Season Five Episode Titles: Where Did They Come From?
5.12 “Swap Meat”
This episode title appears to be a play on words. A swap meet is similar to a flea market where inexpensive or secondhand items are sold, traded or bartered.
In this episode the item that is swapped is Sam’s body. A teenager, Gary conjures a body switching spell that allows him to trade bodies with Sam. (A dream come true for most men!) While Gary is in Sam’s”¦meat for lack of a better word, a demon tries to convince Gary to say yes to Lucifer giving him control of Sam’s body. He thankfully refuses and is eventually returned to his normal life.
5.13 “The Song Remains the Same”
This title comes from the concert film by Led Zeppelin. The film follows a three day concert in Madison square Garden in 1973. It is also the opening song on the Led Zeppelin album “Houses of The Holy.” Robert Plant wrote this after his travels to Asia and India. He found while cultures are different for them, “the song remains the same.”
I had a dream. Crazy dream.
Anything I wanted to know, any place I needed to go
Hear my song. People won’t you listen now? Sing along.
You don’t know what you’re missing now.
Any little song that you know
Everything that’s small has to grow.
And it has to grow!
California sunlight, sweet Calcutta rain
Honolulu starbright – the song remains the same.
Sing out Hare Hare, dance the Hoochie Koo.
City lights are oh so bright, as we go sliding… sliding… sliding through.
This title works well for the episode because of Sam and Dean’s travel through time. When meeting up with their parents and running into angels, their song remains the same. The fallen angel, Anna is determined to stop Mary and John from conceiving Sam in order to prevent the Apocalypse. Castiel takes Sam and Dean back in time to stop her. After Sam and Dean find John and Mary and take steps to protect them, Anna kills Sam and Dean finally gets to meet Michael. It is revealed that the Winchesters are direct descendants of Cain and Abel and their involvement in the Apocalypse as true vessels has been set since ancient times. Once the reset button is hit, Team Freewill is born!
5.14 “My Bloody Valentine”
I think we all know where this title comes from. The 1981 movie of the same name follows a folk tale surrounding a deranged murderer killing those who celebrate Valentines Day. The sequel My Bloody Valentine: 3D came out in 2009 starring the one and only Jensen Ackles. The film picks up on the ten year anniversary of the killing spree in the original movie.
This title works perfectly for this episode that deals with a rogue Cupid responsible for couples eating each other alive. However, it is revealed that Cupid is acting on higher orders and is not responsible for the deaths. Soon the townspeople begin dying after binging on alcohol, food or other addictions. It soon becomes apparent that they are dealing with the horseman, Famine. They must find him and get his ring to put a stop to things. Sadly, Castiel and Sam fall under Famine’s spell and Sam falls off the demon blood wagon. Through Sam’s demon blood fueled power they are able to defeat Famine, but it comes at a great personal cost to both Sam and Dean.
5.15 “Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid”
This title comes from the 1982 comedy film staring Steve Martin and Rachel Ward. The film is meant to be a parody and homage to film noir and pulp detective movies of the 1940’s. The film is a collage of clips from 18 different black and white movies with more recent black and white footage of Martin and Ward resulting in a story that takes the dialogue of the old films and blends them in to a new story.
This title is a little difficult to compare to the episode but here’s what I came up with. The film is all about blending the past and the present into a new story. This episode has the dead rising from their graves and peacefully rejoining their families. Combining the past with the present and creating a new story? What do you think? In true Supernatural fashion, what is a peaceful reuniting of family doesn’t stay peaceful for long. Soon the dead begin to transform into flesh eating zombies.
5.16 “Dark Side of the Moon”
This title comes from the eighth album by English rock band Pink Floyd released in 1973. The themes of the album include conflict, greed, the passage of time and mental illness. Rumors have been circulating for years that the album was written as a soundtrack for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. If played simultaneously there are reported synchronicities between the lyrics and the movie. Mostly though, the dark side of the moon has always been a metaphor for the ominous side of something good.
Hmm, like Heaven maybe? When Sam and Dean are ambushed by hunters and killed they find themselves in Heaven. With Zachariah on their tail the brothers begin to search for Joshua, an angel who is rumored to be able to talk to God. According to Castiel they will be able to find him in the “garden at the end of the road” (follow the yellow brick road?) or Axis Mundi through Heaven.
5.17 “99 Problems”
99 Problems is a song on Ice-T’s 1993 album Home Invasion. The title and chorus were later used on Jay-Z’s 2004 album The Black Album.
99 problems but the bitch aint one
If you’re havin’ girl problems i feel bad for you son
I got 99 problems but a bitch ain’t one
Hit me
This episode has the Winchesters facing plenty of problems of their own. When Sam and Dean are cornered by demons, they are saved at the last minute by townspeople who are aware of the Apocalypse and have been training to fight and kill demons. The town’s pastor’s daughter Leah has apparently been receiving visions from angels guiding the townspeople to demons. She tells the people that they have been chosen to win the Apocalypse and will get to see their dead loved ones again in paradise. As it turns out, Leah is the Whore of Babylon, a creature from Hell that emerges during the Apocalypse to condemn as many people as possible.
5.18 “Point of No Return”
This episode title could have a couple of sources. By definition, a point of no return is the moment beyond which someone must continue on their course of action because turning back is either physically impossible or would be extremely dangerous.
Point of No Return is also the title of the 1993 action film starring Bridget Fonda. The film is a remake of Luc Besson’s 1990 film Nikita. The film follows Maggie, a drug addict found guilty of murdering a police officer. She is sentenced to death by lethal injection but her death is faked by a secret government agent and forced to become an operative. I’m not sure there’s a great parallel between this episode and the movie.
Point of “Know” Return is also a Kansas song and album, and we know what an important role the band Kansas plays with this series! Plus the lyrics could be somewhat related, since they hint at temptation and making deals with demons.
I heard the men saying something
The captains tell they pay you well
And they say they need sailing men to
Show the way, and leave today
Was it you that said, “How long?”
They say the sea turns so dark that
You know it’s time, you see the sign
They say the point demons guard is
An ocean grave, for all the brave,
Was it you that said, “How long, how long,
How long to the point of know return?”
Your father, he said he needs you
Your mother, she says she loves you
Your brothers, they echo your words:
“How far to the point of know return?”
“Well, how long?”
Today I found a message floating
In the sea from you to me
It said that when you could see it
You cried with fear, the Point was near
Was it you that said, “How long, how long
To the Point of Know Return?”
What do you think?
In this episode Dean begins to wonder if the only way to stop Lucifer is to say yes to Michael. Sam and Castiel stop him though and keep him on lockdown at Bobby’s. Adam suddenly comes back from the dead and tells everyone he’s been chosen to be Michael’s vessel because they are related by blood. Adam is quick to agree after the angels promise to reunite him with his dead mother. However, it turns out that the angels are using Adam to try and trick Dean into becoming the vessel. Sam decides to take Dean along on the dangerous mission to rescue Adam, putting full faith in his big brother to do the right thing and not say yes.
5.19 “Hammer of the Gods”
Hammer of the Gods is the title of a book written by music journalist Stephen Davis. Published in 1985, the book is a biography of the band Led Zeppelin. The title of the book is derived from a line in “Immigrant Song” a track from the bands third album.
Ah, ah,
We come from the land of the ice and snow,
From the midnight sun where the hot springs flow.
The hammer of the gods will drive our ships to new lands,
To fight the horde, singing and crying: Valhalla, I am coming!
On we sweep with threshing oar, Our only goal will be the western shore.
This title works well for this episode where the Winchesters are abducted by a group of gods that want to use them as a bargaining chip to stop the Apocalypse. When Gabriel comes to save Sam and Dean he warns that the other gods don’t stand a chance against Lucifer. One of the gods summons Lucifer anyway and a lethal fight breaks out among them.
5.20 “The Devil You Know”
This title comes from an old proverb, “Better the Devil you know than the Devil you don’t.” It’s also the title of the first and only studio album by the band Heaven & Hell, the members of the band had previously recorded under the name Black Sabbath.
In this episode Crowley offers to help the Winchesters find the horseman Pestilence in order to save humanity and demons alike. As they search for Pestilence they come across Brady, the Four Horseman’s “stable boy” and an old friend of Sam’s turned demon who has a lot of interesting things to share about Sam’s past. Like how he’s the one that set Sam and Jess up to meet and then killed her. So who fits better in the proverb, Crowley or Brady?
5.21 “Two Minutes to Midnight”
“2 Minutes to Midnight” is the second track on Iron Maiden’s fifth album Powerslave. The song has references to the Doomsday Clock, a symbolic clock that is meant to represent the threat of global disaster. The closer the clock is to midnight the closer the world is to destruction.
Kill for gain, shoot to maim
We don’t need a reason
The Golden Goose is on the loose
Never out of season
Blackened pride burns inside
Shell of bloody treason
Here’s my gun for a barrel of fun
For the love of living death
The killer’s breed or the demon’s seed
The glamor, the fortune, the pain
Go to war again, blood is freedom’s stain
Don’t you pray for my soul anymore
2 minutes to midnight
The hands that threaten doom
2 minutes to midnight
To kill the unborn in the womb
The blind men shout, Let the creatures out
Let’s show the unbelievers
The napalm screams of human flames
Of a prime time Belsen feast
This title works very well for this episode. Crowley promises to reveal Death’s location to Bobby in exchange for his soul. Knowing that they need the fourth ring to stop the Apocalypse, he makes the deal. Meanwhile, the Winchesters find Pestilence and obtain his ring, thanks to a newly returned but very weakened Castiel. Sam, Bobby, and Castiel stop the Croatoan virus from being spread while Dean and Crowley go find Death. Dean has a chat with Death about Lucifer and an alliance of sorts is formed between them; but not without a cost.
5.22 “Swan Song”
“Swan Song” is an expression originating from an ancient Greek belief in reference to the Mute Swan. According to the legend, the Mute Swan is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death when it sings a beautiful song. It is also the name of Led Zeppelin’s record label.
This is the perfect title for this season finale episode. To say that life has been hard for the Winchesters would be a gross understatement. They’ve had to deal with more than anyone ever should and have had to make countless heartbreaking decisions including the decision to let Sam sacrifice himself to take Lucifer down. One of my favorite parts of the episode is the beautiful Winchester-life-flashing-before-our-eyes montage of the few wonderful memories that the Winchesters have managed to create. I think this montage is the Swan Song in itself.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tearing up right now. This episode still gets to me no matter how many times I watch it. But it’s a great ending to a great season! So what did you think of the titles? Were you surprised by any of them? Did I miss anything worth mentioning? Thanks for reading!
Thank you for the great summery on the titles. As an ESL it is sometimes hard to get the deeper meaning.
And Alice the pic are great
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Wow, judging by the lack of comments today, I’d say this ended up being a very thorough one! I do love how they went full throttle with the Zeppelin references. Thanks again Sofia for putting together this look at all the titles.
I was starting to wonder…Come one people! If we have to suffer through hellatus, let’s at least do it together!
Hi Sofia
I really enjoyed your series of Name Titles.
I found it interesting that thru Seasons 1- 4 the Titles came from quite the variety of different references. Like from the Bible, Movies, Songs, Books and of course from the MOTW.
However Season 5 primarily followed the Music Theme. It almost seemed like a Dedication to the Music that Kripke loved. I wonder since it was his final year as Showrunner and since he couldn’t afford the royalties to use the actual music, he decided he would get around it by just using the song titles.
I could be wrong of course, it wouldn’t be the first time and definitely wouldn’t the last. 😉
Anyways thank you it was a fun read.
I’m glad you enjoyed it Karen! I think you could be right. There were so many music references in season five that it had to be a deliberate choice. It would be an interesting question to ask.
Hi Sofia, I’m late to this (ahem… Alice….!), but need to let you know that I did enjoy this a lot.
I’m outrageously busy. I have a few patients right now who need more attention than most, and I’m exhausted to put it mildly. I can’t wait for the Easter Holidays, since then I’m going to be five days off, time to breathe…
Isn’t it amazing how many songs were the naming patrons of episodes here? Sympathy for the Devil is one of my fave songs, ever. Well, like the Rolling Stones anyway…
And Thank you for choosing the Sam pic for Free to be You and Me. It’s one of my all time favourite scenes! 😳
If we’re going from songs – though My Bloody Valentinewas clearly tied to Jensen’s film, I sometimes found myself singing, softly, instead if My Funny Valentine – My Bloody Valentine… Insane songbird, I am… 😮
Thanks for this, Sofia. Cheers, Jas
Thanks for taking time out of your crazy schedule to read and comment! Hopefully you get some much needed rest soon!
You can thank Alice for the picture selection. She’s the best!
The role that music plays in Supernatural never ceases to amaze me. It’s woven into every aspect of the show. It’s introduced me to a whole generation of music that I would have missed otherwise.
No worries Jas, you aren’t the only commenter out there! We do have lives. I was just joking. It was my way of saying I’ve never seen such silent agreement about an article before! 🙂
I know what the problem is though. Whenever we hit the home stretch with these Hellatuses activity around here slows down to a crawl. I certainly get it, I’m anxious for new episodes too and fresh material to talk about. This has been a particularly painful Hellatus, especially when other CW shows came back last night. So I plan on seeing very little chatter around here for the next few days and everyone will be back fresh as a daisy late next week ready for the new episode!
Hey, woman, I know you were joking! I was just responding to it. Too bad we can’t leave vocal messages ( 😮 ), then you would have noticed the irony dripping … 😆
Can’t wait for the next episode. I’ll be watching it late, as I am attending a workshop next weekend, so – a tad longer wait for me… sniff…
Thanks for putting all this together, Sofia! This is the only show I watch where I could probably name most of the episodes, and it is fun to contemplate the meanings of those titles. Thanks for including the lyrics for the songs too!
Dawn
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Dawn. It was so much fun for me to put it together! There were a lot of references I never would have known about if I hadn’t sought them out.
99 Problems is also the 99th episode, most probably one of the main reasons they chose it. Just in case you didn’t catch that 🙂
Wow, I totally missed that. Thanks for the reminder!