Warning, this is a really long one.  In the past when recaps have gotten this long I've broken it up into two parts.  This time I didn't do that.  So, I'm hoping this will be killing some uber time at work for you.  Enjoy!

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Okay, I've taken enough recovery time after several days of staring at a blank document unable to comprehend how to tackle the recap for "My Bloody Valentine." So, with a glass of wine (and a few beers) and myself in a locked room, time to try this.  It'll only take a few days. 

The episode opens in a quaint older neighborhood complete with tree lights, and a smiling couple returning from what is likely a dreamy date. The woman has stars in her eyes and a fuzzy pink winter hat to go with her red hair. Oh that's so wrong. As a red head, trust me, that hat color does not do a redhead justice. Dark grey or a chocolate brown works better. The guy, whose not half bad looking, has that same doughy-eyed look. Judging by this serenity the message is clear, these aren't the types that hop into the sack. They're all smiles as he says the obvious, "first date." I smell a cupid! Most first dates are a wee bit more disastrous than this. Oh wait, Edlund's writing this, isn't he? Never mind. 



She says she had a really good time. Then he calls her Alice. Alice?? A redhead named Alice?? Hmm, that has to be a coincidence. Edlund doesn't read boards, does he? DOES HE? Oh, that's right. I met him at Comic Con. The red hair does stand out. Still, it could be a coincidence. Like Damian and Barnes. Anyway, the dude wants to see her again. Sunday maybe. He doesn't want to be alone on Valentine's Day, again. So that must be Sunday. She smiles, he kisses her, and anyone who watches this show knows that this adorable little love story is so going south. They both give each other big smiles and kiss bigger this time. She pulls away, not wanting him to think she's that kind of girl. He tries to apologize, but she jumps him. I would call that some pent up lust. 

They're inside in the kitchen all over each other, ripping clothes off. These guys are REALLY repressed. Then they start talking really dirty to each other. It's always the supposed innocents that shock us the most. I love it. Then she takes a big bite out of him. Huh? He cries out in pain, looks at her bloody mouth, and is more turned on than ever. So how graphic do you want this scene to be recapped? Those of you with weak stomach just skip ahead a paragraph, for this gets really gross. 

Ugh, here we go. She goes for another bite, and now blood is dripping off her chin, and he starts knawing on her arm.  She desperately wants more. "I want you, all of you, inside me." She must be a virgin, for she's taking that cliché a little too literally. Oh, his chin is dripping with a disturbing amount of blood too. Her wide open mouth goes for another chunk. He again cries out and is more turned on than ever. She pulls on a rubbery chunk of his flesh in her mouth and eats it! Can I stop here to tell Ben Edlund he's a sick bastard? Oh yeah, he knows that. I also need to stop because I'm fighting back some barf right now…. Okay, better.   He goes for his bite, blood is now everywhere and they start pulling off chunks of skin. Can I mention the squishing and crunching sound effects going on in this scene? They're going all out. He bites her stomach next and the camera pans to a Valentine's Day card on the refrigerator spattered with blood. Yeah, I do believe a new low was achieved. Or a high, depending on your point of view. I'm just trying to figure out how that passed the network censor. Oh yeah, The CW. 

Title card. The blood seems kind of appropriate, doesn't it? 



Sam is looking at the bloody postcard and he's in his G-man suit. I've said it once, I'll say it again, he's too pretty for a G-man. He's talking to the girl that found the bodies. She says there was blood everywhere and other stuff. I'm so glad we didn't get that far. I had trouble recapping what I did!   Sam's funny faces back me up on that one. While packing things away she says that Alice was already dead. It's the curse of the pink hat I'll tell you! Sam asks if Russell wasn't. She thinks he was, but he was still...chewing. Yuck, enough already!   She doesn't understand how two people could do that, eat each other. Sam thinks that's a good question. Oh, you're about to find out the hard way Sammy! Sam wants to know if Alice was acting erratic the last few days. Was she aggressive or hostile? No, she never drank, never swore, and was a "nice girl." She still had her promise ring. See, she was sick! No healthy grown woman is like that. For those that missed the sly reference, Sam asks if she was a virgin. Oh yes. More funny faces from Sam. The woman doesn't know how she did it, or not do it. She wasn't right, that's how. It was her first date in months. It's my guess her other dates went howling for the hills later after realizing they weren't passing first base. She was so excited. "Apparently they both were pretty excited," Sam says. Once again, Sam doesn't sugarcoat. 



Just in case we didn't know it was around Valentine's Day, we get to see this week's motel room card which reminds us. I read an interview from Jerry Wanek, Head Set Designer, who said they put one of those cards in every single motel room but it's not often shown. So we're lucky this time. "Valentine's special. Free champagne, this week only. Dial 9 for room service. I'm presuming Dean already had it. Who would turn that down? Sam comes in with a bag of fast food and drinking a drink? That's right, this episode is all about the strange behavior. 

Dean wants to know how it went. No EMF, no sulfur, ghost possession and demonic possession out. Dean wonders what then, for things were pretty horrifying at the coroner's. They started eating and just kept going. Just in case we don't get the point, Dean gets even more graphic. "Their stomachs were full, like Thanksgiving dinner full." They just won't quit, will they? Sam accepts they can't do more tonight, takes the laptop and says he'll go through some files. Dean better get going. 



"Sorry?"  Dean asks all confused. "Go ahead, unleash the kraken," Sam says. Hee, a Sam funny. I like those. He'll see him tomorrow morning. Dean still doesn't get it. "It's Valentine's Day. Your favorite holiday, remember? What do you always call it, unattached drifter Christmas?" Dean isn't smiling which is too bad because I am. Instead, he goes for another beer. "I'm just not feeling it this year." Sam is confused. So he doesn't want to go to bars full of lonely women? "I guess not," Dean says with complacency. Sam is really worried and Dean doesn't know why. "It's when a dog doesn't eat. That's when you know something is really wrong." Dean doesn't appreciate Sam's concern. "Remarkable patronizing comment. Dually noted." Yeah Sam, your recent blue funks have been no picnic either. Dean wishes to get back to work. Sam gives him another look to be sure, then goes back to his laptop. So, is this the sign of a spell, or is Dean actually feeling this way? At first I thought it was the craziness going on in the town, but now I'm not so sure. Maybe the events of the last several weeks are catching up with him.






Now it's an office, it's dark, the cleaning crew are there and two miserable bastards are somehow thinking that by working late on a project they'll get ahead in life. Fine, let them learn the hard way. Your efforts are usually rewarded with promised comp time that never happens and then a pink slip. No, I'm not cynical. Anyway, one guy is trying to work and the other is checking messages on his phone. He should really have an iPhone or a droid or something. They couldn't get anyone who wanted to do some product placement here? Strange. Black guy is blasting other guy for his piss poor work, wondering why he's checking messages for a girl he only met a week ago. Then he does the whip motion and swishing sound. Oh, this guy deserves to be blown away just for doing that. Only mega jerks do that. The guy goes on about how he won't let the project get half assed. Man, he SO does not belong in corporate America. That reminds me of a story. You see, my daughter has been half assing it in school lately. Some of her assignments have just been pitiful. Yet I saw her "just enough to get by" work, looked at my hubby and shrugged.   "At least she'll be perfect for corporate life." He couldn't argue. 

Okay, story. Girl in red dress shows up crying, streaks of makeup running down her face. She wonders where guy checking phone was, who we find out is Jim. He tries to tell her, but she doesn't want him to choose work over her. He apologizes to "Janice" and the stupid jerk does the whip sound again. So Janice in what I deem to be a perfectly sane act whips out a gun and blows him away. He had that coming. I wonder why more people don't take firearms to work. She asks what will they do now, since things like work will always get in the way of them being together, not to mention prison now.   Jim has a way for them to stay together forever. Time to blow their brains out. Now that's insanity. Maybe that employer will now think twice about letting people work late too. Nah, they don't take murder-suicides as a hint. 

I love this next part! Sam and Dean are back and the coroner's, suits and all, and they walk down the hall. A man in a dark suit with a briefcase passes them and something is suddenly off with Sam. He gazes at the man intently, hearing a loud heartbeat and actually smelling his scent. It's so cool! I should mention the director here is the always reliable Mike Rohl, who has done a few other great Supernatural episodes before like "The Monster at the End of This Book" and "On The Head of A Pin," and he's also done several Smallville episodes. I love how he zeros in on Sam's perplexed gaze in slo-mo as they pass in the hall. Great shot! It really brings out the puppy angst. They pass and Dean asks Sam if he's okay. He says he's fine, but he's so not fine. 


 
They enter the morgue and the coroner calls Dean agent Marley. Dean introduces Sam as Agent Cliff. Oh, so they're reggae superstars this week! I guess that's mixing it up. Dean asks him about the double suicide. The coroner has finished up and shows them the body parts in the refrigerator. "Their good and plenties are already tupperwared." Oh, I love the sharp humor of an Edlund script. The doctor throws them the keys, tells them to leave them with Marty up front when they're done and grabs his coat and hat. "Please gentleman, refrigerate after opening." Oh, I like this guy. A coroner with a sense of humor. You would almost have to in order to do that job, right? 



Sam and Dean are at a table looking at body parts, and it's so cool to see they don't get grossed out anymore. It was really funny at first, but they should have been over it by season four. I think the gag was carried on a little too long. Dean pushes a heart over to Sam. "Be my Valentine?" See, he can still joke. He's not all dead. Sam kind of rolls his eyes, showing he's not all dead either. He's pretty damned close though. He doesn't give the bitch faces like he used to. Then Sam spots something on the hearts. It dawns on him what they are. Enochian symbols. In other words, angel signs! Dean asks if it's like the tagging on their ribs. Sam isn't sure.



So, if you want to confirm an angel tagging theory, who better than to call an angel? Especially one that carries a cell phone. Dean pulls out his phone, calls, tells Cas where he is and suddenly Cas is in front of him before he even finishes his sentence! So cool. I love Castiel's entrances. "I'm there now," Castiel says on the phone, even though he and Dean are staring right at each other. Dean sees that. Castiel says he's going to hang up and you hear the echo on the cell phone conversation. Nice touch! Cas looks at the heart without the rubber gloves and confirms Sam was right. "It's the mark of a union. The man and woman were intended to mate." So who put them there? Castiel explains that "your people" call them a Cupid. "What human myth has mistaken for Cupid is actually a lower order of angel. Technically it's a Cherub third class." Wow, a caste system for angels. I guess it makes sense and all, but I love how Castiel is so repulsed by such a "simple" angel, yet he is so respectful of humans. I guess we all have our irritants. 

There are dozens of these Cherubs all over the world. "You mean the little flying fat kid in diapers?"  Dean asks.  Castiel is confused. "They're not incontinent." No one gives Cas better dry humor lines than Ben Edlund too. That is right up there with "Uriel is the funniest angel in the Garrison." Sam is trying to get to the bottom of what he's saying. A cupid has gone rogue and they have to stop him before he kills again. "Naturally," Sam says sarcastically. "Of course we do," Dean says in the same tone. Needless to say, they don't see it being the slam dunk Cas is making it. 



There's a hanging Valentine in a nice restaurant with hearts, candles and lovers everywhere.   Sam, Dean and Cas are in a cozy booth together. It's like I said in last week's recap, these three need to get a house together. Crud, that fanfic idea just won't die! I haven't written some good tongue-in-cheek comedy in a while. Anyway (shakes off creative surge) Dean gets his burger, Sam gets his salad, they're both drinking beer in a glass (???). Dean makes the joke we're all thinking. "So you just happen to know he likes the Cosmos at this place?" Hey, I like Cosmos too! Okay, anything with alcohol in it. Cas calls it a nexus of human reproduction. Oh, that's so not leaving my head next time I'm at a restaurant like that. Which is usually weekly. 

Cas can't finish his sentence, for he's staring at Dean's burger. The one he's loading with ketchup. That's really gross to me. I actually hate ketchup. I'll eat anything else but that. It's actually making me shiver worse than the eating lovers.  Dean picks up the burger and doesn't want to eat it. Not hungry. Again, is that a symptom of what's happening or something else within Dean? Sam is suspicious, Castiel wants to eat the burger. There! That's something weird. Sam's attention turns to Cas now. Castiel can't take a bite though, for his spidy sense kicks in. He says he's there. Sure enough, there's a couple sitting at a table, a napkin flies up and they're all kissy kissy. Castiel tells them to meet him in the back and he disappears.


Castiel has his hand of power out when Sam and Dean get there. He says he's tethering the Cupid. Cas does his little Enochian chant and...nothing. Suddenly Dean is grabbed from behind by a large naked man. "Here I am!" He joyfully announces, squeezing the stuffing out of Dean. Needless to say, Dean's bothered and Sam watches befuddled. Dean calls for help so Cupid swings him around a bit. "Help-is-on-the-way." Oh, this is good! Then he drops Dean when he spots Castiel. "Hello you!" He bear hugs Cas next who can hardly breath. Then Cupid turns around to Sam. "And look at you!" Sam gets really scared and tries to run but Cupid is too fast. He hugs him next, and it's interesting how this Cupid can get his arms around such a giant man. He does though! It's so funny to see Sam manhandled like that.



Dean asks Cas if they should be fighting. Cas lets him know that's their handshake. "I don't like it," Dean says. "Nobody likes it," Castiel replies. Cupid finishes with Sam (who looks like he wants to take a shower now) and cheerfully comes over to ask Cas what he wants. Ah, what a sweet angel. Castiel wants to know why he's doing this. Cupid doesn't get it. Doing what? Cas tells him his marks are slaughtering each other. Cupid is shocked to hear this. So, Dean, who is the Winchester with the anger issues this week, unloads on Cupid, accusing him of popping people with his poison arrow. Then Cas joins in, wanting to know why. Cupid's face falls over such harsh accusations and in true diva form, bursts into tears. Needless to say, none of them expected that. I think it's hilarious. 

Cupid goes off to the side to have his meltdown, while Dean, Castiel and Sam congregate. They're feeling a bit uncomfortable. Sam suggests that somebody go talk to him, although he's giving the signal to Cas. Dean joins in with Sam's body language suggestion. Cas squeamishly goes over and tries to talk. "We didn't mean to, uh..." he rolls his eyes and looks at Sam and Dean, who give him enthusiastic shows of support. Oh, this is good. I love how all three of these guys interact so well. They're quite the team anymore. Drama, comedy, you name it, it's all good. Cas goes back and finishes his sentence. "...hurt your feelings." Cupid whips around and hugs him for comfort. "I love love, I love it! And if that's wrong I don't want to be right."   Wow, Cupid is a giant marshmallow. 



Castiel tries to be supportive, patting him on the back and everything, but then admits he has no idea what he's talking about.  Both Sam and Dean are watching in the background so completely...oh how do I describe it? Think giant teddy bear reaction. They're spooked. Cupid claims he was just on his appointed rounds. Whatever his targets do after that it has nothing to do with him. He begs Cas to read his mind. Cas does and finds it's the truth. I hope that mind reading thing only works on other angels. And with permission. "Jiminy Christmas, thank you!" Cupid says writing off the teary act. A bizarre character, this must be an Edlund script. 

Dean wants clarification. Cupid was following orders. From whom? Why Heaven of course! "Why does Heaven care if Harry meets Sally?" Most of the time they don't, but there's certain bloodlines, certain destinies. "Like yours." Sam and Dean are now bothered. "Yeah, the union of John and Mary Winchester, very big deal upstairs. Top priority arrangement." Dean confirms that what he's saying is he fixed up his parents. No, not him, but yeah. We see Dean fuming and Sam looking disturbed as Cupid goes on. "Oh it wasn't easy. They couldn't stand each other at first but when we were done with them, perfect couple." Cupid is all giddy over the whole thing and Dean is...not. Oh come on Dean, respect the guy. It's obvious he loves his job. 

Dean of doesn't care if they were the perfect couple because they're dead. Not really Cupid's concern, since the order was specific. Sam and Dean had to be born. "Your parents were just...meant to be." He laughs and sings while doing jazz hands, "A match made in Heaven." I love what this actor, Lex Medlin, is doing with this role. He's so cheery its fun! So not this show. Of course Dean is being a grumpy gus as established earlier and punches cupid. Dean obviously forgot what happens when you punch an angel. Nothing happens to the angel and his hand is wrecked. Dean shakes off the pain, Cupid frowns and then disappears. 



Standing in the background are a completely incredulous Sam and Castiel, both wondering what the Hell has gotten into Dean. Sam even has the hands of exasperation going. Dean wonders where he went. "I believe you upset him," Castiel says, not exactly pleased. "Upset him?" Dean asks ready to go off on a rant. Sam jumps in and tells him enough. Dean doesn't get it. "You just punched a Cupid." Yeah Dean, you punched only the happiest creature alive. Dean defends himself, saying he punched a dick. Um, no Dean, that would be you. "Um, are we going to talk about what's been up with you lately or not?" Sam asks. Dean gets even more pissed. "Or not!" Dean answers storming off, leaving Sam to give the camera his worried puppy dog look of doom. Oh, just wait Sam. This is about to get much worse. 



Not wasting anytime on the getting worse, Sam is back at the coroner on his own. Another unusual case has popped up. Ben Edlund isn't done making us sick. I should also note this weird outfit change for Sam. He's got a new gray suit which actually looks okay, but the silky blue gray shirt and gray striped tie ages him about twenty years. I want my hunks young and current! He looks like he lifted the outfit from an insurance agent. Anyway, the really cool coroner shows a dead guy with one bloated stomach. He hands Sam his records. The man used to weigh about 400 lbs and got one of those gastric bypasses. I think those things should only be for people that dangerously overweight. Too many others are doing that for irresponsible reasons. Oh, you didn't want my opinion? Okay, moving on.

Anyway, the man decided to go on a twinkie binge. He blew out the band on his stomach and when he could no longer swallow, he jammed the cakes down his gullet with a toilet brush. "He was ramrodding a cannon." Sam takes the news with a squirm and an adjustment of the collar. "So what do you make of it?" Sam asks. "I think it was a peculiar thing to do," the doctor answers before swigging his whiskey. I'm with you doc! Sam leaves the morgue and tells Dean on the phone what's going on. Whatever's up, it isn't Cupid. Dean, who's in his normal suit, tells Sam there have been eight suicides since Wednesday and 19 ODs. "That's way out of seasonal batting average." It all depends how you look at it. After all, in middle America, aren't we killing ourselves every day? You see, now Edlund's got me all pessimistic!

Sam, who's monochrome outfit looks really bad in natural light, comes to the conclusion it's bigger than they thought. Then Sam gets a headache. Uh oh, that's usually a bad sign for Sammy. Of course he also figures out something's amiss when mystery man with the briefcase walks out of the morgue and Sam can hear his heartbeat a mile away. And smell him. You know, I remember in "Lazarus Rising" that one demon said she could smell Sam's soul a mile away. You think this is a new ability surfacing from Sam or is this just the spell? I guess we'll find out one way or another. Sam gives the man his menacing look of gruesome peril to come.


 


Sam follows the man into an alley and waits around the corner with his demon killing ginsu. Why can't this demon smell Sam? Anyway, he gets close enough and Sam jumps him, pushing him into the wall. "I know what you are dammit." He then grazes the demon with a knife, and his cut sparks and his eyes go black. "I can smell you." The demon suddenly recognizes him. "Winchester." You didn't get that before, like when you passed him in the hall? Must be a really stupid demon. Every demon knows who Sam Winchester is. Sam has this small moment of disorientation, probably from the craving for demon blood, so the demon knocks him away. Sam slices him in the arm with a knife and goes on raging crazy eyes on him, so the demon drops his briefcase and runs away when Sam takes another swipe. Oh, this is not a bright demon at all! Probably why he was given this detail. 

Sam doesn't follow, instead taking time to glare at the glistening red blood on the gleaming knife. We can even see his eyes in the blade. I wonder if that's a symbol for something. BTW, this suit is not doing raging Sam any favors fashion wise. He realizes he's not okay with one groan of desperation and finds a nearby cloth to wipe off the blood frantically. Uh oh, Sammy's starting to fall apart! 



Sam and Dean are back to the motel looking at the briefcase on the desk, speculating what could be in there. Dean wants to know what a demon has to do with this anyway. Sam has no idea. Dean also sees that Sam is a little unhinged and asks if he's okay. Sam claims he'll be alright. Boy, are you so wrong Sam. They realize they have nothing to lose by opening the case and do so. They get blasted with rays of golden light and look away. This is actually a really cool visual effect. 



The light dies down and they wonder what that is. Castiel suddenly appears, chomping on a burger. It's a human soul. It's starting to make sense. Considering Cas is attacking this burger like he hasn't had a meal in two millennia, I'd say none of this makes sense. Sam happens to say that exact thing. Dean is more worried about Cas eating. Oh, but that's a clue. This town isn't suffering from love gone wrong, it's suffering from hunger. "Starvation to be exact, specifically famine." Sam puts it all together, famine as in the horseman. Dean says that's great in a way that really means he's not up for this crap right now. He does that a lot in this episode. 

Sam thought that famine meant starvation as in food. Castiel says it's that but not just food.  "Everyone seems to be starving for something. Sex, attention, drugs, love…" Judging by the fretful look on Sam's face, he's got something else in mind. Demon blood! So cupid made that cannibal couple crave love, and then famine made them rabid for it. That bastard! Castiel keeps eating and Dean wants to know when do angels start craving White Castle. So no one at White Castle wanted product placement either? That isn't a slider Cas is eating. That would have been way funnier! He could shove a whole one in his mouth each time just like those drunks who hang out at the White Castle at Ohio State at two a.m.   Cas admits that Famine's effect has triggered his vessel Jimmy's craving for red meat. Oh those tricky vessels. I just wonder how many burgers Misha had to eat! 



This is the Sunday school portion of our episode. Castiel, naturally an expert in scripture and text, not to mention that his scripturizing is every bit as sexy as Sam's latinating, tells us the passage about Famine while we see the creepy old bastard make his entrance. "And then will come Famine. Riding on a black steed." Next thing we see are a couple of awesome black Escalades pulling into a parking lot. Aww man, I was hoping for a muscle car. Ah well, to each his own I guess. "He will ride into the land of plenty." A couple of men get out of the Escalades, one brings up a wheelchair and another pulls a very frail old man out. He's withered and they fit him with an oxygen tube as they put him in the wheelchair. There's a close-up on the ring, letting us know he's a horseman. 

"And great will be the horseman's hunger, for he is hunger." Then we see where they're going. It's a Biggersons! Awesome, continuity from another Ben Edlund episode, "Bad Day at Black Rock." So Biggerson's is the land of plenty huh? I guess that's not too much of a stretch.   "His hunger will seep out and poison the air." Old man rolls into the Biggersons with his entourage and all of a sudden most people begin gorging themselves silly. The waitress cleans out the till and then the "all you can eat" sign is shown. Nice touch! Love that biting wit. Of course Edlund isn't done grossing us out yet as the fry cook dips his hands into the fryer where French fries are still cooking. Yikes! Famine watches with delight as a woman swallows her entire bottle of pills, a man starts chugging drink, two people start having mad passionate sex, and the fry cook is scarfing French fries with his flesh hanging off his hands. Oh, I'll say it again. Edlund, you're a sick bastard. The creepy old man with yellow teeth mutters to himself, "hungry." The actor's name playing Famine is James Otis, and I swear I've never seen him before. Too bad, because in this episode he's brilliant. Creepiest villain ever.   



Back to Castiel, Sam and Dean. Cas explains that Famine is hungry and he must devour the souls of his victims. Dean figures out twinkie dude's soul was in the briefcase. Lucifer has sent his demons (albeit completely stupid ones) to care for Famine so he'll be ready. Ready for what you ask Sam? "To march across the land." Back at the Biggersons and flies have already swarmed over the rotting bodies. They must come with the horseman too for that's fast. Despite all the dead bodies around, Famine is still weak and famished. In walks stupid demon from earlier, a holding his wound, pretty scared over facing the old man. He starts with the good news. Sam Winchester, the vessel, he's here. Famine wants to know where. At the hospital, but he got away. Oh, but he has Sam's motel room key. Wouldn't Sam have missed that? Ah well, I'll accept it since it leads to some rather good drama. 

Famine is all about going after Sam, but after lunch. Where is it? The demon doesn't understand. "The one that loved cream cakes so much, where is his soul?" The way this old dude says that, like he's been craving that all afternoon, is really chilling. Oops, stupid demon lost it in his fight with Sam. After all, Sam did have the knife. He has way more mojo that that knife pal! Famine shouts out he's hungry like an insolent little boy. My son actually. The demon says he'll get one in ten minutes but oops, too late. Famine puts out his fist and demon falls to the ground while his black smoke gets sucked into Famine's mouth like it was a Hoover. "Delicious," a joyfully fed Famine says. I'm not sure, but I would think that stupid demon doesn't taste as good as twinkie dude. Then again, I have a sweet tooth.

Okay, this is where things REALLY go wrong. Sam is in the bathroom, wetting a towel and shakily looking at his troubled reflection in the mirror as he applies said towel on his neck. Uh oh, he doesn't look too good. An unsuspecting Dean and Castiel carry on their conversation in the other room. "Famine?" Deans asks. Castiel tries to get out a yes but it's a bit muffled since his mouth is full of burger. Sam manages a comment from the bathroom. "So what, this town is going to eat, drink and screw itself to death?" You know, I could think of worse ways to go. 



Castiel, in a flash of brilliance, thinks they should stop it. Dean agrees that's a great idea, but he's a little lost on the how. Cas wonders how they stopped the last horseman they met. That gets Dean thinking. He said that War got his mojo from this ring. Then he pulls out said ring from his pocket. After they cut it off he just "tucked tail and ran." Yeah, and took that really sweet Mustang with him. I'm still fondly remembering that thing with a big smile. Back to Sam in the bathroom, and he's falling apart fast. Let's just say the cool cloth isn't doing its job. Dean continues his story, saying that once they got War out of there, it's like everyone woke from a dream and started doing their own thing. "You think Famine has a class ring too?" Castiel knows he does. Dean suggests they get down to chopping, but Cas is too busy staring at the bottom of an empty bag. 


So while Dean calls Cas "The Hamburglar," their conversation is drowned out my Sam's now growing struggle in the bathroom. He's got the shakes and is hanging onto the wall for support. Dean tells him it's time to roll but Sam realizes he has to come clean. He tells Dean he can't and comes out of the bathroom looking like he's ready to barf. He can't go. Dean wants to know what he means. LOOK AT HIM DEAN!!! Can't you see something isn't right??? Sam thinks it got to him. He thinks he's hungry for it. No Sam, you KNOW you are. Dean wants to know what. Sam tells him he knows. "Demon blood?" Dean asks with irritation. Sam looks down in shame. Dean can't believe it and gets all huffy again. He turns to Cas and tells him he's got to beam Sam out of there, like to Montana or anywhere but there. Cas says it won't work, the hunger won't stop. Yeah, but I'm willing to bet there's a shortage of demons in Montana. In the meantime, Sam is all woozy like he's going to do a face plant. 



Dean wants to know what to do then. "You got to cut that bastard's finger off," Sam says. Dean takes another good look at Sam, and now Sam's predicament is sinking in a little harder. Dean turns to Cas and decides that's the plan. "But Dean, before you go, you better lock me down. But good." That last part tinges with desperation. Dean nods in disturbed agreement. Next, Dean handcuffs Sam to the piping of the bathroom sink and tells him to hang in there. "Be careful, and hurry," Sam pleads. I actually find this brotherly exchange strange. Dean is concerned, but I don't think he has a strong idea what's happening with Sam or what he could do if he gives into his hunger. Maybe Dean sees it as nothing more than a junkie needing a fix. Sam has every idea, but I'm curious if Dean thought Sam just needed to control himself and he'd be fine. Dean's long look at Sam before leaving hints that's what's going through his head. Maybe Dean's reaction something to do with that whole being dead inside thing. Whatever it is, he finds out the hard way later.
 

Castiel easily pushes a large armoire in front of the bathroom door and they're off. Right, like that's going to hold Sam. He moves such pieces with his mind! Dean and Castiel show up at the coroners and we meet the phantom Marty. He's pretty upset, surprised they hadn't heard. The next victim is none other than the doc himself. It seems he was dry for 20 years and he went home and suddenly drank himself to death. Too bad, I liked that guy. Castiel tries to explain its Famine, but Dean asks for a minute. "Crap, I really kind of liked this guy." You see! Castiel puts his hand on the corpse and finds the soul hasn't been harvested yet. Time for a stake out!

Back to Sammy who's on the verge of total meltdown in the bathroom. He's heavily panting and the heart pumping sounds are softly ringing in his head. I don't think Dean and Castiel are hurrying enough. Yes, it's killing me to see Sam in such agony. 



Dean is in the Impala, inconspicuously staking out the outside of the medical clinic. There's a sound of flapping wings and suddenly Castiel is in the passenger seat. He has a bag and pulls out another burger.  "Are you serious?" Dean asks. There you go again Dean. Can't he tell that whatever Famine is doing, the impulses are uncontrollable? Cas takes a ravenous bite and smiles. "These make me so happy." You know Cas, if you're happy, so am I. Dean wonders how many that's been. He lost count. In the low hundreds. Good thing he's an angel. You know that makes him the exception to the rule too. 



Cas raises a point that we've been wondering about for a while now. "What I don't understand is, where's your hunger Dean?" Dean needs an explanation. Everyone in the town is falling victim to Famine except Dean. He seems unaffected. "When I want a drink, I drink. When I want sex I go get it. Same goes for a sandwich or a fight." Cas asks a great question. "So, you're saying you're just well adjusted?" "God no," Dean says, which is very much the truth. "I'm just well fed." I honestly think Dean believes this right now. It's a pretty sound explanation. Cas spots demon in a dark suit and an Escalade. Time to follow. With the Impala. Good thing such a car doesn't stand out. 

Back to Sam, who's going bat shit crazy now. He's sweating, yelling in frustration and yanking on the cuffs, trying to pull out the sink pipes, but they won't give. Wow, they're pretty strong considering how strong Sam is. He hears a noise and assumes it's Dean and Cas. He's not taking this as good news. "Guys, what happened? I don't think it worked. I think I'm still..." Demons open the door. "...I'm still hungry." It's a she demon and he demon and they're just as stupid if not worse than the other guy Sam faced. No wonder Lucifer doesn't like demons. The woman relishes over how Sam is all "trussed up" and even though the orders are not to kill him, they could break off a few pieces. Hello, dumb bitch??? This is Sam Winchester, the prodigy so powerful he took out Lilith. You're going to provoke him when he's this unhinged? Fine, learn the hard way.



He demon comes over and Sam eyes him like he's lunch. Stupid idiot breaks the cuffs and Sam within two seconds takes him out with a punch and does a running tackle on she demon right through the glass coffee table. What do you know, the perfect neck slicing weapon. Sam with massive desperation jams a piece of glass into her neck, slices, and goes for his snack like he hasn't eaten in weeks. Other demon comes out of the bathroom and she demons begs him to get Sam off of her. He tries lifting but ginormo his clinging on tight. He's like a wild animal who won't let go of his prey. 



He demon picks up a coat rack but it's too late. Sam has what he needs. He lifts himself off she demon, whips out his hand and does one wicked TK toss of the demon across the room knocking him out. Awesome! There's Sammy's powers! I so missed you! Welcome back! The camera pulls in on Sam's face, which is all bloody and his crazy eyes are in full flare.  We then get THE most chilling line of the season. "Wait your turn." Whoa Sammy! You're darkside again. Now that's delicious!  





So, filling in the imaginary blanks, Sam likely drained she demon, sent her back to Hell, and then did the same with he demon. Good thing we didn't see that. That would have been awkward. Using then his new demon blood smelling abilities, he found everyone at the Biggersons. Speaking of Biggersons, Dean pulls up outside of there. He sees the demons outside. Demon with briefcase walks in. Dean wants to go over the plan again with Cas, who's playing with the burger wrapper now. Needless to say, Cas is not good either. "Hey, Happy Meal!" Dean shouts. Two McDonald's references? Cas goes through the plan absent mindedly. He takes the knife, goes in, cut the ring hand off Famine and meets Dean back in the parking lot. "Well that sounds foolproof," Dean says, but Cas is gone before he can pick up on Dean's sarcasm. Yeah, that's so not going to work.  

Dean waits about five seconds and decides this is taking too long. He grabs the shotgun and goes in the back. All those demons guarding the place and they don't have the back covered? Yeah, I think I already established we aren't dealing with the sharp ones. Dean winces at fry cook, whose front half is not submerged in the fryer. At least they didn't totally gross us out by having Dean pull him out of the fryer and show his cooked skin. Then Dean looks through the kitchen serving window and sees Castiel on the ground doing something. He calls out to Cas, but he's too busy shoveling a whole tray of raw hamburger in his mouth. Wow, how did Misha do that? Yes, this is gross, but fry cook could have been worse.   A demon jumps Dean from behind so Dean takes him out, but another manages to slam Dean into freezer door. The lights go out. 



Two demons escort Dean, who has a healthy gash on his forehead and is a little woozy, into the dining area. Famine is intrigued to see "the other Mr. Winchester" but not that all impressed. He doesn't sound like a fan. Dean wants to know what Famine did to Castiel. "You sicked your dog on me, I just threw him a steak." Yeah, that's usually all it takes. "So this is your trick," Dean says. "Make people go cuckoo for coco puffs?" Wow, that's the only really bad line of the episode. There are so many other things that could have worked there. Plus Sera Gamble already used that in "Houses of The Holy." Famine says it doesn't take much. What really catches my attention is the huge practically antique cash register that at the end of the bar. What a behemoth! Even when I started in restaurants back in the 80's they weren't that big. It took some checking, but that's definitely a mid 1970s model in its actual manufactured color. Orange was big in the 70s. I assume some genius found that in a prop room and decided to use it here. Brilliant! Yeah, I know, I have that dorky electronics geek side that never shuts up.



Famine starts his monologuing, since that's what villains do. "Doesn't take much. Hardly a push. Oh America, all you can eat all of the time. Consume, consume, a swarm of locusts in stretch pants. And yet you're all still starving because hunger doesn't just come from the body it also comes from the soul." I hate it when those evil beings are right. Dean throws it in Famine's face it doesn't seem to come from his. Oh Dean, don't do that. You'll only get a rude awakening. Famine noticed that. He wonders how Dean could even walk in his presence. "I'd like to think it's my strength of character." Ha! Famine knows better. So this horseman, just like when War messed with Sam's head in "Good God Y'all" over his demon blood issues, figures out he'll get to Dean that way. He pulls the wheelchair forward and up to Dean. As the henchmen hold Dean there Famine touches Dean's stomach, causing Dean quite a bit of pain. Famine sees all that's inside.   

"That's one deep dark nothing you've got in there Dean." Dean listens, obviously bothered by what Famine saw. "Can't fill it, can you? Not with food, or drink, not even with sex." Dean goes for the "full of crap" line but Famine is not someone who will be fooled. "You can smirk, and joke, and lie to your brother, lie to yourself but not to me! I can see inside you Dean. I can see how broken you are. How defeated, you can't win and you know it but you just keep fighting, just keep going through the motions. You're not hungry Dean because inside you're already (goes for closeup of rotting teeth) dead!" He is? Really? Oh Dean! It can't be so. Dean has a look of devastation, accepting that Famine is right but there's no time to ponder that now.



"Let him go," a very familiar voice commands from the other side of the room.   Famine turns around and is elated over who's there. Dean's blank expression suddenly turns to deep shock. There's Sam with dried blood all over his face. "Sammy no," Dean pleads. Suddenly Dean isn't looking so dead inside. It's fascinating how watching Sam in the scene really shakes him to the core.




Demons charge Sam but Famine stops them. He's still in awe over what's in front of him. "No one lays a finger on this sweet little boy." He's a Sam fan! Who knew? He notices that Sam got the snack he sent him. You've got to admire Famine's taste in cuisine. Stupid demon really does taste better. Sam's surprised Famine sent them and made it out in one piece. "Don't worry," Famine tells him, "you're not like everyone else. You'll never die from drinking too much. You're the exception that proves the rule just the way Satan wanted you to be." Sam is a little upset by this, Dean is outright heartbroken. Famine holds out his hands in invitation. Sam is welcome to slit the throats of the demons in front of him. All the demon blood he wants! Now this is where an interesting debate arises. You see, it's my theory that Sam really doesn't crave a never ending supply of demon blood. No, the deep craving of his soul is for power. The demon blood is a catalyst, removing those inhibitions of his and allowing him to unleash that power to so frightens him otherwise. So, was he taking a stand against Famine here to prove strength of character or was he giving into that extreme lust for power? I guess we have a hiatus to figure that out. 





Dean again pleads no and Sam gets all mean and defiant. He considers Famine's request for about two seconds, raises his hand and closes his eyes. Black smoke starts flying everywhere, out of the five demons in the room, including the two holding Dean. Dean quietly slips away and stands off to the side, picking up the knife in the process. He's pretty spooked over what's happening. Back to Sam, who's eyes are now fluttering and he's so enjoying this. Enjoying it in a junkie getting a fix sort of way. Famine looks like he's in love, thoroughly savoring Sam's display of power. I guess Sam is living up to his hype now. 







Dean watches in the background more, knife in hand, ready to attack at any second. Demons start dropping and back to Sam, who's really into this now. He is so getting his fix and you've got to admit, five demons at once is impressive. I think Dean is a little less on the impressed side and more on the scared out of his freaking wit side. He was bound to see Sam like this eventually. Think about it. Dean has always been a "see is believing" kind of guy. He probably had no real grasp on how powerful Sam was until he saw this. He really did have to see for himself. He gets it now.





The smoke subsides, Dean stands in the background very shaken, Famine is grinning from ear to ear and Sam is just floating on a cloud now. "No," Sam says, recovering from his little Jedi mind trick. Famine's okay with that. It Sam doesn't want them, he'll have them. Famine then opens his mouth wide, raises his hand up and the demons suddenly fly from the floor straight into his mouth, again like it was a Hoover. It's so funny we see the "all you can eat" neon sign while this happens. Both Sam and Dean watch in shock as all the smoke works its way into Famine's mouth. There, the old man feels better. So Sam, who's eerily calm not to mention flying higher than a kite, takes a few steps closer and holds out his hand like he's gripping onto something.  




Famine doesn't get it. "I'm a horseman Sam. Your power doesn't work on me." Dean looks down, and I'm speculating this is where he thinks about taking the knife and cutting off the ring finger. Sam has control of the situation though. "You're right, but it will work on them." Sam makes a fist and turns. Nooo, not the turned fist! Sam makes all sorts of strange faces and judging by his wincing and shaking is fighting something really hard. Suddenly Famine isn't smiling anymore for he can feel a bomb about to burst inside him. He tries to fight back, so Sam digs deeper. Smoke starts pouring out of Famine, so Sam is winning the fight. 




Sam goes for extra, prompting the infamous nosebleed of overexertion from doing things with his mind. He goes at it a little longer and suddenly black smoke bursts everywhere out of Famine. He slumps over. Sam lets go and tries hard to catch his breath. Dean is so stunned he doesn't know what to do. Castiel (remember Castiel?) is on the ground, now coherent, and he has that same look of shock after Sam killed Alastair right in front of him in "On The Head of A Pin." 





Then there's a close up of Dean's total disturbance gazing at a still breathless Sam.   Oh no, it's the "my brother is a freak" gaze. Sam looks at Dean, now feeling ashamed over his actions. Probably because Famine's spell is broken.   He can go back to his old baggage now.  It's kind of a carbon copy of the big scene in "It's The Great Pumpkin Sam Winchester" except with ten times more the intensity. Final shot goes to a crushed Dean, who has gotten his rude awakening.   Wow. If that doesn't leave you in a total heaping mess, nothing will. I hope you enjoyed the most mind-blowing, deeply intense scene this show has ever done. Ben Edlund, you are a God. 

 





So, we done? Hee hee, heavens no. The camera pans across some junk in storage and we hear Sam screaming in the background. We see the panic room door and Dean and Castiel standing solemnly outside. They're in Bobby's basement. Sam is screaming out their names, desperately begging for their help behind the door and it's just ripping them both to shreds. Me too. Especially Dean, who's chugging a bottle of whiskey good and hard. This does not look like a guy who's dead inside. No, he's in way too much pain. 



"That's not him in there, not really," Cas tries to assure Dean. Dean knows, but it isn't helping. Focus on Castiel's pained angel eyes and it's clear he's more worried about Dean than Sam right now. "Dean, Sam just has to get it out of his system." Dean interrupts him. "I just want to get some air." Dean leaves and Cas stays behind even though he's obviously very concerned about Dean. It's my guess he figures Dean needs some space and Sam needs him more. In the meantime, Sam's chilling screams are amping up the tension of this scene tenfold. 



Dean walks outside through Bobby's salvage yard and comes up to the Impala. It's so fitting Dean has this private moment with his baby right there. He puts down the whiskey since he realizes that isn't helping. The sad violins play and Dean is completely broken. Tears well in his eyes and he does the only thing he feels he's got left. He looks upward. "Please, I can't...I need some help. Please?" 



Oh Dean...sorry I need a second. What do you mean I already went through all the Kleenexes??? Oh Dean, your little brokenness is killing me. Come here for that big hug. The final shot shows a teary Dean in silence, wondering if anyone is listening. Fade to credits. 

What the fuck are you doing to us Edlund????? I'm a mess! You broke our boys!! You broke us!!! Plus we have six weeks now to hang on that. Gahhhhhhhh!!!!!!   Oh, and this is the best episode ever. A++.   Excuse me. I'm going to have my meltdown now. Happy hiatus everyone.