Sam gets out books from other episodes, Hellhounds, ghosts, etc. and talks about making his own flamethrower. Yeah, I’d find that cool too if I was hearing it for the first time. Heck, I thought it was cool when I saw it for the first time. Again, Dean broods in the background. Man, there’s a lot of brooding going on in this episode. Adam is impressed with the job they’ve got, and Sam goes and spoils things with his big speech about the life, worrying us all to no end about where his mind is these days.
“Being a hunter isn’t a job Adam, it’s life. You’re pre-med, you’ve got a girlfriend, friends? Not anymore you don’t. If you’re really gonna do this, you can’t have those kind of connections, ever. They’re weaknesses, you’ll just put those people in danger, get them killed. It’s the price we pay. You cut them out and you don’t look back. There’s only one thing you can count on, family.â€
Dean stops brooding, and calls Sam over. Dean isn’t impressed with the speech at all, especially since John gave Sam that exact same speech before he ditched them for Stanford. Dean reminds Sam how much he hated his dad for that. Sam admits Dad was right, and I’m scared. So is Dean. Dean sees Adam as a normal kid, Sam sees him as meat. At least that’s what he looks like to the demons and monsters out there anyway. John did right by them and taught them how to protect themselves. Dean is more shocked by the fact that they’re having that conversation than everything else that’s happened lately, including the brother reveal.
“You think I’m wrong?†Sam asks. “I think it’s too late for us,†Dean replies, “This is our life and this is who we are okay and it’s fine, I accept that, but Adam, he’s got a chance man. He can go to school, he can become a doctor-“ “What makes Adam so special?†Sam interrupts. Ooo, I guess the lost chance at law school is still a sore subject, huh Sam? Dean asks what we are all thinking, “Are you jealous of the kid?†“Are you?†Sam replies. Yes, I think you both are in your twisted ways, but Dean’s convincing me with his part of the argument here.
Sam goes for the reality slant. “Dean, all this, it’s not real. The dad Adam knew he wasn’t real, the things out there in the shadows, they’re real, the world is coming to an end, that’s real. Everything else is the crap people tell themselves to get through the day.†Whoa, remind me never to hire Sam as a motivational speaker. Dean points out Adam doesn’t have to be cursed, and Sam points out he’s a Winchester, he already is. Dean refuses to believe that and proclaims that whatever’s hunting Adam, he’ll find it. He leaves to go do just that, and it gets messy from here. Literally.
Okay, before I go on, I have a few thoughts about that exchange. Yikes! I knew Sam has spiraled into darkness, especially with the whole demon blood thing, but since when did he become a carbon copy of John Winchester? That cold, unfeeling soldier that sees the world more as chess pieces than occupied by actual human beings? Is survival worth the loss of your soul like that? Ah, maybe Sam let himself become that way because he feels it’s going to be over for him soon anyway. That damned “self sacrifice in the name of revenge†mentality. Thank heavens Dean is of sounder mind. Which is another question, how did Dean get such a healthy perspective? After all the crap he’s been through? Especially after having his soul burned away in Hell for 40 years? I’m not sure, but at least one of them is still human.
Dean, true to his word, ends up inspecting the tomb, only to find a loose block. Why is it that Dean always ends up having to crawl through the icky holes? Maybe it’s Jared who’s claustrophobic, but it also could be because Jared is so large. It’s nasty but it leads Dean to an underground crypt, complete with coffins, cobwebs, and bones scattered everywhere. He steps in one nasty bloody heap of intestines and an arm. Dean finds the horn rimmed glasses. “Sloppy Joe.†I guess he found Joe Barton!
Dean hears a noise, and something puts back the block, trapping Dean. What else traps Dean? Him stupidly firing the gun, and the hole caves in, really screwing him over. “Son of a bitch.†Dean tries the cell phone, no signal. “Son of a bitch.†I would have used harsher language than that! Next is Sam and Adam, putting down salt lines, and boarding up other entrances, so the only way in is through the vent, which they’re protecting with shotguns. Yeah, the thing is going to come out while you’re waiting for it.
Plan is foiled though, for the door to the house downstairs opens. Okay, maybe their trap wasn’t foolproof after all, and Adam does point that out. A woman calls out, and Adam rushes, for it’s his mother. Sam yells for him to stop, because he’s convinced it’s not his mother, and not human. Adam hugs his mom, and Sam holds a gun on them both, telling him she’s not his mother.
Back to Dean, who sees doors and tries to get out, but they’re locked. He looks around some more, and decides to see what’s in the coffins. Why not? He’s got some time. In there is the fresh corpse of Adam’s mother, bloody with guts hanging out. Oh, nice. So Sam is right. Back to Sam, who still is holding the gun, and Adam looks back and forth between Sam and Mom, confused. He grabs the gun from Sam, and Sam tells him to shoot her, she’s not human. Adam waves the gun back and forth, hearing pleas from both sides, then gets this little malevolent smile and says “I know†before knocking Sam out. Dean then finds Adam’s bloody and carved up body in the other coffin. How sad, another dead Winchester. That runs in the family too. Maybe he can be resurrected someday like his older brothers?
Dean knows he has to get out of there now. He tries the door one more time, no luck. He looks upward, and see’s a glass skylight with a cherub. Him and angels, I’ll tell ya. He can’t get rid of them no matter where he goes.
I just love your photographic recaps Alice. The shots you choose just add a great dimension to the article.
Now, for the episode. I really liked this one. I also really liked Adam…well Ghoul Adam anyhow. We know the Ghoul had Adam’s memories but his personality is another matter. Maybe the real Adam would not be likeable at all. Oh well, I guess we’ll never know.
The one thing about this episode that has me scratching my head is why they bothered to lift the mattress off the frame. Earlier shots showed there was lots of room on the other side of the bed, why didn’t they just slide the bed over? It seems like such a silly thing to even notice but for some reason I noticed right away. Funny the things once notices.
I am really looking forward to your and Elle2’s thoughts on “The Rapture”.