Robin’s Rambles – “Supernatural” 7.21 , “Reading is Fundamental”

“Reading is Fundamental”

Season 7 Episode 21

Robin’s Rambles by Robin Vogel

Now, Neighbor, MI – National Scholastic Society winner Kevin Tran plays his cello in his room.

South Chicago, IL – Sam and Dean and their newly acquired suitcase find a new hiding place. 

As his beautiful music fills his prize-filled bedroom, Kevin receives a message on his computer notifying him that his cello practice is complete. He answers his ringing phone and tells the girl on the other end that Princeton just sent him an acceptance. Breathe, Kevin, the girl on the other end urges him, are you studying? I’m talking to you, he says rapidly, I’ll start a probability in statistics in 14 minutes. I hate probability, she says. Tomorrow is my last chance to get a perfect math score, he says. Your SAT’s are great, she chides him. Everyone’s are, he says, I have to do perfect. Who knows, the essays are at least as important, she says. A blank page labeled COLLEGE ADMISSION ESSAY seems to terrify him. I’ve got absolutely nothing to say, he says.I know, she says, I read one by a kid who got into Cornell, he didn’t have arms or legs or anything–he had to type the whole thing with his mouth–it was beautiful. I am so screwed, frets Kevin. One day, college isn’t going to matter anymore, she soothes him. You’re out of your mind, he tells her.

Sam unwraps the weird Leviathan brick and places it on the table. A lot of fuss over a caveman Lego, remarks Dean. Whatever Dick wants is bricked up inside there, says Sam. Both brothers don protective eye-wear. Dean takes a hammer and bangs it. They hear thunder and look at each other.

Kevin takes a libation break as the storm hits. 

Dean hits the block again. More thunder. That sound like somebody saying ‘No, wait, stop!’ to you? asks Dean. Yeah, Sam agrees. This doesn’t stop Dean; who continues to hammer away at the block. 

Kevin looks around nervously as the storm picks up intensity.

Dean hammers. A lightning bolt strikes Kevin, lifting him from the ground, making him cry out.

Dean lifts from the rubble a weird black stone.

Kevin falls to the floor, his eyes glowing with fire, twitching.

Castiel lies in a hospital bed; Meg, feet up on the bed, so busy reading a celeb mag and listening to her headphones, she doesn’t even realize he’s sitting up at first. He turns his head and looks at her. 

Edgar the leviathan and another man are working over some plans for a new place that uses a blade assembly. Edgar receives a phone call and remarks that it’s strange that someone would choose to be named Dick. “Yes?” he answers menacingly. 

Kevin’s ringing phone picks up next to his unconscious body. It’s his mom, who knows he’s at school about to take the test. Kevin sits up in horror–the test!! He’s running around getting ready when his eyes suddenly flash.

Dean awakens to find Sam listening to a news report about the freak lightning display of the previous evening. The meteorological guy is complaining this isn’t the way weather behaves. When the pan of water Dean is using moves, he assumes it’s Bobby and calls to him. The EMF reader is weakly showing signs, but Sam says the whole incident with Roman seems to have drained Bobby’s batteries. Dean asks if they started the storm heard round the world. Every woman in the last month of her pregnancy went into labor, reports Sam. Picking up the stone, Dean says this one goes out to all the ladies–so, heavyweight signs, omens, what do we got? Sam assumes it’s writing–I’ve never seen anything like it–and it doesn’t match anything in any book or online. Why the archeological digs, wonders Dean. No clue, admits Sam–we do know he’ll be tearing new ones until he gets it back–they need to put it somewhere safe until they find out what they’ve got. Rufus/ cabin, then? says Dean–this time, I’ll do the shopping, then. Meg calls, referring to Sam as Bullwinkle–our boy’s awake, she says. When!? yells Dean into the phone. Last night about 8, she says. And you waited till now to tell us? demands Dean, miffed. I’ve been busy, with Cas, she says, just a bit different than when he dozed off. How? asks Dean. Hey, Seacrest, not a nurse, she says, just playing one on TV–want answers, start driving. Great, says Sam sarcastically–so, Indiana. Eight o’clock last night, realizes Dean. Yeah, says Sam, same time we opened up that thing–and he looks at the stone. 

Kevin is recklessly driving an SUV down the road, eyes glowing, when his phone rings, nearly causing him to have an accident. Kevin?–where were you today, you missed the test! exclaims his friend–and Student Council, and quartet! I had to take my mom’s car, I think I had a seizure or something he stammers. His eyes glow. I’ve been chosen, he adds weirdly, it’s my birthright. Oh my God, all the pressure you’ve been under, she laments, this isn’t one of those over-issue teen meltdowns, is it? I’m supposed to keep going, he says robotically, I’m not allowed to stop. What do you mean, not allowed? she demands, but he doesn’t respond. Is someone with you? she asks–they didn’t make you take your mother’s car, did they?–KEVIN? He heads west on Junction 30.

Castiel stands at the window, staring out. Dean is telling Sam he isn’t fired up to seeing what’s left of Cas. Do you think he remembers it all? asks Sam. That and whatever hell baggage he lifted off your plate, says Dean, it’s not gonna be pretty. The brothers are stopped by an orderly who says it’s way past visiting hours, but Meg comes out and vouches for them. They follow her into Cas’ room.

Hey, Cas, says Dean. Hello, Dean, says Cas, wearing his ratty trench coat over his hospital gown–Sam. Hey, Castiel, says Sam, smiling. Look at you, walkin and talkin, says Dean, that’s great, right? Cas sticks out his forefinger. Pull my finger, he says. What? asks Dean, perplexed. My finger, pull it, says Cas. Dean does so; the light blows above them out. Cas laughs. Meg replaces the bulb in the nightstand lamp. Hold on, Cas, cautions Dean, let me catch up here. You’re saying you remember who and what you are, says Sam. Yes, of course, says Cas, outside today, in the garden, I followed a honeybee–I SAW the route of flowers–it’s all right there, the whole plan, there’s nothing to add! He’s been like the naked guy at the rave ever since he woke up, reports Meg, totally useless. Look at her, says Cas, my caretaker, all of that thorny pain, so beautiful. We’ve been over this, says Meg, I don’t like poetry, put up or shut up. You said you woke up last night? asks Sam. I heard a ping, says Cas, it pierced me, well, you wouldn’t have heard it unless you were an angel at the time. It’s also when we opened this, says Sam, showing Cas the stone. Of course, says the angel, now I understand, you were the ones–I guess that makes sense–if someone was going to free the word from the vault of the earth, it would end up being you two–oh, I love you guys–and he proves it by hugging them together. You said something about the word, says Sam, do you know what’s written there. Did you know a cat’s penis is barbed along the shaft? asks Cas–I know for a fact females were NOT consulted about that. The brothers exchange glances of exasperation. Cas, please, says Dean, we’re losing ground out there, we need your help–you don’t see that? This is the handwriting of Metatron, says Cas, examining the stone. Are you saying a Transformer wrote that? asks Sam, incredulous. No, that’s Megatron, says Dean quietly. What? asks Sam. The Transformer is Megatron, says Dean. Metatron, corrects Cas, he’s an angel, he’s the scribe of God, he took down dictation when Creation was being formed. That’s the word of God? asks Sam. One of them, yes, says Cas. What’s it say, then? asks Sam. Tree, says Cas–horse, fiddler, crab–it wasn’t meant for angels. Okay, says Meg, this all sounds bad, what are you two jackasses doing with the word of God?–lemmee see that thing. Back off, Meg, orders Dean. Come on, it’s my ass, too, she says. Back off, warns Dean. Damn it, enough with this demons are second class citizens crap, she insists. Don’t like conflict, says Cas, and disappears, leaving the stone in pieces on the floor. What the hell was that? cries Dean. You heard him, says Meg, he doesn’t like conflict–he’s down in the day room now, I guarantee it. I’ll go handle Cas, says Dean, Sam, will you please pick up the word of God. Sam agrees. As Sam places the broken pieces into his bag, Meg asks, What are you guys caught up in now?–I deserve to know, Sam. He doesn’t reply. Okay, fine, she says, I’ll hit the road, then, let me just go get my angel. Sam chases after her, leaving the stone on the floor in the bag the room. Meg, what are you talkin about? he asks–stop! We both call, who do you think Cas’ll come to? she asks–I’m guessing ME-you heard him, thorny beauty, blah blah–I’m the saint who stayed with him, he owes me, his words. What about what he owes us? demands Sam. I’ll work on him, maybe he’ll start crushing on you two too, hot stuff, she says sarcastically. What are you gonna do with a broken angel? asks Sam–don’t be stupid. I’ll take my power where I can get it, she says, I’ve got myself to look out for. Hearing a beeping sound, they race back to Cas’ room. What the hell? says Sam–the stone is gone! 

Tran has taken it, and is racing wildly across the campus with the duffel containing the stone in his arms, Sam in close pursuit. Meg knocks him down. Not a demon or a chomper, she says, what the hell are you? Kevin Tran, he gasps, I’m in Advanced Placement, please don’t kill me! I’m not gonna kill you, promises Sam, pulling the stone from the kid’s arms. The stone won’t budge. I’m sorry, the boy says, I don’t know why, but I can’t let go of it. 

You realize you just broke God’s word, Dean reminds Cas, who says nothing. It’s Sam’s thing, isn’t it, says Dean, you taking on his cage-mark scars–I’m guessing that’s what broke your back, right? It took everything to get me here, says Cas with a huge smile. What are you talkin’ about? asks Dean. Dean, says Cas gently, I know you want different answers. No, I want you to button up your coat and help us take down the Leviathans, says Dean–do you remember what you did? Cas holds up the board game SORRY!, shakes it once so it’s arranged on the table before them, and asks Dean, “Do you want to go first?” 

Kevin sits on the bed in Cas’ room, flanked by Meg and Sam. You really stepped in it, didn’t you, kid? says Meg. All I know is, this is for me, the student insists, I’m supposed to keep it. Good luck, says Meg. But you don’t know what it is, says Sam. Kevin shakes his head. Open it, says Sam. Kevin complies, putting together the broken pieces of stone. They reassemble themselves with an audible click and a flash of light.

Playing SORRY! with Cas, Dean picks up a card and reads it. We weren’t sure which monkeys were going to make it, explains Cas; No offense, but I was backing the Neanderthals because their poetry was just amazing; it’s in perfect tune with the spheres, but in the end it was you, the Homosapien Sapiens–you guys ate the apple, invented pants. Where can I find this Metatron, is he still alive? asks Dean. Sorry, I think you have to go back to start, says Cas. This is important, says Dean. Cas points to the board, telling Dean to pick a card. He does, and sends another of his pieces back to start. I think Metatron could stop a lot of bad, you understand that? asks Dean. We live in a sorry universe, says Cas, showing Dean a card for emphasis, it’s engineered to create conflict, I mean, why should I prosper from your misfortune?–but these are the rules–I didn’t make ’em. You made some of ’em, Dean reminds him. Why did you try to become God when you cut that hole into that wall? demands Dean angrily. Dean, says Cas, it’s your move. Dean shoves the board onto the floor. Forget the damn game! shouts Dean–then, more gently, forget the game, Cas. I’m sorry, says the angel. No, says Dean regretfully, you’re PLAYING SORRY!