Sofia’s Review: Supernatural 7.19, “Of Grave Importance”
The long wait is finally over and we’ve begun the final string of episodes leading up to the season finale. Of Grave Importance was a really fun way to get back in to the swing of things. Of Grave Importance had all the makings of a top-notch episode; an interesting MOTW, real progress on the over arching story line, and Bobby back in action, for a while at least. (Dean Winchester in a towel almost made this list because we almost saw Dean Winchester in a towel. Almost.)
There were a lot of things I really liked about this episode and Annie was one of them. Why haven’t we seen her before? It would have been nice to have her around for a while before she died. Admittedly, her character was a little Ellen-ish but I really didn’t mind it. She was obviously hardened by the life but you could tell that she cared about Bobby and they shared a special bond even deeper than the one she shared with Sam…and Dean. Luckiest woman alive? Well, she used to be. And like most people in her profession Annie wanted a hunter’s burial. She admits that she doesn’t have anything holding her back the way Bobby does but never tells him that he’s making a good decision in staying.

Poor Bobby. I understand that he doesn’t want to leave “his boys” behind to figure things out on their own but he must know that what he’s doing is unnatural. I have to be honest that I worried Dean would be so happy to see Bobby again that he’d try to convince himself that they can make this work. I was surprised with how level headed he actually was. Dean didn’t waste time talking to Bobby either. As soon as they’d given Annie her hunter’s funeral he was trying to talk some sense in to Bobby. Sam was actually the one who began to protest. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t think Sam considers Bobby’s decision to stick around a smart one. But for whatever reason he didn’t want Dean to talk about it in that moment. Sam was also the one to ask if Dean thought there was any way to make this arrangement work. Dean didn’t seem too hopeful about it working out. “What are the odds this ends well?” And I really have to agree with him. I would love it if Bobby could stick around but it just doesn’t make sense. Especially now that we really know what it means to be a ghost.
We got an interesting look in to the ‘life’ of a ghost. And it’s really not very pretty. For one thing you’re stuck; either attached to an object or a location. When you finally realize you’re dead there is nothing but frustration as you try to make contact with the world. You spend years trapped like this and maybe you learn to move objects or make contact with those around you but what good does it do? Eventually you begin to deteriorate as we saw for the first time in this episode. ‘Ghost Alzheimer’s’ as Bobby referred to it. And I assume that as you deteriorate you eventually go mad and turn in to a vengeful spirit. That’s not exactly the afterlife I’d choose. But it’s the one Bobby has chosen for himself. And in true Bobby fashion he is being stubborn about it. We know this can’t go on for long though, right? I mean Sam and Dean won’t give Bobby the chance to live this way forever. In a perfect world Bobby will come to his senses and choose to go, wherever ghosts go when they’re salted and burned. But if he doesn’t choose that, I wouldn’t put it past Sam and Dean to make that decision for him. What do you think? Think Bobby will stick around for a while? Do you think it will be his decision when he leaves, if he does leave?

I really liked how original this episode was. I love a good ghost-centric episode and this was a fun twist on the classic haunted house MOTW. The fact that Van Ness was keeping the bodies of those who had died in the house was definitely creepy. We’ve never seen a ghost salt and burn another ghost before. I’ve never actually thought about ghosts having that conscious a train of thought. Van Ness was cold and calculated. He was making conscious decisions to keep himself in power. He wasn’t merely seeking revenge or acting out his final moments as a death echo. He did target kids who entered the house but he would also kill anyone that got in the way of his plans or threatened his power in the house. I can’t think of another episode in which we’ve seen this kind of ghost. Did you guys find this as interesting as I did? Have we seen a ghost story like this before?
So let’s get this discussion rolling. What did you all think of the episode? What do you think Bobby’s ultimate fate will be? It looks like we’re back on the Leviathan plot next week. It’s been a while since we’ve seen Dick Roman. Last we heard from the leviathan they were planning to cure cancer. Any thoughts on what might be in store for next week? Think we’ll see Frank again? (No spoilers please!)
This episode was a bit light on the humor but there were definitely some good moments and quotes worth mentioning:
*The moment Sam and Dean realized that they both had a thing with Annie was very entertaining.
*Dean: “Are we being stood up?”
*Haskel Crane: “You’re angsting at it”.
*Bobby: “Give them a moment. They’ve gotten a little slower since I left”
*Bobby: “Suck on that Swayze”
*Bobby: “Life wasn’t comfy, why should death be?”
*Bobby: “Well, you didn’t know her like I did.” Awkward…
*Dean: “It ain’t the natural order of things. Everything is supposed to end.”
*Dean:”What are the odds this ends well?”
Good review. I really enjoyed this ep. S7 continues to rock IMO.
I can’t see Bobby lasting beyond this fight with the Leviathan, if that long. I don’t know if the writers are planning to make him real again but I will just roll with the punches on that one. My only thought on it is if Dean and Sam do have to destroy the flask, I think Bobby will go willingly.