Recap – “Free To Be You And Me”
Castiel doesn’t understand. “I just looked in her eyes and told her it wasn’t her fault that her father Gene ran off. It’s because he hated his job at the post office.” Dean rolls his eyes and mentions that this whole industry is based on absent fathers. They why did you bring an angel to a whorehouse Dean? He’s going to bring it up. They can’t do much else, for the bouncers show up and it’s time for a quick exit out the back. They get outside and Dean starts laughing. Castiel wants to know what’s so funny. “Oh nothing. It’s just been a long time since I laughed that hard. It’s been more than a long time. Years.” Oh no, another knock on Sam and he isn’t even there to earn it.
Sam and Lindsay a re at a restaurant with a salad bar. It looks like a freaking Bonanza minus the scary locals. T hey’re actually eating salad? Why aren’t they digging into those luscious $8 steaks with loaded potato? No wonder Sam is sad all the time. Lindsay wants to know who the guys in the bar were. Sam tells her they used to work together. What business? Sam avoids by asking how her salad is. Bland, thanks for asking. She guesses witness protection, he’s mafia. Nope. She sulks, so he finally gives her a nugget. He was in business with his brother and was pretty good at the job. He made some mistakes, did some things he’s not so proud of, and people got hurt, a lot of people.
The melodramatic score comes on in the background, so it’s time for caring and sharing. “What was your poison?” s he asks. She knows the look, he’s an addict. She pulls out her AA chip. Three years sober. Sam points out she works in a bar. She points out so does he. Last I looked, demon blood wasn’t on a bar menu. Maybe things are different in Oklahoma. Lindsay does something really extraordinary and earns her worth. ” No one has ever done anything so bad they can’t be forgiven, they can’t change.” Finally, someone gives Sam the pep talk he needs. Took long enough! He takes in all this, not convinced it’s true in his case.
I’m going to add a nugget here. According to a deleted promo circulating around You T ube, a sex scene between Sam and Lindsay was filmed. Or, at least an attempt at sex. A both half naked attempt. I’m presuming it happened after this date. It showed shirtless Sam, so I’m guessing they got started but didn’t finish (aka Sam got cold feet) so she left. Enter the opening scene, where Sam couldn’t sleep because of guilt and bam, there’s Jess. That’s my guess anyway. I hope they include it in the deleted scenes for the season five DVD.
Back at the hospital and a blond nurse walks in front of a angel statue. Someone on this set really likes pushing the Catholic stuff. I loved the story Kripke told on the commentary after filming the opening scene for “Lucifer Rising.” His director of photography Serge Ladoucer , told him they were all going to Hell. This episode probably isn’t helping.
Dean ogles at the nurse from behind and then he and Cas enter the hospital room. Dean closes the blinds. Castiel pours the oil in a circle around the unresponsive dude in a wheelchair. He explains there’s always an open phone line between an angel and his vessel. You just have to know how to dial. I’ll keep that in mind next time I need to speak to an archangel. Castiel chants Latin in the guy’s ear and finishes in English. “I’m here Raphael. Come and get me you little bastard.” Dean sees nothing happen and delivers my FAVORITE line of the episode. “Just out of curiosity, what’s the average customer wait time for an archangel?” Sorry, but both my home and work laptops have gone south recently and I’m growing weary of support lines that try to let me know what the average wait time is. Just fix it already! Castiel tells him to be ready and lights the circle.
Nighttime, Dean and Cas return to house with no avail. “Well that’s a day I’ll never get back ,” Dean harps . They enter the house and within no time there are some flashes of lightening, light bulbs bursting and veggie man appears intact. He says Castiel, Castiel says Raphael. Glad to see the angelic introductions a re gotten out of the way first. Dean ‘s trying to act tough, but for some reason around Raphael he doesn’t have his edge. Probably because he’s intimidated by his previous run ins with archangels. Dean tells Raphael he thought he was supposed to be impressive but all he did was black out the room. “And the Eastern seaboard,” Raphael says in commanding voice. So that’s why there was that gigantic power outage a few years back that blacked out the country from New England all the way to Detroit. An archangel did it! Good to know.
Raphael throws the smiting talk at Castiel, and Dean throws the threat back, speculating Raphael is afraid that God will bring Cas back to life and smite him a “candy-ass skirt.” Okay, not sure I get that reference, but I’ll move on. “By the way, hi, I’m Dean.” Raphael knows who he is. Thanks to Cas he knows where Dean is and he will take him to Michael. Dean tells him he’s not going anywhere with him while grabbing a beer and Dean’s really off. We see as he turns his back how this whole thing is frightening him pretty good. Raphael reminds Dean about when Zachariah gave him stomach cancer. Dean remembers this with terror, then turns back to Raphael looking cavalier and tells him it was hilarious. “He doesn’t have anything close to my imagination,” Raphael threatens.
Raphael stares down Dean and moves forward, and Dean looks at Cas to acknowledge the plan is working. “I bet you didn’t imagine one thing,” Dean says. “We knew you were coming you stupid son of a bitch. Castiel lights the lighter and drops it, igniting the circle of oil. It flames up pretty good around Raphael, so he must add some combustion or something. Dean stares at the circle in amazement. Raphael is pissed. “Don’t look at me,” Dean said. “It was his idea.” Castiel looks at Dean with disgust, not appreciating the cop out. Castiel asks Raphael where God is. “Didn’t you hear? He’s dead, Castiel. Dead.”
Sam is cleaning at the bar and hears someone enter. He says the bar’s closed, then turns around and its hunter #1. The guy’s bloodied up a little and shaken . Sam is concerned. “You have something you want to tell me Sam?” Uh oh, they must have run into one of those monloguing, telling the truth to screw the Winchesters demons. Sam acts all surprised and says no. “You sure about that?” hunter #1 asks. Sam still keeps up the innocent act, asking if the guy is okay and where hunters #2 and 3 are. “Steve” is great, he has his guts lying roadsie in front of the Holly five and dime. Don’t ask me if that’s hunter two or three. Sam says he’s sorry. Oh boy Sam, sorry is sooooo not going to cut it. This guy wants the truth.
Sam won’t play along. It seems the hunters captured a demon and ten more showed up. Steve bought it. Sam says he’s sorry again, and this guy say s what all of us are thinking by now. “Saying it twice doesn’t make it so Sam.” So stop apologizing! They got the demon to tell them some crazy things about Sam. Sam insists demons lie. Ha! The biggest liar of all is a human infected with demon blood. Demons are rather honest compared to you Sam. Hunter #1 doesn’t believe Sam and asks for the truth one last time. Before Sam can deny anymore, hunter 2/3 brings in Lindsay at knifepoint. That gets Sam’s attention and it’s freaky scary. He’s about to blow.
Dean and Cas continue their uplifting talk with Raphael. The disillusioned archangel finds there’s no other explanation, God is gone for good. He reminds Castiel about the 20th century, and that the 21st isn’t going any better. “Do you think God would have let any of that happen if he were alive?” Wow, he’s convincing me. Time to pull out all the “God is Dead” debates from the 60’s. Dean goes for the joke again. “Oh yeah, who invented the Chinese basket trick.” I had no idea what that was, so I googled it at work. Considering it got blocked by the obscenity filter, it must be another sex act reference. Makes sense coming from Dean. Also, don’t google Dean Winchester references at work.
Raphael is offended, telling him that’s his father he’s talking about. Dean has a great comeback. “Who would be so proud that his son started the freaking apocalypse.” Dean’s less intimidated now and more angry. Raphael is mad that God ran off with no instructions and left them a world to run. Dean is not impressed with that argument. “Daddy ran away and disappeared. He didn’t happen to work for the post office, did he?” Oh man, this is supposed to be a serious scene, but I ha d to pause there so I can laugh my fool head off. Great line! I love continuity from earlier parts of an episode.
Raphael isn’t amused. He points out that Dean is living in a Godless universe. Dean isn’t impressed that he and the other kids decided to throw an apocalypse while God was gone. Raphael doesn’t have a problem with that. They’re tired and they want paradise. Castiel listens and has this incredible look like he understands. I’m feeling sorry for Raphael too, for the dude is really selling the “tired” bit and it’s kind of heartbreaking. That doesn’t last though, for Dean goes off on him for thinking he can do whatever he wants. “Yes, and whatever we want, we get!” Raphael declares and he blows out the windows. Serves you right Dean for ruining the moment.
Back to Sam, who’s concern is for Lindsay . He begs the hunters to put down the knife. He even holds out his hand and gestures sincerity that he won’t try anything. Hunter 2/3 puts down the knife, but still holds onto one really horrified Lindsay. You ain’t seen nothing yet girl. Sam blurts out its all true. Hunter #1 tells him to keep going. Sam doesn’t understand why. “Are you going to hate me any less? Am I going to hate myself any less?” Not good enough, he wants to hear it. “I did it.” Sam admits. “I started the apocalypse.” So it takes this sort of desperate and dangerous act for you to finally tell the truth Sam ? You still have some growing to do.
And the seesaw continues. Back to Dean and Cas. Cas tiel asks Raphael if God was dead who brought him back ? Raphael has a theory, Lucifer. He needs all the rebellious angels he can get. For some strange reason (sarcasm!) Castiel gets angry. He tells Dean they’re going. Raphael gets all authoritative and warns Castiel not to leave him there or he’ll suffer the consequences later. “Maybe one day. But today you’re my little bitch.” Castiel boldly proclaims before walking away. Dean is kind of left speechless. “What he said,” Dean adds for it’s obvious his tag line has been stolen by his angelic bud. He leaves too. I do so love this new Castiel, now with more balls.
I really tried to get some more and better Dean and Castiel screenshots, especially with Raphael, but it was impossible. The scenes were too shaky and dark. Plenty of good Sam ones though as you can see.
Excellent recap! Alice, I think you should record commentary for this show, because what you have to say is hilarious! This was my favourite part: “…monloguing, telling the truth to screw the Winchesters demons†– this made me laugh out loud, mostly because it’s very true!
I pretty much love every moment that Cas is on screen these days. “I just thought I’d sit here quietly.†That makes me go ‘aww’ every time. Not only is it funny, but it’s endearing. Castiel is so cute sometimes, in that floppy-puppy way.
My theory about the vessels is as follows: the basic angels (such as Castiel and Uriel) don’t need specific vessels to contain their energy – just a certain type of person (DNA wise). Angels like Michael and Lucifer, however, require very specific people (beyond Angel-DNA compatibility) to house their essences’ which is why when Raphael is in that body and then leaves it, it’s pretty much burned out inside. Consider: Pamela’s eyes burnt out for ‘peeking’ at Cas – she wasn’t the right type of person able to experience the angels in their true form through her sense (yes, I would categorize her mind’s eye as one such sense). Cas needed a person with specific DNA (Jimmy Novak) to possess him and hear him and Jimmy didn’t suffer the results the man worn by Raphael was seen to suffer because Castiel isn’t as powerful. Lucifer told Sam that Nick’s body could barely contain him – he was the runner up in the Who-Wears-Lucy-Best contest, Sam being the winner. So, to sum up that long and non-sensical babble: more powerful an angel is, the more specialized his/her meat suit needs to be.
Only 23 hours and 10 minutes (give or take) until episode 4! (How can we be at episode 4 already!?)
While we’re getting all deep and thoughtful about vesselology, has any one else noticed that the angel/ninja turtle slated to be wearing Dean in weeks to come is Mikey – The Party and Pizza Mindless Hedonism Turtle ( in case anyone cares the others are Sensible Turtle, Techno Turtle and Punch Anything That Moves Turtle ) This is just too fitting to be a coincedence … There must be more to it, watch this space …
Thanks again Alice for your recap. It’s always such a joy to read.
The amount of light humour this episode was nice after such two very heavy episodes.
Although the brothel scene may have offended some viewers, I for one found the expression on Castiel’s face priceless. (chalk one up for Misha).
It was good to see Dean’s one-liners being said with the old jovial wit.
I found the first two episodes his one-liners were delivered with more anger than actual humour.
Dean’s admission to being relieved to be free of his family obligation and happy to be able to live for himself was quite understandable.
What he has sacrificed for his family has been more than anyone could of given. He needed to step back and take a breather and be his own man.
However after seeing how he was with Castiel, straightening of his tie, assisting him with the FBI badge. Taking him to the house of ill repute. His pep talk to listen to his heart and continue to search for his father.
Sounded to me like some one still needed to be the big brother. Still wanted to be needed. So his comment about not missing Sam, really didn’t come off as his true feelings.
I wonder if Dean’s has had thoughts of regret about selling his soul to save Sam. That if he had not had Sam resurrected than none of this would be happening.
I would imagine the guilt with having these thoughts would be unbearable and make it hard to face Sam.
As for Sam, I also wonder if he is ever going to get a break.
What more could Sam possibly endure, with out having a complete mental breakdown.
The words “Poor Sammy!†have been leaving my lips at the end of each episode since “Raptureâ€. My heart is simply breaking for him.
I don’t know about you but Lucifer using Jessica’s image to talk to Sam, looked like someone lying and using trickery to me.
Thanks Alice for the recap. Jared acting was superb! It was the first time I saw an actual tear run down his face in the series, although he has come close. Jensen is an expert in that.
Great, great recap of a stellar episode. There are a few ways the inevitable God vs. Satan/Dean vs. Sam deal is going, but every so slowly nudging us towards it, these bastard writers are going to wring every bit of maddening lunacy from it. I can’t wait to see how this ends up.
@Suze, does this mean Lucifer is Krang? Muah.
Mmmm … Possibly, or Shredder … Like I said, it’s a work in progress.
Good article Alice. I think there is plenty of hope for Sam, and Dean. Both boys just need to stop beating themselves up over events they really had no control over. (And that doesn’t mean I believe in the destiny ideas). Like Lindsey said in FTBYAM, “No one has ever done anything so bad they can’t be forgiven, they can’t change.” That is SO true. For me, it’s sad that this has dragged on for so long. Hopefully they will get back to the happier things soon.
I do have to disagree with one thing. I don’t think Sam is a monster. I think he THINKS he’s a monster, and Dean does too. Both of them are wrong. Sam has extraordinary abilities that he needs to learn to use properly, not throw away. I think in MBV, he learned that for the first time, and hopefully soon he will learn that he doesn’t need blood to turn them on. At least that’s what I hope the writers will do. 🙂