![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
agt_spookyI'm still numb.
Kripke has killed me dead and I'm barely able to string two sentences together about Part 2. Good thing my favorite fangirl Tina Charles at tvguide.com can do the speaking for me...
Supernatural
by Bettina Charles
May 17, 2007: All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2
Much like last season's finale, I had to watch this episode more than once before blogging. Why? Because I didn't want to distract myself by actually taking notes. I wanted to just experience it without the added responsibility of having to blog about "All Hell Breaks Loose" Part 2. The second viewing was to solidify my thoughts, jot down my favorite lines, and catch anything I missed the first time. Here's the thing: there was so much goodness to be had, that I've been having a difficult time trying to put things in a way that makes actual sense. Because right after the credits came up, I pretty much had nothing except for: "Wow." Yup, must be another Eric Kripke special. I actually wish that we had gotten more of those this season, because his bookend episodes of IMTOD and AHBL2 were stellar. I mean, the Demon is gone! That rocked.
Sam wasn't the only one to get resurrected. They brought back "Carry on My Wayward Son" for the "previously" that showcased lots of Colt talk; shooting guns, reminding us about pacts with demons; and Sam and the psychic kids network. To this day, that "Salvation" recap is my favorite, so I'm glad they used that song once again.
I know people were wondering whether Sammy was going to be dead or not. But my sister told me that a wound like the one he got was fatal, so I figured he would no longer be part of Dean's world. Poor Sammy. After Dean resurrected him, there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' wrong with him. He didn't want to stop and rest, it just seemed like he wanted to just jump back into the hunt. Sure, he had no idea that he had just been dead, but still, I thought that was strange for Sammy. And the way he shot and killed Jake, pulling the trigger over and over and over again...You knew something was different with him. Pre-death, he couldn't go through with killing Jake. Now he has no problem with it. I'm wondering what it's going to mean for him next season. Like the Demon said, he didn't come back pure 100% Sammy. Plus, he didn't tell Dean about the whole Demon's blood that he swallowed as a baby. I'm wondering what was up with that. Even though he does seem much colder, like a part of his soul died or something, he did show emotion when Big Daddy Winchester crossed over and again, when he told Dean he was going to figure out a way to get him out of that whole deal thing. More about that later. And why did BDW touch Dean and just look at Sam? I'm probably going to be wondering this for a while. It's kind of like "Home" and wondering why Mary said "I'm sorry" to Sam and just sort of walked by Dean and said his name. And Sammy really was the Demon's favorite — he didn't just say that to all the psychic kids.
Oh, Dean. There he goes, breaking my heart once again. He's faced with a life pretty much alone and he can't do it. The boy was devastated, even Bobby couldn't get through to him. He couldn't even eat!!!!! He wouldn't bury, salt or burn Sammy. He couldn't let go. I don't care about the fact that he was wondering what he should do. He knew what he wanted to do, he just had to get up the guts to go and do it. And you know Dean. He's got lots of guts. He probably knew right away that he was going to try and make a deal. Speaking of which: I can't believe he's sacrificing himself for one year. One year! What was he thinking? I don't know what to say about this. It'll definitely have ramifications for next season, and will probably come to a head in next year's finale. (Time out: We're getting a third season. Woo-hoo! OK, Time back in.) That was a bad move on Dean's part to make the deal — especially for one year. These Winchesters really love sacrificing themselves for each other, don't they? While Sam seemed more cold than usual, Dean couldn't keep his emotions reined in. He was grieving for his brother; so desperate with the girl-demon; practically falling apart when he admitted to Bobby what he did; happy to see Sammy alive; angry at himself, at the world, at Jake, the Demon...he not only hugged Sammy, but Ellen too. He was in tears with Sammy and then again when he saw BDW. Dean's been through a lot this season, so it makes sense that the walls he had built his whole life and again solidified at the beginning of the season, came tumbling and crumbling down big time.
I don't know why I'm so fascinated by this brotherly relationship, but I am. In both parts of AHBL, we kept getting reminded that these two were brothers, they've got a bond that can't be broken, even when they're separated. And they're willing to do anything for each other. This bond also becomes a tad bit unhealthy — after all, Dean feels his sole purpose in life is having to protect his little brother. And he does it to the detriment of his own life, his own self-worth, his own everything. But I fall for it. All he wants to do his keep his brother safe. Makes sense. But why can't he accept that his brother would want to protect him as well? I loved what Sam said to Dean at the end after he found out about the deal:
Dean: "I had to look out for you. That's my job."
Sam: "What do you think my job is?" Dean: "What?"
Sam: "You save my life over and over. Man, you sacrifice everything for me. Don't you think I'd do the same for you? You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change."
A strong Sammy is a good Sammy and it just makes me excited to see how he's going to develop further in Year 3. Is he really going to be able to protect Dean? Is he going to accept his visions and whatever other ability he may have? After all, this might help in protecting his big brother. I'm also wondering if now that the YED is gone, is someone else going to pick up his plans to lure Sammy over to the dark side?
I will say that I'm slightly disappointed that there wasn't even a conversation between BDW and the boys. Sure, he helped contribute to the bringing down of the YED and he was able to climb out of hell and cross over. But, knowing that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was coming back, I had just hoped for more.
The end of the episode: not quite a cliffhanger, but definitely a jumping off point for Season 3. I'm very happy Sammy knows about the deal already. There was no long drawn out secret. The Demon is gone, but the trouble isn't over. There's a war that's just beginning and there's an army of demons that's escaped and it's up to Sam, Dean, Bobby, Ellen and hopefully a whole new crop of awesome hunters to deal with what has been unleashed. I really loved the way it ended with Dean uttering the same exact words that Sammy said at the end of the pilot: "We've got work to do." And then Dean closes the trunk. That closes the book on Season 2 of Supernatural. Congrats on the show receiving another season. "All Hell Breaks Loose" Part 2 was a really great way to cap off a season that had way more ups than downs, and really took things to a whole new level. Many of the episodes in Season 2 are some of the best episodes of the entire series. I can't wait to find out how they're going to top it all next year. And you know they can do it.
I just want to thank everyone for a great season of watching Supernatural and blogging about it. As excited as I was to see this season finale, it now means we're in a summer-long hiatus. And you know what hiatus brings. Hiatus blogs. Anyway, thank you all for coming here day after day and week after week and I hope you all have a great summer. See you back here for the Season 2 DVD release (whenever that is) and then the beginning of Season 3. But don't worry, I'll definitely try and give you a place to continue blogging this summer. We can't just cold turkey, can we?
Other thoughts:
—I really loved hearing Dean talking about the way Sammy was when he was young. Of course, the five-year-old was wondering why he didn't have a mom, or where their dad was or why they had to move around so much. It was heartbreaking to hear, but it was also insighful. It gave us even more of a sneak peek into Sammy. You know from when he was a little kid, he had to have questioned the life his family was leading.
—These girl demons love to toy with Dean.
—One scene, Dean wasn't hungry but not too much later he's back eating pizza.
—Only Dean could have a year-long death sentence and still smile while preparing to hunt down an army of demons that just escaped from a devil's gate.
—I liked Ellen being a part of the action. Did anyone think she was going to actually pull the trigger and shoot herself in the head? It could've happened. So many of the supporting players have been offed.
—No one asked Ellen if Jo was still alive. I guess she would have been much more distraught if Jo had died.
—The Jim Beaver-Jensen Ackles scenes ruled, didn't they? Bobby was practically heartbroken that Dean would make the same deal that BDW did. That he would think so little of his life, that he would give it up for his brother.
—Again, are the demons expert psychotherapists? Because they all seem to be able to read Dean to a tee. They all know how screwed up the boy is.
—There were more elements of other episodes in this one. I was reminded (slightly or more transparently) of: "Crossroad Blues" (the deal with the girl-demon); "The Benders" (Dean saying it's his job to take care of Sammy); "Bloodlust" (after Sammy shot Jake dead multiple times, the blood splattered on his face, much like what happened to Dean in "Bloodlust"); "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (The Demon throwing "the dead should stay dead" back in Dean's face); the Pilot (the ending) and "Devil's Trap" (the 100-square mile devil's trap that Samuel Colt so wisely created in south Wyoming. In fact, Samuel Colt also reminds me of "Dead Man's Blood")
—I take it that there needed to be a bullet in the Colt in order for the gun to act as a key to open the devil's gate. Because it was stupid for the Demon to leave the thing in the gun. That helped enable Dean to kill him.
—Is someone else going to pick up where the YED left off regarding Sam? Or can Sam breathe a sigh of relief?
—The instrumental music at the end seemed very Star Wars-esque to me.
Favorite Lines:
—"I'm done with it. All of it."
—"Go. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please just go."
—"It's like I had one job. One job. And I screwed it up. I blew it. I guess that's what I do. I let down the people that I love."
—"Show your face you bitch!"
—"You kind of got your family killed... all alone in the world. It's too sweet."
—"Excuse me, you're going to have to give me a moment. Sometimes you've got to stop and smell the roses."
—"You're like a puppy. You're too fun to play with."
—"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy Van Damme."
—"Sam. It's good to...see you up and around."
—"What is it with you Winchesters, huh?"
—"I couldn't let him die, Bobby. I couldn't. He's my brother."
—"Well, check that off the to-do list."
—"I kind of don't know what to say." "I do. That was for our mom, you son of a bitch."
~~~~~
Awesome review, as always, Tina. :-)
I'm still stunned that season two is over. The season seemed to fly by after the winter hiatus and suddenly it's May and we've reached the end. But not THE end, 'cause we've been renewed and we'll see the Winchester brothers back in action this fall. Whoo!
Anyway, back to part two - kudos to Jensen for another amazing performance. For some reason he didn't look as red-eyed and feral in the episode compared to the previews, but no matter, his pain was a palpable thing that twisted up my insides and left me holding my breath. It was agonizing to listen to him speaking to Sam's body. Anyone notice they kinda tried to tie in that story of when Sam was five to the backstory in the first issue of the SPN:Origins comic?
Even though I was spoiler free for the finale, I was still kinda thinking along the lines of Dean making a deal, but that was because I found out that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was going to be in it. I thought Dean was going to sell his soul to get his father back from Hell. But no, he sold his soul to save his little brother. And I didn't doubt for an instant that he'd do it.
But what really threw me was the terms of the deal. When I was speculating to myself, I was thinking that the deal wouldn't really mean all that much, have such an impact on the show, because Dean would have ten years. And as much as I love SPN, I don't think it'll be on for another ten years. :-)
But Kripke, you sly bastard, you turned that upside down. ONE freaking year. I think that was an awesome twist and as soon as Dean agreed I knew exactly what the underlying theme of next year was going to be - save Dean. And I can't wait. The tables have been turned, and as Sam said, this time it's his turn to save his brother. I was wondering if Sam would figure out what Dean did to save him in last night's episode, or if we'd have to wait till sometime next season. I'm glad it turned out that the "secret" was revealed last night, so we can hit the ground running with that storyline in the fall.
The entire episode left me with my jaw hanging open at every turn - the sign of a great show.
I thought Bobby was fantastic and I'm so glad they didn't kill him off! He's become such a fan favorite that I hope we see more of him again next year. Because, you know, this time John is really dead, and the boys need someone like Bobby.
Let's talk about John for a minute, shall we? This is the only part of the episode that really ticked me off. We waited TWENTY-ONE episodes to finally see John again, after JDM was supposed to be in What Is.. and then the first part of the finale and wasn't. So the build up was HUGE, at least for me.
I speculated that the boys would climb down into Hell and save John. So much for that theory, eh? John ended up crawling out himself! And what he did was amazing - saving Dean once again, and playing a huge part in finally helping his sons to kill the Yellow Eyed Demon. I loved that whole sequence of events, really powerful stuff.
It's what came after that irritated me. As the silence stretched on, with John and Dean and Sam simply looking at each other, I kept screaming at the tv, "Someone say something!!" And when no one did, and John simply backed away, glowed and then disappeared (just like Molly from Roadkill so I'm assuming John finally went to heaven) my mouth just hung open. All of that waiting, the anticipation, with me thinking that John would be ressurected and we didn't get ONE stinking word from anyone! ERIC!! How could you do that to us?? I was just so, so let down by that. Am I the only one feeling that way? I wanted SO badly for John to be made whole again and reappear every so often next season and now I know that'll never happen and it left a pit in my stomach. :-(
I actually didn't think that they'd end up killing the YED. That he'd somehow get away and we'd encounter him next season. But surprise, surprise, Dean shoots him dead. Wasn't that the coolest scene, when you can see the bullet being fired from the gun? I was really in shock that the Winchester's life long mission was suddenly over. And all three had a hand in taking that evil S.O.B. down. I liked Dean's line about it being for their mom. Good closure there.
So what does everyone think about the ressurrected Sammy? Think he's not quite whole or was the YED lying to Dean? I'll admit being stunned at the cold way Sam killed Jake, especially when he stood over him and nearly emptied the clip. The look on Sam's face made me shudder. We all know that Sam has said multiple times that they can't kill a human being. Did he no longer see Jake that way? Or had Sam finally reached his limit? It'll be interesting to see next season if Dean watches his brother warily, to see if that darkness comes out again, if the YED could've been right.
Oh, and what was the deal with the demons escaping from Hell being able to cut through the railroad tracks like butter?? Did I miss something in the explanation that Bobby gave? I thought they couldn't get through it.
Like Tina said, I, too, am fascinated by Sam and Dean's brotherly bond (we finally got a REAL hug! Thank you, Eric!!) even if it can be unhealthy at times. It's SO painful to know that Dean believes he's so...unworthy. Why do people keep telling him that?? He's anything but! I think he'll always be a broken man inside, and Jensen plays that so very, very well.
I wonder what next season holds for Sam. Will he continue to experience visions now that the YED is gone? Will his telekenisis instead come to the forefront? I'm looking forward to see how they develop Sam next season.
So all in all, a stunner of a season finale, as it should've been. It didn't end in a typical cliffhanger (like Eric said) but can you imagine if we wouldn't have gotten renewed, and it left off with Dean with only one year to live?? Ack!!
Loved, loved, loved the very end, the mirror scene of the pilot, this time with Dean throwing the gun in and closing the trunk. "We've got work to do."
Indeed you do, boys, and I can't WAIT to see you back in action after the summer! :-)
Kripke has killed me dead and I'm barely able to string two sentences together about Part 2. Good thing my favorite fangirl Tina Charles at tvguide.com can do the speaking for me...
Supernatural
by Bettina Charles
May 17, 2007: All Hell Breaks Loose, Part 2
Much like last season's finale, I had to watch this episode more than once before blogging. Why? Because I didn't want to distract myself by actually taking notes. I wanted to just experience it without the added responsibility of having to blog about "All Hell Breaks Loose" Part 2. The second viewing was to solidify my thoughts, jot down my favorite lines, and catch anything I missed the first time. Here's the thing: there was so much goodness to be had, that I've been having a difficult time trying to put things in a way that makes actual sense. Because right after the credits came up, I pretty much had nothing except for: "Wow." Yup, must be another Eric Kripke special. I actually wish that we had gotten more of those this season, because his bookend episodes of IMTOD and AHBL2 were stellar. I mean, the Demon is gone! That rocked.
Sam wasn't the only one to get resurrected. They brought back "Carry on My Wayward Son" for the "previously" that showcased lots of Colt talk; shooting guns, reminding us about pacts with demons; and Sam and the psychic kids network. To this day, that "Salvation" recap is my favorite, so I'm glad they used that song once again.
I know people were wondering whether Sammy was going to be dead or not. But my sister told me that a wound like the one he got was fatal, so I figured he would no longer be part of Dean's world. Poor Sammy. After Dean resurrected him, there seemed to be a little somethin' somethin' wrong with him. He didn't want to stop and rest, it just seemed like he wanted to just jump back into the hunt. Sure, he had no idea that he had just been dead, but still, I thought that was strange for Sammy. And the way he shot and killed Jake, pulling the trigger over and over and over again...You knew something was different with him. Pre-death, he couldn't go through with killing Jake. Now he has no problem with it. I'm wondering what it's going to mean for him next season. Like the Demon said, he didn't come back pure 100% Sammy. Plus, he didn't tell Dean about the whole Demon's blood that he swallowed as a baby. I'm wondering what was up with that. Even though he does seem much colder, like a part of his soul died or something, he did show emotion when Big Daddy Winchester crossed over and again, when he told Dean he was going to figure out a way to get him out of that whole deal thing. More about that later. And why did BDW touch Dean and just look at Sam? I'm probably going to be wondering this for a while. It's kind of like "Home" and wondering why Mary said "I'm sorry" to Sam and just sort of walked by Dean and said his name. And Sammy really was the Demon's favorite — he didn't just say that to all the psychic kids.
Oh, Dean. There he goes, breaking my heart once again. He's faced with a life pretty much alone and he can't do it. The boy was devastated, even Bobby couldn't get through to him. He couldn't even eat!!!!! He wouldn't bury, salt or burn Sammy. He couldn't let go. I don't care about the fact that he was wondering what he should do. He knew what he wanted to do, he just had to get up the guts to go and do it. And you know Dean. He's got lots of guts. He probably knew right away that he was going to try and make a deal. Speaking of which: I can't believe he's sacrificing himself for one year. One year! What was he thinking? I don't know what to say about this. It'll definitely have ramifications for next season, and will probably come to a head in next year's finale. (Time out: We're getting a third season. Woo-hoo! OK, Time back in.) That was a bad move on Dean's part to make the deal — especially for one year. These Winchesters really love sacrificing themselves for each other, don't they? While Sam seemed more cold than usual, Dean couldn't keep his emotions reined in. He was grieving for his brother; so desperate with the girl-demon; practically falling apart when he admitted to Bobby what he did; happy to see Sammy alive; angry at himself, at the world, at Jake, the Demon...he not only hugged Sammy, but Ellen too. He was in tears with Sammy and then again when he saw BDW. Dean's been through a lot this season, so it makes sense that the walls he had built his whole life and again solidified at the beginning of the season, came tumbling and crumbling down big time.
I don't know why I'm so fascinated by this brotherly relationship, but I am. In both parts of AHBL, we kept getting reminded that these two were brothers, they've got a bond that can't be broken, even when they're separated. And they're willing to do anything for each other. This bond also becomes a tad bit unhealthy — after all, Dean feels his sole purpose in life is having to protect his little brother. And he does it to the detriment of his own life, his own self-worth, his own everything. But I fall for it. All he wants to do his keep his brother safe. Makes sense. But why can't he accept that his brother would want to protect him as well? I loved what Sam said to Dean at the end after he found out about the deal:
Dean: "I had to look out for you. That's my job."
Sam: "What do you think my job is?" Dean: "What?"
Sam: "You save my life over and over. Man, you sacrifice everything for me. Don't you think I'd do the same for you? You're my big brother. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to get you out of this. Guess I gotta save your ass for a change."
A strong Sammy is a good Sammy and it just makes me excited to see how he's going to develop further in Year 3. Is he really going to be able to protect Dean? Is he going to accept his visions and whatever other ability he may have? After all, this might help in protecting his big brother. I'm also wondering if now that the YED is gone, is someone else going to pick up his plans to lure Sammy over to the dark side?
I will say that I'm slightly disappointed that there wasn't even a conversation between BDW and the boys. Sure, he helped contribute to the bringing down of the YED and he was able to climb out of hell and cross over. But, knowing that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was coming back, I had just hoped for more.
The end of the episode: not quite a cliffhanger, but definitely a jumping off point for Season 3. I'm very happy Sammy knows about the deal already. There was no long drawn out secret. The Demon is gone, but the trouble isn't over. There's a war that's just beginning and there's an army of demons that's escaped and it's up to Sam, Dean, Bobby, Ellen and hopefully a whole new crop of awesome hunters to deal with what has been unleashed. I really loved the way it ended with Dean uttering the same exact words that Sammy said at the end of the pilot: "We've got work to do." And then Dean closes the trunk. That closes the book on Season 2 of Supernatural. Congrats on the show receiving another season. "All Hell Breaks Loose" Part 2 was a really great way to cap off a season that had way more ups than downs, and really took things to a whole new level. Many of the episodes in Season 2 are some of the best episodes of the entire series. I can't wait to find out how they're going to top it all next year. And you know they can do it.
I just want to thank everyone for a great season of watching Supernatural and blogging about it. As excited as I was to see this season finale, it now means we're in a summer-long hiatus. And you know what hiatus brings. Hiatus blogs. Anyway, thank you all for coming here day after day and week after week and I hope you all have a great summer. See you back here for the Season 2 DVD release (whenever that is) and then the beginning of Season 3. But don't worry, I'll definitely try and give you a place to continue blogging this summer. We can't just cold turkey, can we?
Other thoughts:
—I really loved hearing Dean talking about the way Sammy was when he was young. Of course, the five-year-old was wondering why he didn't have a mom, or where their dad was or why they had to move around so much. It was heartbreaking to hear, but it was also insighful. It gave us even more of a sneak peek into Sammy. You know from when he was a little kid, he had to have questioned the life his family was leading.
—These girl demons love to toy with Dean.
—One scene, Dean wasn't hungry but not too much later he's back eating pizza.
—Only Dean could have a year-long death sentence and still smile while preparing to hunt down an army of demons that just escaped from a devil's gate.
—I liked Ellen being a part of the action. Did anyone think she was going to actually pull the trigger and shoot herself in the head? It could've happened. So many of the supporting players have been offed.
—No one asked Ellen if Jo was still alive. I guess she would have been much more distraught if Jo had died.
—The Jim Beaver-Jensen Ackles scenes ruled, didn't they? Bobby was practically heartbroken that Dean would make the same deal that BDW did. That he would think so little of his life, that he would give it up for his brother.
—Again, are the demons expert psychotherapists? Because they all seem to be able to read Dean to a tee. They all know how screwed up the boy is.
—There were more elements of other episodes in this one. I was reminded (slightly or more transparently) of: "Crossroad Blues" (the deal with the girl-demon); "The Benders" (Dean saying it's his job to take care of Sammy); "Bloodlust" (after Sammy shot Jake dead multiple times, the blood splattered on his face, much like what happened to Dean in "Bloodlust"); "Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (The Demon throwing "the dead should stay dead" back in Dean's face); the Pilot (the ending) and "Devil's Trap" (the 100-square mile devil's trap that Samuel Colt so wisely created in south Wyoming. In fact, Samuel Colt also reminds me of "Dead Man's Blood")
—I take it that there needed to be a bullet in the Colt in order for the gun to act as a key to open the devil's gate. Because it was stupid for the Demon to leave the thing in the gun. That helped enable Dean to kill him.
—Is someone else going to pick up where the YED left off regarding Sam? Or can Sam breathe a sigh of relief?
—The instrumental music at the end seemed very Star Wars-esque to me.
Favorite Lines:
—"I'm done with it. All of it."
—"Go. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Please just go."
—"It's like I had one job. One job. And I screwed it up. I blew it. I guess that's what I do. I let down the people that I love."
—"Show your face you bitch!"
—"You kind of got your family killed... all alone in the world. It's too sweet."
—"Excuse me, you're going to have to give me a moment. Sometimes you've got to stop and smell the roses."
—"You're like a puppy. You're too fun to play with."
—"Whoa, whoa, whoa, easy Van Damme."
—"Sam. It's good to...see you up and around."
—"What is it with you Winchesters, huh?"
—"I couldn't let him die, Bobby. I couldn't. He's my brother."
—"Well, check that off the to-do list."
—"I kind of don't know what to say." "I do. That was for our mom, you son of a bitch."
~~~~~
Awesome review, as always, Tina. :-)
I'm still stunned that season two is over. The season seemed to fly by after the winter hiatus and suddenly it's May and we've reached the end. But not THE end, 'cause we've been renewed and we'll see the Winchester brothers back in action this fall. Whoo!
Anyway, back to part two - kudos to Jensen for another amazing performance. For some reason he didn't look as red-eyed and feral in the episode compared to the previews, but no matter, his pain was a palpable thing that twisted up my insides and left me holding my breath. It was agonizing to listen to him speaking to Sam's body. Anyone notice they kinda tried to tie in that story of when Sam was five to the backstory in the first issue of the SPN:Origins comic?
Even though I was spoiler free for the finale, I was still kinda thinking along the lines of Dean making a deal, but that was because I found out that Jeffrey Dean Morgan was going to be in it. I thought Dean was going to sell his soul to get his father back from Hell. But no, he sold his soul to save his little brother. And I didn't doubt for an instant that he'd do it.
But what really threw me was the terms of the deal. When I was speculating to myself, I was thinking that the deal wouldn't really mean all that much, have such an impact on the show, because Dean would have ten years. And as much as I love SPN, I don't think it'll be on for another ten years. :-)
But Kripke, you sly bastard, you turned that upside down. ONE freaking year. I think that was an awesome twist and as soon as Dean agreed I knew exactly what the underlying theme of next year was going to be - save Dean. And I can't wait. The tables have been turned, and as Sam said, this time it's his turn to save his brother. I was wondering if Sam would figure out what Dean did to save him in last night's episode, or if we'd have to wait till sometime next season. I'm glad it turned out that the "secret" was revealed last night, so we can hit the ground running with that storyline in the fall.
The entire episode left me with my jaw hanging open at every turn - the sign of a great show.
I thought Bobby was fantastic and I'm so glad they didn't kill him off! He's become such a fan favorite that I hope we see more of him again next year. Because, you know, this time John is really dead, and the boys need someone like Bobby.
Let's talk about John for a minute, shall we? This is the only part of the episode that really ticked me off. We waited TWENTY-ONE episodes to finally see John again, after JDM was supposed to be in What Is.. and then the first part of the finale and wasn't. So the build up was HUGE, at least for me.
I speculated that the boys would climb down into Hell and save John. So much for that theory, eh? John ended up crawling out himself! And what he did was amazing - saving Dean once again, and playing a huge part in finally helping his sons to kill the Yellow Eyed Demon. I loved that whole sequence of events, really powerful stuff.
It's what came after that irritated me. As the silence stretched on, with John and Dean and Sam simply looking at each other, I kept screaming at the tv, "Someone say something!!" And when no one did, and John simply backed away, glowed and then disappeared (just like Molly from Roadkill so I'm assuming John finally went to heaven) my mouth just hung open. All of that waiting, the anticipation, with me thinking that John would be ressurected and we didn't get ONE stinking word from anyone! ERIC!! How could you do that to us?? I was just so, so let down by that. Am I the only one feeling that way? I wanted SO badly for John to be made whole again and reappear every so often next season and now I know that'll never happen and it left a pit in my stomach. :-(
I actually didn't think that they'd end up killing the YED. That he'd somehow get away and we'd encounter him next season. But surprise, surprise, Dean shoots him dead. Wasn't that the coolest scene, when you can see the bullet being fired from the gun? I was really in shock that the Winchester's life long mission was suddenly over. And all three had a hand in taking that evil S.O.B. down. I liked Dean's line about it being for their mom. Good closure there.
So what does everyone think about the ressurrected Sammy? Think he's not quite whole or was the YED lying to Dean? I'll admit being stunned at the cold way Sam killed Jake, especially when he stood over him and nearly emptied the clip. The look on Sam's face made me shudder. We all know that Sam has said multiple times that they can't kill a human being. Did he no longer see Jake that way? Or had Sam finally reached his limit? It'll be interesting to see next season if Dean watches his brother warily, to see if that darkness comes out again, if the YED could've been right.
Oh, and what was the deal with the demons escaping from Hell being able to cut through the railroad tracks like butter?? Did I miss something in the explanation that Bobby gave? I thought they couldn't get through it.
Like Tina said, I, too, am fascinated by Sam and Dean's brotherly bond (we finally got a REAL hug! Thank you, Eric!!) even if it can be unhealthy at times. It's SO painful to know that Dean believes he's so...unworthy. Why do people keep telling him that?? He's anything but! I think he'll always be a broken man inside, and Jensen plays that so very, very well.
I wonder what next season holds for Sam. Will he continue to experience visions now that the YED is gone? Will his telekenisis instead come to the forefront? I'm looking forward to see how they develop Sam next season.
So all in all, a stunner of a season finale, as it should've been. It didn't end in a typical cliffhanger (like Eric said) but can you imagine if we wouldn't have gotten renewed, and it left off with Dean with only one year to live?? Ack!!
Loved, loved, loved the very end, the mirror scene of the pilot, this time with Dean throwing the gun in and closing the trunk. "We've got work to do."
Indeed you do, boys, and I can't WAIT to see you back in action after the summer! :-)
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-18 09:35 pm (UTC)I agree about Sam and how he killed Jake. It was startlingly out of character for him. A side of me wondered if this wasn't like what happened with...Ava? The gal who said she was the reigning champ (I have SUCH a problem with names!). She had reached a point where the power felt good. I wonder if Sam felt that, but it was a subconscious or unconscious feeling that prompted him to shoot that many times. Or was it out of vengence for the people Jake killed? I really don't see Sam doing it to get back at the guy for sticking knife in his back. No, that was foreshadowing...and I believe his proximity to the door might've played a big part in that moment. It remains to be seen...next season. :)
I wondered how a demon could cut through those tracks, too, after what Bobby said about the iron keeping demons in. Maybe the tracks were an extra measure of caution to go with the gate/key, but wouldn't be able to hold back the force of so many demons escaping at once (think Ghostbusters when they shut down the containment grid). And if YED was there, and Sam was there, they could've been like enchancers for the energy coming out. Or maybe it's something totally different -- ie, something we as the viewers were supposed to see but that our heroes didn't and it'll turn out to be the biggest monster of them all; something far greater than YED. Maybe...dare I say it?...the Big Red Guy himself (and no, I do not mean Hellboy!). More foreshadowing, I hope!
Sam, Dean and John standing there without talking...I had no problem with this. I think their faces said it all. I mention this in my LJ, wherein John has all the light of love and pride in his face for Dean, telling him with a look alone that he done good, that Dad is proud of him, that he IS worthy. It's between Dad and Dean. Sam, if you'll notice, is standing OUTSIDE that circle, watching the two of them, both emotionally moved and shaken, but he understands what's happening and that it's for DEAN now. He knows this has been a long time coming for Dean, and because he loves his brother he is happy for him...but at the same time sad because John IS dead and not coming back. But at least now he's free, too. I've gotten used to this kind of dialogue-less interaction thanks to LOST, which proves that something can be highly charged emotionally without speaking a word. To me, this whole scene with the three Winchesters was beautiful and powerful and sad at once.
I can't wait to talk about more at the con! See ya next weekend! :)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-22 01:43 pm (UTC)It was definitely meant to be shocking and it was!
I really don't see Sam doing it to get back at the guy for sticking knife in his back.
Actually, maybe, in a way. A part of me thinks that Sam did it because if he'd have killed Jake when he had the chance, Sam wouldn't have died and then Dean wouldn't have had to make that deal. Sam feels guilty now. Sam knew all along something was up before Dean admitted it.
Maybe the tracks were an extra measure of caution to go with the gate/key, but wouldn't be able to hold back the force of so many demons escaping at once
And someone else commented that not only evil things escaped. John proves that point. So perhaps good things could cut right through the iron no problem. The YED was counting on that so he could get in.
Maybe...dare I say it?...the Big Red Guy himself (and no, I do not mean Hellboy!). More foreshadowing, I hope!
Oh wow, that would be wild!
Sam, Dean and John standing there without talking...I had no problem with this. I think their faces said it all.
Another person mentioned that the Winchesters really aren't all that big on SAYING what they feel, so this was rather appropriate. I'm just so torn! It was definitely a very emotional, powerful scene and one that Dean needed desperately, to give him the closure he needed - to know that John is at peace now and John is proud of him. I just wanted John to speak! LOL!
I can't wait to talk about more at the con! See ya next weekend! :)
Yes! See you soon!