Ardeospina’s Top Ten Supernatural Episode Endings
#5 – On the Head of a Pin
Oh, Dean. Really, what else is there to say? He’s just so broken here, body and soul. I love the continuity of Dean’s rather raspy and tight-sounding voice, too, because he was throttled by a demon, and there should be fallout from that. It really adds to broken feel. And he’s so crushed that he started the Apocalypse when he started torturing. I mean, he already felt guilty enough about the torturing, but to know that that was the first seal to break? He’s never going to forgive himself for that, never. I know he has serious self-esteem issues, but to hear him talk about himself like that, to say he’s not all there, he’s not strong enough, that he’s not the man his father or God wanted him to be? It’s ruinously heartbreaking.
#4 – All Hell Breaks Loose I
When Sam knocked out Jake and Dean and Bobby showed up, I breathed a sigh of relief because surely nothing bad could happen now, right? What a mistake. As we all know, Jake gets up, stabs Sam, and runs off as Bobby gives chase. Dean rushes to Sam in time to catch him, and just in time because Sam just crumples. His head is lolling about, and it’s pretty clear to everyone but Dean that he’s already gone. But Dean is so desperate for Sam to be okay that he tries to convince himself that he is, that the wound isn’t bad. And Sam just dies in his arms, just like that. The overhead crane shot is great, but I love that they ended the episode on a close-up of Dean calling out to his dead brother because it felt much more personal that way. The overhead view was too detached. So good editing and good directing, Show!
#3 – No Rest for the Wicked
You know an episode has a brutal ending when Dean getting ripped apart by a Hellhound happens before the last commercial break! So that was horrible, but then we’re treated to the revelation that Sam is immune to Lilith’s power, which is all kinds of awesome. Disturbing because it raises a whole bunch of questions, but awesome nonetheless. After Lilith scarpers off, Sam is left with Dean’s battered corpse, and he just loses it. He’s crushed. That tear hanging off the end of his nose is so, so sad.
And it only gets worse from there because as we zoom in on Dean’s eye, we go right into Hell with him, and it’s horrifying. I’ve long thought that if Hell exists, it’s not one uniform place but individualized for each inhabitant to make it the most effective torture. And what could be worse for Dean, social creature that he is, than to be totally, utterly alone? Not only is Sam not there, but no one is there: no demon, no Lucifer, no nothing. Just Dean, some meat hooks, a bunch of chains, and a whole lot of nothing. And Dean is rightfully terrified. He’s in pain, so he naturally screams out to Sam for help and goes right on screaming into the credits. I thought it was a perfect depiction of Hell, and again, I was pleased that not only did the show not let Dean off the hook in regards to making his deal, they went one step further and actually showed him in Hell.
Hi Ardeospina.
Had to read both of yous’ lists before commenting. I really wanted to see how different/similar your lists would be. This was a really interesting read, like your lists were backwards or something. Alice highnoted on the rocking awesome endings and you on the most heartcrushing, emotionally tugging ones 🙂 And still so many similarities were found, yet from different perspectives.
I agree on all your picks. Just wonderful scenes. And I like how you explained why they got to you (and to all of us). Just so many lovely, crushing, badass moments. I couldn’t make a list like this so kudos to y’all.
Like I said in Alices lists’ Comment, I find all the endings as essential. Even if I don’t like a particular eppie, I gotta watch the ending. It’s like the previouslies, I have to watch them too. I guess most people just pass them, but I want to watch them every time, and same goes for the endings. I love all of them, and the use of rock music is pure joy. And sometimes the lack of it gives the same impact.
I just love this show. Each and everyone working on it gives it their 110% and you can see it.
Thank you both for this double listing. Just awesome you guys. And I hope you do this again 🙂
Another great list, and after reading both, I must say that I cannot pick a number one. Aw yeah, cop out, baby!
It’s splitting hairs, because each ending is one chord in the entire song; all are necessary, whether grab-the-Kleenex or holy-freaking-shit or even a subdued one, if called for.
Thanks Ladies for two wonderful lists! I’m going to have to go with Alice for #1 – as far as an ending that completely summarizes an episode and is just so perfectly filmed/edited I have to go with Nightshifter. It may not be heart-wrenching but it is AWESOME!
By the way – I’m surprised that we didn’t get at least an honorable mention to Lucifer Rising for the very satisfying ‘ganking’ of Ruby!?
Thanks, Alice, for the extra screencaps and the paragraph breaks. I didn’t realize some of those descriptions were so long!
Ladies, both of your lists are awesomely awesome! But I just have to give the thinnest edge of the wedge to Ardeospina just because of her number one ending. That is my absolute number one ending too. My tears flow freely every time I see it as it gets to me in every emotional way possible. And the final scene with the Impala and the lights and both boys in the window……just a wonderful ending.
On my own list too is the end of Lucifer rising when Dean knifes Ruby with Sam holding her for him and me screaming “kill the bitch!” at the top of my lungs. LOL! 😮
Between the two of you, basically ALL my favorites are here, except IMTOD, no Big John Croaking Awesome list, though, as always! Thanks for the “Sympathy” bit, I love reading about how people started watching SPN, what got someone’s attention or tipped them over from viewer to fan
Oh, the ending of Shadow when everyone splits up is a quality ending as well.
If there was some kind of award for faultless delivery of a regular parting kick in the teeth the SPN team would have taken it home for keeps ages ago … For me Nightshifter takes the cake, for no better reason than it so totally rocks and nobody cries/dies/walks out or bangs on for ages about their black and hopeless inner landscape. 😀
PS. Um … And The Black Truck, and the panic-stricken mutual clutch at the end of Lucifer Rising and … and… and … I hate you both, don’t make me choose! 😆
Ardeospina and Alice, WOW both your lists were great!
Devil’s Trap, and AHBLpart1 stand out the most for me, but Heart is right up there too.
These are fun. Can’t wait for your next group!
Ardeospina, well done, wow! Some of my favourite endings are here, too, and thank you for Heart and My Bloody Valentine. They break my heart every time.
And that damn song ‘Silent Lucidity’ was so well picked, but it’s also a heartbreaker (this sounds as if I was a weepy wuss, I guess I am – and I get teary again with the Christmas episode. I don’t like Christmas much, it brings up too much pain, and I understand Sam perfectly in this episode – even if it breaks your heart, you put up a brave face to make the last Christmas a beautiful one for the ones you love).
Oops, and here she realized that her favourite endings were the deeply painful ones…
Ah, I’m a case for my own couch… I can’t really pick a favourite no1. I kinda love them all.
Thanks! Jas
Ladies, great job! And looking at both list, it’s safe to say that this was a hard job, too, so, great job indeed!! 😀
After going thru your lists and my Supernatural-file in my brain (no time for re-watching the episodes), I’d settle for my top 3:
A very Supernatural Christmas – …. trying to find the right words to explain why, and I can’t. I just can’t.
Devil’s Trap – the most shocking and unpredictable ending I’ve ever seen in a show. I was a total mess after that.
Nightshifter – now, that’s MY show 😀 !!
Great list. It made me think about episodes in a different light, but when they showed Dean in hell….I cried like a baby, and I rarely cry! It was like he loved his brother so much, and couldn’t live without him, that he sold his soul–in hell 4ever–just to bring Sam back. If that aint love…. and then to make it worse, he’s calling Sams’ name in the end…. man….
Good list but I think Dead Mans Blood should be up there, that final scene where John agree’s that the three of them should go after yellow eyes together is amazing