SUPERNATURAL: Two Minutes To Midnight

Sorry the SUPERNATURAL recaps have been MIA for the past few weeks, but I’m back to cover what is sure to be the most epic SPN finale yet in these last two episodes of season five. There’s too much to cover to bother going over the past few weeks, so let’s just assume we’re all up to speed on what led up to last night’s events. I have to say that it suddenly hit me that we’re finally going to see the big payoff of what the last two years (and really, the last five) have led us to, and I’m both extremely psyched, and also a little melancholy. I imagine it’s how you LOST fans must be feeling right now, but I’m two seasons behind on that show so I’m not swept up in Lostmania yet. Except I have the comfort of knowing there will be another season of SPN, so at least there’s that to keep me from delving straight into depression. Of course, there’s likely going to be a gigantic cliffhanger to torture us all summer long.

Crowley was back, which is good news all around for us viewers, and we also got Cas back! Well, sort of. He’s lost all but a smidgen of his angel mojo, and is relegated to shooting guns and using his fists like a regular schmuck. But he’s back, dammit, and that’s good enough for me. I love that Cas has become a comic foil for the show, with his endearing ignorance of all things modern, ironic or humorous (“I don’t understand your definition of good news”). We saw the outcome of Crowley and Bobby’s discussion from last week, when Bobby revealed to Sam and Dean that he had sold his soul to learn Death’s whereabouts. Not only that, but Crowley had thoughtfully photographed the moment where the two men sealed the deal with a kiss. I so wish I hadn’t watched that scene earlier online, but it was almost as funny the second time.

We got a double-whammy of Horsemen in the episode, with both Pestilence and Death making memorable appearances, and both relinquishing their rings to the Winchesters (one voluntarily, one not so much). It makes sense that they’d have to score the last two rings here in order to put all of the focus on the Epic Showdown that’s coming next week. But at the same time, I thought that they could have paced it a bit better by having an episode devoted to each, because getting Pestilence’s ring seemed a little too easy. At least Death had a reason to simply turn it over – there are an awful lot of baddies that want Lucifer out of the picture, huh? One question: why is Death so bitter about being forced to do Lucifer’s bidding, but none of his brothers were? Anyone have any thoughts on that?

The show has done a fantastic job of making each of the Big Four a really standout and unique character unto themselves. I know that Matt Frewer (Max Headroom!) is extremely talented in his own right, but I was thinking of two other actors watching his performance as Pestilence: it was like a fifty-fifty mix of Jim Carrey and Jim Parsons as Sheldon from Big Bang Theory. Think I’m nuts? Watch his confrontation with Sam and Dean again – he goes back and forth between Carrey’s manic exuberance and Sheldon’s socially awkward science-loving nerd. Seriously…go watch.

Death was deliciously elegant, measured and detached, and I really love that they used the “O Death” song that they’ve been playing in various promos all season in the actual episode. Even though I had seen the scene in the episode promo, the introduction of Death still gave me goosebumps. His scene at the restaurant with Dean was really, really well done. Who else thought that Death was going to make Dean choke on that bite of pizza? I was just waiting for it, and it looked like Deano was too. But Death has his own motivations for wanting the Devil gone, and so he gave the ring to Dean, with a condition of course. It wouldn’t be an SPN season finale if one of the brothers wasn’t getting killed, selling his soul, volunteering to die, or breaking the seal that lets Lucifer roam free, right? And the tradition continues, with Dean promising not to stop Sam from taking the reins from Lucifer, even if it means that Sam dies in the process. It’s like watching a puppy get kicked over and over with these two guys, seriously. They finally, finally get their relationship back on track and now Sam might have to jump into a pit of fire with the Devil inside of him (there is no way not to make that sound dirty).

On to more happy news, Crowley rocks so hard for giving Bobby his legs back! How great was Jim Beaver at radiating the joy Bobby felt at being able to walk again? He was even happy to be sore from running up and down the stairs all night. I was so glad for a bit of joy in the middle of the giant mess going on around them. Crowley also killed me with his “and…..scene” by the car after Dean and Sam finished discussing the chances of Sam being able to overpower Lucifer. He’s awesome.

Bobby and Dean had a nice conversation at the end of the episode that further explored Dean’s feelings about Sam’s plan, and they came to the conclusion that while Sam has his weaknesses, he’s been running into burning buildings and saving people since he was twelve. Bobby pointed out that yes, he has a dark side, but he’s got a lot of good in him too and because of that, Bobby is convinced that Sam is up to the task. The bigger question, in his mind, is not if Dean thinks Sam can do it – it’s if he’s afraid that he’s going to lose his brother. Dean reluctantly agreed, and so it looks like it’s go time. I guess Team Winchester is bound for Detroit, since Lucifer was extra specific a while back that Sam would say yes to him in Motor City. Now that they have the rings and a plan, it’s simply a matter of execution. Shouldn’t be too hard…..right? Right??? Oh, and did I mention that to be the vessel, Sam has to drink gallons of demon blood first? Yeah, that shouldn’t be an issue at all.

The extremely intense promo for the last episode of season five is embedded below. I’ve watched it at least four or five times, and I’m still not entirely clear on what’s happening, but I love it. And I’m a little scared. And sad. And excited. As we come to a close on the most epic season of SUPERNATURAL to date, what are your thoughts? Have you liked the progression to the huge stories we’re dealing with now, or like Sam, are you feeling nostalgic for the good old days when they used to hunt Wendigos? I literally think I came close to tearing up when he said that, because it’s true. This show has evolved into something bigger and more complex than I ever thought it would, and I really feel like we’ve taken this journey with them. And now we’re going to see how it all goes down, and let’s face it, probably be left hanging for four months in a torturous way.

Questions I have going into the last episode: Where is God? Is he going to figure into the finale at all, or is he going to be a season six issue? What about Chuck? Wouldn’t his prophet skills come in handy right about now? Why is he not being used here? I miss Chuck!! What will happen with Adam? Will he go up against Sam as Michael’s vessel? And if so, what does that mean for Dean and his role in all of this? And most importantly, do you think Bobby really used tongue? I’m freaking out you guys – meet me back here next week to begin the months-long speculation of what it all means.