Whew. That was a long hiatus, guys. but with the help of my friends and a lot of fanfic I made it through to return to you. This week's episode was definitely worth the wait though, with intruige, rage and a whole lotta angst. Let's get to it, shall we?
We open, not with the Winchesters, but with another rather lost "soul" Crowley, king of Hell is having a wee nightmare about being murdered by one of his most trusted minions. Good thing his mother, Rowena is there to wipe the horror sweat from his brow and console him. Though it also turns out she was using her magic to cause the dreams. Ooops. Family is complicated.
This is something Castiel is learning in new ways, as he laments to Sam that Claire won't talk to him or trust him, this is undersandable given tht Dean just killed the only person in her life who had been kind to her, even if he was going to allow her to be raped to settle a debt. Scumbag yes - but he and his friends didn't deserve to die. At this point dean pops in to make soulful eyes at Cas and agree, and also reaffirm that the Mark of Cain must go. It's no as easy as burning it off though, cas tells him, and the lore has run dry...but there may be someone who can help.
Someone is of course the oldest and douchiest angel they know - Metatron. Cas sneaks him out of priso (past an awesome punk angel) and into Winchester custody for interogation. Ole' Metadouche doesn't seem to surprised the Mark kept Dean alive after he killed him (something the boys are so not over) and is just tickled that Dean is going nuclear now. He may know how to remove the mark though...And the first thing they need is the first blade. Who you gonna call?
Dean's royal ex-boyfriend of course, who is now living with his overbearing mom who used to give him Whiskey to make him sleep. Crowley is off like a shot when he gets the call. Which gves Rowena some time to work some magic to spy on her sone as he meets with the boys. The king is understandably horrified that they want to give Dean the means to destroy him again, but the bys make a case that they are trying to eliminate the threat. Durring the conversation, crowley lets slip where the blade (and his bones) are stashed. Rowena like this info.
Also EVERYONE like how Sam looks with wet hair in the rain. Oh yeah.
While this has been happening Cas has been trying to get through to Claire, but to no avail. In a truly painful scene she tells him that he's nothing to her, and that his friend, dean is a monster. Cas responds that may there's a little monster in all of us (that's right, hon, you stand up for your boyfriend) which doesn't really help. Claire bolts and cas doesn't stop her. Later, Claire meets two drifters playing pool and laments about how the a friend of the guy who killed her firt dad killed her second dad and life sucks. The drifters agree and we all sigh that Claire is realy bad at picking friends.
Rowena also takes some time to make a secret request of Guthrie, the powerful henchman who Crowley dreamed was killing him, thank to Rowena. she hadobviously got it out for this guy, just as she did for Gerald, the minion she got crowley to kill last episode. I'm not sure what the witch is up tom but I love to watch it.
Cas, returning to the bunker is understandably pissed off that the boys are getting the first blade back, and lets them know. They try to brush him off and let him deal with Claire but he confesses she's gone. Dean tells him that is he could he would help 9say it with me: awwwww) which Cas actually jumps on. Maybe dean can talk to her? One incredibly messed up person to another? Since dean cannot resist Castiel's puppy dog eyes, he agrees. Cas adorably tell Dean he will text him Claire's number.
Claire has joined the drifters by a fire pit and heir RV to lament her fate just as Dean calls and leaves a voice mail. She's, shall we say, ambivalent about chatting with the guy who slaughtered her surogate dad. Thedrifters, nice new frinds they are, offer to beat up or kill Dean for her. Like you do.
At this time Crowley has gone to his crypt to retrieve the first blade, but - shock! - it's already gone! Where could it be. Why with Guthrie in hell of course, delivering it to Rowena, who is already getting comfortable on her son's throne. She thanks Guthrie for the favor by killing him. Wee Fergus busts in right in time to witness Guthrie's death throws. Rowena uses the informtion she got from sying on her sone to convince him that Gutherie knew he was again working with the Winchesters and plotting against Crowley. he did have the first blade after all...and with that Rowena worms her way a bit further into her son's black heart.
Dean is sulking and making a sandwhich when Crowley does call, alerting him he has the balde but is wisely keeping it to himself until Dean now what other steps to take to use it to remove the mark. Cue Dean heading back to the dungeon for more question time with Metatron. The scribe of god, smug little thing he is, has decided that he's not giving up any more information for free though, and informs Dean of this. Bad move.
The battle of wits and interogation that follows is riveting. Dean refuses to deal with the angel tht took cas' grace, ordered Kevin to be killed and oh, yeah, killed him. Metatron only laughs at Dean tryng to take the moral high ground, pointing out that Dean was the one who tricked an angel into posessing Sam, thus allowing Kevin to die (moment of silence for Kevin tran, advanced placement, please). And now, Dean isn't even fighting for the greater good any more, since Dean is basically a monster and a killer. Dean does little to disprove this, as he starts beating the crap out f the angel, demanding the net steps to removing the mark. Metatron just goads him on, even as Dean pulls out an angel blade and starts slicing. Good thing Sam and Cas finally take time to realize Dean is unaccounted for and rush to stop him before he kills the scribe. Dean seems like he is about to kill Metatron, as the angel tells him "the river ends at the source" just as cas blasts (literally) into the dungeon to stop him.
Beating the crap out of Meatron is a violation of Castiel's agreement with heaven tht he would be unharmed, so unfortunately he has to be returned. Dean is left with very little hope, until Sam best-brother-ever Winchester, comes to console him. he reminds Dean that cas said it would take a powerful force to remove the mark, but tht Cain lived with it for years...maybe part of the powerful has to be Dean? It's sweet and wonderful, and I'm not crying, you're crying.
Oh, and Claire finally calls back. she want to meet with Dean! Of course it's a trap. the next morning Dean waits on a park bench as Claire's 'friends' lurk, armed with a baseball bat and axe (really?!) to attack Dean. at the last moment Claire has a change of heart, bursting out of hiding to warn Dean in time for him to fend of the attackers. Or course that means it looks like Dean is going to kill them, until again Claire calls out...Dean axes the park bench instead and walk away.
Later, Claire is walking down the road as Cas pulls up behind her in his pimpmobile. Apparently he doesn't need prayers to wind a human, longing for him is enough and Calire was feeling that. She grudgingly agrees that Cas was right, everyone is a bit of a monster and she can start to forgive. She needs to be on her own, live her own life, but she tells Cas she will call and that's enough for him. She tells him she liked him better in a tie, and he smiles, then drives away.
Highlights:
- Curtis Armstrong was a hoot as always as Meatron, playing the part of nerd Haniibal Lecter.
- Sam. Wet hair. Mmmmmhmmmm.
- Castiel, angel of "screw doors."
- This shot of Dean:
- Everything about Rowena is perfect.
Shipping news
It's been a while since we've really seen Dean and Cas really leaning on eachother, and oh it's glorious to see. Dean begging Cas specfically to help get the mark of. Cas furious about he plan that will put Dean in danger, then asking him to help talk to Claire. CAS LOVING TEXTTING.
Also: Angels can pick up on longing. Which means all those times in season eight when Cas just popped in on Dean he found him because Dean was longing for him. It's canon, people, sorry, I don't make these rules.
See you next week when our favorite redheaded lesbian nerd, Charlie Bradbury, finally returns!
images/.gifs: tumblr.
