Threads: Supernatural 9.18 and 9.19
I was ecstatic when Metatron held up a thread from Castiel’s coat and said “This is the curious incident…”! Threads! Metatron, the ultimate writer, acknowleded that a story is woven together (or in his case, unravelled) by layers of minutely detailed, intricate threads. Hurray! We must be on the right track if Robbie Thompson, the writer of “Meta Fiction”, builds his stories using threads too!
So we were treated to two fabulous episodes in a row! We’re on a roll! “Meta Fiction” and “Alex Annie Alexis Ann” (shorthand A4) were both exillerating, brillant episodes, but for very different reasons.
“Meta Fiction” is now on my list of all-time favorite Supernatural episodes. I have only watched it three times so far, but each time I find another layer with more symbolism, more foreshadowing, and more nods to past seasons’ myth arcs. Metatron is the new Chuck, the author who chronicles the story as it is being acted out by unwilling characters; characters who believe they are making their own choices yet who seem to be mysteriouly following a pre-determined script.
Gabriel returned!
I wasn’t sure what to expect when he appeared on the television in another “inappropriate” movie, but then he materialized and stood before Castiel. I was overjoyed! Another jump-in-the-air moment, yelling (and tweeting) “YEEESSSSSSS!” I thought Richard Speight, Jr. did a fantastic job reprising his role as Gabriel. He seemed more confident as an actor and as a character than before. I suspected that much of Gabriel’s lightning fast, pop-culture rich, snarky dialogue was Richard’s doing, a fact confirmed by Robbie Thompson on Twitter during the live tweet fest. I also thought Richard looked great. To me, he looked even better than in his “younger days” actually. Using Gabriel to teach Cas a lesson and move forward his character’s development was brilliance.
I know “Threads” technically isn’t an episode review, and I don’t usually spend a lot of time discussing the writing, but there were so many clever aspects to “Meta Fiction”, that I feel compelled to mention them before we get down to theory analysis! Some of the best lines include:
– “I know it’s retcon” to give Castiel pop-culture knowledge! Priceless. Robbie really listened to the fans when they criticized that Cas had been on earth for millenia yet didn’t understand basic human habits as much as the newly fallen angels.
– Fourth Wall Breach? In reality, Metatron was always talking to Cas, not the viewer, at the beginning of the show even though it looked like the 4th wall was once again being broken, ala “The French Mistake”. Yet Metatron’s dialogue was still poignant, as if Jeremy Carver (Metatron) was asking the fans, “Do I write the story or do you?”, a time-honored question of literature that has been hotly debated as fans gain more access to writers and become more vocal about their desired storylines. Who should control the story – the writers or the audience? Then Metatron (i.e. Jeremy) throws an old Carver Edlund book (i.e. Eric Kripke’s script) into the fire saying, “Pulpy stuff. It gave me an idea, though.” How very tongue-in-cheek!
– When Castiel asked Gabriel “Are you dead?”, Castiel voiced the question every fan was dying to ask. Robbie knew he would get hammered with that question relentlessly so Gabriel/Trickster/Richard answered it with his classic eye-raise.
– “Raining winged men, hallelujah!” Hilarious!
– The ultimate sass, though, came at the end of the episode, when Metatron/Jeremy taunted the fans with “I know the ending!”
A stunning scene: Lighting, diffused view of Alex, prop detail all contributed to the magnificent monster story
“Alex Annie Alexis Ann” was also a stunning episode in that it was a back-to-basics, Monster of the Week story that was superbly written and delivered. I don’t know about you, but I needed a break from the non-stop, gut wrenching heartache that has characterized so much of season 9. A4 was full of suspense and plot twists. It was never obvious or heavy handed, so the motivations of the characters weren’t clear until the very end. It was at times genuinely scary yet at other times warm and touching. I was relieved to view it as a simple monster story. I only got to enjoy my blissful naivete for ten minutes, though, before Twitter erupted with horrifying parallels between the story of the vampire family and our dear boys. So enjoy that great, “Sheriff Jody is back!” feeling now before proceeding.
Shall we get started?
New Evidence for Existing Threads
The Mark of Cain
In the last “Threads” installment, I theorized that Dean’s soul is being burned out, in a sense being killed, by the Mark of Cain. Many of you agreed with me, some more, some less, but enough to warrant carrying forward the idea. One variation was that Dean’s humanity is being stripped away and his soul corrupted. This idea dovetails very nicely with the “Reversal” thread we have been following, in that the soulless creatures (Crowley and Castiel) became more human, while the beings with souls, namely Dean and Abaddon’s countless victims, had their souls stolen and thus became less human.
Dean’s vision of himself as a human hunter is getting blurred
In contrast to corrupting a soul, another idea was that the Blade itself channels the energy of the soul into the person wielding it, thus making the bearer infinitely more powerful. This would be consistent with the addiction theme, since we already saw in “Blade Runners” how Dean reacted when the First Blade’s power surged through him.
Whichever “soul” theory ultimately ends up being right, in “Meta Fiction” Dean seemed better able to control his drive to kill. He stopped himself from killing Gadreel, which took a great deal of self-awareness and rational thinking. This made me wonder if he has to actually be using the First Blade for it to siphon his soul’s energy into primal strength. A4 quickly shut down that idea, though. In A4, Dean overpowered a vampire who was trying to keep a knife away from his neck. The comment from my household was “Whoa. Dean is stronger than a vampire! That ain’t right!” Since the Blade is not in his possession, we can conclude that the Mark itself, not the Blade, is the source of Dean’s increased physical power.
Later, Sam questioned Dean about the kill:
Sam: “Nice work back there. ‘Look at me, bitch’?”
Dean: “Hey, you got another snappy one-liner, I’m all ears.”
Sam: “What I’m saying is, it looked to me like you were enjoying it. Maybe too much.”
The relevance of Sam’s observation, and Dean’s defensive reply, magnified the question of whether Dean is changing. Previously there had been hope that rather than changing Dean, the Mark and/or Blade were simply amplifying the warrior we saw in Purgatory. Dean liked the simplicity of Purgatory – the black and white, kill or be killed duality. He admitted to Sam that he takes pleasure in killing now, though. Is that the same as not feeling guilty about killing monsters? Dean demanded that the vampire look at him before being killed. Dean wanted to see the light go out in the vampire’s eyes as he was being killed. Dean wanted to experience the glory, the rush, of the kill. TV has often portrayed that moment of death as orgasmic and addictive to serial killers. Purgatory’s warrior killed out of necessity when attacked. The Dean in A4 wasn’t being efficient or practical, he enjoyed the kill. I also noticed that Dean seemed to be in a trance-like state when Sam found him collapsed on the floor after beating Gadreel senseless in “Meta Fiction”.
At first I wondered if Dean was just exhausted from the physical toll of the torture, but his eyes seemed unfocused. It took a few attempts for Sam to get through to him. Dean’s reaction seemed more consistent with the “Blade Runners” scene when Sam again had trouble penetrating Dean’s altered state after Dean had killed.
The writers in fact gave us one more clue to what is happening to Dean. Did anyone else hear Bobby’s voice instead of Castiel’s when the angel found the Mark of Cain on Dean’s arm in “Meta Fiction”? Castiel’s words, “What have you done? Damn it Dean!” echoed what Bobby had said so many years ago in “All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2” when Bobby learned that Dean had sold his soul:
Bobby: “You stupid ass! What did you do? What did you do?! You made a deal…For Sam, didn’t you? How long did they give you?”
Dean: “Bobby.”
Bobby: “How long?”
Dean: “One year.”
Bobby: “Damn it, Dean!”
More than just a coincidence, I believe the writers confirmed that we are again in a fight for Dean’s soul.
Redemption
“Meta Fiction” delivered a turning point in Castiel’s redemption, in my opinion. It masterfully and decidedly concluded the search for identity that Castiel has been struggling with this whole season. In the past, Castiel led angels against Raphael because he felt Raphael absolutely had to be stopped. The stakes were high, and somebody had to take a stand, so he led the rebellion full of hubris and desperation, using his skills as a trained military leader. Later, under the Leviathan’s control, he procaimed himself the new God, and betrayed everyone and everything he stood for. Cas carries all this shame inside of him. He learned humility being a helpless human, though. He exhibited this humility and honesty of convictions when he chose to die rather than join or fight Bartholomew. In “Meta Fiction”, he repeatedly reiterated his plea for anonymity and an easier path to everyone who tried to press him into service.
Castiel: “I am no leader Hannah, but I will find Metatron and make him pay. You are safer away from me.”
Gabriel: “I know you don’t want this burden, Castiel. Neither do I”
Castiel: “What if I fail again?”
Gabriel: “You won’t. You can’t”Castiel: “I am not a leader, Metatron.”
Metatron: “Apparently”
History and literature both often reveal that the very best leaders are humble. They acknowledge their flaws, never feeling wise enough or smart enough to warrant other people’s loyalty. Their humility teaches them that defeat is always possible, so they listen and plan and make decisions that are in the best interest of the cause versus the best interest of their ego or their personal agenda. Those are the leaders who make the impossible happen. To me, this is the major difference between the Castiel we saw in “Meta Fiction” and the Cas who has “been God more often than Dad has” (according to Gabriel). At the end of his encounter with Metatron, Cas did not grab the leadership position because Metatron goaded him into it. Nor did Castiel call other angels because he was desperate to win, as was the case in the war with Raphael. Cas didn’t accept leadership believing “I did what I had to do”. Rather he made a conscious, humble choice to lead because he was needed.
Gabriel: “The angels need a leader. It’s got to be somebody like us, somebody different”
Metatron punctuated Castiel’s conversion when he said, “You needed to be taught a lesson, and nobody teaches lessons better than good-old Gabriel, aka, the Trickster.” Ironically, Gabriel hinted at Metatron’s assistance:
Gabriel: “He [Metatron] is trying to help you.”
Castiel: “How?”
Gabriel: “Sorry. Didn’t read the whole script. Just skimmed for my parts.”
Unknowingly I think Metatron finally did convince Castiel to play the role delegated to him in Metatron’s play.
Castiel: “And you did all this, to make me a hero?
Metatron: “That’s priceless. No, you are not the hero in this masterpiece. You are the villian. I am the hero.”
I think this may have been the best thing Metatron could have said to Castiel. Bartholomew, Gadreel, and now Metatron all wanted to be seen as the hero who rules heaven. Their motivation was/is ego and power. Cas is tired of trying to be a hero and failing miserably, though. This time he doesn’t want to be a hero. He knows he is his own worst enemy. Metatron relieved Cas of this concern when he told him he was not playing the part of the hero. He was nothing more than the reluctant resistance who had to try to foil the megalomaniac. Cas’ redemption will come not because he is seeking it, but because he is trying to avoid it. Him pulling down his “hunter’s wall” of clues was the symbolic ending of his time as a human hunter and the beginning of him being the angelic leader he needs to be. A song I have liked for a very long time (yet never hear anymore) echoed Castiel’s plight:
“Loneliness is the cloak you wear.
A deep shade of blue is always there.
The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore.
The moon ain’t gonna rise in the sky.
The tears are always clouding your eyes…”
Castiel’s humble acceptance of helping his fellow angels is in stark contract to the path Gadreel has chosen…
“Here is the FIRST name on your to-do list” … and Redemption
The number of executions attributed to Gadreel in “Meta Fiction” pretty much blew this thread wide open! Metatron’s list was obviously a lot longer than anyone suspected! First name was a teaser, a foreshadowing, as to how far Metatron would pull Gadreel away from his own convictions. When Gadreel was first recruited by Metatron, the former guard was appalled by killing, proclaiming “That is not who I am”. Now though, Metatron is giving Gadreel orders to “slaughter all those who will not join my army.” After seeing Sam’s research, which showed the death toll of Gadreel’s kill-squad tactics, I had pretty much lost my faith that Gadreel would ever be redeemed. I was ready to admit defeat. Then we saw the conversation between Gadreel and Metatron at the end of the episode.
Gadreel: “Was the Winchesters grabbing me part of your plan?”
Metatron: “That was a surprise, but hey, what writer doesn’t love a good twist? My job is to set up interesting characters and to see where they lead me. The byproduct of having well-drawn characters is they may surprise you. But I know something they don’t know…the ending. How I get there doesn’t matter as long as everybody plays their part.”
The look on Gadreel’s face during this conversation restored my hope. Is he beginning to see that he will also be betrayed by Metatron? Is he sensing that he is nothing more than a pawn in a chess game; a disposable character in a story about Metatron? I hope so.
Reversals/ Brother’s Relationship / “I did what I had to do”
We have found so many reversals in Sam and Dean’s current journey. Their parallel to the Cain and Abel story is obvious, but what if their roles in this were reversed?? As I said in the introduction, I was happy viewing “Alex Annie Alexis Ann” as a nice, simple monster story (first viewing). Other fans saw through the façade almost immediately, though. To them, the story was partially about a parent (Mama) who did whatever it took to keep her protected (Alex) from abandonning the family business (trapping and killing humans). The child professed her love and gratitude to Mama but confessed that she had to get away from the family business because she just couldn’t be around that much death anymore. Hurt and changed by this admission, Mama does something that would keep Alex in the family but change her into a killer.
Alex then “did what she had to do” and killed the parent to end the killing spree.
Substitute the boys into this story. Dean (the parent) has always done whatever he could to keep his charge (Sam) from leaving the family business (hunting). They reach a critical junction where Sam is likely to leave Dean (by dying). Dean does “what he has to do” to keep Sam in the family (angel possession). Sam is at risk of losing himself to a killer persona (Gadreel) but, just like Alex, he fights through it and recovers himself. He eventually sees his protector (Dean) as a dangerous killer (because of the Mark of Cain) and has to kill him to protect future innocent victims.
Wow. Abel kills Cain.
This scenario fits all the themes of the season. Sam knows he would do just about anything to save his brother, but he would have to confront his conviction that he wouldn’t save Dean if it meant jeapordizing another human life. His revelation (to Castiel) that one life is no more precious than another will be tested. Is he willing to kill Dean to save him? The last set of “Threads” comments included the observation that Dean needs Sam to keep him from turning into a monster. Are we going to see this, literally, or will the foreshadowing from “First Born”of Cain accidentally killing Colette come to pass? Will Dean accidentally kill Sam? Your job is to talk me out of both of these horrible visions of the future!
“The sun ain’t gonna shine anymore.
The moon aint gonna rise in the sky.
The tears are always clouding your eyes, when you’re without love. ”
Will someone else turn out to be who they aren’t supposed to be?
Both episodes were full of subtle nuances about people not being who we thought they were. “Meta Fiction” used mirror references continuously. Dean wiped away steam, and later dirt, from bathroom mirrors as he stared into his reflection and tried to recognize the image staring back at him. Gadreel then told Sam, “If this is like looking into a fun house mirror for me , I cannot imagine what it is like for you.” In a way, Castiel also transformed himself into someone he did not recognize. He didn’t want to be a leader, yet he discovered that was his calling, regardless of how he saw himself.
The title “Alex Annie Alexis Ann” by itself hinted that someone had a fractured identity. We were first told that Alex was a monster, complicit in the killing of innocent victims. Jody then helped the boys, and us, see Alex more clearly. Who else believes that Jody might take Alex under her wing to help her find her way back from her kidnapped and forced persona? Jody was also hiding the truth from herself. She realized she needs to face her grief, a theme we discussed for Sam and Dean several weeks ago.
Heaven:
“You’ve [Sam] seen everything that he’s [Gadreel] seen!” – Sam didn’t know that Gadreel was working for Metatron? This really confused me. We’ve known this for so long, I thought for sure our heroes knew it by now! This would imply, though, that Sam is not consciously aware of what Gadreel was doing while possessing Sam’s body. Why would Crowley have made this point, though? Was it only for exposition in that scene? Will it come in handy during the final battle with Gadreel? While not impossible, I’m thinking it is unlikely at this point. There has been no mention of it since Crowley’s comment. Lacking evidence as a thread, this may be a false trail. Still…
Is the Angel Banishing Spell Reversible? Is Crowley’s knowledge or Castiel’s grace the key to Heaven? – These are all valid questions and threads to be watched, but maybe we needed to ask the implied, overarching question: “Can the angels get back into heaven?”
Metatron: “Is the door secure?”
Gadreel: “Yes, the way home is safe.”
Clearly, there is a way to get in and out of heaven! Dean suspects it…
Dean: “What if there is a stairway to heaven?”
…but the writers are still holding back the big reveal…
Castiel: “Is it true? Can you bring angels back to heaven?”
Metatron: “Sorry, No Spoilers”
Yet, Castiel’s grace was purposefully and obviously emphasized.
Metatron: “How is that stolen grace inside you working out?”
Castiel: “It’s fine.”
Metatron: “No, it’s not. It’s burning out. Its going to burn you out.”
We have tracked the issues of Castiel’s stolen grace in both the “someone is not who they are supposed to be” and the “Heaven” threads. What it it ends up relating to his longevity instead of stolen identities or opening gates? Why did Cas wait so long to heal Hannah? I now believe he purposely stalled. It looked painful for him to heal her, so he probably wanted to make sure the expenditure of grace was warranted.
Is Cas’ life actually in jeapordy? I thought it was odd for Metatron to say “I left you human so you could live happily ever after, but you screwed that up too!” Does stealing grace begin a timer on a ticking time bomb inside you? I don’t like the implications of that at all!! What do you think?
Threads on Hold (no new clues this time)
Really? Were there any threads not advanced in these last two episodes?? I venture to say just three:
Letting Go – An argument can be made that Mama had to let go of Alex, and Jody had to let go of running from grief. Since no one said the words “let go”, though, I’ll let this slide as intention versus substance.
Addiction / Crowley’s Need for Blood – A great observation was made to a prior “Threads” article. Cheryl 142 said: “Crowley is [Dean’s] dealer. Crowley has the drug that Dean craves right now [the First Blade], which is why the episode was called ‘Mothers Little Helper’. It was all about addiction.” Given all the revelations in “Blade Runners” and “Mother’s Little Helper” related to addictions, we conclusively know that Crowley’s need for blood was related to a growing addiction not a veiled ploy at something unknown. Given Dean’s addictions to alcohol and now it seems, killing (should we still say the First Blade?), I am folding Crowley’s blood thread into a larger thread of Addiction.
Who is Kevin’s real father?
Curiosities
– In “Meta Fiction”, Sam got to drive the Impala, AGAIN! I think I’m going to have to start analyzing the symbolism of Sam taking over Dean’s jobs!
– How did Sam and Dean find Gadreel in “Meta Fiction”?
– Metatron’s comment: “First rule of writer’s club is to steal from the best.” – There are so many meta possibilities here…The current writers taking their cue from Eric Kripke and burning the canon (book) written during the Kripke years, just to name a few. I’m going to let some of the meta reviewers peel this back and look at it more closely.
– In “Meta Fiction”, when did Metatron snatch Cas? Castiel tore his coat entering the warehouse. That was the “continuity error” that betrayed Metatron’s hologram illusion, so it had to be after Castiel entered the warehouse. After Cas left the warehouse, he called Sam and Dean for real, so he was probably actually in his hotel room then. Did Gadreel kidnap him later from the hotel? Cas said, “I’m guessing I’m not in the hotel” implying he was snagged at his hotel. That is my best guess.
– Outside the vampire’s cabin in A4, did you notice that the ground was wet and muddy when the trio stood by the Impala, yet by the time they walked to the cabin, the ground was covered in snow? I laughed. Pesky Vancouver winter messed up their outdoor shoot.
– Just as “Meta Fiction” reminded us of a classic Bobby dialogue, A4 also contained a throw-back to the Bobby years. Did anyone else recognize the wood chipper used by the vampire? That had to be the same prop Bobby used to destroy a monster and save his would-be girlfriend/neighbor in season 6’s “Weekend at Bobby’s”.
It is really hard to capture everything in these heavy myth arc episodes! Help? What have I missed? What do you think about my ideas? Only four episodes left, so get your ideas in now!
Screen Caps courtesy of www.homeofthenutty.com.
Quotes confirmed with www.supernaturalwiki.com.
- I’m the Co-Editor-in-Chief, Social Media Manager (Twitter, Facebook and Instagram), Live Tweet Moderator, reviewer and feature writer for The Winchester Family Business. Before joining the Supernatural Family, I worked for 22 years at a global consulting firm, but after years of long hours, high pressure and rigorous demands, I quit corporate life to raise my children. After my first Supernatural convention, I was driven to share my shock and awe in a two-part essay that The WFB was brave enough to post, and my second life calling, that of being a writer, began. My first published book, Fan Phenomena: The Twilight Saga was released in late 2016. Please share in my cross-fandom excitement by following its Facebook page @FanPhenomenaTwilight and my personal Twitter account @LSAngel2. You can read about this whole miraculous transition in my chapter in Family Don’t End With Blood, published in May 2017.
Great write up Nightsky. I did notice one little shoot issue but was probably again either a weather issue or scheduling of the location issue. In “Meta Fiction” at the motel, Cas was staying at, one of the final scenes where the boys bring Gadreel there to meet with Metatron to exchange Cas for Gadreel, after Metatron shows his arrogance and takes off, it is 6:00ish. When the scene returns it is dark out side for the scene where Cas discovers Dean’s MoC. I can’t imagine what they would have been doing all that time till it went from daylight to dark and the conversation seemed to just pick up from when Metatron left so that little flaw jumped out at me.
You brought up several things that I wondered about also. How did Sam and Dean track down Gadreel in that warehouse when their contact in Ogden was dead? And the other one you mentioned was just when did Metatron capture Cas and without him knowing? I’m thinking it had to be shortly after his call to Dean and Sam, saaaaaay right around the time the TV kicks on, maybe (Gabriel talk there:).
Yes I also picked up on the Bobby similarities my first viewing with your statement, “…Castiel’s words, “What have you done? Damn it Dean!” echoed what Bobby had said so many years ago in “All Hell Breaks Loose: Part 2” when Bobby learned that Dean had sold his soul”.
This is all still about “personal interpretation” isn’t though? One can weave, twist, and thread just about every scene depending on how one views it at the time, with previous episodes. There does seem to be quite the parallels between scenarios (eps) and all I can say is these last three eps, after the Bloodlines pilot, are going to be hum dingers and I don’t see it taking us anywhere pleasant. Scared for Dean, scared for Sam, and scared for Cas.
I am scared for me! Jeremy has proven that he can think up very dramatic endings. The s8 cliff-hangerr blew me away, yet the Season 9’s build up is much more intense than s8 ever was. I really expect to be collapsed on the floor in shock, and heart-broken for days. I am sure at least one member of Team Free Will will die, I just can’t predict which one.
On Gadreel: I think Metatron is setting Gadreel up to play the role of the ‘betrayer’ of the ‘hero’ in his own play. He knows Gadreel is shaky and is anticipating the turn. So will Gadreel surprise him? Will Gadreel figure out that his ‘role’ is to be the betrayer and somehow sidestep whatever trap Metatron is going to lay down?
On Metatron the writer: I think the switch he flipped for prophets was to somehow take on that role himself. Metatron is NOT God so he has to rely on tricks and spells. Since he says he knows the end of the story, he may be relying on these stolen prophecy powers. But let’s not forget that 3 times Dean went off-script on Chuck. First by dragging hime to the hotel to stop Liliath, second by showing up with Cas to find out where Sam/Ruby were, and third he went to Stull cemetery. If Metatron only read the Hardcopy Winchester Gospels then he doesn’t know about the boys BREAKING PROPHECY. Once again, the main villain underestimates the boys.
Sam & Dean & Abel & Cain: I’m not positive we will get a resolution in S9 or even a cliffhanger on this storyline. They may wrap the Angel arc but just continue to tease MoC. Regardless, I think it’s going to be a test of Sam’s commitment to his principles. And I’m seriously afraid it’s going to look like Sam will choose the world over Dean. Which is logically right yet horribly wrong. I do agree, Dean’s soul is at stake.
Cas- sure seems to me Cas is playing the Jesus role in this story. I think he will permanently open back up the Gates of Heaven by sacrificing himself. I think S9 my end looking like Cas is dead but I bet we get him back in S10 because God has a soft spot for the little tree topper. But I think Cas’ apparent death will be the last straw for Dean.
You have great ideas! Now that you point it out, it makes perfect sense that Metatron would expect Gadreel to betray him. The “twist” that he loves so much would be some surprise that either Gadreel or Cas (who is focused on the angel war) or the boys cook up. I also like the idea that he is hogging all the prophet powers for himself. That would be another implication of his parallel as Chuck. Great catch!
The idea of Cas as Jesus is brilliance. That never occurred to me, nor do I think I would have ever thought of it. They have tried Cas as God, but really he would be more like the favored SON of God, who died to open Heaven. The dramatic implication of that makes sense too. Cliffhangers have killed Sam and/or Dean so many times. Kill Cas – it is different, a logical following as to why they upgraded Cas to a “regular” member of the cast this year (Bobby was upgraded right before they killed him) plus you hook Misha’s minions to tune in next season. I am absolutely sure they would bring Cas back next year, but it would be another twist on Metatron, who said Cas would be the only one to NOT die. I am convinced you are right here.
I don’t think we should disregard what Crowley said to sam as exposition. I think it will come into play. I’ve read in an interview that there are more layers to this angel thing as it concerns Sam. I just think that it’s all going to come to a head at once. I do think that sam knows what gad knows, I just don’t think he is aware of it yet. I think it’s significant that we didn’t see specifically how the boys located gad, as though the writers intentionally hid that from us. as soon as I watched though, it was my own personal gut feeling that it was sam that led the boys to gad. as far as I know, cas didn’t take all of the grace as it would’ve killed sam. I still think sam is walking around with angel grace inside him and I think it will assist sam in episodes to come.
someone mentioned this elsewhere and i realized that they had a point. in the last couple of eps, sam seemed to me to look a little pale. i don’t know if it’s just the lighting or if there’s actually a little more to it. at some moments, like in the pic above, sam kind of looks the way he did when he was doing the trials. i don’t know if anyone else has noticed that as well, but it had me wondering….
I am very happy to hold out hope that Sam still has angel grace inside of him. That would fit so well with the reversal we identified before (the demon vessel is now part angel). It also makes sense to me that he could remember something about Gadreel…so you win! It stays on the list!
Regarding Sam looking tired and pale, actually, I’m guessing that has more to do with Jared. These episodes would have been filmed in March. Shep would have been about 2.5 to 3 months old? I chalk this one up to Daddy hadn’t been getting much sleep! (I could be wrong, but that’s my take for now)
After #bloodlines tonight, I noticed Jared sounding rather rough around the edges. I attributed it to Vancouver in the winter rather than story arc for Sam.
Thanks Nightsky. I also think Meta Fiction may end up as one of my favorite episodes. I love your analysis of Cas and how different he is as a leader this time. As for A4 I see some of the parallels between the Vampire family & the Winchesters but they almost put Dean & Sam in a much more favorable light by comparison. The Vampires aren’t on a “noble” mission to make a better world for their kind & I can’t see Sam as a vulnerable lure.
SueB has some great theories. I love the idea of Metatron banking on Gadreel’s betrayal. I think Metatron got rid of all the prophets so he could control the flow of information. About the Supernatural books, do they only mention what ends up happening and not that Team Free Will changed the prewritten storyline? That would explain why Metatron is underestimating the Winchesters & Cas.
I think either this season or the series as a whole will end with Sam talking Dean out of using the 1st blade to kill Abbadon in order to save Dean.
Sam stopping Dean would parallel Dean stopping Sam from completing the trials. It will be tough though. I think Dean wants to go out fighting, and soon, since he thinks he lost Sam’s love and support.
If the plan is for Dean to go full on demon as a result of the MOC Sam still has the demon cure available. Maybe a panic room kind of situation?
I agree that Dean wanted to see the terror in the vamp as he watched the lights go out. He wasn’t just enjoying the job he was playing with his prey like a cat with a mouse. So far it is only directed at monsters. I have a feeling that is going to change.
The Winchester’s have never followed the script I don’t think that Metatron is going to be able to write the story he wants to. He has only read about humans he has never been one. I think that is why Cas had to be human for a while this season. It gives him an advantage over Metatron. Go Team Free Will!
Quick question: Does Metatron know about the MoC? I can’t remember if he’s mentioned that he does… it might be another way in which he is potentially underetimating the Winchester’s and Dean in particular.
I don’t think he does. I will have to watch again but even the way he talked about the bunker I got the impression he didn’t know what all those secrets were that they had hidden away. Gadreel only knows about Dean up to killing Kevin and of course the books only go to season 7 (Becky). Ah the MOC wildcard….
Demon Cure! Now that’s interesting! Cain didn’t seem to be a rehabilitated demon, though. His was red smoke, like Crowley’s. I think there’s another layer here we don’t know about yet. I don’t think they’d try to kill Sam two seasons in a row. Funny, but I think it is someone else’s turn (which is why I like the Castiel theory above so much). I have actually wondered if they won’t take out two of them, just to be different.
I agree with everyone about Metatron underestimating TFW because he doesn’t know about their off-script variations. That would fit with his emphasis to Cas that he had to use HIS script; and Gadreel, that everyone had to play their part according to plan.
I have a theory that Castiel is going to use all the grace from his followers to return to heaven. He will need as much power as he can get to defeat Metatron and I think that Gadreel (since he knows the way home) will be Castiels ally. Since his stolen grace is going to burn him out he will have to use all of those rechargeable batteries to maybe be the vessel to return everyone to heaven. Castiel might not survive. This might be the sacrifice he needs to make for all the angels he killed.
Nightsky,
Nice threads article; so many ways they can go with the story. Lot’s of great theories here, too. Can’t wait to see how they pull this altogether. And you’re right, Meta Fiction is a great episode – I keep seeing more and more things after each rewatch.
Kevin’s real father? I think that was Crowley just being a dick, yanking Kevin’s chain.
Crowley – I don’t think he’s shooting up anymore, he just wanted Dean to think so. I still think he has another end game in mind, beyond taking out Abaddon.
Dean and the MoC – I think the First Blade is going to have some unintended consequences beyond killing Abaddon and what it’s doing to Dean; along the line of what happened when Sam killed Lilith at the end of S4. Not saying they’re revisiting the Lucifer/Michael story (that was Kripke’s to tell – IMO Carver won’t touch it), but it will be something really big.
I thought the flickering lights in the hotel room was the indication that Metatron had taken Castiel.
One scenario I had discounted early on, but am wondering about now, is what if Dean does turn in to a demon, and Sam has to cure him and, in doing so, finishes the trials, closes the gates of hell, and dies? Does Sam still have the trial juice in him, lying dormant till if and when he finishes the trials? Nappi815 mentioned that Sam was looking pale – to be honest, I hadn’t noticed, but that would certainly be one explanation for this.
There was a lot of speculation as to who was outside Sam and Amelia’s house when Sam left for the cabin in 8.01. Someone thought it was Metatron; maybe this entire S8/S9 story is Metatron’s work?
I think that Jim Michaels confirmed it was Don outside the house. Kind of lame. That is interesting about the trial juice. I can see Sam sacrificing himself without hesitation.
i heard something to that effect too, but am never sure when they’re doing that to mislead or misdirect the fans.
Thanks Nightsky, that was very informative. I love these threads! I am not the most observant person, so they help me tremendously. :p I think Gadreel may still be able to redeem himself. He let one snake into the garden, he may realize that Metatron is an even bigger snake and decides to help Castiel and the Winchesters instead. I mean, even Meg and Crowley worked on the side of good once in a while when it suited their purpose. I still think he is going to die doing it though, because he deserves it for what he did to Kevin. I will never forgive him that.
[quote]One scenario I had discounted early on, but am wondering about now, is what if Dean does turn in to a demon, and Sam has to cure him and, in doing so, finishes the trials, closes the gates of hell, and dies? Does Sam still have the trial juice in him, lying dormant till if and when he finishes the trials? Nappi815 mentioned that Sam was looking pale – to be honest, I hadn’t noticed, but that would certainly be one explanation for this.
[/quote] You scared me with that idea njspnfan! That would be plausible, but oh so scary. I do fear that nothing good will come from the MoC, for either Dean or Sam. You are right Nightsky, it’s like Dean is losing his soul. He’s been forced to kill all sorts of baddies for a very long time, but man alive!, when he forced that vamp to look directly at him as he was cutting off his head, that gave me chills, and not the good kind. 🙁
I can’t believe we are reaching the end of this very good season. And I will join the bandwagon in saying that “Metafiction” is my favourite of the season.
Sylvie, I am so glad you enjoy the Threads series! Sometimes they take a lot longer to write than a review, especially with the meta episodes. My intention was to look at each episode a little differently, so I am glad that is working for you! They are a big experiment – We are learning together if we can detect the themes the writers weave throughout the season. It is interesting to track how many times a theme shows up, and which ones are just themes for a singular episode versus the whole season.
i can’t see sam having to kill dean to save him because in dean’s frame of mind, sam’s willingness to kill dean, even if it were to save him, would only exacerbate dean’s warped belief that his brother would never save him. i think it makes more sense for sam to save dean another way. i found it interesting that metatron specifically made mention of the secrets and treasures in the bunker that didn’t scare him, as though, perhaps he doth protest too much and there is in fact something in the bunker that can destroy metatron. spear of destiny? demon cure? something else? i think the boys have the answer, they just don’t know it yet.
sam seems thin to me and kind of wan. i noticed that in meta fiction. i’m not sure if it’s just the lighting….jared’s not hitting the gym…or if it actually means something for the story. they haven’t focused on it yet, but i still think, as per carver, that sam has been affected by gad in some way that is still yet to be seen.
i wonder if gad and sam are connected in some way, and sam just doesn’t realize it. i do think gad realizes it though. that look on gad’s face at the end of the eppy…he’s up to something. isn’t it possible that gad taunted both sam and dean for metatron’s sake, because gad was putting on a show for him. metatron didn’t know the boys would snag him, but he found out…once metatron found out, could he see what was happening? is gad putting on a show? i think it’s very possible…i really feel gad is more than he appears to be.
i think sam knows more than he realizes. i think he may be connected to gad in some way. i think the angel grace in sam may come into play. metatron told cas that the grace he stole was burning out? could something like that happen to sam? or maybe the grace will affect sam on another level. it could very well come into play when sam saves dean.
i’m still not sure dean will turn into a demon. as of the moment i’m leaning towards stone cold killer. i watched you can’t handle the truth last night, and dean confessed to veritas that he was a killer. i still think that the reason dean goes to extremes to save sam is because i feel that dean believes without sam to keep him human, dean will become what he always believed himself to be. unfortunately dean taking the moc as a means of punishing himself for what he’s done will most likely make this belief a reality. on the bright side, despite dean’s misperception, sam will ensure that never happens. he will save him.:)
Do you all think Sam has enough angel grace in him to [i]heal[/i] Dean after some critical injury? They did make a BIG deal out of Cas “measuring” the amount of grace he took out of Sam.
Ok, now several of you have noticed Sam/Jared not looking too good. I honestly hadn’t see it. I’ll have to look for it. I really just dismissed it as new baby daddy…maybe not?
@Nappi. I’ve noticed that too with Sam for several episodes now. At first, I was like, “wow, unflattering shots of Jared?” Because to me, Jared looks like he’s been carved out of marble in a Hollywood lab somewhere. Then I thought he was supposed to be stressed from the fighting and issues with Dean- he’s sporting his own emo beard now, and his fabulous hair is getting a bit flat and greasy :p… but lately he does seem pale. They also seem to be trying to make him look “older” it seems, more crinkles and wrinkles than I’m used to seeing on the “little brother.” Maybe nothing, maybe something?
@Nightsky, some meta on Sam driving the Impala, etc, would be awesome! In Season 4, Sam failed at “taking on Dean’s load” for a variety of reasons. While the lack of dialogue with Sam is maddening lately, we’re seeing him step into Dean’s usual shoes in various ways: driving the car more, checking up on Dean, smaller protective gestures, reaching out more to Cas, etc. There’s a lot of talk about the brothers “walking in each other’s shoes” this season. With Dean, it’s obvious: for the first time, he’s fighting a supernatural darkness inside of him. Sam is learning what it’s like to stand on the outside and watch his brother turn into something unrecognizable.
As for Dean: going nowhere good, I think! I said “fighting” the darkness above, but as of A4 he doesn’t seem to be fighting it much anymore :(. I’m concerned where Dean will go and what damage will be done. Though on a lizard-brain level, I’m excited for BAMF!Dean!
Gadreel: There are spoilers about him, but I’ll keep quiet just in case. I’m quite intrigued about where he’s going to end up. I can see him defecting, but will the Winchesters take him? Guess they’re going to get to a point where they can’t afford to turn away allies, but teaming with Gadreel would be a bitter pill to swallow.
I like the questions you put out and it is always nice to read and think something new about an episode. One thing that came to my mind as people were talking about parallels and that A4 was a bait, but Sam wasn’t? I think I raid that that isn’t a parallel to Sam but… What if it was? I mean on this episode. When the brothers were caught and Dean knocked out? I think he was too long unconscious and not even reacting to the kick? I think even if he was unconscious at the start he wasn’t later. I think he did use Sam as “bait” to have the vampires focusing on him and when he had opportune moment to act he would.
For some reason that he let Sam bleed while waiting makes me uneasy but I have thing with blood and yeah… *shiver* Anyway, as the vampire tried to grab his hair and lift his head he miraculously woke. I think it was obvious Dean was awake… but how I feel about it is another matter…
– Lilah
I am so glad you mentioned both of your points: I also noticed that Dean was knocked out for a long time and that he didn’t seem too worried about Sam bleeding out. I dismissed both of those observations as unintentional points in the writing, but I am intrigued that you noticed them too. I like the parallel with Soulless Sam’s actions very much. I wonder now if we are interpreting too much or if this was a subtle reflections of S6…Either way, it was very astute of you to make that link! I missed it completely.