Recap – “Point Of No Return”
Oh man, is there a more character defining moment for Sam Winchester than this one? He’s been forced to take control of this horrible situation, is calling all the shots with Bobby and Castiel faithfully following his lead, and he’s getting horrible gut-wrenching crap from the one person that matters to him the most in this world. So, does he lose faith? No, instead he gambles everything on the one person he believes in the most, even though Dean doesn’t believe in himself right now. He know he can’t do this alone and if anything they’ll go down together. That’s pure devotion, pure faith, and pure love. It’s beautiful. Sam has indeed grown up big time. I’m so proud! I know, fictional characters, right?
Okay, here’s an interesting scene. Castiel, Sam and Dean are walking outside an abandoned factory with overgrown brush all around and browning palm trees. Dean wants to know where they are. Certainly not the Midwest. Did they actually film this in California? It looks a lot like California. Anyway, Castiel tells them Van Nuys, California. Where’s the beautiful room? “In there,” Castiel answers. “The beautiful room is in an abandoned muffler factory in Van Nuys, California?” “Where did you think it was?” Castiel asks. “I don’t know, Jupiter, a blade of grass, not Van Nuys.” Remember, Kripke said this was the Wal-Mart apocalypse. There’s no budget for anywhere else.
Sam wants to know why Cas can’t grab Adam and “shazam” the hell out of there. There are at least five angels in there. Dean has some faith in Cas, saying he’s fast. “They’re faster,” Cas answers. He undoes his tie. The plan is he’ll clear them out and Sam and Dean grab “the boy.” That’s young man to you Cas. He goes for the entrance but Dean isn’t liking the plan that he’s going to take on five angels. Yep. “Isn’t that suicide?” Dean asks. “Maybe it is. But then I won’t have to watch you fail. I’m sorry Dean, but I don’t have the same faith in you that Sam does.” Oh, poor Cas. He’s going in with nothing left to lose, a la Dean in season three and Sam in season four. Then he pulls out a boxcutter. “What the Hell you going to do with that?” Sam asks. No answer. Yeah, I want to know too!
Cas enters the warehouse and no one is around. He walks around and there’s a small separate building inside which must be the room. He moves around front and then hears someone behind him. He ducks just in time as he’s attacked by a man with an angel killing sword. Cas manages to grab the man’s hand and plunges the sword into his attacker’s leg. Then he pulls it out, takes total control of the knife and plunges it into the guy’s chest. The other angel bursts away in golden light screaming. I so love badass Castiel. I’ve said it before, but his time on earth has really improved his combat skills.
Castiel looks around full circle and now another angel with his sword appears. Then another, then another, then another and he’s surrounded by four of them. Cas realizes he’s outnumbered and throws his sword down. The other angels just look at him. “What are you waiting for, come on!” Cas challenges. They charge on him and wow, his rips open his shirt! Bare chested Castiel! Misha definitely has something under that trenchcoat. It’s brief I know, but it’s something. Oh, but we also see what the box cutter was for. He’s carved an angel banishing sigil on his chest! I’d say ouch, but as an angel he doesn’t exactly feel that. He slams his palm into it and in what is the coolest visual effect ever, he and the other four angels blur away in a burst of light. Awesome! Oh, but wait, Cas has just assured his peril in “Oz” hasn’t he? He sacrificed himself so the boys could get to the room? Wow, with tears in my eyes I can say best…angel…ever.
Dean and Sam hear the swords fall and action die down from outside and know that’s their cue. Dean goes in alone while Sam keeps watch outside. Dean finds the building and the dead angel outside. Seeing how no one is charging after him, he opens the door. Yep, it’s the Green Room. Dean rushes over to Adam who’s a heaping mess on the floor. Adam wakes up and is shocked that Dean came for him. Dean says of course, he’s family. Adam tells him it’s a trap, but Dean knows that. Suddenly Zachariah is in front of them. “Dean, please, did you really think it would be that easy?” “Did you?” Dean asks. Sam then charges up from behind with angel killing sword but isn’t fast enough. My question is would Sam have been able to kill Zack if he did stab him? He after all is part of the bloodline. Ah well, an answer we don’t know.
Zack sends Sam flying across the room into the partition and Sam is hurt. You bastard! “You know what I’ve learned from this experience Dean? Patience.” He then gets Adam to barf more blood. Adam falls to the floor. You obviously haven’t learn to stop being a dick, that’s for sure Zack. Dean tells Zack to let him go but Zack instead smugly talks about how he thought he was downsized for sure. “And for us a firing, pretty damned literal.” I wish I could have seen that on Zack instead of Anna. He should have trusted the boss man though for it’s all playing out like he said. “You, me, your hemorrhaging brothers…” Suddenly Sam starts coughing up blood too. Why don’t you pick on guys your own age Zack!
Dean looks at Sam now and it’s killing him. He looks at Adam struggling too and he’s really upset. He’s fragile enough, he can’t take this. “You know there’s no other choice. There’s never been a choice,” a bullying Zack says. An upset Dean tells him to stop it right now. “In exchange for what?” Dean pleads some more, telling him to stop it, please. This next montage is soooo good! “I’ll do it,” Dean says. Cut over to Sam who’s struggling in agony and can’t believe what he just heard. Back to Zachariah, who wants confirmation. “Okay yes,” Dean says. “The answer is yes.” Back to Sam now who looks like he’s been kicked in his already aching gut. “Dean,” he chokes out. Oh, Sammy.
“Do you hear me?” Dean shouts at a stunned Zachariah. “Call Michael down you bastard.” Dean’s voice cracks on this last part and man does it hurt to see him surrender like this. Back to Sam, whose world is ending. Dean is so disheartened and then looks at Adam. Zack wants to how to know he’s not lying. “Does it look like I’m lying?” No, it doesn’t, which is why this is scaring the crap out of all of us. Zack turns away with a smug smile and oh do I want to smack him. He starts chanting for Michael and while that happens, Sam and Dean manage to act out a whole subplot just by exchanging looks. It’s brilliant, but it’s not like it’s the first time Jensen and Jared have done this. Again, they rock it.
Sam looks up at Dean and he’s completely dying inside. His look at betrayal, his “how could you do this?” says it all. Back to Dean, who in one look expresses to Sam overwhelming fear and guilt. He’s practically saying he’s sorry. Back to Sam, who turns away because everything hurts too much, including his internal bleeding. Back to Dean, who realizes how much he’s hurting Sam. Back to Sam, who throws another puppy dog look of betrayal. Back to Dean and his expression of apology changes. He has an idea. Back to Sam, who sees that something is different.
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