Robin’s Rambles – “Like A Virgin”
Hotel – Sam, stumped at figuring out the dragon’s lair, calls Bobby, who reluctantly answers when he sees who’s calling. As it is, Bobby immediately asks, “Where’s Dean?” “He went to see your friend,” says Sam, “I’m trying to see where this thing lairs up–a little help, maybe?” “What are the parameters?” asks Bobby. “Caves, basically,” says Sam, “there’s nothin’ around for miles.” “What else you got locally that’s cold, dark and wet?” queries Bobby. “No subway lines,” says Sam, “sewers–that could be it–thanks, Bobby. . .wait, you OK?” “O’ course,” lies Bobby, “why, what’s wrong?” “Besides the way you’ve been acting and talking,” says Sam. “nothing–is there something I should know?” “No, all you need to know is where Godzilla’s holed up,” says Bobby. “What happened this last year?” asks Sam. “It had its moments,” hedges Bobby, “no more than usual, it’s got nothin’ to do with you Sam, how could it?” “Right, of course,” says Sam. “Call me if you need anything,” says Bobby, and hangs up before Sam can ask anymore questions. This leaves both men upset, Sam enough that he calls Castiel: “I’m back, so if you’ve got a minute. . .” “Sam, it’s so good to see you alive,” says Cas, sounding passionately sincere. “Yeah, you too,” says Sam. Cas reaches out to hug him, but Sam sits down, stopping the gesture in its tracks. (AW!) “Look, I would hug you, but,” says Sam. “It would be awkward,” agrees Cas, and turns away. “It’s crazy here,” says Sam carefully, “I just talked to Bobby, he told me everything that happened. “Frankly, I’m surprised that you survived,” says Cas, “I was begging Dean not to do it.” “Yeah, no, I can understand that,” says Sam. “You know, it’s a miracle it didn’t kill you,” says Cas. “It’s a miracle, all right,” agrees Sam. “So how does it feel?” asks Cas. “What?” asks Sam. “To have your soul back, of course,” says Cas. “Right, you mean because I was walkin’ around with no soul,” says Sam, “uh, really good, Cas, I feel really good; I’m just hazy on a few of the details, though, you think maybe you could walk me through?” (Bobby was right–it didn’t take Sam long at all to find someone to tell him everything. Sam is smart, cunning and knows how to ask questions. Dean should have clued Cas in on this, although that might not even have helped.)
Back in the basement, Dr. V is not thrilled over what Dean is planning “for the single most valuable artifact you have ever touched.” (Imagine what Bela would have done with it!) Dean reminds her it’s the only weapon they’ve got, and besides, she shouldn’t worry, he learned this from Bobby. Whatever happened between them, she knows he’s at least a genius at this. “You want me to kill that dragon or not?” asks Dean. “OK”, she says, and steps aside to allow him to place what I’m assuming is C4 around the rocks. “You rocks think you’re so smart,” says Dean, “welcome to the 21st century.” The two move outside the double doors and close them. Dean detonates the explosive, which sounds as if it has destroyed her entire basement. “OK, now!” says Dean, proudly swaggering to the sword–which has now been reduced to about a third of its original length. “You’ve got insurance for this, right? he asks the angry, upset owner. Dean coughs, holding up what now looks like a fat, messed- up knife instead of the long, strong sword it once was.
Editor’s comments – Did you see how Dean’s eyes flashed with appreciation for Dr. V? A little cougar with my sword, if you please? And WHAT the hell happened between her and Bobby? Sounds like he broke her heart! So this gal owns a dragon-killing sword. I was surprised she was willing to let Dean have it, but I guess she figured it was for a good cause, and she knows dragons are real. Maybe that’s what broke up Bobby and her?
I must confess, the scene in which Dean tries to remove the sword from the stone had me laughing like crazy, too. With the dramatic music, his silly posture, facial expressions, Jensen was a comic genius. Dean knows he needs this sword to slay a dragon, REALLY, but feels silly that he must remove the damn thing from a rock like a hero of old. So when brute strength fails, he goes for the 21st century solution: C4. And to Dr. V’s horror, nearly destroys her priceless sword, or at least renders it into something that, in Sam’s words, needs a booster shot.
After having enough of Bobby treating him strangely, Sam gently calls Cas (remember how his soulless alter ego used to do it)? Their almost hug was both heart-breaking and hilarious; Sam thought Cas dead, Cas thought Sam might not have survived his re-souling. Sam was cunning, playing dumb just enough to get Cas to spill what Sam had done to Bobby and Dean. If you notice, though, Sam does not bring up anything until the case is solved.
Surveying the “sword,” Sam asks what they’re supposed to do with it–“Give it a booster shot?” (LMAO!) “We’ll just have to get a little closer, that’s all,” says Dean, “where are we on the caves?” “No where,” says Sam, “sewers, on the other hand–check this out.” He shows him some maps. “Two of the disappearances happened within a mile of here, so I figure we start there and work our way around.” “Awesome–sewers,” says Dean, then notices Sam’s sigh and asks what’s wrong. “Nothing,” answers Sam, “let’s go.”
Dean complains about the ever-changing smells and tastes of the sewers after they have been searching with flashlights for hours: “There’s nothing–I think the lore’s off–hey, what if dragons liked nice hotels?” Sam notices a pile of golden items lying nearby. “Holy crap!” exclaims Dean, kneeling down to check out a piece of jewelry, “maybe there are dragons here.” “Wait, Dean, not now, check this out,” says Sam. Before following his brother, Dean takes a handful of the golden pile and pockets it. They come across an altar topped with candles and a book tied with string. “A little arts and crafty for a giant bat, right,” suggests Sam. They hear a girl calling to them for help and go upstairs to find the caged young women. They only have time to promise to get them out when they’re attacked by Dragonman. Seeing Dean’s weird, cut-off knife, he wonders what Dean’s going to do with it. When Dean successfully cuts into his arm, he asks, “Where did you get it?” “Comic Con,” Dean exults, glad to have the upper hand. Unfortunately, once they begin fighting, Dean quickly loses the magic sword, so Sam tries to work Dragonman over with a fireplace iron, which grows hotter as Dragonman works his glowing hand higher. Dean, meanwhile, tries but can’t recover his sword, which has fallen down a grate only inches from his grip. The imprisoned girls watch this battle with fear-filled eyes.
A second man, also a dragon, pulls Dean away from his quest for the sword, tossing him down on a catwalk. Sam loses his fireplace iron when Dragonman makes the entire length too hot to handle. Sam kicks and punches his opponent away long enough to reach for the fallen sword; fortunately, his longer arms enable him to reach it. Standing between Dragonman 1 and 2, he chooses to stab Dean’s opponent in the back, preventing his brother from becoming a victim of the man’s glowing hand. As Dragonman 2 dies, blood spurts from his mouth, his eyes go dark, and the light dies from his hand. The other dragon disappears before the brothers can go after him, leaving a puff of smoke behind.
As I said in response to Elle2’s article, this was a solid episode, but it didn’t send me back to my obsession days with SPN. The rock music and a blues song; loved that, but the montage scenes just reminded me of how disappointed I am with the direction this show has gone. Like a Virgin showed me many reminders about what I used to love about this show…but something is still ‘off’ and I think it is the intimacy that was formed between the brothers and the viewers that is lacking (and we haven’t had that in what? three years or four years now). So, no, I don’t feel back home, but there were enough reminders that I hope I can get there from here.
There again, the hug didn’t move me, because I don’t believe in the brothers’ bond right now. It’s been one-sided for four years now. Perhaps it will hold from this starting point, but from what I’ve read about future episodes, I am not counting on it. Let’s just say that Bobby and I are feeling about the same right now.
Besides the witty one-liners, the music (which I think added to the vintage feel of the episode) and reminders of the two characters I used to obsess over, I found some other funny things in this episode.
I’m still laughing at Gossip Girl Mother. Perhaps I’m supposed to be filled with apprehension for the brothers, but her acting was so bad, I laughed out loud.
As soon as I see my priest again, I’m going to let him know that you can drive to Purgatory. I think he’ll like knowing that, and may even find it useful.
Of course, I’m being flippant and these two things are not criticisms of the episode. It’s just that I think perhaps they didn’t have the budget to get into this type of metaphysical stuff, besides the fact that attempting to elevate the show to this level of fantasy appears to me to be the reason that there is a lack of intimacy in relationships now.
All that said, I am looking forward with reservation and a little trepidation to what the rest of the season holds for us.
Don’t take this to be all critical and without appreciation for Like a Virgin. There was so much to like in it. The three Js were awesome…and I thought particularly Jim Beaver this time around…perhaps because he mirrored my feelings right up to the end. He did seem very relaxed in his role this episode, didn’t he?
It’s all on Sera now. I wished I had more confidence in her, but my disappointment in S6 trumps confidence and hope in spite of this well-done episode.
I’m hoping I don’t offend anyone with my opinion, because it is only just how I am feeling about the show this season.
[quote]1. Did this episode please you as much as it did me? Or am I crazy? Do you feel like you’re back home again?
[/quote] Yes! we are back and Hallelujah I adored this episode.
[quote]2. Do you agree with Dean or Bobby? Should Sam be kept completely in the dark and be allowed to believe he was in hell for more than a year?[/quote] Mixed feelings here. Dean was right in principle, maintaining the wall is crucial and giving Sam any information that will make him want to scratch at the wall is dangerous. The fact is the year he spent soulless is behind that wall and if that part falls the rest may weaken. Bobby was right practically. Sam is smart, inquisitive and doesn’t give up. Giving him the information about the past year will keep him from scratching at the niggling thoughts that something has happened that he cant remember and may actually have Sam scratching at the wall because he doesn’t remember things. I think the point goes to Bobby, because Sam found out anyway.
3. Do you agree that a girl of 22 should have given it up already? How do you feel about this whole purity thing? Apparently, the girl the dragons needed had to be virginal. Why do you think that is so?
[quote]4. How did what happened to that girl who was exchanged with the “Mother of All†make you feel? Did you feel her terror as she fell? What do you think happened to her down in Purgatory, if, indeed, that’s where she went? Do you get the impression that she’s going to be our next Big Bad? Did she give you a trickle of fear, or are you already missing Crowley?[/quote]
I will always miss Crowley. Give me snarky and witty and I’m happy. I felt the girl’s terror, but I don’t know how I feel about Mother as an adversary. I would love a kick a** female adversary, but Supernatural has let me down on this time and time again, so I’m going to have to wait and see.
[quote]5. How did you feel about the Sam/Dean hug? What about the Sam/Castiel hug that didn’t happen?[/quote]
I loved the Sam Dean hug. I find the fact that Sam stopped the Castiel hug interesting. I’d like to know why he did stop it exactly.
[quote]6. How about the HUMOR in this ep? Too much, not enough, thank God for the writers’ golden pens, what?[/quote]
Perfect balance of humor.
[quote]7. ROCK MUSIC! And Jethro Tull, my favorite band of all time!!!! Plus “Back in the Saddle Again,†a song I just love! How did you feel about the music?
[/quote]
I love the return of classic rock. Not knowing a lot of classic rock, the actual songs didn’t do much for me. I wish they had only played one and kept the music budget so we could have more classic songs in later episodes.
[quote]8. How did you feel about “Like a Virgin� I felt like a virgin, truly kissed by season six for the very first time. Sigh![/quote]
Loved the episode. All in all one of my favorites.
[quote]1. Did this episode please you as much as it did me? Or am I crazy? Do you feel like you’re back home again?[/quote]Oh yes, I am very delighted about the return of Sam and to see their interaction again. With the brothers I am “home” And I saw the lie of Dean as a try to protect Sam. But there was one scne I wished Dean would have told Sam. The moment where Sam gallops through John journal and says something about the skin walker. There was a momentand it felt like the right moment for me. I wish Dean would have told him.
[quote]2. Do you agree with Dean or Bobby? Should Sam be kept completely in the dark and be allowed to believe he was in hell for more than a year?[/quote]
I understand that Dean tried to protect Sam in not telling Sam. But I wish he would have told him later about his soulless time on earth. Sam found it out by his own and Bobbys behavior gave him the clue. That is not surprising when I think of Sam!
[quote]5. How did you feel about the Sam/Dean hug? What about the Sam/Castiel hug that didn’t happen?[/quote]
I loved this hug between the brothers.
And I loved the reaction of Sam when Castiel tried to hug him. Back then in “Swan Song” he didn`t even want to say some nice words to Sam. Awkward!
[quote]6. How about the HUMOR in this ep? Too much, not enough, thank God for the writers’ golden pens, what?[/quote]
well I loved the light hearted brotherly banter in this episode. I wished I would have seen more Sam waking up and struggling a bit. He is like a tumbler, and everybody is used to it. I would have liked to see him coming upstairs, not seeing Dean/Bobby. But maybe it was shown to bring out the difference between Bobbys reaction and Deans! The brotherly banter was the tip of the ice cake for me, loved it. And loved Sam asking Dean about the year..after. Consistent Sam`s character.
[quote] 7. ROCK MUSIC! And Jethro Tull, my favorite band of all time!!!! Plus “Back in the Saddle Again,†a song I just love! How did you feel about the music?
[/quote]
Loved the music of course, finally and so much Sam in the intro, loved this too!
I felt very bad for this girl before they threw her into the hole. But later when she came back I was a bit disappointed. This should be the new big bad? I don`t know about this. I liked the snarky demons, the torturing demons (Crowley and Alistair and of course YED and Lucifer)
About the virgins I don`t know but maybe they are more worthy for sacrifices, their souls are more pure (okay we know this is not so in real life, one has nothing to do with the other).
maybe with the purity the purgatory gets some fueling fire, I don`t know where the series is going with this.
Sam was a lot like a cleansed pure being. He was so light hearted and even wanted to eat, I was surprised about this. I don`t know if this could have a deper meaning because over the whole 5 1/2 years Sam wasn`t a joyful eater more the contrary. Its like a burden is heaved away, but …yes there is a but,..his soulless time will hit him utterly I am afraid!
[quote]8. How did you feel about “Like a Virgin� I felt like a virgin, truly kissed by season six for the very first time. Sigh!
[/quote]
I loved it very much and I already watched it a few times. And after re-watching I truly started to enjoy it way more then the first time, because I read so much about the episode, I knew to much, and with the delay so much excitement was dragged away. Today I was really utterly touched by the brother scenes and especially Sam with his quest for the things he didn`t know. *gulp* and *sigh* I am very afraid and worried.
Thank you for writing this again. I waited for your rambles!!!
@ Junkerin
zippo = Feuerzeug
Thank you Robin for your detailed review. Because you even rewrite there dialog for me as a ESL it is sometimes hard to catch the hole meaning or fun in the show.
#1 I loved this epi. I rewatched it right a way (something I have never done before)
#2 Well I thought Dean was about to tell Sam in the motel room but could not make up his mind. Yes Sam must know (better to know than to remember)
#3 I go with the purity of the heard thing
#4 I fellt so for the girl. As for the mother, I don´t know. She didn´t have much time to angst me.
#5 I loved the hug between Sam and Dean. It felt sooooo goooood. As for Sam and Cas. I´m lost. Why didn´t Sam hug Cas? He should have! Cas is not the touchy guy and he wanted to give Sam a hug. I just don´t get it.
#6 OMG Dean was so good. I have to lought just remember the szene.
#7 Finaly the music is back I loved the On the road so far
To Pandora: thank you
Hi Robin
Thanks again for such a detailed recap.
1. Did this episode please you as much as it did me? Or am I crazy? Do you feel like you’re back home again?
This episode worked for me and I definately felt like I was home again. I really enjoyed having the brothers back.
2. Do you agree with Dean or Bobby? Should Sam be kept completely in the dark and be allowed to believe he was in hell for more than a year?
I would say Bobby is right but I feel baby steps are needed here. To tell Sam everything at once would be too much to absorbe and far too devasting. If he hears things in bits and pieces it will give him a chance to deal and work things through with each issue. This wall was only given 75% chance of holding. I think it’s better for Sam to be somewhat prepared instead of being hit with it all at once.
3. Do you agree that a girl of 22 should have given it up already? How do you feel about this whole purity thing? Apparently, the girl the dragons needed had to be virginal. Why do you think that is so?
I don’t see why there should be a age stamped on when one should give up their virginity. It should depend on who they are willing to give it up for. Sacrificing a virgin goes back centuries. I guess back then it ment purity. However in todays world just because someone is a virgin doesn’t make them automatically a pure person.
4. How did what happened to that girl who was exchanged with the “Mother of All†make you feel? Did you feel her terror as she fell? What do you think happened to her down in Purgatory, if, indeed, that’s where she went? Do you get the impression that she’s going to be our next Big Bad? Did she give you a trickle of fear, or are you already missing Crowley?
I believe this Mother of All is our next big bad. Not sure how I feel about her yet. Need to see a few more episodes to get a better impression.
5. How did you feel about the Sam/Dean hug? What about the Sam/Castiel hug that didn’t happen?
I loved the hug between Sam and Dean. It reminded me too of Mystery Spot with Sam going to Dean and enclosing him in a huge bear hug. As for Sam and Castiels hug I would have to agree with Yume theory.
6. How about the HUMOR in this ep? Too much, not enough, thank God for the writers’ golden pens, what?
I loved the humour. Dean and the Stone had me laughing.
7. ROCK MUSIC! And Jethro Tull, my favorite band of all time!!!! Plus “Back in the Saddle Again,†a song I just love! How did you feel about the music?
The music was good. After having the classic rock being so scarce these past few years, it’s always appreciated to have it when we can.
I don’t know what World of Warcraft is 😕 Should I? 😳 Should Dean?
BUT I loved this episode!
Thanks Robin for your review. And the transcript, as junkerin said, it helps a lot us ESL speakers.
All best!
Oh, thank you, Yume. Now I know why I don’t know anything about it 😛
i love sam and dean love each other no need other brother
who can help me see season 6 in indonesia i cannot see them. i do like sam and dean i like mistery spot also all ofthem
[b]I just want to watch sam and dean hug to show they care to each other, they are brothers. I hope supernatural writer’s don’t go to far from the bible, it’s not good especially the episode Heaven and Hell, I hope no romantic scenes like that again. This ìs Supernatural, for God sake, not teenage or romance movie, I give my oppinion, cause I really love sam and dean or jared and jensen[/b]