Sunday 22 February 2015

Review - Supernatural 10x14 "The Executioner's Song"

-by sweetondean


“The Executioners Song” was my favourite episode of the season. Yeah I know I’ve said that before this season, but season 10 is so good, that every second episode is my favourite episode! But now it’s this one…for the moment!

I LOVED it! Every single, gasping for breath, clenching my teeth, holding my heart, desperately sad, wonderfully bromantic moment of it. Every single tear that fell down my face was packed with pain and passion and lurrrrrrve. So much love. So much pain. Damn this show. I love it with all my heart.


Spoiler Alert: Squeeful gushing ahead.



From the opening scenes in the jail, “The Executioner’s Song” was a visual and emotional feast. Cain walking down the hall, lights flickering out as he wanders by, almost meandering was a stunning set up. Cain himself is a damn visual feast! Timothy Omundson’s hair, beard, bluest of blue eyes, all add to the powerful image of a powerful man. But Tim also instils in Cain a sadness, an inevitability, that's manifested in what he’s now doing and what he’s once again become. We know Cain once stopped killing. We know he fell in love, so to see him fall off the wagon so completely is tragic, even if his reasoning for the massacre, the genocide he’s hell bent on committing, is twofold; feeding the Mark and freeing the world from, what he believes to be, his poisoned bloodline. You can’t look at Cain and think of him as evil, Tim Omundson makes you think of him as a man. No matter what you know is coming down the line, you can’t help but care. I didn’t want Cain to die. Knowing how long he resisted the lure of blood and the lure of the Blade, I didn’t want to see him fall so catastrophically. That’s a cool character, beautifully crafted both the writer and performer. Cain is most definitely one of my favourite characters Supernatural has ever created. It's hard to believe he was only in two episodes.


Crowley and Rowenna finally became truly interesting! I still have no clue what Rowenna’s end game is. I certainly don’t think it’s purely to have her son help her take out that other witch. But in this episode her role was absolutely pivotal. She being the person to finally open Crowley’s eyes.

Crowley’s relationship with the Winchesters has become far more friendly than adversarial of late! Even before the human blood, he was softening on the brothers. He once said that everyone underestimated those denim-clad nightmares, but that’s something he began to do himself. He had began to relax his guard around them.

For Sam and Dean, I think it’s always been better the devil you know. If Crowley can serve a purpose, the brothers will use him for that purpose. But for Crowley, I believe he began to have feelings for Moose and Not Moose that have put him in a mighty perilous position. Sure, for a brief moment in time, Dean and him were besties, but he seemed to be under the illusion that his relationship with the brothers was far more functional than I think Sam and Dean have ever thought it was! But I don’t think Crowley is under that impression anymore.


Firstly he was slighted by Dean, not once, but twice. Dean dismissed Crowley instantly when Crowley arrived on the scene, stating straight away, “There is no us”. Dean drew a line with himself, Sam and Cas on one side and the King of Hell on the other. Then of course, he didn’t give the Blade back to Crowley as promised, and he also straight up told Crowley that he lied to get him there. Dean needed the Blade, Crowley had it, Dean said what he needed to say to get Crowley onboard. There was no remorse in Dean’s words; just disdain and you could tell that smarted Crowley. Mark Sheppard did a wonderful job of showing that flash of hurt on Crowley’s face.

Then his mother lays into him for being a numbnuts, because he foolishly allowed himself to believe that Sam and Dean were friends. In some way, Crowley had indeed appeared to have become the Winchesters’ bitch! I don’t think that will be the case any longer. It will be interesting to see what happens next, now that Dean has truly turned his back on his once ‘friend’, and so openly pushed him away. I think Crowley will become the enemy again, and I’m glad, because that’s what he should be.


As for Rowenna, I was so happy to hear that her son had not fallen for any of her shite. He saw through her manipulations from the get go, but regardless, she’s his mother and something in Crowley wants that connection, pines for that connection. I think Crowley is a lonely guy ruling a kingdom that no longer holds any real charm for him. Having a mother, no matter how transparently conniving she is, he can’t help but crave her love and approval. I think Crowley will listen to Rowenna. I think they will become a formidable duo. Until she shows her true hand. 


I like my Cas caring and bad assed and we got the best of both Cas’ this week. Cas’ opening shot, standing in amongst all those graves was fabulous. It had such scale. It was incredibly beautiful and set an epic scene for Cas’ initial confrontation with Cain, which was itself, wonderfully understated. I always love when two supernatural entities come together. There’s an instant understanding there which seems so damn interesting. You saw this link between Cain and Castiel. Cain and an angel. Two ancient, otherworldly beings. I loved it. Just think of it too, there Cas was standing in front of the first born human, a product of Adam and Eve, his Father’s first human children; that must have been mind blowing! Cas as is his way, tried to reach out to and reason with Cain. But he was also badassed when he tried to stop Cain, (only ending up in foofing Cain’s hair) all bright blue eyes and angelic burst of light! I love me some badassed Cas. He’s my favourite.


Dean giving the First Blade to Castiel to care for was of course, no small act. Dean asked his friend some time ago, to finish him if he ever went full blown Mark of Cain/demon again. Here Dean handed his friend the one thing that he knows for sure, if required, will kill him. He trusts Cas to do this for him and I do think Cas would do it, if he had to (I sure as shit hope we don’t go there though!) And in entrusting the Blade and that act to Cas, Dean saves Sam from having to make that choice and also keeps him out of harms way. Dean keeps Sam away from the First Blade. I’m sure that was on Dean’s mind as much as anything else.


Oh Dean Winchester, how I heart you. Strong and heroic and sad and scared and brave all at once. And Sam, standing by his side, galvanising his brother with love and faith. This right here is Sam and Dean. 

There was so much love between the brothers in this episode, so much being said without anything being said at all. They knew the odds were bad, but Dean had to do what he had to do. Sam reasoned with him, but never tried to stop him. And the looks that passed between them as they both acknowledged this fate were packed with words and emotions that did not need to be uttered.


I think Sam’s unwavering support and belief in Dean has gone a long way to helping Dean come to terms with having to try and live with the Mark of Cain…even if that means he’ll die trying. He had found some peace in this, with finding the answer within himself, with fighting it as long as he could, with going down swinging. But when faced with the possibility that the going down swinging part could come to pass a lot sooner than he expected, Dean did something that a couple of seasons ago would have seemed unimaginable, he admitted to Sam he was scared. 

We’ve seen Dean admit fear to Sam before, but not for a very long time. But here there was no bravado, there was no covering up his feelings, there were no lies. Dean was doing what he knew he had to do, because he’s the only one who could do it, and though he had to face Cain alone, he was never for one single moment truly alone, because he had the people who loved him enough to pull him back from the brink, by his side. And he had Sam 100% behind him. For the first time in a long time, there would be no doubt of that in Dean’s mind, and it’s given Dean strength. You can see it in him. As frightened and as fatalistic as he was, you could see knowing that Sam believed in him, fortified him.



The silent moments between Sam and Dean as Dean made his way to face Cain, were devastating. So much passed between them in those moments. Those moments that they both knew could have been their last. The small smile Dean gave Sam as walked up the stairs nearly killed me! 

To be honest, no one else existed for me in those moments. It was just Sam and Dean. Just Sam and Dean and their epic love. I adore them with everything I have. These are the brothers I fell in love with. Season 10 Sam and Dean are everything I want them to be, everything I knew we were working towards as they each faced their own demons on the bumpy journey we’ve all taken over the last couple of seasons. The reward for us, and the reward for them is immeasurable. OH FOR GOODNESS SAKE I JUST MADE MYSELF CRY.


The fight between Cain and Dean was mesmerising, like a ballet. The power of the performances of Jensen and Tim Omundson left me breathless. I swear I didn’t breathe for like 10 minutes! Watching Dean try so desperately to not give into the Mark while fighting Cain, and then knowing that this had become a ploy by Cain, to have Dean deliver his Blade back to him…GUH! The whole thing was torture.



And then we come full circle, as we hear that it’s Dean’s destiny to kill his brother. Dean has lived under the spectre of having to kill his brother since John whispered in his ear at the beginning of season 2. Is this where we’ve been going all along? Remember Michael once said to Dean that it was in his blood, going back to Cain and Abel. I love it when Show does stuff like this! Now, once again, a horrific shadow hangs over Dean. First Crowley, then Cas, then Sam and when that happens, Dean’s humanity will be forever gone.

Except… For Dean the Mark of Cain came about in an entirely different way to how Cain received his Mark. For Cain, it was a punishment. And though in Supernatural’s twist on the Cain and Abel lore, Cain was in fact protecting his brother from Lucifer, he still killed him. He didn’t trust that Abel could overcome Lucifer. He didn’t trust that his brother was strong enough to resist. So he killed him, to protect him, committing the first murder and receiving the Mark of Cain in the process.

Dean did not receive the Mark through committing any crime. He received the Mark to put a stop to an evil force. And yeah, sure, he was careless in his acceptance of it due to his emotional state at the time, but his purposeful intent was to do the right thing, to kill something, someone who was a threat to humanity. The Mark was passed onto him without him having to kill for it. To me, it’s a totally different ball of wax! And I was totally yelling that at Cain! I also wanted to tell Cain that Dean had put his faith in Sam when Sam was facing Lucifer. He stood by his brother, he didn’t leave his side. He didn’t try to stop Sam, because he believed in Sam’s strength, and believed he could overcome the Devil. Cain didn’t believe in Abel. Dean did believe in Sam. It’s different. And of course, like Charlie said, Dean has somethng Cain didn't, he's a Winchester. SO SHUT UP CAIN, YOU’RE WRONG. But Dean’s plaintive, “No. Never”, broke me.


Then I broke again as Dean pleaded with Cain, to not make him kill him. He pleaded with Cain to say he would stop. He pleaded with Cain to say he COULD stop. Because if Cain could stop…then there was hope for Dean. Instead he’s left with no hope and having to do the one thing he did not want to do, to kill using the First Blade. Something he feared he’d never return from. The sheer agony of it all!

The whole thing was so desperately sad, from Dean’s need to hear that he had a choice and chance to live with this thing on his arm, to Cain’s submission, bowing his head, waiting for execution. My hands were over my mouth, I was as far forward in my chair as I could get without falling off, tears were already streaming down my cheeks. The tragedy of the situation etched in pain across Dean Winchester’s magnificent face. Jensen Ackles is a master. No one does emotion like he does. Silent. Powerful. Devastating. He takes my breath away.


Then just to kill me a little bit more, as Dean comes down the stairs broken and tortured by what he’s heard and what he’s done, once he’s dismissed Crowley and handed the Blade to Cas, he turns to Sam and falls into his brother’s arms. Sam in all his glory is already moving forward to catch his brother even before he starts to fall. And he holds Dean whispering encouragement to him as Dean seeks comfort in the arms of the person he’s just been told he’s destined to kill. Two brothers, clinging to each as they have so many times before. This is Supernatural. To its very core. This is its heart. These two boys.


And just to finish us all off, we go back home to the bunker, with Dean putting on a brave face, trying to reassure Cas with a pat to the shoulder, trying to reassure Sam by agreeing with him – until Dean is out of the room and it all drops away, and we are left to see Dean, face dark, the Mark and fear festering in his soul. I groaned from the anguish of it all.


But it was Sam that finally destroyed me. His total and utter understanding of Dean in that moment. As hard as Dean tried to put on a front, Sam, the one person who knows Dean better than anyone, saw straight through it. When Cas asked Sam how Dean was doing, and the tears welled in Sam’s eyes, and the words “Cas, Dean’s in trouble” caught in his throat…well I was gone. Sobbing mess. Again. Geesh. There have been a lot of feels lately! I love with a fiery passion that Sam knows Dean well enough to know that all is not right. Sam looked so scared and utterly lost in that moment. Jared and those damn eyes of his that can floor you! It was wonderful and heart wrenching all in one.


“The Executioner’s Song” put simply, was a tour de force. Writer Robert Berens did a fabulous job in capturing exactly what Supernatural has always been about. Heroism. Sacrifice. Love. Family. Every character was perfectly drawn. Every word packed a punch. Everything was said for a reason. It felt real and true to character and I never doubted anything or anyone for one second.

Phil Sgriccia painted a stunning canvas for us, with grand scenes, which gave the episode a cinematic scale. He constructed interesting shots, which pulled us into the moment, like the wonderful backseat of the Impala shot where we got to listen in on the brothers talking and teasing. His camera angles in the fight scene added to the intensity and intimacy of the moment. Phil was totally on fire. This episode, even more than usual, was like a mini movie.


“The Executioner’s Song” is one of those episodes where you go, why doesn’t this show get awards? It’s so bloody good! If it wasn’t about monsters I’m sure it would, which gives me the shits, because it’s better than most shows on television! It looks better, it sounds better, it tells a better story and the actors are something else. Every week they turn in mesmerising performances and then there’s weeks like this where they turn it up to eleven! Stunning, stunning work from the entire cast. I guess, this is why Supernatural is still on the air where other shows have come and gone. Not one person phones anything in, not the cast, not the writing team, not the crew. God love them for being so committed and so damn awesome. We are truly blessed.

So here we are with a horrific four-week hiatus! I’m fully tortured by what went down in this episode and not knowing where the hell we go next. If Sam is this worried, I’m freakin’ terrified. I get to see that Ackles guy in a few weeks and I think I’ll have to get him to tell me Dean is going to be okay! Again! He had to do that last time I saw him! It’s becoming a thing!

Yep. Brilliant episode was brilliant. I’m so proud to be a fan of this show.

-sweetondean



23 comments:

  1. hey amy,

    first off i'd like to say that i'd be perfectly willing to sacrifice watching spn live for a chance to be a fly on the wall while you watch. lol....that being said, I want to thank you for saving me the trouble posting as you said it all and there's no need for me to hurt my wee little fingers by adding anything else. I also want to thank you for making my mascara run...like looking worse is what I really needed, so thanks for that too. LOL

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    1. Ooops sorry about your mascara!!! But thank you for reading!

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  2. The river is the source...i dont think its about lucifer. I dont think its about cain. I think the source is what got cain in his mess in the first place....lack of trust.

    Lucifer made a deal with cain, on the word of the serpent himself. In the world of spn what is the biggest mistake that was made here? as with gadriel, cain took lucifer at his word. Never did cain question it or go to abel and confront him. he simply killed him. in spn what is the basis of Lucifer's wrath? he has been called the petulant child by both Michael and Gabriel. Lucifer was cast down because he wouldn't bow down to humans. He was punished, banished by God. So what does Lucifer do as a big screw you, I told you so to God? He proves his point about how vile we basically are by one simple action. He goes to God's first, grandchild and with a simple bit of manipulation, he didn't even have to try that hard, cain bought into what Lucifer was spewing. It was that easy. Lucifer proved his point about humans.

    It wasn't really Lucifer that was the source of Cain's action. Lucifer was simply a tool. Cain could've easily pulled a dean Winchester and the spn world as we know it wouldn't be tainted by the blight Cain caused. it's not like cain went to abel, told him what Lucifer said, warned abel what Lucifer was truly trying to do and gave abel a chance to choose his own fate. who's to say that abel wouldn't have heeded cain's warning if given the chance. Cain's fatal flaw was his lack of faith in his family... in his brother. Cain made the decision to end abel's life without ever confronting abel in first place. He took the word of lucifer over his own blood...and now as punishment that bloodline is tainted (a brother making a decision for his brother without trusting in him in the first place..sound familiar? isn't that how dean ended up with the moc in the first place?)

    Perhaps the cure for removing the mark is trust. Maybe what will save dean is his unwavering faith in his brother...not taking cain at his word and trusting in it as cain did with lucifer, but by trusting his brother over all else...by trusting in sam more than himself..by trusting his family, his brotherhood...to do the antithesis of what cain did...that is what dean needs to do to rid the mark.

    Or maybe the river is real. Maybe it's the site of the murder of abel by cain. So if sam is willing to do what it takes to save dean...maybe what he has to do is get dean to this river and try to get him to kill him...if dean doesn't kill sam where cain killed abel, he will break this curse and the mark will disappear... this still this goes back to my original theory of faith...and sam's faith in dean and dean's faith in sam and himself

    the way I see it, which is never really the way anyone else does:D, imho it was actually God himself who made mary and john Winchester a priority because sam and dean had to be born. the corrupt angels, the demons, they all assumed that sam and dean's purpose was to fulfill a prophesy of their own making. I find it ironic that in the world of spn, the apocalypse is brought about by one brother killing the other, much the same way the earth began, with one brother killing the other. maybe that is God having the last laugh, for God will bring all the saved into heaven anyway...hopefully:D in the spn world, the prevention of the apocalypse resulted because of two brothers, who after much manipulation by corrupt outside forces, still chose ea. other in the end. faith. love. brotherhood....it's what saved the world. seems to me that sam and dean are God's payback to Lucifer and all his children....no, not payback.....a lesson....a lesson that faith and love, brotherhood and trust.....that's what keeps humanity going...that is the basis of humanity.

    I think the source of ridding the mark is for dean to have the one thing that cain didn't . faith and trust. I think the way to rid the mark is to do the opposite of what cain did.

    jmo of course.

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    1. Yes exactly, Anna! I believe Dean's trust in Sam is what will make the difference in his story with the Mark. I was trying to get at that, but it was 1 in the morning and I wasn't connecting the dots as clearly as I could have! :D

      But whether that is the erasure of the Mark or living with the Mark, we will have to wait and see. Because even living with the Mark, Dean has somethng Cain didn't have, he still has his brother, full of love and trust and support. A brother that he believes in. A brother Dean has seen stand toe to toe agains the greatest of odds. That in itself is different enough to change the destiny of the Mark.

      Dean has had cause and opportunity to kill Sam in the past, on more than one occasion. He's had the gun in his hand. But he's always chosen not to, because he's always chosen to believe in Sam, to believe Sam was strong enough to overcome. And's he's always believed in Sam and Dean. And here lies the most important factor in why Dean is not like and will never be like Cain. Also, because he's Dean and he's awesomer :P

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  3. c'mon amy you didn't think you'd get off that easy did you....

    you know what I've been wondering all morning....I don't think show is going to open up the Lucifer can of worms....but what I think a nice cool awesome twist would be is.....Crowley.

    what if Crowley knows more than he's letting on? didn't Crowley at one point have his hands on both the tablets? what if Crowley knows a way to rid dean of the mark and was waiting for the perfect moment to use that to his advantage...

    what if the big bad turns out to be Crowley.......Crowley who boasted having the Winchesters right where he wants them... Crowley who is the only player on the board alive because he hasn't underestimated those denim clad nightmares....

    Crowley seems bored with just hell...maybe he wants more....maybe the way to get it is by ensuring he has the Winchesters by the short and curlies...for lack of a more tasteful expression..... now that would be much better than a rehash of s5...

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    1. I like this idea!

      I'm 100% sure Crowley knows more than he's letting on, he always does. I'm hoping the tablets some how come into play, and I'd love for Crowley to become the big bad. As you say he's managed to survive this long, on many occasions, by playing the Winchesters. I think he was savy enough to know Dean would not use the Blade against him in this episode because Dean does not want to give in to the Blade. It was a leap of faith, believing Dean Winchester would still come out Dean Winchester. Or maybe he was thinking, if he didn't come out Dean, Crowley woud be golden too, because Dean would still not kill him. I don't know.

      But I do think he's allowed pesky emotion to cloud his judgement on Moose and Not Moose, and I'm glad he's finally seen the light. I think it would be great if he was revealed to have knowledge that would have stopped all this. It would be great to see the Winchesters look at him like he's pure evil again.

      I believe one of the boys will kill Crowley. Not now. Not in season 10. But it will happen and it will shock the hell out of us when it does.

      Thanks, as always, for your insightful comments and theories!

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  4. Yup, everything your review said and a billion things more. What an episode, wow!

    As Jared blew it out of the water in Sacrifce, Jensen did so here. The man can do emotion like no other. It's never over the top, it's never more than neeed, or less...it's always dead on. When he looked at Sam after Crowley gave him the Blade, and with a BLINK went from gaining control, to basically saying goodbye to his brother with a simple look...damn! (Flashbacks of Point of No Return). And Jared has the tension that comes along with that down perfect. The quick breathing, the tension in his hands, the soulful eyes...man, these 2 guys. I love love love that SPN can do so much more with looks and actions than any shows out there. Most shows would have filled some of these scenes with meaningless words and chatter, but these show, it gets these moments so perfectly right every time. They know these guys can pull these things off, and they let them do it.

    Hats off to Tim O for taking a 2 episode character and making him one of the show's most memorable ever. I was a fan of his from Psych, and of course recently watched him on Galavant and now bringing Cain to a whole new level. The man is a serious actor and was so ideal for this role, i can't imagine anyone else doing it justice. And that hair! Awesome!

    One thing about this ep that really stood out for me was the sound. The footfalls, the echos, the clarity of it all, even when Crowley gave Dean the Blade...kudos to the sound crew on this ep. Outstanding!

    Okay so the scene when Dean falls into Sams arms...yup, got me good, esp how Dean didn't look at Sam at all after he came down the stairs, until he was ready to fall over and completely spent. Damn, Jensen! And then Jared at the last scene of the ep, my oh my...the guy broke my heart in about eight places. I think when Sam told Dean that there was cause for hope, Dean looked up at Sam...right there, I think Sam saw it in Dean's eyes. There wasn't hope...there was just...Dean's in trouble. Even the camera work on that scene was perfect. The camera first with focus on Cas in the back and then came to focus on Sam... Are you sure this is a 10 year old show? Shows just aren't supposed to THAT good after so long.

    How Sam is gonna get his brother out of this one...anyone's guess.

    So, yeah, I'm with ya, LOVED this one all around. And now we have the wedge rebuilding between Crowley and the boys as Dean dissed him with the Blade to Cas deal. Time for the King of Hell to get ticked! And no idea what Rowena is planning, but yeah we know it can't be good.

    A month of hiatus and then a move to Wednesdays. Gonna be a long month, but it'll be worth it.

    And again, LOVE reading your thoughts on the show. Just makes me happy! :)

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    1. Thank you for always taking the time to comment!<3

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  5. Wow what an episode. Jensen was unbelievable. This ranks up there with his very best performances. This is easily my favorite episode (I didn't think Fan Fiction could be toppled) so far this season. Everyone was just incredible. The writing (thank you Robert Berens) the direction (as always Phil) and the acting by the entire cast was perfection. Dean/Jensen may have shoved the knife in our hearts (that little smile as he walked up the stairs holy cow) but Jared/Sam twisted it. I can't even imagine where this is all going but the anticipation may just kill me.
    As always your review pretty much summed it all up. I was crying right along with you. Can't wait to here your podcast on this one.

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    1. Thanks Cheryl, these two boys of ours are magnificent creatures. I feel truly blessed to have this show in my life.

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  6. There were so many layers to this episode. A lot of people don't like multi-layered story lines but I do as long as they mesh, and this episode was like a symphony. The foreshadowing of what might be was spine-tingling. I truly believe that the strength and bond that Sam and Dean have will be their saving grace in the end, and will defeat Cain's prophecy.

    I'm loving the Crowley/Rowena story too. Rowena is conniving and manipulative and she thinks she's on the road to having Crowley right where she wants him, however we know that Crowley isn't that easy to manipulate. He does things that get him what he wants. I do think that getting some of his humanity back has clouded his judgement but I do think that this episode has put the final nail in the coffin in his "friendship" with Dean and Sam. Dean has outplayed him and for that alone I think that we will see them firmly on opposite sides from now on. Another story turned full circle. I think that Rowena is possibly angling to not only get rid of her enemies (those in the Grand Coven who ousted her) but also has sights on being the head of the Grand Coven now she's seen her son has become the King of Hell. She wants to out-do him, become as powerful. I think she'll stop at nothing and will use Crowley in whatever way she can. There's no real affection there, I doubt she's capable.

    I do think we are building to yet another massive cliffie for the season end, especially given that season 11 is a lock.

    I'm scared, Sam.

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  7. Amy, this is the best review of "The Executioner's Song" I've read! You capture everything that was perfect, intense, and gut wrenching about this episode. It totally took my breath away. I hope you and Jules are going to do your Women of Letters podcast about it because I can't wait to hear the discussion! Meanwhile, the hellatus looms. :( But Vegas Con should help a LOT!

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    1. Vegascon will sure help! Looking forward to seeing you!
      Oh and we just recoreded a WoL. Be up soon! :)

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  8. Great review. I loved this episode. Season 10 has been my favourite since s7, or maybe (let's wait and see how it ends up) since s5. The brotherly love in this ep just shone out of the screen.

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    1. Hey geordiegirl, nice to see you! I totally agree, season 10 is shaping up to be a favourite and maybe the favourite (depending how it all plays out!). The brotherly love is wonderful and in this episode, as you say it shone out of the screen.

      Thanks for coming by to comment!

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  9. As usual I loved your review Amy. This episode had me in its grips from the first 5 seconds! I needed a bottle of tums when it was over because my stomach was truly in knots.

    I just love the picture you used of Dean looking at Sam. When I saw it during the episode all I could think of was how much it reminded me of the look Dean gave Sam the last time Sam had so much belief in him not to say yes to Michael. When Sam took him to the room. Dean gave Sam almost the exact same look.

    Jensen and Jared are just rocking it this season. Truly Emmy material. Breaks my heart their talent doesn't get recognized by mainstream Hollywood. We are soooooo lucky that they have such talent and choose to stay on Supernatural and give us those performances each week. They are amazing.

    Can't wait to listen to the podcast.

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    1. Those two guys are so damn talented. I'm so thankful we have them!

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  10. What can I say about this episode? It was just perfect and your review and also the one at Fangasm made me tear up. I admit it (and nothing at the same time) ;)

    But the episode really was great. It kept me in the edge of my seat and Rowena has slowly grown on me so she has good direction on my behalf as a character. People has speculated that the end source is Lucifer but I am agreeing more on Anna's point.

    I even got a very dark idea (maybe because of the Hellatus torture) That because Sam is Dean's brother and same blood. He will eventually need to use the blade to free Dean from the mark on Dean. He would just stay dead and be rid of the mark. Biblical revenge so to speak. I told you my thoughts are dark... What was done would be paid.

    I don't want my scenario to happen for sure! And I am usually bad at guessing (at least I hope so)

    Again, great review and can't wait for your and Jules Podcast!

    - Lilah

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  11. Yep, this episode broke me. I was sitting with my hands over my mouth for most of it. I am so scared about comes next.

    As for Crowley, I am secretly hoping the Winchesters cure him. I haven't thought of this before, and if they did, who would take Crowley's place? It's a problem. But somehow, I think Crowley is too far gone to enthusiastically return to his old evil self. Something has broken in his demoness, and the only way forward I see for him is death, or being cured.

    But most of all? My mind is stuck on the look on Dean's face as he fell into Sam's arms and looked up to where Cain's body was, the look on his face as he walked away from Cas and Sam in the bunker, and the look on Sam's face which accompanied his last words. I'm stuck there and I can't move forward. I'm so scared.

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  12. Thank you Amy, you said it all. This episode just broke my heart. :( In a very strange way, I think Dean had a certain consolation knowing he wasn't the only one with the MoC and that if he met up with Cain again, he had a modicum of hope in getting rid of the mark. But, that is sadly no longer the case. I think Cain really wanted Dean to kill him, and he certainly knew which button to push, the "you are going to kill Sam" button. The one Dean has been fighting since "In My Time of Dying". When he walked down those stairs after killing Cain, he waited for Crowley and Castiel to be gone before falling into his brothers arms, and oh my God, the look on his face. Jensen & Jared are masters of the silent looks, and boy, we were served some of the best ones in this episode.

    Thank you Robert Berens. My heart is now broken.

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  13. I have downloaded this episode, but haven't been able to bring myself to watch it again, yet. It is such an incredible episode, and I love it so much. But it is emotionally devastating. I need to build up my courage to watch it again soon.
    I agree, genre TV in general, and Supernatural in particular need to be recognized for all the quality work that is done! Maybe they need to start their own awards program.
    This episode shows our boys at their very best. Both as the characters Sam and Dean, but also as the actors, Jared and Jensen pouring their very hearts and souls in to telling these brothers' story. When you see them in Vegas, please give them an extra squeeze from me, will you please?

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