Robin’s Rambles: Supernatural 10.09 “The Things We Left Behind”
Given that this was the lead into hellatus, I wasn’t left as excited as I have been in the past, I must admit. Still, there were lots of good things in this ep, so let’s get to them.
First, though, sorry I did not write up last week’s show. I wasn’t feeling well. I did enjoy it a lot, but found it to be far too SamnDean lite. I loved the pairing of lady sheriffs and I adore Jody Mills, but when the Winchesters are guest stars in their own show. . .yawn. I was happy to see the vampires vanquished by the team so smoothly and found a lot of funny bits along the way. I felt horrible for Jody when the other sheriff (Donna) dredged up the awful memory of her son gobbling her not-yet-dead husband’s entrails, and loved it when Jody got Donna to stand up for herself to her jerk of a husband.
Now to my rambles about this week’s show.
That was a grisly nightmare Dean was having, and we know it’s foreshadowing something real to come.
Claire has not fared well in the aftermath of Cas taking Jimmy’s meat suit. Her mother has left to “find herself” and Claire has been sent to a group home. She is in constant trouble and isolation. Cas tries to play papa and take custody, but his wooden performance fails miserably and he is denied. Feeling guilty, he breaks Claire out.
Back at the bunker, Dean enjoys the Stooges and Sam’s grilled cheese sandwich with gusto–too much so. Sam glances at the Mark and knows Dean’s covering.
Rowena is being held captive by her son, who refuses an audience with her. Gerald brings her a new roomie in the dungeon.
At Sharkey’s, Cas buys Claire a burger and she tries to convince him ketchup is a vegetable. He tells her he used to be self-assured and was convinced he was on this righteous path; now he realizes there’s no such thing, just people trying to do their best in a world where it’s far too easy to do your worst. To pay him back for his kindness, Claire steals his wallet and exits through the bathroom window.
Cas calls the brothers for help to find Claire. They’re annoyed; this isn’t their type of gig. Dean confirms ketchup is a vegetable, lol. Dean snatches Cas’ burger. Cas knows Dean isn’t all right, and it’s true–Dean flashes back to his nightmare. Dean asks Cas to promise to “take him out” should he go dark side–and don’t let Sam get in the way.
Rowena and her new roomie talk about what a bad mom Rowena was. Roomie went topside when she wasn’t on the list to do so. Crowley reveals to Gerald his mother almost traded him for three pigs. Hell, he could juggle and was attractive; he was worth at least five pigs! And his name, Fergus? “Sounds like a venereal disease, and not the fun kind!” Gerald offers to kill mom, but Crowley has other plans.
Claire and Dustin, her boyfriend, are living with Randy, who owes money to a loan shark–tonight. The brothers and Cas await Dustin when he comes to work to find out about Claire. Dean is scarfing up more food.
Randy has given Claire a gun. Cas stops her just as she’s about to rob a Gas ‘n’ Sip and drags her to an alley where Sam and Dean are lounging against the Impala. “Settle, Miley Cyrus”, says Dean. “Eat me, Hasselhoff”, she retorts. (A callback to another ep, 2.21.)
Claire points the gun at all three of them, accusing them of killing her father. She used to pray to Cas to bring her father home. She accuses Cas of not feeling sorry, just guilty. (A good point, I say. I felt Claire was right here. Jimmy was taken from her and her mother with no regard for their family, and it destroyed them.) Claire is going back to the only family she knows–Randy.
Crowley finally speaks with his mother. He was conceived during a winter solstice orgy, so she has no idea who his father was. Ohhhh, embarrassing! He can’t confess to her that he made a demon deal for bigger man-parts, which would sound pretty embarrassing, too. She kisses his forehead while Martin Denny’s “Quiet Village” plays in the background. Ominous, Crowley! Watch your back!
Loved, loved, loved the brothers’ recollection about John Winchester when they went to New York. I could so easily picture it all in my head! CBGB’s! Underage Dean, New York pizza, John Friggin’ Winchester hating the Yankees! “It’s my job to raise you right.” OMG!
So much for family! When the head goon offers to cancel Randy’s debt if he hands over Claire, Randy cuts the proud papa act and agrees. Claire is horrified.
Tossed back into her cell, Rowena gives up Gerald as the culprit who has been smuggling demons up from hell. Rowena’s cellmate corroborates that as fact. Gerald leaps up and begins strangling Rowena. Crowley stabs him through the throat, the blade popping from his mouth. (Great special effect.) Crowley then invites his mom out of the cell, unaware that his mother and her roomie have framed an innocent Gerald.
Claire fights back against the guy who has locked her inside a bedroom with him, screaming. She gets in some nice kicks before Cas comes to her rescue. Randy and three other men are left; Dean orders Sam and Cas to get Claire out of the house, leaving just Dean with the group of hoodlums. When one of them smashes Dean over the head with a bottle, the Mark of Cain is activated and all hell breaks loose in the room. . .
From the car, Sam, Cas and Claire hear the sounds of fighting inside the house. When they enter, Dean, just as in his nightmare, is kneeling, clutching a bloody knife. He has killed Randy and four other men in a swift bloodbath that must have been fueled by strength from the Mark. Seemingly in a trance, Dean doesn’t snap out of it until he hears Claire’s scream and Sam say his name. Sam drops his gun and clutches his brother’s face in his hands. “Tell me you had to do this,” demands Sam. “I did. . .I didn’t mean to,” Dean replies. “No, tell me it was them or you!” begs Sam. (This was so hard to hear!) Dean can’t respond. Cas is horrified, the air is tense. Has Dean gone completely dark side? Will Cas have to put him down? We never did hear him promise Dean he would, did we? And what’s going to happen to Claire?
Did anyone else think either Sam or Cas should have objected when Dean ordered them out of the house? Sam especially should have stuck by Dean’s side, given how worried he’s been about the Mark and how weird Dean’s been acting. Even if Cas wanted to keep close to Claire, Sam shouldn’t have just followed Dean’s order to leave him alone with five dangerous men. Agree or disagree?
This episode was pretty good, rating a 7/10 on my scale. I’ve seen better winter hiatus shows.
Love,
Robin
[quote] Cas tries to play papa and take custody, but his wooden performance fails miserably and he is denied. [/quote]
That one made me laugh. 😀
[quote] To pay him back for his kindness, Claire steals his wallet and exits through the bathroom window. [/quote]
I hope you don’t mean to imply that Claire actually owed something to Castiel.
I’ve been thinking about the end of the episode when Sam, Cas and Claire went to the car. First Sam was following Cas and Claire out to the car. Dean stayed behind for to make sure everyone got out the door safely, something they have done in the past. Sam makes sure the innocents are protected while Dean takes up the rear. On screen time they had to show the three getting into the car while Dean was cornered by the bad guys. Both scenes had to be shown separately but they were happening simultaneously. By the time Sam got to the car he was expecting that Dean was walking around the car to get in the drivers side. He got in checked on Cas and Claire then the gunfire and Sam realized that Dean was not about to get in the car. Sam had no warning about the Mark, he didn’t know about the nightmares. They had been laughing at the Stooges, reminiscing about John and Dean was hungry (a little too hungry). It came as a shock to Sam that the Mark would raise it’s head like it did. So it does make sense to me.
This midseason finale did what it was supposed to do. It set up the stories for the four main characters going into the second half of the season without giving too much away. It worked for me. I am excited for the rest of the season.
Thank you for the rambles Robin and I hope you are feeling better.
Cheryl, I agree even though so many disliked this episode. Sam thought Dean was behind them and was shocked at what happened. Also, those people did not deserve to die even though they were criminals and that was shocking to me.
They did make a point of showing Randy. Even though he was a scumbag I doubt very much he was posing any threat to Dean. He would have gladly watched those he owed money to and were threatening to kill him get slaughtered by Dean. No even Dean knew that he had done something terrible.
I agree Cheryl. dean orders sam and cas to get Claire out of the house….you’re right, the innocent always comes first for them. also, it’s not unlike sam to take an order from dean. they were raised as soldiers. in a situation like this, a rescue mission where an innocent is involved, a child no less, if dean directs sam to do something, sam will do it. it’s his natural reaction. he’s said it to dean…you take the lead and I follow you because I trust you. it’s also a natural reaction for dean to command such an order….it’s been this way for ten years. look at eps like wendigo or faith or asylum and i’m sure countless others where dean gave sam a command and he followed it to save an innocent. so sam making sure the girl is safe, a direct order from dean during a rescue mission isn’t unusual at all.
by the way….this has been nagging at me…..the lady from the group home….isn’t she the same lady from avsc? the mother of the little boy who witnessed santa dragging his dad up the chimney…I mean she was wearing make up in this eppy…but it really looks like her….
I thought she looked very familiar. Darn I’ll have to watch that episode again. Oh well for research and all…..:)
you’ve convinced me not to wait for the rerun…so i’ll watch it again as well….:) let me know what you think too….not about the eppy, I know that….but if it’s that lady….:D
It is the same person. Jennifer Copping is her name.
Well I will have to have visual evidence. So I guess AVSPNC re watch must still happen 🙂
Fits to X-Mas time 😀
– Lilah
Yes!!!
I watch avsc every Christmas eve…it’s right up there with a Christmas cottage and scrooged. 😀
Thanks Russ.
thanks
Will do…
Nice review Robin. People upwards have pointed out well those parts what you asked and I have nothing to add to them. I liked this episode and even though I also noticed few hicups for me in it it left me wanting to see where it goes. As I like Supernatural in general and as a whole I have no issues if we see stories with other characters point of view as those characters belong to the boys life. I like to see and hear stories about their relationship. Family is the main theme for me in Supernatural. Everything else is a plus.
[quote]I agree Cheryl. dean orders sam and cas to get Claire out of the house….you’re right, the innocent always comes first for them. also, it’s not unlike sam to take an order from dean. they were raised as soldiers. in a situation like this, a rescue mission where an innocent is involved, a child no less, if dean directs sam to do something, sam will do it. it’s his natural reaction. he’s said it to dean…you take the lead and I follow you because I trust you. it’s also a natural reaction for dean to command such an order….it’s been this way for ten years. look at eps like wendigo or faith or asylum and i’m sure countless others where dean gave sam a command and he followed it to save an innocent. so sam making sure the girl is safe, a direct order from dean during a rescue mission isn’t unusual at all.[/quote]
Ditto. 🙂
– Lilah
I loooove your review, it makes me feel a lot better to finally see someone who liked this ep. 🙂
This episode was not what I expected but I did like it, considering the low quality filler episodes we have been given in Season 10 – everything is relative, right? We are at 9 episodes now and I’m still asking myself when is Season 10 going to start. We have had so much filler (and bad filler, at that) that I was hoping for more insight into the MoC and what is ahead for Dean. The preview for upcoming episodes looks like there is so much to come that one has to wonder why does it take sooooooooooooooooo long to get there.
I don’t think the MoC story has been advanced far enough to continue to dance around the issue. I hope the main arc for this season will be presented in the second half of the season at a more even pace for the viewer so we feel like we are watching one cohesive story and not 3 versions of the same show randomly thrown together just to have certain episodes play at a certain time for meeting a milestone. I’m hopeful that the second half of the season will pull it all together and pull me back in.
I’m also disappointed to see Crowley made a regular on the show and given the weakest story he has had in a long time and the version of hell that we see is such a non-scary place it is irritating. The demons are still not scary enough – where are the red eyes (cross roads demon in All Hell Breaks Loose Pt 2). Sam and Dean used to have a healthy fear of demons, now demons are for comic relief and are treated like the zombies in the Walking Dead…….oh, another zombie, yawn, stab it in the head – not scared just another day at work
Note to Carver and Crew – You’ve got a lot of work to do in the second half of Season 10 because so far this is my least favorite season of the entire series. Fan Fiction was fantastic but the rest feels like a jumbled mess written by a group of people that are not working on the same show.