SUPERNATURAL: Free to Be You and Me
September 25, 2009 by Nicole
I’m right in the thick of a pretty nasty flu and my head feels like it’s full of cotton, so please forgive me if I ramble or stop making sense at any point. Last night we saw the first episode post-breakup (not a Wincest reference, chillax), and it was a doozy. There was a lot of set up for the future, but it was more than simply an exposition (i.e. boring and heavy on the info) ep; there was a lot of excitement, darkness, humour and a moment that may or may not have caused me to pump my fist in the air out of pride (I will deny the fist pumping if I’m ever questioned about it, lol).
As we know from last week’s episode, Sam and Dean have decided to part ways, since Sam isn’t able to trust himself and Dean concurs. In the opening of FtbYaM (even the acronym is unwieldy), we saw intercut scenes showing us what each of the boys is now up to, and it was done so well! Sam working at a pub, Dean working a case, Sam cleaning the bar, Dean washing the Impala, Sam chopping lemons, Dean chopping vampires (“Eat it, Twilight”). From there, the story was pretty much split between the brothers and there was zero interaction between the two, although we did get new dream team with Dean and Cas who are as good a substitute as one could hope for until S & D are reunited.
The two were searching for the archangel Raphael who was the one responsible for killing Cas. Cas claims that Raphael may have information about God, but I’m not sure that revenge wasn’t just as important to him. When they see that the vessel is now empty and essentially catatonic, Dean asks if that’ll be his fate if Michael ever gets inside him (I just realized that this is going to be one long season of trying to avoid innuendo in terms of the vessel storyline, isn’t it?). Cas reassures him that Dean won’t face the same repercussions – it’ll be much worse. Well, that’s a relief.
Cas is pretty sure he’s going to be toast once they summon Raphael back to his vessel, and he plans to spend the night sitting in quiet contemplation. Well, obviously the Dean we know and love is not having that, especially once he finds out that Cas has never made sexy times with a lady friend. They (Dean) find a whorehouse and Dean provides money and instructions for Cas before sending him on his way with Chastity (haha). Not two minutes later, Chastity is screaming and running away from Cas, who apparently decided that this would be an opportune moment to discuss her father abandoning her as a child. Smooth move Cas – hard to imagine why you’re the 4,000-year-old virgin. It was sad to see Dean’s realization that he and Sam hadn’t been having fun like that in years, and it’s true. There have been lighthearted moments, but for the past couple of seasons things have been so heavy that they haven’t really been able to just have fun together.
When they eventually rouse Raphael, he tells them that God is dead, and that maybe Lucifer is the one who reanimated Cas (his reasoning makes sense, but why would Lucifer put the boys on the plane rather than have them be there when he rose? It’s possible that these two things were done by different beings, but I don’t know). He points to the 20th and 21st centuries as examples of God’s absence – how else to explain the crappiness of the world? Of course Dean had to be a smartass and say “well, then who invented the Chinese basket trick?”. Raphael was not amused that Dean would bring his fathers good name into such a crude joke. Well, since I had no idea what the CBT was and didn’t like Raphael knowing more than me, I googled it. Let’s just say that it’s something most likely encountered at Chastity’s place of business. Raphael knows this information? These sure aren’t the angels I learned about in Catholic school (they’re WAY more interesting).
All the while, Sam has been working at a bar and making a new friend in waitress Lindsay. Yes, she was nosy and somewhat annoying, but in the end I did like her character and I have a theory, which I’ll discuss below. Before I get into this, lets go back to the beginning, where Sam was lying in bed with Jess, talking about where he has ended up. I’m much too mature to mention the fact that Sam was shirtless and super hot, so I won’t. Jess was a total buzzkill, saying that this has all been predetermined and that she was sentenced to die from the moment they met. She thinks that Sam needs to embrace his destiny; all in all, pretty dire and fatalistic. It was pretty obvious at this point that Sam was talking to Lucifer rather than the love of his life, so I was just waiting for the reveal.
Sam noticed some Revelations-type occurrences in town, so he called Bobby and asked him to put some hunters on it, since he’s now out of the game. Three of John’s former associates show up and one ends up getting killed. The remaining two also find out about Sam’s previous errors in judgment and the consequences of those errors. They want answers and take Lindsay hostage to get them – um…hunters aren’t supposed to do that to innocent bystanders! I really thought that we’d find out the hunters were possessed, but nope. I guess that the impending Apocalypse is causing all sorts of unusual behaviour. They want Sam to drink some demon blood that they’ve bottled so that he can “hulk out” and kill the demons. He refuses, and they struggle, ending with the blood being forcibly poured into Sam’s mouth. I’m telling you, I was literally talking at the tv, saying “no, no, no, no…” watching that scene. But then….but then. Sam the hero spits the blood into the hunters face (cue fist pump) and fights them both off. He didn’t drink the blood! He had every reason to do it…nobody could have blamed him since it wasn’t his choice, but he didn’t. He was all by himself, and he resisted. So proud of Sammy! It was also a nice kick to the things “Jess” was saying about him not having a choice…I think one of the big lessons we learned with this scene is that free will still has a role in this story.
So…my theory about Lindsay is this: she was essentially the opposite of Jess/Lucifer in terms of her advice to Sam, saying that there was always hope and that people can always change, no matter what they’ve done in the past. Sam even quoted her to Jess before she transformed into Lucifer. Is it possible that Lindsay is a vessel (likely temporary) for someone from God’s side? The points she made were just way too spot-on to be merely the concerns of a new friend. There were a few other curious comments she made – saying that they were playing for world peace when she issued the darts challenge; telling him that the only way to avoid bloodshed was to say yes to dinner. She was also wearing a rather distinct necklace…an amulet of some sort? Of course I could be completely wrong, but that’s the impression I got. If she is just a concerned co-worker, Sam is going to have a lot of explaining to do after everything she saw and heard.
We ended the episode with Dean telling Cas (and trying to convince himself) that he’s happier without his brother around, because he can just do his own thing. Sure Dean. That may be true for a few hours or days, but we all know he won’t feel that way forever. Sam meanwhile is back in bed with Jess (and a shirt! Where did that come from??), explaining that he feels there is hope for him yet (echoing Lindsay from earlier). Jess morphs into Lucifer and explains that Sam is….wait for it…his true vessel. I mentioned the possibility of this in my recap of the season premiere, so I wasn’t completely shocked. I really don’t like the idea of Michael and Lucifer battling and simply using Sam and Dean as meatsuits, and I really don’t think that this is where we’ll end up. At least I’m holding out for that…I mean, we saw what had become of Raphael’s vessel – do we really think that the same or worse would happen to our heroes? I think not!
So tell me…what were your favourite moments of the episode – any fellow fist-pumpers out there? There were a ton of great lines that I just can’t bring myself to look up right now, so feel free to quote them below. Does anyone think I’m onto something with the Lindsay theory or am I just high on too much cold medication? Last but not least, what are your thoughts on the new twist, and do you think we’ll actually see a battle between Lucifer/Sam and Michael/Dean?
As promised, below is the promo for next week’s episode, titled “The End”. I’ve got to say, I am REALLY excited for this ep, for several reasons. As the promo states, it takes place five years into the future, and apparently Sam is evil (but a snazzy dresser). I’ve heard a few things about it, and I don’t want to give too much away (if you want to be totally spoiler-free, don’t read any further), but based on what I know I think it may have a 28 Days Later sort of vibe, and I LOVE that movie. Also, Cas is stoned and preparing for an orgy – wtf? I guess he’s overcome his lady issues. And Sam’s face in the promo when he turns and says “Hello Dean” – I know it was supposed to be menacing, but out of context, it cracks me up. The episode after The End is the one with She Who Shall Not Be Named, so let’s enjoy this one while we can!
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OMG I am first after missing last week?
I loved the opening all mixed Sam/Dean. It was very well edited and really got the episode going.
There is so much in this episode and I am not sick but I will probably ramble endlessly since I have been thinking about this all morning.
First, Sam-shirt=yes! I loved that we got to see quite a bit of his tattoo this episode even when he had a shirt on.
I think this episode sets up the next few. I totally get why Dean took Cas to the cathouse now and the whole orgy thing next week. I like your theory that Lindsey is someone “special” and I hope we see her annoying ass again. (didn’t Sera hint that God might be a woman?) Back to the hooker again for a minute – was she the same chick that played Lust in Sin City? Anyone? It’s driving me nuts and they didn’t have her listed on IMDB when I looked last night.
Plot aside, the brewhaha I have seen on my group feed this morning as all about how mean it was of Dean to say he and Same haven’t had any fun in the last few years. I have also seen some stuff about how there is not enough focus ont eh Same storyline. All I can say is whatever people! It’s part of the story! The brothers need to be apart to gain some perspective. They have been fighting a big bad demon for the past three years and I can totally see how Dean would feel like he is walking on air right now with Sam gone. Anyone who has had to carry the weight of a family member or loved one for any amount of time will understand this. The whole will he/won’t he turn evil oif behind us. He did – for a minute – and somehting bad happened. Oops. They both need a little breather to get themselves together but with the revelations of next week, I think the brothers will be back fighting stronger than ever.
Will there be issues? I am sure. But I look forward to seeing what happens!
Yay Sam for resisting the temptation! Once Sam refused to go with the other hunters, I knew that at least one would die and there would be consequences, but I didn’t forsee them trying to force demon blood on Sam. It’s always interesting to see other hunters, as I tend to forget they’re around in the background, also battling the baddies. Sam and Dean are so clearly the focus of it all (seeing as how they’re responsible for starting/ending the Apocalypse), but I wonder how many other hunters are out there behind the scenes.
I was super confused by the Sam/Jess/Lucifer scenes. The beginning scene with Sam and Jess took place, then the rest of the action unfolded as “a week earlier.” So what was up with the second Sam/Jess/Lucifer scene? We’re clearly meant to believe it was entirely different from the first scene, because Sam was wearing a shirt in the second one. Did both scenes actually happen, or did the second replace the first because Sam exercised his free will and resisted the demon blood, and thus the whole thing was different? I don’t even think my questions are making sense! 🙂
I totally didn’t pick up on Jess being Lucifer. Until we saw Lucifer, I thought Sam’s tortured mind was dreaming of Jess, and his guilty conscience was behind the whole “I was dead the moment I met you” stuff. So it was definitely Lucifer, but it didn’t happen in reality, because Lucifer as an angel can’t locate Sam, right? So did his consciousness show up in Sam’s dream? It’s not game-changing or anything, but it has been bugging me that I don’t quite get what’s going on.
I’m also super interested in this Lindsay chick. I agree that there’s definitely something going on with her. It would be completely awesome if she was God, or at least a benevolent (not like yucky Zachariah) angel, especially with all her talk of people being able to change and nobody ever having done something so horrible it couldn’t be forgiven. I’m stoked to see where that’s going.
I wasn’t at all surprised that Lucifer’s eyeing Sam as his ultimate meatsuit (urgh, and I REALLY hate that phrase!), and I really hope that Sam and Dean won’t have to spend all season attempting to avoid becoming Lucifer and Michael’s vessels, respectively.
As always, thanks for the great recap, Nicole! Your points are always so insightful and your reviews are a delight to read!
The Sam and Lucifer/Jess scenes mirrored the Nick and Lucifer/Sarah scenes so that was a giveaway to downer Jess’s true identity. My favorite parts of the episode is every scene with Dean & Cas and the one scene where Sam spat his blood. There were some interesting reveals about the angels, that they are pretty much bratty children and another common thread with Lost besides Lucifer/Nick and Roger/War’s actors is daddy issues.
Hey Guys! The fog in my head is starting to clear a little bit finally, yay! Thanks so much for your comments – I always love reading your contributions.
Patty – I think you’re dead on about Dean being the corrupting force behind Cas’ transformation in the promo for next week’s ep. Obviously he’s taken Dean’s lessons to the extreme. I wonder if seeing this will change the way that Dean interacts with him in order to avoid Cas becoming an orgy loving hippie in the future. 🙂 I also agree that people need to get over the “Dean is being mean” thing – the characters need this break in order for them to be stronger together down the road. Sam needs to see that he is strong on his own, and Dean needs to see that Sam can be trusted. They also need time to see that even though they are capable alone, they are best when they’re working together. A lot of people get their panties in a twist over who is getting more storyline, but honestly I think it’s pretty well-balanced. Yes, Dean has had a couple of eps focused on him, but so has Sam. And it’s clear that they both figure heavily into the story this season, so people need to chill.
Kelly – you’re so sweet – thanks! I often wonder about the other hunters too, and how many of them there actually are. This season if any is the time when more and more will come out of the woodwork given what’s going on, so I’m hoping we’ll get some more insight into this world as time goes on. My take on the Jess/Lucifer thing is this: the first scene (shirtless) was the present time, and then we went back a week. The second scene (with shirt, boo) was a continuation of the first one (maybe a bit later the same night?). My thinking about the shirt is that they had it on in the second scene because Jess was going to transform into Lucifer and perhaps they didn’t want the intimacy of skin on skin contact for that moment (he had his hand on Sam’s shoulder when he transformed). I thought it would have made more sense if, when Sam sat up, he was still without the shirt and then put it on as though he was cold or something. Then again, maybe I missed something and it was a completely different night – anyone else have any thoughts? About Lucifer and Sam, L isn’t able to locate Sam due to the symbols, but I guess angels still have some kind of spiritual connection with their vessels, and he is able to talk to him in his dreams. So yes, they did have that conversation, just not in “real life”.
Jane – Yeah, daddy issues are certainly a big theme this year! That’s got me hoping that we’ll see a bit of Jeffery Dean Morgan this season – I miss John! I’d even take it as a flashback scene – anything to get him back on SPN, even for just a bit.
Sorry I’m a little late to the party … I had a touch of the flu/cold you mentioned, Nicole … so glad to hear you’re feeling a tad better too! The end of the week TV viewing is seriously stressful, so I might not be able to get to Supernatural until Saturday mornings (which is how I worked it when I started on the S4 reruns this summer. It was just too creepy for me to watch in the evenings!).
I still feel a bit left out, not knowing anything prior to the first quarter of the 4th season. No idea who Jess is, but I gathered she and Sam had a past, and that she died because of him, or something. My favourite storyline this episode was Cas at the cathouse! That was hilarious. I absolutely loved the faces he pulled. Oh! And, making it a Cas-centric favourite ep, how hilarious was it when he and Dean posed as FBI agents, and Cas – clueless – held up the badge upside down? LOL’d at Dean reaching over, flipping it, and Cas not even blinking. Too funny, these two. But I did miss Sam, and missed the Sam/Dean dynamic.
Another favourite? “I know two things. First … Bert and Ernie are gay…” LOL! How do they say these lines with such straight faces? That set must be a gas to work on.
Next week’s episode looks amazing! Cas a stoner with a harem? Oh yes please!
I was just happy for the Midnight Run shout out. “I’m special agent Alonso Mosley and this is special agent Eddie Moscone.” The fake FBI badge combined with Cass and Dean’s road trip, brilliant stuff. Teenage Mutant Ninja Angel…does it get better than that?
Hey all, I am trying to remain spoiler free, so if I end up reiterating the comments of others, I apologize now.
Nicole, I’m so sorry you were sick. Glad you’re better. Sick+transitioning = icky :(.
Thank you for your great recap and review as always. Loved the opening as well and it definitely had the best line, which you pointed out: ‘eat it, twilight’. The funniest bit in the whole ep was Dean and Cas at the Police station. I am also with you on the Lindsay issue. She was annoying and pushy, but seemed to ask some especially pointed questions. So I definitely think that she was a plant. No one can be that randomly insightful in this universe.
Cas in the cathouse was beyond funny. But his chemistry with Dean in this ep, is going to make the Slash fanfic writers go nuts. It was off the charts. I almost didn’t miss Sam… teehee, I lie of course. I must say Jared Padelecki is an awesome actor, because his portrayal of Sammy is so real and it even seems as if he changes his body to fit the role. Did anyone else notice how much less ripped he is this season. It looks better. IMHO
Can someone help me on this: Why is Demon Blood still an issue? In Lucifer rising, didn’t Ruby tell Sam, ‘it was all you Dumbo you didn’t need the feather to fly’? So can’t he still smoke demons without the blood?
Ooooh forgot to mention: Sam as Lucifer’s Meatsuit. This shouldn’t really come as a surprise, because it would be the culmination of the whole brother vs. brother battle that the show has hinted at and the fandom (me too, me too) has speculated ad nauseam about.
The show writers and creators have said they somewhat enjoy messing with fandom speculation, so here’s hoping this is a red herring and not where season 5 is gonna lead.
For both Sam and Dean to be the vessels with the pestles for the hosts with the most’s just makes me think there is something about the Winchester family line, that needs to be expounded on. Or was this already hinted at, and I completely missed it?
Hi Kimber, greenerpuddles and Nayant!
Kimber, if you get a chance to watch the pilot episode, you should, just for the backstory on Jess’ character. Her death was what caused Sam to start hunting with Dean (he had previously been headed to law school, and as a law school grad, I say he made the right decision, lol). If you get a moment and can find it online, definitely check it out. This set seems like it would be SO fun to work on – the cast and crew seem to have developed a great camaraderie from being holed up in Vancouver together so much.
greenerpuddles – I completely missed the Midnight Run reference, so thanks for pointing it out! I also loved the Teenage Mutant Ninga Angel comments; as a kid I always liked Donatello the best because his colour was purple. 🙂
Thanks Nayant – the flu is slowly but surely getting better, but it’s a stage 5 clinger – it just won’t die. To your question about the demon blood, my thought is that maybe Ruby was lying when she said that? Otherwise, I’m a little confused as well…
And as for this: For both Sam and Dean to be the vessels with the pestles for the hosts with the most’s just makes me think there is something about the Winchester family line, that needs to be expounded on.
First of all, haha! Second, I agree completely – I’m sure we’ll be learning more about the family and their suitability as vessels this season.
I wonder if the shirt/no shirt had to do with that deleted scene and how the fianl editing of the episode was done? I think it wouldhave been super creepy if Sam HAD been shirtless when Jess changed into Lucifer.
I just found out someone else I work with watches the show and isn’t caught up to S5 yet. I told him to get on the ball!
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