Recap – “Point Of No Return”
100! 100 episodes! Now I could get all nostalgic and say I’ve been there every Thursday (or Tuesday in early season one), but honestly, the first live episode I saw was “Fresh Blood,” which was episode 51. I’ll tell ya though, it’s been an amazing and gut wrenching 49 live episodes for me! Like this one. I’m taking on the impossible challenge of trying to recap it and not lose my emotional stability. Let’s see if it works.
First scene and its Zachariah’s time in the spotlight. In other words, he’s going to be a total dick. This scene BTW has Ben Edlund’s influence all over it. So either Jeremy Carver was doing his best Ben Edlund impersonation or the two wrote this scene together. Maybe someday I’ll find out. I’m hoping this will be an episode with audio commentary on the DVD. Which is available for presale BTW. Check out the link for it on the site.
A middle aged man is feeding money into an old-jukebox, 1970’s variety. It looks like one where it’s playing actual albums as opposed to the retro looking ones playing CDs. The music comes on and thanks to supernaturalwiki.com for letting me know that it’s Kay Starr, “The Man Upstairs.” The man sits next to Zachariah at a bar, whose downing a whiskey and speculates Zachariah has gotten a pink slip. Zack confirms this, even though his situation is kind of twisted. “It takes one to know one,” the man says. You know, they’re not pink slips anymore. They’re cruel meetings planned by HR on Tuesdays, usually in the afternoon after you’ve gotten in a full day of unsuspecting work. Then you’re handed a folder with severance papers and a “don’t let the door hit you,” attitude. Pink slips used to be far more humane. Sorry, am I projecting much?
“Outsourcing,” the man says. Yep, I’ve lost at least four jobs that way. “What’s your crime against humanity?” He asks. Oh, let’s see, he wants to torch half the planet and is harassing two young brothers with fear and pain, not to mention possessing some poor bastard. It’s still not enough to get fired in most state jobs though. Zachariah is bitter. “Deal of the millennium. Couldn’t get the one simple yes I needed. Gotta nail that bottom line, right?” Ha, that’s Dean Winchester for you.
You know, I get exactly what Zack is saying, but I’m not feeling one ounce of sympathy. Not one. I can’t elaborate much on that because kitty is walking all over the keyboard. I’m working downstairs to avoid the clingy dog, but now the cat has ideas. Sorry, recap (must focus, must focus). “They’re not down on the ground in the mud, nose to nose with you pig filthy humans, am I right?” The man catches that. “Filthy what?” Zack goes on, whining about personal loyalty. I won’t comment on that, because even though the observation is absurd coming from an angel in his position, he is right there.
“How long have I worked for these guys, five millennia, maybe six?” The other guy says it seems like it. I’ll say! My jobs are usually six months long and they feel like ten years. Zack orders them both another round and introduces himself to the man in cordial fashion. The other man is Stuart. That’s a strange show of friendliness. He asks Stuart what’s next but before he can get a good answer out the bar starts shaking earthquake like and that loud angel noise happens. Stuart is freaking out, but Zack calmly says it’s his boss. The sound becomes too deafening for Stuart and the bartender and all the glass around starts breaking as the white light appears. Stuart and bartender run around screaming, but Zack calmly finishes his drink.
Zack goes under the white light challenging whoever to get it over with. In the meantime Stuart’s eyes burn out as does the bartenders. They go down for the count. How lovely. Zack waits for his punishment and then finds out in a one sided conversation to us he’s getting a second chance. He’s happy, promising he won’t regret it. He thanks whoever and the grating sound and white light disappear, but it’s pretty much too late for poor Stuart. Zack sighs with happiness, pulls the broken shard of glass out of his drink and finishes it. He taps a melted Stuart and announces he’s back in business. This warrants a chorus of “When the Saints Go Marching In.” Yep, definitely a Ben Edlund inspired opener.
Blood, water, and man what are we in for?
As this show is so good at, the gears shift fast. Cue the solemn music and one depressed Dean Winchester alone in a motel room. It’s a slow, heart breaking sharing of events without words. He opens his bottle of Johnnie Walker and chugs from the bottle, then packs his beloved old and worn Dad leather jacket in a cardboard box, twirls the Impala keys in his fingers before throwing those in, and then writes the farewell note. Some really smart fans have been piecing together what could be read from this note on supernaturalwiki.com and it looks like the first paragraph is for Castiel, the second for Bobby, and the third for Sam. The words can’t be made out enough to get what he’s saying in full, but its goodbye. Also judging by the stationery, he’s still in Cicero, Indiana.
Dean drinks more, somberly looks at himself in the mirror, and then throws his gun into the box. Our postal worker writer Robin here has already confirmed you can’t mail firearms. Chances are the box would have never made it to Bobby’s house. Dean throws in the letter, tapes up the box and writes Robert Singer on the front, probably because he’s the only one with an address. He pours another drink and we get the see the motel card for this week. He’s at Mike’s Travel Inn. What happened to the Cicero Pines? That was one of the best motel rooms in the entire series.
In a really cool shot, the camera moves up from Dean’s drink to the mirror and boom, Sam is there. Awesome! He knows how to track his brother too! “Sending someone a candy-gram?” Sam is looking pretty drained. Dean whips around and is really shocked to see Sam. There you go underestimating your little brother again Dean. It should also be noted that the number 100 is on the door. Great touch! Dean wants to know how Sam found him. “You’re going to kill yourself, right? It’s not too hard to figure out the stops on the farewell tour. How’s Lisa doing anyways?” Dean denies that he’s going to kill himself and it seems Sam is getting the best lines in this conversation. “No? So Michael’s not about to make you his Muppet?” Gotta love the pop culture references from my twisted generation.
Dean doesn’t answer, confirming that to be a yes. I love Sam’s delivery here. He’s drained, tired, complacent, but we can tell how hurt he is too. “What the Hell man? This is how it end, you just walk out?” “Yeah, I guess,” Dean says, pouring another drink. “How could you do that?” Sam asks and oh yeah, he’s hurt. Dean doesn’t appreciate the tone, throwing it back at Sam that all he’s ever done is run away. Sam admits he was wrong, every single time. Sam goes into pleading mode, breaking out the waving hands of rationality. He begs him not now. Bobby is working on something.
I think that’s what really tore me up during this fight scene, Dean saying “Please” to Cas in such a desperate tone…
Alice, did you keep your emotional stability? Watching this episode I had trouble with that, and reading your fabulous recap did the same to me.
Yeah, Zachariah… hate his guts. But Kurt Fuller is marvellous in his scenes, in the bar at the beginning and trying to nail Dean to the wall. He was a great villain, but as we’re killing off the angels now, he had to go. I would have loved to help Dean with that. I went YES! As stabbed the Mr Arrogance du jour.
It was pretty painful to see how Dean was spent and hurting the people he loves most deliberately – shoving into Sam’s face that he was not hopped up on demon blood (slap!) and Bobby that he was not his father (slap, slap)… He can’t control this anymore. He’s living and breathing fatalism and sarcasm. The expression on Bobby’s face was … oh, God, he didn’t deserve that. And Bobby’s confession that he thinks of killing himself everyday… Kleenex….
I agree that Sam did his best with his face to tell Dean how wrong he was saying that, no matter how desperate his older brother might be. And later in the panic room scene.. I was a mess after that, just like you put it here, Alice. I couldn’t believe Dean would go there, but knowing the show and Dean lately, I expected it, too. My heart sank with Sam. In a fight long ago my mom said something like that to me, to hurt me, as she later admitted. I still remember how devastatingly painful it is to hear something like that. You don’t do that to your family.
I agree with Lynn’s theory wholeheartedly.
The following scenes are so rich, bad-ass Cas, Adam returning, angels having a plan B? They expect them to buy that? The big fight of Dean and Cas, Adam and Zach.., gosh… I hate this episode as much as I love it.
I really miss some of the pop culture references since some of it was just not an item over here (perhaps I should have gotten myself a catalogue in that department of the Smithsonian, eh, Alice, and studied that a bit more…)
That scene with Sam and Dean in the panic room is indeed an instant classic – and, I agree, one of the best in this show! How much I loved Sam here I can’t describe.
Thanks so much for the series of screencaps covering that big scene in the green room, Dean saying yes and then killing Zach, the whole dialogue that went on without saying a word… You are so great, dear. This scene was as painful and yet hopeful as it gets.
I love that look on Sam’s face in the last scene in the car. He hasn’t had that kind of brotherly love in a long time and he has been so hungry for it. You didn’t make it without losing it ? Alive, me neither. Can you please quit making these great recaps, I don’t know how I’m gonna survive the last three of this season… Kidding. Give it to me. I’m a plain masochist.
Sniff, Jas
Thanks Alice, what a great job. I especially liked that remark about Dean 2.0.
What I haven’t realized watching the show I did now looking at your picures. (Did you actually do the following on purpose?)
On page 2 of your recap right after Dean asks Bobby about the bullet you have one picture of Sam. And there in bottom right hand corner above the CW logo you can read “You are watching supernatural 100th episode”
The picture right below with Bobby starting to deliver his suicidal speach reads: “Pay attention”
And again well done.
With our boys living through so many unreal moments that seem real to all of us don’t you feel like Alice in Wonderland?
Great recap!
I too absolutely loved Sam in this episode. The best way to motivate someone to do their best is to demonstrate faith in them – as Sam did here. His was also the only approach that worked. Bobby’s words had little effect; Cas’ fists even less. It was indeed “The Power of Love†that saved the day… 😉
Awesome episode.
Sam’s “you’re my big brother” & Dean’s “if you’re grown up enough to have faith in me…” just really got to me.
I didn’t even realize the Impala wasn’t in this one until the rewatch, I was so caught up in everything else that happened, but she should definitely have been there!
That was a great recap Alice, and I loved those screenshots in the Green Room. How those two do that is just awesome!
The utter despair up until that wink was almost unbearable.
Sam was so great in this one and I could have jumped for joy when Dean changed his mind.
Bye bye Zach! You were a great villain indeed!
Don’t know if I will survive the next three as Kripke is bound to do something dreadful before season end.
All I can think of is save Bobby, save Cas please please please! 😮
Good 100th episode! And good recap Alice. Loved the pictures of Sam and Dean in the green room!
I have to say, I can’t help but think part of the episode was for Sam to understand how deeply he had hurt his brother, and to make amends for it. And he did, first by telling Dean he was wrong all those time he ran away, and second for trusting Dean, and actually having faith in him, which I’m not convinced he ever had before… not a deep faith anyway, or he never would have followed Ruby in the first place.
Sam’s taking Dean with him was the only chance Sam had, and he knew it. He was on the verge of losing Dean, and had to hope Dean would still choose him over anything else. Lucky for him, good habits die hard, and the old Dean was still there.
I loved Adam’s return too. Too bad he didn’t stay around, but they didn’t actually say he was dead, so maybe he’ll show up in season six. Although can we handle two Deans? might blew up the TV! 😀
I have to disagree with you on one point though. I just don’t think what Cass did when he found Dean was right. Dean was certainly not Dean, but Cass made his own decision to follow Dean; he chose that path of his own free will. And, for all intents and purposes, Cass is just as responsible for the apocalypse as Dean and Sam. He let Sam out of the room, and although Dean doesn’t know it, Cass does. The writers have seemed to gloss that over, but it is still a fact in the story. I really don’t think Cass was right in taking all his anger out on Dean, and to me, that’s what it looked like he was doing. Dean always considered Cass a friend, and I felt very sorry for Dean at that point. Dean needed understanding from Cass, not a beating. Guess that’s just the sentimentalist in me. Sorry. :cry::
The look on Sam’s face at the end was awesome. I think it’s the first time he has REALLY seen his brother, and he likes what he sees. 😉
Just my 1 and a half cents worth!
I cannot begin to describe how much I loved this episode ( and your recap Alice , it`s like re-living it again ,Thank you )or how many times I have watched it .
It demonstrated perfectly exactly why we all love this show so much . It had everything ( except The Impala ) in there , one of the saddest scenes ever , just imagine being able to fit all your worldly possessions into such a small box , moments of such angst they were almost painful to watch , the panic room scene especially , moments of humour , loved the line about `the power of love` and we had a promise kept when we finally got to see Zach stabbed in the face, the final scene with all the restored hope and determination , and yes , i know we are all being built up for a huge fall but let`s just enjoy this feeling while we can.
My favourite scene from the episode though and what I think could become one of my favourites ever , is the big one in the green room. So many emotions and wonderful nuances portrayed in a scene with no dialogue. What a testament to the wonderful actors we have here .Thank you so much for the series of screencaps which demonstrated this so perfectly