Alice’s Review: Supernatural 14.14, “Ouroboros” aka A Plot Hole Fiesta!

Aww nuts.

I mean come on, things were going so well!  The season was humming along, producing something of at least mild entertainment value each week.  Sure the scripts are still reserved and safe with the both plotting and action, but at least the season wasn’t a total train wreck (I’m looking at you season 12).  What happened?  If this is the true catalyst for the concluding episodes to come, it’s looking like my cautious optimism again will suffer from the late season crash and burn as it has the past several seasons.  It’s all very disappointing. 

What can I say about “Ouroboros?”  Has there been an episode in New Mexico before?  If not, there’s a score.  Otherwise, that’s all I’ve got in the impressed department.  It felt like to me that they had two very weak half finished scripts and just decided to put them both together.  I’m not sure what the hell that first half of the episode was all about, but I hated it.  I do not like cannibal stories.  To this day I have “Hammer of the Gods” on my worst ever episodes list.  But I’ll accept that statement boils down to personal preference and won’t fault the writer Steve Yockey for going with a MOTW story that others might enjoy.  The Gorgon was certainly unique.   But geez, did he have to monologue so much to his victims?  Did we need that much exposition?  It’s not like what he was saying was relevant to the story, or “Supernatural” in general.  MOTW stories are usually there to serve a purpose, perhaps a crafty parallel to the current struggles of team freewill.  This story was just gross. 

I think the actor that played Noah did add some flare, but the script rendered any legitimacy he may have brought to the role useless.  Case in point, what good is this power of premonition where he can stay one step ahead of hunters if it’s revealed early in the episode that he can’t see angels?  Because they’re not human?  An intriguing twist instantly dashed by a contrived loophole.   Does that work for other monsters too?  If so it might have been a good time to get Garth out of that trunk.  Speaking of angels, how could Castiel be affected by the venom?  Because it suited the plot?  Angels can handle explosions but not snake venom?  Will these writers please remember he’s a freaking angel?  If he can’t be seen by the monster, Castiel should be impervious to all his powers.  Consistency! 

Of course it’s not like that entire 30 minutes was spent on Noah.  No, we got a long, very awkward vet scene that could have been humorous, but honestly, I got sad it wasn’t a real dog that they could keep.  Wouldn’t that have been great, having a little ratty dog like that roaming around the bunker?  I did mildly laugh at “Jack” getting his temperature taken, but it wasn’t worth the time wasted on the scene.  Why did they just stand around and talk casually in front of the vet office after taking the anti-venom?  I was screaming, “Run!”  They were stealing after all and given the elaborate scheme, quick flight did seem like the appropriate action.  Just one of the many plotting head-scratchers.

But anyway, enough about me ranting about an ill-conceived first half hour.  Let’s get to the meat of it, the second half hour, which also plot holes so large the Impala could drive through them. 

What bothers me is with the survival of the world at stake, and Dean knowing how fragile his mind was, why was he going out on hunts?  He should have been locked in a warded room in the bunker.  He didn’t think that one concussion would set Michael free?  He confessed to Castiel that if he let his guard down it was over so he knew this was bad.  I mean, we are talking about more than the fates of just a few hunters.  We are talking about the survival of the entire planet!  It’s the one thing Billie vehemently warned him about, causing that whole box in the ocean drama in the first place.  Shouldn’t they have written it where Dean stayed behind managing the hunters rather than poor dead again Maggie?  It was careless, stupid and foolish, not to mention makes no freaking sense.  That’s not a total knock on Dean though, Sam and Castiel deserve blame too.  Remember when Sam started having hallucinations in season seven?  That got him sidelined pretty quick.  He wasn’t about to destroy the entire world!  How can Sam and Dean throw basic common sense out the window? 

Another issue, how can Michael just hop vessels like that?  I’ve always had issues with that, especially with the fact that finding vessels is not easy.  They burn up.’   What was wrong with just taking over Dean again?  To give Ruth something to do?  I don’t think Ruth did a poor job, hopefully she had fun.  But showing the whole scene where Michael practically bullied Rowena to say yes wasn’t necessary,  like much of this episode, it was filler just to get to the one climactic scene, and the whole journey was a clunky mess to get there. 

Then there’s just the anti-climactic resolution to Michael in general.  Wouldn’t that have been good to know that Jack could do that before Dean went through all that crap?  I know, Jack probably didn’t know he had it in him until he had to use it, but why build up all that lore and character angst just to dispose of the big bad in one tiny little confrontation?  It’s like how I felt with Sam’s psychosis at the end of the “Born Again Identity.”  All that build up just to hand wave it in one swoop.   It feels like the writers got bored and decided to call it “an exciting twist.”  Not impressed.  A quick disposal of that arc is lazy writing.  It may lead to something but for now, it leaves a bad taste. 

On the plus side, Michael is gone.  Thank Chuck!  He’s portrayal was too one sided, on the cold and ruthless side, and just like Lucifer I was getting tired of watching him just randomly kill everyone in sight.  How is that a compelling story?  I still say Jack with his new found power will heal everyone, but perhaps the writers are also a little fed up with the crowded bunker, which still has to live up to its safest place on earth hype.  They were better off in the AU war zone.  I’m more devastated for Sam, who is kind of out of a job now.  Get healing Jack! 

I will agree though that everything about Jack’s story made perfect sense and has been well plotted.  All the clues were there from prior episodes.  Let’s start with his own mother, Kelly Kline, who predicted while still pregnant that Jack would be their savior.  One touch and Castiel was convinced too.  That was a pretty powerful prediction.  Then there’s Lily Sundar, who knew how to power a human soul to kill angels.  She got quite good at it.  You just don’t hand over that magic to another being, especially a half human/half angel, and not expect him to have the overwhelming urge to use that power.  Jack was already supposed to be a powerful creature.  It was also stated a season or two ago that a Nephilim could be more powerful than an archangel.  Jack may have not had the grace, but his human side gave him enough leverage especially when powered by Enochian magic. Jack is also driven internally to do good and fight evil.  Just like Sam in season four, when given the means to do that, how could he resist using his power?

Somehow I figured that Jack would end up with Michael’s grace.  Without it he would die, and the coughing fit and self healing act was a less than subtle reminder.  Still, while do I feel like Jack sacrificed his human soul all because of the stupidity of his three Dads?  He’s literally covering for their mistakes.  So that is what makes him a savior?  That’s all roads lead to the same destination?  It feels less noble.  Why wasn’t Bille warning Dean about Jack?  Was this scenario in her books of outcomes?   Has fate been changed or is there still impending doom?  That’s what so hope we’ll get out of the next few episodes but given all the prophecies I can’t believe that someone like Death didn’t see this coming.  I’m still wondering if Sam is still supposed to kill Rowena.  

The Red Headed Monster

Hi, meet this guy.  

Remember him, one half of the Winchester brothers?  You know, the guys that “Supernatural” is all about? 

Why is it so hard to give Sam a real plot?  Oh yes, that leader of hunters plot.  Showing him check in with his team on the phone each week had gotten pretty boring and took about two seconds.  Not to mention, his team right now may or may not have been wiped out, an event he takes partial blame for because for some reason his blind love for Dean overrode common sense.  Sam used to be more tactical that that! 

How about I reword the question.  Why is it so hard that Sam doesn’t get a plot that doesn’t involve saving Dean?  I’m very, very tired of this notion that one brother needs to constantly save the other and that’s our back and forth each season.  It’s cliche, not original, and there’s no more ways to twist it.  Remember Sam leading the charge in “Who We Are?’  Where is that guy?  Where is the guy smartly running an offensive against an evil foe?  Someone who is proactive instead of reactive?  Someone who kicks ass and takes names?  Someone who has made enough enemies where there is a swarm of creatures after him?  How about he gets to be smart like he’s supposed to be and doesn’t make dumb mistakes?    

Meet this guy.  

Plot wanted, now that Michael is gone, not that his plot this season was a riveting challenge. 

Why are we going down the “consequences of his actions” road again?  Wasn’t that what happened with the Mark of Cain?  I get it, Dean makes impulsive decisions at times, but how are we in the “Dean makes a bad decision, Sam jumps through hoops to get him out of it,” story again?  How are we back to him whining about his bad predicament to Castiel before it running amok?   He and Sam still can’t open up to each other? 

Don’t get me wrong, the emotional stories have been there, but seeing recycled plots as we get into the meat of the season just tells me that the creative team is yet again gassed.  Either that or they think the fans aren’t smart enough to notice the repetition.  Or, if you’re going to recycle a plot, how about a good one?  Sam’s powers haven’t been visited since season five.  Given the desperate times in plotting, wouldn’t you think that would be ripe?  Or how about the fighting spirit of Team Freewill from season five?  They back up their fight with action, not just words?  Something. Anything.  

I’m a really tired, burned out viewer.  Sam and Dean Winchester have been through it all, more than once!  With all this recycled plotting I’m really starting to believe there is nothing left.  Everything now hinges on Jack, who isn’t even one of the three main leads.  I think he’ll pull it off beautifully, but is that really what we’re headed for?  Jack headed to ruin while Sam, Dean and Castiel watch?  If we get another “soft landing” with tears and smiles and no action after a huge build up, then I’m either quitting or leading a full fledged search for the next leader of the helm.  At this rate, we want someone who will crash the Lamborghini.  It’s a better idea than the current action of driving a sweet sports car at 35 mph. 

Overall grade, an EF.  What’s an “EF” you ask?  Epic Fail.  I’m calling this the worst of the season, just because it put me in a bad mood.  Come on show.  Try better.