes. Okay, whatever that means. One of the henchmen looks around and Sam appears in front of him. He’s holding an angel killing sword just like the other guy. “Yeah, I’ve got one of those too.” The angel zips over in no time and has his sword to Sam’s throat. Sam’s hair fluffs in the quick breeze created by the angel, causing me to yelp. “You think you can knife fight an angel?” “Who’s fighting,” Dean says nearby. “Peace out douchewad.” He hits the angel banishing sigil. Awesome! This is the cool stuff that happens when Sam and Dean work together.
Other henchman appears where Castiel is. Cas tries to appeal to him but dude won’t stop. Castiel throws the sword for a perfect strike. Wow, that wasn’t one very smart angel, was it? Peace out douchewad. Castiel is bothered by having to do that. “Why won’t any of you listen?” As he’s grabbed from behind by Raphael, he gets an answer. “They don’t listen Castiel because their hearts are mine.” I’ll spare the graphic details here, but Raphael kicks the total crap out of Castiel. I guess the whole being left in the ring of fire and taking over Heaven hit a sore spot. Then again, Raphael started the whole thing by exploding Castiel at Chuck’s place. These guys should just call it a draw.
No, they don’t, because Raphael is still mad. He kicks Castiel down the stairs and greets him at the bottom with the angel killing sword. If you remember, Castiel’s sword is in another angel right now. “Somehow, I don’t think God will be bringing you back this time.” Wanna bet? Your overconfidence is your weakness Raphael. Nah, Chuck skipped town. Raphael goes to strike but someone behind him yells out. He stops and turns around. It’s Balthazar. “Look at my junk.” He holds out a stone and Raphael looks it. He instantly turns to salt. That’s a neat trick. I wonder if he does that trick at parties?
Balthazar is amused. “The same thing happened to Lot’s wife. Iodize the poor sucker, and your kitchen is stocked for life.” Are there health benefits with salt of Raphael? Castiel is shocked Balthazar came back. Since Raphael has to go shopping for a new vessel, that’ll give him a head start. Too bad. I liked Raphael’s old vessel. Nice knowing you Demore Barnes.
Great recap for a stellar episode !
I (mostly) like your choice of pics also, although I have to say that I thought there were perhaps a tad too many of Sam (just look at the first page ! :P)
A quick thought –
I thought it was a nice link between how Dean could tell from a phone call that Ben was lying, and how he could also tell that Aaron was holding back on the fact that he sold his soul for (part of) Moses’ Staff.
Dean appears to be quite an expert on when kids are lying. 🙂
Great recap for a much better episode.
Love badass/mysterious Sam, Jared is really bringing this season. I love how Sam is different yet there’s a hint of the Sammy we all know and love under the surface. Cant wait to see more of his story unfold.
BTW.You can never have too many pictures of Sam. I heard we may have more nekkid Sam before Christmas too. Yay!
Still rooting for the Dean/Lisa/Ben storyline to be over soon and I’m still thinking episode 5 will mark the beginning of the end of that arc, it’ll be over in 6 (just a hunch). Then maybe we can get to the real issues at hand like Sam, the Campbell’s, gods stolen weapons. Most of all we really need to get back to the brothers relationship and cut down on the fan servicing-I like more to my Supernatural than just Dean with a kiddie every week and Sam getting his kit off (even if I really appreciate the latter).
Hi Alice,
I think I better clarify – I wasn’t implying that Sam and Dean should get equal pictorial exposure !
I just mean that as an individual sharing the same gender and marital status as Jensen and Jared (and on top of that we have 3 young kids – it’s too bad the missus does not think it’s a good idea to start them on a horror television series just yet :P), I guess I was not prepared for the onslaught, on a single page, of so much … er… Sam exposure 😛
That being said, I appreciate that many other readers will enjoy your layout on page 1 more than I did, and personally, the Sam skin onslaught did not (for me) detract from your excellent and enjoyable recap. 🙂
Before I start I have to say, I really love reading your reviews and not just because of the comprehensive or enlightening nature of them but because they are so freaking full of joy!! You seem to find delight in everything new and old that’s shown and that’s great because it reflects in your writing (goes for all the writers on here!).
At a time when a lot of other places are moaning or complaining about the ‘direction’ of the show etc, to be able to read someone who is still entranced with the show… well, an rud is annamh is iontach (what’s rare is wonderful) so thanks.
Maybe I’m being overly optimistic (it’s contagious!) but I’m seeing flickers of old Sam everywhere I look. That ‘okay’ when the lady was walking out was one such moment. It makes me believe more and more that this whole hard exterior is something Sam has chosen to put on, that he’s not actually ‘soul less/damaged/Lucifered up etc. Also, as you said, Dean is the key. In many regards, I think Sam is scared of the effect Dean will have on him so at times, will be colder towards him, hence some comments that sound harsh eg ‘Better for everybody’
I think, up until the very end of the episode, Dean was more content than he had been in a long time. He had his brother, his angel, a case, Sam back in the Impala. He had everything he wanted right there; they might be somewhat different, but it was better than nothing (am happy for Dean!)
Mr. Angel, sir. Good to see you back. Re: Castiels revelation. I think not only was Sam hoping it was God, but he’s absolutely terrified that it’s not. If the angels didn’t do it and God (probably) didn’t do it, then that just leaves one other team, and they play downstairs…
I know most people probably cheered at the loss of Sams car but I think it was more than a car for Sam. It represented his independence. In it, he was just Sam, the Hunter, no background etc but in the Impala, he’s also Sam, the little brother, and with Sam’s need to not let his emotions get away from him, being so close to Dean, in his ‘home’ on a constant basis, I’m sure he feels it could be a pretty risky place for him to be.
I think it’s kind of a Winchester family mantra that they ‘don’t talk about it’. Sure, show off the scars etc but anything of a mental or emotional nature doesn’t matter. There’s now a part of me thinking that maybe Sam wasn’t physically tortured in the Pit (don’t know why) but I’d say they ‘ouched him in the head sad’ fairly good. This could be another reason why Sam says he ok. Physically, he’s fine and the psychological stuff doesn’t count because it’s just his head.
Just in relation to the bigger picture comment. I wonder if, when Lucifer was perched in Sam, Sam got any insight into what Lucifer had planned. This could explain why torturing the kid didn’t faze him. Sam knows what could happen, so he can’t afford to think about the smaller man. This only ‘seeing the bigger picture’ Sammy both excites and saddens me….
Love the recap Alice, great job, as always. Also appreciate of your little insights, although conservative republican, really?
I agree with Tim the Enchanters assessment of Sam’s torture. I also don’t think it was a mostly physical torture like Dean’s. (Although I think Dean’s was mostly physical with a some mental torture thrown in for good measure.) I am of the feeling that Lucifer’s cage in Hell is set off from the rest of the demons, so Sam’s time in Hell was spent with Lucifer in his head, which brings me to believe that his torture was all mental, and that Luci was really working him over similar to how he spoke to him in Swan Song. So, however long Sam was down there, he had Lucifer constantly ragging on him and that, I am sure, really did a number on his psyche (not that Sam wasn’t already psyche damaged with all the years of facing the demon blood crap).
I loved the beginning sequence of Dean and Sam and how different their lives are now after this past year. Sam and a prostitute – who would have thunk, but he does indeed look hot. I loved it that Dean was dreaming about Lisa. And As for Dean/Lisa/Ben – it looks like something will be happening in that story line in 6.05 and 6.06 and I am so wanting this story line to continue for Dean. We can still have the brothers story line front and center, that is what SPN is all about. But a show and characters cannot continue to grow and evolve without changes, and continuing to have Lisa and Ben in Dean’s life, and Sam’s as an offshoot of that (not central but still have a presence in his life) will be a chance for these two characters to grow as individuals and learn to not be so codependent on each other. That they can become more equals. I think it’s an important part of their maturation.
I hope they bring back Demore Barnes as Raphael. I cannot accept anyone else period. He is the only angel that comes close to what i would imagine the warrior angels of Supernatural should be like, not wimpy like Gabriel, dirty like Balthazar or child like and lost like Castiel. Even though i liked them, i still was disappointed with them. And Demore Barnes voice is just the coolest and most powerful voice ever. And come on, he is the only angel who has lightning for wings.
I would rather see his return than Balthazar. And he knows how to do fight scenes better than all his opponents.