Image Credit: Jack Rowand/The CWMy mind has been blown like little Sammy’s fireworks. That’s an episode. Now, I realize I was all with the bitchery last week, and I admire the fact that many of you came to the show’s defense in pointing out that last week’s episode was intended to air before the one that took us into the hiatus. But they aired the way they did, and it really didn’t work for me. I was worried. Luckily, that’s in the past, and this week Supernatural and I are officially no longer in a lover’s quarrel. The boys were back… for real this time.
They returned only to go away again, of course. And by go away, I mean they died. Yup, dead as Dean’s libido (which good ole Pamela helped resurrect a little bit in this episode… rar!). They bite the dust after two angry hunters let their own bitchery get the best of them and shoot Sam and Dean with shotguns. Starting apocalypses apparently doesn’t make you popular, and now, Sam will never be the Spring Fling King. Lies. I would still vote for him. Sorry, I’m veering.
So two hunters kill Sam and Dean, sending them into a spiral of memories, which were actually their little personal pan pieces of heaven. Dean’s happy place included things like shooting fireworks with Sammy circa 1996 and consuming crust-less PB&Js prepared by his mom. Sam’s heavens included a Thanksgiving with someone else’s family, his two-week turn as a runaway (complete with a stray dog named Bones), and the night he left for Stanford. Insulted that Sam’s nirvana consisted of all things not family, Dean got angry with his brother. Pouting and brooding ensued.
But it wasn’t just an episode of new-to-us Winchester memories. We saw the return of our favorite genius bumpkin Ash and the aforementioned Pamela, now sporting a new pair of heaven eyes (hers were burned out by Castiel, remember? Of course you do.). The boys spend much of the episode hiding from Zachariah and trying to find Joshua, who apparently is God’s bff, or so claimed Cas via Pleasantville-style through-the-TV communication. Cas was right, but he was wrong in thinking the Big Guy would help them battle evil. In the end, the boys discovered via Joshua that God was walking Earth and wanted them to “back off.” “He knows everything that you want to tell him… He just doesn’t think it’s his problem,” Joshua told them. Distraught, the gang regrouped. Cas did his poof thing, and Dean threw away his God-finding amulet. I really hope Sammy took that out of the trash in case they need it later. Of course, they can always hop on eBay and buy another from China for about $16, plus shipping.
I love these pathetic, flannel-wearing maggots (Oh, Zachariah has a way with words). So here’s a bonus for you. My top five Dean/Sam deaths.
1. Dean’s Hellhound mauling in ”No Rest for the Wicked” (3.16)
2. Sam getting stabbed in ”All Hell Breaks Loose, Part One” (2.21)
3. Dean’s taco death in ”Mystery Spot” (3.11)
4. Sam getting struck by lightning in ”Wishful Thinking” (4.08)
5. Dean getting pancaked by a piano in ”Mystery Spot” (because I can’t choose just one from this episode)
I wuv your comments like Dean wuvs hugs, so dish, PopWatchers! What did you think of last night’s episode? And what are some of your favorite Dean/Sam deaths?
AMAZING episode!!! It was just what the show needed to get the final lap of the season going!!!
This was the best episode this season since “The End.” Fantastic all around, especially the fireworks scene. *sniff* My favorite “Mystery Spot” death was the one by Golden Retriever tied to a post. I believe Dean said something like, “Aw, do you need a friend?” *snarlgrowlmaul* Hee!
Hee hee, my favorite Dean death was also the “Do these tacos taste funny to you?” moment from “Mystery Spot.” For Sam, I’d say the lightning from “Wishful Thinking.”
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I had a different take on the memories of Sam’s that were shown. I thought that the memories we see of Sam’s were more for Dean’s benefit, that heaven and Zachariah were screwing with him, showing him moments from Sam’s life to make HIM more unhappy, the way Zachariah twisted the memory of the mom. Am I the only one who thought that?
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I also thought the episode was incredibly sad and maybe shows what might lead Sam to saying “yes” to Lucifer. Last week, Death (the horseman) came after Bobby because Bobby is one of the things standing between Sam and saying “yes”. The other two people keeping Sam afloat are Dean and Cas. Cas’s faith is pretty much gone now, as is Dean’s, and watching Dean throw away the amulet has got to almost seem to Sam like Dean throwing Sam away. Sam is the only trying to hold onto his faith and his hope, and he’s the one with most reason to lose it, so taking away his support system would lead to saying “yes”.
The look on Sam’s face when Dean threw the amulet in the trash totally choked me. Especially after Dean had told Sam that he was just tired of everything.
I think after Dean seen that Sam’s version of heaven did not include even one memory of his brother, he could give a damn about that necklace – he is a very broken man.
@KingLion – That’s kind of my point, I don’t think we were seeing Sam’s version of heaven. I think we were seeing something that Zachariah wanted Dean to THINK was Sam’s version of heaven, to mess with his head and beat him down.
Oh man, that’s how I felt when Dean tossed the amulet in the trash: “You’re throwing away your baby brother!” I’m with Sandra; I really really hope Sammy got that amulet back.
Poor Boys.
And I also love Dean’s bad tacos in “Mystery Spot” and Sammy getting struck by lightning in “Wishful Thinking”.
I totally hope Sam took the amulet out of the trash! When Cas said it was worthless and Dean threw it away, I cried
I remember in the episode where Cas asked to borrow it and Dean told him not to lose it, you remember how special it was because it came from Sam, but to just toss it… ::sigh::
Ooo- I didn’t think of it that way, but you may be right Jackie, maybe those memories were planted to break Dean! I thought this episode was fantastic. The last scene where Dean threw out the necklace was heart breaking too!! I hope Sammy picked it up and gives it back to Dean at some point in the future.
im really happy they bought the God element back. for a while God hadn’t been mentioned. really liked the whole episode a lot. wonder what they’re gonna do now.
great episode this!!!
I’m hopeful all of this angst and suffering is gonna lead to something good for our boys, but I really wish the show would give them a victory. Particularly Dean, who needs desperately needs a win to pull him out of the funk spiral he’s moving down. I suspect the show needs Dean to br brought as low as he possible can in order to achieve its endgame. But it still breaks my heart to see him suffer so much.
Agreed. I need for God and Dean to have a bonding moment!!!
And just when you think they could get any more broken. Man, that was rough one! Loved it!
Hmm, I thought this episode was pretty meh, and really enjoyed last week’s, so what do I know? Some nice little scenes from their childhood, but mostly the pacing was off and the plot was thin. Did like the fact that God had switched off, though. A good twist given that we probably all expected that he was going to end up being the Deus Ex Machina in the final episode. Or maybe he still is, but I would prefer for the boys to figure this all out themselves, definitely.
This ep was brilliant. I’m a sucker for angst and the further they down they bring the boys the more likely it is for me that in the end they’re going to pull it out like gangbusters and take down Lucifer and the Angels. I’m all about Sam and Dean doing this on their own terms and I think they need to be at their lowest point before they can be brought back up. My heart broke for Sam more than ever before when Dean threw that necklace away. I’ve got total faith we’ll see it again, but man. My poor boys!
Also, I LOVE that you’re doing recaps. Even if we didn’t agree about last week’s ep.
this episode was fantastic. i cried at the end.
I liked and disliked this episode, but wish they would fix the large, glaring plot hole already: if Sam and Dean say yes, endtimes happen. If only Dean says yes, while Big Bad is in the meatsuit that presently falling to pieces, Big Bad is killed, endtimes averted. Simple as that. It’s not a two for one deal, people. Dean can stop it all, right now, with a yes: he can save his brother from being tempted to say yes and kill the Big Bad walking around letting out Death. I’d say that’s a yahtzee.
OK, here’s the thing…I liked this episode, but I was a little disappointed in how heaven was portrayed. Isn’t heaven supposed to be Eternal Paradise? I guess I expected something a little more than the dreariness. Also, I really hope that the message from Joshua isn’t true. I want to see God come through for them. I mean, if that’s the case, then why bother pulling Dean out of hell and everything else that happened? Not to mention, God wouldn’t turn his back on his creation(s). So what gives? I really hope that Kripke clears this up and rallies the “good guys” because if the rest of the season is in THIS vein, I’m going to be sorely disappointed. I need to see my boys taken care of!!!!
I thought heaven was handeled really well and overall this episode was really good. Kinda tired of the Sam vs Dean thing but whatever. I love how Ash gets to be the awesome guy who can go to anyone’s heaven! Also love how Pamela’s heaven is just one huge metal show. I mean it’s nice to see them get some peace. Wait, but if Ash didn’t know that Jo and Ellen were dead does that mean they’re not in heaven? NO. Cannot be.
I LOVED this episode. The show was gone for too long (I hate that) But it came back with a bang. *Excluding the zombie episode.*I really feel for Dean. Jensen Ackles is amazing in his role.I thought Ashe’s reaction to Jo and Ellen being dead was really touching. Pamela rocks, I wish she was a regular. I laughed my butt off when Dean called Zach bald. He’s had the most awesome insults for him..I am on pins and needles waiting for the season finale, I think it’s gonna be a real jaw dropper.
Brilliant episode! I loved the minutae built into this version of heaven (billions of different personal heavens, only a few of which are shared by *soulmates*; Sam & Dean are together, right? so soulmates). The mythology got advanced a lot here, so I’m excited to see how Kripke pushes toward the season finale. Along with last night’s stellar episode of *Fringe,* this made for one great night of TV!
Rusty- I agree, I think the fact that Dean and Sam were together does mean they are soul mates. It’s kind of like in the movie Love Actually- there are so many different types of love and connections
I caught that too and loved it. I was surprised by Sam’s shock that he was in heaven though because he’s the faithful one, he may have screwed up in the past, but we know that the whole starting the Apocalypse thing isn’t his first mistake just his biggest. Forgiveness reigns. Ultimately, I’m happy that they ended up together, that should tell them each something.