Supernatural Hiatus Hunting: 5.22 – “Swan Song”
We’re at an abandoned theatre in Motown and that really does look like Detroit! It looks exactly like a boarded up one not far from the nightlife in Greektown. Detroit has so many areas of blight like that and I can only imagine what those theatres were like in their glory days. Now they’re hangouts for The Devil. Could Be worse. Samifer is in a dimly lighted room with a gorgeous chandelier while everything else is rotting. Out of the many kudos I’ve been giving, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the set designers too. This is a very important set for without the cracked mirrors and proper room layout this dual scene loses its effectiveness.
Wow, this is also a really explosive and long scene. These things are killing the recapper! One right after another for your viewing torture, I mean, entertainment. Samifer walks among a small group of people standing there, still and solemn. He’s enjoying his new digs, but feels that the suit still doesn’t quite fit yet. That’s because Sam is clawing away inside, screaming to get out. Sorry, that comment gave me chills. Lucifer is going to try the “I’m your friend” approach to get Sam to submit. You know, I think for this entire chilling scene, I’ll just transcribe. It’s that powerful.
Lucifer: Sam, come on, I can feel you, scratching away in there. (Looks in cracked mirror, sees own reflection). Look, I’ll take the gag off, okay? (walks over to mirror). You got me all wrong kiddo. I’m not the bad guy here.
Sam (now in mirror, seething): I’m going to rip you apart from the inside out. Do you understand me?
Lucifer (mocking): Such anger, young Skywalker. Who are you really angry with, me or that face in the mirror?
Sam: I’m sure this is all a big joke to you, huh?
Lucifer: Not at all, I’ve been waiting for you. For a long, long time. Come on Sam, you’ve got to admit, you can feel it, right?
Sam (reflection split by big crack in the mirror): What?
Lucifer: The exhilaration. And you know why that is, because we’re two halves made a whole. M-F-E-O. Literally.
Sam (reflection still cracked): This feels pretty damn far from good.
Lucifer: I’m inside your grapefruit Sam. You can’t lie to me. I see it all. How hot you always felt. How out of place in that”¦family of yours. And why shouldn’t you have? They were foster care at best. I’m your real family.
Sam: No, it’s not true.
Lucifer: It is. And I know you know it. All those times you ran away you weren’t running from them, you were running toward me. (Sam still gives defiant look in mirror. Lucifer sighs). This doesn’t have to be a bad thing you know. I let Dean live, didn’t I. I want him to live. I’ll bring your folks back too. I want you to be happy Sam.
Sam (cracked reflection again): I don’t want anything from you.
Lucifer: Really, not even a little payback?
Sam: What’s that supposed to mean?
Lucifer: Look closely. None of these little devils look familiar to you?
Sam (looking at the people behind Lucifer): That’s Mr. Pensmith, one of my grade school teachers.
Lucifer: And that’s your friend Doug from that time in East Lansing. And Rachel, your prom date. (Sam looks horrified in mirror). Sam Winchester, this is your life. Azazel’s gang, watching you since you were a rugrat. Jerking you around like a dog on a leash. I know how you feel about them. Me too. So what do you say you and I blow off a little steam?
(Sam’s reflection is split again and he’s pissed).
Let me tell you all why that scene was a gorgeous leap in television filming. Much like Dean’s dinner with Death last week, this show is pushing new boundaries with these scenes. In the back and forth between the brash Lucifer and the scared yet defiant Sam, Sam’s image is often shown divided between the cracks in the mirror. Sure, that’s a metaphor for a few things, like his fractured soul and him fighting the dark side of himself and that sort of trick has been done before in movies and novels, but when you’re being controlled by Lucifer and the stakes are the apocalypse, this showdown ups the urgency and tension about twenty notches. In other words, it’s done “Supernatural” style.
On top of all that, Jared is playing this chilling dual role perfectly! This is every bit as mind blowing as when Jensen did it in “Dream A Little Dream of Me,” maybe more so because if Sam fails the world ends. Everything is absolutely perfect in this scene; the set decoration, the lighting, the camera angles to maximize character angst, the eerie dialogue and of course the spot on acting. Win, win, win, win, win. I love how it’s episode 104 and they’re still blowing me away like this.
Anyway, now for the aftermath. Dean, Bobby, and Castiel are watching TVs outside an electronics store showing the massive destruction going on around the globe. Earthquakes and other things in the most unlikely of places. You know what else in unlikely? An electronics store like that in Detroit. The riots in 1967 pretty much prevented that type of window display. Too easy to smash. But that’s not the point.
“It’s starting,” Castiel gloomily declares. ”You think genius?” Dean says. Castiel tells him he doesn’t have to be mean. That’s about the most human thing he’s ever said. Dean does need to lighten up a little. Dean asks Cas what they do now. ”I suggest we imbibe copious quantities of alcohol, just wait for the inevitable blast wave.” Gotta love the socially awkward angel. Dean calls Cas a name I didn’t quite catch or understand and wants to know how they stop it. ”We don’t,” Castiel answers. ”Lucifer will meet Michael on the chosen field and the battle of Armageddon begins.” Dean wants to know where the chosen field is but Cas doesn’t know. He’s too busy giving up anyway. Dean is desperate now. ”Well there’s gotta be something we can do.” Castiel gives the “I’m sorry Dean this is over,” and Dean gives back the “junkless sissy” insult. Aww, don’t call Cas junkless. You did try to get him laid, remember?
Dean refuses to give up but then he sees Bobby, who’s teary and speechless. ”There was never much hope to begin with. I don’t know what else to do.” I like Cas’ drinking plan better. Dean looks at both Bobby and Castiel and is upset to find this might truly be the end.
Next is Samifer sitting with bloody hands and five gored demon corpses around him. Honestly, Rachael did deserve that after what she did to Sam at the prom. Lucifer feels satisfied, but Sam in the mirror is very disturbed. Yes, Sam, you gave into the dark side. I hope they had cookies. ”So, are we having fun yet?” Lucifer says. Oh Sammy, you’re in a big fix, aren’t you?
There’s a welcome break in the intense action to get some more story from Chuck. There’s a picturesque shot of the Impala driving down the road with that old time look again. He tells how in between jobs Sam and Dean would get a day sometimes a week if they were lucky. They’d spend the time lining their pockets and we see both brothers hustling pool from “I Know What You Did Last Summer.” Sam’s hair was so short then! “Sam used to insist on honest work but now he hustles pool, just like his brother.” That was fun to watch when we finally saw that. “They could go anywhere and do anything. They drove 1,000 miles for an Ozzy show. Two days for a Jayhawks game. And when it was clear, they’d park her in the middle of nowhere sit on the hood and watch the stars, for hours. Without saying a word.”
Wow, those two look so peaceful. To think, all the horrors they face in their lives and yet they’re enamored by something so beautiful and simple. What a great story. Why don’t we get to see moments like this in the episodes. It’s a must for season six guys! How about an episode where we just see Sam and Dean on a day off. Nothing happens, but I don’t care. If you have scenes like this, I’m happy. Next is a clip from “Dream A Little Dream Of Me” when they were sleeping in the Impala after taking the dream root. ”It never occurred to them that sure maybe they never really had a roof and four walls, but they were never in fact, homeless.”
Chuck pauses his typing and goes, “That’s a good line.” Ha!! He’s not the only one that does that. And here I thought I was a freak. I laugh at a lot of my own stuff too. Chuck answers the phone and says “Mistress Magda.” Some took that to be a biblical reference, but I took it to be funny. No, it’s Dean on the other side. Chuck acts surprised, for he didn’t know Dean would call. Dean wants to have a little fun with Chuck and presses him on the Mistress Magda thing. Chuck stammers something about her being a close friend but Dean isn’t buying it. Then he asks about what happened to Becky. “It didn’t work out, I had too much respect for her.” “Well you really have the whole virgin hooker thing going, don’t you?” “This can’t be why you called,” Chuck says. At least Dean worked in some small talk before getting to the tragic point.
“Sam said yes,” Dean says. Chuck knows. He saw it and is working on the pages. Dean asks if he saw where the title fight goes down. Chuck admits the angels are keeping it hush hush, but he saw it anyway. “Perks of being a prophet.” Or a God, but we’ll get to that later. The showdown is tomorrow at high noon, a place called Stull cemetery. Dean knows exactly where that is. It’s outside of Lawrence. He wonders why Lawrence. Chuck’s theory is it all has to end where it started. Very clever Kripke, very clever. Dean wants to know if he knows of another way to stop this. “Besides the rings, no.” He doesn’t know what’s going to happen next either. Dean hangs up, for that’s enough to give him an idea.
Castiel and Bobby approach Dean in the alley there in Detroit while Dean gets the car ready. Bobby wants to know if he’s going someplace. Dean’s non answer is an answer. ”You’re gonna do something stupid,” Bobby says. “You’ve got that look.” Honest Bobby, have you ever known Dean to take things lying down? “I’m gonna go talk to Sam,” Dean says. That’s code for “I’m going on my suicide mission.” Bobby chastises him for now giving up while Cas makes the blunt observation that if he couldn’t get through to him there he won’t be able to on the battle field. Strange how that statement ends up being true. Cas didn’t say anything about the Impala though!
“Well if we’ve already lost than I’ve got nothing to lose, right?” Castiel and Bobby both are very concerned and Cas gives even more harsh truth. “I just want you to understand, the only thing you’re gonna see out there is Michael killing your brother.” Get the Kleenexes ready, for Dean’s answer is the stuff made of gold in this series. “Well then, I ain’t gonna let him die alone.”The three shared worried glances and Dean gets in the Impala. Yes, my entire insides are twisted in knots right now.
We’re at the gates of the Stull cemetery. The wind is blowing, a giant Hawk flies over and Samifer is there watching. I also applaud Kripke and Co. this time for finding an actual outdoor location to do this scene instead of the awful stage set from “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II.” As Samifer looks around the sound of wings flapping happen behind him. It’s Adam/Michael! Um, Adamichael? Yeah, it’s all I got. The two brothers, who haven’t seen each other in thousands of years, just stare at each other awkwardly. Go figure, dysfunctional angel family reunions.
Samifer breaks the silence. “It’s good to see you Michael.” Adamichael responds you too and it’s been too long, but obviously they’re just being polite. “Can you believe it’s finally here?” Samifer asks. I know I can’t. I only waited one season, or five if you think about it, but these guys have waited thousands of years. Adamichael says no and moves in closer. These two really just need to bitchslap each other, get it out of their systems. Wrestling match on the bed? So Adamichael wants to know if he’s ready. Samifer is clearly reluctant and saddened by this. Wow, I’m actually feeling a bit sorry for him. “As I’ll ever be.”
One thing is clear about these two together, Jared is the stronger actor and is selling the whole tortured soul of Lucifer here very well. “Part of me wishes we didn’t have to do this,” Samifer says. Adamichael gives a half hearted “Me too.” So that opens the door for Samifer to get right to the point. “Then why are we?” “Oh you know why,” Adamichael answers. He claims he has no choice after what Lucifer did. “What I did? What if it’s not my fault.” Adamichael wants to know what that’s supposed to mean. “Think about it. Dad made everything which means he made me who I am. God wanted The Devil.” Adamichael doesn’t see the point. ”So why and why make us fight? I just can’t figure out the point.” Adamichael still can’t see the point. “We’re going to kill each other and for what, one of Dad’s tests. We don’t even know the answer. We’re brothers. Let’s just walk off the chess board.”
Admichael considers this for a few seconds and claims he can’t do that. So he gets the Samifer puppy dog eyes! Aww, it works even when possessed by an evil overlord. “I’m a good son and I have my orders,” Adamichael says, and wow, what a stupid angel. This is what happens when freewill is taken out of the equation, brothers kill one another. Humans are looking pretty superior, aren’t we? Samifer tells him he doesn’t have to follow them and Adamichael is appalled that he suggest he rebel. “I’m not like you.” Samifer says please and man am I really feeling sorry for him now. All he wanted was the love of his big brother, yet also knew he had a path to follow. Okay, I don’t like how that path involves wiping out all of humanity, but I’ll pass on that for now since that’s not the issue here.
Adamichael tears into Samifer. “You haven’t changed a bit little brother. Always blaming everybody but yourself. We were together, we were happy, but you betrayed me, all of us, and you made our Father leave.” “Nobody makes Dad do anything,” Samifer angrily replies. ”He is doing this to us.” He has a point there. They stare each other down, and then this next statement goes a bit overboard, because it’s obviously meant to be the tie in to Sam and Dean’s situation from last season. “You’re a monster Lucifer,” Adamichael says. Yep, just like with Sam, that’s the trigger for Lucifer. ”I have to kill you,” Michael says. ”If that’s the way it’s gotta be, then I’d like to see you try.” Yep, angry eyes just like Sam too. The only thing missing here is it’s not Dean on the other side.
Speaking of Dean, as Samifer and Adamichael begin to circle and give each other that cold hard stare of death, the roar of the Impala interrupts them. Dean throws in a tape in the cassette player labeled “Kick It In The Ass” and yet another great shout-out to Kim Manners is born. On comes “Rock of Ages” by Def Leppard and sorry, but I actually hate that song. I look past that though, for Dean has got some brass balls here. He drives the Impala through the graveyard right to them, interrupting the Battle of Armageddon. Dean gets out of the car and Adamichael and Samifer look pissed. ”Howdi boys,” Dean says. “Sorry, am I interrupting something?” Too good. Only Dean Winchester would do this.
Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy, time for the best scene in all of “Supernatural.” Or one of the best scenes. Opinions are subjective. Dean goes to Samifer and says they need to talk. Samifer, in full condescending mode, says “Dean, even for you, this is a whole new mountain of stupid.””I’m not talking to you, I’m talking to Sam.” Samifer is quite amused by that. Adamichael is just angry. “You’re no longer the vessel Dean. You got no right to be here.” Right, because when humans are facing their own extinction, they have to play by the rules. Dean appeals to Adam too, telling him he’s so sorry. “Adam isn’t home right now,” Adamichael says being a real dick. You know, Lucifer is actually more fun. “Well then you’re next on my list buttercup, right now I need five minutes with him.” I’ll never tire of Dean and his pet names.
Adamichael goes into the “little maggot” rant that all angels except Lucifer seem to love, telling Dean he’s no longer a part of this story. Then there’s another interruption, and it’s the best ever. Castiel shouts “Hey, assbutt!” OMG, best line ever. I’m sure it’s funnier because of the huge melodrama in this episode but socially awkward angel is funny. He throws a flaming bottle at Adamichael and he goes away screaming in a ball of flames, that angel screeching noise going with him. Everyone watches him go and then Dean says “Assbutt?” Castiel isn’t going to explain, for Michael will be back and he’ll be upset, but Dean has his five minutes.
However – Samifer is still there and he’s REALLY pissed. He gives Cas that cold hard stare and asks “Did you just Molotov my brother with holy fire?”Castiel tries to deny in fear but hey, I think it’s obvious he did. Samifer knows he did. “No one dicks with Michael but me.” You see, he does care! With one snap of his vengeful fingers Cas explodes. Jimmy vessel entrails end up on Bobby. So that’s what it looked like in the season opener. Dean and Bobby are pretty rattled.
Dean, even though he knows Samifer is fuming, decides to poke the bear. “Sammy, can you hear me?” Samifer turns to him with anger. “You know, I tried to be nice for Sammy’s sake, but you are such a pain in my ass.” He grabs Dean by the jacket and throws him into the Impala’s windshield, cracking it. Noooo!!! Not the car!! So Bobby, using even stupider logic than Castiel, pulls out his old colt and fires two rounds into Samifer. Good thing Sam is possessed by an archangel, otherwise he’d be dead when his vessel is left behind. This only makes Samifer madder, and Dean and Bobby with one exchange share an “Are you crazy/That’s all I could think of” glance. It ends up being a last glance (for now) because Samifer with a swipe of his hand breaks Bobby’s neck. Welcome to the dead pool for the first time Bobby. It’s about time you took a dip.
Now that the distractions are out of the way, Samifer can finish off Dean now. This is just brutal and we’ve seen some pretty brutal things on this show. Samifer clocks him hard and blood starts pouring out of Dean’s mouth. Dean isn’t giving up though. ”Sammy, are you in there?” Samifer has a smart answer. ”Oh, he’s in here all right (punch) and he’s gonna feel the snap of your bones (throws Dean on the ground). Every single one.” Samifer then picks Dean up and pushes him against the Impala door. ”We’re gonna take our time,” and then he gives Dean ten brutal punches in a row. Ouch, ouch, ouch.
Despite the vicious beating, Dean still won’t give up trying to get to Sam. “Sam, it’s okay, it’s okay, I’m here, I’m here. I’m not going to leave you.” Samifer pounds on him some more. Dean, who’s bloody and bashed in face right now makes elephant man look attractive, tries again. “I’m not gonna leave you.” Samifer goes back for the final blow and this is so gorgeous!!!
Samifer’s eye catches a gleam on light on the Impala hood. There’s a closeup of his pretty hazel pupil retracting and having its own little beacon of light. Then he spots the green army man in the ashtray through the window. He studies it carefully and oh the look in his eye. Something is triggering. Then the flashes start. He and Dean as kids in the Impala, Sam playing with the army man and sticking it in the ashtray and Dean sticking the legos in the vents. Each flash is quick and gets quicker. He and Dean carving the initials into the Impala, Sam looking at the box of tapes in the Pilot, and suddenly five years of memories in that Impala fly by with nothing more than a howl of the wind in the background. Good times, bad times, all the times, going by faster and faster and then it all ends with one scene. Dean hugging Sam after he was resurrected in “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II.” Wow! What a flashback.
There’s a closeup of the pained eyes taking all this in and I honestly believe that’s Lucifer. He never tried to see that part of Sam’s noggin. No, only the pain and suffering. Given how he’s always longed for this relationship with his own brother, Sam’s memories triggered something that has been masked for years by resentment and pain. He’s truly overwhelmed. He lowers his Dean pounding fist and with one grimace Sam is back in control. Oh my, how beautiful!
Of course did anyone notice that when Sam does take control, the sound effect from a screeching car slamming on its brakes plays? Very interesting. Sam is now hyperventilating, fighting for composure and looks over at a battered and crumpled Dean who’s now on the ground leaning against the Impala. He’s scared, very scared, but he thoughts are of Dean. ”It’s okay Dean, it’s gonna be okay,” he says in comforting reassurance. ”I’ve got him.” Dean is in stunned disbelief but can only watch as Sam pulls the rings out of his pocket, throws them on the ground, and recites the Enochian chant to open up the cage. He watches the hole grow larger and then turns his attention back to Dean. Both brothers are petrified over what’s about to happen. Hell, I’m petrified!
Sam sees the hole is getting closer and looks at Dean with fright, but gives him a nod that it’s time and it’ll be okay. Dean is NOT okay. We can tell through that battered face he wants to stop him, but knows he can’t. Oh, but wait, Adamichael will try. “Sam!”he shouts and he’s worried. ”It’s not gonna end this way, step back.” “You’re gonna have to make me,” Sam challenges. “I have to fight my brother Sam, here and now. It’s my destiny.” Your destiny sucks dude. The touching score comes on, Sam looks at Dean, Dean looks at him back, and they exchange one more set of goodbyes just with glances. Those glances are gut-wrenching. Then Sam closes his eyes, puts out his arms and starts falling backward in slo-motion.
Adamichael freaks out and tries to stop Sam from falling, but Sam’s already got momentum on his side. He grabs onto Michael and they both fall into the gaping chasm in the ground. Sammy!!! No!!! They disappear out of view and Dean is left behind in horror. Then the hole explodes in white light and closes up. SAMMY!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!! Yep, right about here. Kripke has just damaged my psyche for life. I thought “No Rest For The Wicked” was bad. Sam’s fate is infinitely worse right now. The rings smolder and a completely devastated Dean sits against the Impala. He is the last man standing. Oh, poor Dean. He can’t even celebrate the fact that they saved the world because the personal cost was too great. Crud, he and Sam are never going to catch a break, are they?
I’m already a weeping, crying, broken down mess (I’m not exaggerating!) and then this next part only makes it worse! There’s the shot of Dean on his knees on the ground, the slumped shoulders, the battered face, inconsolably looking down at where a hole used to be. The camera starts wide, then moves in closer, moves in closer, and then there’s a close up of his face. Dean is completely shattered. Physically, mentally, emotionally. All he’s left with is a set a rings, a closed up hole in the ground, and in so fitting fashion, the Impala behind him. This takes us back to “All Hell Breaks Loose Part II” when he was weeping over Sam’s corpse. It’s tragic and that weepy score isn’t helping. I think it’s worse this time though for he is truly all alone in the world. He’s the last one left.
Oh wait, maybe not. Dean looks up and there’s Castiel, looking at him with that extreme look of sympathy that melts my heart. “Cas, you’re alive?” Dean asks, still on his knees. “I’m more than that,” and he does the angel-touchy thing on the forehead. Suddenly Dean’s face is back to normal. Whew, that irreparable damage to the pretty was killing me.
Castiel and Dean share a very touching moment with glances, and thank God Misha Collins is on this show. This moment is more powerful than words can say. “Cas, are you God?” Dean asks. It’s a fair question. Cas slightly smiles. “That’s a nice compliment, but no. Although I do believe he brought me back.” Then he turns toward Bobby’s corpse. “New and improved.” Cas all angelic like goes over to Bobby and revives him, giving him the same sympathetic look while Dean watches with hope. What a beautiful scene between these three. Team Freewill feels so empty without Sam though. Oh, Sammy… (cries). Dean looks down at the rings in his hand and realizes they just earned an empty victory.
Back to Chuck, who’s finishing the final touches on his story. ”Endings are hard. Any chapped ass monkey with a keyboard can poop out a beginning, but endings are impossible. You try to tie up every loose end but you never can. The fans are always gonna bitch, there’s always going to be holes, and since it’s the ending its all supposed to add up to something but I’m telling you they’re a raging pain in the ass.” Ha, projecting there much Kripke? That’s okay, you earned it and I’m laughing. But wait, Chuck’s out of his bathrobe now and wearing a white buttoned shirt. He looks so…heavenly.
Dean and Castiel are in the Impala, traveling at night. Dean asks Cas what he’s going to do now. “Return to Heaven I suppose.” Dean can’t believe that. ”With Michael in the cage, I’m sure its total anarchy up there,” Cas explains. ”So what you’re the new sheriff in town?” Cas smiles. ”I like that. Yeah. I suppose I am.” Dean is resentful, noting that God gives him a shiny set of wings and suddenly he’s his bitch again. No, I think Castiel is taking something back from this experience. ”I don’t know what God wants. I don’t know if he’ll even return. It just seems like the right thing to do.”
Dean is pretty pissed at God. ”Well if you do see him, tell him I’m coming for him next.” Oh Dean, will you ever learn. Castiel has figured out Dean is angry. You think? Dean calls that an understatement. Castiel points out God helped and probably more than they realize, but Dean isn’t comforted by that. ”That’s easy for you to say, he brought you back. But what about Sam? What about me, where’s my grand prize? All I’ve got is my brother in a hole.” Castiel’s a bit wiser than that. “You got what you asked for Dean. No paradise, no Hell, just more of the same. I mean it Dean. What would you rather have? Peace or freedom?” The sad score comes on again, Dean ponders that question, looks over and Cas is gone. ”You really suck at goodbyes, you know that?” Hello, angel.
Next scene is Dean in Bobby’s salvage yard hugging him goodbye while Chuck narrates. He mentions this is the last Dean and Bobby will see of each other for a very long time. Dean is shown getting into the Impala and driving away. Alone. Without Sam. Sammy!!!!!!!!! (cries). Chuck makes sure we know what happens with Bobby though. ”And for the record this point next week, Bobby will be hunting a rugaru outside of Dayton.” Shot on Bobby on the verge of tears. Sorry Bobby, I beat you to the punch about twenty scenes ago.
Chuck says but not Dean. ”Dean didn’t want Cas to save him. Every part of him, every fiber he’s got wants to die, or find a way to bring Sam back. But he isn’t gonna do either. Because he made a promise.” So there he is knocking on Lisa’s door. She’s both stunned and relieved to see him and asks if he’s alright. He says yeah. Liar! He asks her if it’s not too late, he’d like to take her up on that beer. She smiles and tells him it’s never too late. He comes in and she grabs a hold of him. He holds on tight and buries his head in her shoulder, breaking down while she comforts him with “it’s okay.” Oh Dean, at least you have a shoulder to cry on. Again, very bittersweet. Um, I’m pretty much spent and can’t cry anymore, but Kripke keeps trying.
Now, for the two GOTCHAS that get to aggravate us all summer and take us into season six. As the camera pulls away from Dean and Lisa, Chuck finishes his narration. ”So what’s it all add up to? It’s hard to say. But me, I’d say this was a test, for Sam and Dean. And I think they did alright.” Then there are more flashback scenes. Sam trying to go after yellow eyes in “Salvation,” Azazel in the graveyard in “AHBLPII,” Meg in “Devil’s Trap,” and Zachariah in “Point of No Return.” Then there’s the brothers sharing moments in other scenes, ending with the reunited hug in “Lazarus Rising” and them staring at the stars on the Impala. “Up against good, evil, angels, devils, destiny, and God himself. They made their own choice. They chose family. And well, isn’t that kind of the whole point?” Just beautiful!
Chuck types “THE END.””No doubt, endings are hard. But then again, nothing ever really ends, does it?” He looks so happy, so serene, and I love the final closeup of him with those heavenly blue eyes and his smile. Then he disappears! NO WAY!! Chuck was God?? Oh Kripke, you magnificent bastard. That means Kripke is God. No arguments from me there. What a perfect little joke.
Okay, now for the second mindfuck. Dean is at the dinner table with Ben and Lisa, and he’s somberly staring off into space. Judging by their different clothes, this is a different day. She comes up to him and asks if he’s okay. ”Yeah, I’m good,” he answers but he’s also pounding a glass of whiskey. I’m not sure he is okay. We don’t really see Ben, just a fuzzy shot of the back of some kids head, but we get the point. Family dinner.
The camera pans to outside where this intimate little dinner can be seen through the living room window. Suddenly the street lamp overhead burns out. The shot moves down to the ground to show a large man there watching. It’s Sam!!!!!! Sammy you’re back!!!! It’s so good to, oh, what’s that look on your face? It’s ambiguous. Not happy, not sad, but somberly blank. Oh no, what does that mean? We’ve got about 18 maddening weeks to figure it out.
But if…then that…it could be…but maybe not…GAH!!! Never mind, you know what’s is coming. DAMN YOU KRIPKE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Enjoy the freaking painful summer everyone!
FYI – The recap is missing from page 2. Will be back when it reappears! Page 1 was great, a relief from the moaning and groaning of the other comments at the “news”.
A truly epic episode; it doesn’t get any better than this. And Bevie is right, I think Page 2 is broken.
I started watching live in early S8 and went back to watch the entire series from the beginning. Afterwards, when dipping my toes in to some of the fandom sites (particularly TWFB) during S8 winter hiatus, went back to read a lot of the old reviews and couldn’t believe the reaction was as mixed as it was, and people were giving Eric Kripke grief about this episode. In retrospect, I couldn’t imagine it ending any other way.
Well, damn, if just reading this hasn’t made me want to bawl. It’s amazing how nearly five years down the line, an episode can still pull at the heartstrings so effectively, and that’s without even having watched it!
A lovely trip down memory lane, and a nice tribute to one of the best episodes they ever made. Thank you.
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