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Supernatural: There's Something About Mary

"Mary Campbell, natural born killer."

See, Mary? This is what happens when you play with the British Men of Letters.

Honestly, I was mostly disappointed in this episode. We didn't just lose Eileen, another cool female character that, okay, I sort of knew would be cannon fodder at some point but hoped maybe she wouldn't be, and that was bad enough. But we also got the depressing loss of Mary Winchester's mind. It almost would have been easier to take if Ketch or Lady Toni had just killed her.

I do have to give gold acting stars to Samantha Smith, because as always, she made me feel for Mary. Her only real crime was that she longed for a world without monsters, and now the British Men of Letters have made her into a hunter robot that is killing her friends and endangering her own sons. I especially thought it was deeply sad that when she got Ketch's gun away from him, she didn't shoot him – she tried to shoot herself.

Ketch's reaction to all this was ever so slightly ambiguous. I think he might actually care about Mary, somewhere deep deep deep down, and that it has nothing to do with them sleeping together. Is Ketch reachable? For that matter, is Toni? Not only did she torture Sam horribly at the beginning of the season, but she was so incredibly cruel to Mary, taunting her with the knowledge of what John did to the boys after her death ("drunken rages, the weeks of abandonment, child abuse, really. It's no wonder they're damaged"). But Toni also hates Ketch with such a passion that she might be susceptible to allying with the boys. I guess we'll see in next week's looks-like-a-bottle-episode, where Dean and Sam will have to work with Toni in order to get out of the shut-down bunker. I'm looking forward to that one.

Although I'm wondering why Ketch didn't just kill them? How does he know someone isn't going to drop by the bunker in the next day or two and rescue them? I know, I know, needed for the plot, but that sort of inconsistency drives me nuts.

As usual, the best part of this episode was Dean and Sam: their quiet grief for Eileen, the way the two of them communicated without speaking as they searched for the bug that Eileen had mailed them about, the way they set up the "tea and crumpet squad" at that warehouse, and the wonderful standoff against Ketch and company (and sadly, Mary) in that climactic scene in the bunker. They almost won, too.

On to the B plot. In the ongoing struggle for power in Hell, Lucifer finally defeated Crowley. Drexel, Lucifer's wide-eyed minion, managed to find a way to reverse the power polarity or something, giving Lucifer his power back. Although I'll admit I'm a bit tired of the Rosemary's Baby plot, I really loved the scene where Lucifer and Crowley were making faces and gestures at each other as Crowley realized he had just become Lucifer's puppet.

I actually felt a bit bad for Crowley. He's evil, but I still sort of love him. And I'd totally believe that Lucifer just killed him if it weren't for that rat that conveniently showed up when Crowley needed a vessel.

Bits:

— The title of the episode was one that had to happen.

— Crowley has a deal with the British Men of Letters to limit demonic activity to crossroads sorts of things in the UK, and is ready to make a deal with Doctor Hess for a similar thing in the U.S. Huh.

— Ketch has a hellhound of his own that he got from Crowley. Poor Eileen. Her death was a sad reminder of Dean's way back when.

— The boys picked up their mail at the post office in Lebanon. That explains how they get mail at all. I'm sure no one delivers to the bunker.

— Phone call from Jody, although we didn't see or hear her. Will we see her in the two-part finale next week?

— What was with Lucifer at the top of a mountain in the end? Was he just symbolically ascending, or was he looking for Kelly?

— This week: mostly the bunkers and Hell, although Eileen died in South Carolina. That was one incredibly green motel room, wasn't it?


Quotes:

Dean: "No, I’m not being terse. Look, if you haven't seen her, do you know where she is? No, I'm not being curt, either. Look, I don't have time for Manners 101 with you."

Sam: "Dean, monsters and demons don't team up. Seven hunters are gone, we can't grab a signal from Mom's phone, Cas has Kelly Kline who knows where, Mick has slipped off the grid, Ketch is lying to us. I want to punch something in the face."

Crowley: "Dagon's dead. Kelly's now in the clutches of the Winchester's love slave, Castiel, who's no doubt dragging her to a gruesome death."
Lucifer: "As opposed to the fun-packed death you have in store?"

Mary: "I killed somebody. He was a friend."
Ketch: "I do it all the time."

Lucifer: "Master strategist. More like Kermit the Frog. Oh, my little Muppet! Crowley, what will I do without you?"

Toni: "Rule of thumb. If you think we killed someone, then we probably did."

Ketch: "And so you know, this will become easier."
Mary: "Easier to hurt people I love?"
Ketch: "Easier to hurt people you don't remember loving."

All set-up, no pay-off. Two out of four Muppets,

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

5 comments:

  1. I don't think Crowley is dead.

    I think he's the one behind reversed polarity and it's just a plot to make Lucy reveal his son.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Of course he isn't! He's my favorite!:-) By the way, I hope Jody won't appear in the finale - it would mean her certain death. Let her live in the distance.
    So-o the next season's gonna be about this Satan's spawn which doesn't sound very exciting. But season 12 didn't sound promising plot-wise, either, so Ibelieve, the proverbial devil will be found in detail.
    Mary is a goner, alas, and her character is just becoming to look interesting.
    Thank you for the review!

    ReplyDelete
  3. "What was with Lucifer at the top of a mountain in the end?"

    I think it might have been an allusion to the story of Satan taking Jesus to the top of a mountain and tempting him by offering all the kingdoms of the world. The implication being that Lucifer will do the same with his own son, hopefully with more success.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Good review as allways, I wish the show writers could be that consistent. Even silly James Bond villins dont set a two day elaborate death plan (in a bunker fully stocked with weapons spells and a betraid no.2 who knows all your secreats).
    This was so out of character it poped my suspension of disbelief bubble, and like you completely ruined this episode for me. 0 out of 4 stupid & lazy plot device.

    P.s. really you send 2 guys aginst the Winchesters + 1?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Of course they killed Eileen, the fridge was emtpy for too long. :P Let's hope Claire and Jody won't appear in the finale.

    Lucifer did not even notice that Crowleys eyes did not flicker like all killed demons? That's another sloppy moment.

    ReplyDelete

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