Let’s Discuss: The Supernatural Season 8 Finale – Theories and Possible Outcomes

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1. Some random thoughts; there are so many ways they can go with this. Haven’t looked this forward to the end of season run since S5.

   I do think they will close the gates, but there will be serious unintended consequences.

   Before the third trial, as part of the ongoing trial process, Sam will go thru some sort of internal struggle/vision quest to go along with the physical manifestations of the trials. What if, as part of this, his “demon blood” part manifests itself and he has to fight it? This is all part of Sam’s purification process, making him worthy of closing the gates of hell.

   Metatron has been referred to in the past as an archangel? Archangels are heaven’s most fierce weapon but he does appear to be a bit unstable. What if he allies with Castiel to take on Naomi and her brown shirts?

   I think Kevin was saved by Metatron and will be able to unravel the 3rd trial but don’t think he survives.

   As part of the trials, or the angel tablet arc, Castiel falls from grace and becomes human?

   What is Crowley or Abbaddon puts Dean in hell to keep Sam from closing the gates? Would Sam close the gates anyway, even with Dean locked in hell? Very unlikely but figured I’d throw that out there anyway. In As Time Goes By, it was mentioned that Abbaddon was a hired gun; it’s been established that Crowley is older than we think; what if Abbaddon is Crowley’s hired gun?

   Abbaddon knows the location/coordinates of the MOL HQ; what if she goes after them? It’s supposed to be warded against all evil but hey, Abbaddon is a Knight of Hell and couldn’t be killed with the demon killing knife so who knows?

   What if Crowley and Naomi are in cahoots and both try to stop Sam & Dean from closing the gates of hell?

   The third trial might be something like killing the King of Hell, Crowley?

   I had read that Clip Show involved Crowley trying to undo all of the good that Sam and Dean had done; what if, as part of this, Sam finds out, as part of Crowley’s attempt at altering history i.e. “This is your life, Sam Winchester”, he would have lived a safe/normal life outside of hunting, with a wife and kids? This plays in to the emphasis on the father/son relationship in S8. Or, that his parents would have ended up living? Sacrifice could be him giving up that safe/normal life, and a chance at his parents living, but going ahead and closing the gates anyway?

   The obvious set up would be Sam has to die as part of the third trial; Dean tries to stop him but Sam goes ahead and does it anyway.

   I think Sam takes the fall this season and ends up dying but ultimately, his willingness to sacrifice his life for this means he gets to live. After all, Sam puts the “Sam” in “Sam & Dean”. Without him, we’d just have “& Dean” and that wouldn’t be the same show, now would it?

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2. AMYYYYYYYYY YOU ARE GIVING ME CHEST PAINS LADY 😛

   JUST FROM AN ARITHMETICS POINT IF YOU CLOSE THE HELL GATES, GOTTA CLOSE HEAVENS DOORS ALSO RIGHT. THE UNIVERSE IS BALANCE. YIN/YANG 😕

   I CANT GUESS BUT I LOVE READING EVERYONES THEORIES.

   THEY CAN NOT-NOT-NOT GET RID OF CROWLEY. JUST SAYING 😀

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3. I think they might close the gates, but Crowley won’t be trapped because he isn’t a demon.

   And we have the pattern.

   S2, S4 and S6 all ended with something evil and dangerous GETTING FREE.

   I hope this sticks.

   And the only thing I can think of is that closing the gates of Hell will somehow accidentally open the Cage.

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   1. Oh please NO! I have no desire to revisit Lucifer, Michael, vessels and the Apocalypse. I would like to spring Adam, but other than that, I hope The Cage stays locked for the rest of the series.

      I do like the idea of releasing something evil (as long as it isn’t evil Sam, because been there, done that WAY too many times), but I don’t know what is left to be released.

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      1. Good g[quote]Oh please NO! I have no desire to revisit Lucifer, Michael, vessels and the Apocalypse. I would like to spring Adam, but other than that, I hope The Cage stays locked for the rest of the series.

         I do like the idea of releasing something evil (as long as it isn’t evil Sam, because been there, done that WAY too many times), but I don’t know what is left to be released.[/quote]

         Good God, no. I really dont want to see something evil escaping becasue Sam tried to do the right thing. The poor guy needs a win….not create all new problems for the world.

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         1. I do want Sam to get a win, but it’s the season finale, so I’m not expecting one. I would really prefer that Sam doesn’t release something evil, but it’s Sam on his own, so the chances are good. Frankly, I can see worse ways of Sam taking a hit than releasing something evil or creating problems for the world. I mean in real life releasing evil on the world would be a big thing, but on SPN not looking for Dean is the biggest sin, so I’d take Sam releasing bad things over say Sam has to sacrifice Dean to close the gates.

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            1. I want to believe that neither one of them would sacrifice the other for any reason. The early season debacle, as much as I disliked it, was at least somewhat understandable if you can buy that Sam was broken and/or thought Dean was dead. I would not accept that Sam would sacrifice Dean for any reason. That is my line in the sand.

            2. It is my line in the sand as well and no, I don’t think Sam would sacrifice Dean. That would be throwing him way too far under the bus.

            3. 🙂 I know. Trying to reassure (myself probably) that the show wouldn’t go there.

            4. Percy
               I think it would be great if the story came full circle and it was Dean who had to sacrifice Sam. A poster here suggested it and I like that idea. I think that Sam is changing into [i]something[/i] which is why he is resonating with Metatron (he hasn’t resonated with anyone before, so these trials are changing him enough for his cells to resonate with that of an angel).

               I think it would be a great way to move the story forward, where, like Frodo, he sacrifices himself and is changed forever. He has always been different anyway, but changing him into something good would add an extra dynamic to the story.

   2. [quote]S2, S4 and S6 all ended with something evil and dangerous GETTING FREE.[/quote]

      Haha! And S3, S5 and S7 a brother dying/vanishing to fix it!

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   3. DO TELL MS DONNA! I HAVE SAID IN YEARS PAST WHAT OR WHO I THINK CROWLEY IS BUT NO ONE HAS EVER TOLD ME.

      I JUST HAVE A SNEAKING SUSPICION…..

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4. When Dean enlisted Death’s help to get Sam’s soul back, Death made him wear his ring for a day. The purpose was to show Dean the danger of changing the “natural order” of things. When Cas absorbed the souls from purgatory and became the new “God”, he upset the natural order. Chaos insues. Heaven and hell are part of the natural order and IMO closing either could be a huge mistake for the Winchester brothers. Just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. So, I’m hoping that the sacrifice they make is not getting the revenge they want in this particular way but going on to fight another day. Preferably in S9.

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5. I have a couple of guesses but no coherent theory.

   I think it is possible that the outcome for Sam is that he becomes two people, Human!Sam and the demon blood part of him becomes Demon!Sam. It would make some sense (in my head at least 😀 ) because of the idea of an internal entity causing a single arm to glow – Sam’s contamination becoming a separate entity.

   The other theory might not be popular but I feel it has some connection to the events all the way through the 8 seasons. That is that Dean has always been willing to do whatever it takes to save Sam up to and including killing people. He said it himself at the end of season 1 – he included john Winchester that time, but John is gone, only Sam left. He picked Sam over himself when he sold his soul. He picked Sam over Adam without hesitation when Death gave him the choice and even this season (you could look at it that) Grandpa Winchester and Benny were sacrificed by Dean for Sam. In none of these situations did Sam have any say in whether the cost of saving his life was too high – if anyone had asked him I think he would say that it was.

   So I think that the end of season could be Dean looking at a choice for closing the gates of hell of either killing or allowing Sam to die or killing/allowing to die an innocent – maybe someone we already know, like Kevin. It could be for once that Sam would have the opportunity to say ‘stop’ .

   In that scenario I think Sam would not allow Dean to kill someone so he can live. But the point would be that he would have to convince Dean that the right thing would be letting go of Sam and not the (involuntary) sacrifice of someone else for Sam.

   The Lord of the Rings connection is interesting – in the end Frodo was incapable of doing the final part of the trial – will Sam be similarly affected?

   I only think it might happen because of the emphasis that has been put all season on Sam’s new found ‘maturity’ in not moving heaven and earth looking for Dean. On the other hand it is reminiscent of Sam asking Dean to let him go so he can try to defeat Lucifer in season 5 so it is hardly new ground for the Winchesters. But I guess the lesson didn’t take the last time.

   Hey maybe nobody dies and it’s all candy-canes and lollypops?

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   1. Few more ideas: I think that Sam is going to complete the last trial in the Great Escapist. The trials are only to get you ready to close the gates of hell aren’t they? Well then he completes the last one. The demon blood is removed. He is ready to do the gate closing.
      But Crowley can still stop him by undoing everything that they have ever done (Clip Show). I think that it will turn out to have been Crowley outside Amelia’s house, and who brought back Don.
      I don’t know what the sacrifice will be but at this stage I am thinking it won’t be the ‘death’ of either of the guys (or Castiel) I hope it isn’t Kevin. I think it might be a more metaphorical sacrifice, (Percysowner has a good one further down this thread – sacrificing having a brother – the relationship not the person).

      Every bit of this is probably completely wrong but it’s my guess and I am sticking to it 😀

      EDIT: I should read the spoilers more carefully (it isn’t like they are long or anything) 😉 My first guess is definitely wrong …. thanks for the heads-up Darya!

      But I am sticking with the rest of it ….

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      1. Perhaps Sam will have to sacrifice his last Rolo 🙂

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         1. Ohh, I don’t know Sharon that’s a BIG sacrifice 😀

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            1. I said on another thread (I think) that Sam may have to sacrifice his hair. Horrifying I know. 😆

            2. Bite your tongue, Heathen! 😆

            3. So all Crowley’s interest in hair-torturing (malevolent hairdressing?) (it’s an artform) has been foreshadowing him getting his hands on some clippers and going after Sam?

            4. Oh yeah and it’s going to be the most terrifying trial yet. Oh the humanity!!!

   2. Eilf
      [quote]The Lord of the Rings connection is interesting – in the end Frodo was incapable of doing the final part of the trial – will Sam be similarly affected?[/quote] Poor Frodo was incapable, but it was Sam’s love for Frodo that saved him in the end and although Frodo was the only one who could complete the mission, they were both vital for the rings return to mt doom. The parallel is interesting. I think that like Sam Gamgee, Dean is going to (once again) let Sam sacrifice himself, but this time instead of going to hell he is going to be changed into something good and pure somehow. What this means and how one moves forward into season 9 with this scenario, well I’ll try too speculate some more 🙂

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   3. I like the idea of Sam changing, but check this out, what if it’s not Bobby, what if it’s SAM?
      I actually had this theory before this latest episode The Great Escapist, but now my suspicions are only getting stronger. He can hear when he’s around other angels, he can remember really obscure memories, and he said himself that the trails are ‘changing him,’ not, ‘killing him.’
      What if they turn Sammy into an angel? It would be something they have never done before, then season 9 can be about Sam dealing with being the first human to ever become an angel, trying to control his powers, he could be trained by Cass, all the other angels could be trying to kill him or would be jealous of him, and Dean would be feeling left out because that would leave him officially the last human on the board, and he could go searching for a way to bring Sam back to human form, especially if the power becomes too much for Sam to handle.

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6. Russ Hamilton has given out some hints and hidden messages (spoilers ahead)

   He’s been tweeting a ton of hidden messages on his twitter….one where he capitalized certain letters that when put together say “WE ALL DIE TOGETHER”. He also tweeted a hidden message saying all the clues were there, and it was a sign saying “BEWARE OF THE DOG. THE CAT IS SHADY AS *beep* ALSO”. Also, the woman that plays Naomi (sorry I’m blanking on her name) was tweeting goodbye and how much she’s going to miss the show, and people were tweeting her saying she’d be missed.So this is what I’m thinking from this…

   1. The dog that Sam hit…the cat being Amelia.
   2. Hellhounds, and the cat being Naomi
   3. I don’t know what he was saying when he says WE ALL DIE TOGETHER.What could that mean?
   4. So Naomi is most likely going to die.

   Also, Jared tweeted how he listened to a song named “Funeral” to get him to his “emotional state” for the finale.

   Any other speculations?

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   1. [quote]Russ Hamilton has given out some hints and hidden messages (spoilers ahead)

      He’s been tweeting a ton of hidden messages on his twitter….one where he capitalized certain letters that when put together say “WE ALL DIE TOGETHER”. He also tweeted a hidden message saying all the clues were there, and it was a sign saying “BEWARE OF THE DOG. THE CAT IS SHADY AS *beep* ALSO”. Also, the woman that plays Naomi (sorry I’m blanking on her name) was tweeting goodbye and how much she’s going to miss the show, and people were tweeting her saying she’d be missed.So this is what I’m thinking from this…

      1. The dog that Sam hit…the cat being Amelia.
      2. Hellhounds, and the cat being Naomi
      3. I don’t know what he was saying when he says WE ALL DIE TOGETHER.What could that mean?
      4. So Naomi is most likely going to die.

      Also, Jared tweeted how he listened to a song named “Funeral” to get him to his “emotional state” for the finale.

      Any other speculations?[/quote]

      I’m confused by your dog/cat idea. Are you saying Amiela is a cat who disguised herself as a dog to manipulate Sam to do….nothing?

      Doesn’t that emilinate the human story the writers half heartedly attempted to write for Sam this year?

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      1. I think the tweets were deliberately obscure, so I’m note even trying to decipher them. As to destroying Sam’s human story, it was so badly underwritten that a good stiff breeze could destroy it, so that part doesn’t bother me.

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      2. [quote][quote]Russ Hamilton has given out some hints and hidden messages (spoilers ahead)

         He’s been tweeting a ton of hidden messages on his twitter….one where he capitalized certain letters that when put together say “WE ALL DIE TOGETHER”. He also tweeted a hidden message saying all the clues were there, and it was a sign saying “BEWARE OF THE DOG. THE CAT IS SHADY AS *beep* ALSO”. Also, the woman that plays Naomi (sorry I’m blanking on her name) was tweeting goodbye and how much she’s going to miss the show, and people were tweeting her saying she’d be missed.So this is what I’m thinking from this…

         1. The dog that Sam hit…the cat being Amelia.
         2. Hellhounds, and the cat being Naomi
         3. I don’t know what he was saying when he says WE ALL DIE TOGETHER.What could that mean?
         4. So Naomi is most likely going to die.

         Also, Jared tweeted how he listened to a song named “Funeral” to get him to his “emotional state” for the finale.

         Any other speculations?[/quote]

         I’m confused by your dog/cat idea. Are you saying Amiela is a cat who disguised herself as a dog to manipulate Sam to do….nothing?

         Doesn’t that emilinate the human story the writers half heartedly attempted to write for Sam this year?[/quote]

         No, I think it’s just a metaphor. Saying that the dog Sam hit has some sort of hidden motive (kind of like the dog/woman in man’s best friend with benefits) and that Amelia is the “cat”. Just a thought.

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7. [quote]I’m sure there are a lot of creepy crawly’s that don’t come from hell, but lets face it, most all of the episodes from SPN has a plot line that deals with demons in some shape or form. [/quote]

   The first 2 seasons didn’t have a lot of demons, just other creatures. I would like to see more different supernatural creatures. Now, I think sealing the Gates of Hell may be a bad idea, because of Yin and Yang, etc. But it don’t think it ends the series.

   Frankly, I’m a little confused about the importance of “closing the Gates of Hell” AFAIK, the Gates of Hell were closed and sealed until the season 2 finale when Jake opened the Gate in Wyoming. He opened that one Gate and Sam, Dean, Ellen and Bobby slammed it shut within a few minutes. Heck, Sam said he tried to pick the lock on the GOH in Wyoming and couldn’t, so it was pretty sealed, IMHO. We have never heard that any other Gate was opened. Originally demons like Meg crawled their way through the cracks between Hell and earth, I think it wasn’t made clear except there were NO open Gates to Hell. Kevin says the spell closes the already closed Gates forever, but that just resets the show to season one status and they still had demons running around. I may be blanking and when Lucifer rose, all the Gates to Hell blew open, but I just don’t remember Gates to Hell being a big deal. So I have spent part of this season scratching my head about what is really going to be accomplished at the end of all this. And it became even messier when suddenly MEG of all demons proved that demons can reform. So I’m not all that invested in closing the Gates of Hell. The Gates of Heaven will catch me more because we do know that the angels always had access to earth. Apparently we aren’t supposed to notice the big old portal from Purgatory to earth, but that is supposed to be for humans only, so whatever.

   All I know is that suddenly 4 regions that could barely be accessed by anyone suddenly have an open door policy and I have NO FREAKING CLUE how or when that happened.

   And by Montana, I mean Wyoming of course.

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   1. ROTFLMMFAO…..percy, percy, percy. 8)

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8. I don’t think the Gates will be closed. I think the price of doing so will be incredibly high and Sam and Dean are going to have to make a really hard choice. The closing or the choice may be the cliffhanger for next season, although the writers don’t normally do that sort of thing. The cliffhanger is usually : What is the aftermath of any decision?

   Everyone automatically assumes that the sacrifice will involve actual death but there are other forms of death available for us to contemplate. What if the price is Sam’s normal life,, or his soul (which would be a really interesting choice) or someone else’s soul for that matter. I don’t think the writers will play the actual death card for Dean or Sam. They’ve been to that well too many times.

   The sacrifice could be that the Gates can only be closed from the inside or that one of them (Sam?) replaces Crowley as King of Hell.

   I think Kevin or his mom won’t make it. Cas’ grace might be a casualty too. Naomi probably won’t. (Well, I would prefer she didn’t.)

   I hope to see more secret societeies from both Hell and the world. I hope next season to see Aaron and his Golem,hear more about the Men of Letters and Thule Society. I hope next season is all about closing Heaven. That may be intriguing. If the Gates of hell aren’t closed, I would like to see some big fallout from that too.

   WOW! I haven’t been this excited about the show’s season finale since since season 5.

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   1. I don’t know if the Gates will be closed this season or not. One issue is that we haven’t heard of any way for Sam to just stop the trials. He got sick from the first one and worse from the second. What happens if he doesn’t complete them. Perhaps that is the sacrifice, Sam and Dean realize that closing the Gates will seriously disrupt the natural order, but Sam can’t be cured of what has happened during the first 2 trials until he completes the third one. Maybe the sacrifice is Sam NOT closing the Gates to save the world. Just a thought.

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      1. [quote]I don’t know if the Gates will be closed this season or not. One issue is that we haven’t heard of any way for Sam to just stop the trials. He got sick from the first one and worse from the second. What happens if he doesn’t complete them. Perhaps that is the sacrifice, Sam and Dean realize that closing the Gates will seriously disrupt the natural order, but Sam can’t be cured of what has happened during the first 2 trials until he completes the third one. Maybe the sacrifice is Sam NOT closing the Gates to save the world. Just a thought.[/quote]

         Ooooh! This is an interesting thought. I like the drama of it. If he doesn’t complete all the trials it may kill him. But completeing the trials may mean sacrificing someone or something else.

         You’re right tho’. From the very beginning no one has mentioned what would happen if someone begins the trials and stop sin the middle of it. Maybe that’s on Crowley’s half of the tablet. (I still think they’re going to need that other half ,btw.)

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9. THANKS MS DONNA….. :sigh:

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10. I have no idea what to expect – whereas last season was so predictable in its resolution, this one is not – and that’s how I like it! 🙂

    Possible scenarios have crossed my mind, but regardless of whether Gates to Hell are closed, I would bet money that Crowley doesn’t survive to see S9. He’s the main villain this year, after all. Only – I think it would be justice for Kevin Tran to kill him, since Crowley murdered both his girlfriend and (allegedly) his mother.

    Kevin’s survival is also doubtful. He’s such a disposable character. The trauma he’s gone through has been tragic, and because the Winchesters haven’t shown much sympathy to the kid, it’s been hard for the audience to feel much empathy toward him. Then again, I do feel bad for him. He either dies, disappears, or goes back to his normal life.

    The big question, of course, is who or what will the “sacrifice” be? Sam? Dean? Kevin? Castiel?
    I can envision a scenario in which the final trial requires one brother to sacrifice the other, or one brother to sacrifice himself – that certainly would lead to high drama and tension.

    One thing I’ve noticed is that the brothers haven’t engaged in a lot of philosophical discussion about the consequences of closing the gates – they tend to think of it as the ultimate “win” scenario – but what if it turns out not to be so? I think we need more discussion on this on the show. So that’s what I’m hoping for.

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11. I have an idea on what the final trial could be. First, I must confess that I am almost always wrong when I try to predict where these brilliant writers are taking us. For instance, I was convinced Amelia was a figment of Sam’s imagination.

    Anyway – what if the final trial is to kill one of those extra strong original demons – specifically, Abadon? The only other time they came up against one was Lilith, and to kill her, Sam drank demon blood. What if the changes in his body from the first 2 trials are changing him so he can kill her without drinking blood? We know Ruby’s knife won’t work on her, so they do not have a weapon against her right now. Unless, the changes in Sam will give him that power. And, what if once he kills her he goes back to normal – like the illness and weakness he is feeling is from the foreign substance (weapon) in his body (the glowy arm stuff) and once he uses it on her, the glowy arm stuff is used to kill her and when it leaves him, he is better – sort of like when the body is fighting an infection and once the infection is gone, you feel better.

    Like I said, I am bad at predicting, but thought I would share the thought anyway.

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    1. I like that theory! It would certainly be on a par with, or harder than, the previous trials which would make sense. It fits in with some of the spoilers as well.

       I am wondering if the end of the trials is actually going to be directly the cause of the clifffhanger? It almost looks as though the trials will be over before the end and something new will happen to cause the drama for the hellatus.

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12. I don’t know what WILL happen, but I have a theory on what won’t.

    Over the SPN finales we have had;

    s1 – D&S and John all in danger – outcome unknown
    s2 – Both Ok and together, but shortly before that Sam died and Dean was alone
    s3 – Dean in hell, Sam alone
    s4 – both together and OK
    s5 – Sam in cage, Dean alone
    s6 – both together and ok (ish in Sam’s case)
    s7 – Dean in Purg, Sam alone

    I think an outcome where one of the boys dies/loses their soul/gets lots in hell or heaven or Purgatory and the other is left alone has been done too many times now. It is in real danger of losing its emotional punch. So I personally don’t think they will go that way.

    One outcome they’ve never done since s1 is have BOTH boys together and lost / in serious danger. I suspect that one of them will be forced into some sort of sacrifice and the other will chose to go with them. Because Sam is the one who (although I will NEVER believe this was in character as long as I live) didn’t look for Dean I wonder if he will be the one who choses to go with Dean rather than stay alone or abandon him, and to try to keep his promise to lead him to the light.

    Just a theory.

    I have also noticed the frequent references to dogs this season; Sam’s dog, the hellhound, the familiar etc. I wonder if that has some significance.

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    1. I think you are on to something with both of the boys being in peril at the same time-what if the sacrifice is that to keep the natural order, one has to close the Gates of Hell and the other the Gates of Heaven? I would imagine that if this were the case, they would each be trapped alone in their respective areas, dealing with their own issues-Sam with Crowley, Lucifer and trying to find a way out; and Dean dealing with Naomi and the Heaven bureaucracy and trying to find a way back home. And maybe Cass is trying to keep the angel tablet from Dean so that he doesn’t try to close the Gates of Heaven, doing what he usually does by taking on the responsibility of the world. Cass may be the one stuck on Earth, trying to get both boys out of Heaven and Hell.

       Sam could even use the back door to Purgatory to get out of Hell, and finally see what Dean went through. We might even see Benny again (whoo!).

       Plus if those tweets from Russ Hamilton really mean anything, there’s a bunch of lore about cats and dogs being related to Heaven and Hell, and 2 cats fighting on a grave representing the Devil and an angel fighting for possession of a soul.

       Anyway, just some thoughts. 🙂

       Super excited for the next few weeks!

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13. Wow! Only 3 episodes left. Hard to believe. And really hard to predict what’s going to happen. I just read another quote from Jeremy Carver on the season finale… “Stuff gets resolved and stuff gets cliffhanged”. Well… that’s enlightening, exactly what will happen and incredibly frustrating! But it’s save to say that with a title Sacrifice, there’s likely to be a sacrifice or two involved. and more than a little angst. I’m thinking the sacrifices are likely to be more than giving up beer for a week or two? Whatever happens, I can’t see the Gates of Hell actually closing. Crowley is too good as a bad guy, and it just doesn’t seem plausible.

    My random thoughts and theories include wondering if Crowley is as simple a demon as we are lead to believe. He seems too smart, too wise, too accomplished to just be a Crossroads Demon who climbed the ladder to the top job as King of Hell. The line he hurled at Kevin “I am forever” suggests to me he has been around a very, very long time. So is there some supernatural creature which predates Lucifer’s fall and the beginnings of demons? Does Death or God have an annoying brother who was also pissed off at his place in the universe and decided to take matters into his own hands? (That would be in keeping with the show – family conflict and all)

    And he seems to know Naomi. So is she a simple angel? Or maybe they’re different entities entirely – Dengels, or Angons, which combine the most heinous qualities of both angels and demons!

    To complicate matters it seems Abbadon is coming back, courtesy of Sam & Dean. So somehow she is valuable in the fight against Crowley. I suspect that is because she has valuable information they need. Perhaps in the twist on monsters can have good qualities too, she’ll be helpful (but probably not).

    Sam is starting to look better by Clip Show, so maybe Cas gave him some temporary medicine, or he’s having a reprieve before launching into the third trial. But I’m wondering if the brothers put the brakes on the trials as they consider the cost of revenge. Over and over again the show has demonstrated that revenge accomplishes nothing, and carries a very high price. So maybe they find out something about the Law of Unintended Consequences and decide that closing the Gates of Hell will create too many other problems and they’ll sacrifice their hopes of slamming that door shut. As well, I’m on the side of the fence that says closing those gates won’t get rid of all the monsters, so maybe it’s not as important as they thought.

    I think it’s possible that Sam may sacrifice his health and his life, but at this point that outcome seems too obvious, too predictable for Supernatural. It’s usually far more devious than that.

    So, I’ve started wondering if Dean will end up back in Hell because…. Crowley, as the King of Hell and a Crossroads Demon, still holds the contract for Dean’s soul, dating all the way back to when Dean sold it, sacrificed it to save Sam. We’ve seen a lot of flashbacks to earlier seasons and episodes. That would be an interesting callback. And, since Cas rescued Dean, I’m thinking maybe the contract is still valid, in a Devil & Daniel Webster kind of way. I think Dean being held hostage by Crowley would be a little like having his spine ripped out, or at least his heart.

    Perhaps there’s a Gift of the Magi sacrifice going on. Both brothers will sacrifice something and the joint sacrifice is what will be significant. God might like that and maybe even make a comeback as Chuck.

    I do think Cas and the Angel tablet will be in play. It seems highly desired by all parties as well. And maybe as the Michael Sword and as Lucifer’s vessel the brothers are key to deciphering it, or acting on its message. So that’s why Cas needs to keep it away from them. His sacrifice will be his friendship with the Winchesters, or maybe even his chance to return to Heaven?

    And Kevin, poor Kevin. I wonder if his sacrifice will be giving up the idea that his life will ever return to normal. Or, maybe he’ll die. (Boy, that was blunt!)

    So, by now, it’s obvious that I have very few valid theories, just a lot of crazy guesses. But it’s all fun to imagine!

    Pragmatic Dreamer

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14. OMG! I can´t wait for season 9 to begin! I think that the final episode sacrifice means that Sam must sacrifice something loved to him ,and that means his brother Dean!
    Keep up the good work! 😀 😀 😀

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    1. If they want to totally destroy Sam, then that works. If he sacrifices Dean, then he is a horrible brother. If he doesn’t then any time a demon hurts anyone, it will be on Sam’s head. Worst possible storyline for me is Sam having to sacrifice Dean. Second is Sam having to sacrifice a pregnant Amelia. Best case scenario Sam has to sacrifice a year of his life and lose his memories and time with Amelia and normal. We may not have thought it was a good story, but Sam wanted it and was happy with it.

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    2. Gosh no Agnes. That would be too jolting after the way this season started. Sam wouldn’t do it even if it were presented that way. He is leading himself and his brother to the “light at the end of the tunnel “remember? Whatever the sacrifice is, it won’t be good. I myself am pulling for the” he has to cut his hair off” scenario. We all know he loves his hair, that would be BAD!! Ok, I am just kidding. It would be nice to go into S9 with a little less controversy. 😆

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15. back to the whole beware of the dog/ the cat is shady thing..

    i’ll agree that i’m at a loss as to what’s really going on..but here’s what i do know….and it’s always bothered me…

    the timing….sam and dean both coming together after exactly one year. i feel like that’s significant somehow…and i feel like the boys were manipulated.

    1. riot is what kept sam looking for kevin. given that sam actually believed dean to be dead….there’s still the matter of kevin…given that we know nothing of the two months sam was alone….we have no idea what he was doing or who he’s been in contact with. all i do know is that whatever sam was really doing stopped because the dog ended up in front of his car.

    2. amelia (the cat) is the one who ensured through guilt that sam keep the dog. (riot) amelia is also the one, through her supposed sad story and her seemingly broken state, kept sam from focusing on anything other than herself.

    now knowing sam as i do, amelia was the perfect lure to get sam to want to save her, especially given his emotional state….anyone else who knows sam knows that…and let’s remember, given what charlie just revealed, those carver edlund books are online….so anybody and everybody interested has access to the winchester’s history.

    it always bugged me that sam was looking amelia up on the computer…especially given his history with her…he already knew where she lived and who she was with.

    someone was watching sam the night he left amelia.

    now i know carver made it clear in the interview that sam had his reasons and therefore his rationale was put to rest.

    carver made it also seem that there’s no twist concerning sam…but i’m not so sure carver was telling the truth regarding that ….or at least the whole truth…

    i still think that even though it might not be a mind whammy by naomi. that doesn’t mean the players involved didn’t do their part to keep sam from hunting.

    i’m not saying sam didn’t implode and run….he did, which is why i think it would be so easy for someone or someones to play on this emotional state and manipulate him…

    why a year? sam and dean out at exactly the same time? it bugs me….i can’t shake that both boys are being pawns in someone’s game….

    it’s probably my paranoia…..most likely it is….but i feel like there’s something we all don’t know yet…

    here’s a random thought? what if the tablets and closing the gates is all a distraction for something else?

    too much right?

    i have no idea where the finale will take us….but i do think that there is something more to the first half than simply sam not looking and dean being pissed off…

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16. I’m afraid nobody would like what I’m gonna say but doesn’t the whole thing look rather Buffy-esqe (remember, when she chose to be the Key)? I know it seems too obvious but utterly consistent – at the beginning of the season Sam plays a typical reluctant hero (never he has been more reluctant). Then he got involved in family business again – and, Dean, you do have one or two things to blame yourself for – and the rest of the season he has to go down this road losing actually,well, everything. He has to leave his woman and his normal life, then he loses his health and much of his strength. In the finale I can see him sealing the Gates with his blood and losing his life(disappearing) in the process. And as was said before, now it’s Dean’s turn to (not) look for Sam.
    I don’t like this scenario myself, so please, Show, surprise me!
    As to the breaking the natural order of things I don’t think the Winchesters worry about it overmuch. They are warriors not philosophers. Nor can they predict if the changes they bring to the world are for better or for worse. The main such change IMO was that many of these supernatural creatures have a free will now – firstly an angel, then a deamon with her own agenda (Meg), a stray reaper with his small smuggler business – more and more things don’t want to have a master, it seems. And Naomi striving to preserve hierarchy and discipline among her people is evidently a failure. Perish all beaurocrats! So the situation is getting pretty chaotic – no rules, no rulers. The very time for the next Biggest Bad to appear. Or let Crowley show his true colors, if he has anything (hidden powers?) to show.

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17. seems that the trials have been pretty much hell related missions, but they also seem like they’re preparing sam for really big task…you know what i mean…

    first he has to kill a hellhound, ..ok, not easy but not too daunting….they were smart enough to figure out a way to see the hellhound thus enabling sam to kill it…i know dean also found out about the glasses thing through kevin…but since the focus is on sam as he’s doing the actual trial….we can pretty much describe sam as being smart enough, brave enough, and strong enough to finish the task at hand…not that dean couldn’t but again, it’s sam’s story at the moment…

    the next task was rescuing an innocent from hell…again a daunting task for what could be either of the boys as they both were in hell….but it’s sam so we’ll concentrate on him…sam’s journey back into hell could not have been an easy task for him…but he did it….again showing a strength of character worthy of someone chosen to close the gates of hell…

    so what other hell related task is left? putting someone back in? i just feel like sam’s first two trials were a test…a test of strength, of character, of faith? all of those things?

    i keep going back to sam’s success in the trials not being about finishing them….but being able to walk away from them….

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18. so i’ve been thinking…scary i know…. i feel like the first two trials have been tests. killing a hellhound, while difficult required both smarts and physical strength. and when the task was completed, the white light, which we were told was a binding contract with God, started to affect sam in a negative way.

    but regardless of how sick sam is feeling. how weak he’s become, his determination has not waned. he still went on to complete the second task. the second task was much more difficult, and not only because sam had to sneak into hell…it was difficult because of the trauma sam had gone through when he was in hell the first time….and to be willing to do it again…that again is a test of ones strength, courage and faith. sam passed that test too. and again, the white light seering through his body….changing sam, weakening him.

    but still sam wants to endure. he wants to complete the trials. he hasn’t lost his will or his faith…not in himself or in his brother…

    maybe that’s all that’s what’s necessary in completing the trials. it’s always been canon that the only way for the winchesters to succeed is to do it together…damned the obstacles no matter who or what they are.

    family, brotherly love…has always been what’s made the brothers win…this may just be another test, for both of them…

    as for sam’s changes…it’s a guess, and it’s been said before, but i think i agree that it could be that every time sam finishes a trial, he passes the test and ea. time he says those magic words, i think the power of God might flow through him, in essence perhaps cleansing sam of the demon blood…that’s just a theory of course. sam’s always been unbelievably strong….and i always believed it’s because of his faith and his inner strength…and i still believe it….but i think he endured more than most men could have because of the strength that came with the demon blood. he had more in him than any other human…he was the exception to the rule which is why he was lucifer’s vessel….i always thought the demon blood gave him that extra oomph…like a wrestler on steroids…

    so the changes in sam could be him becoming human, totally human, blood human…his dormant abilities totally vanishing….sam being as “normal” as dean…

    maybe that’s the normal sam really desires and not so much life without monsters…

    let’s just say this scenario is true…based on the tidbit of info we got in the synopsis of eppy 23….maybe not doing the trials is the sacrifice. as indicated, crowley is in a position to undo all the good sam and dean have done…so what if the sacrifice is to not complete the trials…not only would sam be giving up the notion of a normal existence, but if the trials are cleansing him, ridding him of the demon blood and all that came with it, then he would also be sacrificing being normal…like human normal…, who knows he might even be sacrificing his health…and dean would be making those same sacrifices…

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    1. Nappi815, what a great idea that the third trial could be about returning to hell what belongs to hell – creepy! Don’t quite like this blood-purifying thing. More looks like Sam is transforming into … eh, Hell Guard, maybe? Dunno if the process is promoting or demoting Sam turning him into Cerberus or some stony thing. But you know what – Sam may be transforming into some superior creature. Sam!God – how about it? God deputy,while the master is away? Sam can’t be worse in this role than Cass, and he is proud enough for a try.

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19. I’ve never posted before, but I’ve lurked for a long time. I thought it might be time for me to throw in my “two cents”. I can’t help, but think that the last trial will (as the episode title suggests) involve Sam having to sacrifice something or someone. Most of this season has been, often painfully, clear about Sam having “sacrificed” or being unable to have his “normal life”. I think the season has also to a lesser extent tried to show Sam coming to grips with this (which seems like a bit of a re-tread of past seasons, but whatever, I’ll bite my tongue and roll with it). The men of letters storyline/a new aspect of hunting and being a hunter, reconnecting with/and “finding” Dean, letting go of Amelia (please, please say he’s let go of Amelia, ugh). All of these things seem to point to Sam sort of “rededicating” himself to hunting and to his (supposedly more mature) relationship with Dean … I think it sounds like the episode “Clip Show” might involve Crowley doing a “this is your life Sam Winchester” type of scenario (as some have mentioned). In (yet another attempt) to entice/tease Sam with his want for a normal life, “this is what could have been”, etc.
    Perhaps, Sam, having learned and experienced everything he has this past season, decides that he’s ok with hunting. He’s ok with who he is and being a hunter and a man of letters and all of that. He turns Crowley down, doesn’t give in etc. However, what Sam has also learned throughout all of this is he can’t do it alone, that it really is all about family and part of what makes it all ok, is that he and Dean are working together, are family, they make their own “normal” together in their own way (again seems like a bit of a re-tread of past seasons, but again, I’ll roll with it).
    Cue, the third trial, where Sam does indeed have to sacrifice something, not his “normal life”, but in fact Dean, it’s not what he could have (not the family he could have), but what he does have (the family he does have) that he has to sacrifice … And what if (or at least my possible hope is), he can’t do it. After knowing what it’s like to truly (in his mind) loose Dean (and that whole I thought you were dead, I didn’t look for you fiasco, bleh). He decides he can’t and won’t face that again … The third trial is failed, gates don’t close … something really bad still happens, um … because either way, succeed or fail the trials and closing or not closing the gates of anywhere (heaven, hell, etc) is gonna have fallout and consequences. Sorry if this was too long and rambly, just some of my thoughts 😳

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20. I have been listening to everyone’s theories on here, and on other sites, and there is one theory in particular that I really liked and it seems quite plausible. Just ignore me if you have mentioned it above or something haha! 🙂
    All of this series has been about Sam wanting a normal/human life, there has even been hints towards him wanting children or settling down etc etc… This theory is about the sacrifice being not Sam’s brother or giving up his normal life, but something that Sam Winchester treasures more than anything else, something that he has fought and wrestled with in the past, his humanity…what if the sacrifice is his humanity! :O

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    1. They certainly could go that way, but it seems like a rehash of Soulless!Sam. Frankly, I’m really, really tired of Sam being different which always, always ends up with Sam being wrong.

       I’m not one who feels like Dean never gets the mytharc and is never the special snowflake that Sam is, but if they make Sam a demon, an angel, a demigod, a pagan god or no longer human in every respect I will agree that this is a step too far. Dean can become inhuman for once, because I am sick to death with what is wrong with Sam and how Sam is not quite human ONCE AGAIN. For the record I will accept Sam keeping the demon blood, he was still Sam with it.

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       1. Yes, I agree that another story about not-quite-human Sam sounds repetitive to me too. Yet, one must admit that there is something about Sam that provokes such ideas in both writers and viewers. He is enigmatically self-sufficient, he’s unbelievably understanding and logical and intelligent, in short, he is an extraordinary person – no much wonder that people expect wonders from him (pun unintended, sorry).

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21. The idea of a sacrifice as the season ender does bother me. If Sam has to sacrifice the life of anyone “good” then he is screwed. Look how often Nurse Nancy still rears her head. If he doesn’t make a sacrifice then every time a demon kills or hurts someone, Sam will be blamed. However there is one sacrifice that I could live with, as long as it eventually is overcome. What if Sam has to sacrifice not only any chance of normal for himself, but also his relationship with Dean, but not Dean himself. Whatever the trials are change him enough that he realizes he can’t live normal. Not because he’s inhuman or an angel or a demon or a demigod (Prometheus gave me bad ideas) but because the psychological and physical stress make him unable to ever stop hunting. And in addition, he has to give Dean a normal life. Not a Lisa and Ben normal life, but a life where Dean doesn’t remember hunting, or Sam. A life where Dean can go out and find normal without his previous depression and overwhelming sense of guilt and obligation. Sam can sacrifice having a brother who loves him without sacrificing Dean.

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    1. Wow, that is definitely a thought! So next season we are facing the situation when Dean wouldn’t recognize Sammy? Congratulations, Persysowner, this is horrible! And suffering Sam is adorable and almost as hot as Bad!Sam. The more I think about it the more I like it. They could meet, start working together, learn about each other step by step, getting friendlier… Hm-m, so many prospects and possibilities!

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       1. It would certainly deal with the one question I see come up periodically in fandom “Would Sam and Dean like each other if they weren’t family”. I think they would.

          I like the idea of them reestablishing a relationship without the baggage of Dean’s protectiveness and feelings of abandonment and Sam’s need for independence and past mistakes. A clean slate would be an interesting way to go, especially if they remember their pasts (or in my real scenario Dean remembers their past) after they have a relationship.

          I know this is not a likely scenario, but if I’m going to play what if, this is one I like.

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          1. [quote]It would certainly deal with the one question I see come up periodically in fandom “Would Sam and Dean like each other if they weren’t family”. I think they would.

             I like the idea of them reestablishing a relationship without the baggage of Dean’s protectiveness and feelings of abandonment and Sam’s need for independence and past mistakes. A clean slate would be an interesting way to go, especially if they remember their pasts (or in my real scenario Dean remembers their past) after they have a relationship.

             I know this is not a likely scenario, but if I’m going to play what if, this is one I like.[/quote]

             I love this soo sooo soo much. If Its a Terrible Life showed us is they would acrtually get along better as friends then family. Sam actually talks! He has a pOV!. And best is they talk to EACH OTHER!! And LISTEN.

             I do think the MOL bunker will play into this sacrifice somehow.

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22. i don’t mean to be a pooper but the whole sam and dean not knowing ea. other idea just doesn’t float my cookie, besides it’s kind of been done already in it’s a terrible life.

    i also don’t think sam is changing into anything supernatural. seems to me that carver went out of his way this season giving sam the human story…i don’t see him taking a complete left turn by turning sam into something other than a human being.

    i am gearing towards the idea that with ea. trial, after he says those magic words and the light passes through sam, i think it’s more the purification process. i think sam is unique as he has demon blood in him. i think that’s why he’s going through changes. the tablets are the word of God so it’s only natural that the light is God..or from God..so my take is that every time the light of God passes through sam, it affects him on a subatomic level, thus changing him…but not into something supernatural, but making him 100 percent demon blood free human.

    this is only my mere speculation, but it’ s my belief that the trials, had they been done by dean, would not affect him in the same way. i don’t doubt dean would go through the same symptoms, but i don’t think the trials would’ve changed dean. i think sam’s symptoms are more extreme only because i feel he’s going through a purification process.

    as to the sacrifice. i’m kind of leaning towards having to choose between closing the gates of hell and have crowley undo every good deed the boys have ever done, or let it go…give up on the dream of a normal future, a world without demons, and everything just stays pretty much status quo.

    i think that would be a major sacrifice for both boys. it’s the most human storyline, which i think fits with sam’s mytharc this season, which is a non mytharc story and more of a human story…

    jmo of course. 😆

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    1. I don’t suppose it means much but Castiel has always considered Sam to be ‘other’ than human (though he has come to be friends with him). In Goodbye Stranger Castiel said that Sam was ‘damaged in ways even [he] couldn’t heal’. and he should stay behind. then to Dean he said that it was “difficult to say. It’s something on the subatomic level and his electromagnetic field –“

       Now it was in Castiel’s interest anyway to separate Sam and Dean so that he had a better chance of getting the tablet but also he didn’t say it was the trials that had
       damaged Sam, he said that he was damaged. And Castiel has never been that good at making himself understood.

       Being in hell and separated from his soul might have damaged Sam, or drinking loads of demon blood or even YED’s giving him demon blood when he was a baby.

       Seems to me that what Cas said could be interpreted different ways. And that the damage at a sub atomic level is being repaired by, instead of caused by, the trials.

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    2. Too bad, nappy815, to have such a good memory, – It’s a terrible life, indeed! Still I like the clean slate theory, it, so mind-boggling and crazy. Just think, which of the brothers would have the bunker? Looks more like Sam’s place with the library and gadgets, but Dean has his room there and calls it home… But you are right – this season’s story is more of a human story, don’t know if it is its weakness or strength? Can’t see though, what kind of cliffhanger will Sam’s purification give us , I mean, what next? Looks more like a final to me.
       Dean had a similar experience when he was setting free Benny’s soul, at least the visual effect was the the same – light through the arm. It didn’t’ change Dean nor did it hurt him. Sam freed Bobby’ s soul also without much pain. We see the light when they let go of some spn energy, but when the trial accomplished the same light denotes – what? The opposite, that is, the obtaining some power? I’m puzzled.

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    3. Always love your thoughts, nappi, but would Crowley have the…I don’t know…juice to be able to undo everything?

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       1. To undo the past, probably not without a deal. Demons seem to have virtually unlimited power when they make a deal. BUT Crowley can hunt down all the people Sam and Dean saved and then start methodically killing them off. I’d enjoy Crowley unraveling the past, but I can see him killing off previous PIPs as well.

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          1. Thanks! PIPs?? People in peril? Sorry don’t know that one.

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             1. Yes, Person In Peril, I’ve seen it used a lot in other places and thought it would be recognized, my bad.

    4. Nappi, I think you could be right about the purification process or perhaps elif’s idea about repairing Sam. And I think there will be some big negative consequence for closing the gates if they end up doing it, but I agree with Leah I don’t think Crowley has the power to undo everything they done. Maybe the angels.

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23. I have a couple of theories concerning the season finale but i can’ t decide which one of them the creators will most probably go for since they are pretty crazy theories. What if the third trial involves SAM killing someone that could have potentially changed his life, like Amelia? maybe that’s how they are planning to resolve up that particular story line. As for abaddon returning, i don’t think she manages to come back on her own, i believe this is the Winchesters doing, perhaps they patched her up again because they needed o extract information from her. Also, what if the demon tablet is actually the angel tablet (what if someone has been controlling Kevin all this time? which would explain his hallucinations), maybe they aren’t closing the gates of hell maybe they are doing something else enirely

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    1. My brother when I asked him about a possible finale said,”From what you had been telling me of this show if there is a woman in the story she is gonna be killed.” My brother is not a fan.

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    2. [quote]
       Also, what if the demon tablet is actually the angel tablet (what if someone has been controlling Kevin all this time? which would explain his hallucinations), maybe they aren’t closing the gates of hell maybe they are doing something else enirely[/quote]
       Oh I like that! They have only had Kevin’s word for it all season about what they are doing 😀 And Kevin did escape from Crowley which should have been much harder, maybe Crowley let him go.
       On the other hand from a storytelling point of view the prophet being able to lie about his prophecy seems like cheating a bit (?)

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24. What if Sam has a child we don’t know about? It’s been a year.

    And that door to purgatory never did close when Ben was left behind.

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25. All trials have something to do with hell; hellhound; saving a soul from hell; saving a demon.
    So I thought the reason for the first trial was to wash Sam in hellhound blood so he couldn’t be detected in hell when he completed trial two. Perhaps Bobby needs to be in heaven because a demon is in heaven and needs to be cured. eh eh eh. I think its Naomi. I think see is being manipulated herself by Crowley (may he rot in hell)

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