“You Can’t Handle The Truth”
Episode 6/6
–Robin’s Rambles by Robin Vogel
Calumet City, IL – While a TV newswoman drones on in the background, a Biggerson’s waitress (remember the brothers winning a free year of food there during season 3?) speaks to her sister Olivia on the phone. “He said he’d call, but he never did,” she whines, “we had such a good time, I should call him, what do you think?” Running into a fellow waiter who beckons her, she turns her back and whispers, “I just need the truth, that’s all. I’ve really gotta go, ‘k? Call ya later.” Suddenly, Jane is getting more truth than she wants–the chef tells her she’s sad, lonely and that he pities her–oh, and stay away from the clam chowder–“I fired it up with my own ‘seasoning'”. (Ew, gross, don’t want to know what that means.) Her fellow waiter informs her that the new waitress, Misty, is WAY hotter than her, an eight, while Jane’s only a three. Jane brings only the sandwich to a sweet-looking old British lady who reveals she once ran over a homeless man–and never even stopped to see if he was alive. She hears a little girl say, “I HATE Mommy, I want to burn her in your sleep.” Another fellow waiter tells her, “I don’t know what it is, but you just give me the creeps, make me physically nauseous.” From others: “You’re pathetic.” “Desperate.” “You’re gonna die, Jane.” She unlocks a drawer, takes out a gun, calls Olivia and asks her to come and get her. “You sound awful–have you been drinking?” her sister asks. “Going crazy, freaking out,” moans Jane. “Of course you are, because you ARE a freak, you’re certifiable,” says Olivia, “every time the phone rings, my stomach drops. “Jane, another crisis, you’re a walking disaster. The whole family feels the same way, we’re like hostages. Why don’t you just kill yourself already?” Jane takes the gun from her pocket, gazes upward at the Biggerson’s sign above her, which proclaims it THE HAPPY PLACE, and blows her brains out, splattering the sign with her blood.
Now that was a terrible scene if ever I saw one. Poor Jane, looking for love and approval, coming up with not just anti-Jane remarks from co-workers and sibling alike, confessions of horrific transgressions from strangers! Given that a guy she liked apparently didn’t feel the same, it didn’t take much to send her over the edge into suicide, but hearing all those patrons calling her pathetic and desperate while her own sister urged her to kill herself was like a nightmare you can’t awaken from. No wonder Jane put a bullet in her head!
While Sam buys lunch from a nearby stand, Dean speaks with Bobby on the phone, who reminds him that they tested Sam–salt, silver, everything. “He threw me to that vamp, I’m tellin’ ya, it’s not my brother,” insists Dean. “Or somethin’ we’ve never seen before,” says Bobby. “Or freakin’ Lucifer,” suggests Dean. “Did you call Cas?” asks Bobby. He did, and he didn’t answer, “Screw him,” says Dean, “I can’t wait anymore.”I get it, you’re rattled,” says Bobby, “you’re right to be, but let’s be professional.” “Professional?–he watched me get turned!” blasts Dean. “What you saw–are you sure that’s what you saw?” asks Bobby. Damn it, Dean is sure, “I know!” “What you KNOW ain’t the same as truth,” says Bobby, “cause we’re talkin’ about. . ..” “We’re talkin’ about doin’ somethin’ about this, and fast,” says Dean, “it’s not just the vamp, he’s been different from the jump.” “All right,” says Bobby reluctantly, “I’m with ya.” “ARE you?” demands Dean. “All right,” promises Bobby, “I’ll hit the books hard, just don’t shoot him yet. Watch him, we need facts–’cause if it ain’t Sam, we don’t know what it is, and if we’re gonna put him down, we need to know how.” “I don’t even wanna ride in the same car with him, much less work a damn case,” says Dean bitterly. “Get in the car, HE’S your case,” says Bobby. Sam shows up at Dean’s elbow with food. Dean lies that he was just leaving Lisa a message. “Still hasn’t called you back,” says Sam, handing Dean his foil-wrapped food. “No,” says Dean. “Sucks,” says Sam automatically, “you OK?” “Yeah, I’m fine,” says Dean, “how’re you?” “Me? Great,” says Sam, shrugging, “never better. “Check this out. I think this might be something.” He shows him an article headed FOURTH TRAGIC SUICIDE, with Jane’s photo. “Four people, all outta nowhere, all within the last couple of weeks,” says Sam glibly, “What do you say?” “Sounds like a plan,” says Dean hesitantly.
Decked out handsomely as FBI agents, they head to Jane’s sister’s house, where an October 2010 calendar is surrounded by photos of Jane. Olivia doesn’t understand why Feds are investigating a suicide. “It’s a new, more caring administration,” explains Sam, with a creepy grin. Sitting down, Olivia explains that Jane was having a really bad day, so she did what any sister would do, “I tried to cheer her up, you know?–told her to hang in there.” She smooths a piece of hair behind her ear. “Do you know what a ‘tell’ is?” Sam asks, as Dean looks on in astonishment–“it’s a poker term, for when you’re bluffing, like what you just did with your hair.” “What are you trying to say?” she asks, nervous. “You’re lying,” Sam accuses, “tell us what you did to your sister.” She looks to Dean, no help there. Sam gazes at her malevolently, and it’s damn scary. Dean looks kinda scared, too. “OK, you’re right,” confesses Olivia, “I was lying, I wanted to tell her ‘I love you,’ that I’m here for you, but what came out was ‘You’re a burden, just kill yourself.’ Who says that? I just couldn’t stop!” She’s crying hard. Sam looks triumphantly at Dean for breaking her. Leaving, Dean reveals he found no sulfur, hex bags or EMF. Dean found an issue of CROCHET TODAY and a tuba. “So, what, already suicidal?” asks Sam. “Right, and big sis’ TAXI CONFESSION sends her over the edge,” says Dean, “the question is, what made big sis open her big fat mouth in the first place?” “That IS a question,” Sam agrees as they head to the Impala. Dean gazes speculatively at his brother before climbing into the car with him.
Dentist’s office – The dentist sends his assistant out to get some gauze. The same newscast that was on at Biggerson’s is on in the background as the dentist prepares to work on his nervous patient, and apparently, friend. He injects him with Novocaine and reminds him that he and Tasha haven’t been over to dinner in a while. The patient confesses he’s not really into his wife anymore; her saggy skin makes him want to hurl: “I have urges, you know.” The dentist fires up the drill. The patient confesses he missed their two-family camping trip because he was afraid to be around Melissa, the dentist’s comely daughter. But when Melissa came over for Jill’s slumber party, it seemed so easy–“It’s not so much that I couldn’t control myself, I just knew I wouldn’t get caught–and I didn’t get caught.” The angry dentist shoves the drill into the other man’s mouth. Blood splatters all over the place. The dental assistant returns, looks at the carnage and screams.
(Dean’s harsh comment about not even being able to sit in the same car with Sam really bothered me, especially after Bobby reminded him it could just be Sam. Putting him down is what you do to a dog, and Sam’s always been the puppy! Waahhhhh! HOW did Sam know from Olivia’s tell that she was lying? Since when did he become such an expert?)
(Going to the dentist is never fun, and this proves why you should never be friends with your dentist–or seduce his daughter! Gross, man! What a sleaze! But what was going on between Jane and the dentist?)
Dean calls Bobby to find out if he’s made any progress on his Sam research. None. “Do you have anything else to go on?” asks Bobby. “My skin crawls bein’ in the same room with him,” says Dean, “look that up.” Bobby promises to keep working on it. “I don’t know how much longer I can keep doing this,” warns Dean, “you gotta figure out what the hell he is, and fast.” “I’m tryin’, but Dean, there is a worst-case scenario,” says Bobby. “What, Satan’s my co-pilot, yeah, I know,” says Dean. “That be the other worst-case,” says Bobby, “maybe it’s just Sam.” Pondering THAT horrific thought for a moment, Dean says, “I gotta go.” “I’m givin’ you a day, Bobby, and then I’m handling this,” warns Dean, hanging up before Bobby can add anything else. Brow deeply furrowed, Dean takes a big gulp of beer and calls Lisa, hanging up after one ring. He presses the phone despairingly to his forehead. Sam bursts in and like an excited little kid, reveals, “There was another one–dentist–DRILLED a guy to death.” “You mean the non-sexy kind of drilling, right?” asks Dean. “Fifty bucks says he’s mixed up in all the crazy,” says Sam. “Ya think?” asks Dean. “Come on, let’s go talk to him,” says Sam eagerly. Dean begs off, he’s going to do research and catch up with Sam later. “You sure?” asks Sam. “Yeah, we gotta know what we’re up against, right?” says Dean. HIS forehead furrowed, Sam agrees and leaves. Dean wipes a hand over his face like the world is coming to an end. For him, it is.
An American flag flies outside the police station as Sam questions the dental hygienist. He touches her shoulder in commiseration when he’s done. At the hotel, Dean answers the phone, “Anything from Marathon Man?” “Not exactly,” says Sam, “he hung himself in his cell before I could get to him, but he was definitely involved, I just got the scoop from his assistant–the stuff his patient was confessing to, I’d have murdered him, too.” “So root canal and Russian roulette, it’s as if both of them were cursed,” says Dean, “people just compelled to puke the truth all over ’em?” “Getting hit with the ugly truth, you go postal?–I’d call that a curse,” agrees Sam, “do me a favor?–I’m going to the morgue to check out the body, why don’t you check the dentist’s office, see what you see.” “No problem,” says Dean, closing a computer screen reading doppelganger. (Dean researches what Sam might be. I wonder how he feels taking what must sound to him like orders from someone he doesn’t believe to be his brother? By the way, as someone who is retired from the US Postal Service, I really hate the expression “go postal.” I think it’s disrespectful, given that workers who are NOT postal have killed their co-workers.)
Dean climbs under crime scene tape into the dentist’s office, where blood spatters the entire chair and surroundings. He finds a saxophone sitting in a stand and reeds for it on the desk. Lessons are scheduled on the calendar every week, there’s a receipt from Harry’s House of Horns–and a photo of the dead Jane. Dean shows photos of the dead dentist, Jane and the receipt to the proprietor of Harry’s House of Horns, explaining it’s the only thing the two of them have in common. They didn’t say anything to the proprietor before they died, though. “Just fishin’,” Dean admits. Then the store owner asks Dean what’s going on with his rare, stolen horn. Caught off-guard, Dean says they’re working on it. Hearing it’s “one in a billion,” Dean turns back. “It’s a museum piece,” the man explains, showing Dean a photo in a book, “a thousand years old.” It was swiped two weeks ago, same day Jane died. Hmmm, says Dean. (So was the dentist dating Jane, and also cheating on his wife?)
Back at the hotel doing research, drinking lots of booze, Dean comes across Gabriel’s Horn of Truth. “Castiel, hello,” he calls, “possible loose nuke down here, angelic weapon, kinda your department.” He tosses the laptop on the bed. “Hear that, Cas?” He turns and Cas is there, far away, not up close and too personal like he used to be. “Hello, Dean,” he says formally. “Are you kiddin’ me? I have been on Red Alert about Sam, and you come for some stupid horn?” “You asked me to be here and I came,” says Cas. “I’ve been askin’ you to be here for DAYS, you dick!” says Dean. “I didn’t come about Sam because I have nothing to offer about Sam,” says Cas reluctantly. “Well that’s great, because for all we know, he’s gift-wrapped for Lucifer!” yells Dean. “He’s not Lucifer,” Cas assures him, pouring him another drink, “if Lucifer escaped the cage, we’d feel it.” “What is wrong with him?” asks Dean. “I don’t know–I’m sorry,” answers Cas. “What happened to you, Cas?” Dean asks–“you used to be human, or at least like one.” “I’m at war,” says Cas, turning away, “certain. . .regrettable things are now required of me.” Dean asks if Gabriel’s Horn of Truth is a real thing. “We think it’s in town,” reveals Dean, “something’s forcing people. . .” Cas abruptly disappears. “You’re welcome!” snaps Dean, downing the rest of his drink. Cas reappears. “It isn’t the Horn of Truth,” he says. Dean, astonished, asked where he looked in the two seconds he was gone. “Everywhere,” says Cas. “Right. Well, nice seein’ ya, anyway,” snarks Dean. “About your brother,” says Cas, “I don’t know what’s wrong with him, but I do want to help–I’ll make inquiries.” Dean turns to speak, but Cas is already gone. “Yeah, thanks,” he says dispiritedly to the empty room, and downs more booze.
MORGUE – After pulling out the drawer containing the dead dentist, Sam tells the Coroner he wants to see all the suicides that came in this week, not just “Dr. Giggles.” “They’re already gone,” the smiling man says. “As in transferred?” asks Sam. “Not exactly,” the other man answers. “Would you like to tell me what’s going on here, or should I have a little chat with your supervisor?” asks Sam. (He is so good in his cold implacability!) “They’re GONE,” the Coroner says. “As in GONE GONE?” queries Sam.
Dean sits in a bar, having a shot. The same newscast plays on the TV set behind the bartender, who offers, “Another one?” “No thanks, I’m workin'” Dean says. Walking up the steps of an apartment building, Carlton Court, Sam call. “All of the bodies are gone,” he reveals, “they just vanished, according to the Coroner, but I got a lead on one of the missing bodies, she died a whole week before everybody else, purportedly a car accident–there’s no reason it couldn’t have been.” So that would make her our patient zero,” notes Dean. “Maybe,” says Sam, “whatever got this curse thing rolling started with her. I’m at her place now, corner of Berner and 159th.” “Give me ten,” says Dean, hanging up. He takes another drink from the bartender, however. “Thought you were working,” she teases. “I am WORKING up to it,” he smiles, rubbing his eyes. “You OK?” she asks, pouring. “Not really,” he says. “On me,” she says, “anything else I can get ya?” “I’d just like the freaking truth,” he says, glass–and camera focus–on his gorgeous lips. He downs the shot and requests another. “Sometimes I think I can’t get pregnant, because God knows, my marriage is a sham,” the bartender says. She and Dean exchange baffled looks, and she adds, “Why’d I say that? I mean, I been snortin’ Oxy all day. Why’d I say THAT?” “I’m pretty sure I know,” says Dean grimly.
(I just love when everyone starts spouting their truths, cruel, shocking, too much info though they may be. This gal sure did tell Dean a lot about herself in those few short sentences, didn’t she? Hilarious! I have to also say that every single supporting character in this ep, from the little girl who wanted to kill her mother in her sleep to this bartender to the old lady who confessed to running over a homeless man to the creepy coroner were just perfection. All of them brought their A-games to the ep even for just one or two lines.)
“I gotta go,” says Dean, dropping money on the counter. He passes by a girl in a lavender dress with her boobs on display. “I’m sitting like this so you’ll look at my breasts,” she says, “I just bought them. I need a lot of attention.” “Good luck with that,” says former ladies’ man Dean, walking away. Remembering how words hurt, he comes back, ogles and admires her new rack, and leaves her smiling. (Attaboy, Dean!) He calls Bobby: “Anything you’re itchin’ to tell me?” Drinking milk, Bobby says, “Sorry to disappoint.” “That’s all right, just testin’ a theory,” says Dean. I’m hitting the books, drinking a nice glass of milk, watchin’ TORI AND DEAN, says Bobby. “Who and Dean?” asks Dean. “Tori Spelling, I’m a huge fan!” says Bobby–“that girl’s a real talent.” “I guess it does work over the phone,” says Dean, sauntering along. “You know what else?–I get a pedicure once in a while,” confesses Bobby, pulling off his boot, “this nice Vietnamese girl, Noon Phwong, her name means Velvet Phoenix, tiny thing, but the GRIP on her, she starts on my toes, and I feel like I’m–” “Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, now I’m scarred for life,” protests Dean, “thank you.” “I never told anyone that,” muses Bobby, “why am I tellin’ you?” As Dean shakes his head, Bobby adds, “Maybe ’cause you’re my favorite.” Dean nods affirmative on that, and Bobby adds, “Although Sam’s a better hunter, lately, anyway. . .whoa, why the hell AM I tellin’ you this?” “Because I’m cursed,” says Dean. “How is it that half the time you clean a mess, you end up dirty?” asks Bobby. “Actually, this might be the best thing that’s happened to me in a while,” grins Dean. “What do you mean?” asks Bobby uneasily–“Dean, what fool move are you about to–” “I gotta go,” insists Dean. “OK,” sighs Bobby, “but do you know my first girlfriend turned out to be a–” “Oh! No!” says Dean, hurriedly hanging up before Bobby can finish THAT. Dean climbs into the Impala, wiggling his nose like Samantha Stephens. He calls Sam and leaves a message–he’s on his way to meet him, but Sam should call him back–“There’s a few things I want to ask you.”
Looking at a photo of a girl who died in a car accident, Sam tells a pretty blond that she killed herself. Crying, the girl says, “You know, I wondered.” Handing her a box of tissues, Sam asks, “So you had some idea she might have taken her own life?” “She had been going through a hard time at school,” the blond says, “and her cat, Mittens, had just ran away, but really, it was her boyfriend– she was sure that he was cheating on her. But he was just very good at covering his tracks, which of course made her completely obsessed with. . .” “. . .finding out the truth,” finishes Sam. “Yeah,” the blond agrees. Sam asks if he can check out her room.
Dean pulls up in front of Carlton Court, his phone ringing. Noting the caller, he doesn’t answer right away, so we’re left guessing–Sam or Lisa? “So, I saw you called,” says the latter coolly. “Yeah, it’s been crazy,” he says. “You wanna talk about it,” she says. “I’m sorry,” he says, “but this is the worst time in the universe to talk.” “You shoved my kid, Dean, how about we do this now,” she says. “It wasn’t like that,” insists Dean. “Then how was it,” she says, voice remarkably even. “I can’t really explain,” he says. “You wanna know the truth?” Lisa asks. “Probably not,” says Dean. “You’ve got SO MUCH buried in there,” she says, sitting on her bed, “you push it down and you push it down–do you honestly think you can go through life like that and NOT freak out? Just what? Drink half a fifth every night and you’re good?” “Hey, you knew what you signed up for,” Dean reminds her. “Yeah, but I didn’t expect Sam to come back,” she says, “and I’m glad he’s OK, I am, but the minute he walked through that door, I knew, it was over–you two have the most unhealthy, tangled up crazy thing I’ve ever seen–and as long as he’s in your life, you’re never going to be happy. . .that came out so much harsher than I meant.” “That’s not your fault,” Dean assures her. “I’m not saying don’t be close to Sam, I’m close to my sister,” says Lisa, “but if she got killed, I wouldn’t bring her back from the dead.” (DEAN DIDN’T! He tried, but failed.) “Okay,” says Dean, “Lis, I’m not gonna lie, me and Sam, we got issues, no doubt, but you and Ben–” “Me and Ben can’t be in this with you,” she says sadly, “I’m sorry.” She hangs up. Dean’s face crumples as he does the same. He looks completely bereft.
Sam searches the dead girl’s bedroom, where cat keepsakes abound. Under her bed, he finds a keepsake box, and inside? A cat’s skull. Sam picks it up. “Sorry, Mittens,” he says. Dean meets him at the top of the steps. “Where ya been?” Sam asks, holding up the box–“I found somethin’.” “It can wait, we gotta talk,” says Dean. “Yeah, what’s up?” asks Sam. “There’s a few things I wanna ask you,” says Dean as they head downstairs, “and you’re gonna tell me the truth.” “Yeah, Dean, of course, what are ya talkin’ about?” asks Sam, perplexed–“oh, whoa, are you sayin’ YOU’RE. . .?” “I asked for the truth,” says Dean, “and you know what?–I’m getting it.” Sam huffs. “So like I said, I have a few questions for you,” says Dean. Sam shrugs assent. “When that vamp attacked me, why did you just stand there?” asks Dean. Sam sighs, then says, “I didn’t. . .I froze.” “You froze? You’ve been Terminator since you’ve been back,” Dean reminds him. “I dunno–shock,” says Sam, “then it was too late–I feel terrible about it, believe me. Dean, I can’t lie here. Do you really think I would let something like that happen on purpose? You’re my BROTHER, how could you. . .?” “Okay,” interrupts Dean, getting a bit teary-eyed, “okay. Sorry. I. . .I thought I saw something, I guess I was wrong. It’s just been a really really bad day.” He runs a hand over his forehead as Sam’s brow furrows into deep crevices. “Hey, it’s okay,” Sam assures him, slapping his arm, “I got your back. I always have.” “Thanks, Sammy,” says Dean. Sam nods brusquely and walks down the rest of the stairs.
(Dean gave the breast woman accolades for her rack because he knew if he didn’t, she might end up killing herself. He figured he had to give her the attention she craved. RIGHT?)
(Bobby drinks milk, loves Tori Spelling, gets pedicures from a cute Vietnamese gal who has a grip so tight, he. . .?, admits Dean’s his overall favorite Winchester brother, and his first girlfriend turned out to be a. . .? I laughed till I cred during their conversation and laughed as I typed this.)
(Lisa told Dean her truth about him and Sam, him and her, and bowed out of his life. I understand why. I think she would have stuck with him if Sam hadn’t returned, but she can’t compete against their unhealthy, tangled up thing, and you know what? She’s smart enough not to even try. Good. I’m sorry for Dean, but he can’t deal with normal, not with a non-hunter. Only another hunter will understand where he comes from and what his relationship with Sam means to him. Lisa never can.)
(I didn’t believe Sam when he gave Dean that impassioned truth speech about freezing. What about you?)
Hotel room – Dean washes Mitten’s skull in the sink. “So this was the chick’s pet?” he asks Sam. “She was obsessed,” the latter says, referring to the laptop. “It’s makin’ me crazy,” admits Dean. Sam takes the skull from his hand. “So, cat skull, grains of paradise seed, double shoestring,” says Sam, “mix well, you got yourself a summoning spell.” “Demon?” asks Dean. “God,” corrects Sam, “Corey was so desperate for truth about her boyfriend’s cheating heart, she was diggin’ around. Nothin’ panned out, so she went lookin’ for a different kind of help.” “Opened a door she couldn’t close,” says Dean. A picture of a woman appears onscreen–Veritas, Goddess of Truth. “Yeah,” says Sam, “and now, anyone in town who asks aloud for the truth, and she doesn’t just give it to you, she SLAMS you with it, till you kill yourself and she gets her tribute.” “So, all that tribute vanishing from the Morgue,” says Dean, “what do you think–Soylent Green situation?” “Gods gotta eat, too,” says Sam, “which means we gotta take her out, or YOU’RE on the menu.” “What do we know, besides crazy cat lady?” asks Dean. “Dogs are her Achilles heel,” says Sam, “and she was a pretty hands-on goddess back in the day, everything was coming down from the mountain to speak truth to the masses–she wanted more than tributes, she wanted to be worshiped.” “An attention whore,” notes Dean. “If you want to put it that way,” says Sam. “What is the 21st century version of speaking truth to the masses?” asks Dean.
They decide to investigate Ashley Frank and FRANK TALK, the program that has been playing in the background everywhere trouble has flared. “So you really think this God is filling in as some form of Diane Sawyer?” asks Sam. “Call it a hunch,” says Dean. They hook their laptop into her broadcast and watch. “She’s creepy,” opines Dean, “I mean, the hair alone–I dunno, man, maybe there’s nothin’ here.” They watch many hours of TRUTH TALK that reveal nothing, but when a barking dog appears behind her and they zoom on her eyes, they flash blue and look distinctly catlike. Sam and Dean look at each other. BINGO!
They follow her home after work to her ornate, ultra-modern home. “Looks pretty normal,” says Sam. “I’m sure inside, it’s chock-full of creep,” says Dean. They dip two knives in dog’s blood. “Do I even want to know where you got that,” says Dean. “Probably not,” agrees Sam. (Neither do I!) “All right, let’s do this,” says Dean. They enter a sumptuous dining room with a fire and gorgeous fish tank. “So where’s all the creep?” asks Sam. There’s a meow sound. Cats are everywhere. They find a mosaic of the Goddess of Truth matching the one they saw in the computer, candles, and all kinds of lives cats and cat sculptures as they search.
They enter a room with chewed-up, bloody torsos and other body parts–the Goddess’ feeding room. The dentist lies there now, the only identifiable corpse in the room. Cats feed upon the other remains. Ashley Truth, dressed in a stunning gold Egyptian outfit and jewels, enters. “You came for dinner,” she exults, and throws them across the room with a wave of her hand, unconscious.
When they come to, the brothers are tied up, hands behind their backs. “Sit tight,” Veritas tells Sam, who is working on getting rid of his bonds, “you’re next.” Veritas goes over to the dentist, takes a tool from a drawer and extracts his tongue from his mouth. “The tongue is the tastiest part,” she says, “it’s where the lies roll off.” She takes a bite, to the brothers’ disgust. “I cannot wait to eat yours,” she tells them, “I’ve seen liars before, but you two?–gold standard!” “Point of professional pride,” brags Dean. “I wouldn’t be so cocky if I were you,” she says, “you know what happens when you base your life on lies, right?–the truth comes along and. . .” She makes an airy gesture. “So, while you’ve still got your tongue, God knows, you’ve got an earful, I think it’s your turn to spill some.” She sits beside Dean and turns to Sam. “How about we play a little Truth or Truth? What should we ask Dean first, hm? Something personal, about you? Hey, Dean, I’m curious–what do you REALLY feel about your brother?” “Better now,” answers Dean, “as of yesterday, I wanted to kill him in his sleep–I thought he was a monster.” This surprises Sam. “But now I think. . .” begins Dean. “Now you think what?” she prods. “He’s just actin’ like me,” says Dean, “it’s the gig–you’re covered in blood until you’re covered in your own blood. Half the time you’re about to die, like right now. I told myself I wanted out, that I wanted a family.” “But you were lying,” says Veritas. “No,” says Dean, “but what I’m good at is slicin’ (?). I ain’t a father, I’m a killer. There’s no changin’ that, I know that now.” She stands. “So, Sam walking back into your life must have been a relief,” she says, heading over to Sam and kneeling next to him, “Mallory to your Mickey–and how do you feel about the band getting back together, hm, Sam?” The brothers exchange a significant eye exchange. “Look,” says Sam, sounding close to tears, “what we do is hard, but, we watch out for each other, and that’s what’s important–and that’s it, that’s the truth.” “No,” she says, upset, “no, it’s not.” “You said yourself, I can’t lie,” Sam reminds her. “How are you doing that?” she demands, “that’s not possible, you’re LYING to me!” “No, I’m NOT!” says Sam angrily. “What are you?” Veritas asks Sam. “What is he?” she asks Dean. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” insists Sam. “Really? I doubt that,” she says, “I doubt anything that comes out of your mouth right now–you’re not human.” “What?” asks Dean. “You didn’t know that?” smiles Veritas–“now THAT I believe.” Snarling, Sam snaps his bonds and attacks her. She’s doing a pretty good job of beating him up, choking him, when Dean finishes sawing at his ropes and leaps in to stab her in the back with his dog-blood-dipped knife. She turns to claw and growl at him, her face a mask of sharp fangs and glowing cat’s eyes. The diversion gives Sam the opportunity to drive his own knife into her chest. She grips his hands, but only for a moment; he finishes pushing the knife deep into her body and she dies.
Gasping from exertion, Sam rises. Threateningly, Dean holds a knife on him.
Backing away, Sam holds up his hands in a placating gesture. “Dean, it’s me,” he insists. “You are not my brother,” says Dean. “Just listen,” pleads Sam. “WHAT ARE YOU!” demands Dean, backing him further away. “Dean, look, just let me explain,” begs Sam. “Why the hell should I believe anything you say?” asks Dean. “Okay, you want the truth, here it is, here it is,” babbles Sam, “God’s honest truth–she was right, there’s something wrong with me, really wrong, I’ve known it for a while. I’ve lied to you, yeah, and. . .I let you get turned by that vamp. Because I knew there was a cure, Dean, and we NEEDED in that nest, and I knew you could handle it.” “HANDLE IT!” cries Dean–“I coulda died! I coulda killed Ben!” “And that shoulda stopped me cold,” says Sam, “but I just don’t FEEL it!” “You WHAT?” asks Dean in a dangerous voice. “Ever since I came back, I am a better hunter than I’ve ever been!” exclaims Sam– “nothing scares me anymore, ’cause I can’t feel it! I don’t know what’s wrong with me! I think. . .I need help.” Dean says nothing. He turns away, then turns back. Sam is gasping, as if the effort of getting the words out was physically taxing, much too hard for him. They look at each other for a long moment. Dean gives Sam a hard punch to the face. Sam falls to the floor. Dean picks him up, punches him again, and 13 more times that I counted, leaving his face a battered mess. Sam doesn’t defend himself. Gasping, Dean stares down at his unconscious brother.
Loved this villain. She was snarky, fun and had a blast playing with the boys. I really wanted to see which parts she started eating with, but I have such a dirty mind!
Dean and Sam are natural born killers, just like Mallory and Mickey? That just gave me the creeps. They kill the supernatural. It’s a far cry from being murderers of the innocent.
I don’t know what bothered me more here, watching Veritas “out” Sam as a liar in front of Dean or all the dead, half-eaten people in her house.
No, I know what bothered me most of all–Sam finally confessing to Dean that he knows something is wrong with him, something horribly wrong, admitting he needs help, and having his brother beat him to a pulp. I know what a lot of folks are going to say–Sam deserved the beating for allowing Dean to become a vamp and put Ben and Lisa at risk, but that’s done, nothing happened, and Lisa has chosen NOT to stand by Dean any longer! Sam is Dean’s brother and he recognizes that he’s broken. Instead of promising to help fix him, Dean beats him up? Sorry, that made me sick to my stomach and very upset with Dean. For all that everyone is always saying Sam is evil and cruel to Dean, in this instance, I’m on Sam’s side. I feel he’s kicking Sam when he’s down.
I don’t think either Bobby or Cas would have agreed to Dean’s course of action here. If Dean feels this is his justification for Sam’s allowing him to be turned into a vampire, I’m of the two wrongs don’t make a right school of thought. Lisa has the brothers pegged right– they have a very dysfunctional relationship. I just can’t imagine Dean beating Sam up this badly in the past for any reason, even when he found him consorting with Ruby. That only merited two punches, for God’s sake!
This episode was excellent, one of the best so far, with mesmerizing performances from Jensen and Jared, with special kudos to the latter. I’m accustomed to Jensen’s superb work, but I found Jared especially riveting in this ep. With his heartfelt attempt to tell the truth about his feelings despite what is obviously a serious handicap in Sam, Jared conveys a man working against missing pieces against impossible Jensen’s implacable Dean. The two of them together are absolutely sensational and prove that even when the brothers aren’t in agreement, the chemistry is still very much there.
Additional kudos to Misha Collins and Jim Beaver as supporting cast. They were both wondrous.
I think Lisa was referring back to the Season 2 finale when she accused Dean of bringing Sam back from the dead. I guess he told about some of his past adventures during the year they spent together. Either that or she got ahold of some of Chuck’s books…
But I didn’t pick up on the connection btw Jane and the Dentist. Interesting … Personally, I thought Jane was pretty darn cute. Don’t know what was wrong with her co-workers.
I also thought it was nice of Dean to admire the needy woman’s breasts — although I don’t think his motives were entirely altruistic.
I’m hoping Lisa didn’t really mean what she said to Dean, and that she calls him to make up an episode or two down the road. I think Lisa’s perfect for Dean — and I think he is in love with her (even if he’s afraid to admit it). I’m also 100% certain that Ben is 50% Winchester … but that’s another story.
I’m still waiting for the episode to be rebroadcast on the CW site, but I think Dean said he was good at slicin’ throats.
Thank you for your review WITH the verbatim report, the words the characters said in the show. I am from germany and sometimes I don`t understand all of the words and need to read it. Its so good to get this only a short time after the episode aired. Thanks again!!!
Good review.
As I’ve said in other threads, I don’t believe Dean was beating his brother to a pulp, but who he thought was impersonating him. Veritas said Sam wasn’t human. Dean heard her and believed it. It made a lot of sense to him.(I kinda believe it too) Now he is going to want to get the truth from the phoney Sam. Will Cas get the truth or will Cas tell Dean a lie that suits his agenda as of this moment? TRUST NO ONE is the theme for this season.
Dean always goes ballistic if he thinks Sam is or has been threatened. Think ghoul/Adam in “Jump the Shark”. 😯
I know some of you might be wondering at my lack of usual questions at the end of my review/synopsis. I was feeling rather sick when writing this, with a temp of 103 degrees. I guess I just wasn’t up to thinking of any questions at the end of this exhausting review.
I was having some weird dreams and a very tough time working on all my writing projects, including this one. I dreamed I tried to come to Sam’s aid while Dean was beating me up, and Dean knocked ME out, too. I woke up next to Sam, caressed his bloody face, and said, “I believe you, Sam, even if Dean doesn’t. I believe you are really you, but you have a problem that needs tending to, and if Dean won’t help you, I will.” I wrapped my arms around Sam and just held him really close, throwing my leg over his hip. When I woke up, I was still shivering with high fever. I guess I was hoping Sam’s body heat would warm me up.
It still hurts to think of Dean’s brutal beating of his brother. I understand he believed it was NOT Sam, even after the impassioned pleading from Sam that he needs help. I believed Sam. I thought and hoped his brother would recognize him inside there. He didn’t. That breaks my heart, because I know that is Sam, and knew it before the huge revelation from the blasted spoiling promo.
As far as Lisa is concerned, I really don’t think she will ever understand all the facets of being a hunter and what Dean has gone through and will go through–or the potential danger she and Ben will endure as a result. She is far better off looking for a normal guy while Sam and Dean marry hunters who really do GET it.
Love, Robin
Robin, you are so right, when Sam told Dean that he ‘froze’ during Boris’ attack, I was ‘liar, liar pants on fire’. 😀 😀
If you don’t have a soul, you would still be a human, just a sociopath or a psychopath. She said that Sam wasn’t human, so maybe you are right Bevie, maybe ‘Sam’ is a monster.
Saw ‘Bloodlust’ this morning on TNT, Gordon got a beating for cutting Sam, like Bevie mentioned, ghoul!Adam got smashed to pulp, Dean may have killed Gordon in ‘Hunted’, if Sam didn’t call the cops on him. In ‘Benders’, Dean was ready to rip them all to pieces for hurting Sam.
Dean does not like Sam being hurt, and Sam used to be the same way. That is why Sam not helping Dean with Boris was a shock to us all.
But that may be considered too easy, for this to be a monster with Sam’s face, while the real Sam was still in Hell.
We can only put our trust in Sera’s very capable hands, just like we trusted Eric.