Travis: "What's up with your brother?"
Dean: "Don't get me started."
So. Great big metaphor.
According to Sam's research, rugarus don't always take that final step. Jack Montgomery turned into one deliberately in order to get the strength to free himself and save his wife from being burned alive. And then he didn't feed on her. He didn't feed on the boys, either. If Travis hadn't attacked him, would Jack have turned? I wonder. Poor guy. And that poor actor. Those eating scenes were truly disgusting and believable. Except for the raw hamburger that looked more like minced dark red jello.
Jack's dilemma was a metaphor for Sam's. I simply don't understand why God would oppose Sam saving those possessed people. It sort of goes with Castiel possessing that accountant; it feels wrong to me. Is it just the slippery slope? Is sending demons back to Hell like marijuana, and Sam's eventual psychic destination metaphorically heroin?
Was four months without Dean too much for Sam? It may be driving Dean and Sam apart, something I never thought could happen. I was actually shocked when Dean punched Sam out. Being able to send a demon back to Hell is pretty powerful; maybe Sam was thinking that if he could send someone back to Hell, maybe he could eventually pull Dean out of it. Which may be another reason why God wants to stop Sam from further developing his powers -- because Sam would be edging into God territory. God won this time; Sam was bullied into giving up his power. At least until he has to let some other innocent die.
Was Dean pulled from Hell just to stop Sam's descent? Was Dean not worthy, after all?
Bits and pieces:
— I was wondering why Travis and not Bobby, right up until Travis became an hors d'oeuvres. And then I was glad that this week's guest hunter wasn't Bobby. Poor Travis. Another hunter bites the dust in a truly horrible way.
— Dean told Sam all about Mary, but not that he thought she was hot.
— The possessed guy in the opening scene talked about what Sam and Ruby did in the dark. Ruby was in Sam's motel room in the season opener. That's two whole hints. Are they sleeping together? Kind of disturbing. And another important secret that the brothers aren't talking about.
— Will Jack's wife get an abortion? Or will there be another rugaru running around in thirty years?
— Dan thought that YED's "kids" are actually supposed to stop Lilith from freeing Lucifer, and that maybe Sam just did exactly what he was supposed to do. I thought that was an interesting theory.
— The episode began at the Willow Tree Motel again, who knows where, and moved to Carthage, Missouri.
Quotes:
Dean: "Long pig?"
Sam: "He means human flesh."
Dean: "And that is my word of the day."
Dean: "Sam loves research. He does. He keeps it under his mattress right next to his K/Y. It's a sickness."
Dean: "So what? Go vegan, stay human?"
Dean: "You're probably feeling your bones move under your skin, and your appetite's reaching hungry hungry hippo levels. How am I doing?"
Gripping and scary, and really, really gross. Three stars,
Billie
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Billie Doux adores Supernatural which is a good thing since apparently, it's eternal.
Actually, I like gross. I like Fringe. This was a good one.
ReplyDeleteGreat episode! I liked the brothers interaction and the "long pig" comment...that made me laugh out loud for some reason.
ReplyDeleteHey Billie,
ReplyDeleteWhat on earth has happened to your Buffy season eight reviews? You're at least two comics behind, and I've been really looking forward to the reviews. Is it still an on-going project, or have you dropped it from your (likely very tight) reviewing schedule?
Yeah, I'm really late with Buffy. Sorry about that. The new fall season and some big real life issues have intervened. I keep thinking I'm going to get to them and it keeps not happening. Soon, though. I promise.
ReplyDeleteNo worries, real life comes first, no contest. Glad to hear that they're coming at some stage, though. I'll keep checking every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I liked this episode a lot better than on the first watch, this is still one of my least favorite. I get the metaphor with Sam but still there´s something that doesn´t fully click.
ReplyDeleteNot a huge fan of this one, either. Too gross for me and the metaphor was too on the nose.
ReplyDeleteI, too, am worried about the boys' relationship. I think we're in for some nasty times. And, I've been convinced that Sam and Ruby are sleeping together since the first episode. Guess we'll see...
I definitely wouldn't have given it 3 out of 4 but, unfortunately for the episode, it was mostly because it followed 3 stellar episodes and is followed by one of the best seasons of the show. Too bad.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I don't think it's hypocritical of Heaven to be gunning for Sam. I don't think they are against him sending demons back to Hell, I think they are against the way he is doing it, using demonic power instead of the usual excorsism.
This is not an episode to watch with headphones on. I'm not generally bothered by chewing noises, but them right in my ears along with the visuals was a bit much. Serious ick!
ReplyDeleteMan I actually loved the gross eating scene. Something about the animalistic voracity of it... it just worked for me, kind of infectious (I couldn't help but devour some strawberries in a similar fashion after that). It helps that the raw hamburger didn't look quite right as you pointed out. Though that might not have made much of a difference because there was always something appealing to me about certain raw meats, visually, and it makes me sad to see them going through the cooking process that browns them before they're safe for consumption.
ReplyDeleteHeavy-ass metaphor aside I liked the humane element behind the featured hunter... he can't be around for another 30 years to let the child grow and hopefully fight the transformation, meaning he was willing to try that again if he wasn't too old. A shame how it worked out. And I'm a little vexed though it's understandable that the Winchesters don't have to deal with the baby conundrum. Well, not understandable actually, they wouldn't have to do anything but make sure they keep tabs on it for 30some years.