That was the best episode of Supernatural I've seen in a long time. You know why, don't you? Because they once again explored the primary Winchester trauma.
Who thought it would take the whole episode to get them out of the bunker? It wasn't just me, was it? Although the bunker scenes were over relatively quickly, they were a lot of fun, starting with Dean, Sam and Lady Toni trying a re-virginization abrocation spell, followed by Dean hitting the wall with his beloved grenade launcher. Big, beautiful and dumb. I loved the way they made the shut-down bunker look with the battery-powered lanterns and red lights, too.
While the boys were Shawshanking their way out of the bunker, a brainwashed Mary was assassinating hunters, with Jody Mills next on her list. Fortunately, Jody and her adopted daughter Alex weren't so easy to kill. When the boys showed up, frantically worried that one of their moms had killed their other mom, Jody already had Mary tied to a chair.
Early on, Sam told Dean that allying with the British Men of Letters was easier because Sam didn't have to lead. So Sam decided to lead, and did he ever. Dean looked like a proud father when Sam was giving his inspirational "let's kill 'em all" speech to the assembled dregs of the American hunter community. Wow, that was a lot of flannel.
It couldn't have been easy for Dean to stay behind and let Sam lead the charge, but it felt like graduation day for Sam. The frontal assault on the British Men of Letters bunker was chock full of cool action bits: the tear gas, the red lights (do all bunkers have red lights?), the gun battles. The only truly sad bit was the scene at the end showing that four cars had arrived, but only two had departed. The hunters that killed Dean and Sam in "The Dark Side of the Moon" didn't make it, did they?
But the important thing is that Jody Mills survived yet another episode. She was even the one who shot Dr. Hess right between the eyes, which was echoed later by Mary doing the exact same thing to Ketch.
Goodbye, Ketch. You dressed well, but I won't miss you. |
While Sam was off being an action hero, Dean and his seriously injured knee stayed behind to save Mary by pushing past her psychic walls, with the dubiously ambiguous help of Lady Toni. (There was definitely a tearing down impenetrable walls theme going on.)
This was the best scene of the entire season, in my opinion. Jensen Ackles made me cry as Dean made Mary acknowledge the terrible thing she did, sacrificing baby Sam to Azazel to save John Winchester's life. Samantha Smith did a lovely job, too. We could see when Mary finally started to hear what Dean was saying to her as she refused to look at Dean but couldn't help staring down at baby Sammy, guilt slowly stealing over her face. With tears dripping down his face, Dean talked about how he hated her and loved her, how he had to be Sam's father when he was a child himself, and about how Mary's choices led to Sam losing Jessica, getting possessed, being tortured in Hell, losing his soul. (I think that last one hurt Dean the most.)
Dean forgave Mary. And then Sam arrived and he forgave Mary. That was big. Three way hug, which was a beautiful way to end the episode. Honestly, I wish this had been the season finale.
Bits:
— Dean's knee. Wow, that looked painful.
— We didn't get to see Garth or Claire Novak, but at least they're still alive.
— What is this needle in the neck thing? Every time I see it on TV these days, I think, wouldn't it be too easy to hit something like a windpipe and kill someone?
— This week: both bunkers, and Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Quotes:
Sam: "So wait a second, we're just gonna..."
Dean: "Straight Shawshank this bitch."
Sam: "Is this how you pictured it? The end?"
Dean: "You know it's not. I always thought we'd go out like Butch and Sundance style."
Sam: "Yeah. Blaze of glory."
Dean: "Blaze of glory."
Toni: "You're lunatics. Action movie loving, cheeseburger eating, moronic American lunatics."
Sam: "We will win. We will take down the bad guys, because that's what we do."
Sam: "I'll take a jacked up Dean Winchester over any ten other hunters any day."
Dean: "You come back."
Sam: "Promise."
Dean: "Bitch."
Sam: "Jerk."
Dean: "Yeah."
That was perfect. I got choked up there.
Dean: "I had to be more than just a brother. I had to be a father, and I had to be a mother. To keep him safe. And that wasn't fair, and I couldn't do it. And you want to know what that was like? They killed the girl that he loved, he got possessed by Lucifer, they tortured him in Hell and he lost his soul. His soul. All because of you."
Dean: "What you did, the deal? Everything that's happened since has made us who we are. And who we are? We kick ass. We save the world."
I loved this episode very much. Four out of four grenade launchers, yippie ki yay,
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.
I completely agree with your assessment of this amazing episode, Billie. I haven't cried this much during an episode since "What Is and What Should Never Be." During the Dean/Mary/Baby Sam scene, I was a teary-eyed, snot-nosed mess. There was SO MUCH to love here--Sam's impassioned speech to the hunters, how brave and fearless Jody was (and yeah, I cheered when she put one between that bitch's eyes), how Mary finally killed Ketch (but not before he beat the crap out of Dean), and the almost balletic manner in which the American hunters dispatched the Brits, and last but not least, the weepy, wondrous way Dean got through to Mary in their old kitchen (notice she cut the crusts off his PB&J sandwich)?
ReplyDeleteThat Winchester hug between Sam, Dean and Mary at the end had me crying so hard, my husband ran downstairs to make sure I was all right. I recently learned I'm having kidney issues, and he's terrified anytime I get upset. I assured him it was just SUPERNATURAL being incredible.
Love, Robin
Robin, get well soon! Kidney issues are no joke.
ReplyDeleteFantastic to see all the British Men (and Women) of Douche dispatched in this episode. I hope the voice from the computer won't come calling next season and we will get back to Supernatural big bads. Like whatever cosmic payback there will be for Castiel icing Billie in the midseason premiere.
ReplyDeleteOh my god I wish this was the finale too. As I maybe mentioned in my comments in previous episodes, I wad frustrated as hell all along the season. And I'm glad I have the chance to binge watching it, I don't know how would I have stand all season, one ep per week. So, I was frustrated, and angry, and of all the villains in the 12 seasons the BMOL are the ones that I despite the most from the very beginning. So oooh was it satisfying to see the complete and total destruction of them! And how was it done! Sam, Sammy, taking the reins, leading his commando, doing all the right choices! I was as proud as Dean during his speech and so happy to see the base on fire. Yes, maybe I'm enjoying this a bit too much, don't care.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dean. Oh, Dean, you break my heart on a regular base, but this time.. every bit of the writing was so true. "I hate you" and yes, Dean, you have the right to feel this way. To understand, also, that you don't have to carry the weight of all the responsabilities you always carried because it's not your fault. And you have the right to forgive, learning from your experiences and opening your heart, your big big heart like this. JA and Smith were fantastic in that scene, and my husband mocked me because I was crying, but I owned my tears like a big girl :)
Every bit of this episode was perfect and it brought me so much joy.
Thank you, Billie, for the review and the spce where I can express my feelings xD
Four out of four lunatics, for sure.
Louise, you're very welcome. I'm glad you loved this episode as much as I did.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great episode. Dean's traveling into his mum's mind reminded me of Buffy's "The weight of the world".
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to catch up with Supernatural now. Hopefully I will be in tune come the series finale.
Nothing to add but I too was crying when Dean told Mary the truth.. I also cheered when Both Ketch and bitch received the head shots! I'm currently crying again as I read your review and it was wonderful as usual.
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