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Supernatural: Book of the Damned

Metatron: "You know, we really do make a good team. Kind of like a buddy comedy without the comedy."
Castiel: "Or the buddies."

I've thought for years that every episode of Supernatural should have Castiel in it. Now I'm starting to believe that every episode should also feature Charlie. Castiel and Charlie. Think about it. Wouldn't the two of them make for a marvelous Supernatural spinoff?

Castiel herding the annoying and lactose intolerant Metatron around the country eating waffles and playing scavenger hunt in a library was just so much fun, even though I kept worrying that Metatron would hurt Castiel – which of course, he did. It's odd how much I enjoy seeing the stern and brutal side of Castiel. But come on! How many times will Metatron fool him completely before Castiel gets wise?

Getting fooled by clever supernatural beings was a theme because Sam is about to trust Rowena with that creepy Book of the Damned. It is such a bad idea. There is simply no way on earth or in Hell that Rowena can be trusted. I wanted to shake Sam and say, didn't you notice what the episode was about? Yes, I get it. Way too tempting to get the Mark of Cain off of Dean's arm and pay the price later. Like, say, Dean bargaining with the crossroads demon for Sam's life and, um, going to Hell for it? Isn't it way too obvious that whatever price they have to pay, it'll be too much?

At least Castiel finally got his grace back, just in time to completely destroy a library and heal Charlie of carpal tunnel as well as an inconvenient bullet wound. I love Charlie. I love every word she says, and she is so good for Dean and Sam. It was great fun seeing Charlie meet Castiel for the first time. I also loved the serious scene where Charlie and Sam talked like the good friends they are about becoming hunters. Charlie has become an excellent hunter who constantly uses her impressive intellect while she has also become a good fighter, and Sam has finally admitted after all these years that he loves the life, too. Maybe that's the difference I've been seeing in Sam this season. He's not conflicted about what he's doing any more, no longer pretending that he longs for normality.

Although, and do I even have to mention it, lying to Dean is a no-no. Supernatural always manages to add the underlying drama and pathos, and this time it was during the beer and pizza and cootie catchers fun scene appropriately set to "Behind Blue Eyes." We're approaching the end of the season, and things are finally starting to go nuts again.

I don't think Dean is going to get his beach.

Bits and pieces:

— The Stynes were interesting. They seemed to just be people with tatts on their wrists who owned a magic compass that finds the book, except when they were shot, they mostly looked annoyed.

— Metatron is now on the loose with the Demon Tablet. Did anyone else feel a pang for our long lost Kevin?

— Metatron asked Castiel what he'll do when he's done walking the earth like Caine on Kung Fu. Point. What is Castiel's mission now?

— Have to mention again that I loved the restaurant scene. Overindulging is Metatron's most enduring trait. Remember the books in his hotel room?

— Metatron's favorite book (or one of them) is Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions, a great book that is both serious and comical. Castiel's grace was hidden in Don Quixote.

— One of the shots of the Stynes at the Campbell River Store was set against a backdrop of sky that looked like a white dragon made of clouds had been painted on it. Striking.

— "In memory of Jaap Broeker 1950-2015."

— This week: south of Des Moines, Iowa, and a nice cabin by a lake.

— Charlie is more of a world-trotting hunter than the Winchesters. She's been to Russia and Spain. And Oz.

Quotes:

Metatron: "That song is a classic. Yeah, I hear you, I do, and you're right. Inclement weather on the day of your nuptials and the wrong cutlery at inopportune times is hardly ironic. But it sure is catchy."

Metatron: "All these feelings, you know? I mean, I can feel music. Like that last song, 'Sussudio'? I don't even know what it's about, and I love it. I always enjoyed lyrics, words, stories, gives me goosebumps. And goosebumps! Don't even get me started on those. Creepy, and yet arousing."
Castiel: (to Sam on the phone) "Can I just kill him now?"


Charlie: "...and I'm in a phone booth. A phone booth! I didn't know these things existed outside of Bill and Ted's."

Charlie: "Did you know dental floss works great on stitches? I only passed out twice and I'm pretty sure my wound is now minty fresh."

Dean: "When was the last time either one of us was on a beach?"
Sam: "Never."
Don't I remember the two of them sitting in front of a lake next to a sign that said 'No Hunting'?

Metatron: (eating waffles) "O, M, Me!"

Sam: "An entire book of unreadable text that is also in code. Great."
Dean: "And you call yourself nerds. Come on. You got this."
Charlie: "He's right. Let's get our Alan Turing on. Decrypt this bitch."

Metatron: "Nobody goes to the libraries any more. It's the safest place in the world."
Okay, the librarian interjects, while funding of libraries has indeed decreased, usage has not. And honestly, someone would have stumbled over at least one of the secreted objects in those books.

Charlie: "Even The Bletchley Circle couldn't crack this thing."

Dean: "The Styne Family. Men of Letters files have them dated back to the early 1800s. They used spells to create disease, to destabilize markets. Hell, they even helped the Nazis before they came into power. And they profited from all of it."
Charlie: "So they're like the supernatural DuPonts?"

Metatron: "Brothers and sisters? Listen to you. Still spitting out the company line like anyone cares. Like we're actually a family when what we really are are a bunch of glowing lights filled with self loathing or delusions of grandeur or both."

Charlie: "How did this become my life? I was gonna own my own start-up, marry ScarJo, invent something cool. Now I’m just happy to be alive."

Charlie: "You were the Dread Pirate Roberts of hunting."

Very much enjoyed this one. Three out of four waffles with everything,

Billie
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Billie Doux has been reviewing Supernatural for so long that Dean and Sam Winchester feel like old friends. Courageous, adventurous, gorgeous old friends.

9 comments:

  1. Why not 4, if you realy like the ep? It deserves it imo.
    Castiel and Charlie together are fun, I'd like to see more of them. Only ... don't believe in a good SPN spin-off. What could they do without Sam and Dean in sight? Looking for them? Metatron isright, again, when he asks Cas about his mission.

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  2. I might be the only one in the "upper" world who loves Rowena. I think she's a hoot:)

    I always fold the opening credits so I won't be spoiled who is guest starring. This time it really payed off. That final scene got me lolling big time:) And, for some reason, I love the fact that she's Irish (or is it Scotish?) I just think that she's the best thing in Supernatural this season...



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  3. I haven't seen this episode yet, so maybe something changes, but as it stands, please no more Charlie. She's a dictionary of pop culture references with absolutely no actual character.

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  4. Loving the charlie in this episode! She's come a long way since she was running from Leviathans. (My god, do those days seem really simple now?)

    The book of the damned vs. the demon tablet. I wonder if they're linked? Great review for a fun ep.

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  5. Rowena is Scottish (where Crowley/Fergus was originally from).

    It occurred to me while was watching that not only do I feel genuine fear for Charlie who could be killed off any time, I actually wondered briefly if Dean would 'survive' the fight - because it's not impossible that he will get killed and go demon again. And while Sam was the one pointing out they need to stop doing terrible things to save each other last season, there is a difference here in that he wants them both to be able to find peace in Heaven at some point, not go to hell/become a demon. So there's a level of genuine threat and tension you wouldn't expect from a 10-year-old show which always has the same two leads, which is quite impressive!

    (I so agree that Cas should be in every episode, but have given up on it ever happening. I hope he doesn't get killed off again, and it would be fairly redundant at this point anyway, but you never know, especially since he's powered up again and therefore too powerful to have around too much).

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  6. If I were Sam, I would have asked Crowley for help before Rowena. Crowley is knowledgeable in ancient languages and knows his way around spells. Yes, Crowley isn't exactly trustworthy either but devil you know, right? Now that I'm thinking about it, I would have started with Cas who is also knowledgeable in ancient languages and will be more forthcoming about risks involved.

    I loved when Charlie called one of the Stynes "Gambit." For those of you who don't know he was an X-Men character with a Louisiana accent similar to the one the Stynes had: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambit_(comics)

    I didn't really understand why they stayed in the cabin. The lead box is super cool, but clearly the Stynes would start looking for Charlie where they lost her trail. Wouldn't it have made sense to put the book in the box, bring it and Charlie to the bunker, and do research there?

    I used to think I didn't like Alanis Morsette until I realized that "Ironic" is her worst song despite being the most famous one.

    Thanks, Billie, for the information about libraries! It was really interesting! (Seriously!)

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  7. You're welcome, Marianna! And while I have you here, thanks so much for all the great comments -- I'm enjoying them.

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  8. It was great to see Charlie again. I felt with the episode and the way it ended it was going to re-use the conflict from last season. except reversed. dean is at peace with the mark and the fact he may have to die. He belives there is no cure and doesn't want sam to use the book of the damned. Sam is cannot live without dean and is going to use the book knowing dean will not approve.

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  9. I loved the episode but that ending with song "Behind Blue" eyes fills me with great sadness... each line, so fitting for the current situation! Plus it's one of my favorite songs. I also loved it when Castiel received back his grace, tattered it may be. I know that his wings showed the result of the Fall but it could also symbolic o his "fall" since he no longer does total Law/order Grace for Heaven as the little troll Metaron, so aptly pointed out before trying to kill Castiel again. Yeah, shame that Cas was unable to kill Metaron as he so desperately wishes.

    Side note Thank You for letting me and others post their thoughts about an episode even when it's sadly years later. Making me feel both happy and sad because it's like when the Winchesters found the bunker. Empty for 50 years but yet still viable... sometimes I feel like I'm speaking to ghosts as well.. sorry about being maudlin about this, I'm just really tired, stressed and honestly sad about life at the moment and it's bleeding thru in this post.

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