Last week, Ben pretty much got our ducks in a row and now we stand on the precipice of WHO KNOWS WHAT! I admit, I'm frighten-excited-sad-apprehensive-optimistic-FULL OF DREAD-really really excited.
Ok let's preview this sucker.
THEN
Sam broke everyone's hearts. The end.
Ok, more stuff happened.
Dean somehow managed to get his gynormous, unconscious brother off the floor, across the room, into the bathroom and fold him into a bath (man I want to see that scene).
Naomi needs to die in a blinding white light SOON.
Crowley gave Cass a tabletectomy.
We met Metatron.
Kevin advanced placemented the hell out everything and got rescued.
The brothers have the entire demon tablet.
Dean got something to think about regarding the big picture consequences of closing the gates, from the secretarial angel who is not, as it turns out, a Transformer.
The brothers nearly ran over Cass, but thankfully the Impala has epic brakes.
And the third trial was revealed, they must cure a demon.
Dean has no clue what that means.
Sam's just happy they're going somewhere, "The end"
*Meep*
NOW
Team Free Will seem to be united and having a movie night!
And Crowley is going to kill everyone that the Winchesters ever saved.
*Double Meep*
How are we all feeling so far?
FAMILIAR FACES RETURN AS THE THIRD TRIAL NEARS — Sam and Dean reunite with Castiel. Digging through the Men of Letters' files, they stumble upon an undiscovered film, which could be the key to the third trial. Metatron enlists Cass to mull over problems at home. Meanwhile, Crowley digs into Sam and Dean's past. Taylor Cole, Graham Wardle, and CindyBusby also guest star. Thomas J. Wright directed the episode written by Andrew Dabb.
Right so…here are who these past guest stars were/are…
Taylor Cole is Sarah Blake from 1.19 "Provenance" - the antique dealer's daughter and Sam's potential beau.
Graham Wardle is Tommy Collins from 1.02 "Wendigo" - the lad the brothers went in to save.
Cindy Busby is Jenny Klein from 7.05 "Shut Up, Dr. Phil" - Don Stark's assistant, the one with beating hearts in her cupcakes!
You'll also notice when you see the preview clip - shortly - that the priest in this episode is played by Donnelly Rhodes, who was the original victim (old man) in 1.02 "Wendigo".
What's with all the flashback casting this season? Who's starting to think this is not simply because Vancouver has a small pool of actors? I mean, sure, the ones in this week's episode seem to be specifically re-cast in their original roles (except the priest), but in addition to the priest this week, we've had John's old mechanic partner recast as a sheriff, the mother from "Croatoan", recast as a woman who drops a car on her husband, the Shtriga from "Something Wicked" recast as the bad guy in "Freaks and Geeks", the wreath selling shop keeper from "A Very Supernatural Christmas" recast as a prophet potential and of course Ty, who was originally a vampire named Eli in "Bloodlust" and is now Benny the vampire in season 8! That seems like a lot of familiar faces don't you think? Did I miss anyone? Actually Pragmatic Dreamer has some thinky thoughts about this; you can read her take here.
Anyway, back to the matter at hand (I'm just starting to spin out about this casting business).
This week's episode is written by Andrew Dabb, whose last episode was "Trial and Error", so that's a good omen. That was a good episode. Director Thomas J. Wright last directed "Goodbye Stranger". Also a good episode.
Shall we have a look at the CW promo?
Incoming call 666??? Yeah, think I'd be sending that to voicemail!
Castiel is in the bunker! I guess when the Winchesters scrape him up off the road they need to take him somewhere to recuperate. I'm assuming as Cass is inside the bunker, there's no angel warding. They should have angel warding!So do we think the brothers go dig up Abbadon's bits and pieces and pop her back together? Ewww! And awesome! Is she the demon they're trying to cure? She's certainly a captured audience. She's stuck in there! What are your thoughts on the exorcism bit? I'm assuming that's connected to the priest in the preview clip.
Cass is with Metatron; I guess the brothers hooked them up? Who's punching Cass out?
Crowley I gather is saying, give me the prophet/tablet/secretarial angel/all of the above or I shall kill everyone you ever saved. This reminds me of "What Is and What Should Never Be" when Dean had to make a choice to ensure all the people the Winchesters saved, stayed saved. More links to perception? More links to the past? A possible sacrifice?
Let's look at the preview clip (hold on to your hearts.)
Awww man, I can't even offer anything here but "There's not a doubt in my mind that he's going to cross that finish line, not one." Excuse me while I have ALL the Dean feels ever!
I wonder what led the brothers to this priest. His plight must have some connection to the trials, or maybe something in the movie they watch at the bunker, because I'm pretty's sure they wouldn't be going after hunting jobs right about now, what with Sammy coughing up demon blood (that's what I think anyway) and the third trial in the balance.
At the time of posting, the CHCH promo was not available - but it'll be right here when I can get it. In the mean time, enjoy this male modelling shot of Dean...
You can find all the interviews with Carver and whatnot on our spoiler page.
What are your thoughts on this week's episode, or where we're going, or how we're all going to cope? Sound off in the comments and as always, enjoy the episode, it looks like a doozy!
See you in reviewland!
-sweetondean
Comments
Episode 17 - Castiel was killing the fake Deans.
Episode 19 - Kevin was hallucinating.
Episode 20 - Dean was in Charlie's dream.
Episode 21 - Kevin was in Crowley's creation.
Could this be a clue? I haven't looked back through all this seasons episodes but even the witch episode, the guy was dreaming in the opening scene. There's been so much of this type of thing this season & I suspect there is a reason for it.
My anticipation for this episode is EPIC
I'm a big fan of Donnelly Rhodes, so I'm looking forward to this episode (except when I'm too scared to be looking forward to it
Expectations are high.... I'm hoping for something startling and incredible.
Oh, and I can't imagine the talent pool in Canada is that small. I can think of a lot of incredible Canadian character actors that haven't been used on Supernatural yet, so I think it MUST be deliberate. Or the casting people are lazy.
Btw I think the girl who punched Castiel is an angel who is with Naomi since (*spoiler* I guess?) they are together in a promo pic from Sacrifice.
Also, yes, the recasting is getting very interesting now!
I agree that this is the most excited I've been about a season finale since season 5- OMG all the Sam feels last episode and the Dean feels in the preview clip of this one and all the pretty in the promo photos and please someone scrape me off the floor already.
The guys bringing Cas to the MOL...which means at some point Naomi will find the bunker and destroy it. Or cause some seious damage. And ten the boys will wonder why they didn't put up any angel proofing.
This could be awesome, but I'm scared of getting expectations too high.
I think it's going to be an incredibly long summer.
Back when SPN began, the Canadian dollar was worth 50-60 cents U.S.; today, it’s virtually at par. While the stars and the top tier production team are no doubt paid in U.S. dollars, the Vancouver-based crew are likely paid in Cdn. dollars. I have no clue what Union rates are so let’s say, for argument’s sake, Joe Crewmember gets paid $50,000 a season; in the early seasons, that took only $25,000-$30,000 out of the U.S.-set budget. Today it takes out the full $50K. Multiply that by the number of crew members needed to operate a show and in the later seasons a much bigger chunk of the overall budget is spent on salaries, leaving them less the spend elsewhere.
When the show brings in guest stars from the U.S., they also have to fly them in and put them up in a hotel, in addition to salary. Vancouver-based actors cost only the latter. When you're talking Hollywood budgets, it's not huge chunks of cash but over a season it adds up.
If the show is casting a one-off role and there have been a few years since a Vancouver-based actor appeared, I think they’re just looking to save a few bucks to spend elsewhere, like on a guest star they really want (Mike Farrell or Hal Linden, for example) or someone they really want to bring back (Rachel Miner, Taylor Cole). Just a theory if any of you are still awake.
Quote:I can't wait to see how these last two episodes play out. And I really hope some of the 'perception' theories floated on these boards factor into the story.
Awesome preview - thank you!
-I believe curing a demon IS the third trial, Metatron said it and then Kevin confirmed it.
-Crowley didn't really know if his half of the tablet was worthless, he couldn't read it. He just assumed it was because the boys were causing so much trouble for him...and of I think the Demon tablet was so hard for Kevin to read because it was broken. He had no trouble reading the Leviathan tablet and was reading from the tablet just fine when Crowley was holding him..
-Abaddon never met Meg, how would she take her memories? Unless you're saying they met in Hell and we just never saw it. But...she was in 1958 and then came to 2013, so she would have had to meet Meg when John was a kid or before..
If I'm wrong about any of this please let me know..(I'm not trying to be rude or anything, just trying to help you straighten out the story so it may make more sense to you as we keep watching this season! I would want someone telling me...)Now if you were not confused and you were just stating your ideas...I apologize for trying to correct you.
anway....the boys memories...I don't think we've had any indication that their minds have been messed with except the when they saw Joshua in Heaven and he told them...Then again I suppose you could argue that Sam's friggin head was broken after the Cage and maybe Dean's was messed with going through the portal??? But really I think it was Dean was in Purgatory. He did what he needed to, to survive. Along the way he discovered Benny was his friend....Also Cas thought Dean was remembering things how he needed to instead of what they really were...This of course is what he tells us but we also know HIS mind has been messed with over and over....I've also noticed people still not letting go of the fact that Sam never looked for Dean. Ok..Sam is friggin awesome and we get that...the brothers love each other and we get that...But Sam also wanted a normal life. Doesn't anyone think it's possible that he TRIED TO LET GO AND MOVE ON??? Crowley told him he was on his own, he had NO ONE to turn to...If you lost everyone you were close to, wouldn't you break down and run??? I think because the guys are so awesome, people forget they are people and sometimes they will react like a normal person instead of ALWAYS being on save-the-world- mode....
Crowley went from hiding in a trailer park last season to being "The King" this season. If he is actually rewriting perception behind the scenes, as he was directing the Kevin scenario last week, then his sudden rise in power makes sense. Since Crowley made a definitive statement that what he had was worthless, and he was going through the trouble of trying to get the boys' half of the tablet even after they completed two trials (which he would not have done if he could not read it) I'm not certain the earlier statement was just frustration.
Where was Abbadon before 1958? Who is to say she wasn't in present time and travelled back to destroy the Men of Letters? How much more powerful would the boys' be if grandpa W had raised John in the MOL ways before he and Mary met? Or Abbadon could have met Meg while Crowley was torturing Meg. It makes sense Abbadon would have gone to hell for help on coming forward from the past. I'm not convinced Meg is dead - I think that scene was a goodbye for the actress, not the character. If that is the case Meg might still be accessible. If I remember correctly, Meg was Azazel's daughter - she wasn't a human turned demon. The show has never said if that makes a difference that I can recall.
Metatron's statement is what made me originally think that killing a demon was the third trial. But if memories can be wiped and overwritten then everything is suspect. If the boys perception is being messed with, then Metatron could have said anything, the boys would have just heard something different.
I also wonder about the original statements Kevin made back when they introduced the trials - about not worrying about death or having your lungs ripped out your throat. What's always bothered me was that they did not state what the person undertaking the trials should worry about. I suspect there will be consequences to not completing the trials as well as consequences for completing them. I'm hoping the scene where Dean lopped off Benny's head does not turn out to be foreshadowing.
A lot of what's happened this season seems geared toward driving a wedge between the boys - Sam doesn't look for Dean, Dean befriends a monster, etc. -but they keep pulling together. Charlie's reminder that the boys can do anything if they work together seems like it could be significant. If Crowley is behind the perception change, or heaven and hell are working together to neutralize the Winchesters (since killing doesn't work) then all the wedges this season would make more sense.
Hope that helps explain some. Feel free to disagree or debate points - it won't offend me. Thanks!
Don't understand all these problems (with Prometeus too). They clearly said that you can enter in the MoL bunker only by using the KEY. If the door is closed and locked, the bunker is impenetrable to ALL sueprnatural beings (so I suppose it IS angel-proof, afer all). But if Dean and/or Sam OPEN the door for someone, then ANY supernatural being can enter... through the door.
Yeahhhh...we kinda agree on this one, Percy.
First, the good things: This episode evoked a lot (mostly negative) visceral emotional reactions. I gagged when Abaddon dug the bullet out of her head. I was actually creeped out by the old-tyme exorcism scenes. I felt rage during Crowley's monologue. I felt depression when Sam lost his confidence after Sarah's death. The special effects with Abaddon were great. I thought the scene of Sarah's death was superbly directed. I think the plot in general is incredibly intriguing (curing a demon - I love redemption stories). I love that Crowley is stepping up his game to the point where it actually means something and makes me hate him (he was a favorite minor character throughout S5-7). I love that Dean has such faith in Sam, and is willing to verbalize it.
The "eh" things: I think the writers need to make up their minds re: Cas. Does Dean view him as family, or as a Supernatural being they merely use when it's convenient? One episode it's the former, the next it's the latter. I get that it's a complicated relationship, but this is bordering ridiculous, not to mention redundant (we've been here before in the latter half of S7). I was also not impressed with Dean's childish unforgiveness toward Castiel. To me, it seems unjustified. We're rerouting the storyarc of S6, where Cas won't explain himself in detail to Dean, and Dean won't ask the questions that need asking nor give his friend any trust or credit. I guess while Sam and Dean's relationship has been matured and repaired in bounds - Cas and Dean are still dancing to the same tune they've been dancing to since the end of S6.
I'm not an anti-Cas viewer, but I wasn't impressed to learn that he will allegedly be the one closing the gates of heaven with Metatron. That could change of course, but I was a little annoyed by the suggestion.
Finally, I had a moment of confusion when the priest "cured" the demon - how is what he did any different from an exorcism? The man seemed to return to normal, while keeping his memories of being possessed. How is that different from what happens after a demon is exorcised? If it doesn't die or escape, does the demon stay inside the person and "meld" with their soul? I need some serious clarification on this very vital plot point, because I didn't catch it when watching the episode. What does it mean to "cure" a demon? We know how to do it, we know why we're doing, but we don't know what exactly the result will be. Seems like a problem.
Coming off an Edlund blockbuster, any other episode would seem a bit lackluster - and this one was just extremely hard to watch. As JoRuth said, it was "upsetting." For that alone (not counting the "eh" issues), it's probably not one I'll watch more than twice.
I give it a generous B.
The Angel-Nephilim storyline didn't jazz me. First of all, how does Metratron know anything if he's been holed up away from the angels forever? How do we know he is trustworthy? Where is he getting his information? Why does Cas just trust him when he says he has to gut a Nephilim? Why are these trials starting now, so quickly, so close to the end of the season? How could there only be one Nephilim in existence, killed off in the span of an episode? Grr.
I like the odd pairing of Metatron and Cas and learning more about the Angels. Though I wish it hadn't been so rushed into the end of this season but had more depth and clarity added to the story of Cas changing/learni ng and his running off with the Angel tablet.