Recap – “Point Of No Return”
Dean lands hard on the ground a hurting bloody mess. Castiel has his fist clenched and it looks like he’s going for more. Dean challenges him to do it. Cas just stares. “Just do it!” Dean shouts. Castiel takes a deep breath, counts to five (or maybe that was me) and then unclenches his fist. Then he walks up to Dean and Dean closes his eyes, knowing what’s about to happen. Castiel touches him and out he goes. Castiel stands in the alley for a few seconds, looking like he’s wondering how it all came to this. That’s so hard to watch, but that’s how you do a major character conflict scene. Amazing!
Speaking of losing it, now Sam is having a little fit. “Bobby, what do you mean Adam is gone?” “Should I say it in Spanish?” No, Sam speaks Spanish. Try Japanese. Sam grabs his hair, which we know to mean he’s majorly stressed out. “He’s gone how? What the Hell Bobby?” Bobby sternly warns him to watch his tone. He was right in front of him and he disappeared into thin air. Then we hear flapping wings. “Because the angels took him.” Cas is now there holding a slumping Dean on his shoulder. “What happened to him?” Sam asks. “Me,” Cas confesses, not exactly feeling guilt.
Cas takes Dean over to the bed and practically throws him on it. Yep, still mad. Bobby and Sam aren’t too concerned about Dean and instead want to know how the angels took Adam. “You branded his ribs, didn’t you?” Bobby asks Cas. He did, but Adam must have tipped them off. Cas isn’t sure, but maybe in a dream. I would have gone with “most likely.” Sam wonders where they would have taken him. Cas knows!
It’s the Green Room! Jupiter and The Infinite Beyond from “Lucifer Rising.” The pictures are back to the idyllic settings. Adam is there, enjoying one of those cheeseburgers and a beer. He has his oldest brother’s taste! Good thing, because love of salads is so wrong. “I see you and your brother share the same refined palette.” See, even Zack notices. Adam is ready. Bring on Michael. Oh, poor kid, the lesson you are about to get. Zack goes into the bullshit that these two faced managers give during “difficult times.” Heck, I’ve gotten the same speech during “good times.” It’s all about money. “These things are never easy, but I’m afraid we’ve had to terminate your position at this time.” This is actually one of the best firings I’ve ever seen. I wish I was treated this well.
“Excuse me?” Adam realizes he’s been had. Zack commends him on being a good sport. “But the thing is, you’re not so much the chosen one as you are a clammy scrap of bait.” Now that’s more like the layoffs I’ve been a part of. Adam wonders what happened to him fighting the Devil. Not happening. “But hey, if it’s any consolation, you happen to be the illegitimate half brother of the guy we do care about. That’s not bad is it?” Nope, Adam isn’t feeling the love. “So you lied about everything.” No, he just avoided some truths to manipulate him. No you bastard, you lied. It is strange though how you and Sam have the same definition of lying. Adam calls him a son of a bitch, just like big brother. “Hey, how do you think I feel? I’m the one that’s got to put up with that dumb, slack jawed look on your face.” Oh that’s it Zack. You’re going down.
Adam at least gives Zack a look that he wishes could kill, but Zack explains the plan. They didn’t have a choice. “The Winchesters got one blind spot and its family. See, Sam and Dean, they’re going to put aside their differences and they’re going to come get you and that’s going to put Dean right here, right where I need him.” Adam only listens with shame. Zack starts boasting this is the night. Michael’s seen it. I think Michael’s lying to you Zack. Who knows, maybe this was a ploy by the archangel to take Zack down? He knew he’d fail because of his arrogance. Nah. Although, how did Dean…wait, I’m jumping ahead. More on that later.
Zack is happy that all the tumblers are falling into place and it’s all because of Adam. “And me, put who’s keeping score.” Adam, showing that he is indeed a Winchester, says he won’t allow Zack to do this. Zack says they’re doing this and plus he still gets his severance, he gets to see his mom. “Why should I believe you?” Adam asks. You shouldn’t! Sadly, Zachariah is a vindictive prick and decides making Adam choke up blood is more fun. Oh, you’re so…that’ s right, I’m jumping ahead again.
NOW, this is one of my favorite scenes in the entire series! As a Sam fan, this is redemption that’s five seasons in the making and it’s oh so worth that long grueling wait. Dean is chained to the bed in the panic room and he wakes up from his angel induced unconsciousness. He looks around and spots Sam sitting at the desk as if he’s holding vigil. “How you feeling?” Sam asks. Sam is very calm and subdued as if he’s had some time to reflect on the situation. “Word to the wise, don’t piss off the nerd angels,” Dean says. Hee, learned your lesson.
Sam only cracks a slight smile. He’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Dean knows something’s wrong yet asks how it’s going. Sam lets him know Adam is gone. The angels have him. Dean is surprised and wants to know where. The room they took him. He knows that for sure? Yep, Cas “did a recon.” Boy it really helps to have an angel on their side. “And?” Dean asks. “And the place is crawling with mooks, pretty much a no shot in Hell, hail Mary kind of thing.” “So the usual,” Dean says. Oh yes, definitely the usual.
“What are you going to do?” Dean asks, which I find interesting. It means Dean for once isn’t trying to take control of the situation and is leaving it up to Sam. “For starters, I’m bring you with.” Sam has been playing with the key to the cuffs and he gets up. “Excuse me?” Dean says, surprised by the plan. Sam explains while unlocking the cuffs. “There are too many of them, I can’t do it alone, and you’re pretty much the only game in town.” Dean watches Sam with disbelief, holding his aching wrist. “Isn’t that a bad idea?” Sam, who’s now sitting on the desk answers, “Cas and Bobby think so, I’m not so sure.” Dean jumps back into attacking Sam mode. “Well they’re right. Because either it’s a trap to get me there to say yes or it’s not a trap and I’m going to say yes anyway. And I will, I’ll do it, fair warning.”
“No you won’t,” Sam faithfully declares. “When push shoves, you’ll make the right call.” Dean keeps trying and man does he know how to hurt. “You know tables are turned, I’d let you rot in here. Hell, I have let you rot in here.” Sam slightly scoffs, takes in a deep breath to calm himself down and the pain in his voice just kills me. “Yeah, well, I guess I’m not that smart.” Dean is perplexed. “I don’t get it Sam. Why are you doing this?” Sam shrugs. “Because. You’re still my big brother.”
Just when I’m getting teary, Phil Sgriccia shows what an awesome director he is by closing the scene with a wide shot of the two from outside the panic room looking in. It’s brilliant and it delivers the message loud and clear. The two are in this together.
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