Supernatural’s Top 100 Favorite Episodes: Countdown 5-3!

Here it is… at long last… The Final Countdown!

Did you just sing that?

Announcing numbers 5, 4, and 3 of our Favorite 100 Supernatural Episodes!

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!

#5 “All Hell Breaks Loose, Part Two” (2.22)

Story By Eric Kripke and Michael T. Moore
Teleplay by Eric Kripke
Directed By Kim Manners

This episode begins with Dean mourning and refusing to accept the death of Sam. So, of course, he makes a Crossroads deal to bring Sam back. With Sam alive and healthy, Dean and Sam, along with Bobby and Ellen, track the Yellow Eyed Demon to a cemetery in Wyoming – a cemetery smack in the middle of a set of churches built by none other than Samuel Colt, surrounded by railways that form a pentagram, a perfect devil’s trap!

Once at the cemetery, they quickly realize the devil’s trap was designed to protect against a specific crypt, which is actually a Devil’s Gate. And guess what gets opened? Ok, so this probably isn’t gonna end well.

Nightsky summed up why this show is so highly ranked among our favorites. “Starting AHBL2 with “Carry On” gives me chills to this day. This episode is perfection. Line after line, scene after scene is either a climactic conclusion to what came before, or a brilliant set up to what will come afterward. Dean’s frustrated acknowledgement of what his life has been to this point, “You don’t think I’ve given enough? You don’t think I’ve paid enough?” and his bitter shame at his perceived worthlessness, “I had one job. I had one job, and I screwed it up. I blew it, and for that I’m sorry…” summed up his entire character in just a few words. His bedside confession to Sam is one of the top moments of the series, but the intensity just keeps building to the crossroads deal. “Dad brought me back; I’m not even supposed to be here. At least maybe this way my life will mean something.” I hate watching that, knowing what it starts. But all that heartache, for the family and for fans, is released and resolved wih their unexpected triumph. John returns and he, Sammy and Dean are all in full tears as John ascends to Heaven. The closing lines: “That was for our mom, you SOB”, “You’re my big brother. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.” and Dean echoing Sam’s pilot line, “We’ve got work to do.” – epic. This show has so much heart. I’m in complete awe. I can’t believe I’m so lucky to be in love with this show.”

Journalbookbinder: said, “Azazel, aka the Yellow-Eyed Demon, was a great character. That timeless line and perfect delivery of it when he gives Jake the Colt to take to the cemetery and Jake points it at Azazel’s head, “Oh, I am shocked by this unforeseen turn of events.” PERFECT!”

She added, “The standout here for me is that utterly perfect shot of Dean firing the Colt. I still marvel at that shot. Right up there with the dropped coffee cup when Sam discovers John has died. Seeing Sam’s ability to be so cold when killing Jake and Dean’s reaction to that set me back when I first watched it – AND we get the “we’ve got work to do” shot from the inside of the trunk! This episode is such a roller coaster and seems to set the course of the next few seasons.”

Nate Winchester said, “I still remember watching this for the first time and my jaw dropping when the show went and actually killed off the main bad guy! In Season Two! Don’t you know that these things are supposed to drag out for years and allow the show to run forever and ever until the final episode? Sure, Buffy would rotate season long villains over the years, but Supernatural had gone through Season One with the same villain, that had made it seem like the more traditional show that was going to use its premise to hang episodes together.”

Nate added, “That moment where Dean takes the shot proved that this show was going to be a little different from everything that had come before. Topped off with a stellar performance by Frederic Lehne (who had to act blind) as the Yellow-Eyed Demon, Jensen showing a believable emotional breakdown, and a great exit by Jeffery Dean Morgan – everything about this episode is just perfection. PERFECT!”

Lynn said, “This finale had it all! Dean’s desperation kills me… I was open mouthed the entire time when Dean made the Crossroads Deal, absolutely astonished and pretty much wrecked. We knew how much the brothers loved each other. But this? OMG. And when it worked? I started sobbing all over again. And then the hug – I still can’t watch it without sobbing.”

She added, “The entire silent conversation that goes on between Bobby and Dean when Sam walks through Bobby’s door is Priceless. How did we get so lucky to get this caliber of actors on this show? Then the confrontation between Dean and Bobby killed me all over again. Bobby’s rage, borne out of love, and overwhelming grief at being about to lose Dean now is so heartbreakingly real.”

Lynn also said, “The last 10 minutes of this episode are insane, as the threads and the mysteries of the last two years all come together BRILLIANTLY. One Perfect Shot of Dean finally killing the Yellow-Eyed Demon is Absolute Perfection. Seriously, this is How To Do A Season Finale 101.”

Kate38 said, “The first time I saw this episode, I literally GASPED when John Winchester’s spirit appeared! I love how they wove John back into the story at that pivotal moment to show us all that he wasn’t staying in Hell, while simultaneously bringing the lifelong quest of the Winchesters to a stunningly successful close with the death of Azazel. To me, Azazel’s death was more critical to the early part of the series than Sam jumping into the cage in “Swan Song”. I’m sure that’s just me, though. I love that John clawed his way out of Hell! I love that he was THERE to fight that battle with his sons, and that he had a few precious seconds to say farewell to his boys before his soul ascended to heaven and a peaceful rest. That felt so… appropriate.”

Memorable Scene #1: Bobby tries to comfort Dean, to help him in his time of mourning for Sam.

Bobby: Something big is going down – end-of-the world big.
Dean: Well, then let it end!
Bobby: You don’t mean that.
Dean: You don’t think so? Huh? You don’t think I’ve given enough? You don’t think I’ve paid enough? I’m done with it. All of it. And if you know what’s good for you, you’d turn around, and get the hell out of here.

Memorable Scene #2: Dean talks to dead Sam.

Dean: You know, when we were little – and you couldn’t been more than 5 – you just started asking questions. How come we didn’t have a mom? Why do we always have to move around? Where’d Dad go when he’d take off for days at a time? I remember I begged you, “Quit asking, Sammy. Man, you don’t want to know.” I just wanted you to be a kid… Just for a little while longer. I always tried to protect you. Keep you safe. Dad didn’t even have to tell me. It was just always my responsibility, you know? It’s like I had one job. I had one job. And I screwed it up. I blew it. And for that, I’m sorry. I guess that’s what I do. I let down the people I love. I let Dad down. And now I guess I’m just supposed to let you down, too. How can I? How am I supposed to live with that? What am I supposed to do? Sammy. God. What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to do?!

Memorable Scene #3: Dean makes a Crossroads Deal to bring Sam back.

Dean: What do I have to do?
Crossroads Demon: First of all, quit groveling. Needy guys are such a turnoff. Look… Look, I shouldn’t be doing this. I could get in a lot of trouble. But what can I say? I got a blind spot for you, Dean. You’re like a… puppy. You’re just too fun to play with. I’ll do it.
Dean: You’ll bring him back?
Crossroads Demon: I will. And because I’m such a saint, I’ll give you one year, and one year only. But here’s the thing. If you try and welch or weasel your way out, then the deal is off. Sam drops dead. He’s back to rotten meat in no time. So… It’s a better deal than your dad ever got. What do you say?

The deal is sealed. Sam is back and healthy. And Dean is happy and relieved and grateful… and he might be a little scared, but – and this is just my opinion – I am 100% sure he has no regrets.

Memorable Scene #4: Bobby knows what Dean did to save Sam.

Bobby: What is it with you Winchesters, huh? You, your dad. You’re both just itching to throw yourselves down the pit.
Dean:That’s my point. Dad brought me back, Bobby. I’m not even supposed to be here. At least this way, something good could come out of it, you know? I–I–It’s like my life could mean something.
Bobby: What? And it didn’t before?! Have you got that low of an opinion of yourself? Are you that screwed in the head?!

Memorable Scene #5: John Winchester climbs out of Hell to help his boys. John wrestles with Azazel, the Yellow-Eyed Demon, but as Azazel breaks free, he sees that Dean has the Colt. Dean shoots and kills Azazel.

Sam: You did it.
Dean:I didn’t do it alone.
Sam: Do you think Dad really… do you think he really climbed outta Hell?
Dean:The door was open. If anyone’s stubborn enough to do it, it would be him.
Sam: I kind of can’t believe it, Dean. I mean… our whole lives, everything… has been prepping for this, and now I, I kind of don’t know what to say.
Dean: I do. That was for our mom, you son of a bitch.

Memorable Scene #7: Dean confesses to Sam about his Crossroads Deal, admitting to Sam that he got one year.

Sam: Did you sell your soul for me, like Dad did for you?
Dean: Oh, come on! No!
Sam: Dean, tell me the truth.
Sam: How long do you get?
Dean: One year. I got one year.
Sam: You shouldn’t have done that. How could you do that?
Dean: Don’t get mad at me. Don’t you do that. I had to. I had to look out for you. That’s my job.
Sam: And what do you think my job is?
Dean: What?
Sam: You’ve saved my life over and over. I mean, you sacrifice everything for me. Don’t you think I’d do the same for you? You’re my big brother. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And I don’t care what it takes, I’m gonna get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change.