Let’s Speculate: Supernatural 10.09 “The Things We Left Behind”
This episode was written by Andrew Dabb and centers on Castiel and his reunion with Jimmy Novak’s daughter, Claire, and Crowley’s reunion with his mother, Rowena. Also threaded throughout the episode was the fear of the Mark of Cain reactivating.
The episode begins with Dean having nightmares as the killing machine he was.
Then it cuts to Claire Novak who is in an institution. Apparently she tries to escape a lot, which we find out after Castiel breaks her out. Their reunion is tense and filled with unspoken anger. After he tries to get custody and is denied, he breaks her out and then takes her for food. He suggests they stay together but she steals his wallet and hightails it out of dodge. We find out she’s been stealing for a guy named Randy, who was a little creepy, and she’s part of a con game.
Meanwhile Crowley is dealing with memories of his abusive mother and other mother issues and trying to figure out what to do with Rowena. She schemes her way out of trouble by blaming a demon, Gerald, for being the one who’s smuggling souls into hell. She’s crafty. Crowley beckons her to join him.
In other news, Sam makes Dean a grilled cheese sandwich and they watch Stooges films together before being called to help Castiel find Claire. Cas and Dean have lunch and Dean asks Cas to promise to kill him if he goes darkside. The three investigate and finally find her with the Randy crowd. She almost kills Cas because her anger over Jimmy but they end up resolving that. She was about to be ‘given’ to one of the thugs for payment.
After they rescue Claire from the house of creepy pedophiles, Dean ends up alone in the house with the bunch. He has flashbacks of killing as Cain.
In the final moments Cas protectively holds Claire when he, Sam, and Claire discover Dean has killed all of the humans. Sam rushes to his side and begs Dean to tell him he had to do it, but Dean doesn’t answer…
Questions:
Do you think the demon is back?
Do you think Crowley trusts Mommy?
What will happen to Claire now that she is rescued?
So what are your thoughts, reactions, feelings? Leave them here!
I think I’m going to be one of the only ones who really enjoyed this episode but then again i only really dislike 4 episodes of Supernatural. I’m glad Claire has been brought back to the storyline after five seasons, i always wondered about her. I like Cas a lot so i always like to see him getting a good storyline. To me this is way more interesting then Cas missions at the start of the season. I might have gotten a little teary-eyed when Sam and Dean were telling the story of John. I just liked this episode a lot because it felt really personal. My heart broke For Dean and Sam at the end (I cried a little). Oh Dean! makes me so sad just thinking about it.
I loved that story, and I was so jealous it was CBGB!!! It closed before I could visit butI saw its shell in the Rock’n’Roll Hall of Fame Soho!
used to go to CBGBs when I was younger and more adventurous – saw the Ramones, Joan Jett, Talking Heads to name a few. nothing else quite like it.
I…You…man! That’s so cool!
Did you ever catch Black Flag, too? The Vibrators came to my new town two months back, but it sold out before I could get tickets.
In cruising around the different reviews this morning I haven’t found one yet that didn’t love the episode and understand what they were going for. It is just interesting how different we all are. Like I said this episode I think suffered a little from a misleading promo. But really it was a good episode that tied up some of Castiel’s past. And we got Dean going off the rails. I would have liked a more lingering shot of the brothers in the room full of slaughtered bodies to really bring home the devastating turn of events though.
I am actually watching Playthings this morning. Just watched the scene where Sam (drunk) pleads with Dean to kill him if he turns into something he’s not. I think that is why Dean asked Cas to kill him and not Sam. Dean knows that Sam would never do it just like he couldn’t. I wonder what that means for Dean going forward. If they are paralleling Sam’s early season story it looks like Sam might have to make a huge decision regarding how far he will go to save his brother.
I was actually doing some end of the semester work and missed it, but caught “Nightshifter.” You remember Dean’s look of horror when the guy caught a bullet through the heart? How sad Dean looked because he knew the accidentally lead him into that mess? It’s [i]almost[/i] as if we’ve returned to that moment in the final seconds of “Things…” which gives me some hope, but Sam will never give up. Now [i]that’s[/i] a true sign of family.
What I really took away from this episode was just that: family. Following Hanna’s choice Cas decided to piece together his bodily host’s family and found Claire. He found her, fed her, and followed after her when he suspected she was in trouble. Sure we may be a little tired of angels taking the A-story, and its not just any angel it’s CAS, but doesn’t that sound like what Sam has been doing for Dean this whole season? The writers may not have handled it so well but the mirror image was pretty obvious to me. I also adored some of Cas’s scenes (bringing up Blondie, talking to child services, repetitively asking if ketchup was a vegetable, acknowledging Dean is still a role model to him).
You are not alone.:)
Well whether you loved it or hated it the ratings evidently went through the roof. 1.1 with 2.81 million viewers. So not too shabby for a 10 year old show. There was a one minute carry over from the Flash so it will probably adjust down. But still pretty good.
This episode for me was similar to girls, girls ,girls. I’m referring to how I feel about it. I liked it. I liked it more than girlsx3, but i don’t need to rewatch it again right away, I can wait for the rerun. That’s only because my interest doesn’t really lie with cas individually. I enjoy cas more when his story intertwines with Sam and dean. I did like this story a bit more because it finally gave closure to jimmy. I have thought since rapture that jimmy was dead, and now I know for sure he is…really like that cas told Claire jimmy was in heaven. I did enjoy Crowley and his mother and I loved Sam and dean throughout. I agree that dean went to cas because he knows Sam would never be able to kill him……as I said, Sam already came face to face with dean as a demon, hammer in hand, and still Sam wouldn’t kill him. Dean has given up….Sam will not….it will be SAMs unrelenting faith that will save dean. As for this ep not feeling epic for a mid season finale, I don’t really recall epic ones……there have been more interesting ones, but I wouldn’t say epic. IMHO, the mid season finale is supposed to end in a manner that has one screaming for more……that puts you off balance and has you counting the days to see the story continue…..the mid season finale is merely a taste,, so you savor what’s in store next, and I think this finale did its job perfectly……
Thanks for the numbers, that’s amazing……I think this show has plenty of life in it….getting new viewers all the time and lots of love I’m seeing……going into the holidays with a big smile…….counting the days til we get back ……it’s going to be an exciting second half.
I think the theme for this season is a more quiet personal one for all of the characters. This season finale was a quiet episode dealing with the things Cas left behind. As I said I cheated and read comments from the east coast so I knew going in that the episode was going to be about Cas and Claire. I was hoping that the volume would have been turned up just a little or a little bit more of the MOC stuff would have had focus. But other than that it was a good episode. And yes it will be a very long break.
The Flash over ran by a few monutes so those viewers will have to be stripped out. It will likely drop to a 1.0 and shed a few hundred thousand viewers in the finals.
That’s what I posted. I also figured it would adjust down to 1.0 but I think it will remain around 2.3 or so. Pretty much steady as she goes.
1.0 with 2.62 million not too bad….
I feel like I need 50 jello shots after that! I also feel like I need to rewatch. All the family feels had me on a rollercoaster! The only laugh I got was Rowena saying Winter Solstice Orgy! I’m still chuckling! Dean’s nightmare seemed to be a premonition. My husband caught that before I did. Is that the MOC working like it does for Cain? I love Dad!Cas. Nice of the writers to clear up what happened to Jimmy. Poor Jimmy Novak. Claire has to become an honorary Winchester. She’s already got the daddy issues thing down. I just want the next 41 days to speed by! The teaser promo for Jan 20th episode looked crazy!
You know what else was funny? Watching Sam in a tweed jacket, a plaid shirt, and a printed tie! I mean if the dots had been solid not targets that [i]might[/i] have been less hilarious but this just made him look like some GQ hipster.
…
I guess all I can say at the moment is, if you’re a Cas fan, you’re ecstatic, if you’re a Dean fan you’re horrified, and if you’re a Sam fan, you might as well have not shown up. I may have more to say later.
I love Castiel, Dean and Sam and I thought that was horrible. I’m all for Cas getting a story but was there anything supernatural in that story at all? It was like watching Supernatural: The Soap Opera. These writers are so out of ideas. The only thing that remotely caught my interest was the John Winchester story in the bar. What happened to this show???
I thought that JW story was so out of left field that I expected him to walk up any moment. Now THAT would have been a twist. Seriously, I’m just not sure about any of this anymore.
While I was happy to hear a positive story about John, after years of hearing what a horrible father he was, I thought the scene itself felt kinda forced. I was one moment enjoying the story and the next thinking what a weird time to suddenly be reminiscing.
I read somewhere that Jared and Jensen had issues w/that story and re-wrote the dialogue as much as they could. They probably felt it was off too. That story was straight up weird and didn’t feel remotely genuine . . . . to me.
Well, Jared tweeted that it was fun filming the scene in the tiki bar, and that he enjoyed learning more about the boys’ past. Sounds pretty positive to me.
Jared is literally contracted by the show to say nice things about his working environment. If he was unhappy in any real way we, the fans, would be the LAST to know. He knows better than to bite the hand that feeds him.
Oh Alice! its really heartbreaking to see your reactions to the episodes be so opposite of my opinion. I really value your opinions and its hard not to be disappointed that you feel this way. After reading your review last week i felt really deflated, i think i might be too invested in others people opinion. 🙁
(Edited by admin) Hi rubby, let me introduce myself. I’m Alice, the administrator and creator of the site! Your comment is a direct violation of one of our most coveted rules. You’re never allowed to tell a fan to stop watching. You’re especially not allowed to tell the admin that!
https://www.thewinchesterfamilybusiness.com/news/64-rules/14338-we-are-a-happy-site-but-there-are-rules
I thought the JW story was on the same par as the Grand Canyon fiasco. While cute, I didn’t think Dean for one New York minute would tell John he hates him, and certainly not in front of Sam, since Dean was the one who kept them apart in their constant fighting. That would have given Sam way too much ammunition to us.
Now I am trying to reconcile the timeline between Bad Boy Dean, at 16; After School Special Dean, who had to be about 17, the Dean who had his first drink at 13 (Hunter Heroici; and this young Dean going to a punk bar, getting drunk for the first time [i]and[/i] roofied (although I don’t know why I should waste my time, since these writers don’t give a flip for characterization or canon).
Deleting this comment. Sorry — double post for some reason.
How about if your a fan of the three? lol
Forgive my snark, but perhaps the first hunt of the new year could be the search for Sam’s storyline – it seems to have supernaturally vanished! :p
Isn’t that the case of the week for like 70% of the time? Except when he’s hooking up/got powers?
As a Sam fan, I totally agree. I half think that when Dean said “Sam just gets in the way” he was talking for the writers who don’t have a clue about what to do with him and don’t care to find a clue. This would have been a weak episode at any point in the season, but as a mid-season finale? I’m really disappointed. I mean, I’ve wanted them to take a look at Claire for a long time. I just didn’t think that her POV would be more than Sam’s. Heck, Randy’s POV got more attention than Sam’s. I’m baffled by this episode.
As a Sam fan, I totally agree. I half think that when Dean said “Sam just gets in the way” he was talking for the writers who don’t have a clue about what to do with him and don’t care to find a clue. This would have been a weak episode at any point in the season, but as a mid-season finale? I’m really disappointed. I mean, I’ve wanted them to take a look at Claire for a long time. I just didn’t think that her POV would be more than Sam’s. Heck, Randy’s POV got more attention than Sam’s. I’m baffled by this episode.
Dean didn’t say “sam just gets in the way” Dean said that Sam will find a way to stop Cas from taking Dean out. Since Sam won’t kill Dean just like Dean won’t kill Sam; Dean is anticipating that Sam will find a way to step in the way if Cas has to take Dean out. I doubt very much that Dean would ever tell Sam he gets in the way. since we have been having so many brotherly moments this season.
This Sam fan wont bother showing up anymore.
I was really enjoying the episode [well, except for Dean eating with his mouth open :p ] until the final scene; it was so disjointed it completely pulled me from my happy place.
How realistic is it that Sam leaves Dean behind in a house full of baddies, gets all the way back to the car with Cas and Claire, climbs into the front seat and closes the door before he realizes, ‘Hey, Dean’s not with us”? Not very. I expected Sam to take a couple of steps, realize Dean wasn’t moving and step back into the fray, gun raised because, you know – they’re kind of in tune, that way and he would have his brother’s back. But that wouldn’t serve the plot, so we got the clunky final sequence instead. Sigh.
It’s too bad, too–the young actress who played Claire was really good and I loved the dynamic between Fergus, er, Crowley and his Mum (and the story of Crowley’s conception – hee!); Cas’s muddled attempts at fatherhood were great; the John Winchester story was a long overdue and very welcome reminiscence; and Dean’s nightmare/premonition at the beginning of the episode was truly frightening –JA really sold the vulnerability behind Dean’s tough shell.
Strangely, the weakest scenes were the ones between Sam and Dean, the JW story notwithstanding–and that’s something I never thought I’d say that about a SPN episode.
I have to wonder if Sam bringing Dean a sandwich is tongue-in-cheek payback for all the fans who complained that all Dean did in the latter part of Season 8 was bring Sam food. 🙂
Amen Padaleski!
My girlfriends and I were shouting at the screen “SAM! WHAT’RE YOU DOING?” and then when we see Dean and he doesn’t answer…this can’t be good!
I think you miissed the part where Carver doesnt see Sam as a character in his own right but as a plot device. This was classic plot device usage.
Sadly, Sam didn’t even reach plot device this episode. Sam reached lamp status, where if he had been replaced by a lamp absolutely nothing would have been changed story wise.
He was doing what he always does when written and when they want to project the story onto Dean. They needed Sam to have a stupid moment so that Dean could go all MOC on those men.
I liked this one a lot. It moved nicely between the different story lines, and I liked Claire’s character. I hope that she went willingly back to the group home and that Cass will check in on her regularly. I don’t think she’s going to want anything to do with the Winchesters though! I don’t think Crowley trusts Rowena…yet. I’m sure they will both do plenty of lying & scheming each other.
Poor Dean. I don’t think the demon is back, though. It does seem like the mark has taken up the intensity quite a bit. And it was interesting that Dean was shown sleeping and eating (a lot!) – both things that he was unable to do because of the mark before he became a demon. So apparently, the mark effects him a bit differently since being cured?
I loved the story about John and the fondness that the boys showed as they told it.
Is the demon back? I hope not but it did make me wonder. Does Crowley trust his Mom? I doubt it but I think he’s looking for a Dean replacement. And as far as Claire goes, who knows? I liked the episode. It gave just enough to keep me wondering.
I am a fan of all 3 and I loved the episode, and thought the writers did a great job. Dean’s premonition at the beginning of the episode (which I thought was a flashback until the end) was intense, and Ackles totally sold it. All the Dean eating throughout made me think he was trying to eat to hold off the hunger to kill. Maybe that is why Crowley knew the MOC had him last season – when he was not interested in food – only hungered to kill. And, Sam struggling to help him hold it off, trying to enjoy their moments, but clearly seeing his brother us holding off a bomb and ever vigilant as he worries about it and tries to help. The Dean/Cas conversation made perfect sense to me. Dean knows his brother loves him and will try to save him no matter what – just like he would do for Sam – so he is trying to protect his brother from himself. I also loved the John Winchester story. Cas trying to understand fatherhood was a nice foil to get a JW story and see the respect both brothers have for the father who died for them. Speaking of Cas – Misha had good chemistry with the girl playing Clair, which helped that story work. I think the Clair story is a nice transition for Cas to transition to the old mission of protecting humanity, rather than just battling Angels and heaven wars. It made perfect sense Cas would call the brothers for help, and the situation with the loan shark and his thugs became the final thing to have the Mark boil over. The mark is supernatural! And now Dean needs to be saved from the Mark. The mark of Cain is part of the mytharc. Clearly Crowley and Rowena are building to another part too. I am very excited for the second part of the season. The pacing thus far has been a lot like season 5 – and I really liked season 5. All good. This show is in great shape, in my opinion. Now I need to watch again to catch all those nuances I know I missed the first time. Can’t wait for January 20!
grace I agree with most of what you said. I too love all three characters, I knew what we were in for as soon as I knew cas was on….kind of filler fluff…..cas provided the fluff, but I thought in a good way. there was no supernatural per se….but there were monsters and sometimes humans are the worst monsters of all. I had said once before that jimmy was dead and it looks to be the case, so I thought that made cas’s concern and belief that he needs to make things right touching…as he is an angel after all, but as we see, an angel who’s come a long way. I too loved the sam and dean moment in the bunker. sam knows dean is in trouble and yet he provides what dean needs for the moment….some laughter and comfort food….and a brother by his side who’s looking out for him. it was very touching and a little sad too. I wasn’t sure if dean was having flashbacks or premonitions….seems it was the latter…he’s in for a touch road ahead. he’s not a demon, and I totally agree about the eating by the way, and while it was self defense for the most part, randy, though a scumbag wasn’t a threat and didn’t need to be soufleed. (not sure how to spell that). they were really in a hurry getting out of there….so it wasn’t a big deal that sam didn’t notice dean wasn’t there until they entered the car, and in all fairness it wouldn’t have mattered if he remembered halfway to the car, dean is supercharged on the moc, he only needed a minute to kill those people. dean asking cas to kill him makes perfect sense…..sam came face to face with the worst that dean could be…..dean with hammer in hand ready to pummel and still sam wouldn’t kill dean…he never would, he would rather die himself….as dean as told him in buabs…..so going to cas is something he knew he had to do …because sam won’t kill dean…he’ll die try to save him though…I actually found that a touching moment. i’m very excited for what’s to come..;)
99.9% of the episode was awesome. Cas was great and Claire was surprisingly good. Rowena and Crowley were awesome, and I love the fact that they managed to rehabilitate John just a little bit. Sure, he was a crappy father, but he wasn’t a totally horrible person and we sometimes need to remember it.
The only thing that totally sucked was the ending. Seriously? Sam doesn’t realize Dean wasn’t right behind him until he hears gunshots? What? He should have been out of there two seconds before he realized something was wrong and went back. I know that the writers needed to leave Dean alone so he could go all massacre-the-evil-townsfolk, but there are many more graceful ways to do it other than making Sam look like an oblivious idiot. I really loved the episode but that almost kinda ruined it for me.
I don’t think Demon Dean is back entirely, but I think Dean is dark enough for the guys to seriously pay some attention to the Mark now. Anyways despite my gripes I think this was a good episode. I just wish they’d thought out the final scene better.
So apparently, “The Things We Left Behind” include Sam leaving Dean in the house and forgetting him- I do agree that was poorly done. I enjoyed the rest of the episode, though.
Yep, I’ll graciously walk away and speak my peace in other circles. Don’t want to ruin all the fun here. Allow me to get this off my chest one time though, that episode was a hot mess on so many levels. I’m actually offended that they deemed it to be acceptable. I guess I should be glad I’m the only one that thinks that but I’m also very heartbroken. This isn’t even an eggshell of my show anymore. It’s a glorified soap opera and I hate soap operas. They’ve so lost touch with the mere spirit of this show and I don’t recognize it any more. But I digress. I’m gonna get a drink and start ranting in the bitterness thread.
You are not the only one to consider this episode a hot mess, but like you I’ll take it to the bitterness thread from here on out.
[quote]Yep, I’ll graciously walk away and speak my peace in other circles. … I’m gonna get a drink and start ranting in the bitterness thread.[/quote]
I shall join you presently. 🙁
Alice, I am very easy to please when it comes to SPN, but all I could think could think as I was watching this episode was, “When is something supernatural going to happen? This is just a regular show.” It was boring to me. I am disappointed in the mid-season finale. I can’t believe I’m saying this. I’m sad.
Ah, but aren’t Castiel and Crowley, as angel and demon, are in and of themselves supernatural? 😉
True, but I’m kinda glad they left out the massive heartbreak this season I mean after Kevin, Bobby, and the Harvelles there aren’t that many major players left to murder.
Please don’t Alice. It’s YOUR site. You Percy’s and Russ should say your peace and if others can’t handle that then it’s THEIR problem. They shouldn’t be guilt tripping you. You should feel free to post your opinion in whatever thread you like. I, for one WANT to hear a critical response about what you felt the problems were on the article designed to give opinions about the episode. You are the professional critic and your insight is always worth hearing IMO. If you are looking for safety in numbers then I thought he episode was atrocious as well.
The pacing was slow and the transitions clunky. Dumb Winchesters were used to service the plot again because these writers can’t write their way out of a paper bag or even entertain the idea of trying something new because that would require some thought and effort. A show in its 10th season should be doing all manner of radical and experimental things IMO knowing that they have a built in audience and a limited time frame. But it’s degenerated into soapy schlock, complete with too long close ups and knowing, sorrowful looks (or more like blank faces designed to be interpreted as emotion). It’s gotten safe and formulaic to the point of inertia, resorting to the most tired out tropes and writing tricks to move the stories along. Absolutely no one is considering Sam and Dean as living breathing characters any more, they are just writing a plot and moving the pieces around, like on a chess board. Who Sam and Dean are, their established character traits or what actions might make sense for them in any given situation means absolutely nothing because the writers are writing plots and not characters. Case in point, the end scene. Sam, anxious over Dean and the effects of the Mark, just goes off and leaves him in a room full of “baddies” without a care or a thought (completely ignoring the Sam that was written in episodes 1-3 or Sam as the detail oriented, persistent person we know from 10 years of episodes!), thereby leaving Dean all alone in the room with a bunch of irredeemable and vile people. Sam as the character we’ve come to know over the course of this series would never do that. No person in actuality would ever do that either, but this contrived bit of staging had to be used to service the plot so Dean could end up alone in the room and succumb to his need to kill. So the fact that it’s totally unrealisitc that Sam of all people would blithely walk off and just leave Dean alone isn’t even considered… he does it because that’s what the plot requires; killing a little bit of Sam credibility in the process as fans wonder why Sam would do such a stupid thing. It makes Sam look like a moron and we can all see right through such contrived plotting. Then Dean goes on a killing spree… but it’s OK, all those people “deserved” it. I’m not even allowed to judge for myself how I feel about what Dean did because the writers are completely manipulating the emotional outcome. It was decided in advance that we should be shocked, but feel sorry for Dean as well. So, how can we do that? Lets make everyone he kills deserve it. They’re awful, they’re criminals, they were abusing poor innocent Claire, Dean had every right. Oh and look, he feels bad… so we shouldn’t blame him too much. Ugh. Well, you know what? Amy Pond only killed lowlifes that deserved it too, but Dean killed her because he decided she was wrong and had to die. The rules only apply to other people I guess. And so a little bit of Dean’s credibility is killed because the writers can’t even remember their own canon. Ugh… just plain awful. I couldn’t care less about Dean or the Mark at this point. I was most interested in Claire, a character we’ll probably never see again.
And I am confused; is Rowena Crowley’s mother or Fergus McLeod’s mother? What abuse was Crowley experiencing his own or Fergus’s?
Amen, E.
I’m sticking to the bitter thread on this one.
Fergus McLeod became Crowley when he became a crossroads demon, then King of Hell. Rowena is Fergus’ mother.
OK. So who is Crowley wearing? Do we know anything about him? I guess I was under the impression that Fergus McLeod was the meat suit, but I guess thats wrong. So, if Fergus is the original name of the corrupted soul from the 18th century who then became Crowley then how did Crowley know Naomi in Mesopotamia?
He’s wearing “a moderately successful literary agent”. Apparently the Mesopotamia thing was an mistake, they were pulling names out of the air and didn’t think about the fact that Mesopotamia is an ancient world. At least that what’s the writers are saying now. I’m disappointed that Crowley IS Fergus. I wanted him to be something more, but no luck.
These writers are a joke; every single fan of this show knows more than they do.
I know I shouldn’t be commenting, but didn’t you just love Sam sitting in the passenger seat as if everything is hunky dory as he waits patiently for Dean so they could drive off?!?!! Haha! How ridiculous was that?!?!
They made Sam into a moron – just like they did last year in the horrific [i]Bad Boys[/i] – to serve the plot. It’s crazy!
Okay . . . back to lurking 🙂
[quote] Okay . . . back to lurking 🙂 [/quote]
Nooo! 🙂
No need to lurk! Yes.. Sam looked like one giant, dumb dork sitting there… “ho hum, I wonder what’s taking Dean so long…. maybe he needed to pee? Well, I’ll just sit here a while longer.” Geez. Wasn’t the writer of this episode the same one who wrote the wretched Bad Boys as some kind of “love letter to Dean?” Ugh, like Dean is the one who needs a love letter. He’s not even trying to hide his bias any more. He has zero use for Sam and has no trouble making him look like a moron all to service Dean and his meltdowns.
Adam Glass wrote Bad Boys, and I bet he writes a love letter to Sam this season — tit-for-tat, you know. I hope he doesn’t change Sam’s entire background like he did Dean’s in his “love letter.”
You could try my method to the madness: pretend all of Sam’s head shots and possessions are finally catching up to him. :/
This is in reply to E and Alice. I regret to say this but I was vastly disappointed in this episode. I agree with Alice on this one. I could not believe this was a SPN script. SPN was turned into Touched by an Angel. The story of Claire was boring, dull, and unbelievable. I do not need to watch the everyday non- supernatural angst/ whining of a teenager or anyone else who had their life turned around by angel/ demon possession. The story was unbelievable mainly because Claire’s mother was let in on the whole real existence of demons, and angels and she would have never just walked away from her daughter to “go find herself”. I could have bought that she became mentally unstable over the whole event or was killed by a demon. Claire herself was a bright serious child who was briefly possessed by Cas. She knew the power and the purpose. So to get all teenager selfish, “you ruined my life” I am going to rob a store with a gun, in the face of such larger supernatural issues was quite frankly ridiculous. And you know what, I did not care about Claire. It was enough to know that she lost her Dad and she went on with life with her Mom.
Tell me what this Claire story had to do with Sam and Dean. Next we will have Sam and Dean just walking around helping people out….
SPN is about the SUPERNATURAL Sam and Dean story. All other character’s stories have to be intricately woven into their lives.
I am a big Cas fan, I love him. But this moping around with the perpetual look of righteous pathetic concern with no real direction is pitiful.
The JW story was contrived and unbelievable. First, Cas knows how Dean feels about his father and to sit there and ask the sappy question … Did you love your father? was a joke. This was a question that has already been explored. Dean telling his father he hated him whether drunk/ drugged or not, does not remotely fit this character. All of sudden, Dean was a rebellious, screw you Dad, teenager. Dean found it difficult as a young adult to speak his mind in disagreement with his Dad. That line coming from JW: You do not have to like me son…… blah blah….. touched by an Angel sap.
Finally there is no way Sam would walk away from Dean and allow him to get separated for enough time to slaughter everyone in the room. Sorry but I agree. Sam was relegated to a an idiotic plot device. I agree Alice, and I said it before. Sam and Dean are living in the quintessential powerhouse of knowledge about the supernatural and heirs to the MOL legacy. We need some writers who can go down that path. I would like to wash this episode right out of the series.
I would only leave behind the residual juxtaposed high points. Dean laughing, being normal while watching the Stooges, with Sam conveying his concern, love and sadness of knowing what is around the corner. Dean’s awesome confusion, dismay and fear after the bloodbath and Sam’s reaction. J2 nailed those scenes.
Oh, Alice, you aren’t alone. I am in mourning. I will check out the disgruntled thread, but I may not even have the desire to comment on the show anymore.
now that would be fun – a drunk and bitter thread; three drink minimum before posting 😀
I’m on the west coast so I cheated and read comments from east coasters. I was prepared for the episode to be totally different than what was promoted by the CW. It was ok and I suppose if you were wondering what happened to Claire and if Jimmy still is alive at least those questions have been answered. I liked the story about John, the twist in the end was good but it was a little awkwardly told. Where did Sam think Dean was? All of the guys except Randy were bad guys so Dean, besides killing a bunch of humans killed at least one that meant him no harm. That is going to be hard for Dean to come back from. I did like that Cas for once got to use his angel powers to sort of do some non lethal smiting. For a midseason cliffhanger it should have been more epic and while it was a good story it seemed to small of a story. At least for me. And hey no one got tied up or knocked out so there’s that.
I think that was the point of Sam shouting at Dean: justification in the form of self defense. Sam doesn’t want that little spree to guilt trip Dean or set off the Mark, but we all know it’s coming.
Dean should feel guilty
Just reading thru some of the comments on the tl and one struck me about this season not being very intense. Thinkin’ on that- it feels like this season, so far for me at least, is somewhat from Sam’s perspective. He’s not the act-first, think-later soldier Dean is-he (and we) have been moving tentatively so far. Watching Dean for the MoC influence, worried maybe DemonDean isn’t completely gone, that maybe Dean was right and he really can’t go back. Determined to get/keep Dean human and knowing deep down that Dean truly isn’t 100% human any more. And hoping that if they can get rid of MoC then maybe Dean can come back. The end shot of the episode “TELL ME IT WAS THEM OR YOU!!!” is heart-wrenching and it sets the stage for the back half of the season to accelerate as losing MoC becomes imperative. I also liked the “Stooges” scene and the scene at the bar where Sam is trying so hard to strengthen connection/identity with Dean-prompting his to talk about their Dad. TFW bonding FTW. Perfect example of how Cas reveals the S/D characters. IDK if “DemonDean” is back per se, but they can’t ignore Dean’s waning ability to control the urge to kill. Cas looked horrified & I’m wondering if, while he wouldn’t look to Metatron to save himself, he may just go there for Dean.
If Crowley trusts his mother he’s a total idiot & deserves whatever he gets.
I liked the Claire story-it rang true for her situation. I’d like to see Cas and Claire maybe road trip together a bit-Maybe she could go live with Jody. Thinkin that “mentorship” aspect would be really interesting given Cas’ admitting he sees Dean as a role model.
You know what. You’re awesome.
I admire you attempts to logic this one away from the writers, but I’m afraid it’s too no avail. However, we all know that with Carver Supernatural doesn’t get off to its real season until after the winter break. Call me naive but fingers crossed!
It is true Sam and Dean both looked totally deflated after the kills. I wish they could have lingered on that shot just a few more seconds.
I thought it was pretty good, not mid-season finale good, but it was entertaining. I liked the pace. The little 3 Stooges moment. WTH is up with all the Dean eating? I like Cas and was fine with the Claire/Cas story. I enjoyed that actress, I thought she was really good. I agree that Sam wouldn’t just leave Dean there. Maybe I can justify it if Claire was freaking out and they were trying to calm her. But Dean had time to slaughter several people before Sam checks in? That makes no sense ESPECIALLY since Sam is so worried about Dean reverting back to bloodthirsty MoC Dean. Oh and the ending? Who didn’t see that coming, they telegraphed it in the promos. I was expecting to get my socks knocked off but I still enjoyed it, my socks are still firmly on my feet. It was a B- for me.
I really liked it, and I disagree Alice, respecfully, but the supernatural bit in the episode waiting to come out was the Mark of Cain. Yes, the rest of the episode was about other things but they all led the story back to the Mark of Cain. They usually show something having to do with the monster in the episode at the very beginning of the episode and there was Dean, having a nightmare about killing a bunch of people. It’s not what he wants, obviously, but he finally lost the fight against it and gave in to it … and it wasn’t even a demon or a vampire beating him up, it was a douce loan shark and his cronies.
The whole thing with Claire is giving Cas a story that gives him his own motivations (and not heavenly ones) but is also bringing him back to the Winchesters because now he’s going to want to be involved in trying to help get the Mark of Cain off of Dean. I do wonder what his response to Dean asking him to take him out if he goes darkside was. I would think it would be something along the lines of “if that’s what you want and we’ve tried EVERYTHING then maybe” but who knows. Besides, it was about time they explained what happened to Jimmy, which was what I thought had happened, and showed what happened to his family.
Sam, oh I don’t know, he just seems worried about Dean right now … not sure why he didn’t make sure he wasn’t right behind them going to the car but then again he knows very well that Dean can handle himself. That’s the only thing I can think of, but unlike last season after they expelled Gadreel he’s been genuinely worried about his brother and doing whatever he needs to do so I guess that’s his motivation.
The scene at the Tiki bar and the story about John was really nice … I’m not the biggest fan of John Winchester (please don’t hate me, he just didn’t really struck a chord with me) and Bobby seemed like more a father to them than John was. That being said, I don’t question that he loved his sons and it was a really touching story and there needs to be more of that. That, and I wouldn’t have wanted to have been one of the people messing with him at CBGBs when John walked in to save Dean … no sir! The Ramones at CBGBs … yes! John Winchester pissed because you’re messing with his son … no way!
I will watch the episode again when I get home. I feel that I missed a lot but I liked it. 🙂
[quote]Is it just me or is Dean eating a lot in this episode? I mean. Dean likes food but maybe little too much? I wonder if there is something sinister behind that.
This show has turned me paranoid. In last episode it felt like Dean was in denial and seemed almost hoping he was getting better. So I was thinking if it is sort of reversal psychology that he is not hungry so he is eating much so that he feels normal. I know… Weird thinking but… If not eating is a bad sign wouldn’t Dean want to do the opposite even if he isn’t hungry? To show nothing is wrong to Sam and Cas etc?[/quote]
That was my thinking about the eating. I guess a lot of people noticed it. Also in the PURGE Dean knew how roofies looked like. Now we know why. 😉
In the end how the ending took place was almost identically the same when Cain was locked in the house with the demons and he smited them. I would have actually wanted to see the ninja fight I mean that would have been daum! I also liked Rowena much better on this episode. Like mother like son. Supernatural has lot of issues with screwed up parenting though. 😀
[b]Do you think the demon is back?[/b]
Nope, but the MoC is taking more effect.
[b]Do you think Crowley trusts Mommy?[/b]
I hope not if he knows what’s good for him.
[b]What will happen to Claire now that she is rescued?[/b]
Can’t even think how this goes. My wish would be she ending up in the care of Donna or as far from Supernatural as possible. But none seems to have a happy ending in Supernatural so…
– Lilah
I’m sure they’ll work the whole “Dean constantly eating” thing into the story. Just like a smoker quits smoking, they’ll eat, trying to fill an habitual void. Dean’s eating trying to fill the craving’s the MoC leaves him with. I’m sure that’s where the writers will take it … sounds on par enough with their creative dullness.
I thought the constantly eating had to do with Crowley telling a not all the way dead Dean that he knew when Dean didn’t eat the burger he was going to become a Demon. I thought that was a defense mechanism from Dean to prove to himself he was alright. My thought anyway.
That’s interesting, cheryl, about the eating, and I hadn’t thought of it that way, but it makes complete sense.
That is what I thought mostly too. 🙂
– Lilah
Good point.
re: Claire:maybe with Jody, possibly with Krissy and the independent young hunter group? She’s almost 18 so… She could travel w/Cas if she were an angel, so possibly an untimely demise? Guessing we’ll see more of her w/the ep posting SPNs highest ratings in 4yrs.
The beginning of the episode was exciting. Finally, they are tackling the issue of Jimmy and Claire.
Why is Castiel still possessing a body that doesn’t have a soul inside? Is it God’s will?
Shouldn’t Castiel know better than to sound like a guy who has mental problems? Couldn’t he have said that he (Jimmy) had been doing missionary work abroad or something like that?
Sam looked a little disgusted by the sandwich and not just by the sight of Dean eating it. More meta about Sam’s issues with food?
I thought it was extremely weird that Dean was so unsympathetic about Claire at first.
[i] Castiel: This isn’t just some chick. I’m responsible for her.
Dean: Since when?! You met her once, how many years ago? [/i]
I hope that was just the mark of Cain talking. Although Sam seemed to somewhat support Dean…
Classic Crowley. [i] “ — I was an attractive child. I could juggle. I was worth five pigs at least.” [/i]
Randy was portrayed well. There was something unsettling about him right from the start like maybe he wanted to have sex with Claire.
Sam was hot in the scene where they confronted the Wiener Hut guy.
I like that Claire said to Sam and Dean, [i] “— Like you don’t have it coming? You just stood there while this monster took my dad.” [/i] It has bothered me that Sam and Dean never brought up the issue of Jimmy Novak to Castiel. They never asked Castiel if Jimmy was still alive. Even during season five they acted like everything was fine. (Dean wanted Castiel to get laid etc.) When one of their own is possessed, Sam and Dean are definitely not okay with it…
I liked the little power play between Rowena and Crowley.
[i] Crowley: Mother.
Rowena: Fergus.
Crowley: Crowley.
Rowena: Fergus. [/i]
Crowley said, [i] “— I have a family.” [/i] Does he think Dean is/was his family?
I liked the story about John Winchester. It didn’t go against past characterization. John was definitely a strict parent. And I can see Dean as a teenager wanting to sneak out to party. It’s interesting that John seems to have often said, [i] “— It’s not my job to be liked. It’s my job to raise you right,” [/i] considering he sometimes left his boys alone for long stretches of time.
I think that a little bit of Jensen came through in that scene. He did his convention storytelling voice.
Did Claire hug Castiel because she was in shock and he looks like her father? Or did she feel like Castiel the angel was there for her?
A good ending! [i] “Tell me you had to do this. — No, tell me it was them or you!” [/i]
Is Dean on the same trajectory as he was last season? It seems that Dean would have slaughtered everyone at Magnus’ house if Sam hadn’t been with him. Or is Dean worse off now because he didn’t even have the Blade but he still lost himself?
So many great questions!
[quote]Sam was hot in the scene where they confronted the Wiener Hut guy.
[/quote]
Oh yeah! I’ve always said Dean makes for a more compelling character, but Sam is the kind of guy I’d be in bed with.
[quote]I liked the little power play between Rowena and Crowley.
[/quote]
🙂
[quote]Crowley said, “— I have a family.” Does he think Dean is/was his family?
[/quote]
Honestly I think he meant both Winchesters and Cas, too.
[quote]I liked the story about John Winchester. It didn’t go against past characterization. John was definitely a strict parent. And I can see Dean as a teenager wanting to sneak out to party. It’s interesting that John seems to have often said, “— It’s not my job to be liked. It’s my job to raise you right,” considering he sometimes left his boys alone for long stretches of time.
[/quote]
That part made me smile. Who heard JDM’s voice instead of Jensen’s for that line?
[quote]Did Claire hug Castiel because she was in shock and he looks like her father? Or did she feel like Castiel the angel was there for her?
[/quote]
Tough one! I’m thinking “D) All of the above.”
[quote]A good ending! “Tell me you had to do this. — No, tell me it was them or you!”
[/quote]
That makes me nervously excited for the midseason premiere!
Thank you, Puck!
[quote] Honestly I think he meant both Winchesters and Cas, too. [/quote]
I‘d like to think that Sam is “family” to Crowley as much as Dean is but I have been discouraged by the show. All of a sudden Crowley became super Dean-centric. Although maybe Crowley was so snide to Sam in 10.01 [i] Black [/i] because he felt that Sam had rejected him previously?
Castiel didn’t come to mind at first but Crowley might indeed have a soft spot for the angel.
Of course–why else would he have sliced up that angel chic attacking Hanna then shove her grace into Cas’s mouth if he didn’t think he need Cas. They plotted against Heaven together after all.
Yes, Crowley definitely thinks that Castiel is more useful alive than dead. But is he family to Crowley? It’s a weird thought. On the other hand, Crowley might be willing to put himself at risk for Castiel even though demons are notoriously self-serving. I’m inclined to see more a buddy dynamic between those two.
For a regular season episode, this would be bad. For a mid-season finale, this was embarrassingly bad and disappointing. The promo for the episode was the only good part. Whatever the hell that episode was, it sure wasn’t Supernatural. Now I know that show runner-speak for “a more character-driven arc” means they don’t have a clue what they’re doing or where they’re going with this anymore. Gotta say I’m not even looking that forward to the next episode in January.
[b]
Do you think the demon is back?[/b] No, it’s just the MoC taking over
[b]Do you think Crowley trusts Mommy?[/b] Not really, but Crowley needs his family and mommy.
[b]What will happen to Claire now that she is rescued?[/b] Don’t know, not caring that much. I still think she’s key to Castiel getting his own grace back.
Wow, based on the amount of negative reviews I was expecting to absolutely hate this episode, but I actually really liked it. I enjoyed Castiel’s story with Claire – the characters was surly and typically obnoxious for a teen, but I didn’t feel irritated by her portrayer, which is good – and Rowena vs Crowley was fun too, though it would have been more enjoyable to see her use her powers (I like witches and the nastiness they’re capable of)! The Mark of Cain was present, burning away in the background until the right moment at the climax of the episode, and it’s clear that this will be carried forward in the next episode next year. I’ve never been too fussy about Sam “not having a voice”, but that said, I wouldn’t mind hearing more of his shock and devastation at what has just unfolded.
I didn’t mind the fact that there weren’t monsters or ghosts in this episode – it’s not the first time, think ‘Thinman’, ‘Family Remains’, or ‘The Benders’ – and I think it’s easy to forget that by the supernatural element exists by the very FACT that Crowley and Castiel are on screen as a demon and angel respectively. I like them being forced to deal with some very human issues – family – while Sam and Dean seem to be more of a family as they’ve been in recent years, with the supernatural Mark of Cain threatening to derail that.
All in all, I’d give this episode a B. 🙂
Hey gang, I’m back. … Grad school is difficult 😉
This was a great episode, but it really freaked me out that Jensen didn’t look at the camera (or Jared) in the final seconds. It makes me anxious! Also, I’m not surprised that they’re telling Dean’s demon story in dream sequence. They pulled the same moves for his trips to Hell and Purgatory. Will he ever learn?! Lol.
Speaking of flashbacks:
WHO ELSE WAS EXCITED TO SEE CHUCK?!!!!!!!!!!!!! I always knew that the amulet would turn back up and I suspected it would be the 200th episode when they announced season 10. I was at least sorta right, and that girl has some serious pipes.
This feels like the end folks. I’m not happy about it, but maybe I’m just being paranoid because I watch Sons of Anarchy right after Supernatural and I’ve known all season that last night was the series finale. Thoughs?
Welcome back! 😀
– Lilah
I enjoyed the episode. The John story, although a little bit out of left field, it sold me after a minute or so and seems to fit with John’s character. It’s nice to see the boys remember parts of their childhood.
I was never a huge fan of the Cas-Jimmy story (although important to Cas’s past of course) but even I will admit that that it was a nice touch to address the fallout issues that we don’t normally see when an angel possesses a vessel – just what does become of the family? So, this was an interesting look at that. After all, SPN, on it’s basic level is a [i]human[/i] story.
The end was of course a perfect set up for the second half of the season and what the boys will be dealing with as far as the mark goes. As usual, Jensen nails the facial expressions so darn perfectly every single time.
I’m one of those who watches for the love of the show, and I’m okay with just about whatever the show does as long as it keeps telling a great story about the boys. Bring on January 20!
I think we have a poached Sam demon blood story for Dean, with Sam in the worrying role. I don’t mind, because I like Sam for the first time in many years.
I think the show should be moved next season to a daytime slot.
I think the writers need to look up the meaning of ‘supernatural.’
And, finally, I think if the J2s only want to work part-time, they need to just quit and let Misha, Mark and obscure characters continue with the show.
You are so right Ginger. The MoC story is just a retread of the demon blood story from season 4, but much less well done.
JA has been doing a brilliant job with what little time that has been given to it, but I think Dean will not come out of this any better than Sam did. The demon blood was symbolic for Sam’s anger and self-centeredness, which was not dealt with until sometime over the summer between last season and this season. The “I lied” just didn’t do it for me given that he went on to eventually dish Dean’s whole being and life’s work and that was the only resolution (but I am liking Sam this year). The MoC is symbolic for the rage and darkness that has always been in Dean, but I don’t think his character will fare any better than Sam’s did when it is all said and done. I don’t think the writers have enough insight or interest into either character to do them justice.
I actually thought this episode was awesome! Castiel’s story with Claire was so much more interesting than finding rogue angels was. I loved the boys watching the Stooges, Sam bringing the grilled cheese and especially the tale of John and the boys in New York. Dean at the end did break my heart and it ached for him.
Reading the administrators’ thoughts depress the heck out of me. Can’t help it. It just does. This is my site to come to, and now I come to it scared for what I’ll see.
After so many seasons of Sam and Dean at odds and Sam actually being hateful at times I am loving this one so far beyond words. I really should develop a thick skin but it is too late in my life to be able to change myself. Fangasm and Gaelicspirit still inspire me, thank goodness! Sorry if I’m over the line here.
I’m with you, and I’m sorry about that too. I rarely come here to read anymore, or anywhere else by the way, because of the amount of harsh criticism. This is a show to enjoy, to love, to distract and be entretained. A sweet escape from reality. It’s not supposed to be some kind of masterpiece, where you have to pick on every little thing when the story is not raised to the level of Shakespeare. I just love the show, so I just love alone, since I can’t share my it anywhere else anymore.
I’m with ya. It’s no longer “entertainment” with SPN, and it’s primarily because of how much criticism this decade-old show gets. I used to love this site for its insightful reviews, and was heartened last year (or was it earlier this year?) when there was a concerted effort to keep things positive here so that it’s different from other websites… but this site is slowly devolving into the other bitterness-fests. I watch the show because it entertains me. And even when it doesn’t (hello, ‘Mannequin 3’, ‘Man’s Best Friend’) I’m still glad it’s on air. I don’t understand why anyone would keep watching a show that brings them nothing but grief… and yet stay on hoping things will change. This isn’t meant to be an attack on anyone (or this site’s policy of not allowing people to say ‘then don’t watch’), it’s a genuinely curious thing: Why keep watching if it brings you hurt, not joy? I watch for the joy. Some episodes, there’s less joy. But that’s okay. I’m a fan and that’s not going to change.
Maybe this episode could have been more about Sam and Dean considering it’s the mid-season finale. Claire and even Rowena could have easily been featured in some other episode.
Maybe Dean’s appetite is a hint that he is physically different even when compared with the time he had the mark but hadn’t been a demon yet. On the other hand, in 9.13 [i] The Purge [/i] Dean ate food that had been prepared at the spa. Had that been a sign of Dean losing control of his impulses because of the mark? Dean should have known that it was too risky to eat while he was investigating why some people had lost so much weight that they had died. In this episode Dean went to the Weiner Hut to get something to eat even though he was technically supposed to be with Sam and Castiel because they were on a case.
Dean sounded a little drunk when he was laughing at The Three Stooges.
Did Claire give Castiel the middle finger subtly at the restaurant?
It seems that at times Castiel simply ignores prayers… (Claire, Sam in season six.)
Rowena asked Crowley, [i] “How did you die?” [/i] Crowley didn’t like that. Had he really sold his soul for an extra three inches below the waist?
The actors’ ages might add tension to the mother-son dynamic.
Crowley had been Fergus before he turned into a demon. So why did Crowley say to Naomi, [i] “Easy, love. If you remember our time in Mesopotamia the way I do, you know I’m a lover, not a fighter,” [/i] in 8.17 [i] Goodbye Stranger[/i]?
[i] Sam: I don’t think you can [make it up to Claire]. I mean, Jimmy was her father. And to some people that’s… that’s everything, you know?
Castiel: No, I don’t. I never knew my father. He was distant, to say the least. What about you? Did you love your father?
Dean: With everything I had. [/i]
Dean had worshipped his father and I think that came through in the scene. Castiel had taken it hard when he hadn’t been able to find God in season five. I don’t think that had been just because of the impending apocalypse…
Dean said, [i] “I mean, look, John Winchester’s not gonna win any ‘Number one dad’ awards, you know, but… You know, damn if he wasn’t there when we needed him.” [/i] I don’t think that’s entirely accurate… (John went missing, Sam and Dean tried to call him for help but he couldn’t bring himself to see his sons, Dean was a wreck due to the way John had went about things right before his death etc.)
[i] “Somehow we convinced him to let us go. So, we all go, we all, you know, see all the sights, and uh, ride the subway, eat too much pizza, the whole nine.” [/i] It was nice to hear that all three of them had had fun together as a family.
[i] “Well, by about midnight, Sam and Dad are zonked, and I figure, screw it. I’m going to CBGB.” [/i] Dean had been okay with sneaking out because John had been there to look after Sam. I wonder how old they were at the time.
Young Dean must have been such a pretty boy that others wanted to mess with him. Dean had probably tried to act self-confident but people could still see that he had been sheltered in a way.
Dean is the type of person who could easily be into doing recreational drugs so having had a bad experience when he was underage might explain why he sticks to alcohol and pills.
John Winchester definitely seems to be a larger than life figure now.
I thought it was weird that Sam and Cas were okay with sort of leaving a man behind. Dean is experienced and he had a gun but he was still outnumbered. I don’t think it was a necessary evil to let Dean deal with the bad guys by himself.
I didn’t like the slowmo of Sam realizing that the mark had taken over Dean.
Sam being scared of losing Dean was evident. (Dean said, [i] “I didn’t. I didn’t mean to.”[/i])
The ending wasn’t really a cliffhanger though. I think Sam’s lines were the strongest part of it.
By the way, was the blood coming out of one of the men a weird color, almost black?
I don’t have an urge to get another episode right away. Maybe they hadn’t set out to make an epic mid-season finale?
I like the way the whole episode was so benign and many were tweeting that nothing was happening. And then Dean went all Visigoth on the bad guys. The horror of this is that they are just humans and did not deserve death, just jail. I think the point of this episode was to be almost “a day in the life” where there is no MOTW and then disaster. I don’t know how Dean comes back from this ( out and out murder) and Sam was trying so hard to prevent something like this happening. We all knew something would happen but the way it was done was surprising and really scary!! Thumbs up for me. Is it 1/20//2015 yet?
I also love that they finally spoke of John in positive and loving terms. Of course, JDM is going to be at VegasCon, and I wonder if that had anything to do with it.
I watched drunk and sober and it does not get better.
I am so shocked I cant comment nor read anything.
This is not MY Spn.
I think that Sam looked mostly like the third wheel in the scene at the bar. The following part was especially awkward:
[i] Castiel: — What about you? Did you love your father?
Dean: With everything I had.
Sam: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, it wasn’t always easy, but yeah. [/i]
It came off like Sam opened his mouth even though there was no need for that. I put some blame on Misha’s acting choices but I think the scene was designed to highlight Dean and Cas sharing and reflecting on their experiences.
This is in reply to E and Alice. I regret to say this but I was vastly disappointed in this episode. I agree with Alice on this one. I could not believe this was a SPN script. SPN was turned into Touched by an Angel. The story of Claire was boring, dull, and unbelievable. I do not need to watch the everyday non- supernatural angst/ whining of a teenager or anyone else who had their life turned around by angel/ demon possession. The story was unbelievable mainly because Claire’s mother was let in on the whole real existence of demons, and angels and she would have never just walked away from her daughter to “go find herself”. I could have bought that she became mentally unstable over the whole event or was killed by a demon. Claire herself was a bright serious child who was briefly possessed by Cas. She knew the power and the purpose. So to get all teenager selfish, “you ruined my life” I am going to rob a store with a gun, in the face of such larger supernatural issues was quite frankly ridiculous. And you know what, I did not care about Claire. It was enough to know that she lost her Dad and she went on with life with her Mom.
Tell me what this Claire story had to do with Sam and Dean. Next we will have Sam and Dean just walking around helping people out….
SPN is about the SUPERNATURAL Sam and Dean story. All other character’s stories have to be intricately woven into their lives.
I am a big Cas fan, I love him. But this moping around with the perpetual look of righteous pathetic concern with no real direction is pitiful.
The JW story was contrived and unbelievable. First, Cas knows how Dean feels about his father and to sit there and ask the sappy question … Did you love your father? was a joke. This was a question that has already been explored. Dean telling his father he hated him whether drunk/ drugged or not, does not remotely fit this character. All of sudden, Dean was a rebellious, screw you Dad, teenager. Dean found it difficult as a young adult to speak his mind in disagreement with his Dad. That line coming from JW: You do not have to like me son…… blah blah….. touched by an Angel sap.
Finally there is no way Sam would walk away from Dean and allow him to get separated for enough time to slaughter everyone in the room. Sorry but I agree. Sam was relegated to a an idiotic plot device. I agree Alice, and I said it before. Sam and Dean are living in the quintessential powerhouse of knowledge about the supernatural and heirs to the MOL legacy. We need some writers who can go down that path. I would like to wash this episode right out of the series.
I would only leave behind the residual juxtaposed high points. Dean laughing, being normal while watching the Stooges, with Sam conveying his concern, love and sadness of knowing what is around the corner. Dean’s awesome confusion, dismay and fear after the bloodbath and Sam’s reaction. J2 nailed those scenes.