Recap – “Live Free or Twihard”
Cure time! Samuel puts the blood in a jar of some red concoction. “If this works it’s not going to be a kiddie ride, you know that?” Samuel warns. Dean doesn’t particularly care because it trumps being a vampire. Dean is angsty, suffering, stark raving hungry, blood is still spattered all over him and Sam actually has the nerve to ask what he saw in there. The angle on Sam’s face while he’s asking is perfect, for there’s just enough light coming through the blinds that makes him look totally ominous. So Dean clocks him one. Oh sorry, next week. Dean is too agitated to give an answer. “Sam I can’t hear you. Your blood is so freaking loud, okay, just back off.” Dean desperately asks Samuel for the cure, who now has it in a mug for him.
Dean smells it and it repulses him. Anyone who knows the language that Dean speaks when doing his toast before drinking, please speak up. It sounds Yiddish to me but I’m hardly a lingual expert. Dean chugs it down so fast he’s spilling half of it on him and his hands are still stained beet red from all the blood. Poor guy. We see Dean from behind and Sam and Samuel on both sides of him watching. They’re both pretty fascinated.
Dean finishes and chokes on its hideous taste. He doesn’t feel different. “I don’t think it-” Oh, here it comes. Luckily, they had a trash can ready for him, so he whips around and starts puking practically gallons of black liquid. How did Jensen do that without getting sick himself? Maybe he didn’t. Sam wonders if its working. “Either that or he’s dying,” Samuel says. Yeah Sam, there’s also this little side effect with such things known as death. You might have wanted to consider it before going forward with your risky plan.
Dean finishes expelling his guts and throws his head upward, letting out a blood curdling yell as the whites of his eyes go red and his fangs protract. Suddenly, his entire experience as a vampire starts flashing backward. As if this guy hasn’t had enough bad trips! The challenge from Boris, the bloody knife, attacking the vamp with dead man’s blood, Kristen at the computer, pushing Ben away. Dean then collapses to the ground, reeling from the cure working its magic. He sees himself almost attacking Lisa against the wall, watching her sleep, the lamp in the motel hurting his eyes.
Back to current Dean convulsing on the floor. He flashes to Sam finding him in the alley, Boris attacking him, and Sam watching Dean get turned. Uh, wait a second! Dean’s final memory is a brutal yet clear flash of Sam in the alley, smirking as he gets turned into a vampire. Oh no! Sammy’s been caught! This is not going to be brushed aside. To think, of that entire horrific ordeal, that one discovery about Sam ends up being the worst possible thing for Dean. How sad. My heart right now is all but crushed for Dean.
There’s a closeup on Dean’s bloodshot eye. The shot pulls away to Dean’s blank face, he’s calmer now but clearly shaken by everything. He comes to and tries to get up and a relieved Sam comes over to help. Sam is actually smiling and patting his brother. In other words, Sam is doing what he thinks he’s expected to do. This isn’t sincere to me. Yes he’s relieved, but the gesture is fake. Samuel is behind them both, stunned that his cure worked. Dean just looks at Sam unnerved. He knows the truth. Now what is he going to do with it?
Okay, I’m completely wrecked now. You? From the time Dean was turned, that was one complete white knuckler. Some of the best damned horror I’ve ever seen, period, although I will admit I don’t watch too much of it. Sleeping becomes pretty harrowing after watching that!
Okay, now the segue for next week. Sam and Samuel are in the motel room packing up, and one cleaned up and looking way better Dean comes out of the bathroom. I’m sure that was the best shower of his life! He looks at Sam kind of funny, but breaks form when Sam turns around. Sam sees him and asks “So what did you see?” What Sam, no “Feel better after a hot shower?” Your concern is so touching. Dean asks what so Sam clarifies. In the nest, what did he see? Sam is actually smiling as if Dean’s about to tell a happy story of fairies and rainbows. I just can’t defend you anymore Sam.
Dean decides to talk. He’s still trying to work through it (I’ll say!) but he’s pretty sure they aren’t figuring it out on their own. They’re getting orders from the top, their alpha. They have some sort of psychic thing going and he sends them messages. Some really freaky trippy messages, but hey, everyone’s got their own communication style. Sam wants to know what they say. “Honestly, recruitment drive. Their alpha’s building an army.” Samuel sarcastically calls that comforting. Dean pulls the “that’s not the worst” comment. “We don’t scare them anymore.” Sam and Samuel are disappointed to hear this, but they don’t look all that surprised either. They’ve probably been figuring that out on their own.
Dean is at the trunk of the Impala, trying to get hold of Lisa on the phone. He gets her voice mail. He tries to leave a message, but doesn’t know what to say. Sam comes up and asks how it went with Lisa. Dean clocks him one and tells him “that’s how!” Oh wait, next week. He says it didn’t and Sam gives the most freaking insincere “I’m sorry.” Just quit trying Sam, you’re making yourself look worse than you already are.
Dean brushes it off, instead going for a simple test. “At least you got my back. No matter what happens, I can always count on you, right Sammy?” Dean watches the reaction, as do we. Sam gives an vacant under the surface “Yeah, of course Dean.” The external gestures are right, but the sincerity in the eyes, the puppy dog Sam, none of it is there. Dean sees it, and the final shot is on his fake smile of confidence which is just as insincere as Sam’s words. Oh boy, these two are in for a major mash up. Next week!
Whew, what a recap! Might I note right here, the harshness of my words toward Sam in this recap reflect his particular actions in this episode. To me, what he did to Dean was unforgivable. That’s not to say there isn’t a good reason for why he’s that way, or that he himself is in some serious trouble, but I’m going with the presentation in this particular circumstance. It’s my guess TPTB wanted to raise some serious character doubts with Sam and they have succeeded. I haven’t given up on Sam as a character and I have faith this will all work out somehow. Just not before Dean gives him the ass kicking he deserves. This is all going somewhere, enjoy the ride!
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.