Let’s Speculate: Supernatural 12.20 “Twigs & Twine & Tasha Banes”

This episode, written by Steven Yockey and directed by Richard Speight Jr., is titled “Twigs & Twine & Tasha Banes”

The story opens with Tasha Banes, who is the mother to the twins we met in Asa Fox’s episode. She’s a hunter and is on a case investigating a local inn for magic, but when she wanders into a basement full of dead bodies, she herself gets killed.

At the bunker, the brothers are still reeling from the previous episode and Castiel’s choice. Dean wonders if Sam can fix the Colt when they hear a phone vibrating. Alicia Banes, Tasha’s daughter, has called to seek assistance in finding her mother. The brothers offer to come and they head out with a nod to the show’s pilot since their mother has gone missing while hunting and hasn’t been back in days. Dean calls his mom to see where she is and leaves a message for her to call him back.

In the other storyline of the episode, Mary and Ketch are interrogating a shifter. Mary is skeptical of the approach but Ketch reveals his rather harsh and hardline approach to finding information through torture. He tells her not to answer the phone call from Dean.

The brothers meet up with the twins, Max and Alicia. Max is fond of the car and while Dean is showing off the weapons, including the grenade launcher, Sam and Alicia discuss how she’s not really a natural witch, while her brother and mother share that gift. The episode spends time unpacking the close if contentious relationship between the twins. The twins reveal they heard their mother was around since she visited the vegan restaurant. They all go to a local inn and find what seems like Tasha, staying there.

At the BMOL headquarters, Ketch and Mary argue. Mary is still wondering about Mick, but Ketch derails her by snarkily suggesting she check her message since Dean needs his mommy. At the inn, the twins and Winchesters are hanging out with Tasha, in a seemingly normal evening. While Sam leaves to pick up dinner, Dean talks to “Tasha” about the hunting life, including Mary, who is a complicated part of his life.

Meanwhile, Mary overhears Ketch talking to someone and she comes in, after being somewhat caught. She says she uses the computer to check her email, and lo and behold, Mick has sent an email saying he’s in London for a few more weeks. Mary is becoming more skeptical.

Back at inn, Sam returns with food and says that the guy who came out of the basement when they first arrived is actually listed on a local missing poster. Dean says not to bother the Barneses; they can take care of the case. As the episode goes to commercial, the old lady from the cold open is in her room building some kind of twig monster.

Eventually, Mary calls Dean back and apologizes for not being there for her sons, but she has to finish this work. However, Dean left his phone in the room so he doesn’t get the message right away. Max leaves his mother and sister alone while Sam and Dean go investigate the basement. They find dead bodies with their hearts ripped out, including Tasha’s. Max finds them and they try to hide their discovery but he sees it and breaks down in mourning.

Back at the BMOL, Mary finds the room where they have stored Mick’s body and she tries to escape but instead she finds another room where she and the brothers, as well as other connected individuals, are being monitored. She calls Dean, who still doesn’t have his cell phone, and says she needs elp and they have an issue. She tries to leave the room but Ketch is there, at the door when she opens it. They proceed to fight and it looks like Mary will have the upper hand but Ketch tases her.

Sam, Dean, and Max go back up to the room and Max attacks “Tasha,” while Alicia is taken by surprise since she has no idea what has transpired. Max makes the creature reveal where its puppeteer is located. The old woman activates all her dolls to attack while Max, with Dean following, finds her in her room. She explains that she’s trying to get someone to take her power before she dies since when she does, she’ll go to hell. She got her power from a demon deal. She offers it to Max who is almost ready to take it because he can keep his mother alive but Dean gets his gun and is able to shoot her. Before her dolls disintegrate, the Tasha creature stabs and kills Alicia, with Sam watching. He yells for Dean. Dean and Max hurry to the room and Max finds his sister dead, and proceeds to sob over her body.

In the final act, Sam and Dean offer to help Max burn his family’s bodies but he tells them to go, that he can do it. The brothers leave (and apparently didn’t think to get the ring but you know, okay), which leads to Max going back and taking the ring and its power, using it to reanimate his sister. He leaves the dead Alicia burning as he departs with his twig Alicia. In the car ride back to the bunker, Dean and Sam talk about the sadness of it all. Sam falls asleep and Dean takes the chance to listen to his messages. He hears the second message and tells Sam they need to go help Mary but Sam doesn’t wake up. Dean yells his name. The final moments of the episode focus on Mary and the BMOL. Ketch wakes her with cold water and she tells him to kill her, but Toni arrives, saying she’s an asset. She takes her seat to interrogate Mary (one wonders if she’ll make Mary fantasize about sleeping with her like she did to Sam….)

Thoughts, Specs, Reactions, etc.

What did you think of the Max/Alicia/Tasha storyline? Will they be back? As friends? As enemies?
What will the BMOL try to do to Mary?
Is something wrong with Sam?
Leave other thoughts below!