With only a handful of episodes to go, this is definitely more in line with what I expected.
Let me start with Amara, as this episode did, lounging in a hot spring reading a book about coming of age. This season, Amara has been charmingly childlike and consistently zen, enjoying new places and experiences after her long incarceration. She is – or was – a convert to loving the world. She told Chuck that she wanted "balance" with him now, and she was obviously being truthful.
So I was definitely unhappy that Chuck "consumed" Amara. What does that mean? Is she really gone forever? Or is she merely somewhere else, like Becky and the fangirl angels? I hope Amara will return somehow; the reveal that Chuck didn't create Dean's supernatural connection to Amara felt important. And I really didn't like the way Dean was setting Amara up for destruction.
Speaking of, I hate seeing Dean and Sam on opposing sides, especially now as we're closing in on the end of the series. I'm not a Jack fan, but I didn't care at all for the way Dean was helping Jack in his rush to oblivion. That scene near the end where Sam was pleading with Dean not to give up on Jack, to put down the gun, really got to me.
And Sam was right, too. More research is always the right answer. (I'm a librarian. It's my raison d'ĂȘtre.) That Key of Death thing was planted a long time ago. Loved the door in the wall. And voila. Chuck has a death book? And Sam is in it?
I can't believe I never considered the possibility that Billie has had her own agenda all this time. She was never a comfortable ally for the Winchesters, anyway. But Billie as the new God? She'd be scarier than Chuck and Amara. And everything back where it belongs? All of the refugees of Apocalypse World going nowhere? Eileen dead again? What about Dean and Sam? Where would they be?
Finally, I have to acknowledge that the trip to Santa Fe to pick up Adam's rib was a hoot. I especially liked that Adam and his angel squeeze Serafina talked and dressed like they were stuck in the 1960's. Free love, man. And I liked the callback to Cain and Abel, too.
But that rib. They couldn't have cleaned it up? Run it under a little water? Some Palmolive, maybe?
Bits:
— The book Amara was reading in the teaser was Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami.
— Yay for Alessandro Juliani from Battlestar as Adam. I hope we see him again. If there's time.
— Title musings: What did "Unity" mean? It felt like this episode was more about the lack of unity. And what were those act titles for? "AMARA" "DEAN" "SAM." Just their perspectives?
— This week: Reykjavik, Iceland; Santa Fe, New Mexico; Heaven; Death's library; the bunker. And wherever Castiel was at the start of the episode. Where was that?
Quotes:
Chuck: "This is where you drop some sappy crap about how perfect my first tree was, or whatever."
Amara: "Wasn't it, though? Perfect?"
Chuck: "Yeah, it was pretty sweet. It was a fern. I was obsessed with fractals."
Amara: "You only care about your pleasure, your story. Well, I guess that makes you the villain."
Chuck: "Villains get all the best lines."
Chuck: (to Amara) "You B-word."
Serafina: (re: Jack) "His aura. It's like Skittles."
Jack: "You're really the first human?"
Adam: "God's 'first story.' Jumped through every hoop, talked to every snake."
Sam: (to Dean) "My entire life, you've protected me. From Dad, from Lucifer, from everything. I didn't always like it, you know, but it's the one thing in the whole world that I could always count on. It's the only thing I've ever known that was true. So please, put the gun away. Just put it away, and we'll figure it out, Dean. We'll find another way. We always do."
Absolutely terrific scene. Jared Padalecki gets the gold acting star this week.
Chuck: "Spare me your contempt, Castiel, the self-hating angel of Thursday."
Chuck said that our Castiel was the only one that didn't obey. Can't help but think that has to be important, too.
I liked this one – except for the Jack-related cliffhanger at the end. Three out of four ribs,
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.
Yes, this was more like it. But what will happen though? I'm intrigued...
ReplyDeleteGreat review as always, Billie!
TJ, thanks!
ReplyDeletewherever Castiel was at the start of the episode. Where was that?
ReplyDeleteCass mentions the Basilica of Guadalupe, which is in Mexico City.
Thank you, Jeff.
ReplyDeleteI am finally watching the end of the series and I had to see if you picked up on the mention of fractals. You did! :)
ReplyDeleteI am reluctantly finishing the series. I am noticing how tired everyone looks...not just for story purposes but true looks of everyone. It a shame that covid managed to place a damper on the end of the series becaue I believe that everyone is feeling the stress, strain and pain that damn disease inflicted upon us all! Chuck just being a conman as%%, was really well done by Mr. Bendict. Overall, not thrilled with the way this whole episode felt.
ReplyDelete