Reviews That I Missed: Supernatural 13.02 – “The Rising Son”
Well…okay. Look, for a typical Brad and Eugenie outing, “The Rising Son” could have been bad. Instead I give it a “borderline mediocre.” It was not an enthralling outing for sure, but some things did happen to move the story along, so it wasn’t a total waste of my hour. Some things happened though that just made me roll my eyes and start digging for my lost TV brick, so in other words all came out as expected.
Let’s start with the opening scene. Camp with a capital c. No actually, all caps. CAMP. We finally get an introduction to Asmodeus and it’s Colonel Sanders? What is it with Brad and Eugenie and villains with a southern drawl and a white suit? Were they wronged by a white suited southerner at one point? This dude is way more of a caricature than the other Knights of Hell. Hard to believe he’s the last one standing. They’re hanging out the corporate Hell lair too. Ugh, I thought that would have gone away with Crowley. Asmodeus should have at least stayed true to the corporate purge idea and killed all the demons. He didn’t need any lackeys. Terrible, terrible.
I get it, Asmodeus has some awesome powers. He’s a Knight after all. But the whole “Lucifer teaching him a lesson” thing was pretty bad. He tried to raise the Shedim a long time ago and that was a no/no. Couldn’t he have tried again like, anytime since Lucifer was banished? Seriously, he had to wait for the Nephilim? Using Jack was an interesting ploy, just to show us how powerful Jack could be, but he hung around for a good chunk of the season and IT NEVER CAME UP AGAIN. So, that technically makes this plot a waste.
I wish that the Shedim were raised just to give Dean his rightfully deserved attitude adjustment. I mean, he was even more insufferable. Sam tried all episode to talk him off the ledge so to speak and Dean was once again too lost in his man pain to listen to reason. Sam had it nailed early, they could use Jack to find Mary. Also, it doesn’t hurt to be able to have access to that kind of power. But no, Dean still wants to wallow in his own shit. This is also where I wish Sam wasn’t so gentle and would pound some sense into Dean. But no, that’s not his thing. Whitewashing galore!
Speaking of whitewashing, how about that AU earth? Wow…just…well…whatever? So AU Michael gets to meet current world Lucifer and strong arms him again. Great. We so need a revisit of the Michael and Lucifer conflict. And Mary is along for the ride because, well, because. I know, keeping her to exchange for Jack, blah, blah, ain’t feeling it. I don’t know, I get we are slowly getting introduced to this world, but talk about slow! Mary and Lucifer do not have a lot of chemistry and their scenes, while giving us a taste, just felt like scenery chewing compared to the main story. I’m trying to remember if we ever got a payoff from this AU world. I’ll let you know I guess when we progress further into S13.
There were some plusses though. Donatello! It would make sense that he would come a running once a big powerful Nephilim was unleashed on the earth. It also made sense that if he was called, then demons would be right around the corner too (since they did the whole angel thing last episode). The kid is attracting attention! This was a great Donatello episode though, one of his best. Keith Szarabajka really nailed the whole dual role thing when Asmodeus played Donatello clone. He got the mannerisms down perfectly. Heck, I would have been okay with him playing Asmodeus instead. Far less cheesy, more menacing.
The episode did eventually pick up when the demons came to attack. Dean’s fight scene with the demon in the motel room was awesomely choreographed. Sam coming in for the well timed kill was prototypical for this show, but it was still wicked to see. The exclamation point though came when Dean threw the angel blade across the hall and it perfectly went through the demon’s neck while he was attacking Donatello. That was pretty sweet, and that’s the badass Dean we know and love.
Another plus, I’m thrilled we got a motel room setting. That gives me something to look at when I’m totally bored by the bad lines and pathetic expositional pacing. The set decorators are masters of their craft. The choice was dark with touches of red this time, which accurately reflects Dean’s mood if you ask me. I mean, Jack turns on Scooby-Doo and instantly loves it, and Dean can’t get into it? He is in a bad place. He’s burning!
I’m still loving the progression of Jack. He remains very much a child, even if he looks like a man. His trying to mimic Dean was cute, meaning he’s taking to Dean despite the whole he wants to kill him thing. He’s craving Dean’s acceptance, which is kind of weird, but children are like that. His power can be easily manipulated too and that means that Sam and Dean need to watch him closely. The speculation between Sam and Donatello on how powerful Jack could get too was a great chat. The whole nature vs nurture conundrum as Donatello put it. It not only heightens the mystery but hints the hope that Kelly Kline had for her son wasn’t misguided. Sam’s insistence that Jack isn’t evil because he takes after his mother is exactly the optimism we need at this point. It’s been too dark for too long. Hear me Dean?
Jack of course isn’t taking this divide between Sam and Dean very well. Most children don’t like it when the parents fight. Or, in this case, where one is a total dick and the other is there to pacify him. Yuck. Sam was trying though, and his heart to heart with Jack after Dean went off the rails was rather touching, but it was also him being a wimpy apologist for Dean. I don’t know, it’s a bit conflicting:
Sam: I’ll tell you what. You got some special skills, Jack. That’s for sure. We just need to make sure to get a grip on them, so… so you don’t hurt anybody.
Jack: Is that why Dean hates me?
Sam: Dean doesn’t hate you. It.. Look, sometimes the wires in Dean’s head get crossed and — and he gets frustrated, and then he mixes frustration with anger and — and fear.
Jack: Why would he be afraid?
Sam: Because Dean feels like it’s his job to protect everyone. And right now, we need to protect you. But we also may need to protect people from you.
Jack: Maybe I’m not worth all this.
Sam: Your mom thought you were. So did Cas. So do I.
Jack does have some unique challenges though, which only set off Dean more. I love that the tattoos wouldn’t take on Jack and he can’t harm himself either. Normal teens don’t have that problem! He did do the right thing though and save Sam, Dean and Donatello from Colonel Sanders, so he’s definitely got good in that power. I’m still taken in by his saga and I want more. A lot of that credit goes to Alex Calvert for making Jack believable.
On a side note, instead of Dean threatening Jack he’ll be the one to kill him at the end, I would have loved if Dean walked out in the hall after that and was clocked by Sam, being warned not to talk to their boy like that. I like a powerful woman story. I know, save it for fan fiction.
Let’s see, did anything else happen? Oh, I did LOVE this little piece of dialogue. A rare winner for the duo:
Sam: These yellow-eyed things just keep on comin’, huh?
Dean: Mm-hmm. And hopefully this fourth Prince of Hell is the last Kardashian in the family.
But yeah, other than that, I got nothing. Overall grade, a B-. Asmodeus aka Colonel Sanders and Dean being an insufferable bitch knocked down this episode a few pegs. Coming up next, “Advanced Thanatology.” I did a “Let’s Speculate” for it but never a review. I remember liking this one, but it also caused some controversy in our discussions. We’ll see if it stands up!

Alice Jester is the founder, editor-in-chief, head writer, programmer, web designer, site administrator, marketer, and moderator for The Winchester Family Business. She is a 30 year IT applications and database expert with a penchant for creative and freelance writing in her spare (ha!!) time. That’s on top of being a wife, mother of two active kids, and four loving (aka needy) pets.
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