“It allows me to hear things too. And my, the things that I have heard.” I’ll bet! Especially since these two do 90% of their talking in the car. Crowley’s smiling, Sam and Dean are not. He knows that they want to cram the Devil back into the box. â€œCunning scheme.   I want in.” Dean doesn’t want to go there, for he’s still on the idea of finding Pestilence. Crowley doesn’t know where Pestilence is exactly, but he does know the demon that does. Ah connections.  It’s how you get far in life. He’s the horsemen’s “stable boy”, handles all their itineraries. He’ll tell them where “sneezy” is at. Dean wants to know how he gets him to spill. â€œNuts at his pay grade don’t crack. We get him here and I sell him.” Sam doesn’t buy “sell him.” â€œPlease,” Crowley says, “I’ve sold sin to saints for centuries. Think I can’t close one little demon?”

 

Cue to a rather intense meeting at the teaser company, Niveus Pharmaceuticals. The jerk talking, urging these people to get vaccines out before they are ready, is none other than Whitney from season one Smallville. I hated Whitney. He was whiney, boring, and anyone who dated Lana Lang needed their head examined (yes, even Clark). In this episode though, he’s awesome. Being evil does him some real good. Anyway, he’s one of those pushy jerks that I usually dream of neutering in the workplace with a letter opener. Others are playing Devil’s advocate, but he doesn’t care. The nation is freaking out about swine flu. That’s because the media, in conspiracy with Pharmaceutical companies, creates panic among citizens in the name of profit. Oh yeah, already covered in the teaser.

 

He demands supply and some underling, who I have pegged to be a red shirt now, tells him he’s doing his best. â€œWell, do the best of SOMEBODY BETTER!” Next scene underling comes into jerk’s office after being summoned, pleading to “Mr. Brady” for forgiveness. Mr. Brady? Is this some sort of joke? It’s a darned sick one. Ah yes, The Edlund. Brady doesn’t need an apology and in his slick used car salesman way tells this guy he’s needed for a new position in communications. Oh no, I know what that means. â€œYou ready to enter the cut throat road of upper management?” â€œAwesome,” the guy says. You stupid idiot. Brady pulls out the blood chalice, which I don’t think we’ve seen since season two and slices this guy’s throat good and fast. â€œWatch the shoes please,” he winces as he gets enough blood for the chalice and lets him drop to the floor. Since when have demons become such divas?

 

A handler with black eyes slides dead lackey out, streaking blood profusely along the carpet. I know demons are pretty talented, but even they can’t get a stain like that out. We’re looking at total replacement here. Brady, now at his desk with his blood sacrifice, tells the demon to get the rest later. Brady is so cavalier about all this, you know, like a normal everyday corporate dick. I honestly believe half of these execs are possessed by demons. The only explanation. Brady goes to his chalice and does his whole chanting in Latin. Suddenly flies start coming out of the blood. Must be Pestilence. Brady’s eyes go black and he announces with pride that the trials are going well, the results rather grotesque. Oh good, no use unleashing a virus that isn’t messy. Pestilence wants to know how soon. â€œDistribution of this scale, we do need some humans, we can’t possess them all and don’t even get me started on the teamsters.” Ha! Since I grew up in a union town, it’s so dead on that a wide scale evil plot could be slowed down by unions.  They slow down everything. Judging by Brady’s reaction and the increase in flies, Pestilence doesn’t like that answer. He tells him he’s doing his best. So what answer does he get? â€œYes sir. Do the best of someone better.” Ha! In your face! 

 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Dean and Sam are packing a duffle bag. â€œWhy are we even listening to him Dean? This is totally insane.” â€œI don’t disagree,” Dean says, but keeps packing. I was hoping for Dean reliving his quote, “Well crazy is the only game in town.” Crowley enters. â€œOne big happy family, are we then? Fantastic.” Cheeky bugger. Dean asks if Crowley is ready to go, not in the mood for his having fun at their expense. Yes, he is, but then says “Sam, keep the home fires burning.” Dean is surprised to hear that and wants to know what he’s talking about. â€œSam’s not coming.” Okay, not that it takes a lot, but that gets Sam mad. â€œWhy the Hell not?” Crowley doesn’t hold back his opinion. â€œBecause I don’t like you, I don’t trust you, and oh yes, you keep trying to kill me.” That is some pretty sound reasoning.

 

Sam says this isn’t gonna happen. Crowley isn’t asking him, for he’s not invited. He’s asking Dean and wants to know what it’s going to be. Dean just stares at him. Sam goes back to Crowley satisfied and Crowley tells them “Gentlemen, enjoy your last few sunsets.” Dean struggles over what to and eventually gets out “Wait.” Crowley waits. â€œI’ll go,” Dean says and man does that rattle Sam. Crowley smiles in satisfaction. Dean walks by and one very hurt Sam can only stare in disbelief. Dean turns around, at least knowing he should leave an explanation. â€œWhat can I say, I believe the guy.” I would trust Dean’s instincts with demons, considering he’s been to Hell and all. Plus he knows he has nothing left to lose. Sam says nothing, hurt as can be, and then stands on the porch like an abandoned puppy watching them go. Aww, puppy needs a hug. 


















 

Luckily, we get to see right away how not well Sam is taking this. He’s sitting by the roaring fire, drinking a bottle of whiskey like it was water and talking on the cell phone. â€œAnd then, Dean just walks, right out the door with Crowley.” What’s really interesting is Bobby is on the other end, and he too is sitting alone in the dark drinking whiskey. Interesting little parallel there. It’s one of those little pieces of storytelling that’s so subtle we usually miss it. They both are alone and in a pretty dark place, physically and emotionally. â€œLook Sam, I got no love for demons, and yeah, this whole thing is crazy but, I don’t know, after a year of turning up ziltch many it’s time to get crazy.” Gotta love Bobby’s voice of reason. 


 

Sam accepts that to be possible and then decides this would be the perfect opportunity to bring up something that’s obviously been screaming in the back of his head. He asks Bobby if he remembers that time he was possessed. Um, how could he forget that Sam, considering he can’t walk anymore because of it. â€œYeah, rings a bell,” Bobby says. Remember Sam, ask a stupid question… â€œWhen Meg told you to kill Dean you didn’t, you took your body back.” Bobby points out it was long enough to do himself in. Sam wants to know how he did it. Oh, I see where he’s going.

 

Bobby suddenly doesn’t like this talk and gets worried on the other end. â€œWhy are you asking Sam?” Sam chugs more whiskey and gets to his point. â€œSay we can open the cage but then what, we just lead The Devil to the edge and get him to jump in?” Bobby isn’t sure. â€œWhat if you guys lead The Devil to the edge and I jump in.” You know, I’m sure some of us in over-speculation mode have said this as a possibility, but to hear Sam say it, it’s frightening. Bobby is scared, that’s for sure. Sam makes the pitch it’s just one action, one leap. â€œAre you idgits trying to kill me?” Bobby yells. â€œWe just got done talking your brother off a ledge and now you’re lining up to say yes?” Sam claims he won’t do it unless they all agree. Yeah, right! When push comes, you’ll shove, or Lucifer will right into your ginormo meat suit. 

 

Sam wants to look at their options. Bobby says this isn’t an option. â€œWhy not?” Sam asks. Ah, Bobby knows him a bit too well. â€œYou can’t do it. What I did was a million to one. And that was some piss ant demon I was brain wrestling. You’re talking about taking back control of Satan himself.”   Sam blatantly says he is.  â€œKid, it’s called possession for a reason, you of all people ought to know.” Yeah Sam, I didn’t see you taking control of Meg at all, even when you were trying to kill Dean. Sam thinks he’s strong enough. He is more powerful but wow, that’s a huge risk. Bobby pleads his case. â€œYou ain’t. He’s going to find every chink in your armor Sam and use it against ya. Your fears, your grief, your anger. Let’s face it, you’re not exactly Mr. Anger Management. How are you going to control The Devil when you can’t control yourself?” Sam, who’s really been chugging the whiskey by now, has no answer for that. Yeah, find that answer and…it’s still a crazy plan. Yet somehow I see him doing it, big time.