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Well, that doesn’t bode well. Baby Boy Styne as the Sam Winchester mirror. I had high hopes for that kid – not wanting to be in the family business, handling bullies with snark, getting excited by lore books, being born bad. Hoping for a millisecond that he might join Annie and Claire as next generation hunters.
And his dad providing “a teachable moment”. Do you think John Winchester ever said those exact words to Sam? With an affectionate shake of his head as he put a gun in his boy’s hand, telling him to finish the job.
Am I the only one feeling a little gypped right now about Crowley and Cas?
I didn’t think Crowley or Cas would get killed off, honestly. If Crowley is back to being a scary, worthy adversary, I’m totally down with keeping him around.
And oh, yeah, re: the Baby Styne/Sam connection. I get the feeling that may have been a trial run for Dean.
//Am I the only one feeling a little gypped right now about Crowley and Cas?//
Glad the bad Crowley’s back. The fight with Cas was underwhelming. And Rowena’s not the spell-mistress she thought she was.
I agree about bad Crowley being back. That was a great moment, between him spitting up blood that turned into red smoke then the flash of the eyes And the threat of the finger snap. But no violence, Sam unscathed. Doesn’t the old Crowley torture all his friends?
And Rowena’s reaction seemed upset but a little underwhelmed, shouldn’t she be freaking out more than Crowley’s coming for her?
Last 10 minutes, I was a wreck. Gasping, holding my breath, covering my mouth, not blinking, then fighting back tears as Dean plunged the blade down. I guess my feelings for Cas are deeper than I realized.
I also gasped at the line when Dean said it should be Sam on the funeral pyre instead of Charlie. The boys have said many terrible and harsh things in anger, but that cut deep. Lastly, Crowley with red eyes — interesting.
//I also gasped at the line when Dean said it should be Sam on the funeral pyre instead of Charlie. The boys have said many terrible and harsh things in anger, but that cut deep.//
Yes, but I’m glad he said it rather than silence and dirty looks. It seems so honest and from his heart compared to Sam’s brooding silence, lies, and broken promises. I really love this Dean – raw, brutal, lethal, devastated and devastating.
An episode that begins with Patty Griffin and then gets even better!
“I kill gods.”
Interesting quote, right??
“She just called me a fish.” Ha, Rowena knows how to piss people off.
Been there, done that.
I am totally on team Dean. He has been completely justified in my mind. “I kill gods.” “I kill monsters.” Yes, you do, Dean Winchester.
Demon Dean refused to kill the cheating wife and only killed her husband when he was determined to see her die. Then he chose his humanity by letting Sam catch him, because, honestly, one armed Sam could never have taken Demon Dean, knight of hell, with only some holy water and magic cuffs. As for the “massacre” of Crissy’s abusers, he warned them twice and it was 6 on 1 fighting for his life. I love that Dean never tried to justify that to anyone, just, “I didn’t mean to.” He didn’t want it to happen and he tried to stop it. Everytime since then that d-bags have attacked him he has stopped short of killing them, including Crowley’s mother who technically qualifies as a monster, hmmmm. (Because, Mom?)
//Sam’s hunter instincts have been kinda shaky this season//
What is wrong with Sam?!?!!? I just don’t buy this “gotta save my brother” BS. Why wasn’t Sam right beside Dean killing Charlie’s monster killers, pumped up with his righteous indignation. It’s usually Sam saying, “the price is too high.” Contrast Sam’s inaction (fear?) with Dean being totally on point as a hunter.
“30 seconds…29…28…cup hits floor…26…” Then while Freakystyne was soliloquizing, of course Dean is working the cuff open. I really thought for a second he wasn’t going to get out. Dean’s entrance in final scene was awesome. “7 nipples for the ladies, but only one brain.” Boom. Don’t EVER change, Dean! As for the kid, he was put there to be seemingly borderline, but HE JUST CARVED UP ANOTHER KID!!!!
Then, Cass… What the Hell?!!??! Now you’re gonna take charge after letting brain damaged (or whatever) Sam tell you what’s what? Really? Did you think you would win this one? What happened to your magic blue power. At the beginning of the season you used borrowed grace to subdue half demon Dean (see earlier point), but now with your own grace you can’t get the blue power up?
“You and Sam stay away from me.” Will somebody start listening to Dean, please. (No, of course, they won’t.) Again, he is warning and trying to avoid Cain’s prophecy.
Preach it, sister.
ha ha! I got a bit swept away by Dean’s badassery as well. That competency and confidence is so mesmerising! When he pushed the cup on the floor with that little smirk? Now he can never go back to Shreveport.
And I agree, Sam is flailing like one of those dudes outside a TyrePower place (although frankly I think we could all learn some amazing moves from him).
Some things I keep thinking about that make me very sad:
-Dean so often looking like he did when table-sawing that vamp in Bloodlust and we were all really worried about him.
-Dean seeing all those awful versions of himself in mirrors post-MOC.
-Dean saying just before he died that the MOC was making him into something he didn’t want to be.
-The lost look on his face after he killed all those dudes threatening Claire and the nightmares he had about it.
-oh god, so much, everything hurts.
We know Dean doesn’t want to be like this but he doesn’t seem to be doing anything about it besides willing it away. I think we talked last week (?) about how much this season resonates with Season 3? A whole season of Sam watching Dean, knowing their time was finite (with an added layer of tragedy now considering Dean is losing himself even before he dies), trying to figure a way out — and Dean finding some relief in his fate being determined, getting a new energy and recommitting to the fight. Except this time around he doesn’t have an epiphany about how he wants to live — he already knows he wants to live, and he already knows what he wants is worthless.
My read on his “leave me alone, leave it alone” statements is not that he would be able to get better or control the MOC if they did it — although I am sure he does feel like he could hold on a little longer if they didn’t push — but that he has basically surrendered to being transformed, possibly because it gels with the “I am only good for killing” thing he’s always had going on. In that way it’s like his refusal — to the end — to become a vessel for Michael, except this time he’s not refusing, because instead of having fate and angels to push back against he is having to refute something internal he actually believes in.
Having said that, considering some of the promo images I am very curious to see if he has another plan in his back pocket.
//I’m only good for killing// really on the mark with the idea of surrender and relief. Dean’s self loathing is always there below the surface ready to pull him down, and he just gives in. Was thinking about parallels with Season 3 too. Maybe Sam is flailing so badly now because the last time a death sentence loomed over Dean’s head (not the imminent threat of death that faces them daily but that long drawn out dread of knowing what’s coming), Sam was totally impotent. And we all know that impotence can make men do crazy things.
// I am very curious to see if he has another plan in his back pocket.//
Is that a plan in your back pocket or are you just pleased to see me?
I love all these thoughts, Jessie … I got those vibes strongly in this episode – of course, Dean would want to avenge Charlie but there was also such a strong vibe of Succumbing to the Inevitable, that only by flicking the switch on the MoC, using the power that it gives him, that he can do so.
//fate and angels to push back against he is having to refute something internal he actually believes in.// In the words of Charlie Brown, That’s IT! Taking it one step further, the Mark becomes an external symptom of an internal identity crisis? Dean has always wanted the world to be black and white, and to be able to simply take action without consideration of consequences. Purgatory=constant fight=”pure”. The Mark makes it easy for him to indulge that side, even as his intelligence and experience push him into the gray, which is where we the audience want him to be–and is the healthier approach.
I held my breath during that final scene with Cyrus for that reason. Was there any part of that non-MoC Dean left in there? And then when he put the butt of the gun against head and started talking, I knew–the answer was no.
*”his head”–sorry. You knew what I meant, right?
What was the name of that song, mutecypher?
“Go Wherever You Want To Go”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L36TJ0yHCMs&spfreload=10
Thanks so much for the link!
I was bereft when it looked like the Steins were going to destroy the bunker and the boys personal belongings — Mary’s picture! I love the bunker and that it’s their home now; was so relieved that we don’t have nomadic Winchesters again.
I was going to be really hissed if they lost their bunker. Really weary of the bad motel rooms. So nice to have a home for the boys and whoever they invite in.
Whither Metatron? D’ya think that goon is gonna show up in the finale to screw up something up? If he does show, it would be excellent if Dean whups his ass and uses the angel blade on him. I really don’t want to see him in season 11.
Aw jeez.
This episode made me nostalgic for porn-guy-demon Dean, whose heinousness was mostly confined to the karaoke stage at the bar of broken dreams and BO.
Well, they warned us. The song that opened the season was “Heartbreaker”.
(I just re-watched the season opener as a refresher. Can you tell?)
I’m okay with Cas’ survival (and I could tell he lived because there were no flashes of light when Dean went all stabby), because it’s the only sign of hope that Dean can still make merciful non-monstrous decisions. That question was in serious doubt when he killed the kid. Historically, Dean has left kids alone, despite the potential for multi-generational vendettas. The show had Cole the army guy’s story at the beginning of the season to remind us of that.
I’m also okay with Crowley’s survival because from a logic standpoint, the King of Hell would have many powers, protections and other defenses against magical attacks. My main question is why Sam only had Ruby’s knife as a backup. Wouldn’t an angel blade be more powerful? Sam’s hunter instincts have been kinda shaky this season. And now Crowley has motivation to go back to being a big bad.
But funnily enough, Crowley’s first decision, post-betrayal, is to spare Sam’s life. It is a decision that is arguably one of mercy, parallel to Dean’s decision not to kill Cas.
That being said, all of Crowley’s decisions are mostly self-interest, even when he was trying to change. Maybe Crowley might still want the Winchesters as allies, even if they’re not favored pets anymore. They would definitely come in handy if Metatron uses the demon tablet the way he did the angel tablet. Metatron’s tried to be God. Maybe now he’ll try to be Lucifer. I don’t even know if they’ll address that this season, or wait until next season.
To me, the biggest question is how or even if Dean can come back from this. Well, that and how the brothers will relate to each other once they crawl out of the wreckage that is this season.
When I first watched 10×01 Black back in the days of innocence and hope, I thought the show was pulling its punches. Now I’m wishing it would. Damn this show.
I’m anxious to see what happens next week. I purposely turned off the TV before the previews came on. The promo-monkeys don’t always preserve the story surprises.
I think they should play Maxwell’s Silver Hammer at the start of the next episode instead of Carry On.
A song that makes mention of chicks digging serial killers. The Beatles noticed a lot just by looking.
I’m not the only Valerie in this thread for sure.
Just why does Joan need test tubes to study pataphysical science? I thought you only needed a runcible spoon.
During the denouement with Eldon Styne, I was so sure that Dean wouldn’t kill innocent, sweet Cyrus Styne that I started trying to figure out how he could fit into the hunter life. In the space of a minute, I fantasized that he could be their researcher or a Bobby in training, wondered if will he get along with Cas, will he make a good hunter, will he live with them in the bunker? Then ::gunshot::
Oh, well.
The kid did just carve up the bully while he was alive and screaming. Yes, he was under extreme duress, but a monster is a monster.
Couldn’t bring myself to really comment here after last week’s episode, too many inchoate feelings at What a Bad Idea the Frankensteins Are after a such promising opening, and Charlie’s Death. (Plus, the election. Bleh.)
What a sad, dark bleak, violent episode this one was. Everything got burned, broken, turned upside down, polluted or killed.
It was awesome.
And genuinely shocking in a way I miss from earlier seasons.
That bullet to the head of Blond Frankenstein? Just perfect. That bullet in the head of Young Frankensam? Just shocking. I appreciate that they went there.
Crowley’s glowing red, smoky eyes? Yes please.
Nice contrast between Sam all flailing about (physically and mentally) and Dean advancing like a tank and destroying all comers. Loved that fight to get the keys off the policeman.
The violence was pleasing and cathartic and horrible and disturbing.
(Also kind of massively relieved that the Frankenweenies are no longer a Thing. Although it seemed suddenly very straightforward to overturn a centuries old gang of evildoers – just as long as you got Terminator-Dean in on the job.)
Enjoyed the full-circle back to episode 1 feeling of the ep, all those ‘Leave me alones’ and hmms from demon Dean recurring in such different circumstances, Sam doing Very Unwise Things again, but without all that annoying coughing from Castiel.
I’m enjoying the ‘Dean can’t die’ – it’s adding an extra note of existential horror. Fabulous.
I really, really love that Dean brought a gun to Wankenstein’s knife fight.
Yasss. Dean with a silencer on his gun is the hottest Dean.
Monroe Styne: “Dean Winchester…Well I have to say I am impressed the way you charged in here all guns blazin’. I’d buy tickets to that show”.
At least one thing we agree on, Monroe! Tickets for me, please.
//Wankenstein’s //
YYESS, FINALLY! Thanks for their One True Name, Jessie.
//Terminator-Dean// hahaha with an enormous silencer on his gun, wading through the //Wankenstein’s // bodies.
Classic Indiana Jones!
//Young Frankensam//
Which is how he shall henceforth be known.
Dean should be upside down more often if it makes his eyelashes look like that.
And Crowley should be on the floor more often if it makes Sam tilt his head like that.
And I predict a change of wardrobe since all Dean’s flannel has been doused in petrol. Next week it will be all about death in Arran sweaters!
yes please
They really bring out the colour of the blood on his hands!
*nods*
BTW, if they ruined all of Dean’s henleys too, then I change my mind: his //Wankenstein// massacre was fully justified and proportional.
I loved that shot! Looking down at Dean from above. And Sam’s head tilt game was strong this episode (confused? head tilt. angry? head tilt. caught in a lie? head tilt.)
Does this tie back to potentially brain damaged Sam mentioned upthread? He has taken more shots to the head than Manny Pacquiao at this point so it’s understandable.
Sam’s precious feathered hair is like a soft cloud of goodwill that protects his brain from any trauma. He fakes being unconscious for tactical reasons.
I really loved last nights episode. It shattered my heart into about a billion different pieces, but this is Supernatural so that is pretty par for the course.
Bad Dean was oh so very, very good. I loved Crowley last night. Red eyes were perfect.
The fight with Cas was intense, but I agree with what others have said….even a reduced power Cas shouldn’t have been that ridiculously ineffective in a fight with Dean.
Can’t wait till next week!
I don’t think Cas wanted to be effective, I think he was just letting it happen. I think it was meant to parallel the beating mind-controlled Cas gave Dean in that crypt in Meg’s last episode, although it doesn’t fit perfectly considering the power differential between them back in the crypt.
Between that, Young Frankensam, the contents of the Impala, Dean getting trussed, Sam’s Litany of Crowley, there were quite a few callbacks and echoes. Has any piece of media ever filmed its stars so often through the cremating remains of their loved ones? Like, invest in potpourri sachets to hold near your noses, guys.
//I don’t think Cas wanted to be effective, I think he was just letting it happen. //
Agreed. Dean has allowed both Samifer and Cas to beat him to a pulp to get through to them. Though I’m not sure if Cas was intentionally echoing that, or if it was just a fortunate parallel.
Is it just me, or does it seem like everyone else fails when they try be like Dean? Or maybe Dean just gets away with more.
This episode was such an emotional roller coaster for me. Watching Sam and Dean construct Charlie’s funeral pyre just about killed me and that was only three minutes in. I don’t think I’m gonna survive next week. And I agree with MoC Dean being about a million times scarier than Demon Dean. That is primeval Dean out in this episode big time. Is it wrong how attractive I find that?
hi. yeeeeeess!!! deamondean needs to go ” the full monthy” otherwise he wouln’t never know his limits as knigth of hell. hercules went wild ways after killing his own family, out into the wildernernes, among the beasts.
The same music played over the Cas/Dean fight scene as when Sam died in season two (and other emotional Winchestery moments, but that was the one that stood out). This whole episode just killed me. I don’t think Cas even wanted to fight back.
HO. LY. SHIT.
“…you still only have one brain.” And Dean pulls out his evil Indiana Jones impression. I yelled at the TV in approval. I haven’t been this tense and excited watching SPN in years.
That moment was so much awesome that I still can’t really process the rest of the episode. I think I’ll actually have to rewatch the whole episode tomorrow in order to comment effectively. I haven’t done that in years, either!
“I don’t judge.” Just the way he said it. I can’t even think of a good gif to link, I’m so distracted.
On a completely unrelated to the episode tangent: is anyone else dying for Jensen to play Indiana Jones?
Jensen would be a hot Indy, but…Harrison Ford <3 <3 <3
Yes Harrison Ford. Sigh. Love him. But I’ve heard some of the people being floated around for an Indy reboot. Nope. Jensen.
Rewatching: Sam lojacked the Impala!!! Who is the one lying about where he is and what he’s doing, but is Dean lojacking the POS?
Chaarlieee…I can’t take it.
Sam, DL this file!
FORDEAN.doc
crying…
//Crowley’s glowing red, smoky eyes?// Smoldering even. Crowley really enjoyed playing out that death scene! And we even got the seemingly unrelated diner scene to remind us that Crowley makes dreams come true – King of the Crossroads (KoX), red eyes and all.
And there’s brain damaged Sam wallowing on the floor. GET UP!!!
Some second watch observations…
We got a double dose of Harrison Ford, with the
“I love you.”
“I know. ”
exchange with Charlie in the Then. And bringing a gun to a knife fight. I’m with Jill V – JA needs to be the new Indy.
Also, the bully really did need to be culled from the breeding population. I mean, he tries to mess with a kid named Styne as the kid comes out of the Styne Building. In a town where the Stynes are gods. Jeeze, what a dope.
The scene with the bully’s butchered body in the foreground and the green tiled lab with all the red body parts in the jars – that was actually beautiful. I wonder if they have Eddie’s body from Rocky Horror Picture Show in a refrigerator in some alcove. Meat loaf, AGAIN!?!?! Is there still a light over at the Frankenstein place?
From the way Eldon talked about the library, it seemed as if the Stynes had never heard of the MOL. Seems odd, though it also appeared as if the MOL had never heard of the Stynes.
Dean’s alias when he’s pulled over, Ashley J. Williams. I guess he’s left rockstars behind and gone over to the Evil Dead. Will he get a chainsaw for a hand soon?
Do you think the Sex Dungeon that No-Name Styne said he’d check out is just a euphemism, or a part of the lair we haven’t seen yet?
The shot of Dean, from about knee level, when he walks into the library as they’re about to burn his stuff, with the iron railing of the stairs and the blue atrium behind him – that was a magnificent, god-like entrance. This was a beautiful episode. We needed catharsis after last week. Beauty and vengeance.
Also, I liked that “Pixie Dust” was graffitied on the outside wall of the building where Sam tried to kill Crowley, after Sam failed to kill him. I had the thought that Rowena’s hex just served (inadvertently?) to destroy all the human blood that Sam had given Crowley in season 9. He’s not like Lena’s Hannah any more, he doesn’t deserve to be loved.
I agree about the blood coming from Crowley’s mouth, I think it was the last of the human blood he’s been drinking that made him more human. All gone now! Thanks Mom.
Maybe Rowena’s plan all along. After all it was Crowley’s weakness that she despised. I think Crowley has been/is waiting for Demon!Dean to take over and come back to the demon fold – only this time it won’t be karyoke and strippers, true Knight of Hell.
I had that same thought. Maybe Rowena never intended for the hex bag to kill him.
I also think there were several hints in The Prisoner about Dean cutting off his arm as a ‘cure’ for the MOC.
I don’t think that’d work. Didn’t Cas say something in a previous episode about how no surgical solutions would do it because the mark was branded into Dean’s soul?
Death is in the season finale… holding his scythe! Speculation is that it’s a job offer but I’m holding out for supernatural surgery.
The scythe of Death. That could work. This is all very ominous.
Apparently they nearly went there at the end of Season Seven, what with the whole bone-of-a-righteous-mortal thing to kill Dick Roman. So it’s conceivable that they might do it this year.
//a magnificent, god-like entrance//
In my book now overtakes Castiel’s original entrance as series best.
//“Pixie Dust”//
Love the SPN set details – clue or pointed commentary?
so, the new meme is, as for now, what would deamon!arm-less!Death!dean would wear?
he has no need of baby, he has no need of the bunker, and he has no need of sam or cass, what he needs is… a new wardrobe!!!! off there go flannels and in ” leathery-not -so worn- out -outfits fot the huntings, casual wear but classy for the “mingling with locals” accesories, yes, plenty of them, rattleskins boots, a set of brand new belts ( i am really fed up of the black belt), jewellery, long hair on a ponytail and a beard.
Dean could dress like John Redcorn from King Of The Hill.
yeah, i think that all those crazy dreams he has in real life and does not consider making them true because of his family, maybe he could use them for his fictional characters . what can i say, stoney-faced demon!dean… looked just like my dad when he was annoyed with me.
cheer up, dean and go and rock the world!!!!!
the gif is brilliant!!!, i can imagine dean on stage ,with a guitar and karaoke-rocking!!!!
I don’t understand why none of you has mentioned that incredible Leg Moment yet.
Except for that very deep and insightful comment, I have nothing. I can’t even look for the “I can’t even” gif. I’m holding my breath until next week.
Yesssss. Major oversight due to PTSD? That was one of those “I didn’t know I needed this until now” moments that SPN delivers. The whole sequence was unnfffhh… starting with Dean knocking the sheriff’s pen cup off the desk like one of those a**hole cats in a YouTube video.
Next week will be intense.
Thank you for your deep and insightful comment.
Your irrefutable argument has won me over to Team MOC-subsumed Dean.
I will now go and stare at the gif for another 5 minutes.
Lyrie, I did mention it upthread. I’m a bit shocked, shocked you thought this moment had passed me by. The gif is great, but I will have to make my own in slow motion so every moment can be appreciated.
So many great Legs Moments in this episode, matched only by great Face moments. Which is why the episode is called ‘I will hunt you down with my Legs and kill you with my Stony Face.’
Beautiful, stony, upside-down face.
Helena, I’m so sorry. I understand your shock. To show how my regret, allow me to offer you this gif.
This episode was so intense I’m having difficulty expressing anything. But I keep thinking about it. So great!
It was an intensely upsidedownface-and-legs powered episode.
Thanks for the lovely gifs. I forgive you.
// To show how my regret //
I write English good.
// I forgive you.//
Phew!
anyone fot the bag-in-the-face moment? those grosse lips.
Oh, and I love the ninja stars FINALLY getting a shout out. 10 long seasons in and not so much as a mention.
Have they ever been used? I’m trying to remember.
One of the most beautiful episodes in years. Upside down Dean, who knew we needed that, as GNR’s Pretty Tied Up played in my head.
Thé legs scène, Yes needed that one too. Dean as a cat, so purrfect, had to have it. This is what I’m talking about spn writers, snark and menace with à side of humor.