Dean doesn’t think Crowley is going to hold up his end. That’s because he’s a freaking used car salesman. Dean gets a drink, turns around, and Sam isn’t there. He calls out and still no answer. Uh oh, something isn’t right. Dean puts down the drink, pulls out his gun and goes looking. He finds Sam unconscious on the floor in the next room. Dean goes to investigate and “Whack!” He’s out. Next Dean is tied to a chair and then Sam wakes up tied to his own chair. Why does this abandoned house have electricity? There’s a lamp on the table in perfect working order. I know, shut up. Dean wonders what now but Sam already sees what. Meg is behind Dean. “Evil bitch,” Dean says. “Keep sweet talking me, this could go a whole new direction.” I always loved Meg’s smart mouth. Dean pretends to be happy to see her and they exchange some suggestive banter before Meg gets to the point.
“Now where’s your boss?” Meg asks Dean. Sam scoffs, finding it funny she thinks they’re working for someone. Meg happens to know for a fact they’ve been “juggling Crowley’s orphans.” She goes back to asking Dean where is he. Hmm, curious. Remember all the other times she’s had these guys tied up? Sam has always been her target of choice. She’s actually keeping her distance from him. Curious. Sam answers, “Don’t know, don’t care.” An irritated yet patient (?) Meg mentions she knows they’ve been working his beat for months. “Doesn’t mean we get face time,” Sam replies. This next part gets strange. Meg looks over at Sam, then her goon, Sam looks at her goon, then Meg, and what’s going on between these three? Is this a trick to keep us guessing, or does it mean something?
It gets especially weird when Meg then turns her attention back to Dean. What’s going on between her and Sam? It’s like she’s scared of him or something. She goes back to snarky mode and sits in Dean’s lap, asking where he’s taking all those things they’re getting for Crowley. That’s probably where “his majesty” is holed up. Dean doesn’t answer, so she pulls out their demon killing ginsu, something I’m assuming she took from them while they were unconscious, and puts it up to Dean’s neck. Now she’s angry. Good ole unstable Meg. “Okay, officially over the foreplay. Satisfy me or I please myself.”
Sam breaks into community theater mode, pulling off one hell of an act. Or is it? He laughs. Dean wants to know if something’s funny. Yep, Meg. “Don’t worry, she can’t do jack squat. She’s totally screwed.” Hmm, you don’t say Sam? Dean nervously thinks Sam isn’t helping. “Look at her Dean, she’s furious. If she could kill you, she’d have done it by done. She’s running.” “Am I?” Meg asks, still maintaining her position on Dean and keeping her distance from Sam. In any other season, she’d be all over him waving a knife in his face and giving him a good smack. Sam goes on. “Judging by the level of flop sweat on all of you, yeah. Which means you’re running from Crowley. Which makes sense. Crowley would want to hunt down all the Lucifer loyalists now that he’s big man on campus.”
“How would you know?” Meg asks, STILL KEEPING HER DISTANCE. “That’s what I’d do,” Sam says. So, if Sam is the real big bad, you think he’s rounding up all these scared Lucifer loyalists? Getting them to do his bidding? So many possibilities. Sam assures Dean. “She can’t kill us. She needs us to get her to Crowley so she can stick that knife in his neck. It’s him or her.” You know, I heard some complaints that the demon killing ginsu shouldn’t be able to kill someone like Crowley since he’s the King of Hell and all. You see, Crowley was human once. We never really saw the color of his eyes. My guess would be red. We know several other demons like Azazel were really fallen angels. It could be that no matter how powerful, if you’re a human variety demon, you’re unable to stand up to the knife. Just my theory.
Dean’s got the right idea. “Well, I hope you both lose. Good luck.” So, Sam starts calling the shots. This is where Meg would have normally pushed that knife against Sam’s throat and reminded him who’s in charge. This is so wrong! Either Meg is being written horribly out of character or something is definitely up between her and Sam. Sam asks her to work with them, shocking Dean. “We’ll hand you Crowley with a bow on one condition. We go with you, and you help us wring a little something out of him before you hack him to bits.” She asks what, but Sam tells her it doesn’t matter and wonders if she can do the job. Meg seems VERY okay with Sam’s proposal and goes on with her resume. “I apprenticed under Alastair in Hell just like your brother so Dean, can I make Crowley do whatever I want?” Dean gives her a sardonic stare. I’m wondering why Dean hasn’t picked up on this obvious setup.
Meg happily announces it’s a deal. “Hugs and puppies all around.” Dean is not happy at all, asking if she’s going to untie them. “Please, don’t pretend that you don’t enjoy it.” Now that’s Meg in character. This next bit seems strange too. Heck, all of this does, who am I kidding? Dean is angry, Sam is casual until he looks at bald headed goon who’s giving him the stink eye. Now he’s a bit alarmed, especially when goon goes over to Dean. You see, that’s more of the inconsistency here. There are points in this episode where Sam gets worried when Dean is in real danger. It’s quite odd since he hasn’t shown such concern before. I swear I’m getting dizzy over all this. Goon gives Dean the stare down. “You gonna kiss me?” Dean asks. There’s the trademark snark. Meg calls goon off. Hmm, you think this is why Sam kills him later? Threaten my brother and die? Maybe he’s sending a message to the other demons?
Next Sam and Dean come out of the room free from the ropes and it’s time for the brotherly chat. “What are you doing?” Dean asks. Sam isn’t sure what he means. Dean asks the question again but louder and angrier. “Dean, you wanted to screw with Crowley. Merry Christmas.” No, that’s not Dean’s beef. “You want to work with a demon again?” “We’re working with demons now. I’m doing this because I want to stop,” Sam answers. Dean reminds him she’s the one that killed Ellen and Jo. That’s true, but this new soulless Sam can’t look at this emotionally. They need her. Dean doesn’t believe that. He knows “that little bitch” will screw them over so fast. Sam knows, but says they’ll screw her first. How are you going to do that Sammy? By leading them to Crowley? Apparently Meg and her posse are dead as soon as they’re done with them. “Yeah, if they don’t kill us,” Dean says pointing out the possible failure point of this plan. Sam I guess has had time to think of that too. They won’t, for they’re bringing insurance. Does anyone find it strange how in control Sam is here and how well thought out this plan is?
Great recap!
I enjoyed the episode, but it left me with so many questions. “Sam as the Big Bad” does seem plausible, especially with the promos for this season & the hints dropped in this episode, but I am very much hoping that it is another misdirection from the writers. I was not expecting Crowley’s demise for quite awhile yet, but it proved that he was indeed just a used car salesman trying to act like the boss when the job was actually above his pay grade. I do wonder if he will find Purgatory after all now that that is where he’s probably been sent.
I suspect that Mary is in Purgatory too, since she sacrificed herself (or at least her spirit or soul) to save her boys from the malignant spirit in “Home”.
As much as I dislike Samuel for betraying his grandsons, I get that he pretty much has tunnel vision in his quest to regain his daughter no matter the consequences. The same goes for Dean when it comes to getting back the Sam that was his little brother. The next family reunion is not going to be pretty.
Sam certainly did appear to show emotion & some of the old Sam rage & real concern for Dean in this episode. I wonder, if over time, he could refashion his soul on his own without getting back what is supposedly left in the cage. Maybe just by being with Dean, who has such love & loyalty in his own soul….okay, that’s pretty sappy but just a thought. It hurts my heart to think of Sam’s soul being tortured in the cage, & I think that’s why Dean can’t let go & agree with RevenantSam’s decision to not want it back.
And I still want to know what became of Adam.
So many questions… I’m keeping hope that the show does have some good answers coming for us. That’s what I want for Christmas!
I must admit I lost focus slightly after you started going on about naked Sam and so possibly missed the finer points of your reasoning but I do reckon that you’re reading too much into what’s really just uneven writing … There, now next week it’ll all fall into place with a resounding clang and I’ll feel like a complete prat. Here’s hoping! 😉
Hi Alice
Another enjoyable recap. I just love your wit.
You definitely bring up a lot of questions and concerns for this season.
Is it just inconsistency in the writing or is it all leading to some elaborate plan.
Is Sam the big bad and has been from the start? For me I hope not. I’m not a fan of the idea at all.
I do wonder if the writers were given free rein on how they interpret being soulless and that’s why Sam shows emotions/concerns in some episode and not in others?
I am anxious to see what this weeks episode brings, hopefully they will at least give us a hint of Hope that things are going to get better with the brothers. Otherwise the Christmas Hellatus will be Hell.
I have to give it to Sera. She certainly has everyone’s head spinning. I guess if you want to take over an existing story and make it your own, you have to stir things up a bit. Get everyone out of their comfort zone so new paths can be set.
I just wish the brothers relationship hadn’t been targeted, it kind of made Swan Song seem that it was all for nothing. Plus after two seasons with their relationship being tampered with, I really wasn’t wanting to go through a third season of it again.
Thanks again for the great recap.
Alice,
I liked the recap, as for the direction of this season, still not sure.
Great recap though.
For some reason, I’m laughing at myself over this recap today. I remembered when I interviewed Sera Gamble a couple of years ago a debate was going on at this site over what Jeremy Carver meant for Mystery Spot with “Pig in a Poke.” We had these wild theories circulating over all the hidden meanings. Sera speculated (correctly I might add) that Jeremy just thought the name was funny.
So yes, I’m probably being extremely guilty of reading way more into this that what’s there. But, speculation is fun! Who knows, one or two of these observances might actually amount to something.
Hi Alice, Great recap!!!
When Crowly died I was 😮 honestly didn’t see that coming I thought he was the big bad of the season.
You know I don’t think Sam and Meg are working together but I hope, it would be interesting cause after the episode ended it felt like was the season finale of the “mini-serie” supernatural, cause now what?? Crowly is the one that wanted to know about the purgatory Crowly was the big bad or at least they made us believe that, and now he is dead, and I truly think Sam is going to recover his soul in the ending of next episode 6×11 Appointment in Samarra or in the begining of 6×12.
(Dean thanks Cas: “If it hadn’t have been for you…†You’d still be okay because Sam would have kicked in those powers he insists on hiding ) facepalm 😀
Yes that is what I have thinked since I knew Sam doesn’t have his soul, if Sam was drinking demon blood when he had a soul now that he is souless with more reason, maybe he does and that’s why he could untied himself in family matters :D,, now you are: :roll:: 😀
Thanks Alice for the recap I enjoyed, love your recaps
I was never a fan of the Sam as the big bad, and I’m still not. But, Alice, you sure brought up some points to ponder. There’s too much to be “inconsistent writing”, especially since if it was, I doubt it could get past Jared. They have to tell him something about his motivation, he can’t play it completely blind, so there must be something, a bigger picture, that we don’t get yet.
I wonder if the demons are expecting Sam to step up to the plate? Remember in season 3, the demon’s big plan was Sam was to be the General, after the demise of Yellow Eyes. Maybe analytical RoboSam is playing this to his advantage, because he even seemed to have something going with Christian (may he rest in pieces). Just a thought…
I really love the snark you add to your recaps (fits the tone of the show). One thing in this episode that I expected you to make fun of was Crowley using a BABY MONITOR to monitor the baby shapeshifters! I just burst out laughing every time I see it. With all the grunge and disgusting stuff on that set, there’s the pristine new baby monitor. What fun!
You think Pig in a Poke was fun (I remember that interview as well) they must be laughing themselves silly at the wild thoughts going on now that Episode 15’s title has been released (and yes, those into Wincest or man on man relations are really very hopeful. The person who brought up Blazing Saddles and the end is more dead on since the TV Guide article tells us that there is an upcoming episode that will do just what the ending of Blazing Saddles does…still, one must wonder at how much of our speculating makes them grim, grimace and outright guffaw!!
Nice episode!But i hated cas kissing meg 😡
I am a little late to reading this, but as always Alice, a great recap.
Dean may not be happy with Soulless Sam, but no one hurts Sam and gets away with it. Gramps is a dead man and he doesn’t even know it.
Powerful. bad ass Cas, what is there not to love. 😀
I agree, where have Sam’s powers disappeared to?
Crowley isn’t this season’s big bad. After last night’s episode, we can assume that Sam (yeah! :D) isn’t the big bad either. Could it be a re-bodied Raphael, Balthazar, or maybe someone (something) we haven’t met yet?
Cannot wait for your recap of last night’s great episode. 😀
Exactly, Dean and Bobby no longer could trust Sam. Sam went after Bobby with no ‘superego’. What if the next spell required the heart of a blood relative? Sera and Co. took Sam to his lowest and darkest moment, they had no choice but to give him back his soul and then deal with those consequences.
Great job at reviewing the episode, let me think about a lot. I think the longer Sam is out of hell, the more his soul might come back, hence the reason he’s starting to have feelings? I don’t know. But the reason why Sam was pushed into the wall was because he hasn’t drunk any demon blood. What you should be really asking is how did they make that second demon trap?? 😮
Ah also, maybe Cass showed no mercy to and finished off Crowley so fast was he knew he had to get back to heaven fast and didn’t want to waste anymore time XD 😆