7.02 Review – “Hello, Cruel World”
“How many of you ass-clowns are in there?”
Castiel’s vessel was melting or disintegrating faster than a ice cream in the sun and it was a frightening visual. When submerged in the water, the inky black that poured into the water was similar to the opening title card and didn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy. Throughout the course of the Leviathan plotline in this episode a number of things become clear, but largely, what is important is that there seems to be a hierarchy in this bunch of old, bad critters.
The actors who played Leviathans were good in this episode- they were sufficiently creepy and we are beginning to see some personalities creep through individual to each Leviathan, other than “must eat now.” Personally, I don’t like child actors because they are often unconvincing in that they play the character too mature for the age or too young. But Supernatural always manages to find just the right kids for these creepy roles ““ Annie was indeed chill inducing.
A couple different thoughts crossed my mind with regard to the Leviathan: number one, when Sam references Eve (the mother of all), I have to wonder if the answer the defeating Leviathan lies the phoenix ash, as it did her. Eve was after all, an ancient being, raised from purgatory by the dragons and as coherent and clever as the Leviathans seem to be, so it seems plausible she might even be a Leviathan in her own right. The second thought, relating to the first, is that the Leviathans in their physique and practices are referential to other beasties we’ve encountered: such as the shape shifting abilities and their mouths, which brought to mind the changelings from back in season three. This is of course, all wild speculation that’s probably 100% off the mark ““ but so far it’s shaping up to be a fun ride to the end of this roller coaster!
Any thoughts/speculation on the Leviathans at this early point in the game?
“You can kiss my ass, Dr. Monster Face.”
It was great to see the return of Sheriff Jody Mills, even briefly. One hopes that she sticks around a while this season to provide the boys with some much needed back up as the stability of their gang shifts and crumbles around them.
“You can’t torture someone who has nothing left for you to take away.”
Say what you will about Lucifer, but that statement is both true and terrifying. Sam’s confusion is heartbreaking, pure and simple, especially in the moment where Dean asks Sam if he doesn’t realize that Lucifer isn’t real, and Sam responds simply “he says the same thing about you.” How awful for Sam. At least we’re playing the honesty game at this juncture – without knowing the extent of what Sam’s hallucinations were Dean may not have been able to reground Sam as effectively as he did at the end of this episode.
Lucifer tells us that it’s up to Sam to figure it out ““ and makes an unsettling allusion to Sam killing himself. Though I didn’t believe the answer lies with Sam offing himself, it seemed probable that it will be up to Sam to repair himself. I wondered how long we’d have to wait for the key that spurred Sam to break free of the hallucinations, and we didn’t wait long. Unlike many certain criticisms from last season, the writers aren’t leaving things hanging or dragging out quite that way this time through.
Poor Sammy – he’s absolutely frantic over these hallucinations, which is of course the endgame of Lucifer (even if he is a figment of Sam’s mind, he’s one evil dude) to drive Sam over the cliff permanently. Hat’s off once again to Mark Pellegrino for his incredible portrayal of Lucifer ““ both sadistic and sarcastic.
We’ve seen Sam in a lot of pain of all kinds before, but this kind of mental anguish is somehow, to me, the most difficult to watch. Physical pain is one thing, but mental torment; well that’s an entirely different ballgame isn’t it? Jared plays this beautifully, a soft-spoken and disquieting dissent into panic.
“You’ve got to make it stone number one and build on it.”
It is somehow perfect that Dean uses his own Hell experience to plead a case to Sam about the reality that is their lives. Equally perfect is that though Dean threw the rope, so to speak, by physically pressing into Sam’s already wounded hand, it is Sam who climbs it by himself and is able to finally draw a circle around what’s real. It is the first step to Sam recouping his strength after this trauma.
“You just lost one of the best friends you ever had, your brother’s in the bell jar, and purgatory’s most wanted are surfing the sewer lines, but I get it. You’re fine.”
Only on Supernatural is it possible to have audience members in near tears before the title card has even flashed on screen. When that loveable and familiar trench coat washed ashore and Dean scooped it up, the emotion in his voice was raw and, plain and simply put, sad. Just one more thing added to the ever-growing pile of all things wrong in the lives of the Winchesters.
The moment between Dean and Bobby in the kitchen was touching and fatherly, despite Dean’s deflective sarcasm ““ it even ended with Bobby’s favourite term of endearment for the boys – idjit. The more Dean protests that he’s fine the less Bobby believes him, and we know that when Dean says he’s fine it really means he’s only focusing on everyone else’s issues and not his own. It takes the threat of Bobby’s death ““ “you said you’d be here” ““ to make Dean admit to his own cracks. It’s a brief message, but we know that Dean is at the end of his own rope, so to speak, and he just can’t take one more thing. If the expression on his face in the ambulance is any indication, Dean is about to hit the wall, and I suspect it isn’t going to be pretty.
“Hey, what am I, chopped brains on toast?”
Bobby rushing to play hero and investigator was good to see ““ surly and gruff as ever. What wasn’t good to see was the sight of the house a smoldering mess. Now, there is no way Bobby is dead, so we won’t even go there. What will be interesting is how long until we see Bobby again, because at this moment the Winchester brother’s have been stripped of their resources/companions/crutches in both Cas and Bobby. While I love both of these characters immensely, I wonder if Sam’s own recovery doesn’t lay in the brother’s pulling themselves up and being on their own (together) for a while.
“Hey, so maybe I’m not real. Nobody’s perfect. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Well, isn’t season seven clipping along at a beautiful pace? Episode two was as brilliant as the season opener, and of course in true Ben Edlund fashion, even more tragic. Here is what we seem to know by the end of the episode: Cas is dead and gone, Bobby is MIA, Leviathans are apparently a regenerative species of hell beast, Lucifer is clinging to Sam and the Winchester brothers are being wheeled into a hospital where the administrative staff and who knows how many doctors at this point have an appetite for organs. Once again, we’ll be sitting at the edge of our seats until next Friday to learn the outcome of these things (though not all of them but the important things like, where is Bobby and how will Sam and Dean, um, not get eaten?). It was a packed and brilliant episode all around and continuing the trend of making season seven a classic Supernatural year. What did you think?
I wholeheartedly agree. I think this season is going to be a great one if what we’ve seen so far continues. The pacing is perfect. The stories seem to flow together and I don’t feel like I’m missing something and have to re-watch an episode over again for that reason. It’s cohesive. Now, I’m re-watching purely for my own entertainment. Gosh, this is such an improvement over last year. Now, don’t get me wrong, I did like last year’s season, too, but I feel that this year, they’re really returning to the old formula that made this a really great television show to watch. A truly great ride!
Great episode – nice summary (& speculations) The Toronto Supernatural Con starts on Friday night with the karaoke party – somehow I suspect attendance will be down for an hour while all the fans sit in the hotel rooms watching the next episode!! (That’s the buzz on the FB page.) Thank God/Cas for PVR!!
Elle,
Liked your review, I agree with your idea of the Leviathans & Phoenix ash… Bur how they’ll be able to get more? don’t know. I also thought maybe beheading them might work?
@rmoats8621 I’ll do like you, re-watch the ep just for my own entertainment. 2nd time! Really loves this season so far!
Elle, I am loving this new season.
Poor Bobby.
Poor Dean, without Bobby, he is going to commit two murders (Sam and the Impala 😆 ) and suicide. 😆
I guess now we know why Dean is in a full leg cast in the stills from Episode 3).
Poor Cas. Poor Jimmy. I sure hope that Amelia and Claire weren’t watching the news.
Elle, you are right, who would have thought that Supernatural would be around for SEVEN FUDGING YEARS?? Only it’s crazy fans, that’s who. 😆 😆 😆
Loved your review Elle. I’ve already spewed my love for this show on Ardeospina’s review, but I still have some spewing to do. So here goes.
First off, is it wrong to say I love the Devil? Mark Pellegrino is so good at being evil, yet he was so good at being a God like creature on “Lost”. The best of both world’s I guess.
Secondly, when Dean tells Bobby that he said he’d be there, reminded me of when he calls John in “Home” asking for his help, his voice just cracks that little tiny bit. Bobby has so become their father.
And lastly, poor Sammy trying his best to climb out of the bell jar (well put Bobby), heartbreaking.
Only two episodes in and this show has already got me in puddles.