Supernatural Think Tank - Anna's Thoughts on "There's Something About Mary"

Darkness and tragedy are no strangers to Supernatural and this episode is a perfect example of how well this show does sad.   You know, as with most of this pairings outings, there is quite a lot of negative discussion out there regarding this episode, but contrary to most of these negative feelings I actually liked it and all the questions it posed.  Granted now,  there were aspects of this episode that I was totally confused with, most especially the entire Lucifer/Crowley transfer of power thing, but on the whole I  thought this episode to be interesting, touching, sad, funny, infuriating.....a basic roller coaster ride of emotions that had me in a state of "Wow" when it ended.  When an episode has me running the gambit on every emotion inside me, I call that a win.  I just found this episode, even with the tragedy and darkness to be so emotionally satisfying for me although I could be very much alone in this. I thought I'd explain from where I come from.

There's Something About Mary started out with a bang and just never stopped for me.  I wasn't expecting such heavy emotion so early on, I mean not since AHBL2 has Supernatural started out with me requiring a box of tissues close by. Death has come to many that the boys have grown close too and even loved over the years, but none felt so tragic as the death of Eileen. (Charlie comes closest)  I liked her and was sorry to see her go, though it wasn't really a surprise as show pretty much told us she was on the kill list, especially since she had shot BMOL henchman #5 and still lived to tell about it.  Eileen's death though, felt more like a tragedy than most of the other deaths we've seen over the years.  I couldn't help but feel for this poor girl, all alone and afraid, running for her life from an invisible killer she couldn't see and in her case, couldn't hear either.  How the fear must have engulfed her, not knowing where her enemy was, unable to hear it's growls or the stomping of it's gigantic paws as it made its approach.  She had no backup.  She had no family that we knew of.  She had been fearing for her life ever since she returned to Ireland, enough that she'd written to Sam and Dean and had come back to America in the hopes that she can find protection under their roof.  The only people in her life that she can turn to, a continent away.  How much terror this girl had experienced running from her killer only knowing that her imminent end was near when it's hot breath hit her body as he flung her around and ripped her apart like a child's unwanted rag doll. I felt for her so much in that moment. I mean I've cried over deaths before. I cried along with Sam when Madison died, when Sarah died, when Dean died, when Ellen and Jo died.  I even got a bit furklumped when Bobby and John died. All these deaths, none of them were alone. Each and every one of them had Winchester by their side. Other than Charlie, Eileen was the only one who died all alone. No family. No friends. What a scary and tragic thing for someone to go through. It broke my heart.

Mine wasn't the only heart that broke though. Dean was upset for sure, but the look on Sam's face when he saw Eileen at the morgue. I believe ladies and gents that Sam Winchester has finally reached his limit. Sam was so beyond words, and the fact that he just wanted to punch something in the face....for Sam Winchester folks, that speaks volumes.  Just when I thought Sam couldn't break my heart any more in this ep, he went and did.  When the boys went to their PO box and found and read that letter from Eileen, oh  my Chuck, the look on his face....I was done and that was just the first 15 minutes.   Another person that Sam had a connection with killed. I kind of want to ask TPTB if there is a reason for this. I even wondered if this was the curse that Mary had laid on her son when she made that deal with YED all those years ago. I also wonder if Mary redeemed that sin in some way, if this curse on Sam, cuz that's kind of what it feels like it is, would end. I know that Eileen's death wasn't just for nothing, I know it was a driving force for Sam, but still...ouch goes the heart here. This is just my personal opinion, but I feel like this season especially, Sam has been portrayed as the peacekeeper between Dean and Mary as well as Dean and Cas. He's been understanding to the umth level with both Mary and Cas and he's tried so hard to reach out to Mary even when she showed no interest in responding to it.  I know on the surface it seems that Sam has been quite Zen, but I don't really think Sam is as Zen as he's making out to be.  You know when you watched those old Bugs Bunny cartoons and they lit that really long fuse to the bomb that would explode.  I compare Sam to that bomb.  This entire season Sam's fuse was so close to that flame it just hadn't been  lit  yet, but the death of Eileen, that was the spark that finally lit that fuse and now.....tick, tick, tick ,  boom. The death of Charlie last season was the driving force to put Dean over the edge and fall to the MOC. I think Eileen is meant to drive Sam. I think she will be his motivation in his quest to destroy the BMOL. Look out Brits because a pissed off Sam Winchester is not one you want knocking at your front door. " Hey Ketch, you know I hear Venus is nice this time of year"

Now if I were one who had connected with Mary on some level then I might be able to empathise with her and the situation she found herself in. I think I might have felt for her as I watched her will slowly being taken from her.  I would feel her anguish as she reached out to Ketch, willing to off herself and begging Ketch to do it for her. I think I would've pitied the mess she ended up getting in when all she wanted to do was make the world better for her children.  I would understand that she knew how much she messed up her kids lives and working with the BMOL to rid the world of monsters, so the boys could leave this life, is her way of atoning for what she'd done.  I would feel for her when I saw her giving up, unable to fight anymore.  I would even try to have forgiven her as she betrayed her sons once again...because after all it wasn't really her fault.  I might have felt all of this....but unfortunately I did not.  I'm afraid I just don't have a connection with Mary on any emotional level.  It's probably because she's shown no connection to her own children on any emotional level.  I'm afraid telling Ketch she loves her family just doesn't do it for me.   I  guess I would've rather have seen the love Mary has for her sons.  It wouldn't have taken much....just some mother and son time.   While the scenes with Mary and Ketch were well done, I just didn't feel empathy during them.  hat doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy the hell out of them though.

I can't help it.  I know Ketch is a psychopath, but I can't help but enjoy every minute of screen time that he's in.  Lady Toni is despicable as well, but I actually enjoy her.  I find her evil , arrogant,  and self righteous.  She definitely has hers coming, but for now I can't help but enjoy despising her.   I absolutely love the snarky British humour that comes from all of them, including Hess.  I can listen to that all day long.   It makes me.  You know, the parts I did laugh at, were mostly the Ketch and Bevel scenes.  I also laughed at her when the boys had her in the back of the car.  I couldn't help it.  I only imagine that Jared and Jensen laughed as well during that scene.  I felt that the Brits really brought the humour in what was a pretty dark episode.   I thought the rivalry between Ketch and Bevel made for an interesting aspect of their story.  Seems like sex isn't really a deterrence for Ketch when it comes to doing his job.   Everyone is expendable it seems.  I wonder if that includes him too?  I wonder now that Toni has been deemed expendable by the BMOL where her loyalty will lie. 

I like the whole Crowley/Lucifer storyline, but I will admit that the monologuing from Crowley had gotten a bit worse for wear. I will admit that I was totally confused at everything Drexel was telling Lucifer. What I basically got out of it and I think that's what matters is that Luci now can control Crowley.  Lucifer wasn't long for those chains so this was of no big surprise.  We all knew, as Luci had said it often enough, that this wouldn't end well for Crowley.  It seems that Luci doesn't lie after all.  It appears that Crowley was no match for Lucifer in the end.   Lucifer is now free and on his quest to find his son.....uh oh.

  

I did say that it appears that Crowley was no match right?  Looks like Crowley is still 11 steps ahead,  they will be tiny steps as he is in the body of a rat and they do have very little feet.   See Crowley ain't no Kermit the Frog.  or Kermit's brother here. 

I was surprised though by Crowley's relationship with the BMOL.  It must've been going on for some time.  So does that mean that Crowley fears the BMOL that he made a deal with them and is thus apparently extending that deal to America?  Why would Crowley fear the BMOL?  My current theory is that the reason he fears them is because he knows that one of them is Asmodeus, the third Prince of Hell that we learnt of this season and the only one we have yet to see. Do I think that Crowley will stand by and let the BMOL destroy the Winchesters?  I don't think so.  Crowley knows the Winchesters are an asset and they are literally the only reason that he and the underworld as much as the planet still exists.  What about Lucifer?  Maybe Crowley decided that he'll let the Winchesters deal with that problem and claim the prize once Lucifer is destroyed?   All I know is I don't think he'll remain a literal rat for much longer.   As for Lucifer, well seems he quite likes the rock star look.  I don't think we have to wait but a few more days before we get to see that family reunion. 

I love when we get to see badass Winchesters.   Heartache wasn't the only thing that Eileen's letter provided for the boys.  She gave them vital information as well.  She told them that it was the BMOL that had been following her and she let them know that her phone had been bugged.  That information was crucial as it set the stage for the boys confrontation with Toni Bevell.   I love how they trapped Toni.  Dean made me laugh at his remark about dating her after she put him on the ground.  Sam, well he was just hot, and not just hot looking either.  The fury that raged on that man's face, I thought he was going to shoot her, or at the very least punch her in the face.  I laughed that Sam had to actually stop Dean from doing just that....c'mon, mentioning mom sex, and with a psycho to boot.  Again, the snarky British humour just makes me laugh.  It's one of the reasons I like Crowley so much.  The scene at the end though, Ketch waiting to ambush the boys, and the way Sam spinned Toni around, using her as a shield while firing...damn that was so freaking cool.  The boys were just so in sync with each other and they held their own.  You don't want a Winchester on your bad side, that's for sure.  Then the devastation on Sam and Dean's face when Mary turned on them.  Dean pleading.  Sam's broken expression.  I really do think it's possible that Sam has reached his limit regarding Mary.  It was the bookend heartbreaking scene of the one that the show opened with.  Started with tissues, ended with tissues.  The boys really do appear to be on their own, as it was in the beginning all those years ago. 

This was one of those episodes that raised some questions.

Is what happened what really happened or just what we are meant to think happened? Is Mary playing Ketch? 

Leaving Sam and Dean alive in bunker to lose air in 2-3 days leaves room for escape, who's plan was that?

Did Crowley know what's been going on all along with Luci and Crowley's demon and plan his escape?  Did Crowley go into the rat using one of his mother's spells perhaps?  Will Crowley leave his current form or move into a nice new sewer where he can meet a nice female rat and have female babies?

My current theory:  I think Mary calling Ketch into the room was her attempt to play on any sympathy he might have.  I think she was trying to get a read.  Once she got a sense of what she was dealing with, she made the attempt for the gun and aimed it at herself, to see what he would do.  He did  stop her, but he didn't help her.   With that I think Mary decided to play at being brainwashed and went with Ketch.  I do think that it could've been her idea to have the boys locked down instead of Ketch putting a bullet in his head.  I think she'd be clever enough to play the suffocation thing as more torturous and they would suffer more, especially knowing they were dying by the hands of their own mother.  Ketch would be attracted to that idea. The boys now have time to either figure a way out or she could sneak back to the bunker when Ketch goes to sleep.  Does Mary know about the grenade launcher, cuz if Baby is in the garage, then the boys have a way out. I'm going with Mary more likely going back. She would want to explain to the boys what she was doing.  Of course with that, I think Ketch will either wake up and find her missing, or pretend to have been sleeping in the first place and follow her back to the bunker.  Then it's going to be all out war on the BMOL.

That's mine scenario....what's yours?

Quotes:

“Monsters and demons don’t team up. Seven Hunters are gone, we can’t grab a signal from mom’s phone, Cas has Kelly Kline who-knows-where, Mick has slipped off the grid, Ketch is lying to us. I want to punch something in the face.”

-Sam to Dean   

Crowley: “Before long, of course, I will get rid of you, but I will miss our little chats."

Lucifer: “You mean the ones where you prattle on about your imagined power and I pretend to care. Those chats?"   

“Rule of thumb: If you think we killed someone, then we probably did.”

-Lady Toni to Sam and Dean   

"I never thought of you as a cuddler".

-Lucifer to Crowley

"Master strategist, more like Kermit the Frog. "

-Lucifer to Crowley

Mary: "I killed someone.  He was a friend."

Ketch:  "I do it all the time."

Toni: " Mary's part of the team.  She's even got a super decoder ring."

Sam:  "You're lying."

Toni:  "You're right, there is no ring."

There were issues of course, but none that I can't hand wave away.  Everyone did a fabulous job.  All the guest stars were fantastic. They brought heartbreak, laughter, hostility and excitement.  Jared and Jensen were  perfection.  I can't express how much these two actors have endeared my heart to loving their characters and feeling their anguish and anger.  They deserve an award.  I really enjoyed the humour of Mark and Mark.  They really are a comedic joy.  Again the BMOL ...love to hate them.  The actors who portray them are doing them justice.  Every emotion was touched on in this ep and this ain't the only roller coaster in the Supernatural theme park.  So I got my ice cream.  I got my box of tissues.  I'm ready for next week. Til then folks.

Thanks for reading.

-Anna