Supernatural’s Top 100 Favorite Episodes: Countdown 15-11!

Time to countdown our Favorite 100 Supernatural Episodes! This week we’ve reached numbers 15-11!  This is getting exciting!

How did we choose which episodes deserved to be on the Top 100 list? Rankings were determined by a group of rag-tag-war-torn fans who spend way too much of their time studying and writing about Supernatural! More specifically, participants in this ranking challenge included administrators and writers from The WFB, admins from the website Fangasm, and admins from Super-Fan-Wiki. Each individual’s rankings were tallied to create a consolidated list of our Top 100 Favorite Episodes – and by “tallied” I mean my computer-expert hubs took the excel spreadsheet and applied his math-genius skills, resulting in a formula that weighted and ranked the final results.  Details about this epic project were described in “The Road So Far” introduction.  It’s all about the Math, and say it with we – Math Don’t Lie. So let’s get to this week’s countdown!

 #15 “Fan Fiction” (10.05)

This is Supernatural‘s 200^th episode. It is titled “Fan Fiction” because it’s about fan fiction. And it’s about fans. And it’s about fiction. And it’s a story within a story. And it’s a musical. And it’s a monster-of-the-week case involving a fan who wrote a play about Sam and Dean and Supernatural and a monster and a robot head and…

Journalbookbinder said, “When I heard it would be a musical, I immediately thought, ‘I’ll hate it’, but somehow they managed to make it so touching.  Robbie Thompson – only he could pull this off.  It was truly a look at the show from the point of view of the fans who love it, and there were so many inside fandom jokes, including the references to all of the crazy fan fiction out there (The third act includes tentacles! I still want to see that third act!).  The added touch of Chuck appearing at the very end was sweet and emotional.  Supernatural always mixes up all the feelings and this one was funny and incredibly touching.”

Nate Winchester said, “My only complaint about this episode is that I wish the ENTIRE thing had been a school play production, complete with cheap special effects and replacement Winchesters. A charming outing for which I bought the soundtrack (3 songs that are also too short). All together now, “a single man tear, a single man tear….”

Gail said, “In a way, this was very close to me, for obvious reasons.  But, in another way, I was able to sit back and just enjoy the humor and the context.  I found among the “fandom” (I’m not big on that term) it was very polarizing.  Some people felt it was making fun of fan fiction, and by extension, its writers.  I didn’t really feel that, although I did find the in-jokes (i.e. Destiel/Sastiel, etc.) very spot on. I understood why Cas wasn’t in that episode, but at least he was represented/mentioned in some way, even though it was mainly for humor. I enjoyed the episode, and I can see why it was ranked so high.”

Lynn said, “The episode literally left me speechless for a long time, capable only of inarticulate exclamations of squee and sobbing that required so many boxes of tissues. I laughed, I cried, I jumped around a lot. Because this episode was all about what we’ve been writing about for the past nine years. It was billed as a ‘love letter to the fans’ and that’s exactly what it was. It was the Show sending us a message: “We see you, and we appreciate you.” And it still makes me cry to think about the fact the Show acknowledged the fans like this.”

This episode is one of Nightsky’s few, coveted “go-to feel-good” remedies. She calls it “an hour-long hug” from a show that means so much to us all. For her, “It’s my emotional teddy bear. No matter what’s wrong, it makes it all okay and gives me the strength to ‘carry on’ again. It has humor, plus sincere respect and insight into what it means to love Supernatural, but the music and broments (“what she said”) melt my heart. Knowing that Jared and Jensen really teared up when they heard “Carry On” – because of the enormity of what the show means to them, too – transfigures the impact beyond the fictional to be very, very real.”  

Memorable Scene #1: Sam and Dean doing what they do best – working a case together:

Sam: Dean, there’s nothing here to even remotely suggest there’s a case.
Dean: There is nothing here to even remotely suggest there isn’t a case. Boom.
Sam: C’mon man.
Dean: Sam, out there hunting, it’s the only normal I know. We got work to do.

Memorable Scene #2: Sam and Dean realize there’s a high school musical about their lives, based on Chuck’s books. And for the record, Dean does declare that “there’s no singing in Supernatural.”

Dean: I’m gonna throw up.

Memorable Scene #3: The episode reminds us of the importance of the Samulet.

Lynn said, “It may seem like a small thing, but there’s power in language, and in who uses it. It’s as if the Show is saying, ‘Yes, we know how you feel. We get it.’ When canon uses fannish language – both accurately and respectfully – that is tremendously validating.”

Marie: Dean? You never should’ve thrown this away. [hands him the Samulet prop]
Dean: It never really worked. I don’t need a symbol to remind me how I feel about my brother.

Memorable Scene #4: The episode not only gives us a Broment, but it also explains it in a whole new way! Dean’s reaction to the BM scene is truly priceless.

Dean: What are they doing?
Marie: Oh, uh they’re rehearsing the “BM” scene.
Dean: The bowel movement scene?
Marie: No, the boy melodrama scene… You know the scene where the boys get together and their driving or leaning against Baby, drinking a beer, sharing their feelings. The two of them alone, but together — bonded, united, the power of their pain is-
Dean: Why are they standing so close together?
Marie: Reasons.
Dean: You know they’re brothers, right.
Marie: Well, duh. But subtext.
Dean: Why don’t you take a sub-step back ladies!

And let’s not forget that Sam found the entire thing hilarious:

Sam: Destiel? Shouldn’t it be Dee-stiel? And what about Sastiel? Samstiel?

Memorable Scene #5: Sometimes Dean might rely on lines from movies or books or plays when he gives a pep talk, but listen, ultimately he says exactly what I… er, we… I mean we… ultimately, he says what we need to hear.

Marie: It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t written this dumb play none of this would have happened.
Dean: Okay, well first of all, the play’s not dumb.
Maeve: I thought you didn’t believe in this interpretation.
Dean: Yeah, I don’t. Like at all. But you do, okay. And I need you to believe in it with all you got. So we can kill Calliope and save all your friends. Can you do that?

Memorable Scene #6: Let’s also not forget that Carver Edlund, aka Chuck, aka God, not only shows up to watch the play, but he also gives his blessing!

Marie: Hi. Thank you so much for coming, I know the second act is a little bit wonky and the first act has some issues, but… what did you think?
Chuck: Not bad.

Memorable Scene(s) #7: The songs in the musical were nothing less than perfect, from ‘On the Road So Far’ to ‘I’ll Just Wait Here Then’ to ‘A Single Man Tear’ and of course, ‘Carry On Wayward Son.’

Siobhan/”Dean”: You’re right Sammy, out on the road, just the two of us.
Marie/”Sam”: The two of us against the world!
Sam: What she said.

It’s fine, I’m fine, everything is fine.

#14 “A Very Supernatural Christmas” (3.08)

Sam and Dean investigate a case involving Santa? Well sorta. It’s actually Madge and Edward Carrigan, who happen to be the pagan gods of the Winter Solstice.

The episode also gives us flashbacks to Sam and Dean as young boys, struggling with life on the road with their mostly-absent father.

Nightsky called the flashbacks “precious,” adding, “Even after all the times I’ve seen this, I still tear up. Geez, the emotional power of this episode!”

Alice said, “Stunning to find that new writer Jeremy Carver so got this show! He stunningly brought together grim horror with poignant Hallmark family moments. A holiday classic!”

Gail said, “It was a treat to see a Christmas themed episode, and get a glimpse into what Christmas was like for the brothers when they were young. It was both a funny and a poignant episode.”

Nate Winchester called the episode “a perfect Supernatural Christmas episode,” adding, “This has… a very manly style heart to it that can be hard to explain without going into a multi hour video explaining it. After a roller coaster ride of laughs and tension with one of the single best Monster of the Week monsters, the whole thing is capped off with a perfect parable about how it’s not the gift, but the thought that counts. After everything, for their reward, the boys get to enjoy one perfect moment together as a family. (“a single man tear…”)”

Journalbookbinder said, “Like some people watch It’s a Wonderful Life or A Christmas Story every year at Christmas, I watch this. My Supernatural friends and I give each other gifts wrapped ONLY in newspaper. It’s the rule. It feels like this one started a personal tradition! It’s so touching (and, again, has its very funny and scary moments). The standout is the last scene where Sam ‘gives’ Dean a real Christmas in a rundown motel room and Dean loves it as much as if it were a five star resort. Sam got past his own fear and hurt to give his brother something he wanted, and it was beautiful.”

Lynn said, “One of the best things about this episode is the flashbacks and the glimpse into Sam and Dean’s childhood. The scene when Dean, just a baby himself, tries so hard to make a Christmas for his brother, to make it okay when it really isn’t. The heartbreaking moment when Dean reluctantly has to tell Sam the truth, all the while trying to reassure him that they’re safe and it will be all right. The entire episode is brilliant for what it shows us about how things have always been between them, and it makes me tear up even now, so hard to watch and so well done.”

Kate38 said, “What’s not to love about a Wee-Chester flashback that gives us the origin of the Samulet?” She added, “I love the bittersweetness of this one – especially the very ending when Sam realizes and accepts WHY Dean needs to have a Christmas, and they exchange their gifts.  I’m always touched by the wordless exchange right before Sam suggests they watch a game on TV. I think we all have our theories about what the Boys were saying with their eyes.”

Memorable Scene(s) #1: Sam and Dean debating the existence of Santa. One of the things that really drew me into the show was how smart Sam and Dean are. They may not be smart in terms of societal norms and definitions, i.e. they aren’t engineers or doctors… although maybe on some levels they actually are? Anyway, regardless of what society traditionally deems smart, these boys are, in fact, very smart when it comes to monsters, and lore, and sifting through details, and finding answers. I’ve always loved that the Show presents us with things outside of the box of Normal and shows us that there are other options, and it is OK.

Dean: What could you possibly say that sounds crazy to me?
Sam: Um… evil Santa.
Dean: …Yeah, that’s crazy.
Sam: Yeah… I mean, I’m just saying that there’s some version of the anti-Claus in every culture. You got Belsnickel, Krampus, Black Peter. Whatever you want to call it, there’s all sorts of lore.

Dean: So, this is your theory, huh? Santa’s shady brother?
Sam: Well, ah – I’m just saying, that’s what the lore says.
Dean: Santa doesn’t have a brother. There is no Santa.
Sam: Yeah, I know. You’re the one who told me that in the first place, remember. Yeah, you know what, I could be wrong. I… gotta be wrong.

Memorable Scene #2: Sam and Dean attempt to kill the pagan gods Madge and Edward Carrigan, but it doesn’t go as planned. Enter Dean who gives us swearing in its finest form:

Dean: You bitch!
Madge: Oh, my goodness me! Somebody owes a nickel to the swear jar. Oh, do you know what I say when I feel like swearing? Fudge.
Dean: I’ll try and remember that!
Edward: You boys have no idea how lucky you are. There was a time when kids came from miles around, just to be sitting where you are.
Sam: What do you think you’re doing with those?
Dean: You fudging touch me again and I’ll fudging kill you!

Memorable Scene(s) #3: All of the scenes with young Sam and Dean, brilliantly portrayed by Colin Ford and Ridge Canipe. These two young actors bring all of the heart ache and heart break to their scenes, brilliantly showing the struggle of living on the road with an absentee father. #throwsawardsatthem

Young Dean: Well, the first thing you have to know is we have the coolest dad in the world. He’s a superhero.
Young Sam: He is?
Young Dean: Yeah. Monsters are real. Dad fights them. He’s fighting them right now.
Young Sam: But Dad said the monsters under my bed weren’t real.
Young Dean: That’s ’cause he had already checked under there. But yeah, they’re real. Almost everything’s real.
Young Sam: Is Santa real?
Young Dean: No.

Memorable Scene #4: Young Dean has finally explained to Young Sam the truth about their lives, and it has been very hard for Young Sam to understand. It’s Christmas, and Young Sam is frustrated and angry and hurt, and he does the only thing that makes any sense – he gives his brother a gift, the gift he intended to give to his father. And Young Dean is so grateful, so appreciative, which is both comforting and validating to Young Sam. And there it is, the Samulet.

Young Sam: Here, take this.
Young Dean: No. No, that’s for Dad.
Young Sam: Dad lied to me. I want you to have it.
Young Dean: You sure?
Young Sam: I’m sure.
Young Dean: Thank you, Sam. I… I love it.

Memorable Scene #5: The episode ends with Sam and Dean in their hotel room, celebrating their last Christmas together (because Dean’s crossroads deal will be up soon, and he won’t be here next year). They exchange presents, drink eggnog, and turn on the TV to watch football. The song ‘Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas’ begins, and as the camera pans out of the room, the lyrics heard are ‘Until then / we’ll have to muddle through somehow’.

Ugh. Here come the floodgates of tears, Again.

#13 “The Monster at the End of This Book” (4.18)

Well, here we go. Sam and Dean stumble across the book series, Supernatural, written by Carver Edlund. As they read the books, they realize it is a full-out documentary of their lives.

Alice said, “this has proven to be a vital episode to this series, no?”

Nightsky added, “The implications leading into Season 15…”

Gail said, “Fan fiction again, eh? I can’t help it – Sam and Dean finding out about ‘slash/Wincest’ online stuff is just too funny. Chuck? Sorry, I never cared for Chuck, even back then. Less so, when they finally revealed he was God. He just lets them go through all this. He just stands there. Zero. Zilch. I did like Cas slipping the information to Dean that a ‘prophet’ would be protected by Archangels. We know he wasn’t supposed to help Dean, yet, he did. But if Chuck is God, then why would he need an Archangel’s protection? The episode was interesting at the time, but based on what we know now, also puzzling.”

Lynn said, “I’ve written entire conference papers and book chapters about the scene where Dean asks, ‘What’s a slash fan?’ but let’s just say fandom at the time just about passed out at that moment! I felt like every word of this episode was written with such affection for both the show and the fandom – including all the poking fun. The Show poking fun at itself, listing the episodes that were ‘bad writing’ and apologizing for putting Sam and Dean (and fandom) through it – and at the same time defensively reminding us, writing is hard! Such delicious meta!”

Journalbookbinder said, “This one was incredible. The start of the meta episodes, and it could not have been better. When Sam and Dean find out what a slash fan is, well, I still laugh no matter now many times I see it. A great thing about this show has always been how self-aware it is, and also aware of US and what we do with the show. The comic scene with Carver Edlund’s publisher and the tattoo reveal is great! One of my favorite scenes of the entire series in the one with Sam and Dean at the laundromat as Dean reads to Sam about what his next move will be before it happens! And Chuck. Ah, Chuck. He started out as one character and grew into another. And with all of THAT, it’s easy to forget about the final scene where it looks like Sam will sleep with Lilith to seal the deal (who knew that the way of sealing the deal escalated with the level of demon you were dealing with?!) before he is saved by Dean and Chuck and Chuck’s violently protective archangel. There was SO MUCH in this episode!”

Kate38 said, “This one had a great story, too! How many of us would NOT try to change a day in our life if we thought we could avoid an unfortunate destiny?” She also gave Kudos to Rob Benedict, saying, “He knocked this episode out of the park! He could’ve just been silly and pathetic, but he added so many more layers to his character, which made him infinitely more interesting to me.”

Nate Winchester agreed, adding, “Ah Chuck. I will always be of the opinion that he was more fun as a prophet and this introductory episode is part of the reason why. He’s just so lovable as the guy in over his head.” Nate also said, “It’s hilarious to watch the boys get their first exposure to their own fandom without the fandom realizing it. Plus I still love the moment when Castiel and Dean figure out a way to overcome a problem without attacking it head on, and that’s when they’re always at their best.”

Memorable Scene(s) #1: Sam and Dean begin to read the Supernatural books, and quickly realize exactly what’s inside.

Dean: There are ‘Sam girls’ and ‘Dean girls’ and – what’s a ‘slash fan’?
Sam: As in… Sam-slash-Dean. Together.
Dean: Like, together together?
Sam: Yeah.
Dean: They do know we’re brothers, right?
Sam: Doesn’t seem to matter.
Dean: Oh, come on. That… That’s just sick. We got to find this Carver Edlund.

Dean: ‘Sam tossed his gigantic darks into the machine. He was starting to have doubts about Chuck, about whether he was telling the whole truth.’
Sam: Stop it.
Dean: ‘Stop it, Sam said.’ Guess what you do next. ‘Sam turned his back on Dean, his face brooding and pensive.’ I mean, I don’t know how he’s doing it, but this guy is doing it. I can’t see your face, but those are definitely your ‘brooding and pensive’ shoulders. You just thought I was a dick.
Sam: The guy’s good.

Memorable Scene #2: Sam and Dean want to find the author, Carver Edlund, so they track down his publisher, Sera. She is a true fangirl, and she questions them extensively, finally accepting them as fans when the boys reveal their tattoos.

Memorable Scene #3: Sera tells Sam and Dean that Carver’s real name is Chuck Shurley, and she gives them his address. Sam and Dean go to his house to confront him about his writings (cue Nightsky’s comment about the foreshadowing of season 15!).

Chuck: Well, there’s only one explanation. Obviously I’m a god.
Sam: You’re not a god.
Chuck: How else do you explain it? I write things and then they come to life. Yeah, no, I’m definitely a god. A cruel, cruel, capricious god. The things I put you through – The physical beatings alone.

Chuck: I am so sorry. I mean, horror is one thing, but to be forced to live bad writing… if I would have known it was real, I would have done another pass.

Memorable Scene #4: Cas tells Dean that Chuck is a prophet of God, and that his books will be known as the Winchester Gospels (Nightsky looking at season 15 again…)

Dean: This is the guy who decides our fate?
Castiel: He isn’t deciding anything. He’s a mouthpiece – a conduit for the inspired word.
Dean: The word? The word of god? What, like the new new testament?
Castiel: One day, these books – they’ll be known as the Winchester gospel.

Memorable Scene #5: Dean is frustrated, and desperate. Dean starts to pray. Cas appears, and ultimately he tells Dean of a way to stop Lilith: Chuck is protected by an archangel who will intervene if Chuck is threatened; Dean understands that Cas is suggesting to put Chuck in the same room with Lilith. And that’s exactly what Dean does.

Lynn said, “It’s a testament to just how helpless Dean feels that he finally prays for help for the first time. No matter what, he refuses to give up on trying to protect Sam.”

Dean: This isn’t a story anymore. It’s real! And you’re in it! Now I need you to get off your ass and fight. Come on Chuck.
Chuck: No friggin’ way.
Dean: Okay, well then, how ’bout this – I’ve got a gun in my pocket, and if you don’t come with me, I’ll blow your brains out.
Chuck: I thought you said I was protected by an archangel?
Dean: Well, interesting exercise. Let’s see who the quicker draw is.

In the final scene, Dean brings Chuck to the hotel to stop Sam from trying to kill Lilith. And, you guessed it, an Archangel began to rumble his way into the room, but Lilith escapes before the angel arrives. Chuck is saved. Sam is saved. But the frustration – for everyone – continues.

All this drama is just too much!

 #12 “Changing Channels” (5.08)

Ah yes, you know this one – Sam and Dean are trapped inside a series of TV shows by none other than the Trickster… or is it? Hilarity ensues.

As Elle aptly said, “Who doesn’t love a good reveal?”

Lynn said, “This is one of my all time favorites! I love it when the Winchesters are smart – figuring out they’re dealing with an angel, not a trickster!”

Alice said, “I still marvel over how Carver cleanly tied in the mythic to this totally bats*** crazy idea.”

Nate Winchester called the episode “the pinnacle of Supernatural comedy.” He added, “I would probably rank this episode as #1 – number one among the comedy episodes that is! We all love the trickster and here he is at his best, putting our boys into TV shows where they don’t belong. So much of this episode is a brilliant, hilarious parody of pop culture at the time, reaching its peak in a fake commercial that I can still remember falling out my chair laughing at when it first aired. Perfection.”

Gail agreed. She gave the episode “high marks,” saying “This was one of the really innovative episodes, putting the guys in different TV shows and genres. Fourth Wall? Try 8th, or 16th! The whole thing is fantastic, creative writing, and it worked so well. A great send-up of genre, procedural TV shows, commercials, Japanese game shows, sitcoms, and of course, Dr. Sexy…. it was all brilliant! And the big reveal about Gabriel being behind it all and his true identity – spectacular!”

Journalbookbinder was a bit less enthusiastic about the episode – she didn’t love it – but she did laugh. She said, “I still laugh at the parody of CSI Miami. Does anyone who watches today (new viewers) even know what they are parodying? Also, the parody of Night Rider and all the very wink wink slashy innuendo there when Sam IS the car and Dean’s, er, rummaging around in his trunk.  Still sometimes can’t believe how much fun this show is and can’t believe the writers go there sometimes!”

Memorable Scene #1: Sam and Dean in a sitcom? Yes, Sam and Dean are in a sitcom.

Dean: Hey there, Sam. What’s happening?
Sam: Oh, nothing. Um. Just the end of the world.

Bikini Girl: We have some more research to do.
Sam: Dean…
Dean: Son of a bitch!

Memorable Scene #2: Dean watches Dr. Sexy, MD. And he likes it. A lot.

Dean: You’re not Dr. Sexy.
Dr. Sexy: You’re crazy.
Dean: Really? Because I swore part of what makes Dr. Sexy sexy is the fact that he wears cowboy boots. Not tennis shoes.
Sam: Yeah. You’re not a fan.
Dean: It’s a guilty pleasure.

Memorable Scene #3: Sam removes a bullet from Dean. In an operating room. In an actual hospital. Yes, folks, Sam performs surgery.

Sam: Okay. Um. I need a penknife, some dental floss, a sewing needle, and a fifth of whiskey. Stat!

Memorable Scene #4: Apparently, when Sam isn’t performing surgery, he’s making commercials for herpes. Yes, that’s right, Sam has herpes.

Memorable Scene #5: Sam and Dean also find themselves at a crime scene, as in a CSI: Miami style crime scene, complete with sunglasses, squinted eyes, and bad lines delivered badly.

Officer: Well, aside from the ligature marks around his neck, he has what appears to be a roll of quarters jammed down his throat.
Sam: Well I say, jackpot.
Officer: Also, there is a stab wound to the lower abdomen.
Dean: Well I say, no guts, no glory.

 

Memorable Scene #6: Dean thinks he has gotten rid of the Trickster, but now he can’t find Sam. As Dean gets into the Impala, well, um, he finds Sam… because Sam is now the Impala, a throwback to the TV show Knight Rider.

Sam: Dean?
Dean: What?
Sam: That, uh, feels really uncomfortable.

Memorable Scene(s) #7: Cas tells Sam and Dean they may be dealing with something more powerful than a Trickster. The boys can’t seem to get out of the TV show loop, so they decide to work with Cas’ theory, and Dean sets a ring of fire with holy oil, and calls upon the Trickster. Well, well, well, guess who is no trapped inside that ring of fire – not the Trickster, but the archangel Gabriel. He tells the boys they are destined to be the vessels for Lucifer and Michael because their brotherly relationship mirrors the relationship between Michael and Lucifer: Dean is like Michael – the loyal son, obeying the absent father; Sam is like Lucifer – the rebellious son. Gabriel tells them it has always been predestined.

Dean: Do you blame him? I mean, his brothers are heavyweight douchenozzles.
Gabriel: Shut your cakehole. You don’t know anything about my family. I love my father, my brothers. Love them. But watching them turn on each other? Tear at each other’s throats? I couldn’t bear it! Okay? So I left. And now it’s happening all over again.

Ooof. This is not gonna end well.

#11 “Don’t Call Me Shurley” (11.20)

In this episode, Sam and Dean try to save a small town from Amara and her deadly fog. Meanwhile, Metatron finds himself inside a bar with none other than God himself. That’s right, folks – he’s baaack.

Alice said, “The amulet was in Sam’s pocket the whole time! Aww man. The scenes between Chuck and Metatron were pure gold.”

Nate Winchester said, “Again, as a fan of Chuck as prophet I have mixed feelings about this episode, given that it outright confirms he was God all along. Yet how can I stay mad when Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong just play so well off each other? A sign of a great episode is one that I want to hate, but it just won’t let me.”

Kate38 said, “This one belongs in the top ten, but I’ll accept 11th place, I guess. I LOVED everything about this episode, from Metatron’s redemption as he pleads humanity’s case to Chuck; to Rob Benedict’s haunting rendition of “Dink’s Song”; to the reappearance of the Samulet and Dean ONCE AGAIN refusing to leave his brother and being willing to die alongside him. I just loved this episode from start to jaw-dropping finish.”  

Gail said, “Wow. I was extremely impressed by this one, too. A tour-de-force of performance by Curtis Armstrong, who actually made me feel for Metatron for a moment, and Rob Benedict as Chuck/God; even though I expressed how I felt about the decision to make him God and the character himself, this episode touched me. The interaction between the two was riveting. And the song at the end, and the dramatic scene with Sam and Dean and the mist, Dean breathing it in deliberately when he thought Sam was lost, their frantic efforts to save those people; then, to have the amulet glowing and to have the mist/fog recede, only to meet Chuck on the street, saying they had to talk. That was very, very well done.” 

Journalbookbinder said, “Robbie Thompson. If anyone doubted that he’s a master, this one drives a stake through the doubters. The performances by Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong are like a Master Class. There is SO MUCH dialog and all of it necessary as Chuck and Metatron discuss Chuck’s motives and Metatron calls him out on his bad behavior. I also greatly appreciated that Chuck tells Metatron that while he was absent he dated some women… and men. Meanwhile, Sam and Dean are trying to combat a deadly fog and one of the most touching scenes of the show is when Dean deeply inhales the fog so he can die along with Sam.  Finally, the appearance of Dean’s amulet after all this time makes us realize Sam had saved it all those years; he pulled it out of the trashcan when Dean threw it out and we are left to speculate if that’s because he still has some faith or because he has sentimental ties to it.  This was such a GREAT and emotional episode!”

Lynn agreed, adding, “Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong, two of my favorite people in the universe, made absolute magic happen. They’re both great actors, and the scenes between the two of them were amazing. Their scenes had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and then reaching for the tissues as Metatron – of all people! – ripped my heart out. Curtis shows us every bit of his pain and every bit of his courage too.” She went on to talk about the return of the amulet, saying, “The emotion I felt at that moment was truly overwhelming. I couldn’t even talk. It needed to happen. I needed it to happen.”

Nightsky isn’t shy about declaring this to be her second favorite episode of the entire series. She explains why in her original review of the story: “Emotion. Supernatural legacy. Acting. Beloved Characters. Shock. Meta. Storyline… It was an emotional powerhouse filled with sculpted dialog… the script is a storytelling masterpiece. The drama and action in Sam and Dean’s world kept pace with Metatron’s conversations with God. As Metatron’s understanding and boldness with God increased, so too did the intensity of the story, and the audience’s stake in what was happening……Even on my first watch, while I was frantically trying to absorb what was happening – God in the story; the Darkness finally invading Earth; Sam and Dean’s final, desperate moments – I was transfixed by Rob Benedict’s and Curtis Armstrong’s acting… I loved this episode. Absolutely loved it.”

Memorable Scene #… ok, who am I kidding? Literally every single scene with Chuck and Metatron is memorable, unforgettable, priceless. Kudos to Rob Benedict and Curtis Armstrong for their incredible performances throughout this episode! Their lines, their delivery, their expressions, their scenes – all of it just flows together so naturally it’s as if they have worked together forever. Rob switches between Chuck and God effortlessly; in one instant, he is Chuck and happy-go-lucky and living life; then in the very next second, he is God and all-powerful and angry and sad and disappointed. Curtis gave us a character we love to hate in Metatron, yet in this episode, he brings us a Metatron that is vulnerable yet courageous enough to stand up to God himself – and I think we all kinda fell in love with him.

Chuck: I did some great stuff as Chuck. I mean, I-I told you about my blog.
Metatron: Oh. Oh, right, yeah. Your, uh. Your cat-pic blog.
Chuck: Yeah. They’re super cute. So there’s that. And I traveled, a lot, you know. And, uh, I dated. Yeah, I had some girlfriends. Had a few boyfriends. Oh! And I learned how to play guitar.

Chuck: You know I love those guys, but the world would still be spinning with demon Dean in it. But Sam couldn’t have that, though, could he? And so how is Amara being out on me?
Metatron: It’s not. But you helped the Winchesters before.
Chuck: Helped them? I’ve saved them! I’ve rebuilt Castiel more times than I can remember. Look where that got me.
Metatron: So you’re just gonna let Amara win?
Chuck: Eh, it’s her time to shine.

Metatron: You want to write the best-selling autobiography of all time, you explain to me — tell me why you abandoned me. Us.
Chuck: Because you disappointed me. You all disappointed me.
Metatron: No, look. I know I’m a disappointment, but you’re wrong about humanity. They are your greatest creation because they’re better than you are. Yeah, sure, they’re weak and they cheat and steal and… destroy and disappoint. But they also give and create and they sing and dance and love. And above all, they never give up. But you do.

While Chuck and Metatron are writing the autobiography, Sam and Dean are trying to save that town from Amara and her fog. But it’s too late. The fog is rolling into town, and they are powerless to stop it. Deputy Harris arrives, infected with Amara’s disease, with a message for Dean:

Deputy Harris: It’s not an infection. She says it’s a mirror. She’s showing us all the truth.
Dean: Darkness.
Deputy Harris: The light was just a lie. It will all be over soon. He’s not gonna save them. It’s all going away… forever. But not you Dean.

The fog arrives, consuming the townspeople – and Sam. Sam begs Dean to leave, but of course, Dean will not leave his brother. He tries to inhale the fog, but it has no effect on him. In desperation, he calls out to God.

Sam: We’re not gonna make it.
Dean: No, no, no. There’s no quittin’ here.
Sam: We’re never gonna make it.
Dean: Sam, listen to me. That’s not you talking, it’s the fog.
Sam: You were gonna choose Amara over me. Over everything.
Dean: Sam, No!
Sam: Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that, Dean. I can’t fight this, you gotta go. You got to get out before you get infected. Go before I hurt you!
Dean: No. I’m not leaving you — ever! Stop this! You hear me, you dick?

 

While Sam and the townspeople are succumbing to the fog, Chuck finishes his manuscript and hands it over to Metatron. While Metatron reads it, Chuck walks to the stage and picks up the guitar. This is perhaps one of the most unforgettable scenes of the entire series as Chuck sings “Fare Thee Well”.

As Chuck sings, we watch Dean pull a glowing amulet from Sam’s pocket… and Sam and the townspeople are saved. Sam and Dean walk outside, Dean holding the glowing amulet.

Down the street, they see a familiar face.

Chuck: We should probably talk.

I don’t know what this means for the upcoming season… but if this Show has taught me anything, it’s that there is Always Hope.

So that’s episodes 15-11 in the Top 100 Favorites list! Did any of these make it onto your list? Let us know in the comments! Be sure to join us again next week as we reveal the first five titles in the Top 10 Episodes of the series!

-MamaPrior, Photographer

Twitter: @MamaPrior or @PriorStudios
IG: @priorstudios
Staff Writer, https://fangasmthebook.com/
Staff Writer, https://thewinchesterfamilybusiness.com/  

See the whole list of our Favorite 100 Episodes from the beginning!  You can find them all with the tag Top 100 Episodes!

Need a little help compiling your Top 100 Favorite Episodes? Karen and Nightsky are sharing their Top 6 episodes of each season, to coincide with the #SPNSummer2019 Hiatus Rewatch. You can find those lists, and all of WFB’s Top 10 articles in WFB’s Article Archives!