Recap – “Live Free or Twihard”
In a long walk down the hall that looks like Sam got lost at the freak show, Sam tails his guy. You know this is a strange situation when Ginormo is the normal looking one. He follows the guy into a storage room. Stupid vampire jumps out from behind the door and attacks Sam, fangs and all. Yeah, swoosh! Sam does quick decapitation with one quick strike of his knife. He looks stone cold doing it too. At least its not the wild eyes of rage we got last season. Funny how these vampires are being recruited but not being taught to stay away from the dangerous hunter with the knife. They are either mindless or have a flawed sense of superiority.
Bieber is outside in the same alley as before, asking the girl if she’s ready to spend eternity with him. She is, because she’s a stupid bitch. He makes his move but is thwarted by Dean, who throws him off her. She runs when Dean tells her to and Bieber doesn’t get it. Dean checks his teeth. Totally fake. I love how Dean goes into parenting mode here. “What are you, twelve?” Then he notices something else. “Are you wearing glitter?” Bieber claims he only does it to get laid. Dean thinks about it. “Does it work? Bieber nods. Dean is impressed. “I’ll be damned. All right, mmm bop your way out of here.” The bad teen references keep coming, not to mention Dean just dated himself there. Then he shouts to Bieber, “Use a condom!” Even psuedo parenting has really changed Dean, hasn’t it? He’s giving lectures now to teens. I find that hilarious.
Might I add that Bieber got extremely lucky that Dean was the one that went after him. If it was Sam, it would have been behead first and ask questions later. Plus Sam would have never thrown in the safe sex lecture!
Okay everyone, time for things to get VERY heavy. From here on out, it’s extreme. Dean walks back and hears in the shadows from a male voice, “You’re pretty.” Yeah, we know, but, ick. Out steps wild haired big dude vampire (I’ll call him Animal) from the teaser. Dean isn’t sure he heard right, so Animal repeats. “I said, you’re pretty.” This time we see full view of his face and he’s quite enamored with ole Deano. This naturally makes Dean quite uncomfortable. “Sorry again pal, I don’t play for your team.” That’s a “Seinfeld” reference. They did a whole episode on playing for the other team.
Animal responds by grabbing Dean and throwing him into a nearby trash heap. Oh, he’s a won’t take no for an answer vamp. Actually, Dean lands on top of the dumpster and then falls onto trash on the ground next to it. That’s a brutal toss and generated some winces and “ohs” on our end. Dean gets his bearings about him while Animal approaches and grabs a nearby lead pipe. He swings but misses, so Animal grabs him and smacks him around a bit. Whew, luckily Sammy arrives just in time to save the day.
Um, wait a second, Sam stops midway through his charge down the alley. I need to analyze this VERY carefully so I can figure out what the fuck he’s doing. At first he’s very alarmed by what he sees. Animal smacks Dean around some more and Sam can be seen in the background standing there…WATCHING. WTF SAMMY??? Save him already!! Nope Sam just watches, and his expression changes from alarmed to curious. Sort of like he can’t wait to see what happens next. In the meantime Animal has Dean held down really good and he sinks those vampire teeth into his own wrist. Now would be a good time Sam! Nope, he watches with more fascination. Oh Sammy, why are you doing this? Your brother is about to be turned into a vampire for God’s sake!!
Animal takes his now bloody wrist, while Sam can be seen in the background watching, and puts it up to Dean’s mouth. Oh poor Dean! This can’t be happening to him. I’m about in tears here. I’m not sure who’s breaking my heart more, Sam or Dean. Then Sam smirks?? WHAT?? Animal smears the blood all in Dean’s mouth. Nooo! Oh that’s it, waterworks now. Stunned, heartbroken, streaming waterworks. What did you just do Sam? You just willingly doomed your brother for all eternity? Who are you?
Sam snaps out of his curious and evil stupor, pulls out his knife and makes a half hearted attempt to attack Animal before he flees up the building wall. Sam pretends to be concerned for appearances, but Dean really doesn’t notice, for he’s on the ground realizing that HE’S COMPLETELY SCREWED! Good thing his brother has his back (intense sarcasm there). Dean says “Sammy” and Sam looks at him like the worst thing in the world just happened. Yeah to worst thing in the world YOU LET HAPPEN! YOU BASTARD! Yes, I was screaming this to my TV set when I saw this. This is the moment that I pulled in my puppy and kitty and went for the group hug.
That scene jarred me out of my head space so much the first time I watched this I couldn’t even process what happened after that. It was like watching a bad dream. Luckily this thing exists called a rewatch and once the shock of Sammy doing that to his poor brother wore off, the next bits, Dean struggling with being a vampire, ended up blowing me away just as much. Maybe more so. We saw Gordon turn in “Fresh Blood” but this is way different. When something this dramatic happens to one of our nearest and dearest, whole new ballgame. Jensen just nails this and makes it looks as disturbing as we would imagine.
Sam closes the curtains while Dean clutches his head, complaining about the loud noises. Lucky for us, we get to hear what’s going on in his head. Poor guy! Sam asks what sound but we hear the loud sirens that are likely blocks away. Dean smashes the lamp and this starts the whole jagged barrage of images back and forth that set the mood for Dean’s unstable state of mind. Dean then starts banging on the wall telling the people next door to keep it down and then tells Sam to turn out the overhead light, its too bright.
Sam turns off the light and Dean is only marginally better. The world is distorted and fuzzy. Sam tells him to sit down but Dean retorts the same thing back. He’s definitely cranky. Dean sits down anyway. “Of all the ways to die I never thought I would go out like this.” Sam tries to assure him no one is going out but back to the barrage of distractions, like the clock radio, the same old one like at Bobby’s house from last episode, is distorted and every click making a huge racquet. Poor Dean. I assume vampires learn how to adjust to all this noise.
Great recap, Alice, as usual! This was such a dark episode that I didn’t know what to think when it was over. I’m still processing but can’t wait for next week when hopefully the truth will out!
BTW, Dean was say a Jewish toast when he drank the cure – L’Chayim – which means “To Life”. Very apropos, don’t you think? 😉
Very nice recap – I enjoyed reading it.
A small quibble. 😛 I thought the password to the girl’s computer was “Lautner”. Sam typed in that name as the password, and while he was waiting for that password to fail, he asked how “Pattinson” was spelt (in anticipation of typing “Pattinson” as his next attempt). However, “Lautner” worked.
Reading your recap reminded me of how heartbreaking this episode was for Dean – being turned into a vampire and thinking he was going to have to be cut down, having to say goodbye to Lisa (again !) and nearly drinking her in the process, and of course, discovering how Sam betrayed him and allowed him to be turned.
Thanks, Rose, for explaining the toast. 🙂
Hi Alice
I so love your recaps…and this one I’m sure was definitely a hard one to do.
I burst out laughing when you referenced that Boris looked like Animal from the Muppets….so true…all he needed was a set of drum sticks and a chain around his neck and waa laa it would be him.
I have to say aside from the drawn out beginning and Sam’s character annihilation it was a really good episode. It was creepy and dark and I loved the camera effects and of course Jensen was fantastic. And I loved the building that the nest was in aswell. It did look like an old Bank or maybe an old Train Station.
Now before you get on me about my comment on Sam. I am keeping my fingers crossed and deeply hoping/believing that Sera will do good by Sam and a acceptable, redeemable, forgivable, anythingable answer will be provided soon. And that we will get our brothers back and finally move on from this story line.
I am still very curious as to why and by whom both Sam’s were resurrected and how they crossed paths. And I am also looking forward to more on the Alpha story line.
I do have one little nitpic as I mentioned in Elle2’s review, I don’t see how Dean saw Sam smirk. From the filming stand point Dean’s eyes were shut at the time. He may of caught a glimpse of Sam standing there but could not of seen the smirk.
Thanks again Alice for the great recap.
Thanks for the recap, Alice. It’s especially good handy given that I couldn’t bring myself to watch it a second time. I’m waiting for (another) Sam redemption before I rewatch.
Some really good observations here and some quintessential Supernatural moments; making the cuddly, hairy dude the head vampire honcho, 21st century vamps, projectile vomiting, Dean trying to jibe Sam into resurrecting Sammy and Sam all work, work, work.
I was thinking about the turning (as it shall from hence forth be known…) (1) If Sam wanted a hunter on the inside, why not himself? Maybe, given his propensity for blood, he doesn’t trust himself and (2) He felt Dean was more honourable and thought he’d never take human blood. Turned out he was right.
I don’t know though, maybe I’m just having a ‘glass half full’ day but looking at the screencaps and looking at Sam’s face while watching Dean being turned, I don’t think he planned for it to happen. He’s got a bit of the WTF face going on. However, now that it HAS happened, why not use it to your advantage? Still doesn’t take away from the fact that he didn’t try to stop it though.
While I’m not happy (cos I’m quite sad) about Sam, I am intrigued, very intrigued AND invested, very, very invested.
“Dean hangs up and Sam arrives. Oh yeah, tender moment over. Sam wants to know what he’s stoked about, but Dean moves onto the case. Six girls have gone missing in seven days which is definitely unusual for the area. “And cute,†Dean says, noticing the pictures. Sam finds that amusing. “Ice cream comes in lots of flavors Sam.†Hmm, interesting joke considering he just got off the phone with Lisa.”
I think the above exchange represented a brotherly moment … of sorts.
Sam’s questioning what Dean was so stoked about is rhetorical, as Sam saw him on the phone and easily guessed that it was Lisa. That is, Sam is teasing Dean about the latter’s acting like he’s in love.
Dean’s “ice cream” quip is an attempt to deny it, which Sam knowingly brushes aside.
***
I wasn’t quite as overwhelmed by this ep as you — although I did think it was very good. I think it would’ve worked better if the Kristen story had remained more in the foreground of the plot. After all, they were initially planning to rescue her. Having to gank her should’ve been a little less offhanded.
Alice, Alice, Alice — I was so much like you with this episode.
Happily watching until THAT occurred! After I finished yelling, hyperventilating and whimpering, the show was over and I couldn’t tell you what the rest of it was about until I watched it again with a broken heart, but knew what would happen so it wasn’t such a complete shock the second time.
How Sam can be redeemed is absolutely beyond me right now, and perhaps Dean beating the crap out of him won’t cure Sam, it sure will make me feel better, and maybe Dean too. This must be fixed soon, and better than just another “I’m sorry Dean” as that got old some time ago.
I’m hoping right now that that isn’t Sam in any way whatsoever. I don’t want to have to see Sam and remember how he used to be and isn’t any more. Just can’t forgive him for that if it really was him.
The second time I watched I discovered the badass mofo that Dean still is. LOVED how he went through the whole nest and rested with his boot on Boris’ severed head. Woot!!!! 😈
Jared loves to play the bad guy, but I hope he realizes how awful it is to watch a once beloved character disappoint in every possible way. I want to love Sam again and have the brothers close again and trusting completely each other. Right now I wouldn’t trust Sam to pick up dinner. Sam’s gone off on Dean about not letting him be an adult. He doesn’t deserve to be after this episode. If he is not kicked out of the Impala he should be kept on the shortest leash available. Hope this is not dragged on too long! 🙁
Even so, can’t wait till the next episode, and that is the point of it all, I guess. Riveting and unbearably hurting for our beloved boys!
Great recap/review. It was an awesome episode. Loving how the new writers and directors are bolder and are doing new things this year.
I really was not liking Sam after this episode, (and I consider myself a Sam girl) but now I am having compassion for him. :cry::
Alice, I am getting this vibe that you enjoyed the beatdown that Sam got from Dean. 😀
Great recap.
Were the new vamps stupid before they were turned or did they get stupid when they became vamps? If you see someone coming at you with a sharp knife why do you keep walking to them??? 😀 😀
I like Daddy!Dean, giving advice to the children out there. But I love Vamp!Dean even more. 😀 He is a badass, and can take out a whole coven of vamps within minutes including their big hair leader. (and that is without drinking a drop of blood, he should give some lessons to Stefen Salvatore) 😀
I think that Vamp!Dean would have wiped the floor with Vamp!Gordon.:D
I was waiting for Sam to come to Dean’s rescue, but the MoFo was just standing there. WTF WTF WTF
Poor Dean, having to deal with the super senses of being a vamp and an a**hole of a brother. Even when Dean is cured, all Sam wanted to know was details about the coven. WTF. (I was saying that alot during this episode, they should have called this episode ‘WTF Sam’.)
When Dean was watching Lisa in her bedroom, I had a flashback to the Pilot, when YED was standing over the crib, also when John was in the hotel room in ‘Shadow’.
Grandpa gets a cookie for yelling at Sam. 😀 Sam WTF
Love the stupid ‘rhymes with witch’ who wants Dean to help her when he sees her in the lair. She changed her mind about being a vamp, too late.
Is it just me, or are there no good little girls in SUPERNATURAL? All the children that have been victims are boys, but the girls are evil. Can anyone think of a girl that was in danger? Just thought of one, Tyler from ‘Playthings’, but she did have an evil imaginary friend (who was a girl).
I urge everyone to go to zimshan.livejournal.com/225640.html, she talks about how season 6 Sam is different. It is called ‘The Enigma which is post-Hell Sam’. She wrote this last Friday afternoon, before ‘Truth’, but after seeing ‘Truth’ and seeing the previews for next week, her picspam makes even more sense.
It is like when Dean took the crowbar to the Impala, he started and couldn’t stop until his arms got tired.
He started beating on Sam, when Sam didn’t try to defend himself, then Dean just got crazier because that really did mean that Sam was empty inside. ‘Cause if you don’t even care about yourself then how can you care about anybody else.