Supernatural Hiatus Hunting: 4.22 “Lucifer Rising”

Lucifer Rising is one of the most powerful episodes of Supernatural. It gives us the payoff from story lines going back to season one.

We see the explanation of what Azazel wanted with Sam and the other psy kids. It shows the endgame of Sam’s demon blood use. We are finally getting to the underlying driving forces behind the mytharc of the show. There were three recaps/reviews written for Lucifer Rising. Alice posted a review that was an immediate reaction and then her usual in depth, comprehensive recap. Elle also published one of her insightful reviews. All three will be featured in this week’s Hiatus Hunting Throwback article.

Can I get a “Hell Yeah!”? I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you. Louder. “HELL YEAH!!”

This time last year, I was weeping in devastation over the demise of beloved Dean and worrying over his horrific time to come in Hell (yes, I care about these characters too damn much). This year, while I’m still very frightened for our boys (and their now fugitive angelic companion as well), and let a “Damn You Kripke!” slip at the cliffhanger ending, I find myself pumping fists more than breaking out the Kleenexes. That’s a way to cap a spectacular season! 

Again, we must bow at the feet of the master. This year’s finale is especially bittersweet, for even though it’s the final exclamation point on an already spectacular season, it comes without the patriarch that usually closes the seasons, Kim Manners. Eric Kripke does an incredible job taking on all the stressful roles of writer, producer, and director for this truly brilliant piece of work. Even though he’s only directed one episode before, season two’s “What Is and What Should Never Be,” he proves that he has what it takes to use the camera to keep us on the edge of our seats and leave us begging for more. Awesome man! 

We get answers! Sure, more questions too, but hey, we need something to take us into next season. The most satisfying resolution clearly comes from Ruby’s story playing out. After two seasons and plenty of ambiguity, the outcome isn’t too surprising. She’s evil, and was brought in to manipulate Sam to carry out the master plan of freeing Lucifer. Still, I feel a HUGE payoff from how it plays out, and looking back find her overall plan brilliant. It all comes full circle, right down to both brothers giving her a well deserved gutting like a fish.

Castiel goes rogue! He grows a pair! Man did he buy himself a mess of trouble, and all because he listens to Dean. It’s incredible how their relationship has progressed through the season and the impact they’ve had on each other. I’ve already got my season five wishlist going, and Cas tops it. He rescues Anna and together they go off to save the world, having some hot angel sex doing it. Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?

Then we FINALLY learn Azazel’s part in all this, and what the “endgame” was all along. Lilith breaks the seals, and Azazel delivers the “special child,” the only one who can break the final seal. The plan is 37 years in the making, which is like 3700 in Hell years (give or take a few thousand).  I have a feeling we have only seen the beginning of the “end game,” and there’s plenty more to be learned. 

The most jaw dropping part is the plan has been known by the top angels for a while, who have no problem letting it happen. Seems they’re into some cleansing of humanity for their own reasons.  Zachariah is the angelic version of Azazel, and every bit as evil. His “God has left the building” remark actually makes Lilith, Azazel, and Ruby seem like the ones with the true faith, since they actually still believe in their Lord. This show does love to twist things. Kripke, you magnificent bastard. 

Get To The Brothers Already

Despite the plenty of side distractions, the main crux of the story is the fractured brotherly relationship. The wounds are still stinging from last week’s all out brawl, with Sam out of hope and ready for death while Dean is being stubborn over his wounded pride. Sam and Ruby are holed up in the same squalid house from “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” while Dean gets a tongue lashing at Bobby’s for being too much like his dad. Just as Dean is pondering to go after Sam, the angels step in to stop that plan. 

I have to admire Kripke’s twisted sense of humor, for the angelic “green room” is a near exact replica of “Jupiter and The Infinite Beyond” from 2001: A Space Odyssey. It’s just another perfect way of showing Dean is stuck in another realm. He can have cheeseburgers from Delaware (which are great, I can attest), his favorite beer from “What Is and What Should Never Be,” and Ginger in full color and Mary Ann, but all he wants is Sam. Aww, how sweet. Too bad that’s the one thing they won’t let him have.

Dean’s role in all this is still in question, which is one of those mental notes for season five. His destiny isn’t to stop the apocalypse after all, it’s to kill Lucifer, after a whole truckload of eggs (aka humanity) are broken. His reward is eternal peace. Dean doesn’t really care much for that reward, since he’s never been comfortable with it anyway.  Did Zachariah forget the Winchester motto? “Saving people, hunting things, the family business?” I’m still trying to figure out how Dean is going to be powerful enough to kill Lucifer. If Castiel can’t kill someone like Alastair…oh screw it, we’ll find out next season.   

Dean’s greatest triumph is getting through to Castiel, showing the conflicted angel once and for all that something’s rotten in Heaven. My “Hell Yeah!” over Castiel forming the sigil with his own blood on the wall and sending Zachariah away scared both the cat and the dog. Not hubby though, since we shared a high five. Then we stopped when Castiel reveals the ultimate dinger, Lilith is the final seal. You knew that and didn’t tell anyone Cas? What did those big bad angels do to you?   

Dean and Castiel risk the wrath of an archangel to get Chuck The Prophet to tell them where Sam is, and Chuck proves to be the wisest character in the entire episode. He knows the end is coming, so he’s going out by planning an all-nighter with twenty hookers. That leads to the line of the episode from Castiel. “You guys aren’t supposed to be here. You’re not in this story.” “Yeah, well, we’re making it up as we go.” See, Dean is wearing off on Castiel! 

Meanwhile, at a convent in Maryland, one that happens to have a doorway for Lucifer should he break free, Sam’s predestined role continues to play out. Getting there isn’t easy though, for Sam lets his doubts creep through. He’s actually starting to believe Dean was right.  Of course that’s because he doesn’t want to drink all the blood of an innocent nurse with an evil demon inside of her, showing a glimmer of hope that old Sam is still inside there by thinking that’s wrong. Poor Sam though, for whether the sabotaged apology voice mail of Dean’s comes from Zachariah or Ruby (I think Zach, since he said steps were being taken), it’s enough for him to act like the monster Dean accuses him of being and sacrifice the nurse.

Yes, Sam is played like a violin right to the end, when he stretches his arm out and does his demon killing mind trick on Lilith (complete with total black demon eyes). He doesn’t even notice that Dean has arrived (a la the hand slap of transportation from Castiel), even though Ruby does when she closes the door on him. Sam stops though when he hears Dean’s voice, but Lilith, being an evil demon and all, knows how to push Sam’s buttons. She taunts him over letting himself become a monster and then not following through. His temper gets the better of him and he finishes the job, finally getting that long sought after revenge as a dead Lilith falls to the floor.   

If there’s any episode that’ll truly break a Sam fan’s heart, it’s this one. Sam’s pinpoint focus on his thirst for revenge leads to the most catastrophic result possible. Blood pours from Lilith and forms a circle while a celebrating Ruby finally shows her true colors. Sam has broken the final seal and opened the door. Once Sam realizes what he’s done, he’s beyond consolation. His horror and devastation is perfectly played (well done Jared!), even using Dean’s “you lying bitch” line. He’s also too weak from taking out Lilith to kill Ruby, who is still too overjoyed over Lucifer being free at last. This is where we get Sam’s big reveal that will be sticking with us to next season. He didn’t need the demon blood after all to become as powerful as he did. It was inside him all along. The line, “You didn’t need the feather to fly, you had it in you all along Dumbo,” is pitch perfect.

Then comes the BEST moment of the night; the BEST moment of this season in a season loaded with plenty of goodies. Dean breaks through the doors, charges at Ruby who boasts that it’s too late. “I don’t care.” Dean pulls out the knife, and a despondent Sam gets enough wits about him to stand up and hold Ruby for his brother. Dean stabs, she sputters, and ding dong the witch is dead! (Happy dance, happy dance). The brothers are together, and suddenly all is right with the world again. Oh, except for Sam’s heart crushing “I’m sorry” to Dean and Lucifer rising in a flash of white light as the screen fades, but that becomes next season’s worry. Sam and Dean are in it together (even clutching onto each other), and I’m happy.   

That leaves us with so much to ponder, so many directions for the characters to go, so much to reconcile in the ever growing mythology, but that’s what summer hiatuses are for. For right now I’m going to sit back, relax, and feel really grateful that there’s a show like this on the air. This and the Chuck finale are the two I’ll be watching over and over again with a big smile. And a “HELL YEAH!”             

The Rest

It should be noted that it’s my dream to own a classic Mustang someday and I completely drool every time I see one on the road, but Ruby’s never impressed me. I think it’s because it’s hers. I hope Sam gets the car now that she’s dead. He’d look cooler driving it. He also needs to paint it black. The Impala needs a sister!          

Speaking of cooler, no Impala in this episode? She must have wanted too much money.

The pop culture references are insane, but my favorite is “The Suite Life with Zack and Cas.” My kids watch the Zack and Cody Disney channel version ad nauseum in my household, so I really found that joke hysterical. I’ll take Zack and Cas over Zack and Cody any day! Second place goes to the mention of the holodeck. That was the only good part of Star Trek: The Next Generation much of the time. 

Bobby didn’t die!!! (Happy dance, happy dance.) Of course Jim Beaver told us in Cherry Hill he’d be back in season five, so I’m glad it’ll be with his character alive and not some ghost.

The constantly changing paintings in the angelic suite are pretty wild, and I love the themes changing from heavenly to hellish. It sets the perfect tone for Zachariah’s troubling confession. Again the archangel Michael is brought up. I’m sure that’s important for later. 

My grade, an A+. I’m not sure how this ranks in the all time list, but again, we get a classic for the ages. My grade for the season is an A. One of the best I’ve seen in network television, up there with The Simpsons season four and The West Wing season two. Thank you, thank you Mr. Kripke for your grand vision and perfect execution this season, and good luck planning the next one. 

Is it September yet?

Lucifer Rising

What makes a season finale good; is it the questions it answers or the ones it poses, the characters that are killed or the characters that are saved, the hidden agendas revealed or the hints at those that remain hidden, is it the action or is it the tears, is it the realization of what is important or is it the revelation of what has been lost? For me the answer is all of the above which is why this episode was satisfying in so very many ways.

I’ve written before of the magnificent storytelling by Eric Kripke and this episode simply spotlights his efforts. From Carry on Wayward Son to “He’s coming” I was enthralled. That Eric wrote and directed this episode amazes me. I have to imagine (not being a writer, director, producer or anything else related thus all I can do is imagine) that it must take tremendous courage to put your vision out where everyone can see it week after week. To write an episode and hand it off to a trusted director, confident he will craft it to its best possible outcome, is one level of courage; to write it and hand it off to your own self is another. Eric wrote a script that played to his strengths and it was excellent.

Eric’s style of writing may lack some of the depth of emotion and inner conflict that Sera Gamble so effortlessly pens but that in no way diminishes the excellence of this episode. Lucifer Rising had emotions aplenty but it’s the overall mytharc where Eric excels. Lest we forget, Eric wrote, in part or in full, Pilot, Home, Shadow, Devil’s Trap, In My Time of Dying, All Hell Breaks Loose II, No Rest for the Wicked, Lazarus Rising, In the Beginning, Heaven and Hell and Lucifer Rising. When we want questions answered or motivations revealed when we want continuity from the past and weaving of threads for the future, it’s Eric who delivers.

And he delivered.

I wrote a short article listing the things I hoped to see/hear in this episode, wow, from the list you can tell I was very, very satisfied:

First – Carry On Wayward Son, it’s a tradition and I love the tradition, so I’m dearly hoping for the recap with the music.

Second – Cas pulling a fast one on the ‘higher powers’ and going rebel with Dean.

Third – Sam realizing Ruby’s been playing him for two years and he kills her, or at the very least sends her to hell, oh, all right, if I can’t have either of those two I’ll just be really happy if he at long last realizes how badly she used him.

Fourth – that Bobby DOES NOT DIE! I don’t scour the sites looking for spoilers and have no idea how so many in the fandom seem to think that Bobby’s going to get killed but it’s out there, so I’ll hope that it does not happen. 

Fifth – that Dean and Sam have some realization that while they both are very far apart right now it is simply a matter of their dual traumatic year and that they are still brothers, I need some tiny, minuscule, microscopic bit of hope to get me through the break.

Sixth – which BTW means I hope there isn’t anything gonna happen that says that Dean and Sam are not brothers, I mean, really?????

Seventh – I would love the irony or maybe it’s literary symmetry (thank you Chuck, as in I am the Prophet!) in having Dean, the righteous man sent to hell, breaking the first seal when he became a torturer after enduring three decades of torture and thus Sam breaking (almost maybe?) the final seal as a righteous man on earth nearly becoming a demon after enduring similar torture (you don’t really think the demon blood and the feeling the evil inside of him and the mental/emotional/physical torture he’s been going through of late is anything fun?)

Eighth – previews for the 5^th season premier (what are my chances on that one?

Yeah, I was pretty happy.

For the record, I never thought I’d enjoy an episode in which the brothers spent all but the final moments apart but, similar to John’s continuing presence permeating episode after episode, Sam was nearly always present with Dean and Dean nearly always present with Sam. The angels and the demons know all too well that when Sam and Dean are together they keep each other grounded; it’s when they are separated that they can be manipulated.

Pride goeth before the fall:

Pride kept the brothers separated. It is possible to take pride in one’s low opinion of oneself, Dean tends to run to this inner fortress when things get to be tough which is why his internal battle in Dream a Little Dream of Me is so fascinating; we know ourselves best, strengths and weaknesses and, when we are honest with ourselves we strip away the make-believe and do battle with the real. Dean has a certain perversity of pride in his willingness to place himself lower than those he loves, and the demons use it and so do the angels.

Azazel picked that scab with great relish in Devil’s Trap as did Alastair in On the Head of a Pin, Uriel effortlessly provoked Dean to giving up Anna in Heaven and Hell and the CRD from Cross Road Blues planted the seed she would reap several months later in All Hell Breaks Loose II, Castiel, with Zachariah pulling the strings, similarly out dueled Dean in When the Levee Breaks and set Dean up for his temporary lock down in the ‘green room.’ That begs the question, are angels only capable of holding humans against their will if a deal has been made? 

Azazel told Dean in AHBL II that demons cannot resurrect a human unless a deal is made; I wonder if angels have a similar restraint. The closest we’ve seen of Dean being held against his will was in OTHOAP but he did not demand to be returned, he only tried to leave.  When Uriel blocked him, Dean demanded to speak with Castiel which was granted. Castiel successfully pled the angels’ case and Dean chose to stay. It’s obvious that angels are able to transport humans through space and time as well as speak in their dreams, alter their memories and even abduct them but each time that has happened there has never been a demand to leave, to be returned. The only time Dean demanded to be let go was after he had pledged his obedience to the angels, the result, the angels told him no. I think angels, along with not being omnipotent or omnipresent, also cannot hold a human against their will.

The angels were not subtle once they had Dean where they wanted him, attempting to buy him off with “wine, women and bacon cheeseburgers”, however, they missed the deeper man. Perhaps it’s a good thing that angels are soulless, lifeless, heartless creatures; had they any of those things they would have realized that beer, burgers and bimbos – sorry, Ginger and Mary Ann, but I really wanted the continuity – would never guarantee Dean’s calm acceptance of his placement in the “green room.”

Despite Dean’s inclination to low self-worth he is a keen hunter with a discerning mind and does not take things at face value. While he frequently has a fatalistic view as shown in Jus in Bello “Honestly, I think the world is going to end bloody” he couples that with a fighting spirit, a hunter’s spirit, “but it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t fight; we do have choices. I choose to go down swinging.” He shows that again with Sam in No Rest for the Wicked”If we go down, then we go down fighting.” The angels may have tricked Dean into the green room, but like any caged tiger, they had a fight on their hands once they got him there.

We’ve no doubt about Sam’s pride; it’s been on display throughout the series and notably this season. That’s not condemnation because we all need a certain level of pride.  However, similar to Dean’s bent towards low self-worth; Sam has a lack of confidence which bends him towards pride, the destructive side of pride. We’ve seen this subtly and not so subtly throughout this season starting with Lazarus Rising when Dean teases Sam that the “smarter brother” has returned. It’s on full display in Metamorphosis when Sam challenges Dean for not having faith in him, remember this:

Sam: “You want to know why I’ve been lying to you, Dean, because of crap like this the way you talk to me, the way you look at me like I’m a freak or even worse, like I’m an idiot like I don’t know the difference between right and wrong.” (emphasis, mine)

To Sam, it’s bad enough that he’s a freak, or at least thinks he is, but what’s worse is that Dean might think him an idiot, incapable of knowing right from wrong.

Dean picks at this sore point in a teasing fashion in Family Remains but it is in Sex and Violence that this point is hammered deep as Dean openly challenges Sam’s choice to sleep with a potential siren, and then casts Sam aside as unfit to finish that particular hunt. Sam’s trip into his inner mind during When the Levee Breaks shows the full extent to which Sam hides his self-confidence issues deep down, showing a mask of assurance and control to the world. 

It’s interesting to note that while the demons and angels pick at Dean’s sense of self-worth openly, Sam picks at his sense of worth privately through his obsession about what Dean thinks about him. Dean doesn’t worry about what Sam thinks about him, he knows Sam loves him. Dean gave up his secrets about hell reluctantly, not because he doubted Sam’s love or feared Sam’s rejection; the secrets were so painful Dean couldn’t bear sharing them because to admit them would make them real. Dean never once showed that he feared Sam’s lack of respect. Even what the siren tapped into in Sex and Violence wasn’t fear that Sam didn’t love him because of what he’d done; it was because Sam was changing and becoming someone Dean no longer recognized. Read their dialogue again and you’ll see my point:

Dean: “Well, I don’t know when it happened, maybe when I was in Hell, maybe when I was staring right at you, the Sam I knew, he’s gone.”

Sam:  “That so?”

Dean:  “It’s not the demon blood, or the psychic crap. It’s the little stuff, the lies, the secrets.”

Sam:  “Yeah, what secrets?”

Dean:  “The phone calls to Ruby for one.”

Sam:  “So I need your say-so to make a phone call?”

Dean:  “That’s the point. You’re hiding things from me. What else aren’t you telling me?”

Sam:  “None of your business.”

Dean:  “See what I mean? We used to be in this together. We used to have each other’s backs.”

Sam:  “Okay, fine. You want to know why I didn’t tell you about Ruby? And how we’re hunting down Lilith? Because you’re too weak to go after her Dean. You’re holding me back. I’m a better hunter than you are, stronger, smarter. I can take out demons you’re too scared to go near.”

Now take a look at what Sam ‘thinks’ Dean is saying to him in When the Levee Breaks:

Dean: “I know why you really drink that blood, Sam, makes you feel strong, invincible, a big, bad wolf in a world of little pigs. It’s more than that, isn’t it; it’s because your whole life you felt different, not different because you were some lonely kid or because of your weirdo family but because you’re a monster. You were always a monster and you only feel right when you’re sucking down more poison and more evil. Monster, Sam, you’re a monster and I tried so hard to pretend that we were brothers that you weren’t one of the filthy things we hunt. We’re not even the same species. You’re nothing to me.”

We’ve known a long time that what Sam fears the most is Dean’s disapproval. He hid the drinking of demon blood because he feared Dean’s censure. Sam has feared that Dean would disown him since Season 1, Nightmare, and despite all evidence to the contrary, in Nightmare, Hunted, Born Under a Bad Sign and even Dean’s declaration in When the Levee Breaks “I just want you to be okay. You would do the same for me, you know you would.”, Sam still cannot have faith. Interesting that Sam has faith in the unseen, angels and God, but not in the seen, Dean. 

High points:

Some points that made this entirely fulfilling to me as a season finale are as follows:

• Azazel took front and center stage again as the great manipulator behind the scenes and from so long ago. That brought a huge sense of continuity to the overall series and I love that for those out there doubting that Sam’s storyline had been sidelined that Eric definitively silenced them – well, not likely because those that like to be miserable will continue – but for me it’s a great accomplishment to bring back to the forefront what has always been the plan, Azazel put the plan in motion and Sam is the chosen one. Why, we do not know yet and thus the seeding of part of Season 5. 
• You must stop Sam? Lilith? The Apocalypse? – oh, Lucifer- awesome. And just like Sam Wesson needs Dean Smith to kill a simple ghost, Sam and Dean will need to join together to stop Lucifer, I have no doubt.
• There were two times in this episode when my heart clenched, the first was when Dean called Sam and left that awesome message. The second was when Sam listened to the message that Zachariah had altered, the crushing of Sam’s spirit reached through the screen and choked my heart – I was in agony.
• The wisdom of Bobby. Dean was so crushed at the beginning of the episode that he reverted to his fatalism – “I’m not even sure he’s my brother anymore, if he ever was.” We need refuge when all appears lost but sometimes our refuge serves us best when it doesn’t allow us to hide but spurs us on to fight. Bobby is Dean’s refuge and here he did what truly needed to be done, he spurred Dean on. Thanks to Jump the Shark where Dean finally realized that all things John Winchester are not to be admired Bobby’s words struck the right tone. Dean followed it up as soon as he was next given the opportunity by calling Sam and admitting he wasn’t Dad and, unlike the shame he experienced in On the Head of a Pin, this was a good thing.  
• Sam hearing Dean through the ‘noise’. Note during Dean’s conversation with Castiel back in the ‘green room’ Dean makes an interesting comment when he’s trying to get Cas to take him to Sam – “you know what, screw this noise, I’m out of here.” Fast forward to when Sam is starting to kill Lilith and what do we hear, noise. There’s the roar of Sam’s heartbeat and the roar of wind but over the din Dean’s voice comes through and Sam stops and turns to the sound – Dean. Ruby’s frantic screams, right in his face, partially refocus his attention but it’s not until Lilith laughs, a derisive laugh that is followed by her taunt to Sam that he turned himself into a freak, a monster, and then she laughs at him again. Oh, the demons know all too well how to push buttons and confuse the mind. 
• The brothers killed Ruby together. When Dean busted through that door and drew the knife to kill Ruby, Sam instantly and in perfect concert with Dean’s movements grabbed Ruby from behind and held her while Dean plunged the knife and then twisted it with great satisfaction. We haven’t seen such perfection in their hunt since – okay, It’s a Terrible Life but that only counts because it proves that past all the baggage the brothers DO know exactly who the other is and what needs to be done. Strip away the noise, the pride, the shame and they know what to do.
• When Sam apologized to Dean it was simple, honest and all that needed to be said. Dean’s expression was a mixture of uncertainty and amazement that it just about broke my heart again, except for that pesky vortex opening. The simultaneous reflexive actions of both brothers to grasp the other’s jacket and not let go is another example of the bond being rebuilt, that Dean wanted to leave and Sam stood firm shows that they are individuals and despite all of Sam’s being brought low, he is still his own person. What really gave me hope though is that Sam grabbed Dean’s jacket a second time, holding tight. Perhaps Sam remembered what Dean said a year earlier in No Rest For the Wicked: “If we go down, then we go down swinging.” I think Sam added to that that they’ll go down together.

Performances:

Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins and Jared Padalecki each delivered, as is their norm. The inner conflict of their characters was clearly shown and all handled their action sequences beautifully but it’s the nonverbals or the acting without anyone else in the scene that blew me away. 

Jensen’s portrayal of Dean leaving Sam a voice message is raw and real and I loved that Dean combined an admission of anger and the desire for inflicting a ‘beat down’ with the confession that he was not Dad – and by proxy not his ‘soldier’ and that nothing changed the fact that he and Sam were family and that he was wrong.

Jensen and Misha team up to deliver a completely silent, but in no way ho hum, moment when Castiel telepathically communicates with Dean. Castiel has always either spoken directly to Dean or through his subconscious, never once has he simply ‘transferred’ thoughts. The ‘eye’ acting between the two of them conveyed the urgency and danger and the immediate understanding of what was to be done. I’ve watched that scene several times and will no doubt watch it again.

Misha’s performance as he draws the ‘angel blasting’ symbol on the wall and sends Zachariah to places unknown is intense. Add to that the shot from behind, sideways glance at Chuck (I am the Prophet Chuck!) who quickly, and wisely, removes his hand from Castiel’s shoulder as the archangel descends had me bursting out with laughter – it was perfect!

Jared, Jared, Jared – how I love your acting with your eyes and the pain in your face – I think you hair hurts with Sam’s pain and I feel it. I loved how he expressed Sam’s continued conflict over what he was doing but this time he added irritation, Sam was irritated with Ruby for the first time ever. Add to that the wrenching image as Sam listened to ‘Dean’s voice mail’ [Zach, for that I hope it hurt to get vortexed out of the ‘green room’]. 

There is so much more I could write about but as is my norm I’ll stop here having focused where I felt strongest. Due to ‘issues’ with my DVR I was unable to record the entire episode, losing the scene when Dean confronts Castiel about what he’d just learned from Zachariah – I have only the end of it when Dean tells Cas that they are through. Perhaps Alice will make that a clip and post it in her recap [unsubtle hint] but then again there is the fourth season DVD coming out soon – real soon.

As for Ruby, in my review of When the Levee Breaks I reviewed the road of Ruby so I’ll not include her here other than to rejoice that she is dead.   RUBY IS DEAD!!!!!! I am thinking about delving into her journey over the summer, either as a standalone article or in another article I’m planning – we’ll see.

By the way, who loved that in the ‘green room’ there was a harp? LOL! How cool was it that when Zachariah sat down to ‘confide’ in Dean there was a mirror like is found in a carnival house of mirrors – very cool. How awesome is it that during Dean’s and Zachariah’s scene in which Zachariah reveals he wants the apocalypse the color is slowly bleached away. As the light of knowledge dawns, the color fades – cool.

So what now Season 5?

Before I get to that, a little trivia question – What do these four writers have in common in terms of their writing of an episode of Supernatural, Cathryn Humphris, Ben Edlund, Sera Gamble and Eric Kripke?

Things I hope to see in Season 5:

• Sam and Dean rebuilding their relationship, stronger, deeper, wiser, aware of how they balance each other,
• What happened to Anna,
• What happened to Zachariah, Kurt Fuller is excellent in this part; he has a gravitas that draws me in while all the time watching, and knowing, there’s more than meets the eye,
• John, Mary, Samuel, Rufus, Chuck – I’d love to see these characters return in some fashion or another – oh, yes, and the Ghostfacers as well.
• Bobby in as many episodes as possible,
• As much classic rock as possible, can’t somebody shell out a few more bucks???
• No episodes without the Impala, I mean really, twice this season is twice too many! 
• How’s about a good ole’ urban legend about Valentine’s Day, and oh, heck go for it, make a comedy of Friday the 13^th ! It’s self-referential and could be ghoulishly fun. November 13, 2009, is available.

So, have you figured out the answer to the trivia question???? I’ll be checking your comments.

Here we go, the last recap of season four! I hope the ten of you that read these things enjoy this one, for its one of my longest yet. Too many scenes triggered the thought process!

I tingle with anticipation the second “The Road So Far” comes up, because I know what’s coming. The season summary to the traditional season finale theme song, “Carry On Wayward Son.” So, is it awesome compared to the other seasons? Hell yeah, maybe even more so, since this season was so good. I’m calling season four the series best. There, I said it. I especially got all stoked at the “Don’t you cry no more,” as Sam walks out on Dean from the previous episode. Awesome.

It’s the St. Mary’s Convent Ilchester, Maryland in 1972. There’s a chapel, and you know since this is Kripke’s episode that some very wicked crap is about to go down. In this case, a priest at the alter gets a pretty big stream of black smoke crammed down his throat. Must be a high on the food chain demon. This priest now comes with cavalier attitude when lecturing nuns, who are scared over his behavior, but not scared enough to run for their lives. Silly nuns.

We pretty much know it’s Azazel before even seeing the yellow eyes just by the way he talks. After blah, blah, blahing his way through The Lords Prayer, he mentions how he feels like he’s been wandering the desert for years. Considering in the Book of Enoch, Azazel was bound and cast into the desert as punishment, that’s pretty much correct. He locks the door and mentions he’s been looking for his father, whose in jail because their dad put him there. Ah, get it, he’s looking for Lucifer.

He goes on to reveal that the very convent they’re in is the place where his father’s cage door is. “Life is funny.” A nun tries to interrupt and gets a “Shut your freaking pie hole you little slut!” Okay nuns, this is the point where you guys are supposed to start running because something isn’t right. The priest smiles and goes on over the irony of the place. The location does kind of make sense, since his dad used to be an angel. He theorizes that some dumb bastard got a jolt of “holy juice” and decided to build a “nun factory.” “Right idea, wrong angel.” His eyes go yellow, he pulls out a knife, and says “So um, if any of you gals are the praying type, now would be good time to start.” Then behind the closed (and locked) doors we hear nuns screaming while the camera moves in on a heavenly angel statue. Nothing is sacred with Kripke, is it?

Bird of the apocalypse and yes, they’re for real this time.

A slow focus on a very pensive (and somber) Sam. There’s an abandoned house, and Ruby’s yellow classic mustang. Other than the fact it’s a 69 Mach, I’ve never been impressed with Ruby’s car. Maybe because I’m more partial to the 1965 convertible models. Plus I hate that color. Sam is lost in his own depressive funk, and Ruby tries to play friend, but sucks at it. Sam is ready to go, but Ruby presses further. She tells him Dean was wrong for what he said to him but Sam says he was right. “I don’t blame him after what I did.”

Ruby tries to give him the consolation, they’ll patch things up after. “You’re talking like I’ve got an after,” Sam replies. “I can feel it inside me Ruby. I’ve changed, for good. There’s no going back now.” Ruby tries again, but Sam insists on staying in self-loathing mode. “Look, I know what I gotta do. It’s okay, I’m just saying, Dean’s better off as far away from me as possible.” Sam’s ready to get this done with and they get a move on. Enough with the pity party Sam! Call your brother.

Now, it’s time for the same slow focus onto Dean’s pensive face. Oh you two, you’re killing me with this family strife! Bobby calls out to Dean, and instantly Dean has the better end of the deal. I’ll take Bobby over Ruby any day! Dean is in Bobby’s library, looking out the window. Bobby asks if he’s heard a word he’s said. Dean refuses to call Sam. “Don’t make me get my gun boy,” Bobby tells him. Mental note, don’t get on the wrong side of Bobby. Dean defends they are too close to Armageddon and they’ve got “bigger fish to fry.” Bobby tries to talk sense into him, trying to remind Dean that no matter what Sam’s done he’s his brother and he’s drowning, but Dean has a pity party of his own. “It’s too late.”

Bobby tells him to try again, but Dean is being a whiny brat. “I’ve gotta face the facts. Sam never wanted part of this family. He hated this life, ran away to Stanford first chance he got. Now it’s like deja  vu all over again. Well I’m sick and tired of chasing him. Screw him, he can do what he wants. Sam’s gone, he’s gone. I’m not sure if he’s still my brother anymore. If he ever was.”

Bobby, not being the fan of whining, turns around, throws everything off his desk in one clean swipe and let’s Dean have it. “You stupid, stupid, son of a bitch! Well boo hoo, I am so sorry your feelings are hurt, PRINCESS. Are you under the impression that family’s suppose to make you feel good? Make you an apple pie maybe? They’re supposed to make you miserable! That’s why they’re family!” Bobby, this is the most awesome you’ve been in a LONG line of awesome. I bow right now to your greatness. Another thing I bow too? Kripke for not killing Bobby. We get him in season five! I’m so relieved that I don’t mind that this is his only scene in the episode.

Dean brings up how he told Sam not to walk out the door and he did anyway, and Bobby not only points out that Dean sounds like a whiny brat (see!), he sounds like John. He calls John a coward. Dean takes offense, but Bobby has a great point. “He’d rather push Sam away rather than reach out to him. That don’t strike me as brave. You are a better man that your daddy ever was. So you do both of us a favor, and don’t be him.”

Dean swallows his pride and says nothing, turning back to the window to think it through. He turns around when he realizes Bobby is right, but suddenly he’s not in South Dakota anymore. He’s in Jupiter and the Infinite Beyond from 2001: A Space Odyssey. Kripke you twisted bastard. Castiel greets him with that trademark, “Hello Dean,” and tells him it’s almost time, like the world’s gonna end or something. Oh wait, it is.

Time for Kripke to twist that proverbial ‘worst nightmare’ knife in our guts, for possessed nurse from last week has found herself an adorable newborn boy to snag. She wheels this adorable sleeping baby down the hall after he’s been with mom and dad and does a very twisted version of “pat-a-cake,” all while looking at the child like he’s a delectable entrée. No, I’m not bothered by this (sarcasm). Of course just as it seems she’s made her getaway, she goes flying against the wall courtesy of an amped up Sam Winchester. “We need to talk.” Whew, no babies were harmed in the making of this episode.

Back to Dean, who’s checking out the room and being strangely calm for someone being kept there against his will. He passes by a table with a lovely red vase (what’s the accent color in season five, black?), admires the luxury surroundings complete with pictures on the wall of idyllic settings, then is suddenly stunned as his favorite beer from “What Is And What Should Never Be” and a huge plate of thick cheeseburgers are there on the table. Do these angels actually think Dean can be bought so easily?

Suddenly with Castiel is the big boss angel himself, Zachariah. He greets Dean with a warm smile and tons of enthusiasm. Yep, he’s evil. Dean still has his sense of humor, for he says in return, “Well look at this. The suite life with Zack and Cas.” The angels don’t get the reference, but I’m dying! My kids watch that nauseating show on the Disney channel daily. Isn’t Kripke’s kid too young to watch that show? How does he exactly know The Disney Channel that well?

Dean tries to explain the joke, then says never mind. He gets to the point. Why is he there? Zack says that it’s like a green room and they’re closing in on the grand finale. They want to keep him safe before show time. He offers Dean a burger, mentioning they’re his favorite, from that seaside shack in Delaware when he was eleven. Considering I’m often visiting family in Delaware, somebody better cough up the name of that place now! Those burgers look good.

Dean isn’t hungry. Aww, remember the days when he’d never turn down free food? This whole apocalypse mess has changed him. Zachariah is going out of his way to be accommodating, even offering up every young man’s fantasy, season two Ginger from Gilligan’s Island (when the show went to color) and Mary Ann for free. So does that mean Dean likes redheads? Hot dog! I’m so in.

Dean only has two words for that. “Tempting, weird.” He wants to “bail on the holodeck,” and pop culture references in this scene are swarming like flies! Dean asks for the game plan. Zachariah doesn’t want to share, and tells Dean they’ll worry about that while Dean stays focused and relaxed. Dean gets madder because he’s all about getting answers, and he threatens to leave. “Start talking Chuckles.” Aww, Dean and his pet names again. I’ve mentioned this a few times before, but I never get tired of saying my secret pet name for Dean. “Pookie.”

All the seals have fallen, except one. Dean jokes “That’s an impressive score. That’s right up there with the Washington Generals.” Man has it been a long time since I’ve seen the Harlem Globetrotters play. They used to be on TV every Saturday afternoon. Yes, I’m showing my age. Dean is harshly reminded that he’s the one that started this. Yes Dean, people in glass houses. Oh, but the final seal is different, for only Lilith can break it and its happening tomorrow at midnight. Dean asks where, but only gets a “we’re working on it,” answer. Like he expected something straight forward from these guys.

Notice how during all this Castiel is just standing like a statue in the background? I’m sure Misha read that part of the script and said “Alright!” Anyway, Dean asks what he’s supposed to do. He doesn’t need to worry about that right now. He wants to know how he’s supposed to stop Lilith, like with the knife or something. You know Dean that doesn’t work. “All in good time,” Zachariah tells him. “Isn’t now a good time?” Dean shoots back. He’s told to have faith. Dean asks for one reason why he should. “Because you swore your obedience, so obey.” Oh, if looks could kill, Zachariah would be stone dead.

Baby cooking demon wakes up to find herself pinned to a table. Badass Sam arrives and man is he hot when he’s like this. She asks where the devil’s trap is and Sam mentions he doesn’t need one. “Well look at you, all roided up. It’s like A-Rod and Madonna over here.” Hee, she’s a funny smart-ass demon.

Sam asks where Lilith is, but the demon isn’t scared. She asks what’s her up side since she’s in a no-win situation, for either Sam will kill her or Lilith will. Sam snarls and tells her she should worry about what happens before she dies and pulls out his hand of doom. Demon screams her fool head off. I also noticed that they’re in the same abandoned house as from “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” I always loved that set, despite the hot demon monkey sex that happened in that room.

Dean holds onto the cell phone and finally realizes he has nothing to lose. He gets Sam’s voice mail. “Hey, it’s me, uh, look I’ll just get right to it. I’m still pissed, and I owe you a serious beat down, but (long pause), I shouldn’t have said what I said. I’m not dad, we’re brothers, we’re family, and not matter how bad it gets that doesn’t change. Sammy I’m sor-.” Phone cuts him off. What’s really cool is the next shot shows Dean all alone in this beautiful room, looking pretty small in the middle of it. Awesome directors trick in the story telling. He’s truly isolated.

Sam does his thing on the demon more, she screams bloody murder, and she’ll tell him if he kills her. She reveals Lilith will be at the St. Mary’s convent in Ilchester, Maryland tomorrow night at midnight. Sam wants to know the final seal is, but she doesn’t know. Uh, Sam, I know you’re getting really good at your demon torture with your mind thing, but wasn’t that a little too easy? Something tells me they want you there.

Sam wants to kill the demon as promised, but Ruby stops him. They need her alive, for Ruby doesn’t have enough blood and this one will give him what he needs. Demon calls Ruby a bitch (which is what she is), and Ruby just gloats that you can’t trust anyone these days. No Ruby, no one can trust you. Then, other demon gets ruthless and goes deep into the subconscious, thus letting the nurse she’s possessing, Cindy McKellan surface. Nurse pleads for help, Sam and Ruby aren’t happy.

Back to 1972, and Azazel in priest suit bows at the altar surrounded by slaughtered nuns. So lovely, isn’t he? He confesses he’s not the praying type, but mentions he did make the sacrifice. “I got you a bag full of nuns. So, uh, can you hear me? Can you whisper through the door?” Sure enough, Lucifer ends up channeling through a dead nun draped on the altar. Gotta love the imagery. Azazel mentions he’s been looking for him for so long. The others have lost faith, but not him. After being told he’s done well, Azazel asks what he can do to get him out. Lilith will break the seals. Azazel isn’t sure how that’ll be possible, but asks what he can do to help. “Find me a child, a very special child.” Azazel is confused, and asks “what child?”

So, next shot, there’s Sam! Special child himself. Sam’s on the laptop and its great abandoned houses get wireless Internet access these days. He reads about the disemboweling of “a bag full of nuns” at St. Mary’s in 1972. “What’s black and white and red all over?” Ruby jokes, but Sam doesn’t have his sense of humor today. Oh come on Sam, lighten up. He goes on about how the priest said he was possessed and even remembered the demon’s name, Azazel. Since this place involves the A-listers (there’s only two demons on that list?), it must be where they have to go. Ruby tells him they need to grab “nurse betty” and leave.

Sam is hesitant because, you still, he has an actual conscience. He asks Ruby if they can’t let the nurse go and find another demon. Ruby switches to cold hearted bitch mode (okay, she was always there) and points out its all an act. There’s still a hellbitch inside her. Then Ruby really twists the screws. “Come on, it’s not like you haven’t done this before, right?” Oh, bring that up! You left him high and dry you bitch, so he had to snack somewhere. Sam just pouts. Come on Sam, you choked Dean over talking trash to you, but you spare Ruby?

Sam drags the desperately pleading for her life nurse out to the car. She tells him her name and that she has a husband who’s probably worried about her, but Sam is acting all mean and dangerous and stuffs her into the trunk of the Mach while she screams. Sam closes the trunk, and the guilt tears him apart as he hears her muffled cries. This isn’t you Sam, don’t do it!

Meanwhile, back in Shangri-La, Dean is still being a bit too patient for my tastes. He looks at an angel statue, gets this wicked impulse and casually knocks the statue over. Then Castiel shows up and Dean acts like he’s busted. Gotta love Dean’s inner mischievous streak.

“You wanted to see me?” Castiel asks. Dean wants a favor, he needs to see Sam. Castiel asks why. “There’s something I want to talk to him about.” “What?” “The BM I took this morning, what’s it to you?” Ah, that’s what you get Castiel for being a nosy angel. Cas doesn’t think it would be wise, to which Dean points out he didn’t ask for his opinion. Castiel asks Dean if he’s forgotten what happened the last time they met. Of course Dean hasn’t forgotten, so that’s exactly why he wants to see Sam. He wants to tie up this one thing before going off to do his mission. Castiel says no anyway. Oh Cas, you know never to tell Dean no. It makes him angry. Dean pushes farther, asking if he’s trapped there. I love this rapid fire dialogue between the two:

Castiel: You can go anywhere you want.
Dean: Super, I want to see Sam.
Castiel: Except there.
Dean: I want to talk a walk.
Castiel: Fine I’ll go with you.
Dean: Alone.
Castiel: No.

Dean gets disgusted and says he’s out of there. He goes to the door, but Castiel in a creepy way tells him “Through what door?” Dean looks at him puzzled, turns around and the door is gone. He turns back to Castiel and he’s gone too. I’d say that’s a pretty good hint that he’s trapped.

Sam and Ruby are in the Mustang, and Sam looks on his phone at the voice mail message prompt from Dean. Ruby tells him to play it, he tells her to mind her own business. You know Sam, that doesn’t work with Dean, and it won’t with Ruby either. They’re into your business, like it or not. In the background are the horrifying screams of nurse Cindy. This is tearing Sam apart, while Ruby is pretty calm. Sam wishes she would shut up. Ruby, all smug, says she can arrange that. Sam looks at her like she’s evil, which she is. “I don’t get it,” she says. “All the demons you cut with the knife, what do you think happens to the host? How is this any different?” “Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Sam asks. Um, no Sam, it isn’t. She’s evil, remember?

Ruby points out they’re in the final lap and now’s not the time to be feeling this way. Sam is really appalled by Ruby’s heartlessness. “I’m about the bleed and drink and innocent woman while she watches.” Ruby, being the lying bitch she is, replies “And save the world as a result.” Okay, your definition of saving the world anyway. Then Sam has this awesome moment of clarity (which doesn’t last) and finally says it. “I don’t know, I’m starting to think that Dean was right.” “About what?” Ruby asks. “About everything.” He is right about everything Sam! Listen to your inner voice. Ruby asks if he’s going see this through, and Sam has that look of uncertainty..

I can’t help but think this is the end of “Jus In Bello” coming full circle. I finally get that ending now. For whatever reason, aside from it being totally demonic and evil, Ruby is getting kicks out of throwing Sam into these moral situations where there is no win and pushing him toward the darker path. He has to go against everything in his nature in order to make one sacrifice that supposedly will serve the greater good. Except it doesn’t, something Dean saw in “Jus In Bello.” Such a sacrifice involves throwing away the rule book. Now, without Dean to intervene, Sam can’t wrap his head around the rule book and is probably thinking about those six deaths he could have prevented when they refused to sacrifice the virgin. Except he doesn’t realize that he likely couldn’t have prevented them, for Lilith would have killed them anyway. It’s all part of the demon manipulation plan, and Sam’s only voice of reason through it all is Dean. Without him, he’s vulnerable. That’s likely why they were eager to get Dean into Hell.

Okay, now for the dinger! Dean is pounding into the drywall with a candlestick base when Zachariah shows up. Dean turns and the wall is miraculously repaired. “Quit throwing feces like a howler monkey,” Zachariah tells him. Come on Zach, he’s technically a caged animal right now.

Dean is angry, and demands they let him out of there. Zack points out its too dangerous out there, demons on the prowl. Liar! Dean isn’t buying it. “I’ve been getting my ass kicked all year, and now you’re sweating my safety?” Then he tells Zack he’s lying. He wants to see Sam. Zack says that’s ill advised. Dean goes off, throwing an insult about being sick of seeing his fat face and demanding to know why he can’t see Sam and how he’s supposed to ice Lilith. Oh Dean, you know what happens when you start demanding answers. You get them, and they suck.

Zack essentially gives the jig up. “You’re not.” Dean is shocked. Zack goes on. Lilith is going to break the final seal. “Fait accompli at this point, the train’s left the station.” Asshole. While unveiling the dastardly plot, Zachariah sits in front of a large mirror, and that mirror shows his reflection in endless repeating pattern. How cool is that? It’s the house of mirrors; its all an illusion and we don’t know what’s real.

Dean says they can stop it, and then realizes Zack doesn’t want to stop it. “No, never did. The end is nigh, the apocalypse is coming to a theater near you,” he says with absolute excitement. Dean is dismayed. “What was all that crap about saving seals?” It seems it was just a ploy to keep subordinates like Castiel in line. Otherwise they’d have a full scale rebellion on their hands. “Think about it. Would we really let 65 seals get broken unless senior management wanted it that way?” Well that plan worked. I guess that’s what happens when you’re dealing with a few thousand years of trained monkeys.

Dean asks why. Zack goes into an evil diatribe that essentially equates what’s happening to Ali-Foreman on a slightly larger scale. I’ll say. As Zack goes on boasting about how much they like their chances, Dean looks up at the pictures on the wall and they aren’t so serene anymore. They depict dark battles involving demons and Hell. “When our side wins, and we will, its paradise on earth. What’s not to like about that?” Dean ain’t feeling the warm fuzzies.

 Dean has a good question. “What happens to all the people during your little pissing contest?” Zack has all the answers. “Well, you can’t make an omelet without cracking a few eggs. In this case, truckloads of eggs, but you get the picture.” Then, just like Ruby, Zack goes for the less than consoling reality of things. “Look, it happens. This isn’t the first planetary enema we’ve delivered.” Asshole. Dean looks at an angelic statue, which is now dark instead of white, and Zack points out to Dean that bashing his head in wouldn’t be a good idea right now. True, but I’m sure it’ll make Dean feel better!

Ah, but Dean still has hope. He asks about Sam, and says that he won’t go quietly, he’ll take care of Lilith. Zack mentions that Sam has a very important part to play in all this, and might need a little “nudging” in the right direction, but Zack will make sure he plays it. Now Dean is all worried, and wants to know what that means and what he’s going to do to Sam. The spectrum of emotions Dean is going through in this scene is incredible. Jensen, again you’ve blown us away. I collapse in his greatness.

“Sam, Sam, Sam, Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” Now Kripke is pulling The Brady Bunch? Wow, will he stop at nothing? Zack brushes off Dean’s concern with Sam, and tells him they weren’t lying about his destiny (“Just omitted a few pertinent details). They still have greater plans for him. He’s chosen, he will stop it, just not Lilith and the Apocalypse, that’s all. He’s going to stop Lucifer. “You’re our own Russell Crowe complete with surly attitude.” Ha! I’m willing to bet Kripke had that line tucked away for a while, dying for the right chance to use it. He did!

When it’s over and they’ve won, Dean’s rewards will be unimaginable. “Peace, happiness, two virgins and seventy sluts.” Dean isn’t laughing. “Tell me something,” Dean says, “where’s God in all this?” “God? God has left the building.” Uh oh, something’s rotten in Heaven. Then Zack leaves the building too. Dean is all alone, now more chilled than ever. He looks at the graphic painting of Michael defeating Lucifer and realizes how screwed he is.

A security guard is at the abandoned convent, and we know he’s toast. He turns and sees Lilith all dressed in white. Yep, toast.

Back to Dean, who isn’t so calm anymore. He tries the cell phone, it doesn’t work anymore. The camera shows Dean alone, then goes behind a post and suddenly Castiel is there. The king of cool entrances. “You’re outside of your coverage zone.” I’ll say! Dean’s thoughts are of only one person, and his worry really gets me. “What are you going to do to Sam?” Aww, he does care. “Nothing,” Castiel replies, “he’s gonna do it to himself.” Dean wants specifics, but Castiel just gives him that evasive look away. Dean understands, Cas has to tow the company line.

Aww, now Cas cares. “We’ve been through much together, you and I, and I just wanted to say I’m sorry it ended like this.” Dean isn’t in the mood for apologies. He hits Castiel, and apparently it’s like striking Superman. Castiel turns a cheek but is unaffected, while Dean winces and shakes his stinging hand in pain. I don’t think he’ll be doing that again. “It’s Armageddon Cas, you need a bigger word than sorry.” Castiel tries to make argument this is long foretold and Dean’s- “Destiny,” Dean interrupts. He thinks all this talk of God and destiny is a bunch of crap to keep them both in line. “You want to know what’s real? People, families, that’s real. And you’re gonna watch them all burn?” Castiel doesn’t understand what’s worth saving, since people are in so much pain. He sees Dean’s guilt, anger, and confusion and assures him he’ll be at peace, even with Sam.

Oh Cas, do you not know Dean? He’s not a peace loving kind of guy. “You can take your peace and shove it up your lily white ass.” He’ll take the pain, guilt, and Sam as is, for its “a lot better than being a Stepford bitch in paradise.” Castiel is confused as hell. Dean tries to appeal to Castiel’s sense of right and wrong, and makes Cas turn around and look at him. These two are so deliciously explosive on the screen together. Anyway, Dean guesses Cas was going to help him once and warn him about all this before they dragged him back to “bible camp.” He pleads for Cas to help him now. Castiel isn’t sure what Dean wants him to do. Get him to Sam and they can stop it before it’s too late. Castiel knows what that means. “If I do that, we will all be hunted, we will all be killed.” Dean, who apparently still has his “going down swinging” mindset, says “if there is anything worth dying for, this is it.” Castiel shakes his head, not convinced, and that sets Dean off more. “You spineless, soulless son of a bitch. What do you care about dying, you’re already dead. We’re done.” Castiel tries to talk but Dean repeats they’re done. Castiel leaves and Dean is again alone in the big room, isolated. Love that shot.

Sam and Ruby have stopped at an old road marker that says St. Mary’s is in two miles. Sam is really wrestling with his conscience now, for the choice has to be made. Ruby is standing behind him, cleaning out her nails with a knife, eager to get to the gory part. Bitch. Sam needs a minute. Ruby protests and he shouts her down. He pulls out his phone and finally listens to Dean’s message, but it’s not the one Dean actually left. It’s actually very heartbreaking, and this is the one part of the episode that chokes me up, for those words crush Sam. “Listen to me you blood sucking freak. Dad always said I’d have to save you or kill you, well I’ll give you fair warning, I’m done trying to save you. You’re a monster Sam, a vampire. You’re not you anymore, and there’s no going back.” While Sam closes his watering eyes in devastation, Ruby smiles behind Sam’s back. Bitch. He hangs up and tells Ruby to do it. Next we hear a scream as Ruby slices.

Okay, a few thoughts there before I go on. Zachariah told Dean he had to take a few steps to push Sam in the right direction, so he probably tampered with the message. Of course Ruby judging by her smile knew what the message was, so did she do it? Or did Zack do it, and they’re in cahoots? It would kind of make sense that Ruby was working with the angels. I remember seeing a deleted scene from “It’s The Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester” where Castiel and Uriel were walking in the forest. Castiel was reminding Uriel that their orders were to not only leave Sam alone, but Ruby as well. They both had a purpose. It makes sense now, the higher angels were working with Ruby to play Sam and Dean. It’s brilliant, but it’s also tragic.

Also, poor Sam! Since fakeDean called him a monster and he thinks he’s not coming out of this alive, he can’t do what’s right in the end. He’ll go out a monster and be done with it. Talk about self-esteem issues. Did he think about the consequences if he survived? I wonder if we’ll see his intense guilt over this next season. I wonder if he’ll continue on his death wish more than ever.

Okay, onto the drama. Dean is pacing back and forth pretty frantic now, and sees the burgers in front of him. He goes to eat one but Castiel comes up behind Dean, slams him against the wall and covers his mouth. Aww, come on Cas, wait until the poor boy eats. They look into each other’s eyes and come to an understanding while Castiel pulls out the knife. Cas lets Dean go, slices his arm and begins to make the angel banishing sigil in blood on the wall. Hell yeah Cas!! You’re going rogue!! That sets up plenty of possibilities for you in season five.

Zachariah arrives asking Cas what he’s doing. Cas finishes what he’s doing and puts his hand in the center of the circle while Dean is wise enough to shield his eyes. Zachariah disappears in a flash of white light. Cas tells Dean he won’t be gone long and they have to find Sam fast. He doesn’t know where Sam is, but he knows who does. Also he says this while giving Dean back the knife. “We have to stop him Dean, from killing Lilith.” “But Lilith is the final seal,” Dean says. “Lilith is the final seal!” Castiel proclaims. “She dies, the end begins.” Dun, dun, duh!

There’s a screenshot of a computer monitor. “Lucifer Rising,” by Carver Edlund. It’s Chuck the Prophet! Chuck is on the phone, inquiring about rates for hookers. One thousand an hour. Good, he wants twenty for all night. “Lady, sometimes you gotta live like there’s no tomorrow.” I guess he knows what’s coming! BTW, anyone notice that Chuck’s house looks rather similar to Bobby’s? Hey, if it saves the budget. Chuck turns around and is shocked to find Dean and Castiel behind him. “This isn’t supposed to happen.” He hangs up on the service.

Lilith is at the altar with a chalice of blood and sees all her minions in the hallway collapsed. Sam turns the corner in super hopped up mode and with the wave of her hand Lilith closes the door.

Dean reads the pages, and asks if St. Mary’s is a convent. Chuck says yeah, but also points out they to aren’t supposed to be there. “You’re not in this story.” Castiel replies, “We’re making it up as we go.” Ha! Cas, a funny at a time like this? Dean is rubbing off on you. Suddenly a golden light appears and the room starts shaking. The archangel is back too! Castiel tells Dean to get to Sam while he holds off the archangel. He plants a palm on Dean’s forehead and poof, he’s in Maryland. Angel transport is cool! That even works faster than a transporter.

Dean arrives in the hallway at the convent and goes searching. Meanwhile Chuck and Castiel are still dealing with the bright light of the archangel. Chuck puts his hand on Castiel’s shoulder, and Castiel intimidates him enough with his look to have him take it back. Oh, how I love the subtle humor in the most intense of circumstances!

Sam barges into the convent chapel, and with quick hand strike in the air flings Lilith against the altar. He looks at her with those revenge filled eyes and pins her against it. Dean arrives in time to see the scene, but Ruby is the only one who notices him and smirks before closing the door with her hand. She’s powerful enough to do that? That lying bitch. The camera does this weird thing where it gives several rough cuts of Sam’s dying for revenge face. Interesting technique. Sam announces he’s been waiting for this for a very long time. “Give me your best shot,” Lilith tells him. Oh come on Sam, can’t you see right through this?

More jagged rough cuts between Sam, Ruby and Lilith before Sam sends a few jolts Lilith’s way. He stops and turns his head behind him, for he hears a voice. “Dean?” We see a livid Ruby shouting frantically at Sam (but we can barely hear her) asking what he’s waiting for. Then Lilith starts laughing at him, and he hears that. “You turned yourself into a freak, a monster and now you’re not gonna bite? I’m sorry, but that is honestly adorable.” Sam gets really angry, because everyone know his trigger words are “monster” and “freak.”

Sam’s eyes then turn completely black! Oh no, he’s a demon! Okay, he always technically was, but now he really is! Sam puts his hand out all pissed off and zaps the holy hell out of Lilith all with black eyes. He’s freaking scary like this. The spark eventually goes out after a few intense jolts, and Lilith gasps falls to the floor dead. Considering there’s a whole act left to go in this episode (not to mention a promised cliffhanger), something tells me there will be some fallout from this.

Final act and suddenly a stream of blood oozes from Lilith, and begins to form a pattern on the floor. Sam is puzzled, Ruby is joyous. “I can’t believe it, you did it. I mean it was touch and go there for a while but you did it.” An alarmed Sam wants to know what he did. “You opened the door, and now he’s free at last. He’s free at last.” Sam still hasn’t caught on, proclaiming that he stopped Lilith, so Ruby recites the scripture. “And it is written, that the first demon shall be the last seal.”

Sam clutches his forehead, it all hitting him now, while Ruby gets pretty stoked. “Now guess who’s coming to dinner.” Another pop culture reference Kripke? How do demons know these so well? Sam in the meantime is still absorbing the shock over the fact that he just started the apocalypse. No, that doesn’t look too good on a resume. “Oh my God,” Sam says. “Guess again.” Ruby is having fun now.

The blood has formed a full circle, and Dean is still trying to bust through the door, which is a great setup for more Ruby monologuing. She tells Sam he doesn’t know how hard this was, and goes into full gloating mode. “I was the best of those sons of bitches, the most loyal! Not even Alastair knew! Only Lilith. Yeah, I’m sure you’re a little angry right now, oh but come on Sam, even you have to admit, I’m awesome!” You think he’s a little angry Ruby? Think again.

Sam gets all furious and calls Ruby a lying bitch. He puts out both hands to zap her one and ends up falling back in pain. Ruby points out he shot his payload at the boss. So he has limits to his demon killing supply? Interesting. Then it all starts to unfold for poor Sam. “The blood, you poisoned me.” Ruby denies it, claiming he didn’t need to demon blood, and all Ruby did was present him with choices. He chose the right path every time. No Ruby, you kept berating him with choices and kept pushing his guilt and anger buttons until he caved in. I have to admit though, looking at how all those little choices unfolded over the last two seasons, the manipulation was quite brilliant.

Then Ruby drops the bombshell that takes us to season five. “You didn’t need the feather to fly, you had it inside you all along Dumbo.” Okay, that reference had to come from Kripke watching Disney DVDs with his kid. I know Dumbo is over sixty years old, but who remembers that lesson unless it involves a recent viewing? Ruby tries talking sense to Sam, even coddling him and calling him Sammy, while talking of a miracle. Everything Lilith and Azazel did to get him there, and he was the only one that could do this. “Why? Why me?” Sam asks. “Because, because it had to be you. It always had to be you.” In other words maybe we’ll get an answer in season five. Ruby goes on, telling Sam he “set him free” and “he’s going to be grateful.” “He’s gonna repay you in ways you can’t ever imagine. By this time Sam looks like he’s going to lose his lunch and doesn’t share her enthusiasm.

Oh goody, goody, time for the totally awesome part! Dean breaks through the door, and he’s pissed! He comes briskly charging forward and yanks out the knife. Ruby gets up, leaving a totally despondent Sam on the ground. “You’re too late,” she taunts. Dean doesn’t stop his brisk charge. “I don’t care.” Suddenly Sam comes in from behind and grabs Ruby, holding her firm while Dean plunges the knife right into her! She sparks and Dean twists the knife harder! And meaner! Awesome! Finally the sparks go out and Sam drops her on the ground. The wicked witch is dead!

While I’m visualizing munchkins coming out from the woodwork singing and dancing (or maybe a group of slaughtered nuns), our cliffhanger happens. Sam looks at Dean with the most intense remorse I’ve ever seen and says “I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, a huge bright light comes from the circle formed by the blood. Dean grabs Sam and says they need to get out of there. Sam grabs onto Dean and they’re both clutching onto each other as the light gets more intense. “He’s coming,” a panicked Sam says as they’re both bathed in white light, followed by the credits. Noooooo!!!! You can’t do that to us Kripke!

Oh but he can, and he did. Thanks a bunch. Oh, and “Damn You Kripke!” See you in September! In the meantime, I need to wrap my head around all that’s happened this season. I’m exhausted!

So that was the end of season four! We had to wait an entire summer to wait to see what happened next. Do you remember how you felt when the credits ran? Has your impression of Lucifer Rising changed after seasons 5-9? Please share how you feel about Lucifer Rising, the angels, Ruby, Sam, Dean and this part of the mytharc.