Reviews That I Missed: “Supernatural” 2.10 – “Hunted”

Well, the cat is out of the bag now.  Dean finally fessed up and told John’s secret to Sam.  What do you know, things ended up getting interesting.  Now I feel like we’re getting some momentum in this mytharc. 

“Hunted” is something I really needed at this point in season two.  It was a chance to see finally both perspectives of the brothers as they were separated most of the time, which was so refreshing.  Each of their stories captured perfectly what each one was feeling about the current situation.  Sam wanted to dig further into the mystery surrounding his psychic abilities while Dean jumped into full-on Sam protection mode.  When Sam forced the issue and they both had to deal with the situation in their own way, they ended up finding common ground in the end.  Oh, and some old and new characters came along to push the story up a notch.  It was quite brilliant. 

Ava “I’m Awesome” Wilson

My favorite part of this episode was the introduction of Ava Wilson, the quirky, ditzy, and totally doomed secretary from Peoria.  She’s the epitome of the unlikely heroine, a normal average person innocently caught in one f-ed up circumstance.  All she wants to do is the right thing.  Having seen Scott Carey’s murder in her dreams and then finding out it happened after she dreamt about it, she couldn’t let the same thing happen to Sam.  I just loved that there was another person out there having visions like Sam.  He was not alone in his freakiness! 

Okay, I’m sure some found her annoying, but I thought she was fun.  Not your normal damsel in distress.  Her visit to the psychologist was freaking hilarious.  She and Sam made a great team.  Too bad it didn’t last. 

Gordon “I’m Not Awesome” Walker

I squealed the first time when I saw it was Gordon shooting at Sam.  That makes so much sense.  Who else would be killing the psychic kids but a hunter?  A lot of hunters are a lot more ruthless with their black and white judgements and Gordon is their poster boy.  As we have learned from “Bloodlust,” Gordon only has two labels, good or evil.  No in between, no special circumstances.

Still, Gordon did have a point.  When you get word of a diabolical plot to turn a bunch of young adults into soldiers in a demon army, I understand the drive to do something about it.  That’s what hunters do.  Gordon no doubt has some rather good intel, for what he was told wasn’t wrong.  He knows how to read people too, and he’s not going to trust Dean to do the right thing and take out Sam when he goes dark.  Sam is evil, he has to die.  He’s doing the world a favor, even if fangirls everywhere are reeling over it. 

Dean “Just give me some time” Winchester

I’m a little more sympathetic with Dean this episode.  I know John put him in a really shi**y position, but he should have been honest with Sam.  He had this coming, Sam leaving him in the middle of the night to take on the fight alone.  Without him raging though, it’s easier to see his predicament, and it’s easier to feel sorry for him.  He’s scared.  Whatever is happening is freaking him out, and his need to control everything and keep Sam safe is being threatened.  Actually, it’s not a need.  It’s his life’s mission.  His obsession.  The problem is he’s still stuck in that mindset that he’s that four year old carrying that infant out of the burning house.  The fact that something is happening to Sam that he doesn’t understand and isn’t sure how to fix terrifies Dean.  It is his worst nightmare. 

Gordon did poke at a nerve too. Would Dean have “the stones” to kill Sam if he has to?  Would John have done it?  It does make you wonder.   I never believed Dean would be able to kill Sam, but John?  I’m sure that very question ate at Dean too. Could he live up to John’s expectations?  A struggle that plagued him his entire life.  So many more episodes end up digging on that. 

But, to Dean’s credit, he did come clean with Sam.  It was probably a bad idea though to suggest to lay low rather than face what’s happening head on, but he tracked down Sam and stood by his brother anyway.  Yet his reconciliation with Sam exposed another struggle for Dean. Does he accept destiny?  Sure, it was shown through cute dialogue, but this is one of the earliest examples of how much he fights it.    

Dean:  Screw the job. Screw it, man, I’m sick of the job anyway. I mean, we don’t get paid, we don’t get thanked. The only thing we get’s bad luck. 
Sam:  Well, come on, dude, you’re a hunter. I mean, it’s what you were meant to do.
Dean:  Ah, I wasn’t meant to do anything, I don’t believe in that destiny crap.
Sam:  You mean you don’t believe in my destiny.
Dean:  Yeah, whatever. 

Sam F***ing Winchester

I’ve been dying for an episode this season that finally gave Sam’s point of view and gave him a story for himself, not being choked by Dean’s drama.  Sure, others have dabbled in it, but this one really brought it out.  Needless to say, he didn’t take Dean’s confession very well.  Now is not the time for retreat.  He needs to know what’s happening to him now.  If Dean isn’t on board, he’ll do it himself.    

Okay, maybe going to the roadhouse wasn’t the wisest thing, but he needed a lead somewhere and knew Ash could deliver.  Still, there’s a reason Dean has been reluctant to go there before.  Hunters cannot be trusted and they are really good at eavesdropping.  I found it curious that when he walked in the door the other hunters looked at him rather strangely.  Is that just what they do to each other, or had they been talking to Gordon?  Or, had they all been talking to demons?  Either way, Sam is not someone who is trusted or welcome in the hunter community, which is a small reference to his constant feeling that he’s an outsider and doesn’t fit in.   

Sam did get to rise to the occasion on his own, which was pretty awesome to see.  Not only did he get some more clues about what could be coming from stealing Scott Carey’s recordings from the psychologist, but Ava proved to be a worthy partner, giving him the heads up that Dean’s capture was an ambush.  He was calm through the whole thing and willing to face the danger head on.  He even got to kick the crap out of Gordon, which was pretty satisfying.  Talk about being a badass!  Sam F***ing Winchester, badass.  He also stuck to his guns about killing humans too, choosing to turn Gordon into the cops for Scott’s murder rather than killing him.  This is important for later, aka season three later. 

He wasn’t even that fazed by the fact that hunters like Gordon could be after him at the end and there was a betrayal at the roadhouse.  Dean was more pissed about that.  No, Sam’s ready to fight and face head on what’s coming for him.  He’s willing to forgive Dean though, but he wants him by his side during that fight.  Luckily they were able to talk it out at the end, although I really like that they were able to joke about this:

Dean:  Dude, you ever take off like that again . . . 
Sam:  What? You’ll kill me?
Dean:  That is so not funny. 

Still, Sam’s really worried about what’s coming.  First, there was “am I going to go Darkside?” with Dean, and then Ava raised the question after listening to Scott’s tape.  How do they become that?  What makes them become soldiers for Hell?  Since the nightmares drove Scott insane, Max Miller went insane too, as well as Anson Weems – maybe that’s what happens?  It eventually drives them all crazy?  There’s still no pattern and no clear answers.  Sam still has a mission, which makes sense since we’re only half way through season two.  Just spoon feed us those clues Kripke! 

Oh, but that closing scene, did the tides change.  That unflappable, focused Sam Winchester got a little chink in his armor.  It’s slight, but Ava’s disappearance and her fiancé’s brutal murder hit a little too close to home.  His “Ava” at the end shows he’s rattled, knowing that he was the one that sent her home thinking it was safe.  He knows now it’s anything but and demons have her to carry on their plan.  It’s also a pretty clear sign, this could be what’s coming for him.  Surely it’s in the back of his mind that Dean could be in danger as well as him.  But in the meantime, the guilt of what happened to Ava will probably hurt him more. 

Other Thoughts

“Croatoan” to me was the episode where everything for Sam and Dean slowly started spiraling out of control.  It’s a slow build in season two where multiple foes begin coming at them in succession.  Demons are setting their plan in place.  For “Hunted,” hunters are now involved.  We know what’s coming next, and it’s pretty cool.  That’s what made season two so extraordinary.  Crap never stopped flying at them. 

How about that teaser to “White Rabbit?”  One of the better ones of the series. 

This episode confirms that Jo is out hunting on her own now.  Ellen is still cagey about what happened with her husband and John, even though she doesn’t blame Sam, Dean, or John.  This is important for later. 

All the yellow eyes cut outs on the back wall of Scott’s closet?  Not really relevant to the story, but creepy as hell!  I don’t know how Scott’s father never noticed that. 

Favorite line:

Sam: These are .223 Caliber, subsonic rounds. The guy must’ve put a suppressor on the rifle.
Ava:  Dude, who are you?
Sam: I ah…I just I… I just watch a lot of TJ Hooker.

Overall grade, an A.  This moved the story forward well, introduced a whole bunch of moving parts, had some great dialogue, and found it’s way to dig into the characters a bit too.  From here, season two really gets moving. 

Read More of Alice’s Supernatural insights!  Links to all her articles can be found on Alice’s Writer’s Page.

Please share your thoughts on this episode and Alice’s review below!